The East Side Access Project Discussion (ESA)

[workextra]

It appears that the millions pissed away on ESA will leave it loading the same way that the low tracks in NY load. All one end.
From the cutaway drawing, the main concourse will be on the south (west)end while the tracks will continue north (east) several blocks north of the GCT main building.
Providing that the LIRR is going directly under all the MNCR facilities, why is the platforms beginning further north then the current ones at GCT? Why not make the decision to make the main gathering location relatively center to the platforms to prevent the trains from taking a full load one the west-south end?

[DutchRailnut]

if you look at 3th link you see that escalators are spaced even, the entrance to LIRR station will be on Madison Ave and Vanderbilt ave

[eon2won1]

This is all conceptual. There are no details to share. Expect to see fares on ESA trains collected with automated fare collection, much like the subway. MetroCards. Also expect to see two or one man crews.

I know this is all conceptual. As I understand it the mta is spending 1/4 billion dollars phasing out the metrocard in favor of smart card technology.
Will ESA trains will have a junction and function as a shuttle? Trains from any eastern terminal wouldn't make a direct ride to GCS? Maybe they expect every train to be running with one or two man crews at that point. I guess these questions will be answered in the future.

[LongIslandTool]

The schedules that Service Planning have worked out have some trains traveling from eastern destinations to Penna Station and others to East Side. Plans are to have continuous rides from eastern terminals to either destinations in New York.

Brooklyn trains are proposed to operate as shuttles between Jamaica and Brooklyn.

At this point in the plans, no westbound connecting trains are to be held in Jamaica, so your trip to New York may increase by 20 or 30 minutes or more if you miss your "connection".

We'll see how all this plays out, but this is what has been proposed as of now.

[HalMallon]

Will ESA trains will have a junction and function as a shuttle? Trains from any eastern terminal wouldn't make a direct ride to GCS?

********

Wasn't one of the selling points of ESA a one seat ride to the East Side? If ESA ends up as a shuttle service, it's going to disappoint...

Once ESA opens, will passenger service to LIC and Huntererspoint Ave be curtailed, if not eliminated?

[mkm4]

Once ESA opens, will passenger service to LIC and Huntererspoint Ave be curtailed, if not eliminated?

Under some old plans Hunterspoint was supposed to go away. That was the point of the new Sunnyside station, to replace Hunterspoint.
What is the current thinking? I don't have a clue.

[ADL6009]

ESA is still 8-10 years away according to the recent Newsday article. i wouldn't hold your breath worrying about any of this. also, there is still the possibility it will never be completed if we slip into a depression and the Federal Funding dissapears.

[HalMallon]

there is still the possibility it will never be completed if we slip into a depression and the Federal Funding dissapears...

********

Great...under those circumstances, the tunnels could always be used as a set for another PLANET OF THE APES or SUPERMAN movie...

[DutchRailnut]

there is even a possibility that the sky might be falling , ok chicken little.

[eon2won1]

ESA is still 8-10 years away according to the recent Newsday article. i wouldn't hold your breath worrying about any of this. also, there is still the possibility it will never be completed if we slip into a depression and the Federal Funding dissapears.

Thanks for your contribution. I don't think anyone is worrying or holding their breath. Just participating in a discussion.
PS Since when does any LIRR employee give Newsday any credence. They do nothing but distort and badmouth the company you work
for as well as your fellow employees.

[7express]

Will ESA trains will have a junction and function as a shuttle? Trains from any eastern terminal wouldn't make a direct ride to GCS?

********

Wasn't one of the selling points of ESA a one seat ride to the East Side? If ESA ends up as a shuttle service, it's going to disappoint...

Once ESA opens, will passenger service to LIC and Huntererspoint Ave be curtailed, if not eliminated?

I thought Atlantic Ave (Brooklyn) service was supposed to be the shuttle service. No way LIRR is spending thousands upon thousands to connect Sunnsyside, Queens to GCT for a shuttle service.

[HalMallon]

Helena speaks:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/opini ... ef=opinion

Letter
Penn Station and Beyond
Published: December 4, 2010

To the Editor:

While I enjoyed Tom Scocca and Choire Sicha’s whimsical look at commuters’ love-hate relationship with Penn Station (“Miracle on 33rd Street,” Op-Ed, Nov. 23), I’d like to stress one point: It’s true that the East Side Access project will bring Long Island Rail Road customers directly to Grand Central Terminal and the East Side’s high-paying, high-skilled jobs, but we will not be moving any part of our operation from Penn Station.

[DutchRailnut]

Ohh Jeezz guess I was right again. go ahead flame away.

[LongIslandTool]

The schedules which have been designed by Service Planning for the East Side Access project show trains making continuous trips to Grand Central from terminals such as Ronkonkoma and Long Beach. Brooklyn Service generally becomes a shuttle operation to Jamaica. To simplify the operation, westward and eastward connections will no longer be held at Jamaica.

Much can happen to these plans, though this is how they stand right now under the present MTA administration.

[Railfan-2]

Answers to several threads.

Dutch is correct. The east-west 7 line is at roughly the same vertical elevation as MNR's north-south Lower Level tracks.

Though Helena is presently trying to sell her vision to the MTA, it is not the official position of the MTA - read the 1st and 7th bullets in the attached official MTA link (http://www.mta.info/capconstr/esas/benefits.htm). It was highly irresponsible of her, as the president of the LIRR, to present to the public her own, personal, vision in a way that made it look like it was the official policy of the MTA.

The ESA project is behind schedule and over budget. Latest in-house estimates for a completion date are accurately reported in the press as 2018. The budget figures are in dispute, however, with the MTA Capital Construction Company reporting lower cost over-runs than either the MTA HQ or the FRA.

The LIRR platform tracks are centered on the 4 escalator banks heading down from the new, Lower Concourse. The new, Lower Concourse is the old Madison Ave Yard (Tracks 118-125, and 163-170) as well as platform tracks 116 and 117. The center of mass of this Yard is further north than either the Upper or Lower Level platform track areas of GCT.

Federal funding for this project is locked in. However, it is capped at the originally agreed amount and will only be disbursed if MTA matches the federal dollars. The present financial crisis is affecting the MTA's ability to fund the project, not the Fed's. Becasue of this, MTACC is delaying the issuing of several follow-on contracts. However, other contracts are being issued as planned. This will not stop construction, but will result in a later completion date - the aforementioned 2018.