NJCL - more trains / EXPRESSES / HOB-BH service !!

Comets should be fine. No need to have the extra capacity of Multi Levels when you've left out about a third of the state from being able to use the service.

The good news is that since the service is still about 2 hours from end to end, and to bring a group of people, you'd have to take out a second mortgage, the Parkway is still probably the best way to go from most points in the state.

The Garden State Parkway is usually a complete quagmire on all weekends from mid day, to evening. I know because I am a regular at Six Flags Great Adventure and that was the route I used to take to get there. I found a different route that is much better which I use now. That still takes 2.5 hours on a good day. Since this service isn't usable to me, I will spend my summer elsewhere and not on the Jersey Shore. If it was set up that I could get down there in about 2.5 hours, I might use it because it would be easier and faster than driving. No way I am spending 3+ hours in a weekend traffic jam to go to the shore. I will stick to Action Park for all my swimming needs. I am only 20 minutes away from there.

SecaucusJunction wrote:Comets should be fine. No need to have the extra capacity of Multi Levels when you've left out about a third of the state from being able to use the service.

The good news is that since the service is still about 2 hours from end to end, and to bring a group of people, you'd have to take out a second mortgage, the Parkway is still probably the best way to go from most points in the state.

Do you ever stop complaining?

brain -

The Garden State Parkway is usually a complete quagmire on all weekends from mid day, to evening. I know because I am a regular at Six Flags Great Adventure and that was the route I used to take to get there. I found a different route that is much better which I use now. That still takes 2.5 hours on a good day. Since this service isn't usable to me, I will spend my summer elsewhere and not on the Jersey Shore. If it was set up that I could get down there in about 2.5 hours, I might use it because it would be easier and faster than driving. No way I am spending 3+ hours in a weekend traffic jam to go to the shore. I will stick to Action Park for all my swimming needs. I am only 20 minutes away from there.

I go to Point Pleasant from Morristown every Friday or Saturday morning in the Summer. Usually leave around 8 am and take 287 North to 24 East to 78 East and GSP to Exit 98 to get to PP. I return via the same routing in reverse around 9 pm Sunday evening. Doing max 72-73 mph, the longest ride South has been about 70 minutes while North bound the longest has been about 75 minutes door to door. Occasional brief bottlenecks Southbound on the GSP around Rt.1 and the merge around Asbury Park. Northbound, occasional merge bottlenecks at Exit 98 and at the exits for 22 / Union toll plaza.

I've noticed since Sandy a distinct decrease in volume on the GSP traveling to-from the Shore.

While like seeing the return of this quasi Shore Express service, it has no advantage to me due to my home proximity.

To me having the train as an option is always an advantage, even if it takes longer. No dealing with traffic, not worrying about finding parking, no worry about having my car dinged, scratched, or broken into....

Yes it would be lovely to have the train as an option, even if you don't live in NYC or Newark. Unfortunately, most of the state does not. Does anyone remember how popular the "Bergen Shore Express" was? Maybe they should just bring that back if they are going to leave out North Jersey on these disasters of trains.

CNJGeep wrote: Do you ever stop complaining?

Quit complaining about the post. It's normal observations.

philipmartin wrote:

CNJGeep wrote: Do you ever stop complaining?

Quit complaining about the post. It's normal observations.

Yes, a normal observation of SecaucusJunction complaining about something. Thanks for coming in.

SecaucusJunction wrote: to bring a group of people, you'd have to take out a second mortgage

As a ticket agent, that rings true.

That being said, I am surprised anyone expressed a non-chalant "OK" to fare increases now (will you pay for my ride?). If it gets worse, people (myself included) will just simply take the train less. No more fumbling around with my Main/Bergen schedules, figuring out a good place to park, and hoping to hit the jackpot at SEC. Does a 50% increase mean 50% more trains or 50% better customer service? Maybe that Lexus commercial is true: we've grown very accustomed to getting less and less with our hard earned wages.

F40 wrote:we've grown very accustomed to getting less and less with our hard earned wages.

Yes, and it will get worse with programmed inflation.

a non-chalant "OK" to fare increases

We have no choice. There is some waste running the railroad and bus lines, but the tax payers are picking up much of the cost.

sixty-six wrote: Yes, a normal observation of SecaucusJunction complaining about something.

It's an opinion, based on fact, that may prove to be correct.

Trainlawyer wrote:If the train is going to be run anyway then any revenue should be welcome.

But if the train is the first run of the day, the cost of a deadhead is an engineer, but the cost of a revenue train is engineer plus whatever minimum number of conductors and ticket collectors are required by union rules. If only a couple passengers use this 4:55AM train, it's a net money loser and that train crew could better be used elsewhere.

F40 wrote:Does a 50% increase mean 50% more trains or 50% better customer service? Maybe that Lexus commercial is true: we've grown very accustomed to getting less and less with our hard earned wages.

Hopefully this doesn't pull things too far OT, but I have to take exception to this statement. Year to date my trains OTP has been in the mid 90 percent range. Most of the issues that effect me are out of my control (signal problems, following other trains, weather, etc). Mechanical problems are almost a non-issue. Know what IS the issue, on a daily basis?? PASSENGERS. Yup. You guys. On the wrong train, missed your stop, can't get to the platform on time...... the list goes on. Case in point..... had to stop the train yesterday to let someone off who was clearly NOT paying attention to announcements. Now.... we could have just kept it moving. Bad customer service. Lost 5 minutes that could not be made up. People missed connections at the endpoint. Perceived bad customer service. Sooooo.....do we call all of you out on the PA system so that other passengers don't blame US? We know what the "hard faults" are.... and do what we can to work with them. The "soft faults" are sitting all around you. Point I am trying to make is the system isn't perfect and neither are the passengers. We can go round and round about performance of RR's in other countries..... but their people are different too. My two cents.....

loufah wrote:

Trainlawyer wrote:If the train is going to be run anyway then any revenue should be welcome.

But if the train is the first run of the day, the cost of a deadhead is an engineer, but the cost of a revenue train is engineer plus whatever minimum number of conductors and ticket collectors are required by union rules. If only a couple passengers use this 4:55AM train, it's a net money loser and that train crew could better be used elsewhere.

Uhhhhhh you do know you don't run a deadhead with just an engineer, right? You need at least a Conductor as well as a brakeman.