NJ Transit’s Gladstone Branch to remain suspended Monday

BERNARDSVILLE — Service on the Gladstone branch of the Morris & Essex Line will remain suspended for a third work day on Monday.

The suspension was the result of a large tree that fell on the onto overhead wires in Bernardsville, which caused damage to five 90-foot poles, including one that belongs to JCP&L.

Crews have been working to replace 1,500 feet of catenary, feeder, signal and static wiring as well as associated hardware.

Weekend Gladstone Branch service was suspended last October as part of Positive Track Control installation work, and had not yet resumed.

Cross honoring with NJ Transit and Lakeland buses will continue on Monday.

Adjustments will be made to the Morris & Essex Line as follows:

AM:

• Train 300 – Adds station stops at Short Hills and Millburn.
• 6606 – Adds station stops at Short Hills and Millburn, Hoboken customers transfer to train 1070 at Newark Broad St.
• 608 – Adds station stops at Short Hills and Millburn.
• 6610 – Adds station stops at South Orange, Orange, Brick Church (6406 schedule east of Millburn)
• 852 – Adds station stops at Short Hills and Millburn.
• 6314 – Adds station stop at South Orange at 6614's time (7:32)
• 6614 – Operates 6410 schedule from Summit East. Adds station stops at Summit, Short Hills, Brick Church. Bypasses South Orange.
• 312 – Adds station stops at Short Hills and Millburn.
• 808 – Adds station stops at Short Hills and Millburn.

PM:

• 6343 - Annulled, customers should utilize 6643.
• 645 - Adds station stops at Short Hills and Millburn
• 337 - Adds station stop at Short Hills.
• 881 - Adds station stops at Millburn and Short Hills.
• 657- Adds station stops at Millburn and Short Hills.

The Gladstone branch took similar damage following Superstorm Sandy in 2012 when 49 trees fell to the tracks taking five poles down along the line. It took over a month to restore service.

The 42 mile, single track Gladstone branch runs from Gladstone in Somerset County to Summit and then parallels the Morris & Essex Line to Hoboken.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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