Editing Newark Light Rail

{{Short description|Light rail system in New Jersey}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name                            = Newark Light Rail
| logo                            = NewarkLightRail.svg
| logo_width                      = 200px
| image                           = New Jersey Transit Newark Light Rail Kinkisharyo104.jpg
| caption                         = A Newark Light Rail train crosses Broad Street by [[Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium]] in [[Newark, New Jersey]]
| system                          = [[New Jersey Transit]]
| type                            = [[Light rail]]
| locale                          = [[Essex County, New Jersey|Essex County]]
| start                           = [[Pennsylvania Station (Newark)|Newark Penn Station]]
| end                             = [[Grove Street (NCS station)|Grove Street]] (City Subway Line)<br>[[Broad Street Station (Newark)|Newark Broad Street]] (Broad Street Extension)
| stations                        = 17
| routes                          = 2
| ridership2                      = 5,431,305<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.njtransit.com/AdminTemp/FactsAtaGlance_2019.pdf | title = NJ Transit Facts At a Glance Fiscal Year 2019 | publisher = NJ Transit | date = July 2018 | access-date = November 5, 2019 | archive-date = November 26, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191126071745/https://www.njtransit.com/AdminTemp/FactsAtaGlance_2019.pdf | url-status = dead }}</ref>
| website                         = {{URL|https://njtransit.com}}
| open                            = May 26, 1935 (City Subway)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/Newark,_New_Jersey_Light_Rail/City_Subway|title=world.nycsubway.org: Newark, New Jersey Light Rail/City Subway|work=nycsubway.org|author1=Pirmann, David |author2=Darlington, Peggy |name-list-style=amp |date=2012|publisher=David Pirmann}}</ref><br>July 17, 2006 (Broad Street Extension)<ref name="BroadSt-ext">{{cite web | title = Newark light rail set to open july 17 | publisher = NJ Transit | url = http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PressReleaseTo&PRESS_RELEASE_ID=2235 | date = June 22, 2006 | access-date = August 7, 2013 | archive-date = May 21, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130521155137/http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PressReleaseTo&PRESS_RELEASE_ID=2235 | url-status = dead }}</ref>
| close                           =
| owner                           = [[New Jersey Transit]]
| operator                        = [[New Jersey Transit Bus Operations]]
| character                       =
| stock                           = 21 Kinki Sharyo LRVs
| linelength                      = {{convert|6.2|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref name="NJTransit-FactsAtAGlance">{{cite web | url = http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/FactsAtaGlance.pdf | title = NJ Transit Facts At a Glance Fiscal Year 2014 | publisher = NJ Transit | date = March 2015 | access-date = April 2, 2015 | archive-date = September 6, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150906064945/http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/FactsAtaGlance.pdf | url-status = dead }}</ref>
| tracklength                     =
| tracks                          =
| gauge                           = {{RailGauge|ussg|allk=on}}
| minradius                       = {{convert|33|ft|m|3|abbr=on}}<ref>[http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_rpt_02.pdf On line pubs] TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 1995]</ref>
| electrification                 = {{750 V DC|conductor=overhead}}
| speed                           = {{convert|50|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}
| map                             = {{switcher
|{{maplink-road|from1=Newark City Subway.map|from2=Broad Street Extension.map}}
|Show interactive map
|[[File:NLR Map.png|250px]]
|Show system map
|{{NLR-map|inline=1}}
|Show route diagram map
}}
}}

The '''Newark Light Rail''' ('''NLR''') is a [[light rail]] system serving [[Newark, New Jersey]], and surrounding areas, owned by [[New Jersey Transit]] and operated by [[New Jersey Transit Bus Operations|its bus operations division]]. The service consists of two segments, the original '''Newark City Subway''' ('''NCS'''), and the extension to [[Broad Street Station (Newark)|Broad Street station]].<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/LightRail/NLR.pdf
| title = Newark Light Rail
| access-date = September 6, 2015
| date = August 2008
| publisher = New Jersey Transit
| format = PDF map
| archive-date = March 3, 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303201836/http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/LightRail/NLR.pdf
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/LightRail/sf_lr_nlr_map.pdf|title=Newark Light Rail|date=January 2014|publisher=[[New Jersey Transit]]|access-date=September 6, 2015|format=PDF map|archive-date=July 24, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724005700/http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/LightRail/sf_lr_nlr_map.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The City Subway opened on May 26, 1935, while the combined Newark Light Rail service was officially inaugurated on July 17, 2006.<ref name="BroadSt-ext" />

