Truckie

Still controlled by MNRR.

Wasn't aware of that aspect of it.

Not sure if it will change things but NYC will be banning cashless businesses. In other words, companies that currently to not accept cash as.payment will be.forced to.

No disrespect, catching you off guard is a fair statement. Claiming the act of scanning your ticket was a racially motivated, discriminatory act is another. Granted, I wasn't there, but are you 100% certain, you were the only one? If you were the only one in the car it would be an accurate statement. Did you observe him interact with each and every passenger prior to and after your interaction? It's a rhetorical question but in my experience, passengers have a tendency of being in their own world. Regardless if it is an occasional rider, or a daily commuter, they will be looking at their phone, laptop, book or gossiping with a fellow passenger.

The downside is the time! Picture a full 8 car, local train an there only being two conductors to validate tickets. There would be missed revenue. A QR code on paper tickets would take longer than punching them. If there was a group of five together with paper tickets, I could collect them all and punch them simultaneously. This would not be an option if I were required to scan them all.

I can't speak for LIRR's policies and procedures. However I can chime in on Metro North's. Regardless of date and time scrolling across the top, there are indicators that REQUIRE some single ride tickets to be scanned. There are times I feel like I scan 1 out of every 10, there are times I feel like I scan 9 out of 10, regardless of the number, I will scan when I am required to. Monthly and weekly tickets are required less often but are still required on occasion. As far as "race", I couldn't tell you the majority of the time what race, religion, ethnicity, or gender a passenger is because I'm looking at their phone, not their face, skin, or if they are reading the Bible or Koran. I personally don't see how a given passenger could feel "embarrassed" for having their eticket scanned when the terms and conditions of the ETIX app clearly state: "You must display the Mobile Ticket immediately upon the request of the train conductor who will inspect or validate the Mobile Ticket with may include electronic scanning". There you have it: MAY INCLUDE ELECTRONIC SCANNING! As far as attempted farebeating with them, sadly it happens more times than you could imagine. While some aren't intentionally trying to beat the system it happens. I will have passengers take screenshots, I scan them and they come up invalid. Some passengers don't realize the QR code through the app is dynamic, as opposed to a static, screenshot QR code. Other passenger take a screen shot and send it to another passengers phone where it will say it's already been scanned. I can't account for what other conductors do and don't do. Metro North is hold their conductors accountable for revenue procedures. They can track scans real time and will have spotters on trains to observe. Those that don't do what they are supposed to get reprimanded.

You might as well go big and get social security numbers, credit scores and blood samples..... or one better, a different hobby!

First I knew that they weren't active. Then again, what do I know. It's strictly on a need to know basis and beyond that? It's anyone's guess.

Tapping in and out at intermediate stations would be even worse. As it currently stands, passengers walk on and off. Now envision the tap in/out at White Plains. What is now takes a few minutes would lengthen significantly. Passengers would HAVE TO have their electronic device ready to board and detrain. Otherwise I can envision dwell times increase to 10 minutes at a minimum.

While the resurrection of the line could reduce the dependency of I 84, when does it become cost effective? The infrastructure on the existing line is all but non existent. Significant improvements would need to be made on the existing rail and a from scratch signal system would need to be installed, complete with multiple crossing apparatus. As it stands, there are numerous commuters that live in Danbury that drive to Southeast to commute to NYC because the Harlem Line is more frequent than the Danbury branch. For someone that lives in Stormville, a train ride to either Southeast or Beacon is far from direct. Further it would painfully increase a commute to NYC compared to driving to Beacon or Southeast. Also keep in mind, where the Beacon Line connects with the Harlem and the Hudson is less than ideal for connecting with already existing trains and ultimately would impact existing service.

I'm really not sure of the hub bub about 9 minutes. Depending on where in the current lower level track area you are, and crowd conditions, it's could be well over five minutes to get to the street. This is from the time you step off the train and navigate any stairs, elevator, etc.

I'm not HR, so I have no idea. Could be a week, month, six months..... My recommendation is forget about that you applied, when and if you get called, worry about it then. Every thing happens in railroad time, slow.

Not conductor position, assistant conductor. Assistant conductor is the new entry level position. Previously everyone went though a minimum of a year training and finished training as a conductor under federal regulations. Now as an assistant conductor, you will have approximately two months of training, with little to no knowledge of operating rules or physical characteristics, then after a year as an assistant go into a longer promotion class to become a conductor.

A $1 million grant to say its going to take $10's of millions to rebuild an obsolete rail line. It's just another pipe dream for a clueless politician.

Even though they are part of the same agency, they are different divisions. MTA is the umbrella company, while MTA busses and Metro North are individual divisions. No different than Sears Holdings. Sears Holding owns the Sears and KMART brands but they operate independent of one another from an operational standpoint.

Currently there are no flag stops on MNR territory. On the weekends there are 1:09, 3:09, and 4:09 southward trains that stop at Breakneck Ridge. In between those times, there are two trains that do not stop. Those trains go MAS (80MPH) through the area and WILL NOT stop. The MNR employee stops (Mott Haven and High Bridge) are scheduled stops in the employee time table.

You only need cell service to purchase the tickets. Buy a round trip while you are in the city. Activate one at a time as you use each. You do not need cell service to activate the tickets. As far as detraining at Manitou, on weekends, you detrain between the south two cars (usually).

If they were going to contract out to supplement the current workforce is one thing. If they were going to contract out to replace the current work force is another. Labor productivity is a double edge sword. When it comes to track and signal maintenance, there is a very small daytime window that work is actually permitted so it wont have an issue with train operations. Work during rush hour is frowned upon by high ranking staff to limit delays, which leaves a rough time frame of 10 am to 4 pm to get track time. By the time you get time to work on the track (10am) and get set up (get track equipment in place) you only have a few hours before you have to get the track equipment off the rail (by 4). Let's say it only takes a half hour to get the equipment in place to work and half hour to clear up, that leaves five actual working hours.

No it won't.

Let's summarize: Per the report, the elimination of the shoppers specials will eliminate the need to cover those jobs with overtime or relief day coverage. That looks great at face value. Less trains running = less staff for those trains. What this report doesn't take into account is that those extra trains are staffed with regular assignments for the personnel, as regularly assigned jobs get modified for the trains (with few exceptions). The other thing the report does not take into account is ridership of those trains. The shopper specials are used to relieve over crowding for regularly scheduled trains. Overcrowding increases potential missed revenue. Lets hypothesis that it will cost $750 in staffing to run one of those trains (the actual number is likely less), and the fare per rider is anywhere from $11.25 to $19.25 ($15.25 average). It will only take 50 missed fares on earlier and later trains to compensate for the cost of manpower. 50 missed fares is very low when a train is over crowded (standing room only).

It's legit.

I've known them to go to NY Penn and Hell Gate.

To my knowledge, the wreck crew is strictly internal (maybe there are exceptions). The are considered the best of the best. On occasion they have responded to incidents beyond Metro North's territory.

Not to go off topic, but it's interesting that the Breakneck Ridge improvements aren't slated for another year plus. This was supposed to start January of 2018. For those that frequent the area, PLEASE, don't walk on, along or across the tracks! This past weekend we encountered a few people walking along the tracks in the tunnel. When a train comes along, the outcome usually favors the train. I can guarantee you, the train will not swerve to avoid you. IF you're lucky, the train will stop in time, if you're lucky.

As with any ancient technology, availability of parts and costs to maintain.