Yankees-E 153rd street Metro-North station

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I've noticed something interesting.  When I'm on an off-peak train coming from Riverdale, once we get to the Bronx stations (University Heights, Morris Heights, etc.), we stop where tracks 4 & 6 are and when I'm on a peak train coming from Riverdale, we use another set of tracks when we reach the Yankees-E 153rd street Metro-North station.  Why is that?

[Vistausss]

To allow easier bypassing of trains that don't stop at Yankees-E153rd.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

To allow easier bypassing of trains that don't stop at Yankees-E153rd.

But why not just have the trains that do stop there stop at the same track? That's what I don't get.

[Vistausss]

I would assume because of the track layout in conjunction with my previous post.

[Truckie]

First off, there is no track 6 at Morris and University Heights stations.  There are tracks 1,2 and 4 going from east to west.  The tracks that platform are 1 and 2.

 

Between Morris Heights and Yankee's E153rd st is CP8, an interlocking at the north end of Highbridge Yard.  At the south end of Yankee's is CP6, another interlocking.

 

Both of the aforementioned interlockings allow the rail controllers (dispatchers) to route the trains on any track they want.  What you see is only one train on one track at one station.  The dispatchers have to pick what route is best for the big picture as what trains are where from Riverdale to Harlem 125th St at a time with out creating unnecessary delays.  Because what works best during off peak hours won't work best for peak hours when there are many more trains to worry about.

 

During night games at the stadium it gets a little more complicated as they have extra trains from the Harlem and New Haven Lines that go directly to Yankees E153rd St and the Yankee shuttle running back and forth from GCT.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

First off, there is no track 6 at Morris and University Heights stations.  There are tracks 1,2 and 4 going from east to west.  The tracks that platform are 1 and 2.

 

Between Morris Heights and Yankee's E153rd st is CP8, an interlocking at the north end of Highbridge Yard.  At the south end of Yankee's is CP6, another interlocking.

 

Both of the aforementioned interlockings allow the rail controllers (dispatchers) to route the trains on any track they want.  What you see is only one train on one track at one station.  The dispatchers have to pick what route is best for the big picture as what trains are where from Riverdale to Harlem 125th St at a time with out creating unnecessary delays.  Because what works best during off peak hours won't work best for peak hours when there are many more trains to worry about.

 

During night games at the stadium it gets a little more complicated as they have extra trains from the Harlem and New Haven Lines that go directly to Yankees E153rd St and the Yankee shuttle running back and forth from GCT.

I was talking about the Yankees-E 153rd st station, not the other two Bronx stations, hence the title of the thread. 

 

Your last sentence explains a lot though.  How do the Harlem and New Haven lines work though going directly to the Yankees-E 153rd st station?   

[Truckie]

My apologies for the misunderstanding.

 

Some trains may specifically run down track 4 due to a scheduled employee stop at the Highbridge Yard (platforms are only on 1 and 4).  If the train makes Highbridge on 4 it will have to stop at Yankees on 4 also as there is no interlocking between the two.  Trains that don't make Highbridge are often brought down track 2.  During the PM rush, from what I've seen, all southbound trains go on track 2, north bound locals on 1 and north bound expresses on 4.  Track 6 is only used to access the Highbridge Yard as the only way to get back out is on the north end.  That would require permission of the Highbridge Yardmaster.

 

Track 6 is uses for bringing trains in and out of Highbridge and during Yankee games the GCT to Yankee shuttle will go on track 6 as it won't interfere with mainline operation.

 

The Harlem and New Haven Line clippers get to Yankee stadium via track 5 at Mott Haven Yard.  If you look to the left when traveling south, just past Yankee E153 there is a track that loops to the Harlem/New Haven Main Line.  I never paid attention to what track they unload on but it's likely on track 6 so they can yard the train in Highbridge.  Towards the end of the game the New Haven and Harlem line trains back out of the north end of the yard and go south on track 2 to await the cherished fans.  When this happens all southbound traffic is run down 4 and north bound on 1. 

 

Mind you this is all under "normal" circumstances.  Being conditions could change at any time so could the track the dispatches chose to run the train on.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Some trains may specifically run down track 4 due to a scheduled employee stop at the Highbridge Yard (platforms are only on 1 and 4).  If the train makes Highbridge on 4 it will have to stop at Yankees on 4 also as there is no interlocking between the two.  Trains that don't make Highbridge are often brought down track 2.  During the PM rush, from what I've seen, all southbound trains go on track 2, north bound locals on 1 and north bound expresses on 4.  Track 6 is only used to access the Highbridge Yard as the only way to get back out is on the north end.  That would require permission of the Highbridge Yardmaster.

 

During Yankee games the GCT to Yankee shuttle will go on track 6 as it won't interfere with mainline operation.

 

The Harlem and New Haven Line clippers get to Yankee stadium via track 5 at Mott Haven Yard.  If you look to the left when traveling south, just past Yankee E153 there is a track that loops to the Harlem/New Haven Main Line.  I never paid attention to what track they unload on but it's likely on track 6 so they can yard the train in Highbridge.  Towards the end of the game the New Haven and Harlem line trains back out of the north end of the yard and go south on track 2 to await the cherished fans.  When this happens all southbound traffic is run down 4 and north bound on 1. 

 

Mind you this is all under "normal" circumstances.  Being conditions could change at any time so could the track the dispatches chose to run the train on.

Very interesting... Seeing that this station is relatively new though, i have to wonder if the New Haven and Harlem line clippers always had this set up...?

[Truckie]

Very interesting... Seeing that this station is relatively new though, i have to wonder if the New Haven and Harlem line clippers always had this set up...?

 

No, the "clippers" were put in place solely for the purpose of transportation to the Yankee games from the other lines.  Also for this reason New Haven and Harlem line crews have to be qualified to CP8 on the Hudson for this very reason.  Prior to the clippers they did not have to be qualified there.