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64-620: Metropark station is an intermodal transportation hub on the Northeast Corridor in the Iselin section of Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey that is located 24.6 miles southwest of New York Penn Station. It is owned and operated by NJ Transit and serves Amtrak and NJ Transit 's Northeast Corridor Line . NJ Transit runs peak period 'loop' buses in coordination with train schedules. The station

128-569: A locomotive , a Viewliner baggage car, an Amfleet Business Class coach, Amfleet Café car, and four or five Amfleet coaches. Between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, trains are pulled by a GE Genesis diesel locomotive at speeds up to 110 mph (177 km/h). Between Philadelphia and New York, the service operates over the Northeast Corridor which has overhead electric wires and trains are pulled by Siemens ACS-64 electric locomotives at speeds up to 125 mph (201 km/h) In

192-719: A subway was built through tunnels under the Hudson, now called the PATH , a station stop was added to Hoboken Terminal. More recently, the New Jersey Transit 's Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system has included a stop there. Ferry service has recently been revived, but passengers must exit the terminal and walk across the pier to the more modest ferry slip. With the opening of the Woodside and Birkenhead Dock Street Tramway in 1873, Birkenhead Dock railway station probably became

256-485: A $ 200 million capacity improvement, with a second Pennsylvanian round trip to be added by 2025. By August 2023, the opening date had slipped to 2026, with construction on the necessary infrastructure planned to start in 2024. In September 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Norfolk Southern reached an agreement on making the necessary $ 200 million worth of improvements to

320-464: A car can cut costs for fuel and parking, and some families no longer need to own and operate multiple cars. Environmental benefits can also increase (i.e. less pollution) and reduced traffic congestion can deliver significant cost savings to the city and local government. Many transit agencies have begun installing bike racks on the front of buses, as well as in the interior of buses, trains, and even on ferries. These transit bike racks allow cyclists

384-469: A certain degree of coordination, scheduling issues with mass transit can often be an issue. For example, a sometimes-late train can be an annoyance, and an often-late train can make a commute impractical. Weather can also be a factor. Even when the use of an automobile is involved, the transition from one mode of transportation to another often exposes commuters to the elements. As a result, multi-mode commuters often travel prepared for inclement weather. In

448-403: A large role in mixed mode commuting. Rapid transit such as express bus or light rail may cover most of the distance, but sit too far out from commute endpoints. At 3 mph walking, 2 miles represents about 40 minutes of commute time; whereas a bicycle may pace 12 mph leisurely, cutting this time to 10 minutes. When the commuter finds the distance between the originating endpoint (e.g.

512-553: A location further out than practical walking distance but not more than practical cycling distance to reduce housing costs. Similarly, a commuter can close an even further distance quickly with an ebike , motorcycle, or car, allowing for the selection of a more preferred living area somewhat further from the station than would be viable by walking or simple bicycle. Other cost advantages of mixed mode commuting include lower vehicle insurance via Pay As You Drive programs; lower fuel and maintenance costs; and increased automobile life. In

576-411: A major role in providing door-to-door service between airports or train stations and other points of travel throughout urban , suburban , and rural communities. (Automobiles can also be used as the centerpiece of a multi-mode commute, with drivers resorting to walking or cycling to their final destination. Commuters to major cities take this route when driving is convenient, but parking options at

640-795: A new facility, as at the William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center in Syracuse, New York , or South Station in Boston, Massachusetts . In other cases new facilities, such as the Alewife Station In Cambridge, Massachusetts , were built from the start to emphasize intermodalism. Regional transit systems in the United States often include regional intermodal transit centers that incorporate multiple types of rail and bus services alongside park and ride amenities. Until

704-791: A passenger ferry. Prior to the widespread use of automobiles, the San Francisco Bay Area featured a complex network of ferry services which connected numerous interurban and streetcar systems in the North and East Bay to the San Francisco Ferry Building , where several city streetcar lines began service. The opening of the rail-carrying San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge and automotive Golden Gate Bridge almost entirely supplanted these services. Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit commuter rail

