SEPTA Announces Trolley Tunnel Blitz For 9 Days In July

Philadelphia, Pa, July 2, 2018 – Due to power, track and station improvement projects, SEPTA Trolley Routes 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36 are not operable in Philadelphia’s Center City tunnel from 10 p.m. on Friday, July 13, through 4 a.m. on Monday, July 23. Trolley service begins/terminates at 40^th and Market Streets as trolleys are redirected to their alternate diversion service routing allowing for connections to SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line at 40^th and Market Streets. Trolley passengers can change for the Market-Frankford Line at the 40^th Street Station for travel to-and-from Center City, as the work efforts don’t affect that service.

This is the fifth consecutive summer SEPTA has conducted the Trolley Tunnel Blitz. During this year’s nine-day tunnel closure, members of SEPTA’s in-house Engineering, Maintenance and Construction Division crews work around-the-clock on key maintenance and construction tasks throughout the five-mile, single loop Center City tunnel. 

                 Photo and story by Joseph M. Calisi (c)2018 All Rights Reserved

NYCT Subway Service 2012 Investments Announced

New York, NY, July 19, 2012 – The draconian service cuts made 2 years ago during the apex of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) fiscal crisis may make a partial reversal while keeping the IND Queens-Brooklyn crosstown local ‘G’ train service extension in addition to some new transit operations. At that time in 2009, two subway lines and some bus services were either eliminated and others re-routed. Commuter trains were pared or combined to save money.

According to published reports, of the $90 million extra dollars stated in the MTA's most recent finance report (than were projected in the February budget), $20 million of that could go to fund the restored service. The news for straphangers isn’t all good as a 7.5% fare increase is expected to pay for it in March, 2013. The MTA’s adding and extending service on almost 40 bus, subway and commuter rail lines to better serve its customers, enhance access to mass transit, accommodate ridership growth and attract new transit customers. These investments come at a time when MTA ridership is steadily increasing across all forms of mass transit: subway ridership is at levels not seen since the 1950s; commuter train ridership is approaching all-time records and; bus service is at a premium for riders.

The G train story is of particular interest because the line was extended due to the Culver Viaduct repair work at the Smith-9th Street elevated stop over the deep-bottomed Gowanus Canal. Built in the 1930s, it was the only IND (New York City-built INDependent line) service constructed as an elevated. Due to wear and tear over the decades, the structure needed rebuilding which included a complete gutting and overhaul of that station. With the advent of the Culver Viaduct restoration work in 2009, the line was extended 5 stops to its current Church Avenue terminus with intermediate stops at Fourth Avenue-Ninth Street, Seventh Avenue, 15th Street-Prospect Park and Fort Hamilton Parkway.



EDITORS: The full-length article is available upon request to: jmcalisi@verizon.net

  

GCT's "Whispering Gallery" Gets A Renovation

Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan, July, 2012 - One of the seven secrets of Grand Central Terminal is getting a facelift of sorts. The tile work known as the famous "whispering gallery" in front of the Oyster Bar restaurant on the Lower Level of GCT is being repaired. Historians needn't worry because the only change to occur is a simple - replace weakened mortar and reset the tiles resulting in a lot cleaner and brighter entire space. 

Metro-North currently is the sole rail user of the almost century-old structure and will be joined by Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) when East Side Access is completed. Amtrak has used the structure in the past as they moved their operations to New York's Penn Station in the early 1990s, vacated with some rare emergency uses - the last of which saw the return of the NY Central observation car 'Hickory Creek' (of the famous 20th Century Ltd passenger train) to GCT for the first time in 40 years.

Metro-North Begins Quiet Car Service on New Haven Line Starting Jan 9, 2012

January 3, 2012 - Metro-North advised its New Haven line riders that 'Quiet Car' service on trains between Grand Central and its Danbury, Waterbury and New Haven destinations with flyers. The northern-most car on am peak service and southern-most pm peak select trains will have the new offering. Reverse rush hour trains are not involved in this pilot program.

Commuters on these trains need to follow 4 rules:

• do not use cell phones
• disable sound features on computers and other electronic devices
• conduct conversations in subdued tones
• use headphones at levels that will not be heard by fellow commuters.

The New Haven line joins its sister Harlem and Hudson line trains with the new 'quiet calmute' service designated with a 'Q' on the timetable beginning January 9th.

Quiet car violators will be notified by a conductor with a quiet calmute 'shhh' card that explains the rules in English and Spanish.

The new passenger experience comes on the heels of an announced 19% six years in a row Connecticut line fare increase to cover the cost of the new M-8 emu (electric multiple unit) cars and infrastructure improvements. According to Connecticut Governor Malloy, the implemented January 1 increase is necessary to pay for dependable service and equipment.

Caption: A Metro-North push-pull commuter train from Danbury CT on the lower level of Grand Central Terminal.

A PCC will once again ply the rails of the streets of San Diego

San Diego, August 27, 2011 - Beginning August 27, 2011, the PCC will once again ply the rails of the streets of San Diego. Car #529 was restored and modernized to current standards by volunteers at a cost of $850,000. The program was led by MTS Chairman Harry Mathis.

Trolley service in San Diego ended in 1949 and this car built in that year for operation in San Francisco.

These PCC streetcars were built in St. Louis by the St. Louis Car Company in 1945 and delivered to the St. Louis Public Service Company in 1945 and 46. They served in San Francisco from 1957 until retired in 1982. In 1992, Gunnar Henrioulle of South Lake Tahoe purchased the cars for a proposed street car system in Sacramento, California.

Hurricane Irene Results In Unprecedented System Wide New York Metropolitan Region Shutdown

New York Metropolitan Region, August 26, 2011 - The entire transportation network of the New York Tri-State region will be shut down due to Hurricane Irene's entry into the area.