==Newark City Subway==
[[File:NewarkSubwayPCC.agr.jpg|thumb|left|[[PCC streetcar]] at [[Pennsylvania Station (Newark)|Newark Penn Station]] in 2001, signed as ''7 City Subway''.]]
The Newark City Subway is the longer and older of the two segments.<ref>See Riley, John Harrington, "The Newark City Subway Lines," (1987). This scarce book, which covers the history of the subway lines and the predecessor horse and trolley lines, is occasionally available on Amazon.</ref> It is a [[semi-metro|"subway–surface" line]]<ref name="ST182">{{cite journal |author1=John W. Schuman |author2=Louis T. Klauder |title=Evaluations of Operating Light-Rail Transit and Streetcar Systems in the United States |journal=TRB Special Report |date=1978 |volume=182 |issue=Light Rail Transit: Planning & Technology |page=94}}</ref><ref name="TRC112">{{cite journal |author1=HARVEY L. BERLINER |author2=ANTHONY M. FLERES |author3=KURT E. KAUFFMAN |title=Construction of the Newark City Subway Broad Street Extension |journal=Transportation Research Circular |date=2006 |volume=E-C112 |issue=A World of Applications and Opportunities |quote="Despite its name, the NCS is a subway–surface light rail line that runs underground downtown and aboveground in outlying areas." |page=326}}</ref> which runs underground from Penn Station to Warren Street, and above-ground north of Warren Street. Before becoming a part of the Newark Light Rail service, it was also known as the ''#7-City Subway line,'' an NJT Bus Operations route number carried over from its days when it was part of [[Public Service Corporation|Public Service]]'s [[Transport of New Jersey]] subsidiary. The number still applies internally. During subway system closures, replacement buses would also bear the route number "7 City Subway".

The segment is {{convert|5.3|mi|km|1|abbr=on}} long and runs between Grove Street in [[Bloomfield, New Jersey|Bloomfield]] and [[Pennsylvania Station (Newark)|Newark Penn Station]], a major transportation hub with connections to the [[PATH (rail system)|PATH]] rapid transit system to [[Manhattan]], multiple bus routes, and both [[Amtrak]] and [[New Jersey Transit Rail Operations]] trains.

=== History ===
{{See also|List_of_Public_Service_Railway_lines|l1=List of Public Service Railway lines}}
[[File:NJPSCT 7 (PCC) at Orange Street station, September 3, 1965.jpg|thumb|left|Newark City Subway leaving Park Street station on September 3, 1965]]
The line opened in 1935 along the old [[Morris Canal]] right-of-way, from Broad Street (now known as [[Military Park (NLR station)|Military Park]]) to Heller Parkway (now replaced by the nearby [[Branch Brook Park station]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.njtod.org/light-rail-spurs-new-development/|title=Light Rail Spurs New Development|date=November 30, 2005 |publisher=NJDOT.org|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref> [[Works Progress Administration]] artists decorated the underground stations with [[Art Deco]] scenes from life on the defunct Morris Canal. The southernmost part, south of Warren Street, was capped with a new road, known as [[Raymond Boulevard]]. Only one [[grade crossing]] was present on the original subway; the line crosses Orange Street at grade so it can pass over the below-grade [[Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad]] (now NJT [[Morristown Line]]) immediately to the north. The original Newark City Subway line had its own [[Right-of-way (transportation)|right-of-way]] and did not share city streets with local traffic, except at the Orange Street grade crossing.

Operation of the complete subway to the newly built [[Newark Penn Station|Penn Station]] was delayed until 1937. The terminal below Penn Station has five tracks, two incoming and three outgoing, connected by two loop tracks. This part of the subway included a grade-separated junction with a connection to the lower level of the [[Newark Public Service Terminal]] that was used for only a few months (June to September).

[[File:NJPSCT 27 (PCC) at the Franklin Ave. Station end of the line of the Newark City Subway, Newark, NJ on September 3, 1965 (22699470106).jpg|thumb|left|Newark City Subway at the Franklin Avenue station, 1965]]

An extension to a wooden station at North 6th Street or Franklin Avenue was opened in 1940, located north of the present Branch Brook Park station. In 1953 the line was cut back about one block to accommodate construction of a turning loop, and a new station, still called Franklin Avenue, was opened adjacent to Anthony Street. The station was enlarged in 2002 and renamed Branch Brook Park.

The subway was operated by Transport of New Jersey (formerly Public Service Coordinated Transport) as its No. 7 line. Other streetcar routes used parts of the subway, reaching street trackage at the locations shown below, ending as each route was closed and replaced by bus service:
* [[Newark Public Service Terminal|Public Service Terminal]] connection (and [[Cedar Street Subway]]), 1937 only: #13 Broad, #17 Paterson, #27 Mount Prospect, #43 Jersey City
* Warren Street ramp, 1935–1951: #21 Orange—West Orange via Market Street
* Central Avenue ramp, 1935–1947: #23 Central
* Orange Street crossing, 1935–1952: #21 Orange—West Orange via Orange Street
* Bloomfield Avenue ramp, 1935–1952: #29 Bloomfield

Until June 5, 1952, the [[Roseville, Newark, New Jersey|Roseville]] Car House, on the south side of Main Street (on the No. 21 line) near the eastern city line of [[East Orange, New Jersey|East Orange]], was used for the No. 7 line. From that time until 2002, Newark Penn Station was used for storage and maintenance. A new shops and yard complex opened at the end of the extension to Grove Street.

