Union station (NJ Transit)
{{Short description|NJ Transit rail station}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}
{{Infobox station
| name = Union
| style = NJ Transit
| image = Gauntlet track at New Jersey Transit Union, NJ Station.jpg
| image_caption = Union station in March 2010
| address = Green Lane and Morris Avenue (NJ 82), Union, New Jersey
| coordinates = {{Coord|40|41|0|N|74|14|19|W|type:railwaystation_region:US-NJ|display=inline,title}}
| line = Lehigh Line
| distance = {{convert|15.3|mi}} from New York Penn Station{{cite book | title=NJ Transit Rail Operations: Physical Characteristics | date=2005 | last=NJ Transit | pages=117–119; 142b; 173–182}}
| other = NJ Transit Bus: {{NJ bus link|26|52}}
| structure =
| platform = 1 island platform
| depth =
| levels =
| tracks = 2
| parking = Yes
| bicycle = Yes
| baggage_check =
| passengers = 1,355 (average weekday){{cite web | url=http://media.nj.com/bergen_impact/other/1Q2013.pdf | title=QUARTERLY RIDERSHIP TRENDS ANALYSIS | publisher=NJ Transit | access-date=December 31, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419042253/http://media.nj.com/bergen_impact/other/1Q2013.pdf | archive-date=April 19, 2013 | url-status=dead }}
| pass_year = 2012
| pass_percent =
| pass_system =
| closed =
| rebuilt =
| electrified =
| accessible = yes
| code =
| owned = NJ Transit (station), Conrail Shared Assets Operations (track)
| zone = 5{{cite web|url=http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/rail/R0060.pdf|title=Raritan Valley Line Timetables|publisher=NJ Transit Rail Operations|access-date=November 27, 2010|date=November 7, 2010|location=Newark, New Jersey|archive-date=November 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107152229/http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/rail/R0060.pdf|url-status=dead}}
| former =
| services = {{Adjacent stations|system=NJ Transit|line=Raritan Valley|left=Roselle Park|right=Newark Penn}}
| other_services_collapsible = yes
| other_services_header = Former services
| other_services = {{Adjacent stations|system1=Lehigh Valley Railroad
|line1=Main Line|left1=Roselle Park|right1=Newark Market Street|note-mid1=(Townley station)
|line2=Main Line|left2=Roselle Park|right2=Hillside|note-mid2=(Townley station)
}}
| mpassengers =
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-custom = {{Infobox mapframe |shape=none |line=none |marker=rail |marker-color=#{{rcr|NJ Transit|Raritan Valley}} |zoom=12 }}
}}
Union is a NJ Transit railroad station in Union, New Jersey. Located on the Conrail Lehigh Line, Union is served by Raritan Valley Line trains that travel between Newark Penn Station and Raritan. There is also limited service to and from High Bridge and New York Penn Station and one morning train to Hoboken Terminal. The physical structures of the station are owned by NJ Transit; however, the land remains the property of Conrail Shared Assets Operations, which is in turn owned by Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX Corporation.
History
The Lehigh Valley Railroad, through its subsidiary the Newark and Roselle Railway, opened a line between Roselle and Newark in 1891.{{sfnp|Archer|1977|p=110}} Serving Union Township was Townley station, {{convert|0.5|mi}} east of the current station site. Townley was one of several stations that closed after the Lehigh Valley Railroad ended its commuter service in 1948.{{sfnp|Archer|1977|p=270}} All passenger service on the Lehigh Valley Railroad ended in 1961.{{sfnp|Archer|1977|p=275}}
Passenger service over the Lehigh Valley Railroad returned in 1967 with the Aldene Plan. A joint project between the Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Central Railroad of New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Transportation, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the plan re-routed Jersey Central passenger trains over the Lehigh Valley between Roselle and Pennsylvania Station in Newark. One new station was built at the time: Roselle Park.{{sfnp|Bulletin|1967|pp=29–30}}
Planning for an infill station in Union Township began in the 1990s as part of the redevelopment of Morris Avenue.{{cite news | last=Spoto |first=Maryann |title=Freeholders back bid seeking train station on Raritan Valley line in Union |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-freeholders-back-bid-see/161584160/ |newspaper=The Star-Ledger |date=1993-12-21 |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2024-12-26}} The new station was also called "Townley" during planning before Union was adopted in 1998.{{cite news | last=Loder |first=Christopher |title=NJ Transit hires designer for rail station in Union Twp. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-nj-transit-hires-designe/161576247/ |newspaper=The Star-Ledger |date=1998-06-19 |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2024-12-26}} The new station opened April 28, 2003, at a cost of $27 million.{{cite news | last=Gluck |first=Gabriel H. |title=Commuters cheer Union rail station |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-commuters-cheer-union-ra/161585432/ |newspaper=The Star-Ledger |date=2003-04-29 |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-commuters-cheer-union-ra/161585432/ 19], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-commuters-cheer-union-ra/161585634/ 28] |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2024-12-26}} It is adjacent to Kean University. Station amenities include a waiting room, rest rooms, vendors, and a 464-space parking lot. The station features artwork reproducing the 40th parallel of the Earth's northern hemisphere, and shows cities through which the 40th parallel runs including Lisbon, Rome, and Beijing. Currently, the station is served by 53 weekday and 36 weekend NJ Transit trains.
=Dedication=
On September 24, 2013, the station was dedicated to Congressman Bob Franks.{{cite web | url=http://nj.gov/governor/news/news/552013/approved/20130924a.html | title=Governor Christie Dedicates Union Rail Station In Honor Of Former Congressman Bob Franks | publisher=State of New Jersey, Office of the Governor}}
Station layout and service
The station has one high-level island platform serving two tracks. The platform is {{convert|546|ft}} long and can accommodate six cars.{{Cite web |date=July 2020 |title=RARITAN VALLEY LINE ONE-SEAT RIDE SERVICE TO MANHATTAN |url=https://raritanvalleyrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Raritan-One-Seat_Full-Final-Report.pdf |access-date=2023-06-09 | pages=76; 81}}
Notes
{{Reflist}}
References
- {{cite journal | title=Aldene Plan Inaugurated | journal=The Bulletin | url=http://archive.org/details/bulletinnational323nati | volume=32 | issue=3 | date=1967 | pages=29–34 | ref={{harvid|Bulletin|1967}}}}
- {{cite book | last=Archer | first=Robert F. | title=The History of the Lehigh Valley Railroad | location=Berkeley | publisher=Howell-North Books | isbn=978-0-8310-7113-4 | date=1977 }}
{{Commons category|Union (NJT station)}}
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Category:NJ Transit Rail Operations stations
Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 2003
Category:Railway stations in Union County, New Jersey
Category:Stations on the Raritan Valley Line
Category:Union Township, Union County, New Jersey
Category:Railway stations in New Jersey at university and college campuses