The Newark City Subway (now the "Newark Light Rail"), operated by NJ Transit, was the last New York City-area trolley operation, lasting until the summer of 2001. Using a fleet of PCC's retired from Minneapolis, the City Subway served faithfully since 1935. Construction of the Subway began in 1929 in the bed of the abandoned Morris County Canal. When completed, the Subway acted as a grade-separated conduit for local streetcar lines to reach congested downtown Newark. In 1937, the line was extended to a loop terminal under Newark Penn Station. Because the Subway was built as a conduit for the surface lines operating in the city, there were five connections to the other routes. At one time, there were connections in the subway just after Penn Station that ran over to the old Public Service terminal lower level. There were also ramps at Washington Street, Central Avenue (west of the Norfolk Street station), a connection at Orange Street crossing, and more ramps to Bloomfield Avenue just east of the Bloomfield Avenue station. Evidence of the ramps can still be seen today. The last connecting route (21 and 29) was closed in 1952, leaving the Route 7-City Subway as the last remaining trolley operations in New Jersey. The Subway was integrated into Public Service's bus operations, retaining its route number. Public Service Coordinated Transport of New Jersey operated the line through the 1970s, when the state began its process of taking over operations. Transport of New Jersey operated the line until the early 1980's, when New Jersey Transit took over. Few changes occurred over the years, except that the cars were painted into the snappy black and white with "disco stripes" just like the bus fleet. Stations were rebuilt and rehabbed throughout the 1980s and 1990s. As the light rail movement took root in the early 1990s, it was decided to integrate the Newark Subway into any future light rail lines. Through 1999, the trolley wire was upgraded to light rail catenary, and trolley poles were replaced by Faivley pantographs. The PCC's were replaced by the same kind of vehicles operating on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail at the end of summer 2001. NJT has wisely invested new money into upgrading the line into the 21st century so that this unique transit corridor would be preserved for generations to come. With the retirement of the PCC's however, the time-travel effect fades into the history books. Here is a small collection of photos from my brief time exploring the City Subway, "Newark's Best Kept Secret."
Car No. 1 arrives at the outbound platform at Newark Penn Station.
Traffic coming and going at Broad Street Station.
Would you believe we're still in Newark? Car 23 is about to duck under Sussex Avenue near Orange Street Station.
This was the only grade crossing on the Subway until the 2001 extension project. Two cars meet at Orange Street. 
Car 15 negotiates the legendarily-tight Franklin Avenue loop. This loop was eliminated in 2001 as the new LRV's did not require to be turned. 
NJ Transit maintained the classic PCC's in top condition through the end of service.
