Service is better but not normal

Service on NJ Transit’s Morris and Essex line has been improving for Essex County residents but is still not back to normal.

Morris and Essex Line rail service is operating on a modified weekday schedule and will originate and terminate at Morristown until further notice due to ongoing overhead wire repairs near Mount Tabor, NJ Transit said in a statement.

NJ Transit is working on fixing the broken overhead lines and is hoping to have normal service restored to the Morris and Essex line in a few days.
The damaged wires are between the Morris Plains and Mount Tabor stations, which are west of Morristown.

A spokesman for NJ Transit said they do not know what caused the problem but they have been working continuously to fix it. A contractor was working in the area but the cause remains under investigation.

A spokesperson for the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office said they did not currently have anyone investigating the incident.

No trains were able to run on the line west of Morristown and trains stopping east of Morristown have been operating erratically since the damage was reported on Dec. 4.

Commuters on the line have been complaining about service and an alternate bus service has begun operating out of Maplewood, across the street from the train station.

The private bus service, Boxcar, stops in Maplewood and drops off at a variety of locations in midtown and on the Upper East Side. About six buses run each morning and six return in the evening.

The cost of the private bus is $19.99 one way but there is a 33% discount on all tickets with a membership purchased ahead of time on the boxcar app. Memberships cost $29.99 a month.

NJ Transit has advised customers to allow for extra travel time and suggests monitoring the NJ Transit website and social media. The railroad’s mobile app can be customized with travel alerts for the latest service information. NJ Transit rail tickets and passes will be cross honored by NJ Transit bus and Newark Light Rail.

  Maplewood, NJ Transit