by Noel Weaver
I made two round trips on the LIRR during my trip north last month and
though I would share my experiences with you, hope I don't bore you
with this stuff.
First one was on Thursday, August 11th, the 3:03 PM train from Jamaica
to Babylon via the Central Branch, train no. 2772. I returned on train no.
129 which left Babylon at 4:35 PM with a consist of M-7's. On the going
trip, I took a connecting train out of Flatbush Avenue which also consisted
of M-7's of which the first two cars that I entered were very hot before I
finally found one that was somewhat better although it was never really
comfortable. Coming back from Babylon on the train of M-7's, the first
car that I entered was also very hot but there was a crew member on the
platform who stated that both the car ahead and car behind were cool, I
moved to one of the other cars and had a decent ride. The diesel
equipment was comfortable in every respect. All of the trains were on
time except for the Brooklyn to Jamaica leg which lost time leaving
Flatbush Avenue and stayed late all the way to Jamaica but I had time
enough there so there was not really a problem.
The other trip was on Saturday, August 13th when I took the first train out
of Albany in the AM and a connecting train from Penn Station to Jamaica.
I intentionally left Penn Station on an earlier than necessary connection
because I wanted to have a good look around Jamaica but this was not a
good decision as the train had a "rag tag" assortment of junk that was
mostly hot, stinky, crowded and dirty, also late as well, think they may
have been having some sort of mechanical trouble with the stuff. Jamaica
station had construction, noise and disruption all over the place and it was
very hot so I found refuge inside of the station for the airport train.
Left Jamaica on train no. 8706 at 10:16 AM and although we left a little bit
late, we never lost any more time and actually made some up as we got
farther and farther east. The train was very crowded and I had to
search through several cars to find a seat. Did not get a window until
after we left Speonk but it was a great and interesting ride and all of the
cars that I encountered were cool and comfortable.
It was nearly as hot at Montauk as it was everywhere else that day but
after a wonderful lunch at Gosman's Dock in Montauk, I was ready for the
return. There were several sets of equipment in the yard at Montauk and
I was surprised that this was the case.
My return was on train 8705 at 3:37 PM and this train was on time to the
minute all of the way back to Jamaica and not a crowded as the trip out
either. The connection at Jamaica to Penn Station was not as pleasant,
however, crowded and a number of hot cars in another "rag tag"
assortment of older cars, it might have been the same "junk" that I rode
east out of New York in as they did not seem to make track speed going
back either.
A comment or two more on this one, I always though LIRR commuters
were a worse breed than Metro-North commuters were and I witnessed an
incident on the return trip from Montauk that did nothing to change my
mind on this one. We arrived at Southampton right on schedule with a
minute or two for station time. A guy drove up with others in the car and
they sat in the car for a minute to gab, finally he and someone else got
out and took their sweet time heading for the platform, meantime, it came
time to go and the crew closed the doors and departed. I looked back
out of my window to see them going "nuts" on the platform. I do not
know if they tried to make the train at the next station but I rather doubt
it as we hustled right along. Two salutes to the crew on that train for not
stopping and delaying the train to let these "clowns" board, maybe the
next time they will get out of their car promptly and board the train instead of killing time in their car. I was similing from ear to ear on this one.
These trips were my first on the double decker diesel hauled cars and I
liked them. They were quite comfortable to ride as commuter equipment,
rode well and all of the AC's worked as intended. This was also my first
trip on an M-7 and the ones where the AC was working properly were not
bad but I was disappointed to find such new equipment with hot cars. One
M-7 (on the train out of Brooklyn) had water all over some of the seats
and on the floor from the AC. In my opinion, there is no excuse for this
condition on relatively new equipment.
All in all, it was a very pleasant day.
Finally, I would like to thank the people who answered my questions
earlier on here regarding the Central Branch. I never did get to ride out
of LIC to Jamaica over the Montauk Branch, will save it for next year and
ask the same question again next June or July.
