Track Assignments Jersey City Terminal Erie
In order to assist in which tracks to use for the various lines I would like to go over how they diverged.
The Erie’s various lines split off at a place called Bergen Jct or Croxton Tower. This should not be confused with NJ Transit’s Bergen Jct they are not the same. The remains of the 6 tracks that came into Bergen Jct are visible from NJ Transit trains running west out of Hoboken. You will need to be on the right hand side and look down to the 1 and 9 Bridge when you exit the Bergen Tunnels and are on the Truss Bridge. There were two pairs of routes. To the left from this vantage points were the 4 track passenger line thru the archways and to the right the Freight Line 2 tracks thru the Erie’s Bergen Tunnel. Only 1 of the Freight tracks is still there today.
The passenger tracks were numbered 1, 3, 4 and 2 from right to left as viewed from an outbound train on the truss bridge looking north. This odd numbering will make sense in a minute.
Track No 1 is the Westbound Greenwood Lake Division Track and turns left and goes under tracks 3 and 4 just north of Bergen Jct. Northern Branch and Susquehanna Branch Trains turn right off of Track 1 there are crossovers further west of this point that will allow a train on track 3 to crossover while a train is going to and from the Northern Branch. Susquehanna and Northern Branch trains share a right of way until Granton Jct near where route 3 goes to the Lincoln Tunnel. So where are Erie Mainline tracks 1 and 2 north of the Greenwood Lake Line—they are coming out of Croxton Yard and meet up with 3 and 4 at the East End of HX Tower, Erie’s 2 track bridge over the Hackensack River. Tracks 3 and 4 are the “High Line”. Greenwood Lake Eastbound trains turn the corner on Track 2 which doesn’t go under tracks 3 and 4. Pascack Valley Line Trains in Erie days this was the NJ&NY Railroad must leave Bergen Jct on Tracks 3 and 4 but must be on the WWD track leaving HX Tower. Newark Branch Trains use Track 1 out of Bergen Jct and turn left at what NJ Transit Called DB but in Erie Days Was Greenwood Lake Jct this is the swing bridge over the Hackensack River DB Drawbridge. Orange Branch Trains diverged off the Greenwood Lake Line at Forest Hill and Caldwell Line trains left at Great Notch. Mainline Trains and Bergen County Line Trains must leave Bergen Jct on either 3 or 4 track. To make a parallel move at Bergen Jct have your Northern Branch on track 1 leaving Jersey City on either 11 or 12 track. Your Greenwood Lake on 3 track and a Mainline on No 4 track.
This overview should begin to assist in understanding Erie Commuter operations out of Jersey City Terminal
In order to assist in which tracks to use for the various lines I would like to go over how they diverged.
The Erie’s various lines split off at a place called Bergen Jct or Croxton Tower. This should not be confused with NJ Transit’s Bergen Jct they are not the same. The remains of the 6 tracks that came into Bergen Jct are visible from NJ Transit trains running west out of Hoboken. You will need to be on the right hand side and look down to the 1 and 9 Bridge when you exit the Bergen Tunnels and are on the Truss Bridge. There were two pairs of routes. To the left from this vantage points were the 4 track passenger line thru the archways and to the right the Freight Line 2 tracks thru the Erie’s Bergen Tunnel. Only 1 of the Freight tracks is still there today.
The passenger tracks were numbered 1, 3, 4 and 2 from right to left as viewed from an outbound train on the truss bridge looking north. This odd numbering will make sense in a minute.
Track No 1 is the Westbound Greenwood Lake Division Track and turns left and goes under tracks 3 and 4 just north of Bergen Jct. Northern Branch and Susquehanna Branch Trains turn right off of Track 1 there are crossovers further west of this point that will allow a train on track 3 to crossover while a train is going to and from the Northern Branch. Susquehanna and Northern Branch trains share a right of way until Granton Jct near where route 3 goes to the Lincoln Tunnel. So where are Erie Mainline tracks 1 and 2 north of the Greenwood Lake Line—they are coming out of Croxton Yard and meet up with 3 and 4 at the East End of HX Tower, Erie’s 2 track bridge over the Hackensack River. Tracks 3 and 4 are the “High Line”. Greenwood Lake Eastbound trains turn the corner on Track 2 which doesn’t go under tracks 3 and 4. Pascack Valley Line Trains in Erie days this was the NJ&NY Railroad must leave Bergen Jct on Tracks 3 and 4 but must be on the WWD track leaving HX Tower. Newark Branch Trains use Track 1 out of Bergen Jct and turn left at what NJ Transit Called DB but in Erie Days Was Greenwood Lake Jct this is the swing bridge over the Hackensack River DB Drawbridge. Orange Branch Trains diverged off the Greenwood Lake Line at Forest Hill and Caldwell Line trains left at Great Notch. Mainline Trains and Bergen County Line Trains must leave Bergen Jct on either 3 or 4 track. To make a parallel move at Bergen Jct have your Northern Branch on track 1 leaving Jersey City on either 11 or 12 track. Your Greenwood Lake on 3 track and a Mainline on No 4 track.
This overview should begin to assist in understanding Erie Commuter operations out of Jersey City Terminal