Passenger Trains > NJ: Portal North bridge to begin service 3/15

NJ.com reports that one track of the new Portal Bridge on the section of NEC between Newark and New York City will go into service on March 15. The article notes that Amtrak used the limitation on train activity to repair a switch plant at the west end of NY Penn.

https://www.nj.com/news/2026/03/nj-transit-amtrak-commuters-get-their-normal-train-ride-back-next-week.html

90 MPH westbound and no such thing as bridge opening !

So big deal. One track is still subject to bridge openings and will continue so until October. Half done, half assed.  WHY so long for the other track's  cutover????

PRR1361 Wrote:
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> So big deal. One track is still subject to bridge
> openings and will continue so until October. Half
> done, half assed.  WHY so long for the other
> track's  cutover????

From a conversation I had with someone who is actually working on the project, the realignment requires relocation and installation of several catenary support towers that could not be started until the first of the "old" tracks gets removed. It HAD to be done in phases without shutting down the NEC completely for an extended period of time.

Posted from Android

PRR1361 Wrote:
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> So big deal. One track is still subject to bridge
> openings and will continue so until October. Half
> done, half assed.  WHY so long for the other
> track's  cutover????

What a sad sad attitude. 

longliveSP Wrote:
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> PRR1361 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > So big deal. One track is still subject to
> bridge
> > openings and will continue so until October.
> Half
> > done, half assed.  WHY so long for the other
> > track's  cutover????
>
> What a sad sad attitude. 

It was a legit question, however.

Will there be a decrease in travel time in the one direction or not until both tracks have been relocated? Granted it’s a very short distance. Perhaps too short to show on the schedule?

/Mitch

Posted from iPhone

PRR1361 Wrote:
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> So big deal. One track is still subject to bridge
> openings and will continue so until October. Half
> done, half assed.  WHY so long for the other
> track's  cutover????

This was always the plan and it avoids having to fully halt NEC service.  Please enlighten us with your prefered alternative. 

> Will there be a decrease in travel time

Less than a minute.

No room to talk.

longliveSP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PRR1361 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > So big deal. One track is still subject to
> bridge
> > openings and will continue so until October.
> Half
> > done, half assed.  WHY so long for the other
> > track's  cutover????
>
> What a sad sad attitude. 

https://patch.com/new-jersey/bridgewater/s/k4bnk/nj-transit-to-resume-normal-schedule-after-month-long-disruptions-see-when?utm_source=local-update&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alert&user_email=161a8b2915bcc79182fe55ce049b65af7a6b38913a0650bbb7e1627d7d9d8ad4&user_email_md5=5f593f9c4692721f2ba44757cf32e5e2&lctg=5dc473e9a41e4f3f0570fe5b

PRR1361 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So big deal. One track is still subject to bridge
> openings and will continue so until October. Half
> done, half assed.  WHY so long for the other
> track's  cutover????

If you bother to take a look, Track 2 is the track that was located on a new structure through the Meadowlands when Secaucus was built.  So new bridge structures need to be built to realign the track that would cross existing Track A and Track 3.

Mgoldman Wrote:
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> Will there be a decrease in travel time in the one
> direction or not until both tracks have been
> relocated? Granted it’s a very short distance.
> Perhaps too short to show on the schedule?

Not until they get rid of the Secaucus delay by having 4 tracks from Newark over the Sawtooth bridge.  Travel Newark to New York is permanently delayed 7 minutes from the prior 12 minute running time until that happens.