New Jersey Transit, The Port Authority of NY & NJ (including PATH subway) in addition to the MTA's transportation venues will be shut down for the first time in history. All three agencies are following a similar script. The New York City governments issued similar statements basically stating that the New York City Office of Emergency Management offers a wealth of information about preparing for the hurricane and for disasters in general.  You can enter your street address on the City website to determine if you live in a hurricane evacuation zone and your level of risk.

Beginning at 12 Noon on Saturday, August 27, 2011; the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York (MTA) announced the unprecedented orderly shutdown of their entire bus and rail (subway, Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road) network in advance of the arrival of Hurricane Irene.

In order to ease the mandatory evacuation process in southern Queens in New York City and Long Island, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that in order to facilitate the mandatory evacuation of residents living in low-lying Zone A areas and the Far Rockaways, the MTA has suspended certain fares and tolls in addition to temporary policy changes. MTA stations and rail terminals are not designated shelters and will be closed in the event of a service shutdown. Those in need of assistance will be directed to nearby shelters.

Starting on Friday at 8 p.m, fares were suspended on buses throughout the city as well as all subway and rail passengers at stations in mandatory evacuation areas. Pets will be allowed on board MTA vehicles. Dogs must be leashed and, if possible should be muzzled. Cats and other pets should be in carriers.

Scheduled weekend construction projects have been cancelled to allow for potential evacuation and suspension of service. All MTA construction sites were secured, with cranes lowered.

If winds reach sustained speeds of 60 mph, each of the MTA’s seven bridges and two tunnels will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for closure.

UPDATE:

One of the issues to deal with are the gas stations that can't pump gas because there's no gas or electricity. Here are a couple of photos taken at the Gulf gas station on Main Street in New Rochelle, NY this morning. This storm is really one of the big ones so be safe and dry!!!

An Unsung Part Of East Side Access - Metro-North Heads To NY Penn Station

Manhattan, July 28, 2011 - A great deal of the focus concerning East Side Access surrounds the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) entering a new lower level of Grand Central Terminal in a few years (hopefully). On the flip-side, a relatively little-discussed part of the project involves Metro-North (MNR).

I can predict your thoughts - what does Metro-North have to do with ESA? The answer is plenty.

The new M-8 cars you're seeing plying the rails of the New Haven line in the coming years will have an additional port to call at - NY Penn Station. The cars were designed to use both MNR's under running 3rd rail and LIRR's overrunning (dragging over the power rail like the subways).

According to unnamed sources, this hasn't reached the design phase but involves adding new LIRR-style 3rd rail so that the M-8 cars don't have to interface with an additional phase of electrical over catenary power which is something the new 'tomato cans' can't handle.

Since NY Penn Station is at complete capacity, LIRR trains would have to be displaced by MNR's equipment. One of the theories behind ESA is that the 2 agencies would engineer a train 'swap' of 2:1 or even 3:1 but this still in a pipe dream as the tunnel boring 'rock eating' machine has just completed it task. Years of work are still ahead before track can be laid and signalling put into place.

An interesting possibility is that a Metro-North M-8 could go down Amtrak's Hell Gate line and still could wind up in Grand Central but in the LIRR's new lair.

I encourage you to visit Jim Cameron's CT Rail Commuter Council blog at: www.trainweb.org/. Many concerns that crop up on the Metro-North's New Haven line are discussed on the site. This very topic can be under the banner of Metro- North Penn Station Access Study than can be found at:
http://www.trainweb.org/ct/mnpenn.htm .

Nonetheless, I look forward to any of these developments becoming reality - I just want to see them.

Connecticut Says: More M-8 Cars! The M-8s We Have Are Not Enough!!!

HARTFORD, CT, July 19, 2011 - Today, with 3 trainsets of M-8 cars operating 130 trips weekly, the State of Connecticut says that these cars are not enough. In addition to the 380 cars already ordered from the fully optioned first contract, an additional order is asking Kawasaki to build up to 25 additional cars with options for another 10-25 single cars if this additional contract is exercised by June 30, 2013. The cars will be used on the New Haven Line which services 120,000 riders a day between New Haven and New York City which is arguably called the busiest in the nation.

Connecticut’s share of the $93 million contract is $60.5 million (65%) with New York chipping in $32.6 million (35%). Governor Malloy will ask the State Bond Commission to put the state’s share on the agenda for the next meeting, scheduled for July 29.

Governor Dannel P. Malloy said, “I have made a commitment to our commuters to do everything we can to improve service, safety and reliability on the New Haven Line.” He added that, “This past winter underscored the ongoing problems with our aging train fleet, with frequent breakdowns and many cars out of service on any given day. Investing now in additional rail cars will pay off for years to come. And, we will entice more commuters to leave their cars behind and hop on the train.”

Metro-North President Howard Permut said, “Working with our partners at the Connecticut DOT, we have come up with a plan that allows for the full retirement of the problematic and obsolete design of the M-4 and M-6 fleet. This order will bring to 405 the number of new cars in service on the New Haven Line. This purchase, if approved by the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, is a first for Metro-North. It will increase the efficiency of the fleet as a whole, offering maximum flexibility, while providing a modern, uniform electric fleet. While this car is good for the railroad’s ability to operate efficiently, it is our customers who will reap the benefits of bigger windows, more comfortable seats, electrical outlets at every seat, large bathrooms that work, destination signs inside and out, a crystal clear public address system and overall elegant design.”

There are a couple of differences between this new order and the previous one. These cars will cost about $3.325 million each and are ‘blind’ (not powered). There are no hostler controls or conductor communicators either which accounts for the lower cost. As single units, they will appear between M-8 pairs which is a ratio of one trailer to four powered cars.

The bottom line is that the current fleet of 'Cosmopolitan' M-2/4/6 cars will be history in 2014. It should be noted that 230 of the 337 Cosmo cars are more than 40 years old.

It would be nice if an M-2 (barcar pair), M-4 and an M-6 triplex could be saved for a transportation museum somewhere, after all, these were the cars that saved the New Haven line years ago.

