Riding the Pascack Valley Line from Hoboken to Montvale
Join us on a rail adventure as we travel along the Pascack Valley Line on NJ Transit from Hoboken to Montvale, just before the New York State border. As a first-time rider on this route, I was excited to escape the chaos of New York and enjoy the added bonus of a diesel locomotive and passenger fleet. The Pascack Valley Line runs daily between Hoboken, NJ, through Hudson/Bergen counties and finally terminates at Spring Valley in Rockland County, New York. Although the ride was less scenic than the Bergen/Main Lines, especially at the beginning of the trip, it felt more like the Danbury or Waterbury branch of the Metro North New Haven Line. During the 1 hour and 25 minute ride, we passed through many small towns with each station having a crossing, which meant plenty of train horn sounds for this railfan. The NJ Transit conductors were friendly and professional, and we arrived in Montvale with high hopes of a full day of train activity. Unfortunately, I soon realized that only one train passed through here per hour. Nonetheless, Montvale is a charming town with enough activities to keep me occupied, including a Jersey Mike's, Starbucks and train tracks headed into the forest. I look forward to exploring a station with more train activity during my next adventure.
Christian is a Voice Actor & Narrator who loves trains, travel, coffee, and all things audio.