Truckie

http://as0.mta.info/mnr/stations/station_detail.cfm?key=1 All the way at the bottom. The open time isn't really accurate as the doors generally get unlocked at 5:15. This isn't an issue as the first train doesn't depart until 5:35.

The thing about Sputen Duyvil is while the right of way is close to the water it's less of an issue as the Harlem River doesn't get the surges that the Hudson gets. One of the worst places on the Hudson for deterioration of the right of way is south of the Bear Mountain Bridge. If fact, one of the capital projects this summer is shoring up the right of way with a retaining wall.

While the Hudson River in it self rarely(once every couple of years) posses an issue. Every now and then there are issues that have to be closely monitored with the "usual" areas. Riverdale is one of those areas as it is prone to flooding with the run off of ground water down the embankment. A couple of weeks ago Dobbs Ferry was problematic during prolonged heavy rain. Because the street is above the land side platform there was rain water running off the street, onto the platform and onto the tracks. It was literally a waterfall the whole length of the platform. Coincidentally, parts of the Harlem Line coincidentally are more prone to flooding due its proximity to the Saw Mill River.

I never said it was this week. I said a month or two ago. Regardless, it was on the land side of the right of way at CP12. Just because you don't hear about things happening doesn't mean they don't. There are thing that go on the railroad every day that no one knows about unless you on that train. More often than not the public knows about delays we do as the company sends out alerts via email as long as you are on the list. The only time we know of a delay is when it happens. It would be impossible for the RTC to notify every train crew of on going delays and try to keep trains moving. Case in point was the Riverdale fire. I was on the 6:28PM GCT to Harmon local train and before I was half way through the first car at least a dozen people asked me if the delays were going to affect us as they received emails alerts on their phones. Sure I could receive the email alerts on my own phone to know what's going on except for the simple fact that we're not allowed to have our phones on while on the train. A $15,000 civil fine by the FRA and discipline from the company (lost time or fired) is an excellent deterrent to keep my phone off and in my bag.

It would be easier to assign the same tracks when possible and that is often the case. The problem that arises is when there is one train with a mechanical issue it throws a wrench into the whole equipment rotation. A simple example is the 6:28 pm train from GCT to Croton Harmon departs from track 42. That equipment arrives at GCT around 6:15. Just one little hiccup will prevent that turn from happening. Whether it be equipment problems, switch problems, etc. Should one of these issues arise it snow balls into a big mess as another set of equipment will have to replace what was intended for the train. Another example is a month or two ago there was a sizable fire along the right of way in the Riverdale area taking track 3 out of service. WIth that said, all local trains had to be routed onto track 4 causing substantial delays. Not only did equipment miss their regularly assigned turns but so did train crews. In short, the system isn't perfect. There are many things taken into consideration to make the system work as well as it could on a good day.

It is not uncommon for crews to open the barrel end doors open during their final sweep.

The right ticket is cheaper. In theory the ride extension is the difference in price, however, this is not always the case. Example, if you have a ticket from Yankees E-153rd to Marble Hill, it's $3.00. If you had a ticket from Yankees to Yonkers it's also $3. Now the person presenting the first ticket wants to travel to Yonkers (the next zone), the ride extension is $3. Now you just paid $6 for what you could have gotten a Yankee's to Yonkers for the same price as the original ticket.

The cost of a ride extension is the same regardless of the ticket type as your extending the to a farther station than what is printed on the ticket. A ride extension on the train is rounded to the next whole dollar amount, example: if you have a ticket from Poughkeepsie to Marble Hill and want to go to GCT you pay $7.00 (off peak). If you purchased the ticket at the station it would only have been $6.25. Amtrak7: the only time a discount is forfeited with a 10 trip is if refunded.

MNRR mostly stores retired equipment at New Haven and Harmon Yards.

The main choke points on MNRR is CP112 (where the Harlem and New Haven Lines merge), CP5 (where the Harlem/New Haven Lines merge with the Hudson) and GCT where all the platform tracks merge to 4.

