HERE'S THE INSIDE SCOOP:
There was talk a few years ago about the expansion of the Long Island Railroad rails bound for Grand Central Station on Manhattan's East Side, and that an
"addition" would be made to the underground portion of Grand Central Station. Just an "addition", nothing special about it. The longer-term plan was that the new rail lines from Long Island would continue south and west from Grand Central Station to the West Side of Manhattan (the possible location of a new Jets Stadium), and then under the Hudson River via a new tunnel to New Jersey. After this point, the destination would be uncertain. Well, we haven't heard the TRUE STORY of what is going on. And don't expect The Record to pick up on this, that would require real journalism. The true story is extremely interesting.
A week or so ago I saw a History Channel (Channel 47) special called "New York Underground" and they talked at length regarding this "addition" to Grand Central Station. It's a lot more than an addition, it's the largest train station ever to be built in the United States, and will more than double the size of Grand Central Station underground. That's right, hmmmmmm. It will be built north and under the existing rail connections. This is being built, it's not something that's just being talked about, or hasn't gotten funded yet.
How is this relevant to the Pascack Valley Line
?? You may have already guessed, but I'm getting to that.
The shear dollars being spent on this project is humongous, and ultimately this heavy rail line will be extended to the west side of Manhattan and then under the Hudson River to New Jersey. You know what, there's plenty of talk about rail transit, light rail, different routes, etc., here in New Jersey. All that talk is meaningless in the face of this enormous project of almost unbelievable scale, and it's potential impact to New Jersey.
The new tunnel to New Jersey will be built, and it is imperative that Hackensack, Bergen County officials, etc., begin lobbying immediately for this mega rail line to run DIRECTLY onto the Pascack Valley line, the Main Line, and possibly even the Susquehanna (via the Pascack Valley Line). It should serve Hackensack and Paterson. That's a big and expensive project, and will involve changing the rail technology in New Jersey. Only heavy-rail electric trains can run through the tunnels under the Hudson. The Pascack isn't electric. However, every County adjacent to New York City has direct heavy rail to Manhattan, except Bergen County. There's heavy rail from Long Island, from Westchester, and from Philadelphia via Newark via Secaucus. Even the North Jersey Coast line running to Monmouth County.
Now it's our turn. This new tunnel coming from Manhattan could serve Hackensack. Who cares that the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line is going to Englewood instead of Hackensack. We don't want it in Hackensack. It's little more than a bus on rails that stops every two blocks. No big deal, really. That light rail would be wasting rail space that could be used for a HEAVY RAIL train. That heavy rail could run from Hackensack direct to Grand Central Station, and then connecting to Long Island.
Imagine if Hackensack suddenly found itself 20 minutes from Grand Central Station, and without having to transfer to another train
? Hackensack would be the greatest real estate investment in memory. This would transform Hackensack, we'd be a boom town.
