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.

It's Not Your Grandfather's Vending Machine

South Street Seaport, Friday, September 16, 2011 - Your grandfather never used these vending machines in his youth but now the makers of modern-day vending machines want to say “thank you” to Gen Y (ages 18 - 29), the generation that prefers vending machines over any other retail channel. The 'Gratitude Tour' is a way for the vending industry to showcase to students, working professionals and all consumers how vending delivers what they want, where they want it, and when and how they want it. This past Friday was the New York City stop on a seven city tour.

Visitors to the exhibit had the opportunity to see, touch and use the latest vending technology. They can also learn about how vending is now offering conveniences such as cashless payments and new technological appliances. Wait a minute, technology, in a vending machine? Absolutely - here's how. Have you been dreaming of your chips toasty-warm when you get them? Now you can have them. Fresh, steaming-hot bowl of Ramen Noodles from a vending machine?! You got it!!! Want to get ice cold soda and not have the fizz explode when you open it? Now this is not a dream but reality. Vending machines can now communicate with each other, so consumers can buy a snack and beverage together, from different machines with one convenient swipe of a credit card. Grandpa never had it this good.

Fun was had by all with lots of free goodies for the public as they heard the rock band on stage. The social media tent was a fun place to visit and had an easy Facebook contest with cash prizes and free tee shirts to winning entries.

I hope they come soon to a machine near you - the new way to deliver treats was great. Visit their website for more info about these great machines at: http://www.vendialogue.com

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!!!

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.

Two Part Article On Long Island Rail Road History/175th Anniversary Published In Passenger Train Journal

The 4th quarter 2010 and 1st quarter issues of Passenger Train Journal (published by White River Productions) has my article and a bunch of my photos that tell the story of the Long Island Rail Road's History/175th Anniversary and where they are today. It is not easy to impress an editor enough to convice him that a 2-part article does the subject matter justice.

The publication is available at your local hobby shop or via subscription at:
White River Productions
PO Box 9580, Kansas City, MO 64133
Toll-free: 877-787-2467 • Non-US: 816-285-6560
http://whiteriverproductions.com/
Email: info@whiteriverproductions.com

The magazine is 'a worthy' for transportation-based readers and those that want to read good wrtiting and see great photos.

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.

Roosevelt Island Tram Reopens After 8-Month Overhaul

New York, NY (November 30, 2010) – After an extensive overhaul, the Roosevelt Island tram reopened after an 8-month overhaul that began March 1st. The upgrade by French-based Leitner-Poma, allows each tram cab to operate independently - making for improved rush hour service levels. The repairs were originally scheduled to be concluded by the end of August. This modernized and streamlined transportation system is ready to serve New York City/Roosevelt Island commuters, tourists and sightseers for the next thirty years.
The genesis of this upgrade arose in 2006 when the tram locked up and stranded riders hundreds of feet up in the air with no way to get down. The gondolas couldn’t move independently and those passengers were literally swinging in the wind for about 10 hours.
The two major benefits resulting from the completion of this project is that one cab could operate independently when the other is out of service and the 3-minute trip from Manhattan to Roosevelt Island is a minute faster than before. The new tram has been outfitted with two independently operated and powered cars (or pods) shuttling back and forth across the East River with the ability to carry up to 109 passengers at a time and 2 million people annually.

Note: Editors - for the whole story and to vew additional images for publication, contact me directly via e-mail at: transprailien@gmail.com.