Starting in January 1954, 30 [[PCC streetcar]]s bought from [[Twin City Rapid Transit]] provided all service on the route. They were single-ended, requiring construction of a new turning loop at the Franklin Avenue terminal. The cars had been built 1946–1949 by the [[St. Louis Car Company]] and were sold by TCRT when that system went through a conversion to buses. Four cars were scrapped over the years, and two were sold to [[Shaker Heights Rapid Transit]] in 1978.

[[New Jersey Transit]] took over operations in 1980.

In 2001, new [[light rail]] cars built by [[Kinki Sharyo]] in Japan in 1999 replaced the PCCs. The last day of PCC service was August 24, 2001.<ref name="t&ut-oct01">"Farewell to Newark PCCs" (October 2001). ''[[Tramways & Urban Transit]]'', p. 386. [[Ian Allan Publishing]].</ref>

[[File:NJ Transit streetcar No7.jpg|right|thumb|The former PCC railcar No. 7 from the subway located on the property of the [[New York Museum of Transportation]]]]
Some of the PCCs are stored in the Newark City Subway shop. Eleven were sold in 2004 to the [[San Francisco Municipal Railway]] for use on its [[F Market & Wharves|F Market heritage streetcar line]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Historic Streetcars in San Francisco | publisher = Market Street Railway | url = http://www.streetcar.org/streetcars/1070/ | access-date = April 1, 2013}}</ref> One PCC, #15, was delivered to the [[Connecticut Trolley Museum]] in 2013 for restoration and display. One of the Shaker Heights cars has been restored by the [[Minnesota Transportation Museum]], which operates it on a short stretch of track in western [[Minneapolis]].

In 2005, eight PCCs were given to the City of [[Bayonne, New Jersey|Bayonne]] to be rehabilitated and operated along a proposed {{convert|2.5|mi|km|0|adj=on}} loop to serve the [[Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor]], formerly [[Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne]] (MOTBY). The proposed line would be connected to the [[34th Street (HBLR station)|34th Street]] station of the [[Hudson-Bergen Light Rail]].<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070620155900/http://www.bayonnelra.com/planning_board.pdf Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor development plan]}}, page 17, accessed July 25, 2006</ref>

On September 4, 2004, Broad Street Station was renamed Military Park Station, to avoid confusion with the terminal of the new route to the [[Broad Street Station (Newark)|Newark Broad Street Station]] at University Avenue, operated by New Jersey Transit.

[[File:banister-tungsol-morriscanal-subway.jpg|thumb|left|Orange Street platform view to U-Haul and formerly Tung-Sol Electric]]

===Bloomfield extension===
[[File:Heller Parkway Station - Feb 2015.jpg|left|thumb|The former Heller Parkway station in February 2015]]
On June 22, 2002, the Newark City Subway was extended to the suburbs of [[Belleville, New Jersey|Belleville]] and [[Bloomfield, New Jersey|Bloomfield]] along what had been the former [[Erie Railroad]] Orange Branch, now under [[Norfolk Southern]] ownership. New stations were opened at [[Silver Lake station|Silver Lake]] and [[Grove Street station (Newark Light Rail)|Grove Street]], and the Heller Parkway and Franklin Avenue stations were combined into a new Branch Brook Park station. The loop at Franklin Avenue was removed, since the new vehicles are bidirectional, unlike the old PCCs. A new loop, however, is in place at the Grove Street facility. All the street crossings on the extension are [[grade crossing|at-grade]].<ref>Staff. [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10FCAB7BCA54C298&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "Subway extension to open in summer, Newark officials hope that the $207.7 million downtown project will help spur a renaissance."], ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'', February 13, 2006. Accessed July 18, 2011. "The last major expansion of the 4.3 mile subway in 2002 brought the service into the neighboring cities of Belleville and Bloomfield."</ref>

====Shared-track operation====
The original agreement gave sole operating privileges to Norfolk Southern between 11&nbsp;pm and 5&nbsp;am daily, but a new agreement allows passenger service to operate at all hours, with late-night service commencing on January 8, 2005. In exchange, Norfolk Southern can now operate during all off-peak hours, when passenger trains are infrequent.

