Metro-North Railroad: Schedule Numbering Guide (East of Hudson)

[scottbe8]

There is a logic behind the schedule numbering on Metro-North Railroad's three main service lines. This thread will shed some light on them.

 

Each schedule number has four digits. Three-digit schedule numbers can be thought of as having leading digit 0. Inbound trains have even numbers, and outbound trains have odd numbers, with the exception of the New Haven Line which has the opposite convention.

 

Leading digit 0 corresponds to weekday trains on the Harlem and Hudson Lines. Leading digit 1 corresponds to weekday trains on the New Haven Line. Leading digit 2 is not used. Leading digit 3 corresponds to special trains on the New Haven Line. Leading digit 4 corresponds to special trains on the Harlem and Hudson Lines. Leading digit 5 is not used. Leading digit 6 corresponds to weekend trains on the New Haven Line. Leading digit 7 is not used. Leading digit 8 corresponds to weekend trains on the Hudson Line. Leading digit 9 corresponds to weekend trains on the Harlem Line.

 

The second digit corresponds to the zone of operation within each line.

 

0: Not used

1: Not used

2: New Haven Line peak trains terminating short of Stamford

3: Grand Central to Stamford Local; New Haven Line peak trains terminating short of Stamford; Harlem Line peak trains terminating short of White Plains

4: New Haven Line peak trains terminating short of New Haven; Hudson Line peak trains terminating short of Hastings-on-Hudson

5: Grand Central to New Haven Express; Grand Central to North White Plains Local

6: Shore Line East; Grand Central to Southeast Express

7: New Canaan Branch; Grand Central to Croton-Harmon; Hudson Line peak trains terminating between Hastings-on-Hudson and Croton-Harmon

8: Danbury Branch; Grand Central to Poughkeepsie

9: Waterbury Branch; Wassaic Shuttle

 

NOTE: Digits 2-4 on the New Haven Line are not strictly defined.

 

The remaining two digits correspond to the time slot of operation, with numbers resetting at 12:00 AM and increasing from 00/01 to 98/99 during the day.

[gregorygrice]

Leading digit 4 corresponds to special trains on the Harlem and Hudson Lines. Leading digit 5 is not used.

 

This is a good post for those that have trouble while fanning. By the way, Leading digit 5 is for special/ deadhead/ work trains, but not on the schedule.