The HFS, formerly known as the “Someret” or “Somerset” (the “a” is silent), was a light-rail train system that operated in New Jersey in the early 1970s. It was one of the busiest light-rail lines in the world, with service to more than 30 points around the state.
The HFS is a very slow rail system, but it’s pretty fast, so it’s been around a long time, and the project is just getting started.
The HFS’s origins are somewhat confusing. The line was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad. The lines were originally built as a commuter line in the 1930s, but were transferred to the NJ Transit system in the early 1960s. In the mid-60s, NJ Transit planned to build its own commuter line. However, NJ Transit decided to continue using the HFS, which was a better system as far as reliability and speed.
The HFS was never considered a commuter line, though. Instead it was built as an extension of NJ Transit’s main commuter line, which at the time was the Penn-Frankford Line.
I’m not sure I fully understand what’s going on there. If the line is running as a commuter line, why is it called “harbor freight” and not just “train” though? Was it originally called “harbor freight” but renamed by the NJ Transit? I’m not sure I understand why the HFS is not a commuter line, either.
The HFS is essentially a commuter line that ran from Penn Station in New York City to Philly and then back to NY. It was discontinued due to a lack of demand. The idea was that it would allow NJ TRANSIT to build a direct rail line between New York City and New Jersey, and then connect with the commuter rail lines in the Philly area. Instead, the HFS was cancelled, merged, and now runs on an alternative commuter line, the Philadelphia Commuter Line.
The Philadelphia Commuter Line ran from PA to NYC, and then ran as a light rail line out to the city of Philadelphia. After being canceled, it was merged with the HFS and now runs on an alternative commuter line, the Broad Street Line.
What’s the difference between the Pennsylvania and New York Commuter Lines? It’s a direct rail line, and it’s more expensive to build. It runs as a separate line, but it’s much easier to build anyway. You’ve got to have the lines in front of you. A direct rail line between New York City and New Jersey is not a direct rail line. It’s a path between two cities.
The Pennsylvania and New York Commuter Lines aren’t direct. They are both paths, but the Penn is pretty much a path between two cities. The Jersey Transit Authority has its own direct rail lines between Philadelphia and New York. The only direct rail lines that run between New York and Philadelphia are the New York Subway and Amtrak.
The new “I love you” trailer is a sad reminder that most of us are just as mad as the rest of us are.