I'm sorry I haven't clarified the comparison. Simply put, I don't know. I don't work for the subway and have absolutely no knowledge of their operations. I'm not quite sure what the funny part is.

The thing with on time performance is if one train gets delayed, it causes a domino effect with others. Another reason is if a train arrives to it's final terminal more than 5 minutes and 59 seconds (the industry standard for OTP) by a train crew for unjustified reasons (holding up the train to collect revenue is not jusified), the conductor is reponsible to reporting it the the chief RTC and explain why the train is late and the whole crew will likely have to report to a train master (operation manager).

Don't know, wasn't there. There could have been equipment problems causing the train to make addtional stops or a train picking up more passengers than usual. Unfortunately there are times that trains are too crowded to collect revenue. If the train is SRO with the vestibules and isles packed, how is the crew supposed to collect and get back to the doors for the next station stop? Keeping the train running with minimal delay is a priority. That means the train crew's priority is to protect the doors and operate on time. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying revenue is important, just a lower priority than safety and on time performance.

I never thought for a second that the LIRR didn't have wide spread fair beaters. I don't know why they would be any different than MNR.

You're about two weeks late on this one.... Regardless, this clown must have gotten caught ducking into the bathroom too many times. Now he has to resort to new and improved ways of beating the fare.

You will see them on the Hudson occasionally on the Harmon runs. As CDTA they are more common on the Harlem line locals but they do run to Southeast also.

There's still a bunch running around out there.

No. A basic "janitor" (official title is custodian), one that does not handle power equipment or drives the recycle truck, top out at $25.25 an hour. It takes five full years of continuous employment to make that amount, with the first years rate being 70%. Coach cleaners (those that clean the trains) make less. Custodians that handle power equipment (pressure washers, weed trimmers, etc) make a little more and custodian/CDL drivers make a little more than that. None are close to $30.

What train had 10 bom's on it? The norm is 7, after the washout on the Danbury last year there were instances of 8, I've never seen 10. Chances are they were moving equipment to the shop in Harmon. The Shoreliners may be a little outdated but there is no reason to replace them. The M7's on the other hand, while newer equipment, they are also the roughest riding trains in the fleet. The scary thing is they are better than they used to be. Try walking down the isle leaving 125th Street on track three and getting sent clear across CP 5 to track 1 @ CP 6. You will get thrown around.

Yes the third rail goes just less then a mile east of Pelham Station. As Amtrack7 stated, being the local zippers that stop at Pelham also stop at New Rochelle, running M7's would not be an option. The only time they could run M7'd to Pelham would be if there was a problem with the catenaries near the phase gap and they bussed people to Pelham. The chances of seeing M7's would still be slim since they are committed to service on the Harlem and Hudson.

No, there's not enough clearance in the Park Ave Tunnel or the Melrose Tunnel.

Although that's the basic premise, it's a little more complicated than that when you get the New Haven Line involved for multiple reasons. First the branches get tricky with the conversion and second is the Bronx stops. Example, if you had a commutation from GCT to Fordham, you could get to any Bronx station on the Harlem or Hudson Lines (Zone 2). Because Zone 2 isn't recognized on the New Haven Line at all, you can't apply it towards a partial ride to Stamford. However there is a diversion chart that tells us exactly what will get you where. Additionally, only the monthly and weekly commutation tickets are interchangeable between lines. One way and ten trips you can interchange between the Harlem an Hudson but not to the New Haven.

Zone 1 to 9 on the Harlem and Hudson Lines will get you to Zone 21 (New Haven Station) on the New Haven Line. In reverse, having a Zone 1 to 21 on the New Haven LIne will only get you as far as Zone 8 (New Hamburg or Appalachian Trail) on the other lines.

There would never be green for the Hudson Line. Currently there are only two colors for the trains. Red for CT, blue for everything else. This is not to say you don't see red on the H and H or blue in CT (primarily with the bom sets). Metro North does not employ train operators. Their title is Locomotive Engineer. Even if the are not operating from a locomotive in its true form, the lead car of a train is considered a locomotive. If you called one a train operator you could expect an argument.