Noel Weaver
though I would share my experiences with you, hope I don't bore you
with this stuff.
First one was on Thursday, August 11th, the 3:03 PM train from Jamaica
to Babylon via the Central Branch, train no. 2772. I returned on train no.
129 which left Babylon at 4:35 PM with a consist of M-7's. On the going
trip, I took a connecting train out of Flatbush Avenue which also consisted
of M-7's of which the first two cars that I entered were very hot before I
finally found one that was somewhat better although it was never really
comfortable. Coming back from Babylon on the train of M-7's, the first
car that I entered was also very hot but there was a crew member on the
platform who stated that both the car ahead and car behind were cool, I
moved to one of the other cars and had a decent ride. The diesel
equipment was comfortable in every respect. All of the trains were on
time except for the Brooklyn to Jamaica leg which lost time leaving
Flatbush Avenue and stayed late all the way to Jamaica but I had time
enough there so there was not really a problem.
The other trip was on Saturday, August 13th when I took the first train out
of Albany in the AM and a connecting train from Penn Station to Jamaica.
I intentionally left Penn Station on an earlier than necessary connection
because I wanted to have a good look around Jamaica but this was not a
good decision as the train had a "rag tag" assortment of junk that was
mostly hot, stinky, crowded and dirty, also late as well, think they may
have been having some sort of mechanical trouble with the stuff. Jamaica
station had construction, noise and disruption all over the place and it was
very hot so I found refuge inside of the station for the airport train.
Left Jamaica on train no. 8706 at 10:16 AM and although we left a little bit
late, we never lost any more time and actually made some up as we got
farther and farther east. The train was very crowded and I had to
search through several cars to find a seat. Did not get a window until
after we left Speonk but it was a great and interesting ride and all of the
cars that I encountered were cool and comfortable.
It was nearly as hot at Montauk as it was everywhere else that day but
after a wonderful lunch at Gosman's Dock in Montauk, I was ready for the
return. There were several sets of equipment in the yard at Montauk and
I was surprised that this was the case.
My return was on train 8705 at 3:37 PM and this train was on time to the
minute all of the way back to Jamaica and not a crowded as the trip out
either. The connection at Jamaica to Penn Station was not as pleasant,
however, crowded and a number of hot cars in another "rag tag"
assortment of older cars, it might have been the same "junk" that I rode
east out of New York in as they did not seem to make track speed going
back either.
A comment or two more on this one, I always though LIRR commuters
were a worse breed than Metro-North commuters were and I witnessed an
incident on the return trip from Montauk that did nothing to change my
mind on this one. We arrived at Southampton right on schedule with a
minute or two for station time. A guy drove up with others in the car and
they sat in the car for a minute to gab, finally he and someone else got
out and took their sweet time heading for the platform, meantime, it came
time to go and the crew closed the doors and departed. I looked back
out of my window to see them going "nuts" on the platform. I do not
know if they tried to make the train at the next station but I rather doubt
it as we hustled right along. Two salutes to the crew on that train for not
stopping and delaying the train to let these "clowns" board, maybe the
next time they will get out of their car promptly and board the train instead of killing time in their car. I was similing from ear to ear on this one.
These trips were my first on the double decker diesel hauled cars and I
liked them. They were quite comfortable to ride as commuter equipment,
rode well and all of the AC's worked as intended. This was also my first
trip on an M-7 and the ones where the AC was working properly were not
bad but I was disappointed to find such new equipment with hot cars. One
M-7 (on the train out of Brooklyn) had water all over some of the seats
and on the floor from the AC. In my opinion, there is no excuse for this
condition on relatively new equipment.
All in all, it was a very pleasant day.
Finally, I would like to thank the people who answered my questions
earlier on here regarding the Central Branch. I never did get to ride out
of LIC to Jamaica over the Montauk Branch, will save it for next year and
ask the same question again next June or July.
Noel Weaver
