Station Review #45: Atlantic City (NJT)

Atlantic City is the eastern terminus station of NJT's Atlantic City line, located in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 

History


The old Atlantic City Union Station 

Atlantic City used to originally have competing lines from the Reading and Pennsylvania railroads for a long while. This changed in the 1930s, though and both merged their South Jersey assets to form the PRSL. In 1934, Atlantic City Union Station was built, and with the building of this station was the creation of an icon. It was located at Arctic and Arkansas avenues, and was incredibly important for the well-being of the city.

Unfortunately, Atlantic City Union Station lost train service in 1964, which had been removed in the creation of the Atlantic City Expressway. Atlantic City Union Station kept being used for bus service until 1997 when it was completely torn down and replaced by an outlet mall called The Walk. A new bus station was built nearby at Atlantic Avenue and Ohio Avenue called Atlantic City Bus Terminal. The old chandeliers are retained there, as well. 

Tour

Not like I ever wanted to visit it!

There is a lot at the station, let's start from the outside. But before anything, make a note in your head that this station is extremely far away from everything on the western side of the island. The station is not only far away from everything but is right next to a highway, so we're already not off to a great start. 

Station Building

In all honesty, the station building is very bland, and I dislike how it looks. Inside the station is much nicer than outside the station, though. I suspect that you are not supposed to actually look at the outside of the actual station building at all, but rather look at the building immediately next to it, mistaking it for the station building. 

I mean, I can kind of see how you'd do that, but it doesn't fool me! 

It was incredibly hot out when I visited, and inside the station, there's air conditioning. 

Inside the Station 


Unexpected sight

Inside the station, there's also a restaurant, which is a much more uncommon sight nowadays, especially for most NJT outward terminals. But then again, the only outbound terminals that actually have anything of this much significance at all are Atlantic City, Trenton, and Princeton, 

Inside as a whole

Transit Police desk

Schedules

Screen

Ticket Office

The famous flip board, similar to the one that was once in 30th Street Station

Platforms


Comet cars at the platforms

The platforms are certainly interesting, to say the least

Like where else could you see a sight like this in New Jersey? 

There are three platforms at the station (including one island platform) for passengers. The station is also used as a small yard for trains on the line as well. 

Much of the track ballast at the station is mostly or even entirely just sand, as sand is plentiful in this area. 

Two GP40s 

If you go towards the western end of the platforms to take photos of the locomotives, be aware that they are incredibly loud in that area. 

Besides that, there really is not much about Atlantic City station's platforms that is of note compared to other stations that have a yard and platforms in the back. You get onto your train, and leave. 

Bus Connections 

There are a few bus connections at Atlantic City station. These include:

NJT

Ironically enough, NJT has very few bus connections that go directly to Atlantic City station. The 504 and 505 go very close by the station, but you still need to cross the Atlantic City Expressway (which is possible where the buses are but still an ordeal) 

Other


Multiple Atlantic City Jitney Association buses stop at Atlantic City station. Information about theses buses is incredibly limited, however. Tropicana Casino also runs a shuttle bus from Atlantic City station to the Tropicana Casino, as well. Additionally, Ourbus runs a bus to Atlantic City from New York City that stops at the train station. 

Things to Do in Atlantic City

There are so many things to do in Atlantic City that I wouldn't be able to list a lot of them here. Atlantic City is a giant tourist city. You will probably have an amount of fun there, especially if you're like me and like taking pictures of things! 

Statistics


Name: Atlantic City
Agency: NJT
Line(s): Atlantic City 
Locality: Atlantic City 
City/Township: Atlantic City 
County: Atlantic
Ridership: 594 per day (2018)

Amenity Checklist


Accessible: ✓
Bathrooms: ✓
Clean Station: ✓
Connections to other transit routes: ✓
Convenience Store/similar place inside: ✓
Easy passage for each side: ✓
Fare Payment Kiosks (if applicable): ✓
Good Wayfinding: ✓
Indoor Shelters: ✓
Maps: ✓
Multiple entrances/exits: ✓
Seating: ✓
Shelters: ✓
Station In Good Condition: ✓
Ticket Kiosks (if applicable): ✓
Ticket Offices: ✓
TOD: ✓
Train Departure/Arrival Info (signs that update/screens): ✓
Updated/Useful Signage: ✓

Final Verdict: 9/10, I just wish it was closer

Station Directory

--------Pennsylvania--------
--------Philadelphia County--------
30th Street
--------New Jersey--------
--------Camden County--------
Pennsauken Transit Center
Cherry Hill
Lindenwold
Atco
--------Atlantic County--------
Haddonfield
Egg Harbor City
Absecon
Atlantic City

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Station Review #73: Glenside (SEPTA)

Image
Glenside is a station serving multiple SEPTA Regional Rail lines, located at Easton Road and Glenside Avenue in Glenside, PA.  History Glenside station was built in 1873 by the North Pennsylvania Railroad, one of the few original NPRR station houses to remain to this day. Just six years later, the NPRR was bought by the Philadelphia and Reading Railway, the predecessor to the Reading Railroad. Glenside station was originally named Abington station, and was renamed sometime later to Glenside.  In 2000, a café opened in the station building called Elcy's Café.  Routes that Serve Glenside Station  There are four Regional Rail routes that go to Glenside station, these are:  Airport Line: These trains go to Center City via the SEPTA Main line, before then going to Philadelphia International Airport. Oftentimes, these are combined with Warminister Line trains.  Glenside Combined Line: These trains usually just go from 30th Stre...
Read more

Station Review #54: Gwynedd Valley (SEPTA)

Image
Gwynedd Valley is a station on SEPTA's Lansdale - Doylestown line at its intersection with Plymouth Avenue in the small village of Gwynedd Valley, PA.  History Information about the history of Gwynedd Valley station is scarce. This station dates back to the 1850s. It's unknown if the station building is that old, or if it's actually a newer station built by the Reading Railroad after the acquisition of the North Penn Railroad main line. Not long after Gwynedd Valley station was built, wealthy people started moving to that area in droves. Today, many very wealthy people still live in the area.  Gwynedd Valley station is well known for an illustration of it being on the October 7th, 1961 cover of the Saturday Evening Post . This is illustrated by well-known illustrator John Falter, at the time a resident of Whitpain Township, PA.   Tour Much as you'd expect, this station really has not changed all that much in the last ce...
Read more

Station Review #14: Wilmington (Greyhound)

Image
Schedule changes on the door Greyhound has a bus station in Wilmington. It's not the largest bus station that they've had, but at least it still exists. Let's look around inside! Tour Side of the building. The outside of the building is made to fit in with the rest of the Furness Transit district, anchored by  Wilmington (Amtrak/SEPTA) . Thus, it attempts to look like it's made of red bricks, failing miserably at doing this upon closer inspection. To enter, you must go to the other side of the building.  Going inside the building, you enter to see a large number of chairs, and not much else. There is a vending machine or two, bathrooms, and an American flag, and that's all you get. There is so much empty space here. Greyhound didn't even add a TV, or anything similar for waiting customers.  Much of the area you wait in Ad for the Greyest Hound on the window of the Greyhound waiting station Rest of the s...
Read more