Madison station (NJ Transit)

NJ Transit rail station

The station was built in 1916 after the local government passed an ordinance for $159,000 with the cooperation of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in the planning of the depot. Much of the road grading caused by the track elevation was funded by private contributions.

The rail line that currently runs through Madison, New Jersey was founded in 1835 with the Morris and Essex Railroad charter, which was approved by the New Jersey State Legislature on January 29. As part of an agreement during the surveying process, the Morris and Essex was required to stop all trains in Madison. The service ran from Newark to nearby Morristown, and Madison was one of only three regular stops along with the stops at Orange station and Millburn station. On September 17, 1837, the first passenger train began at the station. run by horses. The two horse drawn rail car would serve 30 people for several months, soon replaced by a locomotive known as the "Orange", built by Seth Boyden. Frustration began to develop in Madison by January 1878 about the lack of construction of a new depot. In the meantime, baggage and ticket services at Madison were being dealt with across the tracks, resulting in people having to cross the tracks, a dangerous proposition. Frustration manifested through February and into March, A pile of stones came to the site of the burned out depot by early March 1878, however locals believed the railroad was not going to begin construction any time soon. However, by March 16, lime had arrived for the preparation of construction of a new depot, which would begin within the next week. A local citizen of prominence contacted Lackawanna, demanding a depot be put up soon or at least a structure for reasonable service. The platform was flagged for construction in November 1878 and completed on January 1, 1879.

The Lackawanna wired the depot for electricity in March 1903. In August 1913, the Lackawanna Railroad bought up around $250,000 worth of local property between Chatham and Madison. The land, which totaled 1, along with a full house, was purchased through Alexander Eagle's local firm. The Madison Eagle speculated that the buyouts were for the straightening of railroad tracks between Madison and Chatham. The real estate agency noted that the railroad had been quietly purchasing land rather than doing it so publicly. A survey done several years prior noted that one lot, which took up , would result in several rooms of the owner's house being removed. In December 1913, George J. Ray, the chief engineer of the Lackawanna Railroad attended a meeting of the Madison borough council. The engineer explained to the borough about how each phase of the track elevation would go. A new railroad station would be built on the southern side of the tracks at the intersection of Green and Maple Avenues. A park would surround part of the station. The new station would have reasonable parkway space and approaches from Waverly Place, Green and Maple Avenues and Prospect Street. The project would include beautification of local lawns near the depot. A tunnel would connect each side of the tracks, which including a waiting room on the northern side of the tracks. The southern side would across include a baggage and express carriageway for travelers. Under this design, the railroad grade crossings at Union, Samson and Madison Avenues, Kings and Green Village Roads, Prospect and Elm Streets, along with Waverly Place would become underpasses for the road to cross under the tracks. Division Street and Ridgedale Avenue would have their crossings abandoned rather than replaced, and Prospect Street would be widened from the station to Main Street. Prospect Street would have sidewalks 60 feet (18 m) long under the overpass. Kings Road would be closed across the tracks, but the local sidewalks would remain open. Woodland Avenue would be extended by the railroad from Division Avenue to Lafayette Avenue in Chatham. Union Avenue would get a with two sidewalks. The rest of the roads were to cross the tracks with steel girder bridges. The new station was under construction by early 1916.

Madison station is a two track railroad station along New Jersey Transit's Morristown Line, a part of the Morris and Essex Lines. The station is two levels with two low level side platforms that include mini high level platforms. There are two ticket vending machines in the walkway tunnel under the platforms. The station also has a part time ticket office, open only from 5:30 am to 9:00 am on Monday through Friday and closed entirely on weekends. Madison has three parking lots, all on Kings Road and Prospect Street, including 413 parking spaces. Of these, ten are accessible for handicapped persons in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Two lots offer daily parking, and all three have permit only parking run by the borough of Madison. The station also has bicycle racks and lockers. The station is in fare zone 11. NJ Transit manages a bus connection at Madison station, the 873, which runs six days a week (excluding Sunday) from Parsippany–Troy Hills to Livingston. A private bus connection operated by Boxcar Transit runs weekdays from Madison station to and from Midtown Manhattan.