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Merry Christmas 2017

Posted by
on December 25th, 2017 at 12:00 am

I would like to take this moment & wish each & every single reader & supporter of TransitBlogger.com a MERRY CHRISTMAS! May you enjoy the holiday season with your friends & family while making new memories that will last a lifetime!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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MTA Testing Signal Technology

Posted by
on December 21st, 2017 at 5:29 pm

NYC Subway riders face many delays each & every day as they try to commute on the busiest transit system in the nation. The biggest culprit for delays usually revolve around signal issues that plague an antiquated system. The MTA is in the beginning phases of testing signal technology they hope will have the system run more reliably. Dan Rivoli of the New York Daily News has more in this exclusive:

The MTA has started top-secret testing of technology that could make subways run more efficiently, the Daily News has learned.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority hopes the technology — known as Ultra-Wideband radio — will be the fix for their signal woes, transit officials told the News.

The technology, in its early proof-of-concept phase, could let the MTA pinpoint trains’ locations, allowing them to run closer together and boosting service. It could even let riders to use their cell phones inside subway tunnels between stations.

The radio technology would accelerate the MTA’s efforts to modernize its century-old, failure-prone signal system — an endeavor that has so far proved costly, time-consuming and disruptive to riders.

“It cost twice as much and took twice as long because it required fixing an antiquated (signal) system and then putting it out of operation,” said Tom Wright, president of the Regional Plan Association. “The sooner and faster and cheaper it could be done, the better.”

Transit workers this month installed two wireless devices for Ultra-Wideband radio along the F and G lines on Brooklyn’s Culver line test track, which runs between the north end of the Fourth Ave.-Ninth St. station and the south end of the Church Ave. station.

Click here for the complete report.

My biggest issue is why did the agency wait so long to try out this technology which has been approved for commercial use since 2002! The agency knows the signal system has been antiquated for some time & instead of spending tons of money doing patch work, they should have been investing & testing out more updated & reliable systems to go along with a replacement of the signal system. This is a perfect example of why the MTA has always been multiple steps behind the technological times.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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NYC Transit Christmas 2017 Service Plan

Posted by
on December 21st, 2017 at 4:09 pm

Here is the MTA NYC Transit’s Christmas 2017 holiday service plan information:

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that trains and buses will operate on special schedules during the long Christmas weekend. 

Also for holiday travelers, as part of the Port Authority’s measures to alleviate roadway congestion at LaGuardia Airport during the peak holiday travel rush, MTA New York City Transit’s LaGuardia Link Q70 Select Bus Service will be fare-free on Thursday, December 22, and Friday, December 23. The LaGuardia Link provides non-stop service linking the main terminals of the airport (Terminals B, C and D) with New York City Subway at the Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av 7efmr station and the 61 St-Woodside 7 station-Long Island Rail Road stop in Woodside, Queens. 

Holiday service details follow for each MTA service, organized by day.

Friday, December 22

 

Staten Island Railway customers looking to get a head start on the Christmas holiday will be able to catch earlier afternoon express train service on Friday, December 22 with MTA Staten Island Railway’s Early Departure Getaway schedule.  Extra SIR trains will be added earlier in the afternoon beginning at 2:30 p.m. from the St. George Ferry Terminal.  There will be one express train and one local train awaiting every boat until 7:50 p.m.  This early departure schedule will also be available on Friday, December 29, for customers getting a head start on their New Year’s Eve plans. 

Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24, and Christmas Day, Monday, December 25

The New York City Subway, New York City buses and Staten Island Railway will operate on a Sunday schedule on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. As a reminder, some subway lines do not run on weekends, and customers are advised to allow additional travel time due to weekend work.  For more information on weekend service and planned work, click here. 

Tuesday, December 26, Through Friday, December 29

As a reminder, Subway Action Plan maintenance work and repairs are scheduled in the 53rd Street Tunnel from 5 a.m. Tuesday to 8 a.m. on Sunday, December 31. During this critical work, e trains run on the f line between W 4 St and Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av in both directions. m service is suspended during this time. efm customers should allow for additional travel time. More information on these significant upgrades and travel alternatives can be found here.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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LIRR Christmas 2017 Service Plan

Posted by
on December 21st, 2017 at 4:04 pm

Here is the MTA Long Island Rail Road’s Christmas 2017 holiday service plan information:

MTA Long Island Rail Road is adding 13 trains from Penn Station to its regular eastbound afternoon schedule on Friday, December 22, to accommodate the large number of customers leaving work early to get a head start on their holiday weekend. The additional departures from Penn Station will be provided between 12:43 p.m. and 3:31 p.m. as follows:

Babylon Branch (6 Extra Trains):

1:28 p.m. traveling express to Rockville Centre, then local to Babylon

1:56 p.m. stopping at Jamaica, Rockville Centre, then local to Babylon

2:22 p.m. traveling express to Rockville Centre, then local to Babylon

2:32 p.m. traveling express to Lynbrook, then local to Babylon

3:00 p.m. stopping at Jamaica, Rockville Centre, then local to Babylon

3:31 p.m. traveling express to Rockville Centre, then local to Babylon

Far Rockaway Branch (1 Extra Train):

