9

MTA To Pilot A.M. Bronx 4 Train Express Service

Posted by
on June 3rd, 2009 at 7:05 pm

Earlier this afternoon, MTA New York City Transit announced their plans to pilot express service in the Bronx on downtown 4 Train trains for the A.M. rush. The service will run for three weeks & last for one hour during the morning rush. Here are the complete details via a press release that was e-mailed by the MTA:

MTA New York City Transit is set to begin a pilot program aimed at shortening travel times along the 4 Line with the creation of a new Bronx Express 4 service between Woodlawn and 149th Street-Grand Concourse. The enhanced service will operate for a one-hour period during the weekday morning rush.

The pilot will begin June 8th and run through June 26th and be comprised of four trains within a one-hour period during the morning rush. The Bronx Express trains are scheduled to depart weekdays from Woodlawn at 7:15 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 7:45 a.m. and 8 a.m. After leaving Woodlawn, the Bronx Express 4 will make a station stop at Mosholu Parkway before switching to the middle track and heading to Burnside Avenue. From Burnside, the train will make its final Bronx station stop at 149th Street before making all regular express stops along the 4.

Customers boarding at Mosholu Parkway and Burnside Avenue will be alerted to the Bronx Express 4 by conductors’ announcements. Customers are being informed of the pilot through the distribution of take-ones printed in English and Spanish, as well as informational posters.

“The idea for this pilot is directly attributable to the Line General Managers program and it illustrates the types of innovations made possible when you have people running the railroad directly. David Knights, Group General Manager of IRT East and 4 Line General Manager Herb Lambert were looking to speed travel along a route that has been traditionally local in the Bronx,” said New York City Transit President Howard H. Roberts, Jr. “Signal improvements and the continued mechanical reliability of the car fleet have allowed them to try new ways of improving service.”

“By skipping nine stations, the Bronx Express 4 is expected to shave about 3.5 minutes off the 20 to 21 minutes scheduled running time between Woodlawn and 149th Street-Grand Concourse during the height of the a.m. peak. This is a significant time saving when you are headed out to work in the morning,” said IRT East Group General Manager Knights. “This pilot will determine the feasibility of bringing Jerome Avenue service in line with the Concourse, White Plains Road and Pelham Bay corridors by offering an express service to morning commuters.”

This pilot is possible because of the recent upgrades made to the center track signaling system within the 2005-2009 Capital Program. The signal job called for the installation of intermediate signals along the stretch of elevated track between Woodlawn and 161st Street. As a result of the project, we now have a greater flexibility of use with the middle track and can send trains in passenger service as well as work trains up or down the middle track. In the event of a disruption in service or track maintenance, we can also reroute trains onto the middle track. Similar signaling systems, allowing express service, are in place on the Flushing and White Plains Road Lines among others that have three tracks.

The results of the pilot will be evaluated after the completion of the three-week period and a decision will be made on whether to make this change permanent.

Customers may call our Travel Information Center at 718-330-1234 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, or log onto www.tripplanner.mta.info to use Trip Planner to plan their trips. Customers with web enabled phones or PDAs can use our Trip Planner On-the-Go! by going to www.tripplanner.mta.info/mobile; in addition to planning their trips, Blackberry users can download the free icon for one touch access to the service.

This should prove to be a very interesting pilot although I wonder if backlash will occur from riders at stops that will not be able to board these 4 Train trains. I am curious what the reaction will be from other transit buffs as service patterns are always a hot topic amongst us.

xoxo Transit Blogger

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
Bronx, Subway
1

LIRR To Provide Extra Service For Belmont Stakes

Posted by
on June 3rd, 2009 at 6:16 pm

The excitement for the Belmont Stakes is in the air. Will Calvin Borel be able to pull off the Jockey Triple Crown? Well the best way to find out is to be at Belmont Park for this huge day of racing. The best way to get there is by public transportation, more specifically the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) which will be providing extra service for the day. Here are the complete details courtesy of an e-mailed press release:

MTA Long Island Rail Road train service to Belmont Park is up and running again – just in time for the big race, the Belmont Stakes, on Saturday, June 6. There will be additional trains to and from Belmont for this 141st running of this historic race. The LIRR will operate 18 trains to Belmont, most direct from Penn Station ( a 36 minute ride), between 9:59 AM and 4:10 PM. There will also be frequent westbound service back to Jamaica and Penn Station starting at 4:06 PM and continuing until 9 PM.

“Leave your car at home and avoid the hassle of traffic and parking. There is no better way to travel to Belmont on Stakes Day than the LIRR,” said Railroad President Helena Williams. “We are just delighted to be offering our service to Belmont Park again, especially for the big racing event this Saturday. As we do every year, the LIRR will carry thousands of racing enthusiasts to the race track and home again.”

