Rolling on the River
Rolling on the River
Rolling on the River
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<str<strong>on</strong>g>Rolling</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong><br />
By Baird Bream<br />
Misnomers are to be avoided when<br />
traveling with Jeff Marinoff, Sec<strong>on</strong>d<br />
Vice Chair of <strong>the</strong> South Jersey Transit<br />
Advisory Committee. At <strong>the</strong> Route 73/<br />
Pennsauken New Jersey <strong>River</strong> LINE<br />
stati<strong>on</strong> stop, a woman boarding with<br />
her daughter asks Marinoff if <strong>the</strong><br />
drivers are switching before <strong>the</strong> train<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tinues.<br />
“Operators,” he says, turning to her.<br />
“The train operators are switching, and<br />
<strong>the</strong>n we’ll c<strong>on</strong>tinue.”<br />
The woman quickly accepts <strong>the</strong><br />
friendly correcti<strong>on</strong>. “Yes, operators,<br />
excuse me,” she says before she and<br />
her daughter take <strong>the</strong>ir seats.<br />
This moment highlights <strong>the</strong><br />
importance of knowing how unique<br />
<strong>the</strong> 34-mile New Jersey <strong>River</strong> LINE<br />
is each time Marinoff refers to it<br />
as interurban rail, ra<strong>the</strong>r than <strong>the</strong><br />
more familiar terms of light rail<br />
or commuter rail. He is not being<br />
casual with his word choice, because<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE does not bel<strong>on</strong>g to<br />
ei<strong>the</strong>r of those categories. New Jersey<br />
Transit’s <strong>River</strong> LINE is an interurban<br />
rail system – a hybrid operati<strong>on</strong> also<br />
known as regi<strong>on</strong>al rail that mixes <strong>the</strong><br />
service offerings of both commuter<br />
rail and light rail into a system that<br />
is uncomm<strong>on</strong> in <strong>the</strong> United States.<br />
Currently, <strong>the</strong>re are four regi<strong>on</strong>al<br />
rail systems running in <strong>the</strong> United<br />
States and Canada, with ano<strong>the</strong>r two<br />
that are in final stages of testing or<br />
c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> (all six of which are<br />
featured in this editi<strong>on</strong> of RAIL –<br />
ed). These regi<strong>on</strong>al systems also are<br />
relatively young: <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE has<br />
been running since 2004, yet in its<br />
five-year history, it is already making<br />
a significant impact <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Garden<br />
State.<br />
Crossing <strong>the</strong> Border<br />
Like any transit system, <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong><br />
LINE’s history goes back a lot far<strong>the</strong>r<br />
than its inaugurati<strong>on</strong> five years ago.<br />
Marinoff describes years of battles<br />
with various planning organizati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
and political entities, c<strong>on</strong>vincing <strong>the</strong><br />
skeptics of how valuable this system<br />
could be for commuters and how much<br />
of an impact it could make <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> all<br />
cities and communities al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> line.<br />
“They told me for years that no <strong>on</strong>e<br />
would ride it, that no <strong>on</strong>e would want<br />
light rail in New Jersey,” Marinoff<br />
says, “But I pushed for it, I told <strong>the</strong>m<br />
what it could do for <strong>the</strong> state, and now<br />
we’re running at capacity ridership<br />
during peak hours!”<br />
Despite <strong>the</strong> skepticism, Marinoff and<br />
<strong>the</strong> rest of New Jersey Transit – <strong>the</strong><br />
state transit agency which owns <strong>the</strong><br />
system – understood <strong>the</strong> advantages<br />
unique to interurban systems that<br />
helped get <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE launched.<br />
Like o<strong>the</strong>r regi<strong>on</strong>al rail systems, <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE did not require an entirely<br />
new rail infrastructure before it could<br />
operate. In 1999, New Jersey Transit<br />
purchased <strong>the</strong> Bordent<strong>on</strong> Sec<strong>on</strong>dary<br />
freight rail line from C<strong>on</strong>rail, a route<br />
which makes up 30 miles of <strong>the</strong><br />
34-mile <strong>River</strong> LINE route between<br />
Trent<strong>on</strong> and Camden. The corridor<br />
largely follows <strong>the</strong> Delaware <strong>River</strong><br />
al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> border between New Jersey<br />
and Pennsylvania; hence its <strong>River</strong><br />
LINE m<strong>on</strong>iker. With ownership of <strong>the</strong><br />
line came an agreement of temporal<br />
separati<strong>on</strong>, meaning C<strong>on</strong>rail’s freight<br />
trains c<strong>on</strong>tinue to run <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> rail<br />
system during <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE’s offhours,<br />
and freight services are even<br />
18
Photo by Gerald Oliveto<br />
overseen by <strong>River</strong> LINE operati<strong>on</strong>s and<br />
dispatch. C<strong>on</strong>rail’s <strong>on</strong>ly resp<strong>on</strong>sibility<br />
is to provide crews for <strong>the</strong> freight<br />
trains.<br />
This temporal separati<strong>on</strong> is crucial<br />
– it prevents <strong>the</strong> two different rail<br />
services from running <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> same<br />
tracks at <strong>the</strong> same time, leading to a<br />
safer system. The arrangement also<br />
greatly facilitated <strong>the</strong> development<br />
of <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE service, since <strong>the</strong><br />
planning, design, and c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong><br />
of new rail infrastructure was<br />
unnecessary. This significantly reduced<br />
<strong>the</strong> capital costs of <strong>the</strong> new rail<br />
project, allowing project c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong><br />
to focus <strong>on</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r key improvements<br />
like grade crossings, signaling systems,<br />
and stati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
DBOM: A Public-Private<br />
Partnership<br />
New Jersey Transit also employed an<br />
innovative approach to c<strong>on</strong>tracting <strong>the</strong><br />
development of <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE. Ra<strong>the</strong>r<br />
than c<strong>on</strong>tract separately for each<br />
element of <strong>the</strong> design and operati<strong>on</strong>s,<br />
New Jersey Transit organized <strong>the</strong><br />
project as a turnkey DBOM – Design<br />
Build Operate Maintain – project. In a<br />
DBOM approach, a single organizati<strong>on</strong><br />
oversees and is resp<strong>on</strong>sible for all<br />
aspects of <strong>the</strong> project, from its design<br />
<strong>on</strong> paper to its <strong>on</strong>going performance<br />
and maintenance. Bombardier<br />
Transportati<strong>on</strong> was awarded <strong>the</strong> DBOM<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tract.<br />
“New Jersey Transit’s intent<br />
was ‘give us <strong>the</strong> full system,’ says<br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE’s General Manager and<br />
Bombardier employee Al Fazio, who<br />
refers to <strong>the</strong> approach as “a uni<strong>on</strong> of<br />
private initiative and incentive with<br />
public services and resources.”<br />
In <strong>the</strong> case of <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE,<br />
<strong>the</strong> public service of mobility and<br />
intermodal access is tied to a profit<br />
motive, which encourages an everincreasing<br />