Metro-North Adds More M-8 Runs With Newly Issued Timetable

New York, NY, June 27, 2011 - With the new timetables issued, no major schedule changes were apparent but something was different. Additional runs with the new M-8 cars seemed to be in effect.

Weekday rush hour train #1229 out of New Rochelle (at 8:15 a.m.) previously was sent to a trainyard upon arrival at GCT but this has changed as the trainset has been turned around for a return revenue trip up the New Haven line instead. Evidence of additional operation is purely visual on my part when I saw a southbound passing thru New Rochelle at about 12:20pm on Sunday, June 26th. More evening runs for the new 'tomato cans' have also been scheduled as a New Haven-bound M-8 has been scheduled during the 9 p.m. hour.

The photos in this post show the 2 newest emu models side by side in the grandest train terminal anywhere. The blue M-7 (to North White Plains) and red-faced M-8 (to New Haven) trains await the call to duty at Grand Central Terminal.

These new cars are a great ride so enjoy them when you have the chance. But remember one thing, don't spill your coffee or mar the interior. I'd like to see these new cars keep looking new for a while longer.

East River Water Ferry Service Begins June 13th

New York City, June 13, 2011- Expanded ferry service has been added as part of the New York City’s comprehensive waterfront plan. Scheduled, frequent service becomes a new transportation option for commute from growing neighborhoods along Brooklyn and Queens waterfronts with free connecting shuttle bus service at East 34th Street during rush hour to Midtown Manhattan. Free rides are available into next week.

The questions are: how long will the money for this service last in these difficult economic times and is this service being provided at the expense of City Worker jobs?

Below is the photo is the press release issued by the Mayor's Office on http://www.nyc.gov/.

Photo caption: Water ferries in Lower Manhattan moves in and out of  Wall Street/Pier 11 effortlessly as highway traffic is backed up on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. This is how mass transit beats road traffic as East River ferries began to move commuters on 6/13.

_________________________________________________________________________

MAYOR BLOOMBERG, SPEAKER QUINN AND OFFICIALS

LAUNCH NEW EAST RIVER FERRY SERVICE.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn and other officials today launched the new East River Ferry Service, a key component of the City’s comprehensive waterfront plan. The new service will provide year-round ferry transportation between East 34th Street and Pier 11 in Manhattan, Long Island City in Queens, Greenpoint, North Williamsburg, South Williamsburg, and DUMBO in Brooklyn, and, in the summer, to Brooklyn Bridge Park (Fridays only) and Governors Island (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only). The service will be operated by BillyBey Ferry Company under the NY Waterway brand. It is the largest private ferry operator in the country, and it currently transports nearly 30,000 riders daily in the New York harbor. Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn took a ride on the inaugural ferry, boarding in North Williamsburg and disembarking at East 34th Street in Manhattan . They were joined by Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert K. Steel, Congress Member Carolyn Maloney, Borough Presidents Marty Markowitz, Helen Marshall and Scott Stringer, Council Members Stephen Levin, Michael Nelson and James Van Bramer, New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky, City Planning Commissioner Amanda M. Burden, BillyBey Ferry Company Chairman Bill Wachtel and President Paul Goodman, and Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance President Roland Lewis.

“The comprehensive waterfront plan we launched two months ago addresses more than New York City’s hundreds of miles of waterfront, it also targets our waterways and how we can expand their use for transportation and recreation,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Waterfront neighborhoods like DUMBO and Williamsburg in Brooklyn and Long Island City and Hunter’s Point South in Queens continue to grow, and destinations like Brooklyn Bridge Park and Governors Island continue to attract more visitors. The new ferry service will augment that growth and make it easier for New Yorkers to commute from and get to these residential neighborhoods and waterfront parks.”

“Our unparalleled urban waterways have contributed directly to the history and success of New York City ,” said Speaker Quinn. “I am excited to see the new ferry service reconnecting New Yorkers and tourists alike to a new transportation option that invigorates and embraces a resource that truly makes our City great. By taking New Yorkers out of over-crowded trains and subways, this new service will change the way we move between the boroughs, reminding us that we can continue to grow and take advantage of all our City has to offer.”

The year-round ferry service began today and will be free of charge for all customers through June 24, 2011. The service will cost $4 for a one-way ticket, $12 for an unlimited all-day pass, and $140 for an unlimited monthly pass. Ferries will accommodate bikes on board for one dollar. Ticketing machines will be available at all commuter locations along with staffed ticket agents at some stops.

Ferries will be in service from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM on weekdays, and 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM on weekends. During off-peak hours, the service will be operated every 30 minutes during the summer and every 60 minutes during the winter. During weekday rush hour, approximately 7:00 to 9:30 AM and 4:30 to 7:00 PM, ferries will operate every 20 minutes and commuters can connect to a free shuttle bus service at the East 34th Street ferry landing. The bus will meet each peak-hour ferry boat, and take passengers on a loop west on 35th Street to 6th Avenue, then north to 48th Street, then east to Lexington Avenue, then south to 34th Street and back to the ferry landing, making stops along the way.

“ New York ’s economy continues to add jobs, making it more important than ever that we continue to provide more commuting options,” Deputy Mayor Steel. “A critical component of Mayor Bloomberg’s waterfront agenda, this new ferry service will connect the East Side of Manhattan with rapidly-growing neighborhoods in Queens and Brooklyn like Long Island City, Williamsburg, Greenpoint and DUMBO, making it easier for thousands more New Yorkers to move throughout the City every day.”

“Ferries are a natural fit for our city of islands. This expanded ferry service will be an important resource for commuters in some of New York ’s fastest-growing communities,” said Congress Member Maloney. “Ferry service is environmentally-friendly, relieves congestion on our subways and roads, and provides increased access to our waterfront. I congratulate Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn for their leadership in delivering these much-needed improvements to our transportation network.”