==Broad Street Extension==
[[File:NLRSendintheClowns.jpg|thumb|right|250 px|Lyrics to "[[Send in the Clowns]]", part of the tribute to Sarah Vaughan built into every station along this line]]
The Broad Street Extension is the second segment of the Newark Light Rail. It was planned as the first phase of the [[Newark-Elizabeth Rail Link]]. The line is {{convert|1|mi|km|spell=in}} long and connects Newark Penn Station to [[Newark Broad Street Station|Broad Street Station]]. It branches off the older City Subway using the existing junction that had led to the [[Newark Public Service Terminal|Public Service terminal]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/18/nyregion/paths-transit-once-forgotten-bound-for-duty-sealed-tunnels-unearthed-for-rail.html|title=Paths of Transit: Once Forgotten, Bound for Duty; Sealed Tunnels Unearthed for Rail System in Newark|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 18, 2000|last1=Jacobs|first1=Andrew}}</ref>

A new tunnel leads from the junction to a portal about two blocks north. The remaining section runs above ground. For a few blocks, the two tracks run on different streets a block or two apart. Both tracks serve the [[New Jersey Performing Arts Center]] at Center Street. The outbound track makes stops at [[Atlantic Street station|Atlantic Street]] and at the Riverfront Square development (formerly a baseball stadium) at the [[Riverfront Stadium station]]. The inbound track makes a stop at [[Washington Park station (Newark Light Rail)|Washington Park]]. The extension opened on July 17, 2006.<ref name="BroadSt-ext" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Capital Improvement Program – System Expansion Projects – Extension of the Newark Light Rail (NLR) to Newark Broad Street Station |publisher=NJ Transit |url=http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=Project005To |date=August 2006 |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref><ref name=opening>{{cite web |url=http://www.njtransit.com/sa_travel_alerts.jsp#32301 |title=NJ TRANSIT OFFICIALS, CUSTOMERS, TROLLEY ENTHUSIASTS SAY GOODBYE TO NEWARK CITY SUBWAY'S PCC CARS – New Light Rail Vehicles to Begin Service August 27 |author=Klufas, Michael |access-date=September 6, 2015 |date=August 24, 2001 |publisher=NJ Transit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930184551/http://www.njtransit.com/nn_press_release.jsp?PRESS_RELEASE_ID=323 |archive-date=September 30, 2007}} Press Release 323.</ref>

Construction began in 2002 with an estimated cost of $207.7 million, or about $40,000 per foot of track;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.njtransit.com/an_cp_project005.shtml |title=Extension of the Newark Light Rail (NLR) to Newark Broad Street Station |author=NJ TRANSIT Department of Capital Planning and Programs |access-date=September 6, 2015 |publisher=NJ Transit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617074049/http://www.njtransit.com/an_cp_project005.shtml |archive-date=June 17, 2009}} Project 005.</ref> it was completed within budget.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.njtransit.com/nn_press_release.jsp?PRESS_RELEASE_ID=2246 |title=NEWARK LIGHT RAIL OPENS TO SUPPORT CITY'S ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION – Connects Newark's two train stations through business district |author=Stessel, Dan |access-date=September 6, 2015 |date=July 17, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927233949/http://www.njtransit.com/nn_press_release.jsp?PRESS_RELEASE_ID=2246 |archive-date=September 27, 2007}} Press Release NJT-06-092, ID 2246.</ref> Projections were for 4,000 average weekday boardings after one year, growing to about 7,000 in 2010. Actual weekday boardings in 2010 for both Newark Light Rail lines combined were reported at 9,000.<ref>[http://www.njtransit.com/var/var_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=SurveyLRail2To New Jersey Transit]. Njtransit.com. Retrieved on June 23, 2014.</ref>

The art work at the new stations has a common theme, "Riding with Sarah and Wayne". It is a tribute to Newark-born jazz greats [[Sarah Vaughan]] and [[Wayne Shorter]], and includes the lyrics to Vaughan's signature song, "[[Send in the Clowns]]", and colored bricks representing the music notes.

The Broad Street Extension was intended to ease connections between Newark's two rail stations. The two separate stations are a legacy of their roots in two separate railroads. Broad Street Station was once owned by the Lackawanna Railroad and its successor, the [[Erie Lackawanna Railway]], while Penn Station was built and owned by the [[Pennsylvania Railroad]]. Previously, passengers wanting to transfer between Amtrak and the former PRR/[[Conrail]] commuter lines and the former (Erie) Lackawanna commuter lines had to make their own way (usually by taxi or bus) between the two stations.

== Fares ==
The Newark Light Rail is equivalent to a one-zone bus ride: a one-way ticket costs $1.80 (as of July 1, 2024), and is valid on the entire system for one hour after the ticket is validated. A special $0.85 "Underground" fare is available for trips that use only the subway between Warren Street and Penn Station, not the surface portion. Through-ticketing is available for connecting bus routes. Monthly and weekly NJ Transit bus and rail passes valid for one or more local bus zones, as well as transfers purchased on buses, are also accepted.<ref>{{cite web |title=Newark Light Rail |url=https://www.njtransit.com/pdf/bus/T0007.pdf |publisher=New Jersey Transit |access-date=December 19, 2018 |date=April 7, 2018}}</ref>
[[File:Newark Light Rail Ticket Validator.jpg|thumb|Ticket validator at a Newark Light Rail station]]
The Newark Light Rail, like most light rail systems in the United States, operates on a [[proof-of-payment]] system, in which riders must present their tickets upon request during random fare inspections by police officers, transit workers, or fare agents. Passengers must purchase tickets at [[ticket machine|ticket vending machines]] (TVMs) located on station platforms or near station entrances. The tickets can also be purchased via the New Jersey Transit mobile app. One-way, round-trip, and ten-trip tickets must then be validated, either by the app or with paper tickets, through automated validators located near the TVMs, which stamp the date and time on the ticket for 60 minutes of use. NJ Transit's fare inspectors randomly check tickets on trains and at stations; fare evasion carries a fine of up to $100.<ref>{{cite web|title=Light Rail Tickets|url=https://www.njtransit.com/tickets/light-rail-tickets|publisher=New Jersey Transit|access-date=August 27, 2022}}</ref> On the [[PCC streetcar]]s, cash fares (exact fare) were paid on board via farebox, except for a brief period starting in October 1999 prior to the introduction of [[light rail vehicles|LRVs]], when proof-of-payment fare collection was instituted.

