First Cold Day Of The Year ....

System wide delays. First signal problems at Jamaica. Then a disabled train in one of the East River tunnels
I wonder if anyone at headquarters is watching the weather reports for this weekend

This may be a long winter season....

Don't forget two weeks ago there was a broken rail at Westbury. Coincidentally the same day Cuomo unveiled plans to finish the Main Line 3rd track.

Let's complain about the railroad!

Kelly&Kelly wrote:Let's complain about the railroad!

That's all some people are good for.

The winter has been so mild this year and people are complaining. if the commuters dont like the railroad then ride a bicycle.

Commuter X wrote:System wide delays. First signal problems at Jamaica. Then a disabled train in one of the East River tunnels
I wonder if anyone at headquarters is watching the weather reports for this weekend

This may be a long winter season....

Why don't you go get your shine box!

You know, there can be winter storms and cold weather, but somehow the railroad is expected to be perfect, infallible and foolproof. And when it's not, people bitch and complain like they didn't get something they were entitled to!
But signal problems, it does seem that signal technology should have gone beyond that, if it was because of cold weather.

The circuitry can be the newest, weather tested stuff and still fail because you just cannot simulate the abuse these things take through a day, week, and month. All it takes is one bad circuit, much like a two car accident can cause 5 miles of traffic.

X, seriously, if the RR is so bad, why do you keep taking it? Why not buy a good used toyota, and car pool with some friends. Maybe you could save some money that way. Share the cost of the car, and the tolls, and the parking, and the gas, and the insurance, and to maintain it. Oh wait, the RR comes out cheaper. Sorry never mind...

The railroad is commonly known as a "fair weather railroad". Any inclement weather, and all bets are off
Before embarking (or continuing) on the three projects below, the MTA should work on making the existing system more reliable

Rebuild Penn Station
Third track between Hicksville and Floral Park
East Side Access

BTW -- I do not expect to see any one of these projects completed before the next decade

Anyone taking bets whether the LIRR suspends service this weekend for the snowstorm?

This has been mostly a railfan site, catering to historical and operational technicalities. Yahoo Groups has a great site where commuters complain to each other about delays, employee envy, smelly bathrooms and the like. Complaints like those would be best served by relating them to the railroad's Customer Empowerment Rep or some politician that a bunch of railfans. The politicians can demand better weather, lower employee wages, free fares and higher taxes on anyone left with jobs.

Let me add that our fine elected officials are doing a fantastic job and ridding Long Island of the younger generation and the retired generation.
High taxes, high cost of living, excessive and out dated rules in their incorporated villages, as well as the refusal to make the necessary adjustments to improve the quality of life.

But as K&K said. This forum is the intended medium for railroad enthusiast both employee and non employee alike to share their interest and knowledge of such to keep the history, heritage & memory alive. It's very prideful to know the LIRR CO, regardless of who's operating it, (NYS-MTA) is an monopoly still operating under its original name and charter. (1834)

Just my observations as seen through my eyes:
Over the last 50 or so years the LIRR went from being a railroad to a customer service organization.
Placing excessive priority in customer service and customer empowerment over day to day train movement and railroad operations. This enphisis in turn resulted in a huge loss of institutional knowledge and experience, of which some believe that PTC will replace the need for an experienced and seasoned railroader. PTC being viewed as the bandaid.

So in conclusion: Today's "empowered customers" are enjoying the benefits they so vigaruously fought for and earned over the last half century.

Note: Many new laws and regulations in addition to some of today's technology have also created more problems for foul weather operation then when everything was the old way too. This would make for it's own informative and intresting discussion.

workextra wrote:Let me add that our fine elected officials are doing a fantastic job and ridding Long Island of the younger generation and the retired generation.
High taxes, high cost of living, excessive and out dated rules in their incorporated villages, as well as the refusal to make the necessary adjustments to improve the quality of life.

But as K&K said. This forum is the intended medium for railroad enthusiast both employee and non employee alike to share their interest and knowledge of such to keep the history, heritage & memory alive. It's very prideful to know the LIRR CO, regardless of who's operating it, (NYS-MTA) is an monopoly still operating under its original name and charter. (1834)

Just my observations as seen through my eyes:
Over the last 50 or so years the LIRR went from being a railroad to a customer service organization.
Placing excessive priority in customer service and customer empowerment over day to day train movement and railroad operations. This enphisis in turn resulted in a huge loss of institutional knowledge and experience, of which some believe that PTC will replace the need for an experienced and seasoned railroader. PTC being viewed as the bandaid.

So in conclusion: Today's "empowered customers" are enjoying the benefits they so vigaruously fought for and earned over the last half century.

Note: Many new laws and regulations in addition to some of today's technology have also created more problems for foul weather operation then when everything was the old way too. This would make for it's own informative and intresting discussion.

If you look at my other posts, I question the need for PTC because it is old technology
However, like everything else the MTA runs, it will be late and over budget.
My recollection was that PTC was supposed to be implemented by 1/1/16, but the LIRR received a extension

Those of us in the industry are critical of PTC for exactly the opposite reason. It's untried technology which is not designed to be failsafe and has failed every trial of it that has been attempted. The LIRR in 2001 tested the very system that is being required and found it to be unworkable and unreliable in complex interlockings. That is why they abandoned its further testing until the Feds mandated installation.

That was discussed at length here by the very signal engineers who developed and tested it. You can learn lots reading Railroad.net. Or you can complain.

The disdain you express for the government operators of the road is shared across the board by most railroaders and probably its riders too. But getting the job done every day in spite of some incredibly stupid leadership decisions takes quite an investment of ability and skill by many of those operating the place. If you were around in the 1970's, you'd know that it could be much worse.