“The East River Ferry Service is the next great concept for improving New York ’s mass-transit and transportation systems,” said Congress Member Jerrold Nadler. “Harnessing New York ’s rivers and embracing a proud local maritime tradition will usher New Yorkers into a more urbane, interconnected, and environmentally clean 21st century. I am proud to have helped secure $3.6 million toward this project, and I commend Speaker Quinn and the City for making it happen.”

“Ferry service in North Williamsburg will mean additional commuting options for New York residents, while drawing more visitors to Brooklyn ,” said Congress Member Nydia M. Velázquez.

“Bravo to Mayor Bloomberg and his staff, Deputy Mayor Robert Steel, Speaker Christine Quinn and the Council, the EDC and everyone who played a role in bringing expanded ferry service from NY Waterway to Brooklyn and the outer boroughs of Manhattan and Queens ,” said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. “With stops in our flourishing neighborhoods of Greenpoint, North and South Williamsburg, DUMBO and Pier 6 at Atlantic Avenue in the summer, Brooklyn is ‘ferry’ excited to welcome this new service, which is certain to bring economic development and tourism to our bustling waterfront.”

“Increased ferry service among the boroughs is the wave of the future,” said Queens Borough President Helen Marshall. “While encouraging daily commuters to use mass transit, we cannot expect more passengers to fit on overcrowded trains and buses. Long Island City has experienced a dramatic growth in housing in the past 20 years without a concurrent growth in transportation alternatives. The ferry service to Long Island City , in particular, is a very welcome, much needed and very appealing resource. My hope is that the success of these ferries will result in even greater use of our waterways as an option for travel. I thank NY Waterway and all our partners in government for today’s welcome announcement.”

“The inaugural voyage of the City’s new inter-borough ferry service marks the further interconnectedness of New York 's spaciously dispersed communities,” said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. “We use trains, buses, cars and bikes to travel the expanse of the five boroughs; now commuters and visitors can take advantage of our city's rivers. I commend Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn for their stewardship of this inspiring project, and the EDC for their fruitful collaboration with New York Waterway, and I encourage all New Yorkers to take the new ferries for a spin.”

“We're eager to see new transportation options open up, and to use our waterways to bring the boroughs together,” said Council Member Garodnick. “A viable commuter ferry is a prominent part of our vision for the City’s future, and this is an important step towards making it a reality.”

“Long before the subway system connected the five boroughs, ferry service proved to be an efficient and convenient means of transportation throughout the city,” said Council Member Levin. “I applaud the leadership of Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn to ensure that North Brooklyn commuters once again have a reliable alternative to the G train. As a Greenpoint resident, I personally look forward to utilizing the ferry service often.”

“The implementation of ferry service is a giant step towards our effort to reconnect New Yorkers to the waterfront,” said Council Member Nelson, Chair of the City Council Waterfronts Committee. “With the ongoing service cuts to the City’s subways and buses, this new ferry service will give commuters an alternative option of getting to and from work while familiarizing tourists and city residents with the wonders New York has to offer outside of Manhattan .”

“In an increasingly congested city, we need reliable alternatives to get people to and from work. Ferry service is an option we must expand,” said Council Member Van Bramer. “Ferry service will improve connections between the five boroughs, helping ease traffic congestion and provide long-term economic support for the City of New York . I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on creating transportation alternatives for our communities.”

The service will operate in both directions and make seven regular stops along the East River , with two additional summer stops:
· East 34th Street in Manhattan
· Hunter’s Point South/Long Island City
· Greenpoint at India Street
· North Williamsburg between North 5th and North 6th Streets
· South Williamsburg at Schaefer Landing at Kent Avenue
· DUMBO at Fulton Ferry Landing off Old Fulton Street
· Pier 11/Wall Street in Manhattan
· Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6 at Atlantic Avenue – summer Fridays
· Governors Island – summer Saturdays and Sundays.
Travel time between each stop is approximately five minutes. On Fridays in the summer, an additional loop service will connect Pier 11, DUMBO, Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6 at Atlantic Avenue , and Governors Island , running from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM. During the operating season on Governors Island, the regular ferry route will be extended on Saturdays and Sundays from Pier 11 to Governors Island, providing Brooklyn and Queens Residents a one seat ride to the harbor recreation destination. This will complement the existing free service run to Governors Island from the Battery Maritime Building in Manhattan and Pier 6 in Brooklyn .
“Commuters, visitors, and residents can now take advantage of the much talked-about and long-awaited East River Ferry service – a service that will deliver fast, frequent, reliable, relaxing, and sustainable transportation to Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan ,” said NYCEDC President Pinsky. “The new ferry service is a coordinated public-private effort that will trigger economic development and reactive the waterfront in vibrant, but underserved neighborhoods. We want to thank BillyBey for working with us and sharing our vision of providing more New Yorkers with a true mass water transportation option.”
“The City's many new East River waterfront communities will greatly benefit from this new frequent ferry service between Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan ,” said City Planning Commissioner Burden. “For commuters, residents and visitors, a robust waterborne transit service will blur the boundaries between our boroughs as never before. The City's new Comprehensive Waterfront Plan made the expanded use of our waterways a primary recommendation, and it is gratifying to witness its launch so early after release of the plan.”
The City is providing $9.3 million over the next three years to help ensure affordability of the service. Ridership above projected levels would reduce the City’s contribution. New ferry landings were constructed at North Williamsburg by Douglaston Development and in Greenpoint by Stiles LLC. Congress Members Nadler and Maloney secured federal funds to assist in the construction of the landings. Along with upgrades made to the already existing landings, the total capital investment in Brooklyn and Queens exceeds $10 million. Riders disembarking at 34th Street in Manhattan will see a new passenger waiting area under construction that will open in 2012, being built with funding from the federal government and the Port Authority among others.