standard of performance. By<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tracting <strong>the</strong> operati<strong>on</strong>s to a private<br />
organizati<strong>on</strong>, New Jersey Transit ties<br />
a fundamental profit initiative to <strong>the</strong><br />
system.<br />
“Bombarider’s profit is tied to public<br />
performance,” Fazio explains. The<br />
term public performance represents a<br />
matrix more complex than <strong>the</strong> usual<br />
standard for transit systems, such as<br />
system ridership. Instead, Bombardier’s<br />
payment is based <strong>on</strong> service: a<br />
combinati<strong>on</strong> of vehicle-miles traveled,<br />
<strong>on</strong>-time performance, customer<br />
satisfacti<strong>on</strong>, and as Marinoff puts it,<br />
“<strong>the</strong> reputati<strong>on</strong> to be good.”<br />
With this more comprehensive<br />
performance standard in mind,<br />
Bombardier ostensibly pays greater<br />
attenti<strong>on</strong> to every aspect of <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong><br />
LINE, carefully c<strong>on</strong>sidering how<br />
improvements for commuters can be<br />
made at every turn.<br />
Doing More Than <strong>the</strong> Minimum<br />
Fazio likes to refer to this as <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE’s unofficial <strong>the</strong>me: “to<br />
do more than provide <strong>the</strong> minimum”<br />
when it comes to service. This mantra<br />
manifests itself in numerous ways,<br />
from a seven-minute reducti<strong>on</strong> in<br />
running time over three years to a $1.5<br />
milli<strong>on</strong> investment in new systems to<br />
dispatch and m<strong>on</strong>itor <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE<br />
trains <strong>on</strong>ce it was determined that<br />
<strong>the</strong> previous minimum-level system<br />
was pr<strong>on</strong>e to m<strong>on</strong>thly operati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
incidents, leading to service delays<br />
al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> entire line.<br />
The level of service provided by<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE’s operators is easily<br />
matched by <strong>the</strong> quality of <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong><br />
LINE infrastructure. The system<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sists of 20 Diesel Multiple Units<br />
(DMUs vehicles, unique to regi<strong>on</strong>al rail<br />
systems. A DMU is a train car with a<br />
self-c<strong>on</strong>tained, self-propelling diesel<br />
engine, which eliminates <strong>the</strong> need for<br />
a locomotive to pull passenger cars –<br />
as in <strong>the</strong> case of commuter rail trains<br />
– and for any electrified overhead<br />
infrastructure to power <strong>the</strong> cars – as<br />
in <strong>the</strong> case of light-rail trains. All that<br />
is required for passenger service to<br />
run <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE is a DMU car<br />
and a length of track <strong>on</strong> which <strong>the</strong> car<br />
can run. This simplicity reduces both<br />
<strong>the</strong> capital costs and <strong>the</strong> rolling stock<br />
costs of <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE and simplifies<br />
<strong>the</strong> dispatch of <strong>the</strong> trains: <strong>River</strong> LINE<br />
trains always run as <strong>on</strong>e- or two-car<br />
trains.<br />
The simplified system enables <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE to perform like a light-rail<br />
The Pennsylvania Railroad’s Bordentown Sec<strong>on</strong>dary – today’s <strong>River</strong> LINE – <strong>on</strong>ce operated through <strong>the</strong> heart of many communities such as Burlingt<strong>on</strong><br />
and <strong>River</strong>side <strong>on</strong> its route between Trent<strong>on</strong> and Camden.<br />
Photo by John Dziobko
313 315<br />
SEPTA<br />
127<br />
Greyhound<br />
Bus Lines<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>ast<br />
Corridor<br />
SEPTA<br />
127<br />
SJTA Pennsauken<br />
Industrial Park Shuttle<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>ast<br />
Corridor<br />
B10<br />
CENTER<br />
Camden<br />
Free<br />
Library<br />
Camden<br />
Cty College/<br />
Rowan<br />
Univ<br />
City<br />
Hall<br />
To<br />
Chestnut<br />
Hill East<br />
Upper<br />
Southampt<strong>on</strong><br />
To Chestnut Hi l West<br />
To Thorndale/<br />
Paoli<br />
Upper Makefield<br />
BUCKS COUNTY, PA<br />
Newtown Twp<br />
Travelling between <strong>the</strong> Trent<strong>on</strong> Transit Center<br />
and Downtown Trent<strong>on</strong> for <strong>the</strong> State House<br />
Capital Northampt<strong>on</strong> C<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> will get you <strong>the</strong>re<br />
To Fox Chase<br />
Lower<br />
Southampt<strong>on</strong><br />
Ben Franklin<br />
Bridge<br />
Newtown<br />
To West Trent<strong>on</strong><br />
Mercer County Middletown<br />
Courthouse<br />
Hughes<br />
Justice<br />
Complex<br />
Langhorne<br />
Middletown<br />
Tac<strong>on</strong>y<br />
Walt Whitman<br />
Bridge<br />
Langhorne<br />
Manor<br />
Trent<strong>on</strong> Transit Center<br />
Clint<strong>on</strong> Ave & Barlow St<br />
409 418 600<br />
601 604 606<br />
608 609 611<br />
619<br />
Capital C<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> Commuter rail service<br />
Local Bus Service between Trent<strong>on</strong> Rail<br />
to Downtown Trent<strong>on</strong> Stati<strong>on</strong> and Newark Liberty<br />
and <strong>the</strong> Statehouse Internati<strong>on</strong>al Airport Stati<strong>on</strong><br />
Lower<br />
Makefield<br />
To Newark,<br />
New York<br />
Cinnamins<strong>on</strong><br />
Bannard St &<br />
Industrial Hwy<br />
419 B10<br />
<strong>River</strong>t<strong>on</strong><br />
Lippencott Ave &<br />
South Broad St<br />
419<br />
Tac<strong>on</strong>y-Palmyra<br />
Bridge<br />
Betsy Ross<br />
Bridge<br />
<strong>River</strong> Rd<br />
N 36th<br />
St<br />
Hadd<strong>on</strong> Ave<br />
Penndel<br />
Bensalem<br />
Torresdale<br />
Hulmeville<br />
Delaware<br />
Eddingt<strong>on</strong><br />
Beverly/<br />
Edgewater<br />
Park<br />
Cornwells<br />
225 Railroad Ave<br />
Heights<br />
B1 B2<br />
Delanco<br />
Pennsylvania Ave &<br />
Spruce St<br />
<strong>River</strong>side<br />
101 Franklin St<br />
419 B8<br />
<strong>River</strong> Rd<br />
Cinnamins<strong>on</strong><br />
Ave<br />
Cove Rd<br />
<strong>River</strong>t<strong>on</strong> Rd<br />
Taylor’s Ln<br />
Hadd<strong>on</strong>field<br />
Rd<br />
Burlingt<strong>on</strong> Ave<br />
Croyd<strong>on</strong><br />
<strong>River</strong>side<br />
Cinnamins<strong>on</strong><br />
Burlingt<strong>on</strong><br />
Towne Centre<br />
30 West Broad St<br />
409 413 419 B6<br />
Delanco<br />
Delanco<br />
Industrial<br />
Park<br />
Bridgeboro St<br />
S Chester Ave<br />
Church Rd<br />
Maple Ave<br />
Bristol Twp<br />
Burlingt<strong>on</strong><br />
South<br />
500 West Broad St<br />
New Albany Rd<br />
<strong>River</strong><br />
Edgewater<br />
Park<br />
Mt Ho ly Rd<br />
Morrisville<br />
Woodlane<br />
Rd<br />
Moorestown<br />
Trent<strong>on</strong><br />
See Downtown<br />
Trent<strong>on</strong> Inset<br />
for Details<br />
Bristol<br />
Creek Rd<br />
Tullytown<br />
Willingboro<br />
Florence<br />
John Galt Way<br />
& Rt 130<br />
B5<br />
Burlingt<strong>on</strong><br />
Island<br />
Cass Street<br />
601 Cass Street<br />
Roebling<br />
1499 Hornberger Ave<br />
409<br />
W Fr<strong>on</strong>t St<br />
Burlingt<strong>on</strong><br />
Beverly<br />
Rancocas Rd<br />
Burlingt<strong>on</strong> Twp<br />
Delran<br />
BURLINGTON COUNTY<br />
Haines Mi l Rd<br />
NJ TRANSIT, Amtrak<br />
To Newark NJ, New York<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>ast<br />
Corridor<br />
Hamilt<strong>on</strong> Avenue<br />
101 Hamilt<strong>on</strong> Ave<br />
409 601 603<br />
609 613 619<br />
Salem Rd<br />
Falls<br />
Neck Rd<br />
Jacks<strong>on</strong>vi le Rd<br />
Sunset Rd<br />
Delaware<br />
Ave<br />
