• Are pocket timetables still printed?

  • Discussion of the past and present operations of the Long Island Rail Road.
Discussion of the past and present operations of the Long Island Rail Road.

Moderator: Liquidcamphor

  by bellstbarn
 
Between Seaford and Massapequa Park, the ticket offices stock only the big timetables. Have the pocket ("TDI") timetables been discontinued?
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On another topic, this afternoon a blue-and-gold helicopter was racing east at low altitude above the tracks in Wantagh-Seaford. I wonder whether that is Prince Andrew traveling to some photo op. Long ago, railroad police did that, more slowly.
  by BuddR32
 
Yes, the pocket timetables are still printed. They're in Jamaica for certain.

Always thought they were a waste.
  by R36 Combine Coach
 
There were none at Penn Station last Thursday.
  by Head-end View
 
I haven't seen them for several months now either at Penn Sta. or at main-line stations. I assume they've been discontinued. I guess LIRR found it didn't pay to print them anymore as many people are looking at train info on smart-phones, etc.
  by Kelly&Kelly
 
The pocket timetables are printed and distributed by TDI (Terminal Displays Inc.). Advertising pays for the printing.

In 1974 the "branch colors" were added to the pocket timetables at the railroad's request and the carrier agreed to pay for the additional charges associated with color inks. The MTA logo replaced Dashing Dan in December of 1968.

The branch timetables, printed by the railroad at their expense, were discontinued for a couple of years around 1972, and until 1974 the MTA pocket timetables were printed only in blue. Prior to the MTA era, they were printed in black ink.

Some of the the branch timetables are printed privately, some are printed by the LIRR print shop in Hillside, depending on the paper size.
  by JamesRR
 
On the subject of timetables, I was walking through the main gate area at Penn the other day, and noticed the timetable racks for LIRR weren't there (around the columns near the 7 Ave IRT entrance). Are they gone from Penn or located somewhere else. I noticed they were missing in the Central Corridor, too.
  by LB
 
Seems like AMTRAK stopped printing their timetables about a year or so ago as well.
  by AlKaLI
 
JamesRR wrote:On the subject of timetables, I was walking through the main gate area at Penn the other day, and noticed the timetable racks for LIRR weren't there (around the columns near the 7 Ave IRT entrance). Are they gone from Penn or located somewhere else. I noticed they were missing in the Central Corridor, too.
If I remember correctly, the LIRR timetable rack is by the Waiting Room and bathrooms at the 7th Avenue side of Penn Station. I'll check on my way home tonight. I think only the branch timetables are there.
  by AlKaLI
 
Confirmed. Only branch timetables are available. Rack is outside the Men's Room in LIRR Waiting Area.
  by MADDOG
 
AlKaLI wrote:Confirmed. Only branch timetables are available. Rack is outside the Men's Room in LIRR Waiting Area.
There also is a rack at the central corridor near where the florist used to be. I saw it today with only full branch timetables.No pocket ones.
MADDOG
  by MACTRAXX
 
Everyone: Interesting observation about LIRR pocket timetables - this makes me want to take a
harder look at this subject during the weeks ahead. This makes me wonder if because of the sheer
number of special timetables and changes this year that they were temporarily discontinued(?)...

The only Pocket Timetable that is in effect is the "Forest Hills and Kew Gardens Branch Timetable"
Effective May 21 to July 20, 2018 (Form 12-TPSS-64) and is published and printed directly by the
LIRR as compared to the other pocket timetables which were from CBS Media (I think they are the
company that contracts with the LIRR for the pocket timetables) handling the advertising that pays
for the costs of these schedules.

MACTRAXX
  by Amtrak7
 
Pocket timetables were printed for GO 304. With all the last minute changes due to Amtrak work, I suspect they've been temporarily put on hold...
  by njgrptfan
 
I was talking to a conductor at Greenport a couple weeks ago.
She told me the railroad has not printed paper schedules in over a year.
I guess with the Pandemic there was no need, and it saved money.
I hope they are not gone for good!
Many of us still like to have a hard copy, rather than digital !