Railroad Forums 

  • American Dream Opening and Expanded Meadowlands Rail Service

  • Discussion related to New Jersey Transit rail and light rail operations.
Discussion related to New Jersey Transit rail and light rail operations.

Moderators: lensovet, Kaback9, nick11a

 #1527320  by CentralValleyRail
 
Hawaiitiki wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 9:40 am
EuroStar wrote: Thu Dec 05, 2019 9:01 am The lower level at Secaucus has no ability to take frequent shuttles back and forth while accommodating the current level of service on the other tracks. Have you ever been at the lower level when they run concert or game shuttles? All regularly scheduled service comes on a single track and the delays and confusion are horrendous. There is a good reason why nobody is proposing finishing the long forgotten Meadowlands loop. The better known reason is that it is expensive, but the second and also very important reason is that even with the loop, they still cannot run frequent enough service due to limitations at Secaucus.
Well, also NJT's original messaging, maps, and indications of the Meadowlands Line before it opened was that it would be its own "line" originating all trains from Hoboken, which IS designed to turn and service trains. That sort of happened at first. Does anyone know if ANY Meadowlands Line trains originate at Hoboken anymore?, maybe one or two an event?
It was also designed for people on the PVL to use it for One-Line Service to the game boy what a bill of goods NJT and the politicians sold them.
 #1527616  by lensovet
 
EuroStar wrote: Thu Dec 05, 2019 9:01 am It does not matter how much of the mall is open. Even once the whole thing is open there will be no regular rail service between Secaucus and the mall. The Meadowlands extension was designed after Secaucus was built. The lower level at Secaucus has no ability to take frequent shuttles back and forth while accommodating the current level of service on the other tracks. Have you ever been at the lower level when they run concert or game shuttles? All regularly scheduled service comes on a single track and the delays and confusion are horrendous. There is a good reason why nobody is proposing finishing the long forgotten Meadowlands loop. The better known reason is that it is expensive, but the second and also very important reason is that even with the loop, they still cannot run frequent enough service due to limitations at Secaucus.
is that really true on the weekends? that's the only time i would consider full time service useful.
 #1529810  by trainbrain
 
I went to the American Dream today. As of now, it's just the amusement park, ice rink, and ski area open. The waterpark looks almost ready. I saw one of the buses come in and it was pretty empty. I drove there and the parking lot wasn't that full. Doesn't seem to be enough demand for rail service yet. The other issue is the station location. It's located next to the stadium and is pretty far from the mall entrance. It's odd that they were originally planning to run it daily once the mall opened when it's clearly designed to be used for stadium events only.

I don't think there will be rail service to the mall until NJT has resolved their staffing and equipment shortage issues, and either demand increases to the point where the buses can't keep up, or Triple Five pays NJT to run trains.
 #1529876  by Roadgeek Adam
 
trainbrain wrote: Tue Dec 31, 2019 7:34 pm I went to the American Dream today. As of now, it's just the amusement park, ice rink, and ski area open. The waterpark looks almost ready. I saw one of the buses come in and it was pretty empty. I drove there and the parking lot wasn't that full. Doesn't seem to be enough demand for rail service yet. The other issue is the station location. It's located next to the stadium and is pretty far from the mall entrance. It's odd that they were originally planning to run it daily once the mall opened when it's clearly designed to be used for stadium events only.

I don't think there will be rail service to the mall until NJT has resolved their staffing and equipment shortage issues, and either demand increases to the point where the buses can't keep up, or Triple Five pays NJT to run trains.
Keep in mind the retail isn't opened yet. That opens in March 2020 and it will be interesting to see what changes in terms of bus ridership.