Rancocas Rd<br />
Woodlane Rd<br />
Old<br />
York Rd<br />
Bordentown<br />
W Park St<br />
409<br />
Mt Laurel<br />
Newbold<br />
Island<br />
Florence<br />
Hamilt<strong>on</strong><br />
Duck Island<br />
Recreati<strong>on</strong>al Bordentown<br />
State Park Twp<br />
Florence<br />
Columbus Rd<br />
Westhampt<strong>on</strong><br />
Fieldsboro<br />
Kinkora Rd<br />
Hainesport<br />
Bordentown<br />
MERCER COUNTY<br />
Ward Ave<br />
Crosswicks Rd<br />
Rising<br />
Sun Rd<br />
Accessible Stati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
Commuter Rail<br />
Atlantic City Line<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>ast Corridor<br />
PATCO<br />
Springfield<br />
SEPTA Regi<strong>on</strong>al Rail<br />
C<strong>on</strong>necting Bus Service<br />
C<strong>on</strong>necting Light Rail Service<br />
C<strong>on</strong>necting Rail Service<br />
Parking Available at Stati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
Refer to timetable for c<strong>on</strong>necting bus stop locati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
NJ TRANSIT<br />
Informati<strong>on</strong>....................(973) 275-5555<br />
Text Teleph<strong>on</strong>e......(TT) Easthampt<strong>on</strong> (800) 772-2287<br />
NJ TRANSIT Police......(800) 242-0236<br />
out of state......(973) 378-6565<br />
Security Hot Line..........(888) TIPS-NJT<br />
(to report suspicious activities or packages<br />
daily Mt Holly - 24 hours/7 days)<br />
AMTRAK ........(800) USA-RAIL amtrak.com<br />
BURLINK ....... (856) 596-8228 driveless.com<br />
PATCO ........... (856) 772-6900 ridepatco.org<br />
SEPTA ........... (215) 580-7800 septa.org<br />
njtransit.com or <strong>River</strong>LINE.com<br />
To Norristown<br />
To Cynwyd<br />
Market - Frankford Line<br />
317<br />
400<br />
401<br />
402<br />
403<br />
404<br />
405<br />
406<br />
To Media,<br />
Elwyn<br />
To Wilmingt<strong>on</strong>/<br />
Newark, DE<br />
Calhoun St<br />
Rev S Howard Woods<strong>on</strong> Jr Way<br />
Airport<br />
Line<br />
Be levue St<br />
Penningt<strong>on</strong> Ave<br />
Belvidere St<br />
Spring St<br />
W Hanover St<br />
Capitol St<br />
W State St<br />
Broad Street Line<br />
M’kt East<br />
Stati<strong>on</strong>/<br />
Greyhound<br />
Terminal<br />
N Wi low St<br />
State House &<br />
Capitol Complex<br />
29<br />
Suburban<br />
Stati<strong>on</strong><br />
N Warren St<br />
N M<strong>on</strong>tgomery St<br />
N Broad St<br />
Capital<br />
C<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong><br />
Market - Frankford Line<br />
Perry St<br />
E Hanover St<br />
E State St<br />
E Fr<strong>on</strong>t St<br />
State Offices<br />
Look for buses and bus stops marked with <strong>the</strong><br />
Capital Logo. Capital C<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> informati<strong>on</strong><br />
is highlighted <strong>on</strong> all 601, 606, 608, 609 and<br />
619 timetables.<br />
Downtown Trent<strong>on</strong><br />
N Stockt<strong>on</strong> St<br />
City<br />
Hall<br />
to Philadelphia<br />
Willingboro<br />
Plaza<br />
US<br />
Court-<br />
House<br />
US<br />
Courthouse<br />
Dept<br />
Envir<strong>on</strong>mental<br />
Protecti<strong>on</strong><br />
Offices<br />
Mercer St<br />
Jacks<strong>on</strong> St<br />
S Broad St<br />
Cooper St<br />
Market St<br />
New Warren St<br />
Atl City Line<br />
To Phila,PA<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>ast Corridor<br />
E State St<br />
Asbury Pl<br />
Uni<strong>on</strong> St<br />
Ave<br />
Raoul Wa lenberg<br />
Sovereign<br />
Bank Arena<br />
Hamilt<strong>on</strong><br />
Ave<br />
Bridge St<br />
Centre St<br />
Hi ls Pl<br />
Lambert<strong>on</strong> St<br />
29<br />
Delaware <strong>River</strong><br />
2nd St<br />
Turpin St<br />
Trent<strong>on</strong><br />
Transit<br />
Center<br />
Federal St<br />
S Clint<strong>on</strong> Ave<br />
Clark St<br />
Greenwood Ave<br />
Tyler St<br />
Hamilt<strong>on</strong> Ave<br />
Bayard St<br />
Butler St<br />
Elmer St<br />
Mo t St<br />
Roebling<br />
Market<br />
New<br />
Jersey<br />
State<br />
Pris<strong>on</strong><br />
Thunder St<br />
Mercer County<br />
Waterfr<strong>on</strong>t Park<br />
Whi taker Ave<br />
2nd St<br />
Landing St<br />
Dye St<br />
Cass<br />
Street<br />
Chestnut Ave<br />
Cass St<br />
3rd St<br />
Huds<strong>on</strong> St<br />
Woolvert<strong>on</strong><br />
Ave<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>ast<br />
Divisi<strong>on</strong> St<br />
Roebling Ave<br />
Genesee St<br />
S Broad St<br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE<br />
To Camden<br />
Cinder<br />
Industrial<br />
Park<br />
Taylor<br />
Industrial<br />
Park<br />
Industrial<br />
Center of<br />
Cinnamins<strong>on</strong><br />
St Francis<br />
Medical<br />
Center<br />
Mercer Cnty<br />
Bd of Social<br />
Services/<br />
State Parole<br />
Board<br />
system while offering service over a<br />
distance more comm<strong>on</strong>ly expected<br />
from a commuter rail system. The lowboard<br />
design and wide entryways of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Bombardier-built trains facilitate<br />
<strong>the</strong> rapid boarding of large groups<br />
of commuters, while also making<br />
<strong>the</strong> trains more accessible for those<br />
commuters with disabilities or mobility<br />
impairments to board. Each car can<br />
hold up to 90 passengers.<br />
Meanwhile, highly-developed<br />
Canal Blvd<br />
3<br />
Bristol<br />
Levittown<br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE<br />
Wissinoming<br />
to Trent<strong>on</strong><br />
Cinnamins<strong>on</strong><br />
Rutgers<br />
Palmyra<br />
Shopping<br />
University<br />
10 East Broad St<br />
Center<br />
Campbells<br />
Camden<br />
Bridesburg<br />
Field<br />
Cooper St/ Campus<br />
419 B9<br />
PATCO<br />
Rutgers<br />
to Philadelphia<br />
City<br />
Walter Rand<br />
Hall<br />
Transportati<strong>on</strong><br />
Center<br />
Pennsauken/<br />
RCA ‘<br />
’Nipper’<br />
Route 73<br />
Building<br />
Cooper Medford<br />
Pennsauken 9501 <strong>River</strong> Rd<br />
University<br />
Hospital<br />
Industrial 419<br />
PHILADELPHIA, PA<br />
Moorestown<br />
Camden<br />
Broadway<br />
Center<br />
Maple Shade<br />
Mall<br />
County Walter Rand<br />
PATCO<br />
Aquarium<br />
Hall of Transportati<strong>on</strong><br />
to Lindenwold<br />
Justice Center<br />
Walt<br />
Walter Rand<br />
Adventure<br />
Whitman<br />
Aquarium<br />
House<br />
Transportati<strong>on</strong> Center<br />
Pennsauken<br />
NJ Tpke<br />
527 Martin Lu<strong>the</strong>r King Blvd<br />
Industrial<br />
Exit 4<br />
Park<br />
313 315 317 400<br />
Pennsauken<br />
North<br />
Cherry<br />
Entertainment<br />
401 402 403 404 405<br />
Pennsauken<br />
Philadelphia<br />
Hill<br />
Wiggins Park<br />
Center<br />
(Amtrak, SEPTA 406 407 408 409 410<br />
Industrial<br />
& Marina<br />
Mall<br />
<strong>on</strong>ly)<br />
Park<br />
412 418 419 450 451<br />
North Broad<br />
452 453 457 551<br />
36th Street<br />
Cherry Hill<br />
Temple<br />
1500 36th St<br />
Marlt<strong>on</strong> Pike (Rt 70) &<br />
University<br />
Cornell Ave<br />
Evesham<br />
452<br />
Battleship NJ<br />
Cooper St/<br />
450<br />
Rutgers<br />
Downtown Camden<br />
209 Cooper St<br />
Cherry Hill<br />
Atlantic City<br />
Camden<br />
Line<br />
Collingswood<br />
8th &<br />
Market<br />
See Downtown<br />
Hadd<strong>on</strong><br />
CAMDEN COUNTY<br />
9-10th &<br />
Camden Inset for Ferry<br />
Locust<br />
Details<br />
Ave<br />
Twp Hadd<strong>on</strong>field<br />
15-16th 12-13th<br />
30<br />
& Locust & Locust Aquarium<br />
Entertainment<br />
Voorhees<br />
2 Delaware Ave Center<br />
Hadd<strong>on</strong><br />
Oaklyn<br />
452 453 457 Susquehanna Bank Center Twp<br />
Audub<strong>on</strong><br />
Woodcrest<br />
& Delaware Ave<br />
30th Street<br />
Audob<strong>on</strong> Park<br />
Philadelphia<br />
Lindenwold<br />
30th Street & Market St<br />
Hadd<strong>on</strong><br />
Lawnside<br />
Ashland<br />
Rt. 673 between Rt. 670<br />
Heights<br />
& Rt. 30<br />
403 451<br />
Barringt<strong>on</strong><br />
Berlin Twp<br />
Gloucester City<br />
