LIRR And MNRR Random Thoughts Thread

[NY1635]

Is there a reason why there's only one track to the Hempstead Branch?

[paulrivera]

Man, this is like the second time an inspection train craps out in the Bronx at 5:30 in the morning and completely cripples the Harlem and New Haven lines for HOURS.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Man, this is like the second time an inspection train craps out in the Bronx at 5:30 in the morning and completely cripples the Harlem and New Haven lines for HOURS.

Heard about it this morning... Didn't even chance it with the Hudson line... Opted for the express bus...

[bobtehpanda]

Is there a reason why there's only one track to the Hempstead Branch?

 

$$$

 

Any single track lines were built as single track lines and never upgraded.

[Mtatransit]

Just wondering have A R/T ticket from Penn to Manhasset. Used one portion of it, can I use the other portion of it from Woodside to Mineola on a later date? Does the Same rule apply to Metro North?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Just wondering have A R/T ticket from Penn to Manhasset. Used one portion of it, can I use the other portion of it from Woodside to Mineola on a later date? Does the Same rule apply to Metro North?

If you bought a round trip ticket, but didn't use the return trip, you have until the date noted on the ticket to use it.  I believe it's three months on Metro-North, but not sure about the LIRR.  A trip from Woodside to Mineola would be covered, especially if you bought peak tickets, since I'm sure Penn Station to Mineola would likely be more expensive than Woodside to Mineola.  What I do is I always buy a GCT to Spuyten Duyvil or Riverdale ticket and if I get off earlier and it isn't checked, then I can use that ticket for yet another trip as far as the stops I mentioned or anything in between.

[Amtrak7]

Just wondering have A R/T ticket from Penn to Manhasset. Used one portion of it, can I use the other portion of it from Woodside to Mineola on a later date? Does the Same rule apply to Metro North?

 

A ticket is valid for any station within the zones printed on it. The two halves of a round trip are treated independently. Both Woodside and Penn are in Zone 1, both Manhasset and Mineola are in Zone 4. So your ticket is valid.

 

Same rule applies on MNR between the Hudson and Harlem lines.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

A ticket is valid for any station within the zones printed on it. The two halves of a round trip are treated independently. Both Woodside and Penn are in Zone 1, both Manhasset and Mineola are in Zone 4. So your ticket is valid.

 

Same rule applies on MNR between the Hudson and Harlem lines.

I also use my Hudson Line pass on the Harlem line.  I get puzzled looks as to where I'm going sometimes, but WGAF?  I just tell them what stop I'm getting off and keep it moving.  I paid so whatever and I intend to use the hell out of my pass.

[Mtatransit]

A ticket is valid for any station within the zones printed on it. The two halves of a round trip are treated independently. Both Woodside and Penn are in Zone 1, both Manhasset and Mineola are in Zone 4. So your ticket is valid.

 

Same rule applies on MNR between the Hudson and Harlem lines.

ok so I guess it's valid, however out of curiosity, what happens if you have to transfer trains such as Penn to Oyster Bay with a Manhasset to Penn Ticket, do you need to tell the conductor? Do they punch a new ticket?

[78 via Stew Leonards]

If anyone didnt know about this, the 23rd anniversary of the LIRR shooting just passed.

[MassTransitHonchkrow]

A ticket is valid for any station within the zones printed on it. The two halves of a round trip are treated independently. Both Woodside and Penn are in Zone 1, both Manhasset and Mineola are in Zone 4. So your ticket is valid.

 

Same rule applies on MNR between the Hudson and Harlem lines.

GCT to Harlem is Zone 1

Bronx is Zone 2

Westchester is Zones 3-6

Putnam is Zone 7

Dutchess is Zones 8 thru 11

Columbia is Zone 12

and I believe Connecticut is Zone 13 and up

 

Between Zones usually btwn $3 and $4. For example, my round trip ticket from 233rd St <> White Plains is $7.50 [iNT].

When you board outside of Zone 1 your ticket drops in cost by as much as $7.

