Xanadu + Meadowlands Stadium Rail Link Happening Very Fast Now
[click for larger images]
Above and bottom: Renderings of the rail station
Meadowlands Rail Link? Huh? Where?!
If you cruise west through the Meadowlands on Route 3, you’ll be wondering exactly where the rail link is going to be.
In fact, NJ Transit and their building contractor are already maybe one-quarter done. But the rail link will arrive from the WEST along the NORTH side of the stadium area. (Yellow option on map below.)
So it’s completely out of sight from Route 3. It is though easily visible from Patterson Plank Road (Route 120), the four-lane highway from Secaucus to East Rutherford, Carlstadt, and Route 17.
To the west, the link will connect to NJ Transit’s Pascack Valley Line and in effect do a huge u-turn back east to Secaucus Junction (change for Penn Station and points south) and the Hoboken PATH-and-rail-and-ferry terminal (direct).
Shots below show present progress. It will be complete in two years. Remember, this is only one year after the West-Side-Manhattan Jets Stadium deal collapsed, Xanadu was halfway to bankruptcy, and the Giants were wondering why no plagues had hit them too.
NJ Transit has not done much to publicize the $150 million project, the idea for which goes back 20-plus years. But here is a short description:
A three-track Rail Station will connect the Meadowlands directly to the entire NJ Transit rail network. When the Rail Station opens, it will bring people from 80 different communities throughout New Jersey to the Meadowlands in under an hour. Travel from New York City will take less than 25 minutes. The system will have the capacity to handle up to 12,000 passengers an hour.
Good for the Gold Coast? Sure!!! Some 10,000 sports fans on game-days and X thousands Xanadu visitors daily will be using the link. The tunnel, Route 3 and the Turnpike will now be be driveable most times.
Below: Route finally selected was the yellow option. NY City and Gold Coast are to the right here
Below: Progress from the station area west to the Pascack Valley line 2.5 milesaway
If you are a rail buff, there is a technical description at bottom here. And the excellent Railnet Forums has an active discussion thread. Click through to the last page for the latest.
Here is a summary of the project scope
The initial phase of the project includes the construction of two new tracks, each approximately 12,300 feet in length and connected to the Pascack Valley Line.
The Rail Station involves the construction of one and one side island platform, each approximately 950 feet in length. The platform will include a waiting area for passengers and all elements for code required egress and passenger flow, including passenger overpasses, escalators, stairs and elevators.
The station will be located generally equidistant between the new Xanadu commercial and entertainment complex currently under construction, the Big M Racetrack and the new football stadium planned to be jointly built by the two local NFL football franchises. The facility will consist of two levels to house management, customer service and security operations, and will provide for a direct aerial connection to the new stadium.
Posted by Peter Quennell on 05/16/07 at 08:17 AM in 3 New Jersey Devel, Points West, 6 Traffic + Transport, NJ Traffic, Heavy Rail
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