LIRR And MNRR Random Thoughts Thread

[Far rockaway]

What's with the Lirr M3's being assigned to the same train time of a particular branch. Like an M3 set is always appearing on the 5:37 PM Long beach bound train. 

[danielhg121]

1 hour ago, Far rockaway said:

What's with the Lirr M3's being assigned to the same train time of a particular branch. Like an M3 set is always appearing on the 5:37 PM Long beach bound train. 

Has to do with the equipments maintenance cycles. Every single day, each piece of equipment has to be inspected and tested before it can enter passenger service. Now Fleet Management has already mapped out which trains that particular M3 will run on barring any equipment malfunctions and it should end up being wherever it mapped out.

[xD4nn]

On 2/13/2024 at 4:19 PM, Far rockaway said:

What's with the Lirr M3's being assigned to the same train time of a particular branch. Like an M3 set is always appearing on the 5:37 PM Long beach bound train. 

The M3s are banished to certain trains due to how the equipment is rotated. They can’t go into GCT so they are forced onto certain runs.

[danielhg121]

A little update on the Siemens Chargers for MNR/CDOT.

https://ngec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Metro-North-Railroad-Siemens-NGEC-2024-PPT.pdf

so far everything seems on schedule if not early. 

[IAlam]

8 hours ago, danielhg121 said:

A little update on the Siemens Chargers for MNR/CDOT.

https://ngec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Metro-North-Railroad-Siemens-NGEC-2024-PPT.pdf

so far everything seems on schedule if not early. 

They teased us with venture coaches on the last slide.

But also I came across this today, how does this even happen?

 

[Lawrence St]

I’m curious to see if the city funds the city part services of MNR how would the timetable restructuring look like.

[danielhg121]

4 hours ago, IAlam said:

They teased us with venture coaches on the last slide.

But also I came across this today, how does this even happen?

 

Easy I believe 522 regularly operates with 12 cars. The conductor in charge of the doors was all the way in the back and there is a slight curve in scarsdale so he probably closed them once he saw an all clear from a conductor closer to him. Regardless, I believe that the conductor positioned toward the front should have left her key in the door to prevent the doors from closing on her but hindsight is always 20/20. 

[IAlam]

7 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

I’m curious to see if the city funds the city part services of MNR how would the timetable restructuring look like.

Look at the LIRR especially the PW, Mainline, and Babylon branches for example, I expect to see something similar to those branches happening.

[Lawrence St]

On 2/22/2024 at 2:18 AM, IAlam said:

Look at the LIRR especially the PW, Mainline, and Babylon branches for example, I expect to see something similar to those branches happening.

I would add special city-only Harlem Line trains between Grand Central and Wakefield. However, the issue with this is wakefield is only 4 cars, so you would have to either run these city services with four cars at all times, or start southbound service at Mount Vernon West.

[danielhg121]

Keep on the lookout for P32 Eng#217 👀 

[danielhg121]

LIRR M9 9197-9198 are at the Kawasaki plant.

 

[checkmatechamp13]

Fairfield Metro is being renamed to Fairfield - Black Rock to reduce confusion among travelers in the area:

https://portal.ct.gov/dot/ctdot-press-releases/2024/renaming-of-the-fairfield-metro-station-to-fairfield-black-rock-station

[QM1to6Ave]

Looks like I might get some free tickets from a colleague to the hockey game at UBS Arena on Tuesday night. I’ll probably take LIRR there and back, but I’ve read there is a long walk to the game and that the trains are often packed. Any one have advice for the trip? 

[N6 Limited]

I used combo ticket this past weekend, the transfer between LIRR and MNRR isn’t as bad as many people made it seem. (You dont have to go all the way to the south end to exit.)
 

However, the combo origin/destination trips in TrainTime didn’t show the MN track info. I had missed the GC train by 15 seconds in Jamaica. I had to look up the MNRR trip individually, get the track number, position myself on the next LIRR train to GC to exit to the appropriate escalators which connected to the stairs corresponding to the range of MNRR tracks that my train was leaving from (thanks new MTA App offline maps!). And I was still able to connect to the originally planned MN train with a min or two to spare. 
 

But other than that, it’s not a long trek to the south end of GCM to connect to MN when there are other connections at 47th (tracks 11-42) and 45th(tracks 102-114) streets. 

[IAlam]

On 4/2/2024 at 2:45 PM, N6 Limited said:

I used combo ticket this past weekend, the transfer between LIRR and MNRR isn’t as bad as many people made it seem. (You dont have to go all the way to the south end to exit.)
 

However, the combo origin/destination trips in TrainTime didn’t show the MN track info. I had missed the GC train by 15 seconds in Jamaica. I had to look up the MNRR trip individually, get the track number, position myself on the next LIRR train to GC to exit to the appropriate escalators which connected to the stairs corresponding to the range of MNRR tracks that my train was leaving from (thanks new MTA App offline maps!). And I was still able to connect to the originally planned MN train with a min or two to spare. 
 

