Editing Morristown Line (section)

==Description==
<!--{{travel}}-->
The Morristown Line begins at [[Hoboken Terminal]] or at [[New York Penn Station]]. Trains departing for points west of [[Dover, NJ|Dover]] require diesel locomotives. Immediately after leaving Hoboken, the route passes the coach and diesel yards before entering the 1908 [[Bergen Tunnels]] under the [[New Jersey Palisades]] just past the East End interlocking. At the west portal of the Bergen Tunnel is West End interlocking, where the [[Main Line (NJ Transit)|Main Line]], [[Bergen County Line]] and [[Pascack Valley Line]] branch off to the north. The Morristown Line then crosses over [[Lower Hack Lift]], a vertical lift bridge built in 1927 over the [[Hackensack River]]. The line crosses under [[Route 7 (New Jersey)|Route 7]] and then passes NJ Transit's [[Meadowlands Maintenance Complex]] (MMC).

[[Amtrak]]'s [[Northeast Corridor]] and the [[New Jersey Turnpike]] cross overhead. The Midtown Direct trains join the Morristown line from New York at Kearny Jct. just past this overpass. The Morristown Line parallels the Amtrak Northeast Corridor and [[Port Authority Trans-Hudson|PATH]] lines and [[Interstate 280 (New Jersey)|Interstate 280]] (I-280) for a short distance here. The [[Waterfront Connection]] is just prior to the overpass at Meadows interlocking. It allows selected [[North Jersey Coast Line]] and [[Raritan Valley Line]] trains to reach Hoboken from the Northeast Corridor Line.
[[File:Passaic River Morristown Line bridge jeh.jpg|thumb|left|[[Newark Drawbridge]] over the [[Passaic River]] bridge. The swing bridge is to the right of the vehicular [[William A. Stickel Memorial Bridge]] (I-280) lift bridge in background]]
[[File:Passiac River, passing by New Jersey Transit train east of Broad Street station.webm|thumb|Passing Passaic River by NJT train, east of Broad Street, in Newark, NJ]]

The line begins its journey by following I-280 and crosses a two-track [[Morristown Line Bridge|swing bridge]] over the [[Passaic River]]. It enters the newly renovated [[Newark Broad Street station]], which features two high platforms serving all three tracks. Within the city limits of Newark, the line runs in a trench, passing beneath numerous streets, I-280, and the [[Newark City Subway]]. At the site of the former [[Roseville Avenue (NJT station)|Roseville Avenue]] station, now known as the Roseville interlocking, the [[Montclair–Boonton Line]] diverges to the right. The section of the track extending westward from the Passaic River to just east of Millburn station is composed of triple tracks, while the remainder of the route to [[Lake Hopatcong station]] is a [[double-track railway]].

After passing the abandoned station at Grove Street, now the location of Green interlocking, the line crosses the [[Garden State Parkway]] and reaches [[East Orange (NJT station)|East Orange]], which is situated on a viaduct. Subsequent elevated stations include [[Brick Church (NJT station)|Brick Church]] and [[Orange (NJT station)|Orange]]. The line then curves southward over Interstate 280, passing past [[Highland Avenue (NJT station)|Highland Avenue]] and [[Mountain Station (NJT station)|Mountain Station]]. The next station is [[South Orange (NJT station)|South Orange]], an elevated structure with two platforms and three tracks, near [[Seton Hall University]]. [[Maplewood (NJT station)|Maplewood]] follows, with a side platform and a center platform serving all westbound and some eastbound trains. Beyond Maplewood, the line narrows to two tracks at Millburn interlocking. [[Millburn (NJT station)|Millburn]] and [[Short Hills (NJT station)|Short Hills]] stations each have two side platforms serving two tracks.

[[Summit (NJT station)|Summit]], a major node along the line, features two high platforms with the station building located above the tracks and a glass crossover above the platforms. Some weekday local services terminate and originate here. Many private schools are located in Summit, making commuting high school students a major source of traffic for this station. Schedules are timed for most Morristown trains to facilitate a convenient transfer to a Gladstone branch train across the platform.

West of Summit, the [[Gladstone Branch]] diverges, and the line crosses the Passaic River for the second time as it enters into [[Chatham Township, New Jersey|Chatham Township]]. [[Chatham (NJT station)|Chatham station]] is situated on an embankment with two side platforms, while [[Madison (NJT station)|Madison station]], on a viaduct, features a recently refurbished 1916 station house on the eastbound side.

The line encounters its first grade crossing at [[Convent Station (NJT station)|Convent station]], located near [[Saint Elizabeth University]]. This station has two side platforms, with the main station building on the eastbound side and a brick waiting house on the westbound track. An old freight station is situated on the eastbound side, and two additional grade crossings follow this station.

