Bergen County Line facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bergen County Line
Train #1253 departs Glen Rock–Boro Hall.
Overview
Owner	New Jersey Transit (Hoboken Terminal to Suffern) Norfolk Southern Railway (Suffern to Port Jervis, leased to and maintained by Metro-North Railroad)
Locale	Northern New Jersey
Termini	Hoboken Terminal Waldwick or Suffern
Stations	12 (to Waldwick) 17 (service to Suffern)
Service
Type	Commuter rail
System	New Jersey Transit Rail Operations Metro-North Railroad
Operator(s)	New Jersey Transit
Rolling stock	F40PH-3C/GP40PH-2/ALP-45DP/PL42AC locomotives Comet V/Multilevel coaches
Daily ridership	4,305
Technical
Line length	30.5 mi (49.1 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The Bergen County Line is a special train route in New Jersey. It's owned and run by New Jersey Transit, which is a public transportation company. This train line helps people travel for work, school, or fun. It connects to the Main Line train route in places like the Meadowlands and Glen Rock.

On train maps, the Bergen County Line is shown in grey. Its symbol is a cattail, which is a plant often found in marshy areas like the Meadowlands, where part of the train line runs.

Some trains from Metro-North Railroad's Port Jervis Line also use these tracks. Plus, the Norfolk Southern Railway uses the line for moving freight (goods) by train.

The trains on this line are powered by diesel engines. They use a "push-pull" system, meaning the engine can push or pull the train from either end. The passenger cars are usually "Comet" or "MultiLevel" coaches, which are types of train cars.

History of the Bergen County Line

The Bergen County Line uses parts of older train tracks. From Secaucus to East Rutherford, it follows what was once the main route of the Erie Railroad. This part of the line first opened way back in 1833. It was built by the Paterson and Hudson River Railroad. Later, in 1852, the New York and Erie Rail Road took it over.

The rest of the line, from East Rutherford up to Glen Rock, was built later. It opened in 1881 and was known as the Bergen County Railroad.

For many years, this part of the Erie Railroad was mainly used for freight trains and long-distance express trains. Not many local passenger trains used it. In 1963, some changes happened. A different train route, the Lackawanna Boonton Branch, became the new main line for the Erie-Lackawanna company. This was because an old section of the Main Line through Passaic was closed. Also, the new Interstate 80 highway was built using part of the old Boonton Branch. After these changes, the old Main Line section east of Rutherford became part of the Bergen County Line.

Before 2003, when the Secaucus Junction station opened, Bergen County Line trains used a longer section of the old Erie Main Line in Secaucus. A new curving track was built to allow Bergen County Line trains to easily reach the new Secaucus Junction station.

Past Incidents on the Line

Over the years, there have been a few notable incidents on the Bergen County Line.

In 1996, a Bergen County Line train was involved in an accident with a Main Line train near Secaucus. This event led to important reviews of train safety procedures.

In 2007, a Bergen County Line train had a minor derailment (meaning it partly went off the tracks) near Ridgewood Junction. This happened because of an issue with a train switch that had been repaired.

How the Service Works

The Bergen County Line connects to the Main Line west of Secaucus Junction. A new section of track was opened in 2003 to make this connection smoother. As the train travels west from Secaucus, you can see the Hackensack River on one side and industrial buildings on the other. There used to be a station called Harmon Cove nearby, which served apartments in the area, but it closed in 2003.

Soon, the train joins the old Erie Main Line route and crosses the Hackensack River over the HX Bridge. This bridge is a "bascule drawbridge," which means it can open up to let boats pass underneath. For the next two miles, the train crosses the Meadowlands. You might see the Meadowlands Sports Complex in the distance. The track runs alongside Berrys Creek and crosses it before going under Route 3.

After Route 3, the scenery changes to more industrial areas with office buildings. The Pascack Valley Line splits off to the right, and then the train crosses Route 17 before arriving at the Rutherford station.

The train then passes through residential areas before turning into industrial zones with several road crossings. It forms the border between Carlstadt and Wallington. Then it goes through Wood-Ridge and South Hackensack, reaching the Wesmont station, which opened in 2016. The train then crosses the Saddle River and enters Garfield, stopping at the Garfield station.

Continuing north through Garfield, the train passes homes, businesses, and a park. It then reaches the Plauderville station, which is on the border of Garfield and Saddle Brook. After passing under U.S. Highway 46, the track becomes the border between Saddle Brook and Elmwood Park. It crosses Midland Avenue again, goes under Interstate 80, and then crosses the Garden State Parkway. The Broadway station in Fair Lawn is near Route 4.

In Fair Lawn, the line runs next to Plaza Road, which is named after the Radburn development. The train goes under Route 208 before reaching the Radburn station. Beyond Radburn, you'll see houses and some industrial buildings, including a special track leading to a Nabisco plant. The next stop is the Glen Rock-Boro Hall station. A short distance north of this station, the Bergen County Line tracks join up with the Main Line tracks at Ridgewood Junction. From there, trains continue north to either Waldwick or Suffern. Some trains also end their journey at Ridgewood.

Stations on the Bergen County Line

The Bergen County Line has many stations where people can get on and off the train. Here are some of the main ones:

Images for kids

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  A share certificate from the Bergen County Railroad Company, issued in 1883.

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  The Rutherford train station, a stop on the Bergen County Line.