Passenger Trains > NJ Transit and the 2014 steeplechase event

The fall meeting of the steeplechase has long been an opportunity to see NJ Transit move thousands of people for forty miles on a single track railroad. The annual charity benefit for RWJ Somerset Medical Center has brought out some of NJT's best crowd management practices. The event is actually a series of horse races which are incidental to corporate tents, exceptional catered food, and oceans of alcohol.

In recent years, the trains have attracted 5,000 to 7,000 riders, many of whom arrive drunk, and get worse from there. Underage drinking by 14 and 15 year olds has been a problem for years. This year, NJT will ban drinking on its trains, and visibly intoxicated folks will not be admitted to the event. The game day admission has been raised to $120, too. (Folks who can afford a parking pass won't see an increase.)

From a rail photography perspective, the event offers the opportunity to see many different types of NJT equipment in use, with lighting not usually available in normal business hours. Over the years, U34CH, GP40, ALP44, MU, ALP46 have done their turns. I'm guessing this year will see some dual modes. NJT does an incredible job of managing crowds, selling tickets, marshaling trains, etc.

<http://www.nj.com/somerset/index.ssf/2014/08/far_hills_raceincrease_prices.html#incart_m-rpt-1&gt;


(changed U33CH to U34CH)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/14 04:49 by Lackawanna484.

I live a few miles from there and avoid the entire area at all cost for this. It sounds like it has turned into a disorderly, drunken event.