155 replies to this topic

[EE Broadway Local]

Hi! Please use this thread to post your random thoughts about Long Island Railroad and Metro-North Railroad service.

[Q23 Central Terminal]

I'm taking the shoppers special C3 to Patchogue on May 26

[VWM]

There is never a time a Babylon train is not crowded...

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I can't believe folks pay what they do and have to stand on MNRR trains... I got up and started cleaning up my apartment this morning and decided to take MetroNorth in, which would allow me to leave at 09:00 instead of running over to Riverdale Ave to get a super BxM1 express bus. Anywho, I got the Shuttle Bus at Henry Hudson Parkway and 232nd and then took that over to the Spuyten Duyvil station. I have to say, what is up with those little crammed shuttles? They're like outdated school buses.... Dark and seems like no AC either. It is an insult to even charge for those things. Why not just use regular sized city buses for the Hudson Rail Link?? Anywho, we get to the station and our train comes on time and such but there no freaking seats!! I couldn't believe it. I mean yeah it is only about 25 minutes to Grand Central but still. Paying for a peak ticket at $7.50 and then $2.25 for the shuttle... That's $9.75 one way and you have to stand... Ridiculous. I did eventually get a seat when this white chick got off at Marble Hill.

The ride was quick and more comfortable than those jerky LIRR trains, but I would not opt for using it everyday. The express bus is far more convenient and comfortable.

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8, 14 May 2012 - 01:09 PM.

[checkmatechamp13]

I can't believe folks pay what they do and have to stand on MNRR trains... I got up and started cleaning up my apartment this morning and decided to take MetroNorth in, which would allow me to leave at 09:00 instead of running over to Riverdale Ave to get a super BxM1 express bus. Anywho, I got the Shuttle Bus at Henry Hudson Parkway and 232nd and then took that over to the Spuyten Duyvil station. I have to say, what is up with those little crammed shuttles? They're like outdated school buses.... Dark and seems like no AC either. It is an insult to even charge for those things. Why not just use regular sized city buses for the Hudson Rail Link?? Anywho, we get to the station and our train comes on time and such but there no freaking seats!! I couldn't believe it. I mean yeah it is only about 25 minutes to Grand Central but still. Paying for a peak ticket at $7.50 and then $2.25 for the shuttle... That's $9.75 one way and you have to stand... Ridiculous. I did eventually get a seat when this white chick got off at Marble Hill.

The ride was quick and more comfortable than those jerky LIRR trains, but I would not opt for using it everyday. The express bus is far more convenient and comfortable.

Did you use your Express Bus Plus pass on the shuttle? Or are they not accepted?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Did you use your Express Bus Plus pass on the shuttle? Or are they not accepted?

The Shuttle is just like I figured... They have a regular style farebox that you would see on an express bus or local bus. I just dipped my Express Bus Plus Metrocard, but almost fell on the damn steps before I did that. They (the stairs) seem to be different from the local buses or even the express buses and the fact that they (the shuttle buses) are so dark and small inside doesn't help when you're trying to get on. I decided to just try it out, but I think I'll stick with the express bus because to get a Monthly pass and have no shuttle on the weekend... I'd be paying serious bucks when the MNRR may not take me that close to my destination compared to the express bus (which can be just as fast once you factor in the transfer and far more comfortable and better AC), so I think what I'll do is use MetroNorth only during the mornings when traffic looks horrible and charge the ticket on my American Express. The points I get from my monthly spending on Amex will cover the small MNRR charges, so this $7.50 I will basically use some of my points for once the post charges. I'm curious about how reliable the car services are that the has on their website. I didn't see any taxis waiting outside of the Spuyten Duyvil station so I don't know. The ride from where I live though is only about 5-7 minutes tops to the station.

Edited by Via Garibaldi 8, 14 May 2012 - 01:48 PM.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Tell me why the MetroNorth Rail Link B/O had the heat blasting this morning when it is 60 degrees outside and HUMID?? Now those little buses of course get hot with all of the folks on it so there was no need to put anything on. Some folks had coats on. I don't know how in the world they weren't sweating because that bus was like a sauna on there.

[Vistausss]

Tell me why the MetroNorth Rail Link B/O had the heat blasting this morning when it is 60 degrees outside and HUMID?? Now those little buses of course get hot with all of the folks on it so there was no need to put anything on. Some folks had coats on. I don't know how in the world they weren't sweating because that bus was like a sauna on there.

