On-Board NJCL Train

Taken: May 17, 2024
Rolling Stock: Bombardier = ALP-45DP Locomotive #4521; Comet IIM/IV Coach Cars. Alstom = Comet V Cab Car #6069.
Well, guys, I apologize for the delay in posting videos to you all. Throughout the end of last week, I was out of town and when I got back to the crib, I spent a hefty amount of time mainly resting due to running on little sleep during my time out. Furthermore, I also had to deal with my laptop's ridiculous fluctuation in regards to storage capacity, which interfered with editing my videos in a timely manner. Nevertheless, I was able to resolve it.
Since I have resided in Monmouth County for almost 15 years, I never bothered to travel on the Bay Head shuttle and explore the lower North Jersey Coast Line. However, I decided to embark on this journey at this time because fare hikes would be going into effect 1 1/2 months after recording this trip, which meant roundtrip tickets would no longer be $5 each way.
This section of the line was interesting mainly because there wasn't an overabundance of trees like the electric section and I could actually analyze the environment properly. Furthermore, the view of the bridges and oceans that the train traversed was nothing short of awesome in addition to the decent speeds the train managed to reach on its way to Long Branch. Also, compared to most lines that feature a blend of environments, this section was mostly suburban with very little urban areas (Asbury Park and Bradley Beach). The speed of this trip was also not too bad, with an average of about 50-55 mph and a top speed of 61 mph, considering that there are many at-grade crossings.
With electrification ending about a mile south of Long Branch (railroad west), there is no direct service until rush hours (trains need to be powered by ALP-45DPs since diesel trains aren't allowed in the North River Tunnels). As a result, passengers need to change trains at Long Branch to continue their trip. Furthermore, since ridership is not very high west of Long Branch, the frequency of trains is usually not as high as it is on the electric section. On the other hand, during weekends in the summer, there is hourly service in both directions since many people travel from various portions of New Jersey and even New York to visit the Jersey Shore's beaches, thus increasing the need for additional service, especially since there is no more Summer Shore Express train service.
With that being said, the video is self-explanatory, so I will leave it at that. If you guys enjoyed the video, feel free to drop a like, comment, subscribe, share the video with everyone you know, and I will see you all on the next one! :D