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Princeton Junction station

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Coordinates: 40°19′00″N 74°37′24″W / 40.3167°N 74.6233°W / 40.3167; -74.6233
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Not to be confused with Princeton station (NJ Transit).
Princeton Junction
at West Windsor
Princeton Junction station in 2006
General information
Location2 Wallace Circle
Princeton Junction, New Jersey
United States
Coordinates40°19′00″N 74°37′24″W / 40.3167°N 74.6233°W / 40.3167; -74.6233
Owned byNew Jersey Transit
Line(s)Amtrak Northeast Corridor
NJ Transit Princeton Branch
Platforms3 side platforms
Tracks4 (Northeast Corridor)
1 (Princeton Branch)
Connections
Construction
Parking4,161 spaces[1]
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeAmtrak: PJC
IATA codeZTJ
Fare zone19 (NJT)[2]
History
OpenedNovember 23, 1863[3]
ElectrifiedJanuary 16, 1933[4] (partial service)
February 1, 1933[5] (full service)
Key dates
December 27, 1953Station depot burned[6]
Passengers
FY 20176,817 (avg. weekday)[7] (NJT)
FY 202386,015 annually[8] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Trenton
toward Harrisburg
 Keystone Service
Limited service
 New Brunswick
toward New York
Trenton
toward Norfolk, Newport News or Roanoke
 Northeast Regional New Brunswick
toward Boston South or Springfield
     Acela does not stop here
     Cardinal does not stop here
     Carolinian does not stop here
     Crescent does not stop here
     Palmetto does not stop here
     Pennsylvanian does not stop here
     Silver Meteor does not stop here
     Vermonter does not stop here
Preceding station NJ Transit Following station
Hamilton
toward Trenton
 Northeast Corridor Line Jersey Avenue
One-way operation
Princeton
Terminus
 Princeton Branch Terminus
Former services
Preceding station Pennsylvania Railroad Following station
Trenton
toward Chicago
 Main Line Plainsboro
toward New York or Exchange Place
Penns Neck
toward Princeton
 Princeton Branch Terminus
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Trenton
toward New Orleans
 Crescent New Brunswick
toward New York
Trenton
toward Pittsburgh
 Pennsylvanian Newark Penn
toward New York
Location
Map

Princeton Junction station (signed as Princeton Junction at West Windsor) is a railroad station in Princeton Junction, a section of West Windsor Township, Mercer County, New Jersey. The station services both New Jersey Transit's Northeast Corridor Line and Princeton Branch services along with the Northeast Regional and Keystone Service of Amtrak. Other Amtrak services bypass the station. Princeton Junction station contains two high-level side platforms to service Northeast Corridor Line and Amtrak services, which use the four mainline tracks. There is also a single high-level side platform and a single track that servces the Princeton Branch.

Service at Princeton Junction began on November 23, 1863 when a single track of a new alignment of the Camden and Amboy Railroad opened between Clinton Street station in Trenton and the Deans Pond section of South Brunswick in Middlesex County, replacing main line service through downtown Princeton. Service on the branch line to replace it began on May 29, 1865. The first station depot built at Princeton Junction burned down in a fire on August 7, 1892. The new station depot that replaced it in 1893 came down in another fire, this one on December 27, 1953. The current station was built in the 1980s.

History

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Construction and first fire (1863–1893)

[edit]

Railroad service through West Windsor dates back to the realignment of the Camden and Amboy Railroad from Princeton via Kingston. The railroad closed bids for a new direct line between the Deans Pond section of South Brunswick on April 13, 1863. Construction re-started in June 1863. The first train crossed this stretch on November 23, when a single track opened between Clinton Street station in Trenton and Deans Pond.[3] A new station called Princeton Junction opened with this new line and a new stagecoach was approved to bring people from Princeton to the new rail alignment in January 1864. The railroad approved a new branch to Princeton on April 25, 1864, purchasing a new rail car for the line on September 26. The second track opened on September 26, 1864, eliminating all but one train via Kingston. The railroad would offer a horse-drawn omnibus service to Princeton from Princeton Junction.[9] The new Princeton Branch opened on May 29, 1865, eliminating the omnibus service and passenger service via Kingston. The alignment between Princeton and Trenton was removed in June 1865 and by September, the entire line to Kingston had been removed. That same month, the railroad built a new turntable and a freight depot at Princeton Junction to facilitate smoother service on the branch.[10]