[Mtatransit]

GCT to Harlem is Zone 1

Bronx is Zone 2

Westchester is Zones 3-6

Putnam is Zone 7

Dutchess is Zones 8 thru 11

Columbia is Zone 12

and I believe Connecticut is Zone 13 and up

 

Between Zones usually btwn $3 and $4. For example, my round trip ticket from 233rd St <> White Plains is $7.50 [iNT].

When you board outside of Zone 1 your ticket drops in cost by as much as $7.

I agree Zone 1 is very too expensive. The intermediate fares in the Bronx are much more reasonable. Now compare that to the LIRR, where every station west of Jamaica is Zone 1, although Jamaica Station is pretty reasonable.

[Truckie]

GCT to Harlem is Zone 1

Bronx is Zone 2

Westchester is Zones 3-6

Putnam is Zone 7

Dutchess is Zones 8 thru 11

Columbia is Zone 12

and I believe Connecticut is Zone 13 and up

 

Between Zones usually btwn $3 and $4. For example, my round trip ticket from 233rd St <> White Plains is $7.50 [iNT].

When you board outside of Zone 1 your ticket drops in cost by as much as $7.

 

Two minor corrections:

 

Metro North does not go into Columbia County, the furthest north is Wassaic in Dutchess County which is Zone 10.  Zone 11 does not exist.

 

New Haven mainline is Zone 12 to 21 (Zone 12 to 14 are NY stations).  New Canaan branch is Zone 31.  Danbury Branch Zone 41 and 42.  Waterbury Branch is Zone 51.

[Amtrak7]

ok so I guess it's valid, however out of curiosity, what happens if you have to transfer trains such as Penn to Oyster Bay with a Manhasset to Penn Ticket, do you need to tell the conductor? Do they punch a new ticket?

 

Just tell the conductor you're going to Oyster Bay, and it'll be punched accordingly.

 

Every LIRR ticket has 3 punch targets per direction for this reason (east of Jamaica leg 1, east of Jamaica leg 2, west of Jamaica). Being on the same stock, MNR tickets also have 3 punch targets. But being that their tickets are only serviced once unless a transfer is required, I'm not sure how theirs works.

Edited December 15, 2016 by Amtrak7

[MassTransitHonchkrow]

Two minor corrections:

 

Metro North does not go into Columbia County, the furthest north is Wassaic in Dutchess County which is Zone 10.  Zone 11 does not exist.

 

New Haven mainline is Zone 12 to 21 (Zone 12 to 14 are NY stations).  New Canaan branch is Zone 31.  Danbury Branch Zone 41 and 42.  Waterbury Branch is Zone 51.

Thanks for that. I figured I messed up somewhere. Placing CT at any zone higher than 10 pushes costs to them. I feel that if they pay more they have the right to say more. But the MTA is tone deaf to everyone.

I also feel that MNR fare hikes should be apportioned by zone because it's not just those in NYC who are poor. Poverty is radial outward from the NYC area.

 

The stereotype that Westchester is deep pocketed is very false. I also feel CT should be given less steep hikes. Pricing out riders who depend on public transit can backfire badly...

I agree Zone 1 is very too expensive. The intermediate fares in the Bronx are much more reasonable. Now compare that to the LIRR, where every station west of Jamaica is Zone 1, although Jamaica Station is pretty reasonable.

I don't ride LIRR much so I can't gauge how a hike affects riders there. The last line I rode was the BY to Freeport and back.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I also feel that MNR fare hikes should be apportioned by zone because it's not just those in NYC who are poor. Poverty is radial outward from the NYC area.

 

The stereotype that Westchester is deep pocketed is very false. I also feel CT should be given less steep hikes. Pricing out riders who depend on public transit can backfire badly...

