Editing Secaucus Junction (section)

== Purpose and history ==
[[File:Secaucus Junction lower level.jpg|thumb|left|Secaucus Junction's lower-level platforms]]
NJ Transit's rail operations are split between two divisions, a legacy of their roots in separate railroads. The Hoboken Division consists of lines formerly part of the [[Erie Lackawanna Railway]] and its predecessors, while the Newark Division lines had once been part of the [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] and [[Central Railroad of New Jersey]]. [[Conrail]] ran both networks under contract to the [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]] from 1976 until handing them to NJ Transit in 1983. While the opening of the [[Kearny Connection]] and [[Waterfront Connection]] in 1996 allowed for the implementation of some interdivisional trains, including the "Midtown Direct" service to [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|New York Penn Station]] on the Hoboken Division's [[Morris & Essex Lines]], direct passenger transfers between the divisions were still not possible. Secaucus Junction was built to integrate the two systems and allow for transfers between trains on each division.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

The two-track [[Northeast Corridor]] embankment was expanded to three tracks for a mile on each side of the station and to four tracks through the station itself, allowing Amtrak and nonstop NJT trains to pass stopped trains. The two-track Bergen County Line was re-aligned southwestward to join the two-track Main Line to pass through the station on the four-track lower level. The construction required the bodies from the [[Hudson County Burial Grounds]] to be disinterred and moved to another cemetery.<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 August 2001 |title=Potter's Field to be Moved for Turnpike-Railroad Interchange |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/29/nyregion/potter-s-field-to-be-moved-for-turnpike-railroad-interchange.html |access-date=July 8, 2022}}</ref>

The station was built with little public parking, as NJT believed few passenger trips would originate there. In 2005, exit&nbsp;15X on the adjacent [[New Jersey Turnpike]] opened to provide easier access to the station; two years later, it was the least-used interchange on the turnpike, possibly due in part to the lack of parking at the station.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 18, 2007 |title=Ramp to nowhere – 15X is the loneliest exit in Jersey |page=L08 |work=The Record}}</ref> Despite NJT's prediction that the station would be used primarily for transfers, in 2008 an upscale "transit-oriented" housing development called Xchange at Secaucus Junction opened nearby with 799 units marketed toward [[Manhattan]] commuters, and is expected to expand to 1,538 total units by 2024.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://patch.com/new-jersey/hoboken/xchange-secaucus-junction-takes-luxury-living-next-level-new-jersey-setting-new-lifestyle-standard |title=Xchange at Secaucus Junction Takes Luxury Living to NEXT Level in New Jersey, Setting New Lifestyle Standard |work=[[Patch Media|Hoboken Patch]] |date=October 7, 2014 |last=Brody |first=Beth}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://newyorkyimby.com/2023/10/waterside-at-xchanges-curtain-wall-nears-completion-in-secaucus-new-jersey.html |title=Waterside At Xchange's Curtain Wall Nears Completion in Secaucus, New Jersey |website=New York YIMBY |date=October 3, 2023 |last1=Young |first1=Michael |last2=Pruznick |first2=Matt}}</ref> On June 1, 2009, [[Edison Properties|Edison Parkfast]], a private company, opened the first parking lot near the station,<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 2, 2009 |title=First parking lot opens at Secaucus Junction |work=The Jersey Journal |url=http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/secaucus/index.ssf?/base/news-0/124392393581410.xml&coll=3 |access-date=August 15, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605134223/http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/secaucus/index.ssf?/base/news-0/124392393581410.xml&coll=3 |archive-date=June 5, 2011}}</ref> with space for 1,094 cars. Bicycle parking is also available.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Jersey Transit |url=http://www.njtransit.com/rg/rg_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=TrainStationLookupFrom&selStation=38174 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009103651/http://www.njtransit.com/rg/rg_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=TrainStationLookupFrom&selStation=38174 |archive-date=October 9, 2014 |access-date=February 16, 2010 |website=njtransit.com}}</ref>