The original station depot at Princeton Junction, built in 1865, caught fire on the morning of August 7, 1892. The fire resulted in the complete demolition of the station depot and everything inside it. No source was found for the fire in a following investigation. The railroad announced that they would replace the station depot.[11] By December 1892, the railroad announced that the new station depot would be a three-story tall brick building with a hardwood interior with then-modern conveniences for passengers.[12] The new station opened in 1893.[13]

Death of Charles Rogers (1913–1916)

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The condition of the tracks at Princeton Junction became a problem with the death of a local cement contractor, Charles Rogers, of Bradley Beach in Monmouth County. On June 13, 1913, Rogers was on his way back to the farm in the area that he had purchased for the family. His wife was waiting for him on a platform nearby to get him to the family wagon to the farm. After departing his train, Rogers stepped across the tracks to access a telephone and was struck by a nearby freight train. The station had a physical grade crossing near the station depot that provided access to a nearby hotel, where the telephone was located. Due to some freight cars on a siding at the station, Rogers' view was inhibited of the oncoming freight. After being crushed, his wife passed out on the platform and taken for emergency medical care. The Mercer County Coroner informed her of her husband's death and she was taken by automobile to Princeton where the family wagon would meet her.[14]

A coroner's hearing held on June 21 declared that the railroad was responsible for the death of Rogers because of the grade crossing. The railroad had left the grade crossing unstaffed and that if someone had been watching the tracks at the crossing, Rogers' death would have been prevented. The coroner's hearing also recommended that the railroad should build a tunnel under the tracks to prevent a repeat of the same type of incident.[15] Lena Rogers sued the railroad in the Supreme Court of New Jersey in January 1914 for $25,000 for the death of her husband.[16] Trial began on March 3, 1916 after the railroad's petition to dismiss was denied by the judge. The railroad claimed that Rogers had not performed due diligence before crossing the tracks for the telephone.[17] On March 7, the court ruled that the railroad would have to pay Rogers' estate $5,000 due to the negligence of the railroad, one-fifth of what was asked by the Rogers family.[18]

Second fire, decline and rebuilding (1953–1986)

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Amtrak Metroliner passing through the station in 1978

The second fire to ravage a station depot at Princeton Junction occurred on December 27, 1953. The caretaker, Virginia Worillow, a 62-year old lady, was rescued from the depot by the New Jersey State Police and a local fire department. Worillow noted that mice had a habit of biting through electrical wires at Princeton Junction station, leading to a fire several years prior. This time, the entire depot was demolished and her dog was killed in the fire.[6] In January 1955, the Pennsylvania Railroad announced that they would remove one track from the Princeton Branch and some of the yard tracks at the Princeton Yard. All the yard tracks would be turned over to Princeton University and cut $10,000 from their taxes. Their intent was to keep operating the service but just with one track.[19]

In 1965, a prototype for the high-speed Metroliner passed through the station at the record speed (at that time) of 164 miles per hour (264 km/h) on a short demonstration run. Very few sections of the Northeast Corridor were capable of handling that speed, and most had to be upgraded before Penn Central's Metroliner service was introduced in 1969. A speed of 170.8 mph (274.9 km/h) was achieved on the same portion of the track on December 20, 1967, when the U.S.-built UAC TurboTrain set the rail speed record in North America. A plaque at the station commemorates the event.[20][21]

