Major NJT cuts, no AC line for 5 months and more

[NY&LB]

error

[NY&LB]

Take the bus!! More frequent and drops you right off at the Casinos.

also takes literally twice as long

Not Really
Train 4624 departs AC at 12:29; Arrives 30th st at 2:02 = 1 hour 33 min.
Bus route 551 departs AC at 12:10; arrives Philadelphia (Greyhound terminal 10th/Filbert) at 1:39 = 1 hour 29 min.

Granted, not the same location in Philadelphia but the bus is actually faster, not "literally twice as long"

[njtmnrrbuff]

The bus is definately faster from Center City to Atlantic City, probably in give or take traffic. For one thing, the bus terminal in Philadelphia is about 20 blocks east of 30th St Station. When you are dropped off at 30th St Station on a NJT train, you then have to get to the heart of Center City. The 551 bus runs more frequently than the train, making it quite commuter friendly to Philadelphia commuters who live in Atlantic City as well as other places along the expressway.

[ChesterValley]

From what another person who commutes on the AC line told me, the train is the only one seat ride between Pennsauken, Cherry Hill and 30th Street/Atlantic city. But outside of that select group of riders, the AC line always has problems with the Conrail Delair bridge staying stuck open more than anything

[njtmnrrbuff]

I'm not surprised that there are plenty of issues with the Delair bridge. That bridge is very old and should be replaced sooner rather than later. I wonder if a lot of ACRL riders who board west of Lindenwold would consider switching to Patco at Lindenwold. That seems like it's not a bad option as taking Patco from Lindenwold to Center City is faster than it is taking the ACRL. If your destination in Philadelphia is in Center City, especially in the neighborhood where Independence Hall is, then it is faster to take Patco into town, especially during rush hour when they probably run like every five minutes. It's almost like a person who might live in Edison but works in Lower Manhattan who switches from NJT train to Path rather than having to go into NYP and then take a subway. With all of the NJT issues into and out of NYP, I think I would much rather do the Path to NJT shuffle at NWK Penn, especially if I was working in Lower Manhattan.

[interlocking]

I was in Lindenwold around 2 pm Wednesday when NJ Transit was moving equipment. It looked to include five sets of locomotives and coaches. Was anyone able to get a video of this move? Unfortunately, my phone died and I could not get video or pictures.

[amtrakhogger]

I was down in AC last night and the terminal looks deserted and all the westward signals were dark in the station. My immediate thought was they pulled the fuses on the signal system, but the eastward signals before the bridge were still lit.

[NY&LB]

I was in Lindenwold around 2 pm Wednesday when NJ Transit was moving equipment. It looked to include five sets of locomotives and coaches. Was anyone able to get a video of this move? Unfortunately, my phone died and I could not get video or pictures.

see jonnyloco's post in The Atlantic City Line Thread on Sep 5th at 10:16PM

[Return to Reading Company Olney Sta]

I was in Lindenwold around 2 pm Wednesday when NJ Transit was moving equipment. It looked to include five sets of locomotives and coaches. Was anyone able to get a video of this move? Unfortunately, my phone died and I could not get video or pictures.

see jonnyloco's post in The Atlantic City Line Thread on Sep 5th at 10:16PM

Also johnnyloco has video linked in the South Jersey thread on the New Jersey Railfan forum

[ryanov]

Is anyone clear on why there are so many train cancellations elsewhere mentioning "equipment" and "crews" when they should have all of the extra ACL equipment and crews available? Would it have been even worse, or am I missing something?

[EDM5970]

I read elsewhere that ACL crews may not be qualified on other lines.

[Dcell]

I read elsewhere that ACL crews may not be qualified on other lines.

If that’s correct, are the ACRL crews sitting at home and getting paid?

[chuchubob]

I read elsewhere that ACL crews may not be qualified on other lines.

If that’s correct, are the ACRL crews sitting at home and getting paid?

They are working in North Jersey.

[twropr]

I heard that weekend shutdowns on MBTA's Lowell Line are caused by running PTC test trains. Could the reasoning be similar for the shutdown of the AC Line?
What I don't understand is why running test trains would shut down the railroad when Amtrak never had to shut down its double track Harrisburg Line a few years ago when they were testing ACSES there. I understand that both NJ Transit and the "T" are also using ACSES, so issues should be similar.
Andy