Railroad Forums 

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

Moderator: Liquidcamphor

 #1531361  by AHunter3
 
I see lots of progress at Jamaica Station on the new south end platform. It looks done. One odd thing: the track numbers are posted on the columns now and they're not 9 and 10 as I'd expect but 11 and 12. WTF?
 #1531418  by Patch Hog
 
AHunter3 wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2020 1:43 am I see lots of progress at Jamaica Station on the new south end platform. It looks done. One odd thing: the track numbers are posted on the columns now and they're not 9 and 10 as I'd expect but 11 and 12. WTF?
9 and 10 are between 8 and 11 - they just don’t have a platform. They will be used for freight, express and equipment trains.
 #1532343  by gamer4616
 
AHunter3 wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2020 1:43 am I see lots of progress at Jamaica Station on the new south end platform. It looks done. One odd thing: the track numbers are posted on the columns now and they're not 9 and 10 as I'd expect but 11 and 12. WTF?
Platform F, between tracks 11 and 12 will open Friday 1/31/20 at 1201am. From what's written, only 11 track will be in use for trains. 12 track still has more work to be done.
 #1533021  by gamer4616
 
It looks like a few new trains are being added to the schedule 2/10 and are going to be using the new Platform F in Jamaica.

1495 JAMAICA 817PM BROOKLYN 840PM
1496 BROOKLYN 855PM JAMAICA 917PM
1497 JAMAICA 937PM BROOKLYN 1000PM
 #1533717  by gamer4616
 
gamer4616 wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 5:24 pm It looks like a few new trains are being added to the schedule 2/10 and are going to be using the new Platform F in Jamaica.

1495 JAMAICA 817PM BROOKLYN 840PM
1496 BROOKLYN 855PM JAMAICA 917PM
1497 JAMAICA 937PM BROOKLYN 1000PM
Just an update for the new Platform F. These trains still haven't run. They've been canceled every night so far this week. If it means anything, these trains have been added to the TIMACS system (system used to track trains, on time performance, etc...) beginning 2/18. So it would appear 2/18 would be the start date for the new platform for passenger use.
 #1535213  by gamer4616
 
The Brooklyn scoot off of track 11 on the new Platform F has been running every day now. The first scheduled train to carry passengers was train 1495 on 2/20, leaving Jamaica on Track 11 at 819pm, and arriving in Brooklyn on track 6 at 840pm. The 3 scheduled trains to use the new Platform F in Jamaica are:

1495 JAMAICA 817PM BROOKLYN 840PM
1496 BROOKLYN 855PM JAMAICA 917PM
1497 JAMAICA 937PM BROOKLYN 1000PM
 #1535625  by flexliner
 
so will these FBA scoots have timed connections in the schedule?
or is it just take a train to JAM hop to a main platform and wait for whenever the train to your destination comes

and if there are timed connections - from track 6 to 7 or even 8 (with a train both sides open on 7) the time was under a minute
how much time will they allow for the schlep and over to and from platform F?

real screwing for FBA people which i understand includes a lot of lower Manhattan wall st etc types (closer by subway than NYP)
a bit surprised they are not putting up a more vocal protest
 #1535631  by Kelly&Kelly
 
The MTA has long investigated the alternative of having the NYCTA operate the Brooklyn shuttles or perhaps an "ESA Operating Authority" to skirt certain operating agreements and rules. As with most major policy visions, the concept comes and goes with the management administrations.

This was an almost sure-thing in 2005, but may have lost interest since funding and union problems seem to have evaporated lately.
 #1535650  by Head-end View
 
I agree with flexliner that the Brooklyn customers will absolutely get the short end of the stick with this new configuration. And as the previous poster said that includes (or did years ago) a lot of people who work in Downtown Manhattan who found Brooklyn to be the easier way to go than Penn Station.
 #1535680  by ADL6009
 
Trains using platform F will not have connections. When you get to Jamaica you just have to wait for the next scheduled train to your destination. The idea was to have a train every 15 min to Jamaica so that you wouldn’t need connections, basically like the Air Train service.
 #1535681  by Head-end View
 
So now passengers coming from Brooklyn will have to coordinate their trip to arrive at Jamaica in time to make the train to their destination. Unlike the current system where it's usually just a cross-platform transfer of trains scheduled to arrive at Jamaica at approx. the same time. :(
 #1535702  by flexliner
 
Maybe it’s me but I still don’t get why with proper timing the current track system including from FBA cannot be maintained.
IIIRC trains coming from NYP (or GCT) for most part come on two “eastbound “ tracks pretty straight to 7 and 8
They go over FBA trains coming to 6. Or 5. No conflicts.
Even an up and over from 5 to 7 beats platform F to 7.
Leaving East 7 and 8 go right mostly Babylon ronkonkoma or Huntington. 5 and 6 dip down to the south shore branches. No major conflict.

On the westbound side pretty much same. Tracks 1 and 2 from hunt ronk bab. 3 and 4 from under from south shore.
1 and 2 go right to Harold. 3 and 4 go left and under to FBA.

So where are all these major disastrous track conflicts that are causing the LI to so totally screw Brooklyn passengers??
 #1535713  by Kelly&Kelly
 
Moves across Hall from the Avenue underjump are eliminated. Naturally taking the Brooklyn traffic out of Hall eases congestion, simplifies operation and reduces the opportunity for delays.

It is envisioned that when ESA opens, most of the Downtown Manhattan traffic would return to Penn Station from FBA. This would significantly reduce FBA ridership and fewer working riders would be inconvenienced. For planning purposes, the MTA distinguishes between "working riders" who commute (pay taxes, vote and influence politics) and "non-working riders" (consumers) who ride occasionally, ride on free programs, are visiting or shopping. Priority for service quality is given to those who "pay the bill," commute daily and must keep a schedule.

True, making the Flatbush operation a shuttle is the easy way out. Complexity has a price, and that price is often reliability.