attention all, i now know this video is mostly just me saying wrong facts because i forgot to do the research on my part, i take blame for that. the next time i do one of these videos, i'm gonna research the topic and give you a better presentation. i'd like to thank you all for the constructive ciritcism in the comments explaining the things i got wrong. with that aside, i'd also like to thank you for 100+ subscribers, i've got something special in the works for you all to enjoy, stay tuned for that.

You never mentioned Metro-North? You put the pins in the wrong locations for both Essex Street and Anderson Street Stations while using Google Maps. The lines gets 7,000 daily riders which isn't terrible for the smaller towns the line serves.

Live on the line and have used it occasionally to get into the city. Station spacing isn’t the biggest issue but rather just frequency and consistency. I believe the line has the capability to run 1 tph in each direction (which is better than nothing) and its should be running this 1tph all day

Everyone should remember that before 2007, the PVL was one direction only traffic in the morning and evenings. Seven trains inbound in the AM and 9 trains outbound in the PM with a huge gap in service from about 9:30am to 3:30pm. Before 2007, there was absolutely no weekend service except for what little freight remained on the line. When you look at the PVL through the lens of history, it is actually better now than it was back then. Is there room for improvement? Of course, but it has come a long way since 2007. And if you can still find it on Wiki, the New York & New Jersey Railroad ran double-tracked from Jersey City to Oradell. From there it was single tracked. Traveling south from Spring Valley, you can see the right-of-way widen at Oradell. North of Oradell, the ROW was never wide enough for two tracks, except for sporadic sidings such as the ones that used to be in Hillsdale and Park Ridge.

You're really going to harp on two stations in Hackensack? Are you really saying that accessibility across both sides of town is a bad thing? Did you really assume everyone drives to these stations or do you not believe in walking? Hoboken has connections with PATH into New York City and NY Waterways. Yes that 5 hour is for inbound trains because usually people are leaving the city on outbound trains more than entering it. You did not just say "stops are too close together". What are your priorities? That's about all I have for complaints, solutions 1 and 2 are good. Erie Northern Branch is nowhere near Pascack Valley line and has a project set up for it already.

So many things wrong with your video...each town has its own station with the city of Hackensack and River Edge having 2 stations. North Hackensack which is now called New Bridge landing was supposed to upgraded in the mid 2000s , transformed into a transit hub with a regional bus hub and double tracked station with frequent service to Hoboken but NJT got into a fight with the town over parking, and it was scrapped. Electrification would fix the close station spacing but NJT scrapped that idea in the 90s... Sadly the additional sidings was blocked by NIMBYs in the mid 2000s aswell...we were also supposed to get a service restoration to Suffern.

1:52 - The Pascack Valley Line could be connected to an extended Hudson-Bergen Light Rail for more frequent service. .. But,.. Pascack Valley riders protested that as a slower way into New York City. *That* would make the HBLR truly Hudson BERGEN.

Wish they would retune the Morristown line. It takes longer today to do Hoboken to Morristown than it did back in the 70s with the ancient Edison electric MU units. Back then, if you were going Hoboken to Morristown, you would run express Newark to Summit and then local the rest of the way to Dover. For those traveling to any of the stations skipped between Newark and Summit, there was local service that terminated at Summit. This is how Metro-North does it using Croton Harmon, White Plains and Stamford as the "Summit" of their routes.

Nice review. I actually covered this branch as the honorable mention for my branch line review series, Fixing Your Branch Line. What's aggravating about this line is that it _was_ fully double tracked to Spring Valley in the past, but has since been reduced to a single track to save costs decades ago, even though the extra space is still there. Consolidating a few stations in Haclensack is a good idea as well, but this can also be compensated by some trains stopping at smaller stations less frequently, such as most NEC trains stopping at Elizabeth instead of North Elizabeth.

It's so much better than when I lived in Westwood. Weekday only service, into Hoboken in the morning and back out in the evening.

i had never even heard of this line until your video roasting it. lovely execution.