In June 1983, New Jersey Transit purchased 12 active and four closed stations from Amtrak along the line, including Princeton Junction for $408,000.[22] In September 1986, West Windsor Township agreed to lease the station from NJ Transit through 1991, with options to extend the agreement. West Windsor would implement its own parking system and 650 parking spaces would be added to the station for the 4,000 commuters of NJ Transit and Amtrak that used the station.[23]

Amtrak began experimental service at Princeton Junction on April 28, 1986 with Metroliner train 101 from New York Penn Station stopping at 6:41 a.m. on its way to Washington Union Station. A northbound Metroliner from Washington Union would stop at Princeton Junction at 7:06 p.m. Amtrak's experimental service was because the area had growth that the rail organization wanted to tap into. The installation of high-level side platforms at Princeton Junction also aided in their decision making.[24]

Recent history

[edit]

The present station house was built in 1987.[25] Most of Amtrak's Princeton Junction service prior to 2005 was Clocker service commuter traffic to New York, Newark, or Philadelphia. On October 28, 2005, the Clockers were replaced by NJT trains that run only as far south as Trenton.[26]

The northbound Crescent stopped here from November 24, 2022 to July 4, 2023.[27][28] On October 13, 2023, Amtrak announced Princeton Junction station, along with New Brunswick station, would receive upgraded service due to increased demand.[29]

Service and station layout

[edit]

The station has two high-level side platforms for main Northeast Corridor service, along with a single side platform for the Princeton Branch services. Most of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor lines bypass the station via the inner tracks, except for select Keystone Service and Northeast Regional trains and the weekday southbound Palmetto.[30] The next northbound station is Jersey Avenue, but all northbound trains originating in Trenton skip this station and service New Brunswick, with other trains originating at Jersey Avenue.

Princeton Branch "Dinky" in 1971

As of 2017, Princeton Junction was the 6th-busiest station in the NJ Transit rail system, with an average of 6,817 weekday boardings.[7] In addition to the Northeast Corridor Line, NJT operates a 2.7-mile (4.3 km) spur line, the Princeton Branch, to Princeton station located at the Princeton University campus in Princeton. The shuttle is colloquially known as the "Dinky",[31] and has also been known as the "PJ&B" (for "Princeton Junction and Back").[32] Two train cars, or sometimes just one, are used. A single switch connects the branch to the Northeast Corridor tracks north of the station.

Service on the Princeton Branch was suspended from October 14, 2018 through May 11, 2019, replaced by shuttle buses, as part of NJT's systemwide service reductions during the installation and testing of positive train control.[33][34]

Amtrak provides two early-morning trains to Washington, D.C., and two evening returns, as well as one morning train to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and one evening return, all of which call at Philadelphia. Many more Amtrak trains stop at the nearby Trenton Transit Center. Until 2007, all Amtrak Pennsylvanian trains stopped at Princeton Junction. The southbound Amtrak Palmetto began stopping in Princeton Junction on weekdays in October 2015.

Transit village

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Princeton Junction has been designated the core of the West Windsor transit village, a smart growth initiative to promote transit-oriented development which can include government incentives to encourage compact, higher density, mixed-use development within walking distance of the station.[35] Development adjacent to the station permits higher densities and will include retail end entertainment elements.[36]

The platform for the "Dinky"

