New Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Schedule Effective January 12th, 2009

[Pablo M 201]

A new HBLR schedule goes into effect and it is not a good note. The last time the schedule was revised was almost two years ago on February 24th, 2007.

 

Link to new schedule:

http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/bus/upcoming/T0100.pdf

 

The changes to the new schedule are as follow:

 

 

 

• Weekday service during midday hours will now operate every 20 minutes instead of 15.
  

 

 

 

• Weekday service during the evening starting 8PM will operate every 20 minutes instead of every 10 to 20 minutes.
  

 

So basically the off peak weekday service is cut to every 20 minutes. Everything else remains the same.

 

I have hunch the weekday changes is their excuse to keep two car trains on the West Side Avenue - Tonnelle Avenue line all day. For those who don't know, after the morning rush, one car is uncoupled off every train on the West Side Avenue line, then recoupled starting at 2PM until every train is two cars for the evening rush, then after the evening rush, a car is uncoupled again. In my opinion, they should've just kept the trains on that line two cars all day, it was very much needed for the northern portion of the line. There are days that trains on the West Side Ave line is kept two cars, especially during the summer months, but it most other times, its like how I decribed above.

 

I'll see tomorrow when I go home if that might be the case, if not, it might just be for the school months and then another schedule change before the summer (they really shouldn't be running a shedule like this during the summer months).

[MTR Admiralty]

Thanks for the information, I will use this well for my HBLR trip sometime in the near future. Well, it's going to suck since there is going to be less frequency on the HBLR, there is now a growing demand for the HBLR.

[Forest Glen]

This is BS. Perhaps the Gold Coast is no longer a popular destination.

[metsfan]

This sucks, i don't want to stand out in the cold waiting for that, especially if i'm trying to get to newark!

 

- A

[MTR Admiralty]

This sucks, i don't want to stand out in the cold waiting for that, especially if i'm trying to get to newark!

 

- A

 

You take the HBLR to the PATH?

[metsfan]

You take the HBLR to the PATH?

 

Indeed, or newport mall, or hoboken.

 

- A

[MTR Admiralty]

Indeed, or newport mall, or hoboken.

 

- A

 

Ahh I see

[metsfan]

Ahh I see

 

It works VERY well in combination with PATH. They need to make some other lines and add some stations. Would be cool if you could get to grove st or journal square by light rail, would really take the squeeze off PATH during peak hours.

 

- A

[Pablo M 201]

Ok, so they did exactly as I thought they would and that is making the West Side Avenue trains two cars all day on weekdays. I'll see how long that'll last....

 

Oh, heres a catch, the schedule was in effect since last week because the schedules at stations say "Effective 01/05/2009". I didn't ride HBLR last week I think so I wouldn't have really noticed (jeez, must've been one of those weeks where the bus was pretty reliable for me).

 

It works VERY well in combination with PATH. They need to make some other lines and add some stations. Would be cool if you could get to grove st or journal square by light rail, would really take the squeeze off PATH during peak hours.

 

- A

HBLR to Grove would be nice (hell I would love it since the only reason I go to Grove Street for PATH is to have that choice of the two NY bounds trains instead of having to choose getting off at Exchange Place or Pavonia-Newport from the light rail to take PATH), but sadly such a plan wouldn't go about unless they're really willing to.

[metsfan]

Ok, so they did exactly as I thought they would and that is making the West Side Avenue trains two cars all day on weekdays. I'll see how long that'll last....

 

Oh, heres a catch, the schedule was in effect since last week because the schedules at stations say "Effective 01/05/2009". I didn't ride HBLR last week I think so I wouldn't have really noticed (jeez, must've been one of those weeks where the bus was pretty reliable for me).

 

HBLR to Grove would be nice (hell I would love it since the only reason I go to Grove Street for PATH is to have that choice of the two NY bounds trains instead of having to choose getting off at Exchange Place or Pavonia-Newport from the light rail to take PATH), but sadly such a plan wouldn't go about unless they're really willing to.

 

If the FRA's various outsourced study estimates are correct, in 3-4 years they will need this. I don't see anything happening till obama is in office though (thankfully not that far off!).

 

- A

[Forest Glen]

They should extend the HBLR (or PATH) to the Meadowlands.

[metsfan]

They should extend the HBLR (or PATH) to the Meadowlands.