Upon crossing I-287, the line enters [[Morristown, New Jersey|Morristown]]. The [[Morristown (NJT station)|Morristown station]] has two low side platforms and a large station building that remains open throughout the week. The station is a focal point of a new [[transit village|transit-oriented development]], featuring ADA-compliant mini-high platform ramps at both ends. An abandoned freight station is located at the west end. West of the station, the [[Morristown and Erie Railway|Morristown & Erie Railway]]'s main offices are located, and its main line diverges at this point.

The next station is [[Morris Plains (NJT station)|Morris Plains]], featuring a 1915 brick station structure. A local model railroad club occupies the freight house just north of the station. Beyond Morris Plains, the line curves through wooded areas, passing beneath [[Route 10 (New Jersey)|Route 10]], and several crossings before reaching [[Mount Tabor (NJT station)|Mount Tabor station]], a small stop in [[Denville Township, New Jersey|Denville Township]] near the community of the same name in [[Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, New Jersey|Parsippany]]. This station is served by select weekday and limited weekend services and lacks an eastbound platform.

[[Denville (NJT station)|Denville station]] lies a short distance from Mount Tabor, where the Morristown Line converges with the Montclair–Boonton Line shortly after this station.

The line proceeds over Estling Lake and alongside the [[Rockaway River]], entering Dover. [[Dover (NJT station)|Dover station]], the terminal stop within the electrified section, features a 1905 station that was recently renovated in the mid-1990s with a single high platform. Due to the cessation of electric traction infrastructure near this location, most NJ Transit services terminate here. As of 2022, all Midtown Direct Morristown Line services are exclusively electric, although future acquisitions of dual-mode locomotives by NJ Transit could alter this service configuration. Most Hoboken services on the Morristown Line are also electric, offering superior efficiency and performance, with only a few diesel-powered Hoboken services extending westward to Hackettstown. The Morristown Line's catenary wires end approximately half a mile west of Dover station near the [[U.S. Route 46]] (US 46) overpass. There are unfunded plans{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}} to extend electric service to Lake Hopatcong, as the Dover Yard is at capacity and [[Wharton, New Jersey|Wharton]]'s substation has been operational since 1984.

[[File:Hackettstown station - March 2017.jpg|thumb|[[Hackettstown station]]|alt=]]
Continuing westward, two tracks extend over the Rockaway River, passing D&R Junction in Wharton, where the Dover-Rockaway Branch of [[Morris County, New Jersey|Morris County]] diverges. Chester Junction, located on the left, provides a connection to the Chester and High Bridge Branch of Morris County. Mount Arlington park-and-ride station follows, with dual high platforms and 285 parking spaces near Exit 30 on [[Interstate 80 in New Jersey|Interstate 80]] (I-80). After passing beneath I-80, [[Lake Hopatcong station]] is next. The [[Lackawanna Cutoff]] connects on the right as the train approaches Port Morris Yard, which houses the diesel fleet serving both the Montclair–Boonton and Morristown lines. [[Netcong station]] has a brick station building on the low platform and served as the line's endpoint until late 1994. Crossing beneath I-80 again, the line enters the Mount Olive International Trade Center, where a station is positioned at Waterloo Valley Road.

The route traverses [[Allamuchy Mountain State Park]] and runs along the [[Musconetcong River]] en route to [[Hackettstown, New Jersey|Hackettstown]]. A freight spur serving the [[Mars, Incorporated|M&M/Mars]] is located on the right before the line crosses US 46 in downtown. [[Hackettstown station]] is located shortly thereafter, featuring a single low platform with a mini-high ADA ramp. The track beyond Hackettstown falls under the ownership of [[Norfolk Southern Railway]] and is operated by the [[Dover and Delaware River Railroad|Dover & Delaware River Railroad]] as part of the [[Washington Secondary]] extending to Phillipsburg.

Historically, the Morristown Line constituted the main line of the [[Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad|Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad]]. Until 1970, passenger services extended beyond Lake Hopatcong, reaching the [[Pocono Mountains]], [[Scranton, Pennsylvania]], [[Binghamton, New York]], and [[Buffalo, New York]], via the [[Lackawanna Cut-Off (NJ Transit)|Lackawanna Cut-Off]]. Service along the Cut-Off to [[Andover station (NJ Transit)|Andover]] is anticipated to recommence post-2025, with the completion of the first phase of the Lackawanna Cut-Off Restoration Project. Future plans contemplate extending rail services into northeastern Pennsylvania, potentially reaching as far as Scranton.