Union is a NJ Transit railroad station in Union, New Jersey. Located on the Conrail Lehigh Line, Union is served by Raritan Valley Line trains that travel between Newark Penn Station and Raritan. There is also limited service to and from High Bridge and New York Penn Station and one morning train to Hoboken Terminal. The physical structures of the station are owned by NJ Transit; however, the land remains the property of Conrail Shared Assets Operations, which is in turn owned by Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX Corporation.
History
The Lehigh Valley Railroad, through its subsidiary the Newark and Roselle Railway, opened a line between Roselle and Newark in 1891. Serving Union Township was Townley station, 0.5 miles (0.80 km) east of the current station site. Townley was one of several stations that closed after the Lehigh Valley Railroad ended its commuter service in 1948. All passenger service on the Lehigh Valley Railroad ended in 1961.
Passenger service over the Lehigh Valley Railroad returned in 1967 with the Aldene Plan. A joint project between the Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Central Railroad of New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Transportation, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the plan re-routed Jersey Central passenger trains over the Lehigh Valley between Roselle and Pennsylvania Station in Newark. One new station was built at the time: Roselle Park.
Planning for an infill station in Union Township began in the 1990s as part of the redevelopment of Morris Avenue. The new station was also called "Townley" during planning before Union was adopted in 1998. The new station opened April 28, 2003, at a cost of $27 million. It is adjacent to Kean University. Station amenities include a waiting room, rest rooms, vendors, and a 464-space parking lot. The station features artwork reproducing the 40th parallel of the Earth's northern hemisphere, and shows cities through which the 40th parallel runs including Lisbon, Rome, and Beijing. Currently, the station is served by 53 weekday and 36 weekend NJ Transit trains.
Dedication
On September 24, 2013, the station was dedicated to Congressman Bob Franks.
Station layout and service
The station has one high-level island platform serving two tracks. The platform is 546 feet (166 m) long and can accommodate six cars.
Notes
References
- "Aldene Plan Inaugurated". The Bulletin. 32 (3): 29–34. 1967.
- Archer, Robert F. (1977). The History of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. Berkeley: Howell-North Books. ISBN 978-0-8310-7113-4.
