Delco Lead
| Company type | Rail yard facility |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Pennsylvania Railroad |
| Founded | 1900 |
| Headquarters | New Brunswick and North Brunswick , United States |
Area served | Central New Jersey |
| Products | Rail car storage and inspection |
| Owner | Amtrak |
County Yard is a rail yard facility situated along the Northeast Corridor (NEC), consisting of Adams Yard, Delco Lead, and County Yard itself. It straddles the boundary between New Brunswick and North Brunswick in Central New Jersey.
Initially established by the Pennsylvania Railroad, ownership now rests with Amtrak. Just south of County Yard lies the New Jersey Transit Rail Operations (NJT) Jersey Avenue Station on the NEC. In 2014, NJT launched a project to enhance the yard, transforming it into a "train haven" by expanding storage capacity and adding re-inspection facilities. This development aims to increase the yard’s area to 13 acres, enabling it to shelter up to 150 electrified passenger rail cars from storm impacts.
Located further south along the NEC, Delco Lead is slated for expansion with five new tracks capable of holding 312 rail cars, alongside a new service and inspection center designed to accelerate equipment turnaround times. Once these improvements are finalized, County Yard will accommodate 132 rail cars, bolstering NJT’s operational capacity and resilience.
History
County Yard was originally part of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) network and is positioned where the Millstone Branch historically connected with its mainline—now known as the NEC. The yard derives its name from Alexander T. County, a PRR vice-president and treasurer hailing from New Brunswick. In 1900, a new tower and interlocking named "COUNTY" commenced operations here. Passenger services ceased in 1930.
The Jersey Avenue Park & Ride station opened on October 24, 1963, at the eastern terminus of the spur line. Following the PRR’s succession by Amtrak in 1971, Amtrak has shared control of the NEC with NJT’s Northeast Corridor Line and other commuter rail services.
Delco Lead
During Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, nearly 400 NJT rail cars and locomotives suffered damage after being left in flood-prone locations such as Hoboken Yard and Meadows Maintenance Complex within the Kearny Meadows. This event prompted NJT to pursue expanded storage capabilities at two Central Jersey sites. The five miles of electrified track at Delco Lead are intended to serve as protected storage during severe weather events. Together with County Yard, this will provide capacity for up to 444 vehicles.
In January 2014, NJT contracted Jacobs Engineering Group with $7.64 million to design the Delco Lead Safe Haven Storage and Re-inspection Facility Project. This initiative involves reconfiguring and enlarging County Yard into the neighboring Mile Run Yard, which is currently inactive. The project includes constructing an inspection facility to meet federal mandates for equipment re-inspection following weather-related storage periods.
Further financial support was obtained in 2015, 2016, and 2017. By 2019, $95 million was allocated toward this expansion effort. Groundbreaking took place in December 2024, representing a major commitment to flood-resilient rail infrastructure aimed at strengthening NJT’s operational durability.
Adams Yard and Mid-Line Loop
Amtrak and NJ Transit are collaborating on upgrades along the high-speed corridor between New Brunswick and Trenton, concentrating on the "New Jersey Speedway" segment of the NEC. Planned developments include a new station at North Brunswick as well as a flying junction featuring a balloon loop, known as the Mid-Line Loop, located between mileposts 36 and 37 just south of both the new station and Amtrak's Adams Yard. This design enables trains to reverse direction and enter or exit service without crossing other tracks, functioning as a staging area for a mid-line terminus.
Turboliner storage
In January 2018, Amtrak transferred three out-of-service RTL-III Turboliner gas turbine train sets, which had previously operated on the Empire Corridor, from Bear, Delaware. Two of these trainsets were relocated to Adams Yard, while the third was moved to Cedar Hill Yard in New Haven. Currently, these units serve as training equipment for employees, although their future disposition has not been determined. As of November 2024, the sets housed at Adams Yard remain in storage alongside several retired baggage cars and a coach from the Heritage Fleet.