Atlantic City
The Atlantic City Rail Terminal is the terminus of the New Jersey Transit Atlantic City Line that saw service restored originally by Amtrak’s new Atlantic City Express in May 1989, after service on the line was discontinued in 1981. Amtrak service to Atlantic City was never a success, although the stop had one seat ride service at various times as far as Springfield, Mass, Richmond, Virigina, and Harrisburg Pennsylvania. There was even brief-lived service directly to Philadelphia International Airport.
Local rail service operated by New Jersey Transit, running only to Lindenwald (for connections to PATCO, the same as local service that operated from 1969 to 1981) was restored in September 1989. Amtrak’s Atlantic City Express was never well patronized because of long travel times and competition from buses and other new tribal casinos, so Amtrak ended service in 1995. New Jersey Transit took over all service on the line which was extended into Philadelphia-30th Street station, with New Jersey Transit also becoming responsible for maintenance on this rail line that is completely isolated from the rest of the NJT Rail system.
From February 2009 to September 2011, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority attempted to run one train ride service from New York City Penn Station to Atlantic City again (with trains needing to reverse direction from the Northeast Corridor in Pennsylvania to cross the Delair Bridge back into New Jersey) with one intermediate stop in Newark. This special train service was operated by New Jersey Transit with tickets sold through Amtrak’s ARROW reservation system. Trains used eight specially purchased and retrofitted Bombardier MultiLevel Coaches with 2 by 1 first class seats and more comfortable reclining leather coach seats. Trains operated with a regular ALP46s for the section along the Northeast Corridor, and a separate P40DC (purchased form Amtrak) Diesel locomotive at the opposite end of the train for service along the diesel Atlantic City Line.
The Atlantic City Rail Station is designed to be a busier Intercity Rail terminal. The station is located along the southern side of the Atlantic City Convention Center and was built by Amtrak for the start of Atlantic City Express service in 1989. The station has five tracks with three platforms ending in bumper blocks and all access through doors into the terminal at the end of each platform. The terminal is situated just beyond the bumper blocks.
The simplest way to describe the tracks/platform configuration is that the line becomes double-tracked (after being single-tracked with passing sidings for most of its length) 2 miles east of the staiotn, in the tidal marshes between Atlantic City (located on Absecon Island, a tidal island on the Jersey Shore) and the mainland. These two tracks cross the Atlantic City Bridgeline Connector (an expressway, no sidewalks) at a grade-crossing just before the end of a longer platform begins. This platform can accommodate about 10 cars. The tracks on each side of this platform soon divide into two tracks along the northern track, track 1 and track 2. Track 1 has its own 8 car long side platform along the northern wall of the Convention Center, while the southern track has switches onto two more tracks that lead to the south of off it and have their own shorter island platform for Tracks 4 and 5, although this ‘short’ platform still looks to be about 8 cars long.
The platforms are entirely canopied from the elements with a simple paint-peeling canopy structure that includes a corrugated looking roof. There are standard Atlantic City with the white line platform signs but unique signs with white text on grey for Arrows pointing towards Terminal or listing Track Number and Location A, B, C, D, or E.
The train terminal itself is an airy double-height building with white walls, a truss-roof, that feels both modern but slightly dated at the same time. There are black benches for waiting passengers, and a restaurant with its own dedicated turquoise tables. A banner for the “NJ Transit Atlantic City Rail Line: Serving South Jersey” with an image of a train going through marshland leaving the Atlantic City skyline behind hangs from the terminal rafters. Along the south wall is a substantially sized ticket office and surprisingly clean restrooms. Above the ticket office is a rare remaining Solari Industries flip board, although its info is very simple with all NJ Transit Trains named Atlantic City either going to or coming from Philadelphia, and doesn't need to flip very much.
To leave the station there are doors directly into the second floor of the convention center, plus elevator and stairs signed for parking near the entrance to track 5 into the Convention Center’s parking garage. Most passengers exit to the street. Here there is an elevator inside the station at the southeast corner, closest to the ticket office. This is next to to multiple sets of glass doors lead out to a triple-wide staircase down to the very wide pick-up and drop-off loop for the convention center with multiple sets of numbered doors into the convention center.
Just outside this area along Kirkman Blvd (exposed to the elements) is the stops for the connecting Atlantic City Jitney service (yes most transit in Atlantic City locally is still provided by privately owned and operated jitneys that are franchised by drivers) that offer free trips to rail passengers on three routes – I assume subsidized by NJ Transit, since Jitneys otherwise cost $3.00 per ride or the casinos – to nine different casinos, leaving shortly after trains arrive with service back to the station 25 minutes before the train leaves. These shuttle stops are marked by signs and banners.
Photos 1-50 September 1, 2024;
Absecon