459 554<br />
Mt Ephraim<br />
Magnolia Somerdale<br />
Atlantic City Line<br />
To Atlantic City, NJ<br />
Atlantic City<br />
Bellmawr<br />
Lindenwold<br />
Line<br />
C<strong>on</strong>necting Bus, Rail and Light Rail Service<br />
Berlin<br />
Interstate Bus Service Local Bus Service Local Bus Shuttles Light Rail & Rail Service<br />
603 Mercer Mall - Quaker Bridge Mall - Burlink<br />
www.Driveless.com<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>ast Corridor<br />
Hamilt<strong>on</strong> Marketplace<br />
for more info<br />
Bost<strong>on</strong>, MA - Washingt<strong>on</strong> DC<br />
Cape May - Wildwood - Philadelphia 407 Philadelphia - Merchantville-<br />
Camden - Cherry Hill Mall -<br />
418<br />
604<br />
Moorestown Mall<br />
Moorestown Mall - Trent<strong>on</strong><br />
East Trent<strong>on</strong> - Trent<strong>on</strong> Rail Stati<strong>on</strong><br />
Beverly, Willingboro, Westhampt<strong>on</strong>,<br />
B1<br />
Atlantic City<br />
Atlantic City Line<br />
Lumbert<strong>on</strong>, Mount Holly, Pembert<strong>on</strong><br />
Line<br />
408 Millville - Philadelphia<br />
450 Cherry Hill Mall - Audub<strong>on</strong> - Camden<br />
Princet<strong>on</strong> - Mercerville -<br />
Atlantic City, NJ - Philadelphia, PA<br />
Asbury Park - Fort Dix - Philadelphia<br />
606<br />
Beverly Rail Stati<strong>on</strong>, Beverly City,<br />
Trent<strong>on</strong> - Willingboro - Philadelphia<br />
Camden - Voorhees Town Center -<br />
Hamilt<strong>on</strong> Marketplace<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>ast<br />
409<br />
451<br />
B2 Willingboro Town Center, Muncipal<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>ast Corridor<br />
Sicklerville - Philadelphia<br />
607<br />
Corridor<br />
(via US 130)<br />
Lindenwold PATCO<br />
Ewing - Trent<strong>on</strong> -<br />
Bldg, Westhampt<strong>on</strong>, Edgewater Park<br />
Trent<strong>on</strong>, NJ - New York, NY<br />
410<br />
452<br />
Independence Plaza<br />
Salem - Philadelphia<br />
Bridget<strong>on</strong> - Philadelphia<br />
Camden - 36th Street Stati<strong>on</strong><br />
608<br />
Florence Rail Stati<strong>on</strong>, Railroad Avenue,<br />
Hamilt<strong>on</strong> - West Trent<strong>on</strong><br />
PATCO Speedline<br />
B5<br />
453<br />
Haines Industrial Center, Route 130<br />
Pennsville - Philadelphia<br />
Lindenwold, NJ - Philadelphia, PA<br />
412 Glassboro - Philadelphia<br />
Ferry Avenue PATCO - Camden<br />
609 Ewing - Quaker Bridge Mall<br />
Turnersville - Lindenwold PATCO -<br />
Burlingt<strong>on</strong> Towne Centre Rail Stati<strong>on</strong>,<br />
457 Moorestown Mall - Camden<br />
B6<br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE<br />
413<br />
Philadelphia<br />
Burlingt<strong>on</strong> - Mt. Holly - Philadelphia<br />
611 Trent<strong>on</strong> - Perry Street Shuttle<br />
Route 541, Liberty Square/Cadillac Drive<br />
Trent<strong>on</strong>, NJ - Camden, NJ<br />
551<br />
Cherry Hill Mall - Pennsauken -<br />
419 Burlingt<strong>on</strong> - Rt. 73/Pennsauken Stati<strong>on</strong> -<br />
Atlantic City - Philadelphia<br />
613 Mercer Mall - Yardville -<br />
Palmyra Rail Stati<strong>on</strong>, Cinnamins<strong>on</strong>, Maple<br />
B9<br />
Trent<strong>on</strong> Line<br />
Philadelphia<br />
Camden<br />
554<br />
Hamilt<strong>on</strong> Marketplace<br />
Shade, Moorestown, Moorestown Industrial<br />
Lindenwold PATCO - Atlantic City<br />
Park, Moorestown Mall, East Gate Square<br />
Trent<strong>on</strong>, NJ - Philadelphia, PA<br />
Cherry Hill Mall - Merchantville -<br />
619 Ewing - Mercer County College<br />
(Nor<strong>the</strong>ast Corridor)<br />
Philadelphia<br />
600 Trent<strong>on</strong> - Plainsboro (US 1 Corridor)<br />
Cinnamins<strong>on</strong> Rail Stati<strong>on</strong>, Cinnamins<strong>on</strong>,<br />
Trent<strong>on</strong> - Neshaminy Mall<br />
Capital C<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> - Local Bus Service<br />
Industrial Parks, Route 130<br />
Commuter Rail Service between Trent<strong>on</strong> Rail Stati<strong>on</strong><br />
Berlin - Marlt<strong>on</strong> - Philadelphia<br />
(via Oxford Valley Mall, Langhorne, PA)<br />
601 College of New Jersey - Trent<strong>on</strong> -<br />
between Downtown Trent<strong>on</strong> and <strong>the</strong> State House<br />
and Newark Liberty Internati<strong>on</strong>al Airport Stati<strong>on</strong><br />
Hamilt<strong>on</strong> Marketplace<br />
Corridor<br />
Haines<br />
Industrial<br />
Center<br />
US Steel<br />
Industial Park<br />
Benjamin Franklin Bridge<br />
Delaware <strong>River</strong><br />
<strong>River</strong>fr<strong>on</strong>t Ferry<br />
to Penns Landing, PA<br />
Burlingt<strong>on</strong><br />
Center<br />
Mall<br />
N Delaware Ave<br />
Cooper St<br />
<strong>River</strong>side Dr<br />
NJ Tpke<br />
Exit 5<br />
Rancocas<br />
State Park<br />
S Delaware Ave<br />
Elm St<br />
N 3rd St<br />
Market St<br />
Federal St<br />
Dr M.L. King Jr Blvd<br />
(Mickle Blvd)<br />
Harbour Blvd<br />
N 5th St<br />
Clint<strong>on</strong> St<br />
Pearl St<br />
S 3rd St<br />
NJ Tpke<br />
Exit 6<br />
NJ Tpke<br />
Exit 7<br />
Lumbert<strong>on</strong><br />
N Broadway<br />
Bens<strong>on</strong> St<br />
S 2nd St<br />
S 4th St<br />
Federal St<br />
S 5th St<br />
Mansfield<br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE<br />
Linden St<br />
Hadd<strong>on</strong> Ave<br />
West St<br />
S Broadway<br />
Line St<br />
Pine St<br />
Divisi<strong>on</strong> St<br />
Spruce St<br />
Che ry St<br />
Walnut St<br />
S 3rd St<br />
N 10th St<br />
S 6th St<br />
Chesterfield<br />
July 2008<br />
accelerating and braking mechanisms<br />
enable faster start/stop times at each<br />
stati<strong>on</strong>, and <strong>the</strong> largely straightlying<br />
track of <strong>the</strong> line enables <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE trains to reach speeds of<br />
65 miles per hour. For instance, The<br />
Morning Comet, a morning express<br />
RIVER LINE train departs from <strong>the</strong><br />
Walter Rand Transportati<strong>on</strong> Center in<br />
Camden and travels to Trent<strong>on</strong> in 47<br />
minutes. A full-service train travels<br />
between <strong>the</strong> Entertainment Center a<br />
Hadd<strong>on</strong> Ave<br />
S 7th St<br />
Newt<strong>on</strong> St<br />
S 11th St<br />
S 10th St<br />
few miles fur<strong>the</strong>r south in Camden and<br />
<strong>the</strong> Trent<strong>on</strong> Transit Center, with 18<br />
stops in between, in <strong>on</strong>e hour and five<br />
minutes. During peak hours, trains are<br />
providing service every 15 minutes,<br />
while during off-peak hours, trains run<br />
every 30 minutes.<br />
<strong>River</strong> C<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong>s<br />
Intermodalism and regi<strong>on</strong>al<br />
c<strong>on</strong>nectivity are cornerst<strong>on</strong>es of <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE’s service. Fazio puts it<br />
simply: “Networks are what make<br />
transit work,” and so <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE<br />
is extensively integrated with several<br />
public transit systems in order to form<br />
a more comprehensive network within<br />
<strong>the</strong> Delaware Valley and even <strong>the</strong><br />
New York City Metropolitan area in<br />
additi<strong>on</strong> to western New Jersey.<br />
T<strong>on</strong>y Clark, <strong>River</strong> LINE Security<br />
Supervisor, offers <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>cept of a<br />
“<strong>on</strong>e-seat ride for commuters within<br />
<strong>the</strong> area, in which <strong>the</strong>ir complete<br />
commute can be served by a web<br />
of interc<strong>on</strong>necting mass transit<br />
systems. Says Clark, “ <strong>the</strong> key is good<br />
c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong>s within <strong>the</strong> corridor.”<br />
The <strong>River</strong> LINE certainly has <strong>the</strong>se<br />
good c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong>s. Each <strong>River</strong> LINE<br />