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768-601: A plan put forward in late 1968 by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) the state would contribute $ 648,000 toward the cost of the station, then estimated at $ 1.4 million. Amtrak service to Metropark began on November 14, 1971. The station's cost had increased to $ 2.6 million, shared by NJDOT and the United States Department of Transportation . It had two 850-foot (260 m) high-level platforms and had 820 parking spaces. It

832-465: A second round-trip Amtrak train between Pittsburgh and New York City, with one trip beginning and terminating in Cleveland . The second trip was then projected to begin during the fiscal year running from October 2023 to September 2024. The feasibility, schedule, and cost of adding a second train were underway as of November 2020. In June 2022, the state and Norfolk Southern announced an agreement for

896-524: A second train be added to the route. PennDOT and Amtrak would have split the costs evenly. Amtrak officials were favorable, but budget problems stalled the plan. In the late 1980s, passenger rail groups urged Amtrak to extend the Pennsylvanian to Cleveland , Ohio. Proposals included new stations in Sewickley and Beaver Falls . Pressure increased in 1989 when Amtrak announced the re-routing of

960-418: A single-mode form of transit, they also find use in a variety of mixed-mode scenarios. They can provide a short commute to train stations, airports, and piers, where all-day " park and ride " lots are often available. Used in this context, cars offer commuters the relative comfort of single-mode travel, while significantly reducing the financial and environmental costs. Taxicabs and rental cars also play

1024-710: A specialized "Auxiliary Power Vehicle" which will include a pantograph to collect power from overhead lines and will feed it to four traction motors in the car, and via a DC link cable, to the four traction motors in the locomotive. The arrangement will offer a near seamless transition between power sources, a process that currently requires a time-consuming locomotive change in Philadelphia. All classes of service include complimentary WiFi, an electric outlet (120 V, 60 Hz AC) at each seat, reading lamps, fold-out tray tables. Reservations are required on all trains, tickets may be purchased online, from an agent at some stations,

1088-464: A specific example of this; feeder buses service local neighbourhoods by taking travellers from their homes to nearby train stations which is important if the distances are too far to comfortably walk; at the end of the working day the buses take the travellers home again. Feeder buses work best when they are scheduled to arrive at the railway station shortly before the train arrives allowing enough time for commuters to comfortably walk to their train, and on

1152-448: A ticketing machine at most stations, or, at a higher cost, from the conductor on the train. Over fiscal years 2009–2016, ridership grew from 199,484 to 223,114, an increase of 10.6%. Ridership peaked at 231,720 in FY 2015. Ticket revenue grew from $ 7,819,404 to $ 11,555,451, an increase of 47.8%. Starting in 2017 Amtrak stopped reporting their revenue data alongside ridership data. as such it

1216-701: Is expected to feature a connection with the Golden Gate Ferry and service to San Francisco Ferry Building at Larkspur Landing . The Hercules station is to be the first direct Amtrak -to-ferry transit hub in the San Francisco Bay . The Staten Island Railway , while operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , does not have a physical connection to the rest of New York City 's rail network. As such, transfers to Manhattan are facilitated by

1280-411: Is near the interchange of Route 27 and Garden State Parkway near exits 131 and 132. and has a multi-story parking facility that is open at all times. The station, built by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) and the United States Department of Transportation , opened on November 14, 1971, as Garden State Metropark . It was built as a suburban park-and-ride stop for

1344-431: Is often called "bike and ride". To safeguard against theft or vandalism of parked bicycles at these train, bus, and ferry stations, "bike and ride" transport benefits greatly from secure bicycle parking facilities such as bicycle parking stations being available. Some train, bus, and ferry systems allow commuters to take their bicycles aboard, allowing cyclists to ride at both ends of the commute, though sometimes this

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1408-472: Is particularly of use in areas where trains may travel but automobiles cannot, such as the Channel Tunnel . Another system called NIMPR is designed to transport electric vehicles on high speed trains. A train ferry is a ship designed to carry railway vehicles. While usually used to carry freight vehicles, passenger cars can also be carried. In other places passengers move between passenger cars to

