TheMonmouth Ocean Middlesex Line (MOM) is a passenger rail project in the US state of New Jersey, proposed byNJ Transit Rail Operations (NJT) to serve theCentral New Jersey counties ofMonmouth,Ocean, andMiddlesex.[1] The line would originate/terminate aroundLakehurst at its southern end. It would junction with either theNortheast Corridor Line orNorth Jersey Coast Line to provide service north toNewark Penn Station, with potential connecting or continuing service toHoboken Terminal orNew York Penn Station.
The area is fast-growing, densely-populated and home to thefifth and eighth most populated municipalities in the state,Lakewood andToms River, neither of which is served by passenger rail. Bus service is provided onNJ Transit bus routes 130-139 and fromLakewood Bus Terminal on theU.S. Route 9 corridor, which suffers from traffic congestion and safety issues.[2]
NJT completed a draftMajor Investment Study distributed in 1996 identifying the need for new rail service for the counties and enhancement of U.S. Route 9 bus service.[3] TheFederal Transit Administration (FTA) authorized the creation of adraft environmental impact statement in 2002, conducted bySYSTRA,[4] which identified three build alternatives inscoping documents.[5][6][7] A draft alternatives analysis report was released in 2010.[3] The baseline (no-build) alternative to expand theRoute 9 BBS (bus bypass shoulder lanes) also remains under study.[8][3] The line is included in theRegional Plan Association's Fourth Regional Plan.[9]
The advancement of project beyond studies (commissioned by NJT or theNorth Jersey Transportation Planning Authority) has lagged due to lack of funding and political wherewithal.[10]
The line would travel north to provide diesel commuter rail service fromLakehurst/Manchester toFarmingdale passing throughToms River (Dover),Jackson,Lakewood, in Ocean andHowell in Monmouth. Stations would be located at Manchester-Lakehurst, Jackson, and Howell-Oak Glen Road. All alternatives include a rail yard atLakehurst Maxfield Field.
From a junction in Farmingdale, three possible alignments are under consideration in Monmouth and Middlesex counties. One alternative would use an existing rail corridor that runs from to Lakehurst along the Jamesburg Branch, the Freehold Secondary, and the Southern Secondary (Southern Branch) and would join theNortheast Corridor Line atMonmouth Junction. Another would use an existing rail corridor from Lakehurst along the Southern Secondary and join theNorth Jersey Coast Line atRed Bank station. Another would use the abandoned Freehold Branch, Freehold Secondary, and the Southern Secondary from Matawan and join the North Jersey Coast atAberdeen-Matawan station.[10][11]
Service would continue north toNewark Penn Station (with connecting or continuing service toHoboken Terminal orNew York Penn Station). The following candidate stations were identified in 2005:[12][13][14][15]
| Matawan alignment | Red Bank alignment | Monmouth Jct alignment |
|---|---|---|
The project would make use of therights-of-way (ROW) of former branches of thePennsylvania Railroad (PRR) and theCentral Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ), some originally developed byNew Jersey Southern Railroad, including CNJ'sBlue Comet route toAtlantic City. The ROWs of theSouthern Secondary (CNJ), largely owned byNew Jersey Transit (NJT), and theFreehold Secondary (PRR) are partially in use for freight service byConrail's (CRCX)North Jersey Shared Assets Operations (CSAO).[14][16]
The property for the inland sections of theHenry Hudson Trail is currentlyrailbanked by NJT, which leases the line for arail trail to the Monmouth County Park System. The former CNJ ROW is leased through 2020 unlike most rail trails, was never officially abandoned. NJT reserves the right to reinstitute rail service.[17] According to theSierra Club, should NJT opt to restore service it would be the first instance in U.S history where a rail trail reverted to railway usage.[18]
Monmouth Battlefield State Park is traversed by the ROW used by the PRR'sFarmingdale and Squan Village Railroad/Freehold and Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad.[19]
As of 2025, the Monmouth Ocean Middlesex (MOM) Line remains a proposed project and is not under construction. Originally introduced in the 1990s, the project has undergone multiple feasibility studies but continues to face delays due to funding constraints, environmental reviews, and alignment disputes among the counties involved.
A 2009 agreement between officials in Monmouth, Ocean, and Middlesex counties identified the Lakehurst-to-Red Bank route, using existing freight rights-of-way, as the preferred alignment.[20] However, progress stalled in subsequent years.
In a 2020 report by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), the MOM Line was included in its Long Range Transportation Plan as a “project of interest” but lacked committed funding or an implementation timeline.[21]
NJ Transit continues to maintain the MOM Line as a concept in its strategic planning portfolio, but no environmental impact statement or federal approval has been finalized. In early 2023, local advocates renewed calls for federal infrastructure funding to support the project amid increased ridership demand and traffic congestion along U.S. Route 9.[22]
Although there is continuing public support—particularly from Ocean County, where residents face long bus commutes—NJ Transit has prioritized other projects in its capital program, such as the Gateway Tunnel and electrification efforts on existing lines.[23]
As of mid-2025, the MOM Line remains in the pre-development phase, with no confirmed timeline for advancement or construction.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link){{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)| Hoboken Division |  | |
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| Connections | ||
| Current rolling stock | ||
| Bridges and tunnels |
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| Stations and yards | ||
| Proposed lines | ||
| Other topics | ||