Joseph D. Korman's Newark City Subway Site

Newark City Subway - History & Photos

Photos and Essay from The Canteen web site

North Jersey Electric Railway Historical Society
(Currently restoring Public Service Trolley Car 2651)

        Built in 1916, the Newark City Subway once had 42 routes carrying 2,000 trolleys and 2 million passengers a day.  Today only one route remains, originating at Pennsylvania Station and following the path of the old Morris Canal.  Currently this route carries 18,000 passengers per day.

Press release from NJ Transit

ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR LAST DAY OF NEWARK CITY SUBWAY PCC CAR 

August 24 Retirement to Feature "Last Rides" in the Evening; New Light Rail Vehicles to Debut August 27 

MEDIA ADVISORY/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY 

NEWARK, NJ, August 22, 2001 -- Dignitaries, customers and rail fans will join together on Friday, August 24 to say good-bye to a piece of transportation history as NJ TRANSIT retires the Presidents' Conference Committee (PCC) cars that have carried millions of customers on the Newark City Subway. 

The following Monday, August 27, NJ TRANSIT officials -- including Executive Director Jeffrey A. Warsh -- will greet Newark City Subway customers during the morning rush hour as they take their first rides on the new light rail vehicles (LRVs). A new schedule for the Newark City Subway will also begin on this day. Customers can pick up this timetable during the week of August 20. 

The Newark City Subway opened on May 26, 1935 using cars similar to those operated on street trolley lines. At the height of its operation, the City Subway's underground portion carried seven trolley lines, which operated to Bloomfield, Caldwell, East Orange, Jersey City, Montclair, Newark and Orange. Eventually, all of those lines except one -- the No. 7 City Subway -- were converted to bus operation. 

The PCC cars made their debut in the Newark City Subway on January 8, 1954. Public Service Coordinated Transport -- NJ TRANSIT's predecessor -- purchased 30 cars from Twin Cities Rapid Transit (Minneapolis-St. Paul) for $350,000. Today, 24 of those cars remain with NJ TRANSIT. 

After their retirement, NJ TRANSIT will donate three PCC cars to the New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center, which will be built in Phillipsburg. The other 21 PCC cars will remain on NJ TRANSIT property while the Corporation searches for suitable New Jersey locations where they can be restored and put into local service. 

The following events are planned in connection with the PCC retirement and the start of LRV operation: 

Friday, August 24 

12 noon 

Ceremony at Branch Brook Park Station (formerly Franklin Avenue Station) with NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Jeffrey A. Warsh and other elected officialsThe event will begin with dignitaries' arrival on a special PCC car. The event will celebrate the PCC cars' history and formally retire these historic vehicles. PCC car memorabilia will be available for sale.

7:30 p.m. (approximately) 

Substitute bus service begins for regular Newark City Subway customers.

Substitute bus service will operate every 10-20 minutes until 12:45 a.m.

8 p.m.  

Commemorative "last rides" on the PCC cars begin. Anyone wishing to take a "last ride" on the PCC cars must go to Newark Penn Station.Tickets for these rides will be issued, and customers will board PCC cars, on a first-come, first-served basis at Newark Penn Station.  No more than 60 customers will be allowed per PCC car.

"Last ride" service will operate frequently.  Each "last ride" will consist of one round trip between Newark Penn Station and Branch Brook Park (formerly Franklin Avenue). Customers will board and detrain at Newark Penn Station only. Newark City Subway customers that wish to use other stations must board substitute buses at the usual location (Lane 1A) in the Newark Penn Station bus lanes. The cars will stop only at Newark Penn Station.  The "last rides" will conclude with a PCC car arriving back into Newark around 10 p.m.

Saturday, August 25 and Sunday, August 26 

The Newark City Subway will be closed. Regular weekend substitute bus service will be operated.

Monday, August 27 

Customers should pick up new Newark City Subway schedules that take

effect today.  Service using new LRVs begins with the first departure from Branch Brook Park Station at 4:35 a.m.  NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Jeffrey A. Warsh, other officials, and NJ TRANSIT staff will be on hand at selected stations during morning peak period to greet customers. Executive Director Warsh is expected to be available between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.