(The following article by Kara Fitzpatrick was posted on the Princeton Packet website on November 30.)
PRINCETON, N.J. — NJ Transit will hold two open house meetings to gain public comment on the possible reopening of passenger rail service on the West Trenton Line between Ewing and Bridgewater townships.
The first open house will be held 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the state Department of Transportation headquarters, 1035 Parkway Ave., Ewing. The second public forum will be held 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 7 at Hillsborough Township Municipal Complex, 379 South Branch Road, Hillsborough.
NJ Transit is proposing to reinstate passenger service between West Trenton and Newark Penn Station by offering connecting service between the current West Trenton freight lines and the Raritan Valley Line.
The line, owned by CSX Railroad, has been used solely for freight service since 1982. Prior to that, it was used for passenger service.
NJ Transit spokesperson Janet Hines said the meetings will be an opportunity for the public to become aware of the proposal and learn of possible station locations.
Ms. Hines said these locations include Hillsborough, Belle Mead in Montgomery, Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township and an additional station in West Trenton. The Belle Mead location would utilize and restore the old station located on Route 206 and Township Line Road. There are no specific plans for other station locations at this point, according to NJ Transit.
“Right now we’re at the stage where we are sharing the information that we have. We haven’t finalized anything at this point,” said Ms. Hines.
The present plan proposes that five trains leave for Newark during peak morning hours from 6 to 10 a.m., and five return during peak evening hours from 4 to 7 p.m.
Plans also provide for a peak-hour train from Newark to West Trenton, two midday trains to and from Newark and one train to Newark during evening peak hour.