Kingsland station
| Company type | Former train station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1918 |
| Defunct | 2025-06-08 |
| Fate | Closed following opening of new Lyndhurst station |
| Headquarters | Lyndhurst, New Jersey , United States |
Area served | Lyndhurst, New Jersey |
| Products | Commuter rail services |
Kingsland served as a train station on New Jersey Transit along the Main Line, situated beneath Ridge Road (Route 17) between New York and Valley Brook Avenues in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. It was one of two stops within Lyndhurst. The station operated without staff, offering ticket vending machines at street level but did not provide facilities for disabled access. Initially part of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad's Boonton Branch, the existing Kingsland station was erected in 1918. It ceased operations on June 8, 2025, coinciding with the inauguration of the new Lyndhurst station.
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Constructed in 1868, the Boonton Branch of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad functioned as a freight bypass to the Morris & Essex Railroad, extending from Denville to Hoboken Terminal through Boonton and Paterson. Kingsland housed repair shops established that same year for locomotive and railcar maintenance. In 1875, equipment was transferred from Hoboken to these shops. Although a fire destroyed the primary machine shop in 1882, it was swiftly reconstructed. During this era, a modest house served as the station depot.
In 1903, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad expanded the Kingsland Shops and built a new brick depot alongside a $71,500 cut-and-cover tunnel permitting Schuyler Avenue to pass over the tracks. Positioned on Ridge Road above the rail line, the depot featured platforms that extended over the bridge. This architectural approach was later duplicated for the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western's Montclair Branch at Watsessing Avenue station in Bloomfield, New Jersey.
Following a November 1916 collision involving passenger train No. 582 at Kingsland station, in 1917 the New Jersey Board of Public Utility Commissioners mandated safety enhancements. Train No. 479 struck passengers due to delayed arrival and absence of fencing or signaling between tracks. The board required installation of westbound signals to prevent similar accidents, leading the Canadian Car Company to shift boarding operations to a private siding.
Erie–Lackawanna Railroad and the Passaic Plan
After years of joint usage, on October 17, 1960, the Erie Railroad merged with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad to form the Erie-Lackawanna Railway. Since 1949, Erie had been negotiating with Passaic, New Jersey regarding its double-track mainline crossing through Passaic via Rutherford. Due to prohibitive costs for removal without alternative service routes, progress stalled; Erie replaced aging wooden stations in 1952 instead. Following the merger in 1960, Erie–Lackawanna assumed control of the Boonton Branch servicing Passaic. Under pressure from the New Jersey Department of Transportation, an agreement was reached on August 23, 1960, connecting the Boonton Branch through Erie's former Newark Branch to Erie's main line at South Paterson. The Erie main line through Passaic was abandoned on April 2, 1963; trains were rerouted along the Boonton Branch running from Kingsland to Athenia.
Throughout 1963, sections of the Boonton Branch were gradually retired as NJDOT repurposed its right-of-way for construction of Interstate 80 and New Jersey Route 21 near BE Drawbridge and Passaic Park station. Control shifted to NJDOT on October 27, 1963, after establishing a connection at Mountain View with Erie's former New York and Greenwood Lake Railroad line. The stretch from Paterson Junction to Totowa—including the Paterson High Bridge built in 1902—was abandoned and dismantled. Despite these modifications, Erie–Lackawanna's decline persisted; by 1975 it consented to join Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail), effective April 1, 1976.
New Jersey Transit
In January 1983, commuter rail services were handed over from Consolidated Rail Corporation to New Jersey Transit Rail Operations. Following the integration of the Montclair Branch and Boonton Line via the Montclair Connection on September 20, 2002, Arlington station in Kearny was closed, resulting in the town losing direct rail access. To maintain connectivity, Kearny introduced a shuttle bus service running parallel to NJ Transit bus route #76, facilitating passenger transfers from Arlington to Kingsland station for travel to New York Penn Station and Hoboken Terminal. Shuttle schedules were coordinated with major train departures.
On June 22, 2010, the Borough of Lyndhurst expressed interest in acquiring Kingsland and Lyndhurst stations, citing NJ Transit's absence of renovation initiatives. Mayor Richard DiLascio proposed transforming Kingsland into a modernized facility featuring a coffee shop and retro-inspired design elements, financed through leasing portions of the space. With daily ridership fluctuating between approximately 440 and over 1,000 commuters, the refurbishment aimed to improve Lyndhurst’s public image. Despite these plans, by 2012 Kingsland’s station building remained unused; Lyndhurst sought to lease the property from NJ Transit to pursue redevelopment and stimulate local growth.
In 2021, announcements confirmed that Kingsland station would cease operations once the new Lyndhurst station was completed. Public hearings conducted by NJ Transit on August 14, 2024 outlined the proposed closure scheduled for May 2025 following Lyndhurst's reopening. The decision was attributed to constraints on parking expansion, deteriorating structural conditions, and non-compliance with ADA standards at Kingsland. Although the replacement Lyndhurst station will be situated closer to Kingsland’s location, opposition arose due to increased walking distances—approximately —and the elimination of bus connections with route 76. The original Kingsland structure is planned to remain in use for storage purposes.
NJ Transit’s board officially approved the closure of Kingsland station on November 14, 2024, coinciding with the commencement of operations at the new Lyndhurst facility in 2025. Kingsland station ultimately closed on June 8, 2025 upon Lyndhurst's opening.
Station layout and services
Kingsland station comprised two tracks served by low-level side platforms. The station house was constructed as an over-track building spanning the Main Line along Route 17 (Ridge Road), crossing above the railway tracks. Access between the station building and platforms was provided via a short pedestrian tunnel. The platform serving trains bound for Hoboken Terminal included an additional third track forming part of a wye, historically utilized by the Harrison Cut-Off built by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. Parking availability was limited to nineteen surface spaces without designated handicapped spots and was offered free of charge. Additional short-term parking could be found along Route 17 through New Jersey Transit.
The station offered connections to Route 76, operated by New Jersey Transit Bus Operations.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Lyndhurst, New Jersey
- Railway stations in Bergen County, New Jersey
- NJ Transit Rail Operations stations
- Railway stations in the United States opened in 1870
- Former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad stations
- 1870 establishments in New Jersey
- Railway stations closed in 2025
- 2025 disestablishments in New Jersey