I feel you bro (although I speak for my country of course since I have the most experience here). I still wonder how I survived all those summers till date. Some buses/bus drivers just don't seem to get they actually have airconditioning that's actually useful.

[VWM]

I really hat M7s after like 8 years of seeing thier blandness

[KeystoneRegional]

Williamsbridge and East New York Stations should close and be turned into layup tracks.

Edited by KeystoneRegional, 21 May 2012 - 09:19 PM.

[Shortline Bus]

Williamsbridge and East New York Stations should close and be turned into layup tracks.

Disagree about ENY. It's actually increasing in ridership in recent years as new riders i.s mostly 'hipsters' transfer there to the line for access to Eastern Queens and LI. While Williamsbridge is a basically part time station despite being open 7 days a week. Meaning late evenings after 9pm, almost all of the Local White Plains trains(Harlem line)already bypass this stop anyway. So keep it as is.

[Amtrak7]

There is never a time a Babylon train is not crowded...

You should ride the Ronkonkoma Branch...Babylon may be the busiest branch, but the average number of people per train during AM rush hour is a full 188 less than the Ronkonkoma average.

As for Metro-North and Spuyten Duyvil, the Hudson Line actually has pretty reasonable loading guidelines IF you're willing to move back (GCT unloads in front so front is always packed) and take a middle seat if necessary.

Also, keep in mind that an LIRR/MNR monthly pass pays for itself in 12 days of commuting if you take a peak train twice a day.

Edited by Amtrak7, 21 May 2012 - 10:05 PM.

[KeystoneRegional]

LOL, just random thoughting, not serious, ;-]!

[Joel Up Front]

Babylon trains are extremely crowded out of Penn but once Jamaica is reached there's room. This can be attributed to selfish, drunken pricks who take up seats with their crap and are better off taking the to Sutphin. They're not too far off from the bums down there.

Is there a reason LIRR trains haven't been going so fast from Woodside to Jamaica? I can understand being slow through the East River Tunnels and immediately before Jamaica for the switches, but I haven't seen them going any faster than 30 past Sunnyside and all the way past the curve..

[QSC TMC 295]

Babylon trains are extremely crowded out of Penn but once Jamaica is reached there's room. This can be attributed to selfish, drunken pricks who take up seats with their crap and are better off taking the to Sutphin. They're not too far off from the bums down there.

Is there a reason LIRR trains haven't been going so fast from Woodside to Jamaica? I can understand being slow through the East River Tunnels and immediately before Jamaica for the switches, but I haven't seen them going any faster than 30 past Sunnyside and all the way past the curve..

They have been doing some work on the tracks over there so they might set up a slower speed restriction between Woodside & Jamaica.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Babylon trains are extremely crowded out of Penn but once Jamaica is reached there's room. This can be attributed to selfish, drunken pricks who take up seats with their crap and are better off taking the to Sutphin. They're not too far off from the bums down there.

Is there a reason LIRR trains haven't been going so fast from Woodside to Jamaica? I can understand being slow through the East River Tunnels and immediately before Jamaica for the switches, but I haven't seen them going any faster than 30 past Sunnyside and all the way past the curve..

There's just a hint of snobbery in that post...

[VWM]

I rode a Port Jeff express out of Jamaica.. Not a single seat for 30-35 minutes... However, past the first stop, it wasn't so bad. They might want to think of adding another car on those trains

[Amtrak7]

I rode a Port Jeff express out of Jamaica.. Not a single seat for 30-35 minutes... However, past the first stop, it wasn't so bad. They might want to think of adding another car on those trains

If you took 666 (18:28 dp Jamaica): consists are assigned based on loads immediately before and after Jamaica. Because the peak point on this train is Hicksville they really don't schedule for it and it's insanely crowded there.

668: 18:49 dp Jamaica, this train often runs short cars (as do most diesels). It's scheduled for 6 and usually has few if any standees if it has 6 (I've ridden it, I'm not just quoting the book). If it has 5 or 4, though, the train gets SRO fast.

Edited by Amtrak7, 20 August 2012 - 08:44 PM.

[VWM]

This was a train that made no stops until Greenlawn... Not sure what time its a transfer from a Hempstead train if your going from penn, though.

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

It was probably 664, the only PM train to skip Huntington. From what I remember this train used to run with 7 cars and 2 engines, but it was cut to 6 cars and 1 engine after 2010 cuts. I haven't ridden it in a while, but 6 cars usually did the trick. Once 662 is put back to Hunterspoint instead of Huntington 664 should be less crowded