Fan trips and the LIRR

Jay there is no FRA requirement or statute requiring "door lights"..that is an LIRR company requirement. This I was told by the LIRR's representative that works closely with the FRA on equipment. The question was "could the LIRR use 1500's to pull revenue psgr trains...disregarding HEP requirements" the answer was YES.

Fan trips are a nice Idea, but there are a few problems with the equipment we now have on the RR. The Bi-levels might not clear in some locations on Metro North, and the third rail shoes on our equipment run on top of the third rail, while the Metro North shoes run under the third rail. So i doubt the RR would even try it with either equipment. There would be too many logistical problems to be worth it. I am sure there would be some Conductors and engineers who would be willing to voulenteer for such trips, however union work rules would never allow it.

The Bi-levels should fit on the Hudson and Beacon lines ( I believe they even fit on New Haven line) and trip only needs DE's not DM's
I ran a sunrise chapter excursion years ago that came over Hellgate, then From New Rochelle to Mott Haven, up Hudson to Beacon , from there to Danbury with photo stop in Walley lake.
from Danbury were a museum stop was made we went down to South Norwalk and on to New Rochelle were I handed train bact to Amtrak crew.
Consist was 3 MP15's 10 parlor cars and coaches and F unit powerpack.

The LIRR bilevels fit on the Hudson Line, as many of the coaches came in that way.

If we're going to get into running LIRR equipment off Long Island, I have to ask, is it really worth all the trouble? If the bilevels were on the latest trip to Canaan, you wouldn't be able to get out since there's no steps.

The market on Long Island is small if you're using the existing equipment (DE/DM and bilevels) as there is no real routes to use them that you couldn't just take the regular trains themselves. The price to do it is cost prohibitive, and you don't know if anyone would plunk $70.00 to ride a DE30 to Montauk (why would they?) Again, no photo stops, because there's no stairs.

While I acknowledge that all of the "old heads" at the LIRR that proposed (and operated) the fantrips are retired, we have to note that many times, their proposals were denied too for different reasons. Just because they were who they were, didn't mean it would happen.

There's a lot of planning that has to go into planning a trip, not just on Long Island, but anywhere. If you can't justify a reason for the railroad to say yes, the answer will always be no. Coming up with an unrealistic plan is also a guaranteed no as well.

Ask any of the current excursion operators today (Morristown & Erie, Bennett Levin, etc.) and they will tell you how hard it is sometimes to put a trip together. Even with all of their expertise, they are told no too sometimes.

Jay

All good points. Many times fans forget that railroads are businesses. Even the LIRR and MetroNorth though government run are still in business to provide a service. If running a fan trip fits into the business plan then great. However, if running that trip means interference with day to day ops, it can't be expected to happen. I know some people are gonna say things like "but they only run 2 trips over that line daily. Why can't we have a trip?" There are many reasons why that trip can't happen. Insurence, equipment availablity, crew availabilty, weather conditions, I could go one and on as to why. The only thing that we as fans can do is participate on the trips that do happen. If the railroads see that they might be more inclined to run more trips.

It would be nice to have excursions involving LIRR equipment. Yes, double deckers would do well on the Hudson line. You want them at high level platforms because they aren't meant for low level. Speaking of Bennett Levin, there was supposed to be an excursion along NJT trackage utilizing his units years back. I wan't to see that happen but with transit's attitude, I doubt it.

C3s on the hudson would work, and to make Low Level bording some kind of ladders would need to be provided to step off the train to grade, that would be the biggest of the insurance risk. but is greatly possible.

Well, I went by the NY Transit Museum today and spoke to a representative about what the museum owns in the way of LIRR equipment. Turns out that they only have that 2900 coach at Morris Park. They had been offered other LIRR items but these objects were not rolling stock and are/were of little historical significance.

On the fan trip angle, I learned that indeed it is up to LIRR hierarchy to develop fan trips and supply the crews. The Transit Museum can only supply tour guides, and helpers and brochures, but not the man-power to run the equipment (NYCT subway nostalgia trips are coordinated by SubDivision C which is involved with MOW and 'special projects'. Their crews operate the vintage equipment).

Hope this info helps....

That photo above of the LIRR Harold Protect engines and the cabooses and gondolas is MY photo. I was on that trip and took that photo on the first page of this thread.
It was a great trip.
I guess the person that posted it founded it where I have some of my photos uploaded.
It's a shame, but the LIRR would probably never do a trip like that again....

http://long_island_joe.rrpicturearchives.net/pictures/7552/261806437UkGAkd_ph.jpg

BMT wrote:Well, I went by the NY Transit Museum today and spoke to a representative about what the museum owns in the way of LIRR equipment. Turns out that they only have that 2900 coach at Morris Park. They had been offered other LIRR items but these objects were not rolling stock and are/were of little historical significance.

On the fan trip angle, I learned that indeed it is up to LIRR hierarchy to develop fan trips and supply the crews. The Transit Museum can only supply tour guides, and helpers and brochures, but not the man-power to run the equipment (NYCT subway nostalgia trips are coordinated by SubDivision C which is involved with MOW and 'special projects'. Their crews operate the vintage equipment).

Hope this info helps....

Gotta love subdivision C!

R142A, you got that right!

If the LIRR had a group of guys at or near the "top of the food chain" in the LIRR organization that appreciated the older equipment, like NYCT's Sub Divsion C then you'd probably be having LIRR fan trips on a regular basis....unfortunately, this is not the case.