Atlantic City Rail Line Returning to Service in May

We now know when the Atlantic City Rail Line will return to service.

In a very brief statement posted on its website -- which has since been taken down -- New Jersey Transit says the Atlantic City Rail Line will return to service on Friday, May 24th.

The news release from New Jersey Transit was pulled because apparently someone posted it before the agency was to make the "official" announcement at a meeting in Cherry Hill tonight.

“Providing a clear date of restoration is the right thing to do for our customers, so that they can regain the use of the service and the confidence in its reliability, which are both so critical to their mobility,’’ said Governor Phil Murphy said in a later press release. “I am pleased to see that the Princeton Dinky, which is so important to thousands of commuters, and the Atlantic City Rail Line, which is a key part of the life blood of the Jersey Shore, will be operating in time for Memorial Day weekend and the kickoff to the summer tourism season.”

Commuters had grown frustrated at the lack of a firm date from NJ Transit for the restoration of service on the line, which has been suspended since the beginning of September 2018 for Positive Train Control work. The work has been completed, but NJ Transit has only said service would resume during the second quarter of the year.

Executive Director Kevin Corbett earlier in the week said that a date would be announced within the next three weeks. Gov. Phil Murphy said Tuesday at a media event that Corbett and his team "can do better."

With prior reporting from Dan Alexander.