1472-415: Is restricted to off-peak travel periods: in such cases, folding bicycles may be permitted where regular bicycles are not. In some cities, bicycles are permitted aboard trains and buses. In some cities a public bicycle rental programme allows commuters to take a public bike between the public transport station and a docking station near their origin or destination. The use of "bike and ride" instead of

1536-490: Is that turnstiles are located on the platforms between rail services in addition to on a separate concourse to allow for direct transfers. Millbrae Intermodal Terminal is also planned to be incorporated into the California High-Speed Rail project as one of two stations between San Francisco and San Jose . Mixed mode commuting combines the benefits of walking , bicycle commuting , or driving with

1600-645: Is what is often termed "kiss and ride". Rather than drive to the train or bus station and park the commuter is driven to the station by a friend or relative (parent, spouse etc.) The "kiss" refers to the peck on the cheek as the commuter exits the car. Kiss and ride is usually conducted when the train/bus/ferry station is close to home, so that the driver dropping the commuter off has a short journey to and from home. Many large cities link their railway network to their bus network. This enables commuters to get to places that are not serviced directly by rail as they are often considered to be too far for walking. Feeder buses are

1664-545: The Floridian continues to provide service to Chicago. As part of its federally mandated analysis of the worst-performing long-distance routes, Amtrak determined that reinstating a through-car connection with the Pennsylvanian would result in the highest gain in monetary and customer service measurements of possible options. To implement this, Amtrak plans to operate a Viewliner sleeper car, an Amfleet cafe car and two Amfleet coaches between Chicago and New York approximating

1728-650: The Fort Pitt , which ran from Pittsburgh to Altoona . Amtrak withdrew this train in early 1983 after the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) declined to continue subsidizing the increased operation. At the time the Fort Pitt carried 30 passengers per day. On October 30, 1983, the Pennsylvanian was extended to New York City, eliminating the transfer at Philadelphia. After significant ridership gains in 1984, PennDOT proposed that

1792-953: The Keystone Service trains, but continues further west via the Pittsburgh Line through Altoona and the Allegheny Mountains , eventually terminating its run in Pittsburgh. The Main Line and Pittsburgh Line collectively make up the Keystone Corridor , a federally-designated corridor for high-speed rail service. Prior to Amtrak 's founding, the Pennsylvanian route was covered by the Duquesne , named after Fort Duquesne in Pittsburgh , and by

1856-834: The Abscam scandal, local officials campaigned to have his name removed from the station, though it remained until at least 1984. Northbound on- and off-ramps were added to the Garden State Parkway at Exit 131A in November 1986 to improve station access. In January 2007, NJ Transit announced a nearly $ 30 million renovation plan for the station, to be completed by 2010. Reconstruction was completed by Anselmi & DeCicco, Inc. of Maplewood, NJ in summer 2009, and cost $ 47 million. Climate-controlled shelters and LCD train information systems were installed, platforms were extended to accommodate 12-car trains, canopies were lengthened and

1920-613: The Appalachian Mountains , through Pennsylvania 's capital Harrisburg , the Pennsylvania Dutch Country , suburban and central Philadelphia, and New Jersey en route to New York. The entire train ride takes about 9 hours total: 1.5 hours between New York and Philadelphia, 2 hours between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, and 5.5 hours between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvanian uses the same Amtrak-owned Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line as

1984-688: The Broadway Limited and Capitol Limited over that same route as part of a restructuring of routes in Indiana. As part of this change, the Capitol Limited began serving the Cleveland–Pittsburgh route, albeit in the middle of the night. Amtrak and PennDOT considered two routes for an extended Pennsylvanian : one via Alliance, Ohio , following the route of the Capitol Limited , and one via Youngstown, Ohio , partially following