OK, you're a Young Thing who has NO IDEA of how Things Used to Be. (That steam train you showed may have Lackawanna coaches; ever hear of the Lackawanna?) The NJ & NY RR (Pascack Valley Line) was in 1979 when I rode it outbound a classic in-in-the -morning out-in-the-evening operation; trying to remember if it ran Saturdays let alone Sundays. For us mileage collectors such lines require Ingenuity to get; overnight stays, or finding alternative transport---it can be done. How I did it in 1979 along with a friend: other people driving us to PA dropped us off at Glen Something where there were TWO stations one on each line of the ex-Erie, the Main Line via Paterson and the Bergen County. (Don't worry--Long Story but I eventually got both in 1981!) We rode into Hoboken (long story U don't want) to ride out to the end of the Pascack Valley Line where we were picked up and then we ate at a nearby restaurant where the Millard Fillmore Fan Club was founded (I doubt that place is still around!). Then we were off to Honesdale PA to ride a special trip Honesdale to Lackawaxen and back. The rest of them eventually went to Canada (the Thurso & Nation Valley trip--I should have gone!) and dropped me at Brockville ON for a Long Story Whose Details U Don't Need other than I stayed half the night in the Hotel Manitonna complete iwth an annoying neon sign outside the window, met an interesting girl who had come off a stint as a cook on a Great Lakes Ore Boat at the Brockville station platform, and I got Brockville to Montreal Central station and Montreal Windsor station (now redeveloped with no tracks) to Albany-Renssalaer with the Adirondack (Amfleet). That girl was wonderful; she had an Indian boyfriend who spoke no English and gave no trouble; if you've ever seen "Citizen Kane" there's a bit with Kane's treasurer reminiscencing about this girl on a NY ferry he never saw again..but remembered still... See! I told you you didn't want to know! Back to the NJ&NY, which is a shorter name than Pascack Valley Line. That's what you had to do to ride lines with no same-day return. The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie's one train a day to College was like that; in 1976 there still was a local bus about a mile walk away that ran back into Pittsburgh---that's how I became a College Graduate! In 1979 the NJ&NY had a lot of patronage and those close together stations had a lot of patrons. If you close some stations you could drive passengers away to their cars! In more recent years the NJ&NY has started running reverse commute trains. Even though I now have all the Jersey commuter lines I still look at the schedules every so often. I should go ride the NJ&NY again---if one can do same-day round trips. Secaucus Junction Station is fairly recent, opening within the last ten years or so; I first rode the ex-PRR Corridor in 1973; my brother lived out on the CNJ Main Line at Westfield. Ride things when you can--in the mid-1970's NJ Transit started running a mid-day turn to PHILLIPSBURG (!) on the CNJ which I rode in 1977 while I was out of work; the outer end of that line is now abandoned. OK. Brief notes: Get ahold of Official Guides from the 1950's---you DO know what Official Guides were, do you? Big books with timetables and system maps that showed most of the passenger trains in the country. It will tell you WHAT was being run WHERE and WHEN and by WHOM. Railroads Long Gone. Bessemer & Lake Erie commuter trains out of Erie PA? Yep--to the company's shops in Greenville until the mid-1950's! The NJ&NY had a line paralleling it EAST, the Northern RR of New Jersey, the last commuter line before the Hudson, running until 1966-7. The NYC's West Shore service to Weehawken disappeared in 1959 finally. The Erie RR and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western merged in October 1960; both had a number of branches---which would soon be re-arranged and re-routed 1963-6 to get rid of grade crossings galore before Paterson on what had been the Erie RR Main Line. It's confusing; I'm trying to think of books I can tell you to consult that explains how the DL&W's Boonton Line, and the Erie's Newark Branch, New York & Greenwood Lake, Main Line, all got re-arranged while others got dropped. But those Official Guides are valuable for showing what used to be (Chicago Great Western passenger train out of Grand Central Station at 11pm--only train of the day! Why? When I got my first Official Guide from 1954 in 1973 I had never heard of the CGW!) Grand Central Station was in Chicago; Grand Central Terminal is in New York! While you're at it and if you have the Dough---a complete set of SPV Rail Atlastas for the US and Canada is USEFUL--even if there are mistakes here and there! My set cost around $450 years ago.

I’ve always thought that the CSX West Shore Line should be added for service up to maybe Stony Point. It’s an absolute no brainer, lots of old stations along the route.

2:57 - NJ Transit RiverLine and Atlantic City LIne are single-track / double-track designed to have scheduled trains pass by in opposite directions.

