Metuchen station explained

Metuchen
Style:NJ Transit
Address:Main Street and Woodbridge Avenue
Coordinates:40.5408°N -74.3603°W
Borough:Metuchen, New Jersey
Country:United States
Owned:New Jersey Transit
Platform:2 side platforms
Tracks:4
Connections: NJ Transit Bus:
Accessible:Yes
Zone:11
Opened:July 11, 1836[1]
Rebuilt:1850s,[2] 1870s,1888, 1978–1979[3] [4]
Electrified:December 8, 1932[5]
Years1:October 26, 1975
Events1:Amtrak service discontinued
Pass Year:2012
Passengers:3,810 (average weekday)[6]
Other Services Header:Former services
Other Services Collapsible:yes
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Custom:
Shape:none
Line:none
Marker:rail
Zoom:12

Metuchen station is an active commuter railroad train station in the borough of Metuchen, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Trains at Metuchen station are serviced by New Jersey Transit's Northeast Corridor Line between Trenton Transit Center or Jersey Avenue and New York Penn Station. The next station to the south is Edison while the next station to the north is Metropark. Amtrak services cross through the station without stopping. The station consists of two side platforms with a wooden station depot on the northbound tracks. Metuchen's station depot and the New York-bound platform are accessible from Woodbridge Avenue (County Route 660) while the Trenton-bound platform comes from Main Street (County Route 531). There is no station agent at Metuchen station, however ticket vending machines are available.

History

Metuchen station opened on July 11, 1836 with the completion of the New Jersey Railroad to East Brunswick (location of modern-day Highland Park). The railroad built a station depot at Main Street by 1850. When the Lehigh Valley Railroad opened their line in the 1870s, the Pennsylvania Railroad moved Metuchen station to the Lake Avenue crossing to provide connection to the new railroad. The railroad moved Metuchen station one last time, to the current location in 1888.[7] [8] A secondary station in Metuchen existed from 1879 to 1911 known as Robinvale.[9] [10] Robinvale station burned twice: once on February 28, 1915, and once on March 27, 1915.[11] Amtrak serviced Metuchen station from its inception on May 1, 1971 until October 26, 1975.[12] [13]

Following the September 11 attacks, Metuchen built a small, permanent memorial named Freedom Plaza at the corner of Main Street and Woodbridge Avenue, adjacent to the station's parking lot, consisting of a Verdin clock and the engraved names of all 701 victims from New Jersey.[14]

Station layout

The station has two high-level side platforms. Most of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor services bypass the station via the inner tracks.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Baer . Christopher T. . A General Chronology of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Its Predecessors and Successors and Its Historical Context: 1836 . . June 2015 . April 17, 2023. 36.
  2. Web site: Next Stop, Metuchen: Three Railroads Shape a Crossroads Community . . April 17, 2023.
  3. News: Railroad Renovation . April 18, 2023 . The Millville Daily . November 1, 1978 . 3. Newspapers.com.
  4. News: Dawson . George . Patient Metuchen Now Has New Train Station . April 18, 2023 . . December 14, 1979 . . 5. Newspapers.com.
  5. News: Electric Train Service Started by P.R.R. Today . January 31, 2021 . . December 8, 1932 . . 1, 11. Newspapers.com.
  6. Web site: Quarterly Ridership Trends Analysis . New Jersey Transit . December 27, 2012 . December 27, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130419042253/http://media.nj.com/bergen_impact/other/1Q2013.pdf . April 19, 2013 . dead .
  7. Book: Richard Grubb and Associates, Inc. on behalf of the New Jersey Department of Transportation . Next Stop, Metuchen: Three Railroads Shape a Crossroads Community . 2012 . January 9, 2016 . March 7, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210307230936/http://www.richardgrubb.com/pdf/Awards/nextstopmetuchen6.pdf . dead .
  8. News: Cheslow, Jerry . April 21, 1996 . If You're Thinking of Living In/Metuchen, N.J.; Battling to Retain Its Small-Town Identity . . 10 October 2014.
  9. News: Metuchen Town Meeting Split on Grove Ave. Crossing Plan. April 17, 2023. The Daily Home News. June 28, 1955. 2. Newspapers.com.
  10. News: Fire Discovered Just in Time . April 18, 2023 . . March 3, 1915 . 1. Newspapers.com.
  11. News: $25,000 Station Burned . April 18, 2023 . . March 27, 1915 . Hackensack, New Jersey . 4. Newspapers.com.
  12. Web site: Baer. Christopher T.. A General Chronology of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company Its Predecessors and Successors and Its Historical Context: 1975. Pennsylvania Railroad Technical Historical Society. April 18, 2023. April 2015. 33.
  13. Web site: Amtrak Timetable – Effective May 1, 1971 . timetables.org . Amtrak . April 18, 2023 . 6 . May 1, 1971.
  14. News: Durett . Jacqueline . Metuchen expects many to gather for 9/11 service . . September 7, 2011.