North Newark station

North Newark station

Company type	Former commuter railroad station
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	January 1, 1873 (1873-01-01)
Defunct	April 26, 1986 (1986-04-26)
Headquarters	Newark, New Jersey , United States
Area served	Newark, New Jersey and surrounding areas

North Newark was once a commuter railroad train station situated in the Woodside neighborhood of Newark, New Jersey, within Essex County. Positioned at the intersection of Broadway and Verona Avenue, it was part of NJ Transit's Montclair-Boonton Line, which operated between Netcong and Hoboken Terminal. The station comprised two low-level side platforms, accessible via stairways from Broadway. Neighboring stops included Arlington to the east in Kearny and Rowe Street to the west in Bloomfield.

Rail operations in northern Newark commenced on January 1, 1873, with the Montclair Railway establishing a route linking Jersey City and Monks Castle in West Milford. Located seven miles west of Jersey City, North Newark served fifteen daily trains. Over time, the line underwent several ownership changes, and in 1889 the Erie Railroad erected a combined passenger station and residential structure at this location. Although a fire destroyed the depot in June 1970, firefighters preserved the canopy, which was subsequently reused for station purposes. NJ Transit managed North Newark until its shutdown on April 26, 1986. Another nearby stop, Forest Hill, was positioned west of North Newark near Manchester Place and Verona Avenue.

History

Rail service within Newark's Woodside district originated with the Montclair Railway’s incorporation on March 18, 1867, aimed at constructing a line from Jersey City's Hudson River waterfront to Montclair in Essex County. This 43-mile railroad began operations on January 1, 1873, connecting Jersey City to Monks Castle in West Milford and included two stations within Newark: North Newark and Montgomery.

In August 1889, the initial station building from 1873 at North Newark was torn down and replaced by a three-story wooden depot located on the eastbound platform. This facility contained a waiting area, ticket office, and living quarters.

A trolley service introduced in July 1894 linked North Newark station directly with downtown Newark at Broad and Market Streets, providing competition to Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad’s Broad Street Station.

On November 29, 1962, the Greenwood Lake Division merged with the former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Boonton Branch to facilitate service between Hoboken Terminal and Dover. This consolidation improved commuting options for passengers of North Newark. New timetables were authorized in March 1963, with operations commencing on October 27 of that year.

The North Newark depot built in 1889 suffered extensive damage due to a fire in June 1970; only the platform canopy survived and was repurposed by Erie Lackawanna Railroad. Subsequently, a railroad transmission tower was installed at the site.

On March 17, 1986, NJ Transit announced that North Newark station would cease operations on April 26 because of declining ridership, alongside Plainfield’s Grant Avenue station.

Passenger train service concluded on September 20, 2002, prior to the inauguration of the Montclair Connection—a link connecting the Boonton Line with the Montclair Branch at Bay Street station. This closure impacted three active stations on the route. Following this, freight trains continued to use the line until New Jersey acquired an 8.6-mile portion of the former Boonton Line for $65 million on August 19, 2022. This section is being transformed into the Essex–Hudson Greenway state park. The area formerly occupied by North Newark station has since been overtaken by an expanding local junkyard.

Bibliography

• Residences Along the Montclair Railway, Tailored for New York Businessmen. An Overview of the Area Surrounding the Montclair Railway, Stretching from Jersey City to Greenwood Lake authored by George L. Catlin, published by Montclair Railway Company, New York, 1873
• Erie Railroad Infrastructure (Color Edition) written by Robert J. Yanosey, Morning Sun Books Inc., Scotch Plains, New Jersey, 2006, Volume 1: New Jersey, ISBN 1582481830