Morristown Line

Morristown Line
A Dover-bound Morristown Line train preparing to bypass Mountain Station
Overview
OwnerAmtrak
(New York Penn Station to Kearny Connection)
New Jersey Transit
(all other trackage)
LocaleNorthern New Jersey
Termini
Stations26
Service
TypeCommuter rail
SystemNew Jersey Transit Rail Operations
Operator(s)New Jersey Transit
Rolling stockALP-46 GP40PH-2 F40PH PL42AC GP40FH-2 and ALP-45DP locomotives, MultiLevel coaches, Comet II, IV & V coaches, Arrow III multiple units
Daily ridership37,850 (Q1, FY 2025)
History
OpenedNovember 19, 1836 (Newark–Orange)
January 1, 1838 (Orange–Morristown)
July 4, 1848 (Morristown–Rockaway)
July 31, 1848 (Rockaway–Dover)
January 16, 1854 (Dover–Hackettstown)
June 10, 1996 (New York–Newark via Kearny Connection/Midtown Direct)
Technical
Line length57.4 mi (92.4 km)
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line25 kV 60 Hz AC
Route map
mi
56.9
Hackettstown
46.9
Mount Olive
48.0
Netcong
45.8
Port Morris Yard
45.4
Lake Hopatcong
43.1
Mount Arlington
Wharton
38.1
Dover
(start of electrification)
Dover Yard
original alignment
Rockaway
36.4
Denville
35.7
Mount Tabor
32.0
Morris Plains
M&E Main Line
to Roseland
29.8
Morristown
27.7
Convent Station
25.5
Madison
23.5
Chatham
20.1
Summit
17.8
Short Hills
16.5
Millburn
15.1
Maplewood
13.8
South Orange
13.1
Mountain Station
12.2
Highland Avenue
11.4
Orange
10.6
Brick Church
East Orange
9.0
7.8
Newark Broad Street
Harrison
5.2
7.8
Meadows Maintenance Complex
5.0
Secaucus Junction
Hoboken Yard
0.0
Hoboken Terminal
0.0
New York Penn Station

The Morristown Line is an NJ Transit commuter rail line connecting Morris and Essex counties to New York City, via New York Penn Station or Hoboken Terminal. It is one of the two routes that make up the Morris & Essex Lines, alongside the Gladstone Branch. Out of 52 inbound and 53 outbound daily weekday trains, 34 inbound and 37 outbound Midtown Direct trains (about 67%) use the Kearny Connection (opened June 10, 1996) to Penn Station, and the rest go to Hoboken. Passengers can transfer at Newark Broad Street or Summit to reach another destination. On rail system maps, the line is colored dark green, and its symbol is a drum, a reference to Morristown's history during the American Revolution.

There is hourly service to/from New York (none going beyond Dover) on weekends. Until August 13, 2006, there was also hourly service to Hoboken. On that date, service between Hoboken and Summit was cut back to once every two hours on weekends. On May 11, 2008, off-peak weekday Hoboken-Dover trains (600 Series) were cut. In addition, weekend Gladstone trains were cut back to Summit, and a shuttle train is operated every two hours between Newark Broad Street and Hoboken Terminal.