They did increase service years ago. The reason they can't do any further is because those who live along the line between Pearl River and Havkensack opposed the installation of a passing siding, or there was no place to install it. Also the gap you mentioned in the schedule is a result of rush hour frequency of trains leaving from Hoboken going to Spring Valley (Remember Woodbine is the storage track yard past Spring Valley)

Well first off as a former NJ guy (grew up in Paramus, now living in Virignia) I was prepared to take great umbrage when I saw the title. What do you mean the Pascack Valley Line sucks? Any idea of the history of what began as the Hackensack & Hudson River Railroad, then became the New York & New Jersey RR before becoming part of the Erie? Man, there's a lot of history along that line! From the Revolutionary War to the present. And it can be quite scenic in the autumn when the leaves change. Ah, it's all good. I love youthful enthusiasm! And the older you get the more you'll learn. As it should be. Here's a tidbit for you. The Pascack Valley line WAS double tracked up to Oradell back in the Erie days but declining ridership and lessening train frequency caused the reduction to single track. Hey, if you're really interested in the history of the Pascack Valley Line there was a book published in 1996 by the Railroadians of America called "The Pascack Valley Line". (No foolin' huh?) Authored by Wilson E.Jones is a good history and an interesting read. If you attend train shows keep an eye out for it, it's a good one to have if you're a NJ railfan. In the meantime hop on the Pascack Valley Line, get off in Emerson, and take the short walk over to Rispoli's Bakery, you'll love it! I DID like the video! Keep up the good efforts! PS: I just subscribed. Gonna help you out a bit.

Recall when it was strictly weekday peak hours. The Arrow lll cars are on their way out with new MUs based on the multilevel cars on order. Harp on other red headed stepchild lines like Boonton and Atlantic City. They could extend it to Suffern but for NIMBY opposition. Montclair on the Boonton line has FIVE stations. Or is it 6?

Nice! Most stuff I can agree with in the video! But some stuff did trigger me lol.

laughs in the mobo line having 5 stations for the montclair township

that schedule gap is bonkers, seems like frequency in the evening is the big killer

That's a beautiful F40PH at 0:01. I learned a lot from this video. I should have known passenger trains on the east coast would have power that people in La Habra, California have never seen on passenger trains. Although Richard Nixon practiced law in La Habra, it's still a bad neighborhood.

There used to be another Hackensack station called Fairmount Av., about 1/2 mile west of Anderson St. I used that station in the early 1970's.

It needs more frequency as the most important thing, better rolling stock with better acceleration and high-level platforms

A through line from Hoboken to bushwick via canal can be a boon. Linking to a revived lower montauk line. Another via west street to Atlantic terminal

They should connect the Pascack Valley Line to the Port Jervis Line, and then extend them both northwards to Newburgh and Kingston.

They are condensing the Westwood and Hillsdale stops into one stop, so NJ Transit is already making progress on a faster travel time. This line has been improving over the years. The worst part is that schedule gap during the evenings. Two tracks would help solve that issue. There were two tracks several decades ago but one was ripped up to cut costs.

you should also cover the Boonton line. I find it to remind me of the batman villain two-face. On one hand, it has semi-good service on the electrified portion between Hoboken and MSU, but on the other hand, it runs quite shitty service after that, only being supplemented by the M&E after Danville. Like, nly service at 9am and 3pm on sundays? that sucks ngl.

Better idea elevate the whole line Upgrade stations that matter discontinue the worst ones. Electrify and link to the PATH tunnels yes use PA5s for one seat ride to Manhattan with double track EL it won’t be an issue

Yes I def totally agree more this NJ Transit Pascack Line it the worst line because just like you mention it runs a single track and it doesn't run much when using this line and it doesn't run during the weekend so I think that NJ Transit needs to make some improvement with this line K!

