Elizabeth station (NJ Transit)
| Company type | NJ Transit rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Founded | 1835 |
| Headquarters | Elizabeth, New Jersey , United States |
Area served | Union County, New Jersey |
| Products | Passenger rail services |
Elizabeth station, managed by New Jersey Transit, is situated in Midtown, Elizabeth, New Jersey, within Union County, New Jersey. It lies roughly southwest of New York Penn Station along the Northeast Corridor. Positioned on an elevated embankment and viaduct between Broad Street and West Grand Street, it is commonly called Broad Street Elizabeth to avoid confusion with North Elizabeth station. The facility provides access to several nearby NJ Transit Bus routes and is located next to the former Central Railroad of New Jersey station.
History
The Pennsylvania Railroad inaugurated an elevated rail structure through Elizabeth on April 21, 1893, aiming to separate train traffic from street level.
On June 9, 1968, the station witnessed the passage of Robert F. Kennedy's funeral train heading to Washington, DC, attracting mourners along the route. Earlier that day, a tragic accident occurred when a northbound Penn Central train from Chicago struck two individuals and injured five others. Despite the engineer reducing speed to , sounding the horn, and ringing the bell while navigating a typically restricted curve, those involved were unable to clear the tracks in time.
In January 2015, NJ Transit unveiled plans for a $55 million redevelopment project at Elizabeth station, which included constructing a new station building, platforms, and staircases. The design process involved coordination with Amtrak, the owner of the Northeast Corridor (NEC), although Amtrak discontinued stops at Elizabeth around 1973; nevertheless, Amtrak intends to add a fifth track in this area. Funding approval came in 2018, with project components featuring a transit plaza linking both stations. Platform extensions were planned to support 12-car trains. Construction commenced in 2019 and was completed by Anselmi & DeCicco, Inc., based in Maplewood, NJ.
The eastbound platform and station house fully reopened on September 12, 2023. Final completion of all work at Elizabeth station is anticipated by June 2024, culminating with a ribbon-cutting event scheduled for June 18, 2024.
Station layout
The facility includes two elevated side platforms; however, Amtrak's Northeast Corridor services do not make stops at this location.
S-curve improvements
The Elizabeth S-curve imposes speed restrictions due to its configuration of consecutive curves. According to Amtrak, speed limits here are set at for Acela trains and for Northeast Regional services; nonetheless, actual speeds tend to be lower because of ‘approach limited’ signals that require trains to reduce speed before reaching Elizabeth.[1] Upgrading the station’s signaling system to 562 standards and integrating it with ACSES transponders is necessary to allow trains to maintain authorized speeds.
With track realignment involving increased banking and deployment of advanced rolling stock, speeds could rise up to , effectively extending high-speed travel closer toward Newark. This enhancement forms part of Amtrak's broader Northeast Corridor modernization plans.[2]
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- NJ Transit Rail Operations stations
- Former Pennsylvania Railroad stations
- Railway stations in Union County, New Jersey
- Transportation in Elizabeth, New Jersey
- Stations on the Northeast Corridor
- Buildings and structures in Elizabeth, New Jersey
- 1835 establishments in New Jersey
- Former Amtrak stations in New Jersey
- Railway stations in the United States opened in 1835