== Stations ==

=== Newark City Subway ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Location
!Station
!Opened
!Transfers
!Ridership<br/>(2022)<ref name="transitfriendlydata.org">{{Cite web |title=New Jersey Transit Friendly Data Application |url=https://transitfriendlydata.org/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=transitfriendlydata.org}}</ref>
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=11|[[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]]
|[[Newark Penn Station|Newark Penn]]
|align="center"|June&nbsp;20, 1937
|{{rint|us|amtrak}} [[Amtrak]]: [[Northeast Corridor]] services<br/>{{rint|njt}} [[NJ Transit Rail Operations|NJ Transit Rail]]: {{rcb|NJ Transit|Northeast Corridor|inline=square}}, {{rcb|NJ Transit|North Jersey Coast|inline=square}}, {{rcb|NJ Transit|Raritan Valley|inline=square}}<br>{{ric|PATH|name=y}}: {{rcb|PATH|NWK-WTC|inline=route}}<br/>{{rint|bus|1|link=NJ Transit Bus Operations}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit Bus]]<br>{{rint|bus}} [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]]
|898
|
|-
|[[Military Park station|Military Park]]
| rowspan="8" align="center" |May&nbsp;26, 1935<ref name="May1935">{{cite news |title=Commuters Hail Newark Subway |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42284440/newark_subway_may_27_1935/ |access-date=January 14, 2020 |work=[[The Asbury Park Press|The Asbury Park Evening Press]] |date=May 27, 1935 |page=17|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref>
|{{rint|bus|1|link=NJ Transit Bus Operations}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit Bus]]
|No Data
|Named Broad Street until September&nbsp;4, 2004.<ref name="MilPark" /><br/>Served the [[Newark Public Service Terminal]]
|-
|[[Washington Street station (Newark Light Rail)|Washington Street]]
|{{rint|bus|1|link=NJ Transit Bus Operations}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit Bus]]
|532
|
|-
|[[Warren Street/NJIT station|Warren Street/NJIT]]
|{{rint|bus|1|link=NJ Transit Bus Operations}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit Bus]]
|549
|Named Warren Street until 2011.<ref>{{cite news|last=Heyboer|first=Kelly|title=Warren Street stop on Newark Subway line to get $40K makeover with help of NJIT student|url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/warren_street_stop_on_newark_s.html|access-date=March 5, 2011|newspaper=The Star-Ledger|date=March 4, 2011}}</ref>
|-
|[[Norfolk Street station|Norfolk Street]]
|{{rint|bus|1|link=NJ Transit Bus Operations}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit Bus]]
|587 
|
|-
|[[Orange Street station (Newark Light Rail)|Orange Street]]
|{{rint|bus|1|link=NJ Transit Bus Operations}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit Bus]]
|735 
|
|-
|[[Park Avenue station (Newark Light Rail)|Park Avenue]]
|{{rint|bus|1|link=NJ Transit Bus Operations}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit Bus]]
|923 
|
|-
|[[Bloomfield Avenue station (Newark Light Rail)|Bloomfield Avenue]]
|{{rint|bus|1|link=NJ Transit Bus Operations}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit Bus]]
|865 
|
|-
|[[Davenport Avenue station|Davenport Avenue]]
|
|411 
|
|- bgcolor=dfdfdf
|[[Heller Parkway station|Heller Parkway]]
|align="center"|May&nbsp;26, 1935<ref name="May1935" />
|
|
|Closed June&nbsp;21, 2002.<ref name="2002ext">{{cite press release |title=Two New Stations to Open on the Newark City Subway |url=https://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PressReleaseTo&PRESS_RELEASE_ID=510 |access-date=January 15, 2020 |work=New Jersey Transit |date=June 18, 2002 |location=Newark, New Jersey}}</ref>
|-
|[[Branch Brook Park station|Branch Brook Park]]
|align="center"|November 22, 1940<ref name="urbanrail.net">{{Cite web|url=http://www.urbanrail.net/am/nj/new-jersey.htm|title=Newark City Subway, PATH and Hudson-Bergen Light Rail}}</ref>
|{{rint|bus|1|link=NJ Transit Bus Operations}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit Bus]]
|1,343 
|Named North Sixth Street until 1953 and Franklin Avenue until 2001.<ref name="frankinave">{{cite press release|title=NJ Transit to Retire Newark City Subway PCC Cars in Late August |url=https://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PressReleaseTo&PRESS_RELEASE_ID=303 |access-date=January 15, 2020 |work=New Jersey Transit |date=August 9, 2001 |location=Newark, New Jersey}}</ref>
|-
|[[Belleville, New Jersey|Belleville]]
|[[Silver Lake station|Silver Lake]]
| rowspan="2" align="center" |June&nbsp;22, 2002<ref name="2002ext" />
|{{rint|bus|1|link=NJ Transit Bus Operations}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit Bus]]
|388 
|
|-
|[[Bloomfield, New Jersey|Bloomfield]]
|[[Grove Street station (Newark Light Rail)|Grove Street]]
|{{rint|bus|1|link=NJ Transit Bus Operations}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit Bus]]
|458 
|
|}