As someone who lives and takes the train on the PVL, I have to say it has its flaws. Track speed are fine, just many towns limiting the train to actually pick up speed. My biggest complaint is capacity. Not enough sidings, one was planned in Oradell but NIMBYs shut it down. That was supposed to add over 10+ trains to Hoboken on weekdays. Hackensack can easily become double tracked as well as the ROW is there and there are services that start and end at New Bridge. Believe it or not we desperately need more multilevel trains as the trains during PM rush are too crowded. I had to stand in the vestibule for 45 minutes from Hoboken to Westwood because it was standing room only and the conductors didn't even collect ANY tickets. I feel like since this line is short and doesn't go into NYP, NJT tends to push it aside.

agreed beside the singal track they need to add more trains to at least fit the line like idk a train every 40 minutes they seems prefect

imp, just double track, electrify, use the yard at the end of the line to add an extra station (possibly serving monsey) , enhance stations and up frequencies to every 30 to 45 m off peak and every 10 to 15 peak.

Not to cause any sort of controversy or anything, but I really don't think that any of these solutions are realistic here's why: 1. Electrifying the PVL would also mean Electrifying the County Line to Pascack Junction. NJT Doesn't have that kind of money to do that 2. The Valley line goes through Densely populated areas of NJ and adding a second track would mean Demolishing all 64 crossings and rebuilding them 3. Getting rid of 2 Stations is kind of overkill, in a sense that those stations make Hackensack More Accessible, unlike a station like Wesmont or Kingsland 4. Although it would be nice to see some Electric equipment on the Northern part of NJ Transit, its just not realistic. You can use the ALP45DPs

Just subscribed and great catch!!!

The city of Hackensack is the size of the 4 oranges combined. Multiple stops are necessary.

You should do a Video of Why the Northern Branch sucks because I know it was owned by the Erie Railroad many years ago there were like 4 stations I think maybe 5 not sure but do know that it became Conrail for Local freight service then CSX took over in the 2000s in the past the tracks are in Bad shape Railroad crossings are old they've been pulled out towns like Englewood Nj and Closter NJ you can't see nothing the Northern Branch line is Abandoned . NJ Transit had an idea with Connecting the tracks from Hoboken Terminal to Piermont NY but Failed

Hackensack has 3 stations so each one is within walking distance and you do need to, as you suggest,drive to a station.

You mention the morris and Essex line and the Gladstone branch serving Orange with like 4stations but that’s not true. East Orange, West, Orange, orange, and South Orange are all different towns. South Orange has two stations, South Orange station which is the main station and Mountain Ave., Orange has two stations as well orange, which is the main station and Highland Avenue. East Orange has two stations as well brick Church, which is the main station and East Orange. Also west orange doesn’t have any stations but is basically walking distance from mountains Station, Highland Avenue station and orange station.

The comment on hackensack stops did not mention how useful each stop was. I get wanting spacing, but maybe one of the stops are more worthy than others.

The shortest NJ Transit line is actually the Princeton Branch, at 2.7 miles long. Would that make Pascack Valley the 3rd shortest?

its also a metro north line

The ROW isn't big enough to be double tracked; but I do agree on the electrification aspect

Lyndhurst,NJ has two stops, Kingsland and Lyndhurst.

I just cannot stand that on this line, southbound weekday trains do not run from 4:30 PM to 10 PM.

Technically Bergen count line is

Not trying to criticize, but do you live in north Jersey? The Oranges are NOT the same city in the slightest bit

Why do we still have trains in NJ that require you to climb up and down steep stairs to a low platform? The LIRR and Metro North made investments in their stations to have all high level platforms. But then, why would they design Secaucus Junction station in a way that requires you to go upstairs from one platform when you are ultimately trying to go downstairs to the lower platform.

They simply need to build a second track.

BRUH I LIVE NEXT TO THE PVL!!!!!! IM COOKED

There ain't no room for your suggestions

It's not 4 stations in orange you have East orange south orange and orange with 2 stations in orange o and East Orange had 2 you need to fix that.

Too bad the NIMBYs shut down some sidings

Upper RVL, MOBO, Upper M&E is worse. Prove me wrong.

Just run every 30 minutes. These are local trains

I have a great idea for a video for you. Take a few days and go explore the Northern Branch Line going from Jersey City to Northvale, NJ. It's covered in weeds, trees, but some parts of the line are still very much visible. Last used around the 1960s.... Its been rumored for a restart which would be great for Eastern Bergen County towns.. . en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Branch

EXACTLY!

its basically just a commuter route. theyre not going to spend millions to make it better for so few people. proble m also is too close and easy to use major roadways going the same way. eventually they will shut it down..