On July 26, 2009, NJ Transit began [[Meadowlands Rail Line|rail service]] to the [[Meadowlands station]] at the [[Meadowlands Sports Complex]], with Secaucus Junction being a transfer point for passengers.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Clunn |first=Nick |date=July 26, 2009 |title=Thousands hop on board new Meadowlands rail service |work=The Record |url=http://www.northjersey.com/news/transportation/Thousands_hop_on_board_new_Meadowlands_rail_service.html |access-date=August 15, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090729060059/http://www.northjersey.com/news/transportation/Thousands_hop_on_board_new_Meadowlands_rail_service.html |archive-date=July 29, 2009}}</ref> From 2009 to 2014, Secaucus Junction served trains coming from Metro-North's [[New Haven Line]] for [[New York Giants]] and [[New York Jets]] football games at the Meadowlands with 1:00&nbsp;p.m. kickoffs on Sundays.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Saeed |first=Khurram |date=June 29, 2009 |title=Metro-North to run trains to 10 Jets, Giants games in the 2009 season |page=A.1 |work=Journal News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Take The Train To The Game |url=http://web.mta.info/mnr/html/MeadowlandsBrochure.pdf |access-date=December 24, 2012 |publisher=[[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]]}}</ref> In anticipation of increased ridership for [[Super Bowl XLVIII]] in February 2014, NJT extended the lower-level platforms at Secaucus Junction by {{convert|120|ft|m|abbr=on}} to accommodate [[Bilevel rail car|multi-level]] 10-car [[train set]]s which could handle about 1,400 to 1,800 passengers per trip.<ref>{{cite news   | last = Frassinelli| first = Mike| title = To make it Super, Meadowlands train needs longer platform, says NJ Transit| newspaper = The Star-Ledger| date = March 10, 2013| url = http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/03/before_it_can_be_super_meadowl.html#incart_river_default| access-date = March 10, 2013}}</ref> The capacity to handle crowds, a plan dubbed the [[Mass Transit Super Bowl]], was seen as unsuccessful.

On June 5, 2013, two days after his death, a special Amtrak train stopped at the station to carry the coffin of U.S. Senator [[Frank Lautenberg]] to Washington, D.C. for his burial.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frassinelli |first=Mike |date=June 6, 2013 |title=U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg gets one last ride at the Secaucus station that bears his name |url=https://www.nj.com/news/2013/06/us_sen_frank_lautenberg_gets_on_last_ride_in_the_secaucus_station.html |work=The Star-Ledger |access-date=July 22, 2023}}</ref> On February 2, 2014, a limited number of Amtrak trains made stops at Secaucus for passengers going to [[Super Bowl XLVIII]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rouse, Karen |date=December 9, 2013 |title=NY-NJ transit agencies outline Super Bowl plans |work=NorthJersey.com |url=http://www.northjersey.com/news/state/NY-NJ_transit_agencies_outline_Super_Bowl_plans.html |access-date=December 27, 2013}}</ref> Local officials have indicated a desire to have regular Amtrak service stop at Secaucus Junction after [[American Dream Meadowlands]] opened in October 2019,<ref name="amtrak">{{Cite news |last=Higgs |first=Larry |date=December 8, 2018 |title=Next stop for Amtrak: Secaucus? That could be an American Dream for the Meadowlands |language=en-US |work=NJ Advance Media |url=https://www.nj.com/traffic/2018/12/next-stop-for-amtrak-secaucus-thats-could-be-an-american-dream-for-the-meadowlands.html |access-date=December 10, 2018}}</ref> however, as of 2024, this has not been implemented.

[[File:Secaucus Junction Bus Plaza station entrance.jpg|thumb|left|Bus-train transfer plaza]]
In March 2016, a new bus station with 14 bus berths opened; it is used for intermodal connections and was intended to add redundancy to the transportation network.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Higgs |first=Larry |date=March 29, 2016 |title=How new Secaucus bus plaza could change your commute |work=NJ.com |url=http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2016/03/how_new_secaucus_bus_plaza_could_change_your_commute.html |access-date=March 29, 2016}}</ref> In 2021 [[NJ Transit]] authorized studies for alternative options between the Meadowlands Sports Complex and Secaucus Junction including a bus "[[Bus rapid transit|transitway]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/news/2021/08/amid-questions-nj-transit-takes-first-steps-to-new-transitway-to-american-dream-metlife-stadium.html|title=Amid questions, NJ Transit takes first steps to new Transitway to American Dream, MetLife stadium|first=Larry|last= Higss|date=August 26, 2021|website= NJ Advance Media for nj.com |access-date = 2023-06-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/transportation/2021/08/25/nj-transit-board-approves-contract-metlife-stadium-shuttle-meadowlands/8198050002/|title=New Jersey Transit Board approves $3.5 million contract for new bus line to Meadowlands|last1=Wilson |first1=Colleen |last2=Katzban |first2=Nicolas |date=August 25, 2021 |website=North Jersey Media Group |access-date = 2023-06-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://njtplans.com/downloads/capital-project-sheets/Regional%20Transit%20-%20Project%20Sheets.pdf|title=PROJECT SHEET SECAUCUS TO MEADOWLANDS (BOONTON) TRANSITWAY |website =NJ Transit}}</ref> Further funding for design was approved in 2023 for an exclusive bus transitway planned to go into service for the [[2026 FIFA World Cup]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Higgs |first=Larry |date=July 20, 2023 |url=https://www.nj.com/news/2023/07/nj-transit-racing-to-build-transitway-in-time-for-world-cup-2026.html |title=NJ Transit racing to build Transitway in time for World Cup 2026 |website=NJ.com |publisher=NJ Advance Media |access-date=July 22, 2023}}</ref>