Princeton station (NJ Transit) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Princeton
The 2014 Princeton station with a train at the station.
Location	Alexander Street, 1 block south of University Place Princeton, NJ 08540
Coordinates	40°20′32″N 74°39′32″W / 40.3421°N 74.6589°W / 40.3421; -74.6589
Owned by	Princeton University
Operated by	NJ Transit
Line(s)	Princeton Branch
Platforms	1 side platform
Tracks	1
Connections	NJT Bus: 605; Princeton Tiger Transit and Free-B shuttle buses
Construction
Parking	Yes
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Fare zone	19
History
Opened	1865
Rebuilt	1918, 2014
Traffic
Passengers (FY 2017)	814 (average weekday boardings)
Services
Preceding station NJ Transit Following station Terminus Princeton Branch Princeton Junction Terminus
Former services Preceding station Pennsylvania Railroad Following station Terminus Princeton Branch Penns Neck toward Princeton Junction
Princeton Railroad Station (1918)
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Location in Mercer County, New Jersey Show map of Mercer County, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Princeton, New Jersey, USA
Built	1918
Architect	Alexander C. Shand
Architectural style	Collegiate Gothic
Part of	Princeton Historic District (ID75001143)
MPS	Operating Passenger Railroad Stations TR
Significant dates
Designated CP	June 27, 1975

Princeton station is the last stop on the Princeton Branch train line. This line is part of the NJ Transit train system. The station is located right on the Princeton University campus in Princeton, New Jersey.

At the other end of the line, at Princeton Junction, you can connect to other trains. These include NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line and some Amtrak trains during busy times. The short shuttle train that runs between Princeton and Princeton Junction is called the "Dinky." People also used to call it the "PJ&B," which stood for "Princeton Junction and Back."

The Dinky line is only about 2.7 miles (4.3 km) long. It runs on a single track. This makes it the shortest regular commuter train line in the United States. There have been ideas to add a special bus lane along the Dinky's path. This would be part of a new fast bus system.

The Dinky train service was stopped for a while from October 2018 to May 2019. During this time, shuttle buses took its place. This happened because NJ Transit was installing and testing a new safety system called positive train control on all its lines.

In 2006, Princeton University suggested moving the station about 460 feet (140 meters) south. NJ Transit and the local planning board approved this idea. However, some people, like commuters and university graduates, were not happy about the plan. The old, historic 1918 train station closed for good on August 23, 2013. A temporary station opened nearby on August 26, 2013. It operated until November 9, 2014. During this time, buses helped people get between the old station, the temporary one, and Princeton Junction. The new permanent Princeton station opened on November 17, 2014. It was designed by an architect named Rick Joy. New buildings for arts and dining are still being built around the new station.

History of Princeton Station

The 1865 station location (around 1910)

The first Princeton station was built in 1865. It was located about 0.15 miles (0.24 km) south of Nassau Street. This spot later became part of Princeton University's Blair Courtyard. In 1918, a new station was built about 0.25 miles (0.40 km) further south.

The 1918 Station Design

The historic 1918 station was built when the train line was part of the Pennsylvania Railroad. An architect and engineer named Alexander C. Shand was in charge of its construction. He also worked on the Philadelphia Broad Street Station, which is no longer standing. The 1918 Princeton station was designed in a style called Collegiate Gothic. This style looks like old university buildings. The station had a stone building for passengers, a stone building for freight, and a covered platform.

Station Ownership Changes

Over the years, the Princeton station has been owned by several different companies. After the Pennsylvania Railroad, it was owned by Penn Central (1968–1976) and then Conrail (1976–1984). Later, the New Jersey Department of Transportation and New Jersey Transit Rail Operations owned it. Today, Princeton University owns the station. In 1984, the 1918 station was added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical building.

Future Plans: The Dinky Transitway

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and New Jersey Transit have been studying a project. It's called the "Central New Jersey Route 1 Bus Rapid Transit Project." Part of this plan suggests building a "Dinky Transitway" along the Dinky train line's path.

What is the Dinky Transitway?

This transitway would keep the train service. But it would also add special lanes just for buses. Plus, it would include a greenway for people to walk and bike. In 2011, NJ Transit said that moving the station would not stop these future plans.

Station Changes and Future Use

In April 2012, Princeton University shared an updated plan for the arts and transit center. This plan suggested extending the station's freight house building. It could be used as a restaurant. The local planning board then made a rule. It said that the land must be kept for transportation use. This means the transitway could possibly extend further into the town center. The university said that the ownership of the train tracks would need to change for this longer transitway to happen.

Later, approvals were given to turn the old station building and the expanded freight house into two restaurants. They even kept two of the original ticket windows. These windows now offer views into the kitchen. The old wooden boards that showed train times are now used as overhead menus.