Downward spiral called the LIRR

- Increasing fares to the nth degree.

-reducing not only service to stations but less stations are served overall.

I'm just ranting but is it me or does nothing make any sense at all anymore? I mean, they cut service and run buses instead....what the heck is the point of running a railroad?? Those Gp38s were saviors in this weather, werent they? I mean, running a bus to Greenport and points east of Babylon when the weather stinks? You you kidding me?

Between the reduced service and the raised fares, taking the car in always better sense nowadays. This railroad should just go belly up it stinks.

These thoughts just blow my mind over the last few storms. Its deplorable.

end rant.

Ah yes! Another disenchanted commuter!

One point he does bring up and I've been wondering myself. With the cost of fuel fluctuating with the price per barrel, I would think this plays a major part for the rise in fares. I'm sure any mode of transportation regardless if it operates up in the air or on the ground has to pass the cost on to the consumer. Since I don't keep track of operating cost of the LIRR, besides raising fares, how has the fuel crisis affected its operation?

Frankie

I havent actually used the LIRR in well over 2-3 years.

I'm a former employee, someone who actually took pride in what I did. But having look at routes decline (over decades, by researching some of LIRR sites run by Dave Keller and Steve Lynch, and seeing service decline, and fares only rise, it's simply deplorable.

But the snow actions they've taken lately are just insane.

Perhaps the LIRR president thinks its ok to run the RR like the bus company? On reading the posts it seems Metra in the storm there tried to provide service come hell or high water but here they just say shut it down or reduce service.

honestly this site used to be great but now it has turned into angry commuters and angry workers. If you have nothing good to say keep it to yourself. We need more pictures and actual trains discussions. not how the lirr president stinks. leave that to a different site. I'm surprised otto keeps letting these posts go through.

Zoltran, Otto is no longer the site admin, I am. This forum also has a moderator. The moderators are volunteers and assist as it would be impossible to monitor every single post every single second of every single day.

As for "letting the post through", well, all opinions are welcome. You'll find the entire spectrum, pro and con, here. As long as a post is not abusive or inappropriate according to our guidelines and TOS they are allowed. Over in the MNRR forum we're being accused of censorship AGAINST the railroad because we disagree with someone.

If you feel that strongly, don't read the topic, as the title strongly suggests a con-opinion. Either that, or defend the railroad and tell us what it's doing right.

We are not angrty commuters or workers. We are just sad to see how a great railroad that used to run in any kind of weather has now become a joke. Just the threat of bad weather has them thinking shutdown, etc. And we also hate the mis-management and waste that goes on. You cant run a RR with non RR political hacks and managers. There are many examples of bad decisions that can be aired but i wont go into that. Just ask LI Tool and I'm sure he can give you a list a mile long. I hav been riding the LIRR since 1965 so i guess i'm looking back at the good old days.

I live in Harvard Illinois, and we had a blizzard on tuesday night into wednesday.
Chicago had about 2 feet, harvard, which is about 85 miles away had about 15 inches.
Metra had to shut down for awhile, and got service back today.
Most of Metra is diesel, and those lines had to shut down too.
Blizard conditions will cause severe service disruptions on any railroad.
Its not just the snow, its the drifts.
NY has had one of the worst winters on record.
I am not defending the current LIRR president by any means, I think there are people better qualified for the job, and I feel that the person in charge should come up through the ranks as the Last two Presidents did.
However, it seems no matter what the RR does, people will complain.
1st storm they shut down, people complained.
This storm they tried to run service, people complained.
Damned if ya do, damned if ya dont.
I know there are bad supervisors, and bad employees.
Just remember there are a lot of good dedicated supervisors and employees on the LIRR as well, trying to get things done, out there in the bad weather away from home and families trying to provide service.
Anyone like myself who has spent time there can tell you its not easy sometimes in bad weather.
One can spend a couple of days away from home, sleeping on equipment, or in crew facilities.
Some of them read these forums too.
Just try and cut the good employees some slack.

Understandable, sometimes shop talk and politics make rather lame reading for a railroad historian or buff.

But buried in these messages are the causes for much of what's going on around here. Why certain equipment is purchased, or why it's operated how it is. It is internal choices and politics that guide every decision that plays out on the iron rails.