 

There are some exceptions in Westchester that are pretty poor like parts of South Yonkers, but most of the rivertowns along the Hudson Line along with Riverdale are quite affluent (parts of Dobbs Ferry, Tarrytown, Croton-on-Hudson, Hastings-on-Hudson, etc.).  Along the Harlem Line there are obvious places (Scarsdale, Bronxville, Chappaqua, Bedford, Katonah, etc.).  Along the New Haven Line (Rye, Larchmont, Greenwich, parts of Mamaroneck are quite ritzy, New Canaan, Darien, etc.) 

 

Parts of the Bronx are actually starting to improve slowly as well as prices go up.

Edited December 15, 2016 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Truckie]

Placing CT at any zone higher than 10 pushes costs to them. I feel that if they pay more they have the right to say more. But the MTA is tone deaf to everyone.

 

Has nothing to do with costs.  New Haven Line zone 12 (Mount Vernon East, Pelham and New Rochelle) is the same cost as Harlem and Hudson Zone 3 (Mount Vernon West, Yonkers, etc).  The difference is where the $$$ goes.  Hence the rediculous reason that someone with a one way ticket to Mount Vernon East can't use it to Mount Vernon West regardless the two stations are less than a mile from one another.

 

MTA has no say over CT fares.  CDOT sets the fare.  This is why there was a fare hike for only Connecticut earlier this month.

Edited December 16, 2016 by Truckie

[MassTransitHonchkrow]

T

 

Has nothing to do with costs.  New Haven Line zone 12 (Mount Vernon East, Pelham and New Rochelle) is the same cost as Harlem and Hudson Zone 3 (Mount Vernon West, Yonkers, etc).  The difference is where the $$$ goes.  Hence the rediculous reason that someone with a one way ticket to Mount Vernon East can't use it to Mount Vernon West regardless the two stations are less than a mile from one another.

 

MTA has no say over CT fares.  CDOT sets the fare.  This is why there was a fare hike for only Connecticut earlier this month.

That's good to know. Does CT assume repairs or does the MTA outpost them? Their buses are the best in the land though. You can't beat $1.50 a ride.

So the Zone numbering is to thwart needless intermediary tickets.

[paulrivera]

Two minor corrections:

 

Metro North does not go into Columbia County, the furthest north is Wassaic in Dutchess County which is Zone 10. Zone 11 does not exist.

 

New Haven mainline is Zone 12 to 21 (Zone 12 to 14 are NY stations). New Canaan branch is Zone 31. Danbury Branch Zone 41 and 42. Waterbury Branch is Zone 51.

For some strange reason, "Zone 11" is Fordham on some New Haven line tickets. When the Web tickets used to be offered, there would be an "11" next to Fordham, along with the correct "21" next to New Haven.

 

I think most non-web tickets show Fordham as zone 2.

[R10 2952]

Saw a set of the older M4/M6 series in service at Grand Central the other day; I thought they were all retired last year? Car numbers were in the 8000 series...

Edited December 18, 2016 by R10 2952

[paulrivera]

Does anyone here have a good contact at Metro-North? I'm really flipping my shit about how the 6:07 Fordham to New Haven just skipped (yes, again!) and no one at either the station or over the phone has a care in the world.

 

How the bloody hell does an engineer just blow the stop like that?!?!

Edited December 29, 2016 by paulrivera

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Does anyone here have a good contact at Metro-North? I'm really flipping my shit about how the 6:07 Fordham to New Haven just skipped (yes, again!) and no one at either the station or over the phone has a care in the world.

 

How the bloody hell does an engineer just blow the stop like that?!?!

It has happened to me once at the Melrose station going back to Manhattan and I was infuriated, as the next scheduled train wasn't until two hours later at that time.  I happen to be the only one waiting too, but what if people needed that stop?  They would've had to have gone to 125th and take a train back OR take the subway and perhaps a bus to get to their location.  I had to make my way over to the BxM4 on the Concourse to get back to the city.  

