Closed cars on weekend trains-why?

[SouthernRailway]

On NJ Transit trains on weekends, so many times, cars are blocked off and people can't enter them.

 

Why not just uncouple those cars and leave them in the coach yard? I don't see the point in hauling empty cars around--surely that consumes some energy, plus wear and tear on the cars.

 

Is uncoupling and storing cars just more expensive and time-consuming?

 

Thanks.

[Amtrak7]

On NJ Transit trains on weekends, so many times, cars are blocked off and people can't enter them.

 

Why not just uncouple those cars and leave them in the coach yard? I don't see the point in hauling empty cars around--surely that consumes some energy, plus wear and tear on the cars.

 

Is uncoupling and storing cars just more expensive and time-consuming?

 

Thanks.

 

If there are standees, they're supposed to open them, unless they're deadhead cars.

 

Removing cars requires a yard switcher crew and will actually cost more than lugging them around, especially if those cars are to be put into service later.

[FamousNYLover]

When I took Pt. Washington Branch on Sunday from Flushing-Main St, Conductor couple first two cars of inbound train at Mets-Willets Point where I got off at Woodside to let the gamers in.

[metsfan]

NJT trains are subject to storage availability, inspection intervals and other factors. The weekend schedules are a shadow of weekday schedules, no need to mess with taking cars off when monday morning they will need to be put back on, plus when they go in the yard overnight those detached cars will be right there, so why not just leave them on the train. What they usually do is just park stuff, mostly arrows but more recently push pulls too at county yard (jersey ave), full up the yards & terminal tracks at hoboken, and then there's MMC, morrisville, dover, long branch, bay head, sunnyside, and several other equipment storage yards. They have a lot of storage capacity & they are planning more expansions at morrisville. They can also park 2 trains in hudson yard overnight. Middle of peak hours morrisville might have 2 trains, sunnyside 3-4, the rest get empty for the most part. Not sure about long branch.

 

- A