New York to Atlantic City Service (ACES)

Come on this is NJT. If it is easy, it cant be done. The United States put a man on the moon, but NJT cant figuer out how to make life easy for the commuter or to stop wasting taxpayer money.

If they're going to bother to run AC trains to NY, why not just change engines at 30th and run direct to NYP? Why run diesels under the wires?

If this is to serve the NJ market, why run to 30th? why not just head north at Frankford Junction? Its an extra 10-15 minutes to 30th, then 10-15 back to FJ, is that really feasible?

I don't think 30th is served at all under this proposal. It is strictly NY to AC. Philly riders already have Philly to AC service.

Perhaps the whole "running diesels under the wire" is partially responsible for holding up the MOM. Of course that could be resolved whith a station and engine change at Monmouth Jnctn.

thebigc wrote:But TR-00 is only a LOCOMOTIVE engineer, not an actual "engineer".

I would suggest treading softly with that "actual engineer" retort. The term "engineer" evolved from those capable of handling/understanding machinery or "engines" (going back tot he mechanization period of the greeks). A Locomotive Engineer is considered an Operating Engineer. I am a mechanical engineer and that would fall under the category "Design Engineer". Just because one does not doodle with the pencil, or AutoCad by today's standard, and is more hands on doesn't diminish his stature.

CJPat wrote: I would suggest treading softly with that "actual engineer" retort. The term "engineer" evolved from those capable of handling/understanding machinery or "engines" (going back tot he mechanization period of the greeks).

As the quotes indicated, my retort was intended for my pal TR00. I just couldn't help myself.

I thought the word engineer was a corruption of the French word for ingenuity.

Oh my gawd, bigC...you hurt my feeling...(notice that is singular).

Actually, it's the same as you being a conductor. A finger in a live light socket would prove if you are once and for all.

JLo wrote:I don't think 30th is served at all under this proposal. It is strictly NY to AC. Philly riders already have Philly to AC service.

This is Atlantic City/30th Street/Newark (or Hoboken) service. the proposal is that 11 of the 14 Atlantic city to 30th Street trains would continue to Newark. The service is planned for Newark or Hoboken because the diesels can't go to NYP.

NJT GP40PH-2B 4218 leading Teachers Convention Special #4516 into Absecon from Atlantic City; 10 Nov 05

thebigc wrote:As the quotes indicated, my retort was intended for my pal TR00. I just couldn't help myself.

My apologies for not picking up on the inside joke

chuchubob wrote:

This is Atlantic City/30th Street/Newark (or Hoboken) service. the proposal is that 11 of the 14 Atlantic city to 30th Street trains would continue to Newark. The service is planned for Newark or Hoboken because the diesels can't go to NYP

Then this is a no-brainer, in my opinion; the answer is obvious: Engine change at 30th Street!

CJPat wrote:

The term "engineer" evolved from those capable of handling/understanding machinery or "engines" (going back tot he mechanization period of the greeks). A Locomotive Engineer is considered an Operating Engineer. I am a mechanical engineer and that would fall under the category "Design Engineer". Just because one does not doodle with the pencil, or AutoCad by today's standard, and is more hands on doesn't diminish his stature.

As an electrical engineer, I commend you on the most elegant answer I've ever heard on this topic!

Why not extend NJT Northeast Corridor trains south of Trenton to both 30th St & Surburban Station. THat would make more sence.

braves wrote:Why not extend NJT Northeast Corridor trains south of Trenton to both 30th St & Surburban Station. THat would make more sence.

There isn't enough traffic to fill those 10 and 12 car trains South of Trenton. It will be an enormous waste of resources to run those long trains all the way to Philly and back.

They already canceled Clocker service; and those were 14-car trains towards the end.

Irish Chieftain wrote:They already canceled Clocker service; and those were 14-car trains towards the end.

Then there was enough traffic?

uzplayer wrote:

Irish Chieftain wrote:They already canceled Clocker service; and those were 14-car trains towards the end.

Then there was enough traffic?

not really. NJT is running those now as 12 car trains from Trenton (and they're packed). So basically Philly to Trenton was worth 2 extra cars.

Back in the 70's; after the demise of the PRR and the decline of the Penn-Central; after Amtrak, but before the present New Jersey Transit; all of what were the original PRR "Clockers" ran local from New York to Trenton and to 30th Street with not many stops in PA. SEPTA ran 30th Street to Trenton making the local PA stops. This only came to a stop after Amtrak whined that this was taking business away from them. It seems that there is language in the Amtrak enabling legislation that will only allow local transit agencies operating service between cities on Amtrak routes to cross one state line... I guess they thought that three states was "long distance" service which was the province of Amtrak. This meant that New Jersey was forced to decide between New Jersey-Philadelphia service or New Jersey-New York City service; but New York City-New Jersey-Philadelphia was out.

Amtrak dug in their heels and forced NJT to terminate their New York-Philadelphia service at Trenton, leaving SEPTA to take the Trenton-Philly service.

I cannot see how the NJT service was any significant competition to Amtrak. Yes, the NJT fares were way cheaper than Amtrak; but the NJT travel time was much longer because they made most all local stops.

All it did was to tick off the people who still couldn't afford Amtrak who now had to put up with the layover and change of trains in Trenton. Yuck!

If Amtrak doesn't want to run Clocker service, let NJT go back to running to Philly.