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2048-559: The Broadway Limited , with a new stop in New Castle, Pennsylvania . On November 7, 1998, Amtrak extended the Pennsylvanian through to Chicago along the route of the Capitol Limited via Toledo, finally bringing a daylight connection to Cleveland . The Three Rivers continued to run over a different schedule via Akron, Ohio and Fostoria. As part of the change Amtrak truncated the eastern end to Philadelphia, enabling

2112-711: The Juniata . Both trains operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad and from 1968 to 1971 by the PRR's successor, the Penn Central . The Duquesne had a long history, finally becoming a daily New York–Pittsburgh train on October 25, 1959, numbered 16 eastbound and 25 westbound. When the Pennsylvania Railroad's successor, Penn Central , was formed in 1968, it continued to operate the Duquesne and

2176-543: The Juniata. With the start of Amtrak operations on May 1, 1971, the Duquesne was renamed the Keystone and renumbered 42 westbound and 43 eastbound with the first Amtrak timetable on November 14, 1971. The Keystone was discontinued on April 30, 1972. The immediate impetus for the Pennsylvanian was the discontinuance of the National Limited , a New York–Kansas City train which had provided service over

2240-440: The Northeast Corridor bypass the station via the inner tracks, as do some NJ Transit express trains. Until 2005, the eastbound Pennsylvanian also stopped at Metropark. Amtrak trains skip most other stations between Trenton and Newark Penn Station , but many trains stop at Metropark despite having to switch to the outside (local) tracks to do so. Pairs of 45-mph crossovers (interlockings MENLO and ISELIN) just east and west of

2304-453: The Toronto streetcar system or with airport shuttle buses which transports to bus, subway and rail connections at Union Station . Several passenger rail systems offer services that allow travelers to bring their automobiles with them. These usually consist of automobile carrying wagons attached to normal passenger trains, but some special trains operate solely to transport automobiles. This

2368-408: The free Staten Island Ferry . In recent years, an increasing emphasis has been placed on designing facilities that make such transfers easier and more seamless. These are intended to help passengers move from one mode (or form) of transportation to another. An intermodal station may service air, rail, and highway transportation for example. In some cases, facilities were merged or transferred into

2432-586: The United States fare integration is often lacking, making passengers "pay extra for the 'privilege' of having a connection". This is largely a non-issue in European cities where all modes of local public transit follow the same ticketing scheme and a ticket for e.g. the metro will be valid on buses or commuter rail. Pennsylvanian (train) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile (715 km) daily daytime Amtrak train running between New York City and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia . The trains travel across

2496-606: The ability to ride their bicycle to the bus/train/ferry, take the mode of transportation, then ride again to their final destination. These types of racks combined with increased bike infrastructure and bike parking have made bike commuting a frequent topic of discussion by cities and local government. Many cities have extended subway or rail service to major urban airports. This provides travellers with an inexpensive, frequent and reliable way to get to their flights as opposed to driving or being driven, and contending with full up parking, or taking taxis and getting caught in traffic jams on

2560-507: The airport, without passing through customs and immigration control, effectively like having a transit from one flight to another. The airport is well-connected with expressways and an Airport Express train service. A seaport and logistics facilities will be added in the near future. Kansai International Airport is also connected to Kobe Airport with ferries. The Toronto Island ferry connects Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to mainland Toronto , where passengers can connect to

2624-448: The beginning or end of the journey. Trains offer quick transit from a suburb into an urban area, where passengers can choose a way to complete the trip. Most transportation modes have always been used intermodally; for example, people have used road or urban railway to an airport or inter-regional railway station. Intermodal transport has existed for about as long as passenger transport itself. People switched from carriages to ferries at

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2688-400: The benefits of rapid transit while offsetting some of the major disadvantages of each. The use of a bicycle can, for example, make an (inexpensive compared to a car) 20 mile light-rail or suburban rail journey attractive even if the endpoints of the journey each sit 1 mile out from the stations: the 30 minutes walking time becomes 8 minutes bicycling. As in the example above, location plays

