Missing a station

Someone on my area's local Facebook group reported that recently their train failed to stop at their station and they had to get off at the next station and make their own way home from there. The station in question is a major stop on the line in question, with all non "upper-line" trains on the line always stopping there. Reportedly it wasn't a case of trying to stop and overshooting the platform due to poor conditions - the train simply failed to make the booked stop.

How big a deal is accidentally missing a booked stop on Metro-North? Back home in the UK I understand doing so is treated by management as akin to passing a signal at danger. Is it as serious as that on MNR?

Usually it warrants a "Don't do that again" lecture. It's not that serious - on a 1 - 10 scale its about a 5.4

As long as the engineer didn't run a signal, topple off a bridge, or wind up someplace in Rhode Island while doing so, it seems like a forgivable offense.

Plus there are occasions where it's not the fault of the engineer. The schedule could have been changed enroute due to a track or car issue someplace, a police investigation at the station, or something else (Metro-North's responsibility disclaimer does say schedules are subject to change without notice). It is possible there could have been an issue like that and it was either not announced clearly or the person on the train wasn't listening (quite common these days). Then there are things like weather conditions that play a role. One night during leaf season last year we slid maybe three trainlengths past Westhampton. Nobody wanted to get off and nobody was on the platform, so we got permission to just keep going, but there are occasions where accidentally missing a station stop could be unavoidable.

Chances are, there is some sort of explanation out there. There could be logical explanation, it might not have been made clear to the person you're reporting on behalf of, for reasons that may or man not have been within their control, or it could be just a mistake. As long as you got home in one piece what harm could a couple extra minutes on the train do?

There are times that these things happen.

Case in point: I had to work a south bound Harlem Line express train that at least 2/3 of the train got on at White Plains and got off at Fordham. Due to track problems in Mount Vernon we were instructed to make an unscheduled stop at Fleetwood to drop off the Fordham people where another train that was behind us would pick them up (after dropping them off to go direct to Harlem 125th). After making announcements until I was blue in the face I would say at least a dozen people missed the memo and had no choice but to go to Harlem 125.

The reasons that so many people missed the stop: head phones, people not paying attention, and one person said to me that they "don't have time to listen to announcements".

lirr42 wrote:As long as the engineer didn't ... wind up someplace in Rhode Island while doing so

Is Rhode Island code word for Bala Cynwyd?

Tadman wrote:

lirr42 wrote:As long as the engineer didn't ... wind up someplace in Rhode Island while doing so

Is Rhode Island code word for Bala Cynwyd?

LOL!!!!!

BTW I wonder what ever happened to that crew (but that is for another forum)...

I remember back a while ago when I was riding the NJCL (I know this is a MN forum, but it DOES relate to the topic), An announcement was made at EVERY Station stop prior to Perth Amboy, that the train would NOT be stopping there. Wouldn't you know that someone dumped the air as we passed Perth Amboy, claiming that the crew MISSED the stop... And YES the guy was listening to his iPOD during the entire trip from NYP...

NJT train missed Princeton Junction one night and all the PAX had to get off at Hamilton. What came and picked them up at Hamilton to bring them back up the line to Princeton Junction? None other than the Acela Express. Win-win in my book..

CentralValleyRail wrote:NJT train missed Princeton Junction one night and all the PAX had to get off at Hamilton. What came and picked them up at Hamilton to bring them back up the line to Princeton Junction? None other than the Acela Express. Win-win in my book..

And who ever said that NJT doesn't have bar car service?

I was on a GCT bound New Haven train, originating at New Haven one Saturday night - and the train was NOT stopping at Stamford. Yet a group got on anyway wanting to get off there. (There were two trains leaving within 10 min of each other, the other stopping at Stamford). The conductor was very understanding and actually had the train stop at Stamford and opened one door for them to hop out. Only took a minute, but I remember thinking how grateful those riders must have been.