=== Broad Street Extension ===
All stations are in Newark.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Station
!Opened
!Transfers
!Ridership<br/>(2022)<ref name="transitfriendlydata.org"/>
!Notes
|-
|[[Newark Penn Station|Newark Penn]]
| align="center" |June&nbsp;20, 1937
|{{rint|us|amtrak}} [[Amtrak]]: [[Northeast Corridor]] services<br/>{{rint|njt}} [[NJ Transit Rail Operations|NJ Transit Rail]]: {{rcb|NJ Transit|Northeast Corridor|inline=square}}, {{rcb|NJ Transit|North Jersey Coast|inline=square}}, {{rcb|NJ Transit|Raritan Valley|inline=square}}<br>{{rint|path}} [[PATH (rail system)|PATH]]<br/>{{rint|bus|1|link=NJ Transit Bus Operations}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit Bus]]<br>{{rint|bus}} [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]], [[BoltBus]]
|898 
|
|-
|[[NJPAC/Center Street station|NJPAC/Center Street]]
| align="center" |July&nbsp;17, 2006<ref name="BSext">{{cite press release |title=Broad Street Extension of Newark Light Rail Celebrates 10 Years |url=https://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PressReleaseTo&PRESS_RELEASE_ID=3055 |access-date=January 15, 2020 |work=New Jersey Transit |date=July 18, 2016 |location=Newark, New Jersey}}</ref>
|
|3,650 
|
|-
! colspan="5" |Line splits into one-way directions
|-
|[[Harriet Tubman Square station|Harriet Tubman Square]]
| rowspan="3" align="center" |July&nbsp;17, 2006<ref name="BSext" />
|{{rint|bus|1|link=NJ Transit Bus Operations}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit Bus]]
|95 
|Southbound only
|-
|[[Atlantic Street station (Newark Light Rail)|Atlantic Street]]
|
|4 
| rowspan="2" |Northbound only
|-
|[[Riverfront Stadium station|Riverfront Stadium]]
|
|38 
|-
! colspan="5" |Lines re-converge entering Broad Street
|-
|[[Newark Broad Street station|Broad Street]]
| align="center" |July&nbsp;17, 2006<ref name="BSext" />
|{{rint|njt}} [[NJ Transit Rail Operations|NJ Transit Rail]]: {{rcb|NJ Transit|Gladstone|inline=square}}, {{rcb|NJ Transit|Montclair-Boonton|inline=square}}, {{rcb|NJ Transit|Morristown|inline=square}}<br/>{{rint|bus|1|link=NJ Transit Bus Operations}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit Bus]]
|253 
|
|}
On weekdays, service operates separately between the two sections. On weekends, service operates jointly.

== Rolling stock ==

The Newark Light Rail system uses a new-model vehicle built by [[Kinki Sharyo]] of Japan. This model is the same one used by the [[Hudson-Bergen Light Rail]] system, although the ones used on the Newark Light Rail were built with slight modifications to the trucks and wheels due to the different rails used. Like the HBLR vehicles, the NLR vehicle is a double-articulated vehicle with three sections. Each of the two end sections has an operator's cab at the far end, thus eliminating the need for the vehicle to turn itself around physically in order to reverse direction. Each end section also has seating for 16 passengers on an upper level, and seating for 13 passengers on the lower level, including one special [[Folding seat|fold-down seat]] next to an empty space that a passenger using a wheelchair may use. With these two sections, and a middle section that seats ten passengers (five on each side), the vehicle can comfortably accommodate 68 seated passengers and two wheelchairs. An additional 122 passengers could stand in the vehicle, if necessary. Vehicles can be coupled into two-unit sets. A contract to expand 10 of the 20 LRVs assigned to the Newark Light Rail system for the purpose of increasing passenger capacity was approved on July 9, 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/passenger/light-rail/njt-oks-lrv-add-ons.html?channel=Array|title=NJT OKs LRV add-ons – Railway Age|author=Douglas John Bowen|work=railwayage.com|date=July 9, 2014}}</ref>