“This is truly an exciting day, not only for Brooklyn and Queens, but for all of New York ,” said Paul Goodman, President of BillyBey Ferry Co., which operates the ferries. “With this new service, the waterfront communities in Brooklyn and Queens will have a frequent and reliable transportation alternative, and a more enjoyable means of access to Manhattan and their neighboring communities. And residents and visitors of Manhattan will have a new way of discovering the vibrant communities in Brooklyn and Queens . We are thrilled to be bringing this much needed new transportation option to New York City and hope everyone takes advantage of it.”

“Employing the blue highways that surround us to move people for work and for fun makes good common sense,” said Roland Lewis, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance. “More people on boats will ease congestion on our roads and rails. The Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance applauds the new East River service and will work with its 544 alliance partners and with the City of New York to make it a success.”
This initiative is part of the Waterfront Vision and Enhancement Strategy, a sustainable blueprint for New York City ’s waterfront and waterways launched by Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn in May 2011. To reconnect New Yorkers and visitors to the water and reclaim New York City’s standing as a premier waterfront city, the plan will transform the City’s waterfront with new parks, new industrial activities and new housing, and it will capitalize on the City’s waterways to promote water-borne transportation, recreation, maritime activity and natural habitats. The plan has two components: a three-year action agenda comprised of 130 funded projects, including the development of more than 50 acres of new waterfront parks, creation of 14 new waterfront esplanades and introduction of new commuter ferry service; and the Vision 2020: New York City Comprehensive Waterfront Plan, a framework for the City’s 520 miles of shoreline for the next decade and beyond. The 130 action agenda projects are expected to create 13,000 construction jobs and at least 3,400 permanent maritime and industrial jobs. It is the first citywide plan for the waterfront in nearly two decades and the first ever comprehensive plan for the waterways themselves.

Third M-8 Placed In Revenue Service By Metro-North

June 13, 2011 - The third M-8 emu trainset was placed into revenue service by Metro-North this week. The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT) had another one of their celebratory press releases, and with good reason. CT Gov. Dannel P. Malloy called it, "A significant milestone." Sixty M-8s are scheduled to be in service at the end of 2011 and a webpage about the M-8 rail cars coming online is available at http://www.ct.gov/dot or http://www.mta.info/.

The cars are great to ride in. My favorite features are the outlets at each row of seats and the cushiness of those seats. If you have a chance, take a ride on these cars - they're well worth the trip!

A Metro-North M-8 commuter train built by Kawasaki is bound for New Haven just passed thru Shell Interlocking where Amtrak's Hell Gate line meets Metro-North's New Haven line on 6/7/2011.

Metro-North Issues New Spring Timetables

April 3, 2011 New Rochelle, NY - Metro-North has issued their new Spring timetable. I'll discuss the service changes over a period of time to show the overall scheduling changes.

As you may recall, riders 'lost' some trains due to budget and winter weather influences. For example, on the New Haven line, a 6:38 pm express out of GCT was combined with the 6:45 pm local as part of a service consolidation over the winter into a 6:42 pm departure. In the morning, the 8:29 am express to GCT briefly departed the scene forcing some to stand cheek-to-jowl into Grand Central on the 8:33 am local.

The one-month timetable (March 7 - April 2) shows the 8:31 am express, 6:38 pm express and 6:45 pm local returning to the scene, which made for less standing room usage and a more even distribution of passengers between the two trains.

Beginning today, those 3 trains are there, much to my relief - I hated standing all the way or if some large person is filling the middle seat forcing me to read his newspaper instead of mine. Some of those winter rides made me think I was on the Lexington Avenue subway all the way from NR; it wasn't very comfortable being that close to people with colds.

During March, we also saw the debut of the new M-8 commuer cars (yes, initially with that new car smell). For a period of 3 weeks, those new cars were scheduled on the 8:15 morning rush hour departure. For riders, this was a welcomed relief from the M-2/4/6 'Cosmopolitan' cars that began plying the rails about 30 yearas ago. As those cars saved the railroad back then, the M-8 cars will continue to offer great service. I just wish more bar car service would be introduced by keeping some M-2 trainsets because they make the trip home much more fun.
 
With the recent improvements on the New Haven line, better days and rides are ahead. Now with more space around me, there's nothing better than the tranquil rush hour ride on Metro-North because that's what I pay $204/month for.

What’s Old Is New – The Self-Winding Clock Is Back In Action At GCT

New York, NY (March 15, 2011) – Old reliable is back on the case. After living in mothballs following removal from above Grand Central Terminal’s track 19 bumper block, the self winding clock that told millions of commuters over the years how much time they had left to board their train – has been put back into service in a new location. The vintage timepiece made by the Self Winding Clock Co. was recently pulled out of mothballs and mounted on GCT's Lower Level concourse ceiling near the entrance to track 108. According to Margie Anders of the MTA Press Office, “It was moved there the first week of March, the oak housing was refinished and the face was repainted.”



Editors: For publication rights to the full story and photos, contact me at transprailien@gmail.com.

The Economy Is Turning Around. The Evidence? Frequent GCT Public Events.

Grand Central Terminal, March 30, 2011 - The government and media have been stating that the nation’s economic situation is turning around. The reported unemployment rate recently has dropped somewhat and it appears that more corporate money has been freed-up for feel-good events. The evidence of all this – more public relations events held in Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall.

Historically speaking, Vanderbilt Hall was once a waiting room where passengers waited to board famous trains such as the New York Central's Twentieth Century Ltd. Yes, this is the train that they literally rolled out the red carpet (giving rise to that often-used iconic phrase). It is fitting that a room that was used to physically transport passengers to other parts of the country, is now used to take visitors into different realms and places.

Within the past few weeks, many events have been held there. At first, I'll use the past week as an example, I’ll explore the happenings.

Bermuda Tourism held a day-long event that featured CBS-FM’s live morning drive program hosted by Dan Taylor with his sidekicks Mr. G (weatherman) and newswoman Debra Rodriguez. The public got a rare glimpse into seeing this popular radio program in progress in addition to being able to have autographed publicity photos of those broadcasting stars. The overall event had booths with handouts, samples of drinks and a band that played music you would expect to hear in Bermuda. This was held on the eastern side of Vanderbilt Hall.