 

 

Heck no. They all ready have a part time stop that serves that...place..

 

I suggest making a light rail shuttle that connects the northern branch line with the ...place...

 

Sorry, being an eagles fan i can't hep it! Hehe:cool:.

 

Once the NBL gets green light, a shuttle spur to/from would be a lot better, and could be used for storage during non peak times. NBL would connect to HBLR at bergenline ave.

 

- A

[Pablo M 201]

If the FRA's various outsourced study estimates are correct, in 3-4 years they will need this. I don't see anything happening till obama is in office though (thankfully not that far off!).

 

- A

Yeah ok, we'll see about that. The only way such a plan would be done is if the light rail line goes right over Christopher Columbus Drive, but heres the catch, PATH runs right under Christopher Columbus Drive, which means you know what, SERVICE DISRUPTION! W00 H00!

 

Such a thing wouldn't happen. The area is way too congested, they can't take the chances of disrupting service, it'll be too much and overwhelming for the area. Just as it says in the Access the Region's Core video, all the tunnels and train lines into New York City are at critical capacity. For Jersey City, the problem is traffic from the NJ Turnpike Extension I-78 to the Holland Tunnel is flooding onto downtown Jersey City local streets. During the rush or when the tunnel is badly held up, it is a nightmare to take a bus out of the area.

 

There isn't really much a true solution that only disrupts the area for a short period of time, it would be long-term projects which the state and city cannot afford and cause the problems it would create.

 

They should extend the HBLR (or PATH) to the Meadowlands.

HBLR to the Meadowlands would be nice, just extend the line past Tonnelle Avenue. But it would never happen because of the all the money NJT is investing in rail to service the Meadowlands, light rail is out of question. They'll just tell you, go to Hoboken, period.

 

Once the NBL gets green light, a shuttle spur to/from would be a lot better, and could be used for storage during non peak times. NBL would connect to HBLR at bergenline ave.

 

- A

A shuttle spur would be nice, but just I just told Forest Glen, Go to Hoboken, period.

 

BTW, the Northern Branch Line wouldn't connect with HBLR at Bergenline Avenue, it would connect at Tonnelle Avenue.

 

What they should do though, and I keep repeating this, is make the Northern Branch Line an HBLR line, making it an extension of the Green Line (Hoboken Terminal - Tonnelle Avenue), simple as that! CSX or whoever owns the ROW can go to hell and start accepting HBLR is needed there, this should've been done years ago.

 

BTW, I believe the Northern Branch Line is a modified HBLR MOS Line 3 which was completely scrapped and now HBLR is considered to be "complete".

[metsfan]

Thank you oh wise one. I agree. Maybe they should just build over it vs grade level where PATH is concerned.

 

- A

[Jamaica Express]

A new HBLR schedule goes into effect and it is not a good note. The last time the schedule was revised was almost two years ago on February 24th, 2007.

 

Link to new schedule:

http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/bus/upcoming/T0100.pdf

 

The changes to the new schedule are as follow:

 

 

 

• Weekday service during midday hours will now operate every 20 minutes instead of 15.

 

 

 

• Weekday service during the evening starting 8PM will operate every 20 minutes instead of every 10 to 20 minutes.

 

So basically the off peak weekday service is cut to every 20 minutes. Everything else remains the same.

 

I have hunch the weekday changes is their excuse to keep two car trains on the West Side Avenue - Tonnelle Avenue line all day. For those who don't know, after the morning rush, one car is uncoupled off every train on the West Side Avenue line, then recoupled starting at 2PM until every train is two cars for the evening rush, then after the evening rush, a car is uncoupled again. In my opinion, they should've just kept the trains on that line two cars all day, it was very much needed for the northern portion of the line. There are days that trains on the West Side Ave line is kept two cars, especially during the summer months, but it most other times, its like how I decribed above.

 

I'll see tomorrow when I go home if that might be the case, if not, it might just be for the school months and then another schedule change before the summer (they really shouldn't be running a shedule like this during the summer months).

 

Great so that means there will now be a train in Bayonne every 30-35minutes(when the schedule used to show every 10-15minutes a train arrived more like every 20-25minutes...I should know being that I used to get to 45th street station just in time to see the doors close in my face)....i'll definietly be remaining in Queens,if this schedule continues into the Summer...never really a bigfan of the "Slowrail" anyway...