Pennsylvania Station, often called Newark Penn Station (including in letters on the side of the station) so as not to confuse it with Pennsylvania Station in New York City, is one of the two main train stations in Newark, New Jersey. It is located at Raymond Plaza, between Market Street and Raymond Boulevard.

Designed by the renowned architectural firm McKim, Mead and White, the station is a mixture of Art Deco and Neo-Classical. The interior of the main waiting room has medallions illustrating the history of transportation, from wagons to steamships to cars and airplanes, the eventual doom of the railroad age. The was dedicated on March 23, 1935 and replaced a smaller structure; the first regular train to use it was a New York-Philadelphia express at 10:17 on March 24. Except for the separate Newark City Subway station, tracks are located above the ground.

It was built to be one of the centerpieces of the former Pennsylvania Railroad's (PRR's) train network, and was the western hub of its Newark-New York City train service, as well as a transfer point to the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad (now ), which was partially funded by the PRR, for travel to lower Manhattan. At the time, the PRR operated no fewer than 232 trains between the two cities daily. The trip, one-way, took an average of 16 minutes.

The station, the adjacent 230-foot lift bridge over the Passaic River (the longest three-track railway lift span in existence at the time), the Newark City Subway and the realignment of PATH were built at a cost of $42 million, borne about half-and-half by the PRR and the City of Newark.

Newark Penn Station is still frequented by the intercity Northeast Corridor Amtrak service, but most of its passenger train traffic serves commuters. Three New Jersey Transit regional rail lines -- the Raritan Valley Line, Northeast Corridor Line, and North Jersey Coast Line -- converge here before continuing into Manhattan.

It is the western terminus for the Newark-World Trade Center line of the PATH train operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. It is also the southern terminus of the Newark City Subway, operated by New Jersey Transit. Both of those servies were extended or realigned to the station on June 20, 1937, closing Manhattan Transfer.

Tracks and platforms

There are eight tracks at Newark Penn Station. Seven of these are located on one level, with PATH arrivals happening on an upper-level track, with a platform on the west (right) side.

Tracks A and 1 are usually used by Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains bound for New York Penn Station. Track A is served by a side platform, while Track 1 is serviced by an island platform shared with the track for departing PATH trains.

Track 2 is typically used by Amtrak trains heading towards New York Penn Station. This track is served by an island platform that is also shared with the PATH departure track.

Track 3 is usually used by southbound Amtrak trains, though southbound New Jersey Transit trains will sometimes use this track. This platform is served by an island platform shared with Track 4. This platform also has a ramp to the PATH arrival track on the upper level.

Track 4 is primarily southbound New Jersey Transit trains on the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast lines. This track shares a platform with Track 3.

Track 5 is typically reserved for outbound New Jersey Transit's Raritan Valley service. This track is served by a side platform.

References

• Newark Dedicates New Station Today, New York Times March 23, 1935 page 13
• Newark Dedicates its New Terminal, New York Times March 24, 1925 page N1
• New Station Open for Hudson Tubes, New York Times June 20, 1937 page 35