stati<strong>on</strong> is serviced by ei<strong>the</strong>r New<br />
Jersey Transit or South Jersey Transit<br />
Authority buses. During peak service<br />
hours – when trains are running every<br />
15 minutes – it’s possible for <strong>the</strong> buses<br />
to synchr<strong>on</strong>ize <strong>the</strong>ir stops at <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong><br />
LINE stati<strong>on</strong>s with trains arriving from<br />
both directi<strong>on</strong>s. The BurLink buses<br />
of Burlingt<strong>on</strong>, N.J., also c<strong>on</strong>nect to<br />
<strong>the</strong> four stati<strong>on</strong>s located within <strong>the</strong><br />
city. Fifteen hundred free parking<br />
spaces are also available at three large<br />
park-and-ride centers located at <strong>the</strong><br />
Florence, Burlingt<strong>on</strong> South, and Route<br />
73/Pennsauken stati<strong>on</strong>s, creating a<br />
str<strong>on</strong>g incentive for commuters to<br />
get out of <strong>the</strong>ir cars and “think mass<br />
transit,” as Clark puts it.<br />
Yet <strong>the</strong> intermodal c<strong>on</strong>nectivity<br />
expands bey<strong>on</strong>d <strong>the</strong> transit systems<br />
in New Jersey. Multiple stati<strong>on</strong>s al<strong>on</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE system c<strong>on</strong>nect to two<br />
Pennsylvania transit systems – <strong>the</strong> Port<br />
Authority Transit Corporati<strong>on</strong> (PATCO)<br />
and <strong>the</strong> South Eastern Pennsylvania<br />
20
Transit Authority (SEPTA) –<br />
providing <strong>River</strong> LINE riders access to<br />
Philadelphia at several points. At <strong>the</strong><br />
Trent<strong>on</strong> Transit Center, <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
terminal stati<strong>on</strong> for <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE,<br />
riders can c<strong>on</strong>nect to Amtrak’s North<br />
East Corridor (NEC), facilitating a<br />
car-free commute into New York City.<br />
This c<strong>on</strong>nectivity is fur<strong>the</strong>r enhanced<br />
by shared fare passes <strong>on</strong> different<br />
systems; for example, Amtrak’s<br />
m<strong>on</strong>thly pass to New York serves as<br />
fare for <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE. The result of<br />
this intermodal c<strong>on</strong>nectivity is that<br />
<strong>the</strong> neighborhoods al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong><br />
LINE system have become bedroom<br />
communities for New York City and<br />
Philadelphia.<br />
Cinnamins<strong>on</strong> resident and United<br />
We Ride Coordinati<strong>on</strong> Ambassador<br />
Rex Knowlt<strong>on</strong> agrees, saying, “as a<br />
lifel<strong>on</strong>g resident of <strong>the</strong> Triboro area -<br />
Cinnamins<strong>on</strong>, Palmyra and <strong>River</strong>t<strong>on</strong><br />
– I recall riding <strong>the</strong> Pennsylvania<br />
Railroad line into Philadelphia<br />
from <strong>the</strong> Palmyra stop with my<br />
grandparents as a child. What a<br />
delight when <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE opened<br />
in 2004. My daily commute to PATCO<br />
in Camden was reduced to just over a<br />
mile through <strong>the</strong> nearby Pennsauken<br />
stati<strong>on</strong> with plenty of parking and I<br />
now can ride <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE to start<br />
and end <strong>the</strong> journey.”<br />
While some passengers are bound<br />
for two of <strong>the</strong> nati<strong>on</strong>’s largest cities,<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE also rec<strong>on</strong>nects a series<br />
of smaller towns and communities<br />
that were previously disc<strong>on</strong>nected<br />
from major transit systems. With<br />
<strong>the</strong> introducti<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE,<br />
<strong>the</strong>se small towns now bel<strong>on</strong>g to a<br />
expansive and comprehensive web<br />
of interc<strong>on</strong>nected transit systems,<br />
which brings greater mobility to <strong>the</strong>se<br />
residents, while simultaneously giving<br />
<strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong> ec<strong>on</strong>omic boost from tourists<br />
taking <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE into <strong>the</strong>se small<br />
towns.<br />
The public has resp<strong>on</strong>ded<br />
enthusiastically to <strong>the</strong> opportunities<br />
presented by this more comprehensive<br />
transit network. <strong>River</strong> LINE ridership<br />
has c<strong>on</strong>sistently remained above<br />
projected levels since 2004. In 2008,<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE reached its peak-hour<br />
Communities such as Pennsauken not <strong>on</strong>ly benefit from <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE’s c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong>s throughout<br />
<strong>the</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>, but also improved c<strong>on</strong>nectivity with local transit systems.<br />
capacity, moving 9,000 passengers per<br />
weekday. For major events at cultural<br />
and entertainment centers, daily<br />
ridership can reach as high as 12,000<br />
passengers. The <strong>River</strong> LINE has even<br />
had an impressive spill-over effect for<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r transit systems in <strong>the</strong> area. As<br />
ridership has increased <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong><br />
LINE, commuters have been relying<br />
<strong>on</strong> public transit to take <strong>the</strong>m fur<strong>the</strong>r,<br />
serving as a replacement for <strong>the</strong> cars<br />
that used to take <strong>the</strong>m to <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong><br />
LINE stati<strong>on</strong>s. PATCO has reported<br />
higher ridership in <strong>the</strong> years since <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE began service, showing that<br />
<strong>the</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al rail system is truly getting<br />
people to think public transit. As <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE c<strong>on</strong>tinues to mature, its<br />
managers plan to purchase more DMUs<br />
to accommodate higher ridership.<br />
The <strong>River</strong> LINE will also increase <strong>the</strong><br />
number of two-car trains running<br />
during peak ridership periods.<br />
Building C<strong>on</strong>nected Communities<br />
Just as remarkable as <strong>the</strong> numbers<br />
of riders is <strong>the</strong> diversity of passengers<br />
who regularly use <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE.<br />
The line has been marketed as an<br />
interurban c<strong>on</strong>nector for commuters as<br />
well as a pleasure cruise for tourists,<br />
and <strong>the</strong>se populati<strong>on</strong>s, in additi<strong>on</strong><br />
to o<strong>the</strong>rs, have been resp<strong>on</strong>ding. The<br />
Morning Comet express train and its<br />
returning counterpart – <strong>the</strong> Evening<br />
Comet – have been very popular with<br />
business commuters heading north<br />
to <strong>the</strong> New Jersey State Capitol in<br />
Trent<strong>on</strong> or New York City. Train #329<br />
is particularly popular am<strong>on</strong>g those<br />
commuting from Amtrak’s Nor<strong>the</strong>ast<br />
Corridor trains into New Jersey. Yet<br />
as business commuters increasingly<br />
pass through <strong>the</strong> towns located al<strong>on</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE system, businesses<br />
have been realizing opportunities<br />
within those towns <strong>the</strong>mselves. Taking<br />
advantage of increasing c<strong>on</strong>nectivity<br />
between New Jersey and <strong>the</strong> major<br />
metropolitan areas, new developments<br />
z<strong>on</strong>ed for commerce and retail have<br />
