NJ Transit expects to return to its regular rail schedule Sunday, Nov. 15, if safety testing on the new Portal North Bridge is complete. Amtrak said Thursday that it plans to resume full service Monday, Nov. 16. The two dates matter for anyone heading into New York this weekend or buying a ticket for Monday morning. Check the timetable for the railroad you plan to ride.
The work in Kearny, New Jersey, moves the second and final track from the old swing bridge over the Hackensack River onto the new span. Amtrak's Nov. 12 project update says crews are working around the clock. NJ Transit's cutover schedule lists Saturday, Nov. 14, as the target for completing the switch. Both railroads still describe their return dates as plans.
What to check before riding Friday or Saturday
NJ Transit's modified schedules run through Saturday. On weekdays, Midtown Direct trains on the Morristown Line, Gladstone Branch and Montclair-Boonton Line that usually run to New York Penn Station are diverted to Hoboken. The Township of Montclair says direct Montclair-Boonton service to and from New York is scheduled to continue on weekends, so check the Saturday timetable for your train. The Atlantic City Rail Line is outside the cutover schedule changes.
During the weekday diversion, eligible NJ Transit rail tickets and passes are accepted on PATH between Hoboken and 33rd Street, the NY Waterway ferry between Hoboken and Midtown at West 39th Street, and NJ Transit bus 126 between Hoboken and Port Authority. NJ Transit says a rider boarding at another PATH station needs the appropriate PATH fare.
Sunday schedules can still include delays
NJ Transit's separate weekend advisory says trains into and out of New York Penn Station on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast and Morris & Essex lines could run up to 20 minutes late beginning Sunday, Nov. 15. The advisory continues on select weekends through December, when crews are doing maintenance that includes finishing the cutover and removing the old drawbridge. Check the advisory and your specific departure before relying on a tight connection.
For Monday, the new NJ Transit schedules restore weekday Midtown Direct service to and from New York on the affected routes. Amtrak passengers can check their train in Amtrak's train status tool.
What changes at the bridge
The original bridge opened in 1910 and swings open for river traffic. NJ Transit's project page says the higher replacement lets boats pass without opening the span. That removes a source of delays on the shared route between Newark and New York Penn Station. Moving the final track requires crews to connect and test the track, signals and overhead power before regular trains return. Amtrak’s video from the work site shows crews working on the new bridge.
