w8Hou Posted January 25, 2010 Share #1 Posted January 25, 2010 Elected Officials To Rally At Riverhead Train Station Monday Morning Greenport - The MTA announced Friday that it is planning to cut service on the Long Island Rail Road from Ronkonkoma to Greenport - except during summer weekends - prompting outcries from local elected representatives who plan to protest the decision at a press rally at the Riverhead train station Monday morning. "It's an outrage that the MTA forced this payroll tax on us last year over our objections," State Assemblyman Marc Alessi (D-1) asserted on Saturday, referring to the $0.33 tax passed down to commuters on every $100 of payroll which was enacted by the MTA just last winter. "If they don't want to service our territory, let us secede from the MTA. I plan on introducing legislation on Monday to do that." Proposed cuts in rail service to Greenport are expected to save the Metropolitan Transportation Authority $991,000 next year. According to the MTA website, 190 commuters on the weekdays will be impacted by the decision, and 160 on the weekends. "They are charging us money for members of their bloated bureaucracy," Alessi continued. "I plan on naming off the salaries of a few of them on Monday. Jay Walder (MTA Chief Executive Office) took a salary increase this year while people who use the train struggled to make ends meet. It's time to see some austerity and leadership." The MTA has been forced to close a $400 million budget gap this year due to a loss in state aid and drop in revenue. As a result, numerous service reductions were announced last week, including the axe to the North Fork service. According to the MTA website, the cuts to the Greenport line are scheduled to begin in September 2010 and are expected save the MTA $991,000 in 2011. The MTA estimates 190 commuters are to be affected on weekdays and 160 on weekends. Currently, two westbound and two eastbound trains come in and out of Greenport during the week, and four each way on weekends. George Faust was waiting for his wife for the 5:06 p.m. train in Greenport on Saturday. Faust noted his wife usually takes the train every weekend, and will now be forced to pay for the Hampton Jitney. His wife has been taking the train from Penn Station to Greenport for 10 years, Faust said. On Friday, Suffolk County Legislator Ed Romaine (R-1) circulated a press release calling for a protest on Monday morning to demand ongoing rail service to the North Fork. The gathering is scheduled for 10 o'clock a.m. at Riverhead train station. "I'm at a loss for words," Romaine was quoted as saying. "If there was ever a time for the East End to secede from the MTA, it's now." Source: http://www.northforkvue.com/in-the-news/lead/199/mta-plans-to-shut-down-greenport-line-sparks.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted January 25, 2010 Share #2 Posted January 25, 2010 :mad: needs to let LIRR & MNRR go. :mad: - A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forest Glen Posted January 25, 2010 Share #3 Posted January 25, 2010 If only 190 people are using it then they should cut it. Maybe they can advertise the Jitney. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeystoneRegional Posted January 25, 2010 Share #4 Posted January 25, 2010 Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbluefoxie Posted January 25, 2010 Share #5 Posted January 25, 2010 With the suburbs increasing outwards, the last thing we need is to cut service out east, making Ronkonkoma station even more crowded Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKorean Posted January 26, 2010 Share #6 Posted January 26, 2010 People actually coimmute all the way from Greenport and Montauk? Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forest Glen Posted January 26, 2010 Share #7 Posted January 26, 2010 I doubt that. Speonk is the last real "commuter station" on the Montauk line. All of the Hamptons stops are vacation stops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKorean Posted January 26, 2010 Share #8 Posted January 26, 2010 ^I think even Speonk is pushing it. I used the Montauk brach train once, and it took me, 2 and a half hours to reach Speonk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zman Posted January 26, 2010 Share #9 Posted January 26, 2010 Speonk is definitely a commuter station. Yeah it takes two hours to get to NYC, but that's a given considering how far out they live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zman Posted January 26, 2010 Share #10 Posted January 26, 2010 Surely I'll do it with them, because this is an outragoeus elimination, some people depend on these trains to get to and from work in Manhattan. The Hampton Jitney just does not match the reliableness of these trains You've got to be kidding. Has the altitude of the MegaBus top deck gotten to you? During the winter, Hampton Jitney has two rush hour trips and another trip just after rush hour. Plus there is an evening departure for those who work late. The LIRR? One trip in each direction for commuters. Park your car at one of these stations, and if you miss the 5:41 pm out of Penn Station then you are F*cked with a capital F. Realistically speaking, Hampton Jitney is not a viable option for commuting due to its exorbitant cost (unless they offer a monthly ticket, but I didn't see it on the site), and the LIRR Greenport Branch leaves very little room for error and is useless if you have to be at work at 8:30 am or earlier. The only real option for these far flung commuters is to drive to Speonk and pay the $354 monthly ticket (YEEEEOWCH!!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbluefoxie Posted January 27, 2010 Share #11 Posted January 27, 2010 From what ive read, people who live between Medford and Riverhead wind up driving to Ronkonkoma station so there is a market its just the not wanting to take a chance. Their ridership stats dont account for people living out east drivng to stations with more service like Ronkonkoma or Speonk. To be honest, how can anyone realistically use those out east stations with such infrequent service? