Looking out at backed-up beach traffic from the window of a weekend express train to the Shore was a satisfying summer NJ Transit experience.

Not anymore. The weekend express and direct North Jersey Coast Line service, which eliminated an annoying train change in Long Branch, are gone this summer.

That means passengers get a slower ride to the beach. That's 24 stops for passengers riding from New York to the end of the line in Bay Head on weekends.

Direct train service to the Shore is a casualty of NJ Transit's struggle to install a federally mandated safety system by a Dec. 31, 2018, federal deadline, officials said.

NJ Transit has to take locomotives and rail cars out of service to install PTC equipment. PTC uses computers and radios to stop a train if the operator doesn't obey speed limits and signals.

Rail cars and locomotive shortages are also blamed for overcrowding on commuter trains, and other service has been cut back due to PTC work.

Good to see @NJTRANSIT get rid to the popular summer weekend Shore express trains. Quality job, guys. pic.twitter.com/juNEZqIFaz — Matt (@meteoronomist) June 29, 2018

NJ Transit started direct Shore train service in 2014 with a $270,000 federal grant. It shaved about 25 minutes off the regular trip by using NJ Transit's dual-mode locomotives to eliminate changing trains in Long Branch.

Direct service ran for 23 days on summer weekends and holidays, hauling a total of 49,690 passengers in 2014, officials said.

That service returned in 2015 and 2016. But in 2017, it was a casualty of the "summer of hell" Penn Station New York track work that shifted 25 percent of NJ Transit's rail service to Hoboken Terminal.

NJ Transit hasn't totally thrown in the beach towel. More Bay Head shuttle trains are running this summer so passengers don't have to wait as long.

"The Bay Head-Long Branch shuttles have been enhanced to provide hourly service and accommodate customer demand to and from Shore destinations during peak travel times," said Jim Smith, an NJ Transit spokesman.

The agency still offers weekday Coast Line express trains to the Shore at 4:33, 5:05 and 6:03 p.m.

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