 

I don't think it's an accident either that they skip certain scheduled stops in the Bronx.  Some of these guys think oh well who is going to do anything about it?  It's the South Bronx after all and who is going to complain?  I have actually spoken with some employees who have this attitude when they are serving what they perceive to be poor neighborhoods (or neighborhoods of color) where they think people won't speak up and complain to the officially (as they should).  They don't think the people will speak up or file complaints and therefore they can get away such disgusting behavior, and there is definitely A LOT of discrimination that occurs, be it blatant or by accident.  Now if the guy passed the stop by mistake, well that's even worse because that means he didn't take the time to review what stops he was supposed to make and just assumed that the train didn't stop in the Bronx.

 

What I would do if I were you is keep all of your complaints that you make via e-mail, as well as the responses you receive from the .  You then should contact your elected officials with the specific details of each incident so that a paper trail exists and keep their responses as well.  They will likely ask you for a paper trail so that they can investigate and take your complaint to whoever they speak with at the  (assuming that they actually work for their constituents of course).  Without a paper trail it will be difficult for them to get the to admit that there is a problem and that it needs to be investigated.  

 

Believe you me, I have been relentless in filing complaints because of either poor service or poor customer service and I keep everything and speak with my elected officials, and the does work to make changes where possible.  My elected officials are very good at getting back to me and investigating.  As long as communities and other people in general allow such things to happen, they will continue.  I am of the belief that there are definitely some Metro-North workers that don't care for city folks riding the commuter rails, especially in certain parts of the Bronx, and they will display such an attitude when they can get away with it.  You already heard what Truckie said previously about how the MNRR is supposed to serve the suburbs and how those in the city can take the subway.  Who are they to dictate who should and shouldn't ride?  As long as the person is paying, the stop should be made if it is on the schedule, end of story.  

Edited December 29, 2016 by Via Garibaldi 8

[paulrivera]

And since it showed up on the correct track at the correct time, it initially shows up as it having stopped in their system. I called twice and the first rep insisted that the train stopped. I was like "lady I've been here since 5:45, it's 6:20 now and if the train had stopped, I wouldn't be on a Stamford train right now"

 

I think I'm the only one that goes up the whole way from Fordham on that train, because whenever it skips the riders are so nonchalant about it. Of course, since they're only going to Stamford they only lose like 10 or 15 minutes. I go the full route (and during vacation weeks like today I go beyond New Haven on SLE/Amtrak/Megabus) so I end up losing 45 minutes and risk blowing my connections (new Amtrak tickets are NOT cheap) if I have to go beyond CT.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

And since it showed up on the correct track at the correct time, it initially shows up as it having stopped in their system. I called twice and the first rep insisted that the train stopped. I was like "lady I've been here since 5:45, it's 6:20 now and if the train had stopped, I wouldn't be on a Stamford train right now"

 

I think I'm the only one that goes up the whole way from Fordham on that train, because whenever it skips the riders are so nonchalant about it. Of course, since they're only going to Stamford they only lose like 10 or 15 minutes. I go the full route (and during vacation weeks like today I go beyond New Haven on SLE/Amtrak/Megabus) so I end up losing 45 minutes and risk blowing my connections (new Amtrak tickets are NOT cheap) if I have to go beyond CT.

That's precisely it.  As I said you need to start documenting this and making a stink.  The engineer knows what he is doing and needs to be held accountable, otherwise the nonsense will continue.  Another thing that has been going on is you have some ticket checkers being obnoxious when it comes time to check tickets.  You show them your pass in full view and then they act as if they can't read what it says, OR they don't put a seat check, so then you have to take out your wallet yet again and show it to the next guy.  Filed a complaint about that, along with the obnoxious behavior of the guy who checked my ticket.  So early in the morning and there they are having this completely unprofessional and loud conversation that I am not interested in hearing, in what was supposed to be a quiet car.  

Edited December 29, 2016 by Via Garibaldi 8

[paulrivera]

Oh yeah, heaven forbid the train skipped Greenwich or Westport...

 

I also just found out they interline conductors at Stamford, as I had the same one on both trains I took. He was cool tho, as most of the New Haven line conductors are.

 

But yea, going forward it'll be the 5:48 train for me. The locals never have a problem stopping, even when they're like half an hour late.