Williams thanked Gov. David A. Paterson and the leaders of the state Legislature, Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith of Queens and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver of Manhattan for crafting a funding package for the MTA that allowed the LIRR to restore its daily service to Belmont Park.

The MTA Police will again be enforcing a no alcohol policy on trains to Belmont Park. Bags and coolers are subject to search prior to boarding Belmont Park trains at Penn Station and at Jamaica Station. On Belmont Stakes Day, no alcoholic beverages of any kind will be permitted to be brought into Belmont Park. The restriction regarding alcohol has been enacted in the interest of patron safety and in an attempt to make sure that people drink responsibly. First race post time on Stakes Day is 11:35 a.m.

Williams urged racing enthusiasts to consider staying at Belmont for the two races following the Stakes race to avoid congestion at the LIRR Belmont Station as fans head for home.

“The LIRR will not leave without you,” said Williams. “Trains will continue to depart from Belmont until 9 PM or when all customers are accommodated.”

When leaving Belmont Park, the LIRR wants to ensure the safe and orderly boarding of trains. So, MTA Police will set up a train queuing system. LIRR personnel will be assigned to key locations to assist customers. Public address announcers will provide customers with train departure information. Wait times can range from 15 minutes to 2 hours. Once inside the queuing area, customers can expect wait times of 15-to-60 minutes. Customers waiting to enter the queuing area can expect longer wait time for trains, possibly up to 2 hours.

Please remember to be careful when boarding and exiting trains at Belmont.

Round trip LIRR Belmont package tickets should be purchased at ticket windows or from ticket machines prior to boarding the train. The round-trip fare from Penn Station is $11; from Jamaica, $8. The one-way fare from Penn Station and Woodside is $6; from Jamaica, $5. On Stakes Day, Belmont package tickets will not be sold on-board the train. Package tickets from Brooklyn and Woodside are also available with connections in Jamaica for trains to Belmont.

Only Belmont Park tickets will be accepted for train service to and from Belmont Park. CityTicket, Monthly, Weekly and Ten-Trip Tickets are not valid on Belmont Park trains. Weekly and Monthly ticket holders can use their commuter tickets for travel to and from Jamaica, but must purchase a Belmont Park ticket prior to boarding at Jamaica to cover the fare between Jamaica and Belmont Park.

Round-trip fares from Long Island to Belmont, with a transfer at Jamaica are:

Zone 3 (Rosedale, St. Albans, Queens Village, Hollis): $8

Zone 4 (Far Rockaway, Lynbrook, Hempstead, Mineola ): $9.75

Zone 7 (Long Beach, Massapequa, Hicksville, Oyster Bay): $11.50

Zone 9 (Babylon, Deer Park, Huntington, Northport): $14.50

Zone 10 (Bay Shore, Sayville, Ronkonkoma, Patchogue, Port Jefferson): $17.75

Belmont Park tickets are available for purchase at the gray LIRR Full Service Ticket Machines and the blue Card Only Full service Ticket Vending Machines by pressing the “Getaways/Packages” button on the first screen, selecting “Belmont Park”, then paying with cash, ATM/debit or credit cards.

Special admission prices are in effect at Belmont Park for Stakes Day only. General Admission is $10 and Clubhouse admission is $20. The $1 discount grandstand admission that is available to LIRR customers on regular race days will NOT apply for Stakes Day.

Belmont Stakes Service from Penn Station:

• 9:59 AM, stopping at Jamaica 10:18, arriving Belmont 10:32 AM.

• 10:07 AM, stopping at Jamaica 10:29 arriving Belmont 10:44 AM.

• 10:29 AM, stopping at Jamaica 10:50, arriving Belmont 11:06 AM.

• 10:55 AM, stopping at Jamaica 11:15, arriving Belmont 11:32 AM.

• 11:01 AM, stopping at Jamaica 11:21, arriving Belmont 11:37 AM.

• 11:29 AM, stopping at Jamaica 11:49, arriving Belmont 12:03 PM.

• 11:37 AM, stopping at Jamaica 12:00 PM, arriving Belmont 12:16 PM.

• 11:57 AM, stopping at Jamaica 12:17 , arriving Belmont 12:31 PM.

• 12:27 PM, stopping at Jamaica 12:47, arriving Belmont 1:01 PM.

• 12:33 PM, stopping at Jamaica 12:53, arriving Belmont 1:07 PM.

• 12:37 PM, stopping at Jamaica 12:58, arriving Belmont 1:12 PM.

• 1:05 PM, stopping at Jamaica 1:27, arriving Belmont 1:40 PM.

