Watsessing Avenue station
| Company type | NJ Transit rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1912 |
| Headquarters | Bloomfield, New Jersey , United States |
| Products | Rail transport services |
Watsessing Avenue station—often simply referred to as Watsessing—is a New Jersey Transit rail stop situated in Bloomfield, New Jersey along the Montclair–Boonton Line. Positioned beneath the Bloomfield Police Benevolent Association building near the intersection of Watsessing Avenue and Orange Street, it is one of only two stations on this route featuring platforms below street level, the other being Glen Ridge. The station's below-grade design closely resembles that of Kingsland in Lyndhurst on the Main Line, both constructed during the same period.
The stations at Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, and Watsessing were all erected in 1912 as part of a grade separation initiative undertaken by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. Under NJ Transit's management, two intermediate stops between Watsessing and Newark Broad Street—namely Roseville Avenue in Newark and Ampere in East Orange—were shuttered due to insufficient ridership in 1984 and 1991, respectively. The term "Watsessing" originates from a Native American phrase meaning "mouth of the creek."
Since March 25, 1998, Watsessing Avenue station has been recognized by the New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office, marking it as the final one among four stations spanning from East Orange to Glen Ridge to earn this status. The entire Montclair Branch was subsequently added to the historic register on September 14, 2005; prior designations for Ampere, Bloomfield, and Glen Ridge stations date back to March 17, 1984.
Station layout and services
Situated at the junction of Watsessing Avenue and Orange Street within Westinghouse Plaza in Bloomfield—and close to the municipal boundaries with East Orange and Orange—Watsessing Avenue station features two side platforms located below street level. The original depot building now accommodates the Bloomfield Police Benevolent Association. Ticket vending machines are installed at street level for passenger convenience.
Parking facilities managed by the Bloomfield Parking Authority include two lots: one located on Westinghouse Plaza offering fourteen spaces with hourly parking charged at $0.25 six days per week and free on Sundays; another situated at Myrtle and Walnut Streets provides forty-five spaces—including two designated for handicapped users—with permit parking available at $20 per quarter and complimentary parking on Sundays.
The station’s platforms are low-level and do not comply with accessibility standards for individuals with disabilities; passengers requiring accessible services are directed to nearby stations such as Newark Broad Street or Bay Street.
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western ownership (1856–1976)
The origins of Watsessing Avenue station trace back to 1856 when it was established by the Newark and Bloomfield Railroad under the name Doddtown. After its acquisition by the Morris and Essex Railroad in 1865—which was later integrated into the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W)—the station was renamed Watsessing and a new depot was constructed.
In 1911, DL&W launched a substantial project aimed at eliminating grade crossings along the Montclair Branch, including at Watsessing Avenue. The railroad allocated $700,000 (in 1911 dollars) for constructing new stations at both Watsessing Avenue and downtown Bloomfield. Additionally, local township authorities contributed $50,000 to develop parkland adjacent to the railway corridor. To facilitate this work, the original depot was demolished in September 1910.
The project reached completion on November 15, 1912, featuring a depressed track segment approximately 1.5 miles long extending from East Orange to Glen Ridge. Concrete overpasses were built at Dodd Street, Arlington Avenue, and Watsessing Avenue crossings, along with a bridge spanning the Erie Railroad's Orange Branch. Due to constraints posed by limited right-of-way width, the station structure was designed to span over the tracks supported by four concrete arches—a configuration allowing room for future expansion to accommodate increased train traffic.
Watsessing functioned as the third stop along the Montclair Branch, which became notable as DL&W’s first electrified line in 1930 utilizing technology pioneered by Thomas Alva Edison. Following DL&W’s merger with Erie Railroad in 1960 that formed Erie-Lackawanna Railway, service levels diminished; track infrastructure through Watsessing was reduced to a single line while many tracks were removed at Montclair's Lackawanna Terminal. On April 1, 1976, operational control transferred to the Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) following Erie-Lackawanna’s dissolution.
New Jersey Transit and Historic Designation (1979–Present)
New Jersey Transit was created in 1979 to manage bus and rail transportation, taking over responsibilities from Conrail and the New Jersey Department of Transportation. By 1983, NJ Transit assumed control of rail services previously operated by Conrail. In 1984, the line temporarily transitioned to diesel-powered trains as adjustments were made to the overhead catenary system to accommodate higher voltage electrification. Throughout this period, Watsessing Avenue remained the third stop on the Montclair Branch, which extended to a newly established Bay Street station in Montclair.
On March 17, 1984, all stations along the Montclair Branch—except for Roseville Avenue, Bay Street, and Watsessing Avenue—were listed on the State Register of Historic Places. Later that year, Ampere, Glen Ridge, and Bloomfield stations were recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. The Roseville Avenue station ceased operations on September 16, 1984, followed by the closure of Ampere station in East Orange on April 7, 1991. Since then, Watsessing Avenue has served as the first NJ Transit stop on the Montclair Branch; however, there have been proposals from East Orange to reopen Ampere as part of local redevelopment efforts.
Watsessing Avenue station received designation from the State Historical Preservation Office on March 25, 1998. It remained operational during the September 30, 2002 inauguration of the Montclair Connection, which replaced the Montclair Branch with the Montclair-Boonton Line; Watsessing continues to be the initial station after Newark Broad Street.
On September 10, 2007, NJ Transit revealed plans for a $1.7 million restoration project aimed at refurbishing the nearly century-old station canopies. The contract was awarded to Watertrol Incorporated from Cranford. At that time, daily passenger usage averaged around 200 riders. The renovation work included installing new canopy lighting, repairing cantilevered canopies, replacing stairways and fencing, updating roof tiles, and implementing a modern drainage system to replace the original infrastructure dating back to 1912. Upon completion in October 2008, daily ridership nearly doubled to approximately 450 passengers. A formal ceremony marking the project's completion was held on October 30, 2008.
See also
- Kingsland station – The architectural design of Watsessing Avenue station—with its depot situated above the tracks—was modeled after the style employed at Kingsland.