WoH Port Jervis Line Service, Studies, Work, Status

Erie-Lackawanna wrote:Well, as it happens, the news should be in the Middletown Times Herald-Record tomorrow or Thursday, so it's safe for me to break it here.

Unfortunately, the fiscal realities of New York State and the MTA make it impossible for MNR to implement any new service enhancements in October. The plans are still on the table for April 2009, but frankly, given the uncertainties of next year's budgets, we don't know what we'll be able to do yet. I would caution, however, that the tentative budget for '09 still includes service improvements for the Port Jervis line. It's not dead, and we really want to do it. Unfortunately, we can't do it now.

There's an article in today's TH-R (http://www.recordonline.com) about posssible cuts for next year. I don't know how real they are, but from what we're being told, a fare increase might not be enough to stave off the cuts. Of course, management cuts will be first, but if that's not enough, then the service will have to be rationalized. We'll see what happens.



Jim

This makes me sad. I'm sure Metro-North tried its best, but that doesn't make this less sad. Hopefully we'll still be able to get service improvements in the short-term future (over the next year).

Hope it doesn't affect the turntable, but it's still good news:

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.d ... 20/-1/NEWS

Turn table is in wrong corner of yard for expansion.
I could see them move the two main lines further south and sqeeze in another track of about 15 cars long.

Sounds like you have friends in the right places...that's exactly what will be done. :)

Jim

They mention station improvements, how about making an elevated platform like all the EOH stations. That seems like it could be the biggest improvement. Make it all uniform.

That sounds like an expenditure that is not needed (can you picture a statio as small as Sloatsburg with an elevated platform? ). All the stations are pretty much is all uniform for the Port Jervis Line. Besides Rt.17/Ramsey and Secaucus Junction (non-Metro-North stations), all the stops are low level. I am glad to hear that money is being invested in yard expansion, allowing for more trains in the future, which will be the biggest improvement they can make to the line (in my opinion).

I'm referencing to the uniformity of the rest of the Metro-North fleet of stations. Sloatsburg station is bigger than Mount Pleasent Who knows maybe that will be part of the 2015-2020 Capital Construction plan, maybe even an access project to get the Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines into GCT (talk about a transportation hub). Who knows what the future of MTA will be.

Do they have lifts at all or most stations? I assume they must to comply with the ADA.

MIni-highs at key stations (Harriman & Nanuet).

There's no practical reason to have WOH stations be like EOH stations. Mt Pleasant was made high-level because we run MU equipment that does not have traps & steps on the Harlem. That is not the case on the Port Jervis Line.

Jim

Middletown, Campbell Hall, Salisbury Mills, Harriman, Spring Valley and Nanuet have the mini-high ADA ramps.

Correct. I was thinking "fully compliant" stations.

Jim

Spring Valley, Salisbury Mills, Campbell Hall and Middletown as well.

Haven't been up to PJ in several years. Is the old ERIE signal mast still in place and in use ? And do the expansion plans perhaps spell it's demise ?

If the Ravitch Commission suggestions aren't taken, and barring any economic stimulus package that may help bail out the MTA, am I reading correctly that Port Jervis Line trains will no longer make express runs?

West of Hudson, Port Jervis Line express trains will make local stops in New Jersey, adding 10-20 minutes of travel time.

That's from Page I-45 of a document featured on the MTA.info Web site: http://www.mta.info/mta/09/2009_mnr_add ... ctions.pdf. I would think Orange County commuters, many of whom already make the most time-consuming commutes into the city in the metropolitan region, would be furious with 20-40 minutes added onto their roundtrip commutes, but I haven't heard any outcry whatsoever, which leads me to think I'm missing something.

I would feel very bad for anyone who lives in the PJL service territory if expresses were to turn into locals. In fact, Metro North and NJT should be working out deals to make AS MANY of the Pt. Jervis Line trains, expresses in NJ, because if everything is a local, that will not only drive away people from Pt. Jervis Line stations, but for those who pick up the train in Suffern lets say, or anywhere in Jersey, they will be standing. I notice that some Port Jervis Line trains on weekends make just about EVERY stop on the schedule. Even though this point might be off topic, it wouldn't hurt for NJT to reduce some of the wait times in Suffern between their Suffern turns and the Pt. Jervis trains, as well. People, like myself, have travelled from Main and Bergen County Line stations, and Pt. Jervis Line stations.