The [[Seashore Trolley Museum]] in Kennebunkport, ME acquired PCC #5 in 2011.<ref>[http://www.trolleymuseum.org/collection/browse.php?id=00005SNJ Seashore Trolley Museum: Browse the Collection]. Trolleymuseum.org. Retrieved on June 23, 2014.</ref> The car represents the first piece of NJT rolling stock in the museum's collection. The car is currently undergoing restoration and rehabilitation work so that it may operate on the museum's {{frac|1|1|2}}-mile demonstration railway. Car #5 joins the museum's already-extensive collection of PCC cars from numerous cities, including [[Green Line (MBTA)|Boston]], [[Pittsburgh Railways|Pittsburgh]], [[Dallas Area Rapid Transit#Precursor agencies|Dallas]], San Francisco, [[SEPTA|Philadelphia]], Washington, D.C., and Kansas CIty.

==Timeline==
* December 22, 1910: The [[Public Service Corporation]] first announces plans to build the subway, initially including a line under Broad Street from Bridge Street to Clinton Avenue<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1910/12/23/archives/plan-newark-subway-public-service-commission-proposes-to-use-bed-of.html |title=Plan Newark Subway |work=The New York Times |date=December 23, 1910}}</ref>
* October 3, 1934: The subway opens from Broad Street to Heller Parkway.<ref name="urbanrail.net"/> The No. 21 line is routed onto the subway via the Warren Street Ramp and level junction at the Orange Street grade crossing. The No. 23 line is routed via the Norfolk Street Ramp. The No. 29 line starts using the Bloomfield Avenue Ramp.
* June 20, 1937: The extension to Newark Penn Station opens. This is the same day that the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad (present-day [[Port Authority Trans-Hudson|PATH]]) withdraws service from its Park Place terminal and first operates into its new alignment at Newark Penn Station. The No. 13, #27 and No. 43 lines are rerouted to Penn Station via the [[Cedar Street Subway]]; the No. 27 and No. 43 had used the lower level of the [[Newark Public Service Terminal]]. <!--not quite sure about 27-->
* June 21, 1937: The No. 17 line is rerouted via the Cedar Street Subway.
* July 18, 1937: The No. 13 and No. 17 lines stop using the Cedar Street Subway.
* December 29, 1937: The No. 27 line stops using the Cedar Street Subway.
* May 1, 1938: The No. 43 line stops using the Cedar Street Subway, ending all service on that connection.
* November 22, 1940: The extension to North 6th Street (later Franklin Avenue) opens.
* December 14, 1947: The No. 23 line stops using the Norfolk Street Ramp.
* March 1, 1951: The No. 21 line stops using the Warren Street Ramp.
* March 29, 1952: The No. 21 line stops using the level junction at the Orange Street grade crossing.
* March 30, 1952: The No. 29 line stops using the Bloomfield Avenue ramps.
* January 8, 1954: The first PCC car uses the subway.
* October 1980: NJ Transit takes over operations.
* August 21, 1999: The subway is closed for two weeks for an overhaul.
* September 7, 1999: The subway reopens.
* August 24, 2001: The PCC cars are retired from service.<ref name=opening />
* August 27, 2001: The new light rail vehicles begin operation.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.njtransit.com/nn_press_release.jsp?PRESS_RELEASE_ID=326
| title = "NEW" NEWARK CITY SUBWAY DEBUTS – Smooth, Air-Conditioned Light Rail Vehicles Carry Customers in 21st Century Comfort
| author = Klufas, Michael| access-date = September 6, 2015 | date = August 27, 2001| publisher = NJ Transit
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927233956/http://www.njtransit.com/nn_press_release.jsp?PRESS_RELEASE_ID=326
| archive-date = September 27, 2007
}} Press Release 326.</ref>
* June 21, 2002: Heller Parkway closes.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web
| url = http://www.njtransit.com/nn_press_release.jsp?PRESS_RELEASE_ID=510
| title = TWO NEW STATIONS TO OPEN ON THE NEWARK CITY SUBWAY – Expanded Service Begins/Weekend Service Resumes on June 22
| access-date = September 6, 2015 | date = June 18, 2002| publisher = NJ Transit
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930204055/http://www.njtransit.com/nn_press_release.jsp?PRESS_RELEASE_ID=510
| archive-date = September 30, 2007
}} Press Release 510.</ref>
* June 22, 2002: Silver Lake and Grove Street open.<ref name="autogenerated1" />
* September 4, 2004: Broad Street is renamed Military Park.<ref name="MilPark">{{cite web
| url = http://www.njtransit.com/sa_notice.jsp?ID=1227
| title = Customer Notice – Newark City Subway Broad Street Station Renamed Military Park Station
| access-date = September 6, 2015 | publisher = NJ Transit
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927233752/http://www.njtransit.com/sa_notice.jsp?ID=1227
| archive-date = September 27, 2007
}} Customer Notice 1227.</ref>
* January 8, 2005: Additional late-night service is provided to Grove Street.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.njtransit.com/nn_press_release.jsp?PRESS_RELEASE_ID=1588
| title = NEWARK CITY SUBWAY EXTENDS LATE NIGHT SERVICE, IMPROVES EFFICIENCY – Extra 2 hours of service to Grove Street begins January 8
| access-date = September 6, 2015 | date = December 29, 2004| publisher = NJ Transit
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061113172822/https://www.njtransit.com/nn_press_release.jsp?PRESS_RELEASE_ID=1588
| archive-date = November 13, 2006
}} Press release NJT-04-084.</ref>
* July 17, 2006: The Newark City Subway extension opens, with service between [[Newark Penn Station]] and [[Newark Broad Street]]. Service is rebranded as the Newark Light Rail.