3:48 p.m. stopping at Locust Manor, Laurelton, Rosedale, Valley Stream, then all stops to Far Rockaway

Port Jefferson Branch (3 Extra Trains):

2:08 p.m. stopping at Jamaica, Mineola, then local to Huntington

2:29 p.m. stopping at Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Jamaica, New Hyde Park, then local to Huntington

3:24 p.m. stopping at Jamaica, Mineola, Westbury and Hicksville

Port Washington Branch (1 Extra Train):

3:40 p.m. stopping Woodside, Flushing-Main St., then all stops to Great Neck

Ronkonkoma Branch (2 Extra Trains):

12:43 p.m. stopping at Woodside, Jamaica, Mineola, Hicksville, then local stops to Ronkonkoma

1:49 p.m. stopping at Woodside, Jamaica, Mineola, Hicksville, then local stops to Ronkonkoma

Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, December 23-25:

LIRR will operate on a regular weekend/holiday schedule from Saturday, December 23, through Monday, Christmas Day, December 25.

Discounted Family Fare:

The holidays are a great time of year to take advantage of the LIRR’s Family Fare. Up to four children (ages 5-11) can ride one-way for $1 each when accompanied by a fare-paying adult (18 years or older) on any Off-Peak or PM Peak train. Additional children pay the LIRR’s Child Fare, which is 50% off the regular adult peak fare. Children under age 5 always ride the LIRR for free.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Metro North Christmas 2017 Service Plan

Posted by
on December 21st, 2017 at 3:59 pm

Here is the MTA Metro-North Railroad’s 2017 Christmas holiday service plan information:

Let Metro-North help make your holidays happy! Whether you’re visiting friends and family, shopping or sightseeing, riding Metro-North is a safe, convenient way to get you where you want to go this long holiday weekend.

On Friday, December 22, Metro-North will be on a regular weekday schedule with 18 additional early getaway trains departing Grand Central Terminal between 12:58 p.m. and 4:11 p.m. There will be normal a.m. peak service, but a reduced p.m. peak service after 5 p.m., with some train combinations and cancellations. All changes are posted in the Train Time app and in the October 8 public timetables. On Metro-North’s West of Hudson service, early getaway trains will also operate on both the Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines:

The regularly scheduled Port Jervis Line departure from Hoboken at 2:41 p.m., stopping at Secaucus Junction, and all stops between Suffern and Middletown/Town of Wallkill, will be extended to stop at Otisville and Port Jervis. Customers from Penn Station-NY wishing to connect to this train should be on the 2:29 p.m. departure from Penn Station-NY to connect at Secaucus Junction. To accommodate this service, the 6:15 p.m. departure from Hoboken to Port Jervis will not operate.

The regularly scheduled Pascack Valley Line Friday-only train will depart Hoboken at 2:58 p.m., and stop at Secaucus Junction, select stations in New Jersey, and Pearl River, Nanuet and Spring Valley. Customers from Penn Station-NY wishing to connect to this train should be on the 2:51 p.m. departure from Penn Station-NY to connect at Secaucus Junction. To accommodate this train, the 7:20 p.m. departure from Hoboken to Spring Valley will not operate.

Sunday, December 24, and Monday, December 25:

On Sunday, December 24, Metro-North’s East of Hudson service will operate a regular Sunday schedule supplemented with Shoppers Specials. For Monday, December 25, the railroad’s East of Hudson lines will operate a special holiday schedule with hourly service on most line segments, and regular weekend service on all branch lines. Special timetables for December 25 are available on the Train Time app and are posted at MTA.info under the Schedules section, then “All Schedules,” here: http://web.mta.info/mnr/html/planning/schedules/schedules.htm

Tuesday-Friday, December 26-29:

Metro-North will provide a weekday schedule with additional trains to Grand Central Terminal on all East of Hudson lines during our heaviest travel times (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). With lighter ridership during the peak periods this week, some morning rush hour trains are canceled or combined to free up trains and crews for these additional trains. In addition, 18 extra Getaway trains will operate on Friday, December 29, between 12:58 p.m. and 4:11 p.m., and some trains after 5 p.m. will be combined or canceled as shown on the October 8 timetables.

On Metro-North’s West of Hudson lines:

The Port Jervis Line will operate on a regular weekday schedule.

The regularly scheduled Pascack Valley Line Friday-only train will depart Hoboken at 2:58 p.m., and stop at Secaucus Junction, select stations in New Jersey, and Pearl River, Nanuet and Spring Valley. Customers from Penn Station-NY wishing to connect to this train should be on the 2:51 p.m. departure from Penn Station-NY to connect at Secaucus Junction. To accommodate this train, the 7:20 p.m. departure from Hoboken to Spring Valley will not operate.

Pinstripe Bowl: Wednesday, December 27 (Yankee Stadium):

Shuttle service will be provided between Grand Central Terminal, Harlem-125th Street, and Yankees-E. 153rd Street stations.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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