Warsh says there is no stopping MOM NJ Transit chief insists it will be a ‘life-line’ for opposing towns T
"We are moving ahead," Warsh said in a recent telephone interview.
The director stated that the proposed commuter line between Lakewood in Ocean County and the Northeast Corridor line, in the Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick, is just waiting for funding to become a reality.
"Once we get the capital funds, we will build it," Warsh said.
The proposal would use an existing Conrail freight line to run the commuter trains.
According to Warsh, recent reports of regulatory approval, needed to use the line, are inaccurate.
"We are an authority," Warsh said, explaining that once the NJ Transit Board of Directors votes for the project; they only need Gov. Whitman to sign off on the minutes of the meeting for approval.
Whitman’s office has stated that she supports the MOM proposal, but is aware of the opposition in Middlesex County.
Officials from the three municipalities on the proposed line in Middlesex County met last week in Monroe to organize their opposition to the plan.
South Brunswick councilmen Edmund Luciano and Ted Van Hessen, and Jamesburg Mayor Joseph Dipierro joined Monroe Township Mayor Richard Pucci and other officials at a public meeting where they stated their opposition to the line.
In addition to local officials, Middlesex County Freeholder Director David B. Crabiel and State Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein (D-14) also voiced opposition.
Crabiel said that Middlesex County remains opposed to the plan, vowing that the project "will never be built."
Warsh said that many of the objections raised by those opponents were not true.
"We have to debunk the myths," Warsh said.
Warsh said that the line doesn’t need a dual rail, as stated by opponents, and that the authority currently runs a mixed line in Bergen County.
Conrail said that they intend to continue running freight trains on the line if the project is completed.
"Everyone is seizing on one line; that is inaccurate," Warsh said.
Warsh explained that the Pascack Valley Line, which he said is almost identical to the MOM proposal, currently operates with both types of trains using one line.
"I have urged the mayors to see this line," Warsh said. "They never looked at similar lines."
Warsh said he would be happy to arrange a whistle stop tour of these lines for the officials opposing MOM, giving them a chance to speak with their counterparts along the line.
"They don’t look outside of their own towns," Warsh said. "They are willing to fight to the death, while in the towns with service they would fight to the death if we took service away."
Warsh said that NJ Transit runs safe lines, and he does not think that the new line would pose any undo safety threats.
"We don’t hit cars or school buses," Warsh said, adding that the crossings would have gates.
Warsh said that it is statistically more dangerous to drive a car.
"We run the safest line in the country," Warsh said.
Warsh also stated, "We don’t operate high speed lines," explaining that, to him, a high speed train travels at about 150 mph.
Warsh also said that even the predictions of NJ Transit that 42 trains would run on the line each day were not exactly accurate.
"That is our high end capacity," Warsh said, adding that he did not see that many trains using the line.
Warsh estimated that about 10 trains would probably run on the line when it opens.
As for opponents’ claims that the line would lose an estimated $1 million a month, Warsh said that there is not a single commuter line in the country operating with a profit.
"Our farebox recovery is 65 percent, the highest in the country," Warsh said.
Warsh said that the service will be a "life line" for the communities which oppose it.
"It will be a vitamin shot mainlined into the body of Jamesburg," Warsh said, adding that the senior population in Monroe will benefit tremendously from the service. "It will provide access to health care, friends and jobs for the seniors."
Warsh urged line opponents to "hold their fight for another day" and to look at other areas in the state with commuter service.
"Those towns look back at the rail line being the best thing to happen to them," Warsh said, saying he is waiting for the day 10 years from now when he will be getting thank-you notes from residents of the towns now opposing the line.
Asked about numbers he has been using lately to show wide support for MOM, Warsh said 75 towns will be affected by or benefit from it. He has made a point of saying that all but three of the 75 towns along the line — the three exceptions being Jamesburg, Monroe and South Brunswick — favor it.
Monmouth County, which would receive the most benefit, has 52 towns in total.