Nintendo had a two-day event on the western half of the famed hall, allowing the public to experience 3-D gaming and other features their new technology had to offer. Even I, a noted non-computer game player, was lured into the modernistic shell to experience this new visual. My impression is that this is certainly a long wayfrom Pac-Man and other games from thirty years ago.

In a couple of weeks prior to this, NBC-TV staged an event for their latest 'reality show', America's Next Great Restaurant. The public was treated to various prepared food samples ranging from a bean salad to fried chicken in a bun. Not only were the food samples quite good, but it got me to view the program that Sunday evening (maybe it was the food that got me to watch the program).

The economic recovery has been slow but moving ahead nonetheless. With worries about inflation creeping into the economic puzzle, that is worrisome for sure – but the trip to Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall took me away from all those issues. So relaxing, it felt like Bermuda or even being in a great new restaurant with a great meal. The red carpet may not be rolled out here for 'The Century' anymore, but visitors still get the royal treatment.

Service is improving on Metro-North's New Haven line

Connecticut, February 11, 2011 - With the constant snowfalls seemingly abated, commuter car availability is improving on Metro-North's New Haven line. At the peak of the snowfall car failures, half of the New Haven fleet was out of service, with a majority of those cars being the 'Cosmopolitan' fleet of M-2/4/6.

The 'Cosmo' car concept came into existence when they were designed in the 1960s and built into the 80s. They saved  the railroad at the time when the inherited New York Central and New Haven equipment that was ready for scrapping years before it actually happened. All this 'vintage' equipment constantly broke down at all times of the year, making the trip into Manhattan impossible to predict. Employers were beginning to consider (and some did) moving out of Manhattan and into suburbia for this very reason. With the arrival of the Cosmo cars, reliability and on-time performance improved and they saved the railroad. This is a subject many have failed to recognize and should be noted in the media - so let me be the first!!!!

While the M-2/4/6 cars saved the railroad, they had one flaw - snow. Fine particles gets into the traction motors, causing them to short out and become unuseable. Door issues suddenly because evident because the snow would inhibit proper proper door panel movement. All this is not new - it has been reported in the media before so these issues are not new and are also common knowledge. That said, Metro-North crews work diligently to make up for the deficiencies in these 'California cars' but somtimes Mother Nature has a way of defeating the best of intentions and preventative measures.

Several years ago, Connecticut (owner of the trackage in the Nutmeg State), began a process to correct these deficiencies and the resulting design gave birth to the M-8 cars built by Kawasaki. Originally supposed to come on line in 2009, production line problems occurred when the proper steel was not available and building stopped. When the process resumed, the delivery dates kept getting pushed back. This blog chronicled their 'debut' in December, 2010, only to find the M-8s could not pass their 4,000 mile error-free testing benchmark due to a reported software issue that fouled the wayside signalling system employed by operator Metro-North. The result - the 4,000-mile 'clock' had to be restarted.

WCBS 880's Paul Murnane reported from Greenwich, CT on February 11, 2011
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/02/11/gov-malloy-stays-on-top-of-new-haven-line-problems/

that the first cut of M-8 cars could pass the 4,000-mile 'barrier' and we might begin to see the new equipment come on line soon but obviously not all at once. This is an obvious fact that all M-8s subsequent to the first 8, would be delivered as-completed to the New Haven maintenance shop from Nebraska where those cars are being manufactured. Railroad enthusiasts (a/k/a rail fans), have photographed the delivery of these cars piecemeal. This is good news as it confirms the production line is rolling.

 

These M-8 cars share a common thread with their Bombardier-built M-7 cars that operate on Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North's Harlem and Hudson lines - their design minimizes the damage snow can cause to the traction motors, making them more reliable.

 

When the M-8s come on line, I want to be the first to ride them as they represent the most modern and reliable design in commuter railroading. Will I miss the Cosmo fleet when they're gone? Absolutely because they saved the railroad 30 years ago and kept commuting alive while revitalizing the region economically.

 

The next time you step onto a subway car or commuter coach of any type, consider the work the mechanics perform to keep them rolling. Falling prey to the pancea of saying new cars solves the problem is wrong because they still need to be maintained so they can keep rolling. This is one job that can't be outsourced overseas, thankfully.

On The Heels Of A Fare Increase, Summertime Ridership Survey Says 93% of Metro-North Customers are Satisfied With Service

New York, NY (December 14, 2010) – Metro-North riders found a note from the railroad on their seats tonight. The note was not about a service problem – it was an explanation of the 11.1% fare increase scheduled to take effect on December 30, 2010. In addition to the price up-tick for fares in New York State, the type of tickets sold and the terms they’re sold under have changed.

All WebTicket (internet purchase) discounts are being eliminated and a few types of tickets will no longer be sold via the web. Special event, ‘Getaway’, single day one-way and round trip tickets will no longer be available. The Mail&Ride 4% discount is being reduced to 2% or eliminated for travel between New York State stations. On-board step-up, ride extension and senior fares are also being increased. One-way and round trip tickets will be refundable only from 30 days of purchase, down from 6-months.
A $10 ticket refund processing fee will be implemented for redemption of unused or partially used tickets.
The life of issued tickets is being reduced. One-way and round trippers live only 14 days (reduced from 6 months) and ten-trips are reduced from 1 year to 6 months.