emerging all al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE<br />
corridor, turning <strong>the</strong>se small towns<br />
into business centers. Between 2004<br />
and 2005, <strong>the</strong> city of Burlingt<strong>on</strong>, for<br />
example, saw 16 new businesses open<br />
in commercial parks adjacent to its<br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE stati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
But of course, what is business<br />
without pleasure The <strong>River</strong> LINE also<br />
has turned <strong>the</strong>se towns into tourist<br />
destinati<strong>on</strong>s. Ridership is actually<br />
higher <strong>on</strong> weekends than <strong>on</strong> weekdays<br />
due to <strong>the</strong> popularity of <strong>the</strong>se small<br />
towns.<br />
“Each of <strong>the</strong>se towns has its own<br />
unique offerings to people who come<br />
to visit New Jersey,” Clark says.<br />
The <strong>River</strong> LINE provides brochures<br />
<strong>on</strong>board its trains that described some<br />
of <strong>the</strong> dining opti<strong>on</strong>s located al<strong>on</strong>g
Bombardier’s DMU vehicles are <strong>the</strong> ideal match for <strong>the</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al rail structure of <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE.<br />
<strong>the</strong> system. Several of <strong>the</strong> restaurants<br />
menti<strong>on</strong>ed in this brochure offer<br />
discounts to diners who show <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE fare pass. Higher tourist<br />
traffic has motivated several small<br />
towns to revitalize <strong>the</strong>ir waterfr<strong>on</strong>t<br />
neighborhoods al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> line with<br />
new restaurants and retail offerings,<br />
as well as walking tours of historical<br />
districts. The town of <strong>River</strong>side<br />
recently reopened its historic Keyst<strong>on</strong>e<br />
Watchcase Tower, located across <strong>the</strong><br />
street from <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong>side stati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
The tower had been aband<strong>on</strong>ed for<br />
50 years, but it is now <strong>the</strong> jewel in<br />
<strong>River</strong>side’s new Golden Triangle,<br />
a center of ec<strong>on</strong>omic and cultural<br />
activity that had previously been a 32-<br />
acre brownfield.<br />
Yet <strong>the</strong> small towns are not <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>on</strong>ly <strong>on</strong>es to benefit. The <strong>River</strong> LINE’s<br />
final stops in Camden c<strong>on</strong>nect riders<br />
to several entertainment centers,<br />
sports venues and <strong>the</strong> New Jersey<br />
State Aquarium, and <strong>the</strong>se centers<br />
have reported str<strong>on</strong>ger patr<strong>on</strong>age<br />
since <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE began running in<br />
<strong>the</strong> neighborhood. At <strong>the</strong> same time,<br />
students from <strong>the</strong> Camden campus<br />
of Rutgers University take <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong><br />
LINE in <strong>the</strong> opposite directi<strong>on</strong>, heading<br />
north to make use of <strong>the</strong> bike trails<br />
located al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Delaware <strong>River</strong>. The<br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE also serves as pleasure<br />
cruise for <strong>the</strong> river itself. There are<br />
several points al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> system during<br />
which riders are afforded incredible<br />
views of <strong>the</strong> river – views unseen<br />
by car, since <strong>the</strong> nearest roads are<br />
separated by walls of trees or <strong>the</strong><br />
state’s namesake highway barriers.<br />
Marinoff proudly recounts <strong>the</strong><br />
c<strong>on</strong>versati<strong>on</strong>s he has had with riders<br />
who told him that, “<strong>the</strong>y took <strong>the</strong> train<br />
just to see <strong>the</strong> river today!”<br />
The towns and cities of New Jersey,<br />
ra<strong>the</strong>r than waiting for individual<br />
businesses to realize <strong>the</strong> opportunities<br />
<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir own, have been engaging<br />
in extensive ec<strong>on</strong>omic development<br />
efforts that are centered around <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE stati<strong>on</strong>s. Many of <strong>the</strong> new<br />
businesses that come into <strong>the</strong>se areas<br />
even take <strong>the</strong>ir name from <strong>the</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al<br />
rail system, such as <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong>line<br />
Business Plaza in Cinnamins<strong>on</strong> or <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>River</strong> Line Inn Bed and Breakfast in<br />
<strong>River</strong>t<strong>on</strong>.<br />
While some communities have<br />
focused <strong>on</strong> revitalizing waterfr<strong>on</strong>t<br />
neighborhoods with new restaurants<br />
and retail, <strong>the</strong>re have been more<br />
substantial development efforts as<br />
well. As early as 2005, an impressive<br />
growth in mixed-use, transit-oriented<br />
development efforts throughout <strong>the</strong><br />
communities al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE.<br />
<strong>River</strong>side’s Golden Triangle is <strong>on</strong>e<br />
of several brownfields undergoing a<br />
redevelopment process as a result of a<br />
nearby <strong>River</strong> LINE stati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
In Burlingt<strong>on</strong>, plans are underway<br />
to redevelop 20 acres of an<br />
underutilized business park known<br />
as Commerce Square. Two local real<br />
estate development firms have teamed<br />
up with <strong>the</strong> City of Burlingt<strong>on</strong> to<br />
revitalize <strong>the</strong> industrial waterfr<strong>on</strong>t<br />
into a commercial office park, with<br />
c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> is expected to begin so<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Once completed, <strong>the</strong> new Commerce<br />
Square will bring an estimated 700<br />
to 1,000 jobs to Burlingt<strong>on</strong>. The<br />
developers have been marketing <strong>the</strong><br />
office park as an opportunity to be<br />
well-c<strong>on</strong>nected to several transit<br />
systems that integrate <strong>the</strong> area within<br />
a larger market. The <strong>River</strong> LINE is<br />
particularly important to this idea<br />
of c<strong>on</strong>nectivity, since it can draw<br />
people looking to do business as<br />
well as people looking to work from<br />
a much larger area. The ease of an<br />
effortless commute by passenger rail<br />
makes working in Commerce Square<br />
particularly attractive.<br />
Although it is still in <strong>the</strong> planning<br />
stage, Trent<strong>on</strong>’s proposed Vista<br />
Center is already drawing attenti<strong>on</strong><br />
as a future ic<strong>on</strong> for <strong>the</strong> capitol city.<br />
The Vista Center – a 25-story office<br />
tower – is proposed to be c<strong>on</strong>structed<br />
<strong>on</strong> an aband<strong>on</strong>ed lot right next to<br />
<strong>the</strong> Trent<strong>on</strong> Transit Center, <strong>the</strong> sixth<br />
busiest stop <strong>on</strong> Amtrak’s Nor<strong>the</strong>ast<br />
Corridor and <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn terminal<br />
stop <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE. Passenger<br />
rail use will be fur<strong>the</strong>r facilitated by<br />
a series of pedestrian walkways that<br />
c<strong>on</strong>nect <strong>the</strong> office building with <strong>the</strong><br />
transit center, creating a seamless<br />
commute from home to office via<br />
public transit. When completed, <strong>the</strong><br />