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKorean Posted January 27, 2010 Share #12 Posted January 27, 2010 I would think MTA has such infrequent service to Greenport BECAUSE theres such a low number of riders there. I could be wrong. And isnt Greenport vacation spot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pu3rToRoCk8947 Posted January 27, 2010 Share #13 Posted January 27, 2010 From what ive read, people who live between Medford and Riverhead wind up driving to Ronkonkoma station so there is a market its just the not wanting to take a chance. Their ridership stats dont account for people living out east drivng to stations with more service like Ronkonkoma or Speonk. To be honest, how can anyone realistically use those out east stations with such infrequent service? Agreed :tup: Personally i don't agree with the proposal of shutting down the Greenport Branch,i think it should be left alone and concentrate on few more cuts on other branches Not to say service is perfect but downgrading it's status to a Summer Weekend only service is just pathetic on (MTA)s part but it is also a slap in the face to the actual riders that use it :mad: At least look into the Babylon Branch a little bit more,i understand it is one of the busier branches but do they really need that many Freeport-Babylon Express trains during Off Peak hours ? needs to re evaluate the trains that are scheduled to begin/finish at Wantagh or Freeport Stations during Peak Hours,i think commuters can sacrifice waiting a bit more for the next train I mean am i wrong for saying this or are all these trains really needed ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pu3rToRoCk8947 Posted January 27, 2010 Share #14 Posted January 27, 2010 I would think MTA has such infrequent service to Greenport BECAUSE theres such a low number of riders there. I could be wrong. And isnt Greenport vacation spot? I don't know about Greenport being a vacation spot,but it is a good question though I know Montauk during the warm weather is considered a vacation spot and service is a little bit better compared to Greenport service Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted January 27, 2010 Share #15 Posted January 27, 2010 Speonk is definitely a commuter station. Yeah it takes two hours to get to NYC, but that's a given considering how far out they live. I know people who drive from my town (and further south & west) and take (NJT) from princeton or new brunswick to nyp. I know employees, train operators, conductors, bus operators, dispatchers etc that drive from like reading to trenton... Never underestimate the power of a nice living location + dream job to create looonnnngggg commutes. - A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zman Posted January 27, 2010 Share #16 Posted January 27, 2010 I know people who drive from my town (and further south & west) and take (NJT) from princeton or new brunswick to nyp. I know employees, train operators, conductors, bus operators, dispatchers etc that drive from like reading to trenton... Never underestimate the power of a nice living location + dream job to create looonnnngggg commutes. - A Tell me about it. I know two guys down here who commute every day from Philadelphia, one who commutes to the Bronx every day from Wilmington, De. and another from Westhampton. Each one of them works unusual hours so that the commute isn't as stressful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shortline Bus Posted January 27, 2010 Share #17 Posted January 27, 2010 Tell me about it. I know two guys down here who commute every day from Philadelphia, one who commutes to the Bronx every day from Wilmington, De. and another from Westhampton. Each one of them works unusual hours so that the commute isn't as stressful. My brother who works for Metro North (his works the 3pm-11pm shift)and lives in Deptford NJ(just short drive to the Walt Whitman Bridge to philly)also does the long commute and also drives to either Hamilton or Trenton (NJT) station and takes the (NEC) to NYC to get to his office at GCT. Back to topic. I dont know that area or branch of the LIRR that well as i usually drive when i am in Suffolk County. My cousin who lives near Smithtown in mid Suffolk does have to drive himself west to board a train bound for Manhattan. Hate to say it but as Pu3rToRoCk8947 suggested other busier lines may need to take 'minor' cuts on weekends and late evenings weekdays to pay for this. Leave the Greenport cuts alone. Ditto for the plan to end overnight service on the Flatbush Ave line as well. Bad Job :tdown::mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeystoneRegional Posted January 28, 2010 Share #18 Posted January 28, 2010 Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m7zanr160s Posted January 29, 2010 Share #19 Posted January 29, 2010 How would the rails fair if they were left alone for a couple months at a time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zman Posted January 29, 2010 Share #20 Posted January 29, 2010 Well, obviously if there is a snowstorm or flood, trains are more reliable and efficient also the LIRR would face minimal traffic jam... ! If the road floods, the bus can work around it. If the tracks flood, service comes to an abrupt halt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeystoneRegional Posted January 30, 2010 Share #21 Posted January 30, 2010 Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zman Posted January 30, 2010 Share #22 Posted January 30, 2010 Well, what if the only few (1-2) major roads out of a town like Greenport is flooded (like both N Road (County Route-48) and Main Road (US-25))? And the tracks are perfectly fine, what should commuters do? Stay home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeystoneRegional Posted January 30, 2010 Share #23 Posted January 30, 2010 Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zman Posted January 31, 2010 Share #24 Posted January 31, 2010 And get fired sir... What if few people had used up all of his/her off-days and it is December in the middle of a snowstorm, only the tracks are available? This won't do good at all! In the middle of a blizzard, the tracks in that area will be the first to get snowed under. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traildriver Posted March 4, 2010 Share #25 Posted March 4, 2010 Tell me about it. I know two guys down here who commute every day from Philadelphia, one who commutes to the Bronx every day from Wilmington, De. and another from Westhampton. Each one of them works unusual hours so that the commute isn't as stressful. If you want to compare some really long commutes....how about Amtrak train service attendants that will commute by train from New Orleans to Chicago to work a round trip train to the west coast!?:eek: Of course in this case they only go to work a few times a month.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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