===Accidents===
The Newark City Subway has had a few accidents over the years:
* September 22, 1981 – Nine passengers injured when an incoming trolley rammed into the rear of a stationary trolley at Newark Penn Station.<ref>{{cite news |title=Subway Crash Hurts 9 at Terminal in Newark |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/22/nyregion/subway-crash-hurts-9-at-terminal-in-newark.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=September 22, 1981 |access-date=July 20, 2011}}</ref>
* April 15, 2003 – A light rail vehicle was partially derailed at the grade crossing near [[Orange Street (NLR station)|Orange Street Station]] when a box truck rammed the vehicle from the side. The signal was in the light rail vehicle's favor.<ref>{{cite news |title=Truck slams into Newark subway train |newspaper=Star-Ledger |date=April 16, 2003 |location=Newark}}</ref>
* August 23, 2008 – A dump truck making an illegal right turn crashed into a light rail vehicle at the [[Washington Park (NLR station)|Washington Park Station]] of the Broad Street segment causing it to partially derail. One passenger was injured.<ref>{{cite web | work=The Star-Ledger | first=Nyier | last=Abdou | title=Dump truck derails Newark light rail, injuring one | date=August 23, 2008 | url=https://www.nj.com/newark/2008/08/dump_truck_derails_newark_ligh.html | access-date=January 2, 2025}}</ref>
* August 28, 2014 – A light rail vehicle crashed into a SUV between Atlantic Avenue and Broad Street. No passengers were injured.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2014/08/service_delayed_after_nj_transit_light_rail_suv_crash_in_newark.html|title = Service delayed after NJ Transit light rail, SUV crash in Newark|date = August 28, 2014|last=Mazzola|first=Jessica|website=NJ.com}}</ref>
* April 6, 2016 – A light rail vehicle was hit by a car on South Franklin Avenue. No passengers were injured.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://abc7ny.com/traffic/no-one-hurt-after-car-strikes-newark-light-rail/1278596/|title = No one hurt after car strikes Newark Light Rail|date = April 6, 2016|work=WABC}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
* In November 2011 scenes for the movie ''[[The Dark Knight Rises]]'' were filmed at [[Military Park (NLR station)|Military Park]] station.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/02/holy_subway_batman_under_njs_l.html | title = Holy subway, Batman! A hidden world of clean, on-time riding exists beneath Newark | publisher = [[The Star-Ledger]] | author = Mike Frassinelli | date = February 10, 2013 | access-date = May 17, 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Hudson–Bergen Light Rail]]
* [[River Line (New Jersey Transit)|River Line]]
* [[Light rail in the United States]]
* [[List of tram and light rail transit systems]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
* Edward Hamm, Jr., ''The Public Service Trolley Lines in New Jersey''.
* DOT Docket FRA-2000-7335-7 and −8.

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [https://www.njtransit.com/light-rail-to NJ Transit – Light Rail Schedules]
* [https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=108264897505895378883.00046c7d5b1b03e7a6412&ll=40.761171,-74.180202&spn=0.075673,0.155697&z=13 Newark Light Rail & Proposals on Google Maps]
* [http://nycsubway.org/wiki/Newark,_New_Jersey_Light_Rail/City_Subway NYCSubway.org – Newark City Subway]
* [http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/newark.html Abandoned Stations – Newark City Subway platforms]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20141011165804/http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/transit/Newark/Subway/ Newark, New Jersey: The City Subway (Jon Bell website)]

{{Newark, New Jersey}}
{{New Jersey Transit Light Rail}}
{{New Jersey Transit Bus}}
{{New York metro area rail}}
{{NYC streetcar transit}}
{{USLightRail}}
{{North American legacy streetcar systems}}

[[Category:Newark Light Rail]]
[[Category:1935 establishments in New Jersey]]
[[Category:750 V DC railway electrification]]
[[Category:Light rail in New Jersey]]
[[Category:New Jersey streetcar lines]]
[[Category:NJ Transit Rail Operations]]
[[Category:Public art in Newark, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1935]]
[[Category:Rapid transit in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Standard-gauge railways in the United States]]
[[Category:Transportation in Essex County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Transportation in Newark, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Underground rapid transit in the United States]]