• 1:33 PM, stopping at Jamaica 1:54, arriving Belmont 2:10 PM

• 2:37 PM, stopping at Jamaica 2:59, arriving Belmont 3:15 PM.

• 2:55 PM, stopping at Jamaica 3:17, arriving Belmont 3:33 PM.

• 3:27 PM, stopping at Jamaica 3:46 PM, arriving Belmont 4:00 PM.

• 3:45 PM, change at Jamaica 4:06 PM, arriving Belmont 4:23 PM.

• 4:10 PM, change at Jamaica 4:23 PM, arriving Belmont 4:54 PM.

Customers traveling from Woodside, Flatbush Avenue, Nostrand Avenue and East New York, as well as from stations in Nassau and Suffolk can connect with Belmont trains at Jamaica. Customers may consult the special LIRR Belmont Stakes timetable available at stations, or the LIRR’s website at www.mta.info for full Belmont Stakes train schedules.

For the return trip, trains will department Belmont beginning at 4:06 PM, then 4:41 PM, 5:09 PM, 5:49 PM and then approximately every 15 minutes from 6:30 PM to 9 PM to Jamaica, Brooklyn and Penn Station.

Accessibility:

Belmont is a special event station and therefore services are limited. The station is not wheelchair accessible, and there are no elevators and only limited escalator service. It is necessary to use a staircase to and from most train platforms.

For additional information, racing fans can contact the LIRR’s 24-hour Travel Information Center in New York City at 718-217-LIRR, in Suffolk County at 631-231-LIRR, or in Nassau County at 516-822-LIRR. The Travel Information Center’s TDD number for the hearing impaired is 718-558-3022. Customers may also consult the LIRR’s website at www.mta.info. For information on races and admission to Belmont Park, pleased call 516-488-6000, ext. 4306 or www.nyra.com.

P.S. Don’t bet “Mine That Bird” as I guarantee that he will not win the Belmont Stakes.

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
LIRR
0

LI Contractor Indicted For Defrauding Workers

Posted by
on June 3rd, 2009 at 5:57 pm

Earlier today, M.A. Angeliades Inc of Long Island City was indicted in Manhattan Supreme Court on charges of cheating employees out of $600,000 in wages including those who worked on four subway renovation contracts. John Riley of Newsday has more in this report:

A Long Island City contractor whose projects have included the renovation of the Nassau County courthouse was charged Wednesday with cheating employees out of $600,000 in a grand larceny indictment in Manhattan Supreme Court.

M.A. Angeliades Inc. and its owner, Merkourios Angeliades, 67, violated state law by underpaying workers for weekend and overtime work on four subway renovation contracts with the MTA, keeping a double set of books, and bribing union representatives to get away with the scheme, Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said.

Angeliades pleaded not guilty Wednesday afternoon in state Supreme Court in Manhattan.

Click here for the complete report.

Shortly after this report, the MTA issued a statement on the allegations via e-mail:

The MTA appreciates the hard work of District Attorney Morgenthau in pursuing these alleged violations, which were originally identified and investigated by MTA Inspector General Barry Kluger. We are committed to protecting workers involved in MTA projects, and our Auditor General works in cooperation with the Inspector General to root out fraud.

The one outstanding New York City Transit contract with Angeliades remains under the supervision of an independent monitor, who has reported no irregularities, but we will review the situation with the District Attorney and the Inspector General before determining how to proceed.

I will continue to follow this story as it develops.

xoxo Transit Blogger

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
Crime
0

MTA Police Officers Honored For Heroic Efforts

Posted by
on June 3rd, 2009 at 2:02 pm

Yesterday, the MTA held a ceremony to honor multiple MTA Police officers for their heroic efforts in the line of duty. Due to a very busy schedule, I could not attend the media event. However the MTA issued a press release via e-mail highlighting the festivities. Here are the complete details:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Police Department today recognized 129 MTA Police Officers for bravery and outstanding performance in the line of duty. Award recipients were honored at the 11th annual MTA Police Department Awards Ceremony, held earlier today at Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall.

MTA Chairman H. Dale Hemmerdinger said: “Our police officers put their lives on the line everyday to insure the safety of our riding public. Arresting armed felons and assisting passengers in need is all in a day’s work for these brave men and women, and today, we honor their work.”

“I cannot thank our MTA police officers enough for the work they do to keep our railroad customers and the general public safe,” said Helena E. Williams, MTA Interim Executive Director and CEO. “I commend each individual’s commitment to helping others and these awards are a small token of our appreciation.”

MTA Police Chief Michael Coan said: “Bravery and outstanding service are modicums for what makes an exemplary police officer. I salute each of today’s award recipients noting that personal courage and integrity are traits demonstrated by each member of our department.”