Vista Center will not <strong>on</strong>ly be Trent<strong>on</strong>’s<br />
tallest building, but it will also be its<br />
greenest, as <strong>the</strong> developers plan to<br />
achieve a LEED Platinum rating for<br />
<strong>the</strong> building. While much of <strong>the</strong> Vista<br />
Center will be devoted to office space,<br />
<strong>the</strong> ground floors will be z<strong>on</strong>ed for<br />
retail, giving <strong>the</strong> center a wider role to<br />
play within <strong>the</strong> community.<br />
In August of this year, <strong>the</strong><br />
Bordentown Township Planning<br />
Board granted site-plan approval<br />
to <strong>the</strong> Bordentown Waterfr<strong>on</strong>t<br />
Community project, a proposed<br />
mixed-use village of substantial size.<br />
Unlike o<strong>the</strong>r projects that envisi<strong>on</strong><br />
a single collecti<strong>on</strong> of housing units,<br />
Jeffrey Albert, <strong>the</strong> project’s developer,<br />
has envisi<strong>on</strong>ed <strong>the</strong> community as<br />
something much grander. He plans to<br />
create seven different neighborhoods,<br />
each c<strong>on</strong>sisting of apartments,<br />
c<strong>on</strong>dominiums, and townhouses,<br />
22
with retail and recreati<strong>on</strong>al space<br />
intersperced. Perhaps <strong>the</strong> most<br />
significant element of <strong>the</strong> project is<br />
that Albert has proposed <strong>the</strong> additi<strong>on</strong><br />
of a new <strong>River</strong> LINE stop to turn <strong>the</strong><br />
community from a mixed-use village<br />
into a transit-oriented village. The<br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE stop is seen as critical to<br />
<strong>the</strong> viability of <strong>the</strong> community, since<br />
<strong>the</strong> land <strong>on</strong> which Albert proposes to<br />
build is bound by <strong>the</strong> Delaware <strong>River</strong><br />
and two high-traffic roads. By making<br />
<strong>the</strong> neighborhoods accessible to <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>River</strong> LINE, <strong>the</strong> area – including <strong>the</strong><br />
riverfr<strong>on</strong>t – becomes accessible to<br />
pedestrians.<br />
The <strong>River</strong>Line is a key element<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Bordentown Waterfr<strong>on</strong>t<br />
Community” says Jeffrey Albert. “It<br />
makes accessible <strong>the</strong> entire eastern<br />
megalopolis and <strong>the</strong>reby increases<br />
<strong>the</strong> value of <strong>the</strong> locati<strong>on</strong> to our future<br />
residents as well as those of <strong>the</strong><br />
regi<strong>on</strong> for employment, entertainment<br />
and travel. This stati<strong>on</strong> promotes<br />
a significant smart growth transit<br />
village in a Township designated<br />
redevelopment area.”<br />
All al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> line, housing<br />
developments have been in particularly<br />
high demand, despite <strong>the</strong> recent slump<br />
in housing c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong>. Fazio cited<br />
recent developments that are especially<br />
popular for those commuting into New<br />
York for business. The transit-oriented<br />
development waterfr<strong>on</strong>t housing in<br />
<strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn New Jersey towns cost 60<br />
percent of what commuters would pay<br />
for an apartment in Manhattan. But<br />
more than <strong>the</strong> prices, Fazio stresses, is<br />
<strong>the</strong> fact that <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE can take<br />
<strong>the</strong>se commuters from <strong>the</strong>ir homes to<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir New York-bound commuter train<br />
in Trent<strong>on</strong> in under 15 minutes.<br />
There are o<strong>the</strong>r ec<strong>on</strong>omic<br />
development efforts more fully focused<br />
<strong>on</strong> improving <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE itself.<br />
Progress is already underway to<br />
expand <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE and improve<br />
its c<strong>on</strong>nectivity, with a new stati<strong>on</strong><br />
in design at Pennsauken. This new<br />
stati<strong>on</strong> will c<strong>on</strong>nect <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE<br />
to New Jersey Transit’s Atlantic City<br />
Line, a commuter rail line operating<br />
between Philadelphia and Atlantic<br />
City. This new c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> will fur<strong>the</strong>r<br />
(Left to right): Bombardier maintenance employees Pat McWilliams and Daniel O’Hara; South<br />
Jersey Advisory Committee member Jeff Marinoff; writer Baird Bream; and Bombardier’s T<strong>on</strong>y<br />
Clark and Al Fazio.<br />
expand <strong>the</strong> potential for tourist<br />
traffic and business traffic to travel<br />
through <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE and increase<br />
<strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong>s shared between<br />
metropolitan centers. While <strong>the</strong><br />
project is still in <strong>the</strong> planning stage, it<br />
recently received $40 milli<strong>on</strong> from <strong>the</strong><br />
American Recovery and Reinvestment<br />
Act, an investment that will greatly<br />
hasten its progress.<br />
Delivering Results, Raising<br />
Expectati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
Within <strong>the</strong> communities it touches,<br />
expectati<strong>on</strong>s for <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE run<br />
very high, and not without reas<strong>on</strong>. In<br />
five short years, <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE has<br />
become a driving force for ec<strong>on</strong>omic<br />
development and a representative of<br />
<strong>the</strong> potential that exists for passenger<br />
rail in <strong>the</strong> United States.<br />
In fact, <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE is serving as a<br />
model for fur<strong>the</strong>r development within<br />
New Jersey. Following <strong>the</strong> example<br />
of <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE’s success, PATCO is<br />
pursuing an additi<strong>on</strong>al regi<strong>on</strong>al rail<br />
line running from <strong>the</strong> Walter Rand<br />
Transportati<strong>on</strong> Center in Camden to<br />
Glassboro. This new line would be <strong>the</strong><br />
first passenger rail transit system to be<br />
introduced to sou<strong>the</strong>rn New Jersey in<br />
nearly fifty years.<br />
Following <strong>the</strong> pattern of <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong><br />
LINE, PATCO will make use of existing<br />
right of way tracks currently used<br />
by C<strong>on</strong>rail freight trains. Ra<strong>the</strong>r<br />
than relying <strong>on</strong> temporal separati<strong>on</strong>,<br />
however, <strong>the</strong> Camden-Glassboro line<br />
trains will operate <strong>on</strong> separate tracks,<br />
C<strong>on</strong>tinued <strong>on</strong> page 53<br />
Investment from <strong>the</strong> American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will support c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> of a<br />
transfer stati<strong>on</strong> at Pennsauken (below) to c<strong>on</strong>nect <strong>the</strong> <strong>River</strong> LINE to Atlantic City commuter trains.<br />
Photo courtesy of Bombardier
e v i e w<br />
Dining <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> B&O Delivers<br />
a Delicious Journey<br />
By Christine Pomorski<br />
In a day and age when travel involves<br />
few amenities, Thomas J. Greco and Karl<br />
D. Spence’s Dining <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> B&O: Recipes<br />
and Sidelights from a Byg<strong>on</strong>e Age harkens<br />
back to a time when getting from place<br />
to place was as much about <strong>the</strong> journey<br />
