Amtrak7

The notice is posted; it's just Inwood and CPW running simultaneously.

NICE posted their GTFS. I think I can extract the complete interlining table out of this...

I think those paratransit vans will work out for NICE, especially the part about being able to use the parkway system.

Also, what made Veolia spend their own money? The old vans were in that bad shape?

One mind-boggling question: Why do some conductors, if not all stick their fingers out before they open the doors at the station?

It's a requirement that conductors point to the board before opening the doors. Not sure if the rule says anything about pointing with your hand out the window though.

The next month or so will be quite intense in terms of GO's.

Has everyone just forgotten, or have they really not repainted anything in almost 7 months?

SCT is operating in a busy suburban area with the mindset of a new, small transit agency with that's overly biased toward the coverage goal. They're probably the least-21st century (in terms of digital stuff, there isn't even an electronic way to contact them) and slow to change transit agencies (excluding tiny systems) I've seen, and it's right in our backyard.

A peak to base ratio that's 1.0 or surprisingly close on all but a few routes, even some of the busiest, isn't really a good way to run a transit system that serves more than the absolutely dependent. That's especially true when you're operating on major commercial corridors and travel markets, and serving the peaked demand of commuter rail stations. Runs and buses scheduled so that headways are skipped for the driver to have a meal break, a management model so small that barring maintenance work the same exact bus number goes out on the same run every day, yet so large to have one of the longest local routes in the country (S92). No fare options other than the basic one way, reduced, and transfers, let alone electronic fare collection. Confusing nomenclature, mid-route diversions everywhere, no timed connections, no evening service on all but a couple routes, no Sunday service, routes with ridership as low as the 10D/E continuing to run, schedules and routes that haven't seen changes in decades, the list goes on and on.

Yes, Sunday service is a small step forward. But SCT has a LOT to improve, and I'm not talking about radical expensive ideas like bus rapid transit on the Route 110 corridor. Simple things can make a big difference.

I'm actually not all that opposed to Veolia coming in and taking over, if the County doesn't cut subsidies. A uniform operator with control of routes and schedules is needed.

The Legislature called for a feasibility study of electronic fare collection. Where did that go?

The FASTRACK for the week before Thanksgiving (11/18), originally scheduled to be a 207 to 168 outage, is now listed as a full CPW outage, from 207 and Yankee Stadium to 59. This could be interesting.

Is there many people complaining why did the MTA give me a email saying the BMs don't run on sundays. I think everybody knew that already

It's so the site doesn't show "Good Service" for those routes on Sundays. The two systems are connected.

Anyway, with QV providing MCI's for the LIRR bustitution, who/what was the "Local Van"? Couldn't have been a 40 foot bus since it's scheduled to serve Country Life Press and the other buses aren't, and the station is surrounded by narrow streets.

On the LIRR, you can "stopover" at a station along your trip, so long as you complete the trip in the same day.  So you could go from New York to Mineola, then Mineola to Ronkonkoma all for the price of a New York-Ronkonkoma ticket.

Have you (or someone you know) ever attempted this? I'd imagine the conductors would look at you strange when you asked for it or downright deny it.

Just like how the tariff states that monthly school ticket applications during the summer need not be signed if the applicant presents a current student ID. Though I've told my friends to get them signed beforehand to avoid confusion, inevitably someone forgets to do so. Every ticket agent I told them to use the provision on said it didn't exist. Except one, who told him that he'd look it up and get back to him the next day. The next day my friend came to me saying the ticket agent was astonished to find it and knew nothing of such a provision!

Just why don't they use the Greenlawn siding anyway?

And I think they've let 604 go a couple times anyways, for the most part the reverse-commute trains that go against the grain take a back seat to keeping the westbounds flowing, especially in single-track territory.

Wait, by "let go" you mean that they let the train run near-empty, not just cancel it?

Track conditions at NHP?

There have been LIRR workers at Stewart Manor for the past two weeks.  What's been going on?

Midday tie replacement

The busing has been pulled. In its place are some interesting things...

- outage north of Yankee Stadium is every weekend in November.

- Williamsburg Bridge outage 11/9-11/10

Weekend of 11/17...

-No south of Essex

- to 57 St, so no between 8 Av and ???

- to 179, buses to Jamaica Ctr

-That outage

Watch this and you'll laugh like crazy. I promise.

The first one was messy, with long lines of trains waiting to turn. How is this setup different?

Was the crushloaded?

The Facebook sign on the left? That's the system map upside down.

Are they still handing out April 8 (2012) system maps?!

This GO could be messy, especially if they don't add an express bus. A shuttle from Church to Church isn't that long...

Also, I've never seen them put up major GO's this early. The minor ones usually come up first, while the FASTRACK's and stuff that requires a lot of typing and layout usually isn't put up until 2 weeks beforehand.

The MTA can save some shuttle bus $$ on these Rockaways GO's by running only one bus shuttle, Howard Beach-Broad Channel-Beach 90 St for connection to their Far Rock-Rock Park . I don't see why it can't be done, it's not like there's massive crowding to contend with.

Im assuming the whole route because you said either that or Walt Whitman (I saw it at Hicksville).

Walt Whitman has had the new sign for a while.

If by Hicksville you mean the LIRR station, then it could be one-off. But if you meant one of the other stops (East Marie St, etc.) it would be safe to assume it's the whole route.

Looking forward to having something to look for the next time I'm back home though... (also the new LIRR departure board outside the ticket office?!)

The N78/79 also have them as well, and of course, the first one was the n17.

The whole route or just Walt Whitman?

Nassau County residents can see Newsday articles using their library card and this database...there may be a one day delay.

http://search.proquest.com/newsday/barcode?accountid=37917&groupid=64347

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/nice-bus-fare-boxes-wipe-cash-value-off-some-metrocards-say-passengers-advocates-1.6249437

Apparently farebox read errors are also wiping MetroCards, and NICE is working on a smartphone-based payment system.

I've never heard of changing ends with passengers on the train before...why aren't they running trains in 2 sections?

What's the reason for the outage north of Yankee Stadium? Basically every weekend from now until 11/17 (and beyond?) except for 10/26-27.

I hope that during the upcoming outages they will finish the signal repair and enable the to not deadhead up to Howard Beach...

The L.I.R.R is expensive and cost more than the subway?

Cross-honor (which for MetroCards basically means ride for free) until midnight. There's actually no need to run extra shuttle trains, just have all trains make Forest Hills/Kew Gardens/Woodside stops.

To save money, don't cross honor beyond that. There's actually large gaps in service once you get past 1:30am so definitely don't go past that point.

What do you think of a 57th Street - Jamaica Center?  Or maybe a full Broadway express. (I know the idea of a Fastrack is not to disrupt the rest of the subway) But the and are still well patronized until about 1am. Currently the has the capacity for the existing fastrack, but an Eastern("northern") QB shut down may be too much for bustitution. 

Not going to work, too convoluted and takes too long. If any supplemental service is to be provided besides shuttle buses I would say LIRR shuttle trains.