Essex Street station (NJ Transit)
| Company type | Train station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Founded | 1861 |
| Founder | Hackensack and New York Railroad |
| Headquarters | Hackensack, New Jersey , United States |
Area served | Pascack Valley Line commuters |
| Owner | New Jersey Transit |
Essex Street, previously identified as Hackensack during the Erie Railroad period, is a New Jersey Transit train station situated on the Pascack Valley Line at 160 John Street in Hackensack, New Jersey. This station is served daily by trains operating on the Pascack Valley Line.
The initial station building was constructed in 1861 by the Hackensack and New York Railroad as part of an extension from Passaic Street. In 1896, the Erie Railroad took ownership, designating it as a partial administrative center before relocating operations to Hillsdale, and later transferring control to New Jersey Transit in 1983. Historically, Essex Street represented the southernmost of Hackensack’s four stations, alongside Anderson Street, Fairmount Avenue, and Central Avenue.
Hackensack and New York Railroad
The establishment of Essex Street station dates back to the 1856 incorporation of the Hackensack and New York Railroad by David P. Patterson and associates, with the objective of creating a steam railway through the Pascack Valley and expanding northward. Construction commenced in 1859, linking New York City to Hackensack’s Passaic Street station. Although Hackensack was not a primary railroad hub, it was serviced by multiple lines including the New Jersey Midland Line (now known as the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad) with stops at Main Street and Prospect Avenue. By the 1860s, rail service extended to Essex Street station. On September 5, 1869, the Passaic Street stop was discontinued and replaced by three new stations: Anderson Street, Fairmount Avenue, and Central Avenue. By 1870, tracks reached Hillsdale, where operations began on March 4. A year later, service extended to Haverstraw, New York, and in 1896, the line was leased to the Erie Railroad.
Erie Railroad station and recent history
After leasing to the Erie Railroad, Essex Street station experienced limited modifications over sixty years. While Hillsdale functioned as headquarters for the New Jersey and New York Railroad, Essex Street had previously served in this capacity. Under Erie management, it was one of four Hackensack stops—Anderson Street, Central Avenue, Fairmount Avenue—and was commonly referred to simply as Hackensack station. The structure exhibited a medieval architectural style with a low concrete platform supported by green columns extending toward Essex Street and included a small parking area behind a prominent entranceway featuring a bay window. The original depot built in 1893 was destroyed by fire in 1970. In 1976, Erie Lackawanna merged into the Consolidated Rail Corporation, which operated the line until control passed to New Jersey Transit in 1983; at that time, the station was renamed Essex Street to distinguish it among several local stops. In 2002, as part of NJ Transit’s "Back To Basics" initiative during a statewide expansion of park-and-ride facilities, Essex Street station gained thirty-six additional parking spaces to accommodate commuter needs.
Station layout
Located at the intersection of Essex Street, Railroad Avenue, and John Street in Hackensack, Essex Street station comprises a single platform serving southbound trains on one track. Adjacent to the station are two parking facilities: a sizable lot with 186 spaces on Essex Street behind the platform, managed by Park America, which includes six handicap-accessible spots and provides complimentary parking during evenings and weekends; and a smaller 50-space lot on the opposite side that requires a permit and does not offer handicap accessibility. Amenities at the station include bicycle lockers and a single ticket vending machine (TVM). Additionally, the station is connected to multiple New Jersey Transit bus routes, including 76, 144, 162, 164, 165, 178, 712, 772, and 780.