LACKAWANNA CUT-OFF BILL ROLLING FORWARD

Legislation Sponsored by Senate Republican Budget Officer Robert E. Littell (R-Sussex/Morris/Hunterdon) calling for the reactivation of the “Lackawanna Cutoff passenger rail line in northwestern New Jersey passed the full Senate today.
Legislation Sponsored by Senate Republican Budget Officer Robert E. Littell (R-Sussex/Morris/Hunterdon) calling for the reactivation of the “Lackawanna Cutoff passenger rail line in northwestern New Jersey passed the full Senate today.

The Lackawanna Cut-off was the last mainline railroad constructed in New Jersey. It was built between 1908 and 1911 and ran from Roxbury, New Jersey to just over the Delaware River, providing a faster, more direct route between existing rail lines in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. When it was completed the Lackawanna Cutoff was considered an engineering marvel, and the rail line contained few curves and no at-grade crossings by incorporating a number of unique structural features such as culverts, viaducts and massive fill embankments that cut through the deep valleys of the Highlands region. The use of reinforced concrete was also pioneered in the construction of the line, making it a noteworthy example of 20th century railroad construction.

The Lackawanna Railroad merged with the Erie Railroad in 1960, forming the Erie Lackawanna Railroad, before joining Conrail in 1976. Conrail saw no use for the cutoff,

preferring to use former Penn Central tracks. The line was abandoned in 1979, and the tracks were ripped up in the summer of 1984, 76 years almost to the day when ground was broken on the great cutoff. The states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania purchased their respective portions of the cutoff in the 1990’s for a $21 million.

The restored rail service would provide service from Scranton, Pennsylvania to Hoboken and New York Penn Station via transfer to “MidTown Direct� service by connecting to the existing New Jersey Transit Montclair-Boonton and Morris & Essex Lines. Reports indicate the line could serve 684,000 commuters annually, and if equipped with the right kind of rolling stock , give commuters a one-seat 133-mile ride from Scranton to Hoboken.

Littell also noted that with New Jersey’s commitment to the new trans-Hudson rail tunnel, now was the time for the Corzine Administration to dedicate itself to this project. “Now is the time for the Democrats in Trenton to show some foresight and consider what is best for the future of the whole State, and not just what is politically expedient or beneficial to the cities. Restoring the Lackawanna Cutoff will help New Jerseyans commuters for decades to come, and the Trenton should stop dragging their feet, said Littell.