Waterfront Connection
| Company type | Rail infrastructure |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | September 9, 1991 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | New Jersey |
| Products | Rail connection between former Pennsylvania Railroad and Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad lines |
The Waterfront Connection allows NJ Transit trains to transfer between the former Pennsylvania Railroad main line—now known as the Newark Division—and the former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad main line, which is currently managed by NJ Transit Rail Operations. This infrastructure was inaugurated on September 9, 1991, with a total expenditure of $16 million.
Location and design
This connection consists of a single track that branches off from the Northeast Corridor main line leading to New York Penn Station. It crosses above NJ Transit’s Hoboken main line and features a dedicated through-girder bridge spanning over the westbound track of PATH as well as a Conrail freight route. The track then converges with the Hoboken line coming from the south. For more than ten years after opening, the Waterfront Connection was not electrified. Positioned just to the south of the Kearny Connection, these two links collectively permit trains originating from western routes to terminate at either Hoboken or New York Penn Station.
Usage
At present, only a single inbound morning train on the Raritan Valley Line utilizes the Waterfront Connection to access Hoboken. In earlier years, trains on the North Jersey Coast Line operated through this corridor, with five peak-hour trains traveling in each direction terminating at Hoboken. However, since 2020, all North Jersey Coast Line trains have ceased serving Hoboken and now run exclusively to New York Penn Station. This connection supports diesel train operations directly between Hoboken and Bay Head—the endpoint of the North Jersey Coast Line beyond the electrified segment at Long Branch. Passengers traveling south of Long Branch can board diesel services bound for Hoboken or transfer at Newark Penn Station for service to New York City. The deployment of the ALP-45DP locomotive in 2015 introduced one-seat rides from New York Penn Station all the way to Bay Head.
Impact
The creation of the Waterfront Connection removed the necessity for a dedicated fueling station on the diesel-operated portion of the North Jersey Coast Line. In response to local community feedback in 2002, NJ Transit shut down the Bay Head fueling facility; refueling operations are now centralized at either Hoboken or Raritan Yard.
Predecessor
During NJ Transit’s "Bergen Shore Express" summer service between 1986 and 1988, trains from the Bergen County Line diverted at West End Junction onto the Morris & Essex line. From there, they switched via the Center Street Branch, PATH tracks, and then onto the Northeast Corridor to access the North Jersey Coast Line. These particular connecting switches have since been removed.
Proposed expansion and reconfiguration
Currently, this single-track connection accommodates both eastbound and westbound train movements; however, westbound trains must cross two Northeast Corridor tracks at grade level, resulting in congestion at Dock Interlocking. To address this issue, NJ Transit has proposed constructing a Westbound Waterfront Connector flyover track aimed at reducing this bottleneck. This project is still awaiting funding approval.