The  impetus for a brand new railway through Montclair was brought by the fact that the service to New York City was not to their liking. Local leaders, such as Julius Pratt, led the creation of the Montclair Railway to provide a rival service for the Morris & Essex Railroad, which also ran through Montclair.
The dissatisfaction with existing railway services to New York City, particularly from the Morris & Essex Railroad, motivated local leaders like Julius Pratt to establish a new railway in Montclair. This new railway aimed to provide an alternative service and compete with the existing one.