But other than that, it’s not a long trek to the south end of GCM to connect to MN when there are other connections at 47th (tracks 11-42) and 45th(tracks 102-114) streets. 

You'd be surprised that most people still don't know that. There are a lot of Metro North riders who do not know the existence of the 45th/47th Street cross-passages let alone the existence of GCM. A common issue at GCM is that people don't even know how to get out of the terminal. I'm constantly being asked how to exit, especially on the upper level, because they don't understand that they have to go down to go back up. Although if you know what you're doing you can make a connection in under 5 minutes which is pretty good considering how big the entire complex is.

Edited April 6 by IAlam

[Far rockaway]

How many M3A's are there in service for metro north railroad and do they run on weekends or just during the week.

[danielhg121]

4 hours ago, Far rockaway said:

How many M3A's are there in service for metro north railroad and do they run on weekends or just during the week.

I believe it’s around 120-130 cars in service. They run them on wkends tho they may be rarer. 

[danielhg121]

I was going through the LIRR capital dashboard and under the Rolling Stock portion, it says "Purchase Dual-Mode Locomotives" and "Purchase Coaches" and the description of them are: "This project includes the purchase of approximately 12 replacement revenue locomotives." and "This project includes the replacement of approximately 17 Diesel-Hauled Coaches." respectively. As far as I'm aware, they haven't announced who their supplier for 12 replacement revenue locomotives is but if I had to guess it will likely be the Siemens Chargers as an option order under Metro-North's order. I know that 12 isn't likely the number that they'll end up purchasing but I'm guessing the DE/DM30AC replacement will be done in separate orders or phases. The more surprising fact is the replacement of 17 diesel-hauled coaches which would be the C3's but I don't think the C3's are in need of replacement since they're only about 25 years old and normal coaches can go till about 40 years and I don't think any of them have been involved in serious accidents. Perhaps they're seeking supplemental diesel-hauled coaches or this is simply the summer seasonal lease which I don't think it would be on the Capital Dashboard. 

Link: http://web.mta.info/capitaldashboard/CPDPlan.html?PLN=8&AGY=a

[QM1to6Ave]

I got this email, which confused me, from the MTA. Does this mean you can still transfer from GCT to GCM outside of those listed hours, but there are fewer options? Im not sure which passageways they are referring to that will be closed?

 

Starting April 29, the LIRR and Metro-North cross-passageways north of 45 St in Grand Central will be open on weekdays from 6:30AM to 9:30PM and closed on weekends and holidays. 

Note: The 47 St/Madison Av entrance will remain open for LIRR riders, but access to Metro-North tracks will not be available on evenings and weekends. To transfer between Metro-North and LIRR, use the Dining Concourse or Biltmore Room escalators. 

Please allow additional travel time.  .

[danielhg121]

53 minutes ago, QM1to6Ave said:

I got this email, which confused me, from the MTA. Does this mean you can still transfer from GCT to GCM outside of those listed hours, but there are fewer options? Im not sure which passageways they are referring to that will be closed?

 

Starting April 29, the LIRR and Metro-North cross-passageways north of 45 St in Grand Central will be open on weekdays from 6:30AM to 9:30PM and closed on weekends and holidays. 

Note: The 47 St/Madison Av entrance will remain open for LIRR riders, but access to Metro-North tracks will not be available on evenings and weekends. To transfer between Metro-North and LIRR, use the Dining Concourse or Biltmore Room escalators. 

Please allow additional travel time.  .

Yea. It’s the passageways that are towards the north end of GCT. Essentially less options to transfer between Metro-North and Long Island Railroad. Pretty much the main terminal buildings will be open. 

[Lawrence St]

1 hour ago, danielhg121 said:

Yea. It’s the passageways that are towards the north end of GCT. Essentially less options to transfer between Metro-North and Long Island Railroad. Pretty much the main terminal buildings will be open. 

So it's going back to the way it was before COVID.

[QM1to6Ave]

3 hours ago, danielhg121 said:

Yea. It’s the passageways that are towards the north end of GCT. Essentially less options to transfer between Metro-North and Long Island Railroad. Pretty much the main terminal buildings will be open. 

Thanks! The way it was worded, it seemed like they were cutting off access entirely between GCT and GCM!

[JSLR7]

18 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Thanks! The way it was worded, it seemed like they were cutting off access entirely between GCT and GCM!

Any reason why? Plenty of people use that passageway, especially from LI to Yankee games and from the MNR region to Mets and Islanders games.

[Lawrence St]

What are you all talking about? North End Access never connected to LIRR, as far as I’m aware. You always had to go via the lower level of GCT or via the Biltmore Rook to access LIRR.

[danielhg121]

1 minute ago, Lawrence St said:

What are you all talking about? North End Access never connected to LIRR, as far as I’m aware. You always had to go via the lower level of GCT or via the Biltmore Rook to access LIRR.

Nah there’s an entrance to LIRR if you walk straight down 42 Track go down the stairs and hang a left.