The Atlantic City Express Service (ACES) - NJ Transit's FAILED One Stop Express

Fact is Atlantic City is not as desirable a destination as it used to be. Car traffic to the Jersey Shore proves that, at least seasonally, there is much demand for most NJ coastline destinations. One of my regional rail fantasies is electrification and extension of the Long Branch line. I can dream, can’t I?

Honestly if it had more stops, had proper schedules and had the ALP-45DP it could have been NJT's version of the Keystone

the biggest problem with rail service to Atlantic City is the ease and frequency of BUS service....A/C was built up by charter buses and most casinos still have a bus "dock" allowing coaches access to the casino/hotels themselves......Plus of course buses are not restricted by needing existing track.....The current A/C.... NJ transit service easily makes as much or more revenue as a commuter service into and out of Philadelphia to/from west Jersey....and the line goes single track nearer to A/C causing schedule limits......

Sadly there isn't a direct way to AC anymore from NYC without the dreaded double-backing and high runtimes. Back in the day the Blue Comet use to get to AC via Red Bank and Lakehurst. The army bases, and Garden State Parkway kind of killed The Blue Comet. Most of its right-of-way is now grown over.

Ultimately NJ Transit needs to have the NJ Coast Line continue south from it's current terminus of Bay Head. That line should just continue south to Cape May. It should have regular dependable service 24 hours a day.

They should have never done that reverse move at Frankfort Junction to get onto the AC line. Would have been better to connect to the AC line directly in Jersey and bypass North Philly.

Good stuff. Def more videos on NJ Transit history

If it followed the former Blue Comet route instead of going towards Philadelphia, this would've worked.

That explains why I rarely see that variant of the P42 locomotives, despite Wikipedia displaying them proudly.

For decades, NJ transit has been exploring the possibility of a mid state commuter line that runs through western Monmouth and Ocean counites using the old Blue Comet route. They should be working on restoring that route for commuter service and potential Atlantic City and Philadelphia Express services. The rights of way still exist but are in need of major reconstruction and upgrades to meet modern track standards. It could also take a load of the North East Corridor Line.

One crucial flaw is that the 319 goes direct from the Port Authority Bus Terminal to Atlantic City in 150 minutes. 160 minutes is roughly London King's Cross to Newcastle (OK that's 170 minutes or so) which is about 300 miles.

The P40 units were acquired from Amtrak.

Or if the NJ Central Blue Comet line was rebuilt n used the north Jersey coast to redbank it probably would've worked.

If there was a WYE track off the NEC straight on to the Atlantic City line without reversing into Frankford Jct coming from the north it probably would've been better. Then it could've used a P40 only and later an ALP45-DP.

Well there's something I've never seen before - first-class seating and a cafe in a Bombardier Multilevel coach

With power, as long as the P40 was running, you were good. If the AEM broke down, you could at least make Newark

If NJT was going to the extra effort of acquiring exclusive rolling stock for ACES anyway, why did they not get a Dual-Mode Locomotive as well? That could operate in Electric mode on the NEC, then seemlessly switch to Diesel Operation on the unelectrified Atlantic City line.

I never got to ride to this service, namely because i'd have to backtrack to Newark from Philly. It just would have been one of those things to say you did. Atlantic City while fairly close, seems rather boring to me these days as im not a big gambler.

I love trains.

Fire vid