The bad news follows the good news Metro-North Railroad received that 93% of the customers surveyed this past June said overwhelmingly that they were satisfied with the train service overall. The poll had a range of topics from comfort, seat availability, and scheduling, to on-time performance and employee courtesy. The railroad also surpassed its sister commuter rail agency, Long Island Rail Road, for ridership last month.
"We at Metro-North are gratified that our customers are for the most part happy about taking our trains and that our front line employees continue to get extremely high ratings - 96% are satisfied with the courtesy and responsiveness of employees," said Metro-North President Howard Permut. "We will increase our efforts to improve in areas customers are least satisfied with, such as the perennial problems - toilets, both on trains and in stations, and communications during disruptions," he added.
Customer satisfaction is highest on the Harlem Line at 97% and the Hudson Line at 96%. The New Haven rating lagged at 88%, mostly due to the age of railcars and a chronic car shortage. This rating is expected to improve dramatically when 342 new M-8 fleet is introduced. Because the ratings are weighted by ridership and the low rating on the New Haven line, which is the busiest, brings down the overall satisfaction rating to 93 %.
On the two lines west of the Hudson (operated by NJ Transit under contract to Metro-North), the Port Jervis Line satisfaction rating is 84%, owing mainly to complaints about scheduling, and the Pascack Valley Line is 93%, higher because of the recent expansion of service with increased frequency.
Back on the East of Hudson side, among time periods, weekday off-peak and weekend off-peak got the highest ratings at 95% each, followed by the reverse peak at 93% and inbound AM peak at 92%. By line segment, the Upper Harlem and Lower Hudson each scored 98% satisfaction. The lowest ratings went to the Outer New Haven at 88% and the Inner New Haven at 89%.

MTA Celebrates Queens Midtown Tunnel’s 70th Birthday

New York, NY (November 15, 2010) – MTA Bridges and Tunnels celebrated the landmark birthday of the Queens Midtown Tunnel which linked Manhattan and Long Island City, Queens. It was the culmination of a 20-year lobbying and planning effort along with four years of hard work. At the time it was the largest, non-federal public works project in the nation.
“From its inception, the Queens Midtown Tunnel was a key link in the metropolitan region’s transportation network, providing a vital conduit for businesses, daily commuters and families exploring the cultural riches that exist from Manhattan to Queens and Long Island," said MTA Bridges and Tunnels President Jim Ferrara.
The MTA placed a collection of historic photographs and accompanying text in lobby of its lower Manhattan offices at 2 Broadway until the end of November. It was also among one of the most photographed projects. Commercial photographers took more than 4.600 photographs documenting each aspect of its progress. The display shows the evolution from construction of the tunnel thru its completion and opening from the MTA Bridges and Tunnels Special Archive.
History of the tube
Inspired by the new Holland Tunnel on Manhattan’s west side, civic and business groups began lobbying in the early 1920s for an East River tunnel to help handle a steady increase in traffic at its already clogged East River bridges. The city’s Board of Estimate approved $2 million to design and construct an East River tunnel but plans were put on hold when the stock market crash occurred in 1929.
In order to begin the construction process, the Public Works Administration promised $58 million loans in 1935 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs. Then Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia created the Queens Midtown Tunnel Authority, telling the new agency’s three-members, “You are starting from scratch with no appropriation and nothing but an idea and a law.”
The Oct.2, 1936 ground-breaking was marked with the push of a ceremonial button by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Over the next three years, the tunnel’s two tubes were excavated using the typical technology of the day - dynamite, drills and four circular 31’ wide cutting shields. The shield were lowered into shafts at each end of the tunnel and hydraulically shoved through the riverbed until they met in the middle. Sandhogs behind the shields assembled the 32-inch wide cast iron rings that still line the tunnels. As each ring was installed, 28 jacks behind the shield shoved new rings into place using 5,000 pounds of pressure per square inch. The work was particularly difficult on the Manhattan side where the rock was made of schist, limestone, gneiss and dolomite. All the rubble was removed using the Queens and Manhattan construction shafts. Work proceeded at a rate of about 18 feet per week for each shield. All totaled it took 54 million hours of labor to finish the QMT.
To blast the last six feet of rock between the Manhattan and Queens shields in both tubes, Mayor LaGuardia ignited the last dynamite charge on November 8, 1939. Fifty-three weeks later, opening ceremonies were held at the Manhattan toll plaza, attended by President Roosevelt, who was the first person to drive through the new tunnel. Other attendees included Mayor LaGuardia, Sen. Robert Wagner, and the tunnel’s Chief Engineer Ole Singstad, a well-known tunnel builder who finished building the Holland Tunnel after the death of its original engineer. In its first full year of operation, 4.4 million vehicles used the tunnel, paying 25 cents to cross it.
The tunnel today
Seventy-years later, the tunnel appears much the same as it did when it opened in 1940, except the original brick roadway, which was replaced with asphalt in 1995, and the addition of E-ZPass technology. The last major rehabilitation project, a $126 million project completed in 2001, replaced original 1930s materials and resulted in brighter lighting, new ceilings, new tiles along the walls and an entirely new traffic control system, including electronic message signs, and traffic control lights and signals. In 2009, 27.7 million traversed it.

SIDEBAR
Queens Midtown Tunnel By the Numbers (courtesy MTA Bridges and Tunnels)
•The south tube to Queens is 6,272 feet while the north tube to Manhattan is 6,414 feet
•There are a total of 178 employees at the Queens Midtown Tunnel. This figure includes 112 Bridge and Tunnel Officers, 18 Sergeants and Lieutenants, 37 Maintenance workers, 4 Engineers, 6 Managers and 1 administrative worker.
•The tunnel’s two ventilation buildings bring 3 million cubic feet of fresh air into the tunnels each minute, and provide a complete air change every 90 seconds.