References

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  1. ^ "Princeton Junction". New Jersey Transit. Archived from the original on September 22, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  2. ^ "Northeast Corridor Timetables" (PDF). New Jersey Transit Rail Operations. Retrieved November 27, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Baer, Christopher T. (April 2015). "A General Chronology of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Its Predecessors and Successors and Its Historical Context: 1863" (PDF). Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society. pp. 29, 52, 96. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  4. ^ "P.R.R. Opens Electric Service Between N.Y. and Phila. Today". The Courier-Post. Camden, New Jersey. January 16, 1933. p. 3. Retrieved January 31, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ "Electric Service Line Wednesday". The Sunday Times. New Brunswick, New Jersey. January 29, 1933. pp. 1–2. Retrieved January 31, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ a b "P.R.R. Station Burns to Ground". The Daily Home News. December 28, 1953. p. 4. Retrieved July 3, 2019 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ a b Kiefer, Eric (February 21, 2018). "Here Are New Jersey Transit's Most, Least-Used Train Stations". Patch.com. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  8. ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: State of New Jersey" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  9. ^ Baer, Christopher T. (April 2015). "A General Chronology of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Its Predecessors and Successors and Its Historical Context: 1864" (PDF). Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society. pp. 3, 31, 32, 74. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  10. ^ Baer, Christopher T. (April 2015). "A General Chronology of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Its Predecessors and Successors and Its Historical Context: 1865" (PDF). Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society. pp. 42, 54, 66. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  11. ^ "A Station Burned". Monmouth Democrat. True American. August 11, 1892. p. 2. Retrieved February 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Prniceton Junction is favored with a new station..." The Daily Times. New Brunswick, New Jersey. December 14, 1892. p. 2. Retrieved February 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Baer, Christopher T. (April 2015). "A General Chronology of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Its Predecessors and Successors and Its Historical Context: 1893" (PDF). Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society. p. 100. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  14. ^ "Charles A. Rogers is Crushed Under Train". Asbury Park Evening Press. June 14, 1913. p. 1. Retrieved February 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Railroad Responsible for Death". The Freehold Transcript. June 27, 1913. p. 8. Retrieved February 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Sues Railroad for $25,000". The Freehold Transcript. January 2, 1914. p. 6. Retrieved February 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Refuse Non-Suit in Favor R.R." Trenton Evening Times. March 3, 1916. p. 1. Retrieved February 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Must Pay $5,000 for Death of Man". Trenton Evening Times. March 8, 1916. p. 10. Retrieved February 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Removal of Tracks Should Cut Taxes in New Jersey-PRR". The Freehold Transcript. January 13, 1955. p. 3. Retrieved February 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Dedication of plaque commemorating high speed rail in America". National Capital Land Transportation Committee.
  21. ^ "High speed rail commemorative plaque in Princeton Junction station". www.ns3010 .rrpicturearchives.net.
  22. ^ Baehr, Guy T. (June 12, 1983). "NJ Transit Buys Stations From Amtrak". The Star-Ledger. Newark, New Jersey. p. 36. Retrieved February 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "3 Towns Join Program to Lease Rail Stations". The Asbury Park Press. September 26, 1986. p. C17. Retrieved February 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Princeton Stop for Amtrak". The Star-Ledger. Newark, New Jersey. April 26, 1986. p. 7. Retrieved February 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Princeton Junction, NJ". Great American Stations. Amtrak. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  26. ^ "NJ Transit Adds Service With Changes". Town News. Paramus, New Jersey. October 26, 2005. p. A45. Retrieved February 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "AMTRAK'S CRESCENT" (PDF). Rail Passenger's Association. July 4, 2023.
  28. ^ "AMTRAK'S CRESCENT" (PDF). Rail Passenger's Association. December 7, 2022.
  29. ^ "Amtrak Adds More Service for Customers at New Brunswick and Princeton Junction" (Press release). Amtrak. October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  30. ^ "Amtrak – Service Alert". Archived from the original on November 6, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  31. ^ "Princeton University: Train Travel". Princeton University. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
  32. ^ Rosenbaum, Joel; Gallo, Tom (1997). NJ Transit Rail Operations. Railpace Newsmagazine. Archived from the original on October 3, 2011. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
  33. ^ McGeehan, Patrick (September 20, 2018). "For New Jersey Rail Commuters, a Bad Situation Is About to Get Worse". The New York Times. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  34. ^ "Governor Murphy, NJ Transit Announce ACRL and Princeton Dinky to Resume May 12th" (Press release). New Jersey Transit. April 17, 2019. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  35. ^ "West Windsor gains Transit Village designation Township becomes 24th Transit Village in New Jersey" (Press release). NJDOT. January 5, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  36. ^ Martin, Antoinette (October 9, 2011). "An Unofficial Transit Village". The New York Times. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
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