You'll also notice that the political discussions, most particularly the controversial ones, get the most views and replies. Those on the inside toss around their opinions and many of us have nobody on the outside who cares enough to share them.

If history could tell the story, every 19th and 20th Century decision on the Long Island was froth with disputes and conflict within the organization and "across the river". As employees, we see the internals operations of a railroad on a business level and "human resources" level. As human nature doesn't change and the place is still a business to some small degree, it's interesting to watch the timeless controversy.

hey jeff i did not know otto was gone. though i respect everyone's comments , it seems to take over board chat. If someone has a union question why post it here? i tool has a lot of insight and it seems most of the time right. I was talking about people just posting just to say they posted. go rant on newsday.com

It does sometime, and we will moderate that. We had someone on here within the last month doing quite a bit of ranting and raving. If it's over the top, we'll take care of it.

zoltran wrote:honestly this site used to be great but now it has turned into angry commuters and angry workers. If you have nothing good to say keep it to yourself. ...I'm surprised otto keeps letting these posts go through.

I was talking about people just posting just to say they posted. go rant on newsday.com

So you've been a user since 8/10, only posted 3 times and feel that somehow its gone downhill in that timeframe? It's still a great site and its yours to add to. Make it great and don't add your own rant.

Since you've decided to direct your comments on my remarks, allow me to retort: I'm neither an angry commuter nor angry worker. Haven't worked there in over 10 years or commuted to school on the LIRR in ages. After 10 years away from the hobby after the last of the reliable trains left, I came back.

Spent a lot of time perusing Lynch, Keller and Huneke's LIRR history pages recently and have developed a bit of incredulity. I see so many rail lines that are gone, stations that are gone, less service as the population has grown on the island. It makes zero sense.

Even a small point, like having Montauk trains that go up the Main line and stop at Babylon, why not have them stop for pax at Hicksville so that westbounds from PJ can get passengers to the South shore(E of Babylon) and not by going way west to Jamaica.

The lack of service east of KO, its unreal. The fact that the Hampton Jitney has service out east suggests the need is there. The RR simply does not put the service out there. They make it as it there is no need there when the reality is the pax out there have no choice and are forced to use their cars.

To give another example, back in the fall was the last time I took the LIRR...ooopps, I meant, was supposed to take the LIRR. From the middle of the island, we had to attend a dinner meeting in Manhattan. Looked at trains out of Huntington, Mineola and Manhasset, all of which we could swing, and none of them got us there within 40 minutes of the desired time. We were being flexible but 3 lines and no viable options?!! Come on, now. After trying to use the LIRR, it was quicker and cheaper to just jump into the SUV and drive in. I'd rather pay a little bit more and close my eyes on a train for a few more minutes but after trying to jump on a train on any of 3 branches, it just made more sense to drive.

And Wilsonpooch, I understand that some RRs shut down due to snow but as I recall in the 80s and 90s, the most reliable equipment were the diesels. Was the snow response as bad back then as it is now? Seems like we are regressing, doesn't it.

....Geez....for a second, I was going to say this is not progress but regress. But the stark reality is...I guess I'm just getting old! LOL

don't read the topic, as the title strongly suggests a con-opinion. Either that, or defend the railroad and tell us what it's doing right.

By all means, if you want to add to the topic, your comments are no less a rant than mine. As Jeff rightly stated, feel free to chime in and prove my points otherwise....or ignore them.

Just try and cut the good employees some slack.

For the record, I hope no one has perceived otherwise. The employees are great. Many of them still working and many former co-workers are now my patients and they hold a special place in our office.

You want to talk and see photos of trains, see here a thread I started. Would love to see your photos. Add to it.

http://www.railroad.net/forums/search.php?fid[]=63

BTW, anyone know a good cheap way to get photos scanned in? I just pulled out my showbox of pics. WOW. You know, maybe when my kids get older I'll ahve to put out a book, a diesels of the sunrise trail like book. Got a ton of pics that I would love to share if I knew how.

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... it=consist sorry bout that

...anyone know if my paycheck's going to bounce this week too?

Tool you don't have Direct Deposit after all these years?
just cash it at the ticket window so you don't have to worry.