2752-418: The coming years all equipment will be replaced with Amtrak Airo trainsets, the railroad's branding of its combination of Siemens Venture passenger cars and a Siemens Charger diesel-electric locomotive. The trainsets for the Pennsylvanian will have six passenger cars, which will include a food service area and a mix of 2x2 Coach Class and 2x1 Business Class seating. The car closest to the locomotive will be

2816-455: The commuters' return journey buses are scheduled to arrive shortly after the train arrives so that the buses are waiting to take the commuters home. If train and bus services are very frequent then this scheduling is unimportant as the commuter will in any case have a very short wait to interchange. All around the world bicycles are used to get to and from train and other public transportation stations; this form of intermodal passenger transport

2880-769: The completion of San Francisco Salesforce Transit Center , the Millbrae Intermodal Terminal in California is the largest intermodal transit center west of the Mississippi which includes direct on-platform connections between BART , the Bay Area's regional rail system, Caltrain , the San Francisco Peninsula's commuter rail, and SamTrans , the regional bus service for San Mateo County . The uniqueness of this transfer facility

2944-596: The corridor. That train, in turn, was the successor of the famed Spirit of St Louis . The Pennsylvanian began on April 27, 1980, as a state-supported daylight train between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, with connecting service to New York City via the Philadelphian , a Clocker train westbound and the Montrealer eastbound. At the time the Pennsylvanian was inaugurated, the Broadway Limited

3008-425: The destination are not readily available.) Transport planners often try to encourage automobile commuters to make much of their journey by public transport . One way of doing this is to provide car parking places at train or bus stations where commuters can drive to the station, park their cars and then continue on with their journey on the train or bus: this is often called "park and ride". Similar to park and ride

3072-531: The edge of a river too deep to ford. In the 19th century, people who lived inland switched from train to ship for overseas voyages. Hoboken Terminal in Hoboken, New Jersey , was built to let commuters to New York City from New Jersey switch to ferries to cross the Hudson River in order to get to Manhattan . A massive ferry slip , now in ruins, was incorporated into the terminal building. Later, when

3136-454: The historic Broadway Limited , via the Capitol Limited and Pennsylvanian . This would begin when funding and equipment is available. On January 28, 2011, it was announced that Pennsylvania had received a $ 750,000 grant from the federal government to study expanding service westwards from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh along the route of the Pennsylvanian , including higher speeds and additional frequencies. A typical Pennsylvanian consists of

3200-496: The home) and the destination (e.g. the place of employment) too far to be enjoyable or practical, commute by car or motorcycle to the station may remain practical, as long as the commute from the far end station to the destination is practical by walking, a carry-on cycle, or another rapid transit such as a local or shuttle bus. In general, locations close to major transit such as rail stations carry higher land value and thus higher costs to rent or purchase. A commuter may select

3264-714: The latter name with a western terminus in Chicago. Amtrak had sought $ 2.5 million in assistance from Pennsylvania to keep both trains running. On March 8, 2005, Amtrak truncated service to Pittsburgh-New York City, and restored the Pennsylvanian name to the route. The train has been primarily financed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation since October 1, 2013, when the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 took effect. This federal law eliminated federal subsidies for Amtrak routes less than 750 miles (1,210 km) in length. In late 2019,

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3328-563: The line for a second daily service. In December 2023, the project was awarded $ 143.6 million from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) with PennDOT providing 20% in matching funds. The Pennsylvanian route was also selected into the FRA's Corridor Identification and Development Program , granting $ 500,000 to study further service increases. There is currently no through service west of Pittsburgh, though

3392-578: The most extreme cases, a mixed-mode commuter may opt to car share and pay only a small portion of purchase, fuel, maintenance, and insurance, or to live car-free . These cost benefits are offset by costs of transit, which can vary. A Maryland MTA month pass valid for MTA Light Rail, Metro Subway, and City Bus costs $ 64, while a month pass for the Baltimore to DC MARC costs $ 175.00 and a DC MetroRail 7 day pass costs $ 47 totaling $ 182. In most of Europe de:Verkehrsverbund and mode neutral pricing eliminate