Habitat For Humanity Wants You To Sign Their Petition For NRPD Foot Patrols

By Joseph M. Calisi, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved

September 27 & 28, 2010, New Rochelle, NY - Habitat For Humanity of Westchester Executive Director Jim Killoran was at the New Rochelle train station on Monday and Tuesday this week, looking for signatures for a petition requesting New Rochelle Police Department patrolmen back ‘walking the beat’ and out of patrol cars in the vicinity of the Main Street/North Avenue intersection and the train/bus station.
Once again there’s a clamoring for the return of foot patrols. With gang-related activity and local drug trafficking on the rise, it is not unreasonable for businesses and the general public to call for a resurgence of patrolmen walking the neighborhood.
Many of those that signed the petitions sited an increased fear of illegal activity. One person even cited the seemingly endless number of gun violence incidents in Newark, NJ and wondered out loud if New Rochelle was going to begin to see the same kinds of problems.
According to Mr. Killoran, years ago, there used to be two police stations – one of them on Lawton Street the downtown area and foot patrolmen were a constant sight back then. With a problematic budget crunch years ago, the downtown station house disappeared and so did the patrolmen. With more than 3000 people new residents in this district in recent years, some people think it’s high time the NRPD resume using shoe leather.
The story broke on Talk Of The Sound blog on September 18 with a story about a 23-year old man that was killed in front of Chase Bank at 270 Main Street (North Ave.) in broad daylight. He was chased from 311 to 270 Main Street and after a fight ensued, he was stabbed at 2:30 pm, across the street from the New Rochelle Transportation Center.
Mr. Killoran maintains that if police were stationed in the area, their presence may have prevented this killing as well as other recent incidents in the downtown area. He has stated that, “I’ve asked for more than 4 years for regularly stationed police since a mêlée and near death robbery of three businesses.” Habitat For Humanity of Westchester has headquarters on Main Street and lives in what is now called ‘So-No’.
Many businesses, individuals, condo and rental building owners are collecting petitions at many locations. The Bank Of America, the US Post Office, Kaffeine, Smokes For Less, Chase Bank, Trump Towers, 25 Leroy Place, 543 Main Street, and The Avalon are just a few.
While the signatures were being signed on the HFH petition at the station platform, Metro-North riders were asking all the critical questions – why should we need to sign a petition to get foot patrolmen? Shouldn’t the NRPD want to arrest drug traffickers and keep tabs on suspicious people? Why are so many vagrants accumulating on the benches near the station? It seems that benches have become repositories for homeless-looking men that sleep there overnight into the morning hours.
As the old saying goes, “That’s the $64,000 question.”

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Visit 'Talk Of The Sound' blog at:

http://www.newrochelletalk.com/content/habitat-humanity-petition-says-we-want-nrpd-foot-patrols

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Photos/captions:

Habitat For Humanity of Westchester Executive Director Jim Killoran was at the New Rochelle train station on Monday and Tuesday this week, looking for signatures for a petition requesting New Rochelle Police patrolmen back ‘walking the beat’ (above). Person sleeping on a bench 8/31/2010 in what has become a constant sight in New Rochelle (below).

NJ Transit Debuts the ‘Quiet Car’

By Joseph M. Calisi Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved

Newark, NJ (September 9, 2010) – New Jersey Transit has debuted their new ‘Quiet Car’ concept – their latest idea in rail passenger customer amenities. One car on each end of this test train is eerily quiet as no cell phones are in use and the usual banter among commuters is missing. One morning and afternoon rush hour Northeast Corridor Trenton express is outfitted with shrink-wrapped NJ Transit ‘multi-level cars showing a finger-to-lips logo. It is a ninety-day pilot program.

NJ Transit Executive Director James Weinstein said, “Our customers have asked us to offer a Quiet Commute option in an effort to balance the needs of people who want to stay connected while aboard our trains with those who want to relax or work in a quiet atmosphere. We are offering this amenity as a pilot program and will rely on customer feedback to determine whether to make Quiet Commute a permanent NJ TRANSIT amenity.”

The first train departed the Trenton Transit Center at 9:14 am on September 7 as train number 3936 after officials spoke before the event. The 3900-series trains were selected because of the long trip times and would be a good gauge as a testing ground for public acceptance and compliance. NJ Transit is the largest agency to offer this amenity in North America.

According to various media reports, the new feature is already a success as riders can even snooze their way across the Garden State. If a passenger becomes noisy, they are quietly handed a business card-sized message as a reminder that the quiet car is a subdued environment. Those using electronic devices such as video games and computers are asked to disable their speakers or to plug in headphones so the sounds are not heard by other passengers.

NJT officials have offered that the new ‘service’ is in itself a self-policing dynamic amongst passengers. If the passengers don’t get to the noisy rider first, a conductor will hand out a ‘Quiet Commute card’ with the new logo on one side and a plea to abide by the quiet cars rules in both English and Spanish. The cards were first used by SEPTA in their own Quiet Car program. Other transit agencies that currently offer “Quiet Cars” include SEPTA, Virginia Railway Express (VRE), MARC (Maryland), Altamont Commuter Express (California) and the Capital Corridor (California).

The Quiet car concept debuted on Amtrak a year ago and has since become a mainstay on that railroad.


Quiet car train number 3969 on September 9 arrives in Newark Penn Station where passengers board the Trenton Express and actually can snooze without the loud chatter that can accompany a train trip.



Metro-North's Fordham Station Improvements Coming

Metro-North (MNR) is getting a piece of the 3rd Avenue El, well at least a part of the ground it once stood on. The commuter railroad has purchased from Fordham University, a sliver of land in order to widen their northbound Fordham Station platform from 8 to 20 feet. The width extension is part of an overall upgrade with a new and wider canopy for waiting commuters.

This 515-foot station is MNR's busiest station because it is a 'reverse commute' transfer point for 6,000 passengers between the New Haven and Harlem lines.

Metro-North President Howard Permut said, "The current outbound platform is narrow and gets crowded during the AM rush."

The land became available after Fordham U. comleted its new dorm buildings on land where 3rd Avenue elevated once trolled. The parcel of land cost the MTA $392,040 and is part of the $14 million renovation.


A cut of Metro-North New Haven line M-2 'Cosmopolitan' cars picks up some 'reverse commuters' at the Fordham station where 6,000 daily head up into Connecticut and Westchester. Many that reside in New Rochelle, Pelham and Mount Vernon make this weekday reverse trek.


NYC Transit's Bx12 'Select Bus Service' collects many passengers heading east or west on Fordham Road.