as <strong>the</strong> destinati<strong>on</strong>. This thoughtful<br />
compilati<strong>on</strong> of recipes and stories<br />
captures <strong>the</strong> essence of train travel in <strong>the</strong><br />
1950s – exciting, elegant and memorable.<br />
Greco and Spence’s tribute to <strong>the</strong> B&O<br />
uses food to c<strong>on</strong>vey <strong>the</strong> entire experience<br />
of traveling by rail, <strong>the</strong> emoti<strong>on</strong>s that it<br />
evoked as well <strong>the</strong> overall sentiment of<br />
B&O Railroad era.<br />
For many, food is more than daily<br />
sustenance, but a cultural link to <strong>the</strong><br />
past and gateway to <strong>the</strong> future. As <strong>the</strong><br />
authors note, “think of <strong>the</strong> energy and<br />
anticipati<strong>on</strong> you feel in preparing a<br />
special meal for friends or family… and<br />
<strong>the</strong> b<strong>on</strong>d that develops… as a result of<br />
your efforts.” Cooking for special guests is<br />
<strong>the</strong> most basic gesture of love. It c<strong>on</strong>nects<br />
people from all ages, backgrounds and<br />
social groups.<br />
The B&O Railroad did exactly that<br />
through <strong>the</strong> grand affair of dining <strong>on</strong> its<br />
trains. Greco and Spence note early in <strong>the</strong><br />
book that <strong>the</strong> Dining Car and Commissary<br />
Department was not designed to make<br />
a profit, but to attract customers with<br />
its top-of-<strong>the</strong>-line dining and service.<br />
Even though <strong>the</strong> type of cuisine was not<br />
uncomm<strong>on</strong>, what made dining <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
B&O special “was <strong>the</strong> atmosphere, <strong>the</strong><br />
style, and <strong>the</strong> attitude with which <strong>the</strong><br />
food was served.”<br />
“Dining <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> B&O” will satisfy<br />
train junkies and foodies alike with its<br />
descripti<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>the</strong> B&O kitchens, staff<br />
and commissaries. Readers will delight at<br />
how <strong>the</strong> B&O skillfully operated a white<br />
tablecloth dining establishment <strong>on</strong> wheels<br />
despite tiny kitchens and limited supplies.<br />
Greco and Spence’s thorough research<br />
goes behind <strong>the</strong> scenes, explaining, for<br />
instance, how <strong>the</strong> B&O stockpiled Irish<br />
linen in 1939 for fear that <strong>the</strong>ir supply<br />
would dwindle due to <strong>the</strong> war, or how<br />
<strong>the</strong> kitchen staff meticulously planned<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir food supply to corresp<strong>on</strong>d with<br />
requisiti<strong>on</strong>s in cities al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> way.<br />
Interestingly enough, <strong>the</strong> inner workings<br />
of <strong>the</strong> B&O’s kitchens are very similar<br />
to how many high-end restaurants work<br />
today, with an emphasis <strong>on</strong> structure,<br />
high standards, model efficiency and<br />
regi<strong>on</strong>al food (fresh-water fish from <strong>the</strong><br />
Great Lakes for eastbound passengers and<br />
Chesapeake Bay fish, crab and oysters for<br />
<strong>the</strong> westbound).<br />
The recipes, which are written in a<br />
style designed for <strong>the</strong> <strong>on</strong>-board chef,<br />
will tempt you to try some old, familiar<br />
classics such as hush puppies, stuffed<br />
pork chops and clam chowder. O<strong>the</strong>rs<br />
offer a glimpse into <strong>the</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al dishes<br />
of <strong>the</strong> day, such as Baltimore-style<br />
creamed oysters, Philadelphia pepper<br />
pot and local interpretati<strong>on</strong>s of spo<strong>on</strong><br />
bread. Readers will also be amused by a<br />
number of recipes for ra<strong>the</strong>r interesting<br />
dishes that have fallen out of rotati<strong>on</strong> in<br />
modern menus, such as Maryland-style<br />
terrapin, prune whip and marshmallow<br />
may<strong>on</strong>naise. Pay close attenti<strong>on</strong> to <strong>the</strong><br />
secti<strong>on</strong> of baked goods recipes, which<br />
outline a number of bread and biscuits<br />
whose aromas have likely been filling<br />
kitchens in <strong>the</strong> area for many generati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
Greco and Spence, who pepper <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
book with photos, menus, letters and<br />
pers<strong>on</strong>al anecdotes, have crafted a<br />
charming narrative that pays touching<br />
tribute to <strong>on</strong>e of our nati<strong>on</strong>’s oldest and<br />
most historic railways. “Dining <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
B&O” is <strong>the</strong>ir pers<strong>on</strong>al, and delicious,<br />
labor of love.<br />
C<strong>on</strong>tinued from page 23<br />
since <strong>the</strong> rail corridor has multiple tracks<br />
available for use.<br />
“This provides <strong>the</strong> similar advantages<br />
of lower capital costs and eliminates<br />
<strong>the</strong> need for any property acquisiti<strong>on</strong><br />
under eminent domain rulings,” says<br />
John Mat<strong>the</strong>ussen, CEO of <strong>the</strong> Delaware<br />
<strong>River</strong> Port Authority (DRPA), which<br />
oversees PATCO. The new rail line will<br />
also focus <strong>on</strong> multimodalism to promote<br />
c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong>s between public transit<br />
systems and <strong>the</strong> creati<strong>on</strong> of a larger<br />
comprehensive web of transit services in<br />
sou<strong>the</strong>rn New Jersey.<br />
Currently, PATCO is carrying out an<br />
envir<strong>on</strong>mental impact study, which is<br />
expected to take 18 to 24 m<strong>on</strong>ths to<br />
complete. The corporati<strong>on</strong> also plans to<br />
begin preliminary engineering studies in<br />
a year, with <strong>the</strong> hope of expediting <strong>the</strong><br />
design and c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> phases of <strong>the</strong> line.<br />
“We have worked with local<br />
communities to plan around rail-oriented<br />
development and downtown development<br />
plans,” says Mat<strong>the</strong>ussen. “This project<br />
has an 80 percent approval am<strong>on</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> public, and we’ve received str<strong>on</strong>g<br />
commitment from <strong>the</strong> state.”<br />
No Barriers in New Jersey<br />
The size of <strong>the</strong> state’s investment<br />
dem<strong>on</strong>strates <strong>the</strong> supportive atmosphere<br />
that exists in New Jersey for innovative<br />
rail systems. Public officials have all<br />
supported passenger rail initiatives<br />
with <strong>the</strong> political will needed to bring<br />
<strong>the</strong>m from c<strong>on</strong>cept to reality. In an<br />
envir<strong>on</strong>ment so amenable to passenger<br />
rail, innovative ideas can be tested and<br />
new systems can succeed, bringing<br />
mobility, opportunity, and development to<br />
numerous communities.<br />
The <strong>River</strong> LINE has dem<strong>on</strong>strated<br />
substantial initiative for increased<br />
interc<strong>on</strong>nectivity am<strong>on</strong>g transit systems,<br />
making mobility a seamless operati<strong>on</strong><br />
from start to finish. And as New Jersey<br />
increases support for taking mass<br />
transit, it increases accessibility between<br />
neighborhoods, driving transit-oriented<br />
development that can reshape and<br />
revitalize entire communities. The <strong>River</strong><br />
LINE has dem<strong>on</strong>strated <strong>the</strong> potential that<br />
exists for passenger rail in a force of<br />
mobility and accessibility and as a driver<br />
of ec<strong>on</strong>omic development.
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