The Interborough Express (IBX)

In one of the articles I read about this, "heavy rail" is one of the options in addition to light rail and busing. Guessing heavy rail could be the LIRR?

BM6569 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 09, 2022 11:46 am In one of the articles I read about this, "heavy rail" is one of the options in addition to light rail and busing. Guessing heavy rail could be the LIRR?

"Heavy rail" would mean subway, not commuter rail.

There's a boatload of people who believe this will be a subway line, connected to the Queens blvd route (magically, of course). That's what the map implies too. We all know that's 100% not going to happen though.

It is very, very political that this is getting funding vs. the old LIRR Rockaway beach tracks.

The fact that this wouldn't actually go to the Bronx is also, well, strange (to put it politely).

I'm glad they're looking at more transit options, and maybe finally getting the cross harbor freight tunnel some attention, but I would expect (or at least hope) that this idea evolves significantly before they start any work.

Given this state's recent history of vaporware vanity projects (LGA airtrain to nowhere comes to mind), I ain't holding my breath.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Sun Jan 09, 2022 8:01 pm

BM6569 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 09, 2022 11:46 am In one of the articles I read about this, "heavy rail" is one of the options in addition to light rail and busing. Guessing heavy rail could be the LIRR?

"Heavy rail" would mean subway, not commuter rail.

I took heavy rail to mean Like LIRR, but more frequent.
FRA will be the regulatory agency, not FTA.
Which makes one wonder, why not run it as a PATH route?

Does anyone know if this ROW is wide enough for 3 tracks? Bi-directional passenger traffic and single-track freight would make this more viable.

Patch Hog wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 12:18 pm Does anyone know if this ROW is wide enough for 3 tracks? Bi-directional passenger traffic and single-track freight would make this more viable.

A look at OpenStreetMap says no, maybe two tracks in sections but that's it. For passenger traffic I'd build a subway over it.

Does this need to provide a seat ride to Manhattan? I was looking at all the connections this route would have with various subway lines. It reminds me of either a G train 2.0 or the Moscow Belt Line. I think it has a lot of potential.

No it doesn't. Not everything revolves around Manhattan, and that is the exact point of this. People live, work and 'recreate' in Queens and Brooklyn too.

Look at the London Overground and how usage exploded on those lines once they hit 6tph+ and new trains (and stations/safety perception) - a similar one is being build, almost an exact replica of shape, in Melbourne - linking their radial suburban lines. This will help traffic congestion too.

Send it into LaGuardia directly. More useful than the N/R.

New renderings show the option of this project being either a busway on top of the freight tracks, intercity/commuter rail next to the freight tracks, or light rail service next to the freight tracks. I'm fine with the second or third option. As long as they don't choose option 1.... (or else this would be busses.net)

https://new.mta.info/document/72081

Hot off the presses is the "study" for the service:

https://new.mta.info/document/72081

I'm sure the planning for this was well over a year, perhaps two. It didn't happen overnight. And, as I posted earlier, the consultants certainly enriched themselves on this project. Note to GOV. Kathy and her staff: monies can be better spent on restoring the Rockaway Beach line to at least JFK.

It's much better to serve locals for their daily commuting, schools, shopping etc - than to serve airports. Yes people work at airports too. But for occasional travellers, who cares. Edge cases which gobble up too much attention and bandwidth for a few trips per year. It's an over-discussed fetish.

Opening up opportunities for folks to get job centers quicker and to remove local car journeys is so much more important.

Glad this is likely to be commuter rail. I'd prefer cat to 3rd rail, but you don't win 'em all, and would mean LIRR stock, if there is a good connection.

From page 3, "The Hell Gate Line between Queens and the Bronx is used by Amtrak, freight, and future MTA Metro-North Penn Station Access trains that will connect the Bronx to Manhattan, Westchester, and beyond. Given the anticipated frequent level of service for the Interborough Express, there is not enough space along the existing Hell Gate Line for the additional tracks to accommodate the IBX with the rail traffic levels of the other services."

Couldn't they restore the 4th track over the Hell Gate Bridge to get it into the Bronx? That track is not being used at all and would never be used by Amtrak or Metro North

The former Rockaway Beach line had a number of stops before entering the Main Line at White Pot/Rego Park. Some abandoned stations still exist. NYS Assemblyman Goldfeder has been an advocate of the line's restoration:

https://thequeenslink.org/wp-content/up ... l-Line.pdf

The residents along the abandoned line also shop, attend school, etc. JFK would just be icing on the cake.

Like the Brooklyn waterfront light rail line, these visioning projects are a moot issue and will fade after election season.

BM6569 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 21, 2022 2:47 pm From page 3, "The Hell Gate Line between Queens and the Bronx is used by Amtrak, freight, and future MTA Metro-North Penn Station Access trains that will connect the Bronx to Manhattan, Westchester, and beyond. Given the anticipated frequent level of service for the Interborough Express, there is not enough space along the existing Hell Gate Line for the additional tracks to accommodate the IBX with the rail traffic levels of the other services."

Couldn't they restore the 4th track over the Hell Gate Bridge to get it into the Bronx? That track is not being used at all and would never be used by Amtrak or Metro North

I was under the impression track 4 was removed for modern freight car clearance.

It was taken out of service in the early 80's by Conrail then removed in 2000? It wasn't being used for years