3456-474: The need to have several different tickets for public transit across different modes. Mobility as a service intends to take this a step further, offering one price per trip from door to door, no matter which mode is used for which part of the trip. The effectiveness of a mixed-mode commute can be measured in many ways: speed to destination, convenience, security, environmental impact, and proximity to mass transit are all factors. Because mixed-mode commutes rely on

3520-427: The station building was enlarged as part of the project. On April 12, 2023, one of the two staircases between the underpass and the southbound platform was closed. The station is served by NJ Transit Rail Operations Northeast Corridor Line . The station has two high-level side platforms flanking the four tracks of the Northeast Corridor . Amtrak 's long-haul services and most Keystone Service trains that utilize

3584-430: The station were added about 1986 to make this easier. Five peak-hour "Metropark Loop" routes, operated by NJ Transit as bus routes 801–805, connect the station to the surrounding office parks and residential areas. Intermodal passenger transport Mixed-mode commuting often centers on one type of rapid transit , such as regional rail , to which low-speed options (i.e. bus , tram , or bicycle ) are appended at

3648-515: The then-new high-speed rail Metroliners . Metropark was one of two park-and-ride infill stations proposed in the 1960s for use by the new Metroliners , the other being Capital Beltway in Lanham, Maryland , just outside Washington, D.C. The two stations were originally named Capital Beltway Metropark and Garden State Metropark; these were shortened to Capital Beltway and Metropark. Both were conceived as public-private partnerships . Under

3712-416: The train began operating with a baggage car for checked baggage and bicycle handling at New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Altoona, Johnstown and Pittsburgh. In March 2020, service on the Pennsylvanian was suspended as part of a round of service reduction in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic . Service resumed on June 1, 2020. The Pennsylvania State Rail Plan 2020 called for

3776-491: The train to complete the run within a single day. The change was driven by Amtrak's growing mail and express business; Pittsburgh–Philadelphia ridership suffered. Amtrak returned the Pennsylvanian to the New York–Pittsburgh route on January 27, 2003, citing low ridership and Amtrak's withdrawal from the express freight business. On November 1, 2004, Amtrak merged the Pennsylvanian and Three Rivers , keeping

3840-558: The way to the airport. Many airports now have some mass transit link, including London , Sydney , Munich , Hong Kong , Vancouver , Philadelphia , Cleveland , New York City (JFK) , Delhi , and Chennai . At the Hong Kong International Airport , ferry services to various piers in the Pearl River Delta are provided. Passengers from Guangdong can use these piers to take a flight at

3904-442: The world's first tram to train interchange station . Public transportation systems such as train or metro systems have the most efficient means and highest capacity to transport people around cities. Therefore, mixed-mode commuting in the urban environment is largely dedicated to first getting people onto the train network and once off the train network to their final destination. Although automobiles are conventionally used as

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3968-416: Was departing Pittsburgh at an inconvenient early morning hour. The new train ran with Amfleet equipment, including a cafe car. Pennsylvania agreed to pay 20% of the train's costs for the first year, or $ 580,000, with the state and Amtrak eventually splitting the costs 50/50 by the third year. Between 1981 and 1983, Pennsylvanian equipment was turned every night to operate a second state-supported train,

4032-463: Was excluded. Starting in fiscal year 2020, Amtrak revised how it calculates ridership, causing a small but noticeable drop in the 2019 numbers. It was chosen to report the revised metrics below. The impact of COVID-19 was split across FY2020 and FY2021, as reflected in the lower than average passenger numbers across those two years. The pandemic caused an initial drop of ridership in FY2020 of 39% on

4096-551: Was next to the Garden State Parkway to allow easy access by automobile; a large business park – "the first Edge City in the world to grow from a parking lot" – soon grew near the station. Commuter trains continued to use Iselin station, half a mile east. The station was officially renamed Harrison A. Williams Metropark Station on July 30, 1979, in recognition of Senator Williams' support for its construction. After his 1981 conviction for bribery and conspiracy in

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