Bay Head station

Bay Head station

Company type	Commuter rail station
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1882
Headquarters	Bay Head , United States
Products	Passenger rail services

Bay Head station, located in Bay Head within Ocean County, New Jersey, serves as the southern endpoint of NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line. The facility's rail yard encompasses wetlands inside the turning loop adjacent to Twilight Lake. While parking is complimentary at Bay Head, the available spaces are limited and roughly one-quarter the capacity of the paid lot found at nearby Point Pleasant Beach.

This station lacks ADA-compliant features; boarding requires stair use since there are no ramps or elevated platforms to accommodate passengers with disabilities. During summer weekends, ridership surges due to increased beach traffic. In May 2011, ticket vending machines were installed next to the station building to enhance passenger convenience.

1946 trestle fire

A significant fire occurred on December 1, 1946, destroying a 300-foot segment of the Pennsylvania Railroad's wooden trestle spanning Barnegat Bay in Seaside Park. Fire crews battled the blaze for more than six hours, managing to confine damage primarily to the central span but causing a disruption of rail operations between Bay Head and Toms River. Passengers traveling beyond Toms River were transferred onto buses to continue their journey toward Long Branch. The fire devastated all pilings and railroad ties in the affected area and caused significant warping of rails.

In the aftermath, Pennsylvania Railroad customers traveling from Camden experienced bus service replacing trains beyond Pemberton, where trains terminated. On December 14, 1948, passenger rail service between Toms River and Bay Head was discontinued following track abandonment.

Station layout

The station consists of a low-level side platform that accommodates trains traveling in both directions. The majority of trains utilize track one, allowing passengers to board directly from the street level.