Today’s ceremony included the following:

• A Unit Citation was awarded to 22 members of a unit that responded to a train collision at Jamaica Station between two LIRR trains on March 27, 2008. The prompt response, coordination and assistance of all officers during this critical incident led to the safe evacuation of approximately 300 passengers while facilitating train movement with minimal delays.

• A Medal of Merit was presented to Lieutenant John Kerwick, who with his K-9 partner “Hero,” apprehended an armed home invasion suspect. Dispatched to assist White Plains police, Kerwick acted heroically in arresting one of three suspects in limited light and recovering a loaded .40 caliber handgun.

• A Medal of Merit was presented to Officer Thomas Finneran, who on patrol of the Poughkeepsie Station parking lot, encountered a physical dispute involving a group of people. While restoring order, Officer Finneran encountered a male carrying a handgun in his waist band. With the assistance of two Poughkeepsie officers, Officer Finneran safety disarmed the suspect and removed a loaded .38 caliber revolver.

• Agency President Awards were given to Lieutenant Robert Howell (LIRR), Sergeant John Lane (SIR), and Police Officer Louis Garguilo (MNR) for their leadership and years of outstanding service to the MTA and its customers.

The MTA police force patrols the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, Long Island Bus, Staten Island Railway, Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station. Its jurisdiction extends across fourteen counties in two states, covers approximately 5,000 square miles, including New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York State and southern Connecticut, and serves a population of 14.4 million people.

The department was formed in 1998 with the consolidation of the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North Railroad Police Departments, later adding the MTA Staten Island Railway Police Department in 2005. Since 9/11, the department has increased the total workforce of the department to 716, including civilians, and has dramatically ramped up its counter-terrorism capabilities, adding canine teams and emergency services officers.

I would like to take this time to thank these hard working officers along with the rest of their colleagues for doing a great job on a daily basis. Kudos….

xoxo Transit Blogger

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
MTA Police
0

Elliot Sander New York Times Editorial

Posted by
on May 31st, 2009 at 10:55 pm

Recently resigned MTA CEO/Executive Director Elliot Sander took the time to write a powerful & honestly refreshing editorial about the MTA & the need for it to have full support from our elected leaders. Here is a sample of his editorial which will appear in tomorrow’s print edition:

NEW YORK’S straphangers breathed a collective sigh of relief last month when Gov. David Paterson and the Legislature offered up $1.8 billion to allow the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to impose only modest fare increases and make no deep cuts in subway, bus and commuter-rail service. But in the political process that led up to this rescue, damage was inflicted on the M.T.A.’s reputation.

Elected state and city officials leveled the old and discredited accusation that the agency keeps two sets of books, one real and one for public consumption, and suggested that agency officials were untrustworthy and corrupt, comparing them to Bernard Madoff, the self-confessed mastermind of an enormous Ponzi scheme. These false charges landed enough sensational headlines to help camouflage the politicians’ own inability to reach a timely agreement on how to finance public transportation.

The M.T.A.’s shortcomings are well known: crowded subway cars (ridership has increased by 50 percent in the past decade), outdated signal technology that limits the number of trains that can run per hour, decaying subway stations, buses stuck in traffic, the still incomplete Second Avenue line. But long-time New Yorkers who remember the transit system’s sorry state during the 1970s know how much it has improved in 25 years. Even today, despite a global recession, the agency continues to make progress.

The M.T.A. has long been burdened by convoluted and overlapping operating charters, work rules and politically dictated mandates. But during my two years as chief executive we made significant progress in consolidating the back office functions of seven regional agencies — those in charge of trains and buses as well as bridges and tunnels. We arranged for the two commuter railroads, the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North, to save money by jointly purchasing equipment and supplies. And we merged what had been three bus companies into one.

Only with genuine support from our elected officials can the next chief executive keep improving the transit system. With enough financing, for example, the M.T.A. could form a single regional bus authority to provide seamless service from Suffolk County to Westchester County. And with the Legislature’s political support for labor negotiations, the agency would be better positioned to conduct serious and respectful conversations with its nearly 60 unions about modernizing work rules to increase productivity and embrace new operating technologies.

Click here for the complete editorial.

This editorial should be printed & sent to every elected official in the state who in one way or another can make a difference (positively or negatively) to the agency. Elliot clearly laid out the current world that is the MTA while being completely accurate in what it needs presently & for the foreseeable future. If the MTA is to ever become the best agency it can be, it needs the support of our elected officials. The millions who depend on the system deserve it & last I check our elected officials are supposed to serve us!

xoxo Transit Blogger

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
Opinions