-Stef
-Stef
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Isn't there an option for yet another fifty, to finish out the 1200 series?
wayne
Hey Juice, are you one of the top guys?
You mean in person, right?
I find it hard to believe that you've never seen them before at all...
Peace,
ANDEE
Peace,
ANDEE
wayne
Peace,
ANDEE
That was an R44 car you mentioned, not an R68.
Peace,
ANDEE
Peace,
ANDEE
Peace,
ANDEE
Easiest way is the car numbers.
R-68 = 2xxx
R-68A = 5xxx
Bill "Newkirk"
Peace,
ANDEE
Installing a new rubber floor in a subway car in one piece would be absurd. The flooring sections are installed piece by piece. The seams where the sections meet are "welded" together. Not by a welding torch, but by a special iron where a color matched spool of vinyl is fed into the heating element of the iron. The melted vinyl bonds the two sections and makes a water tight seal to keep water from getting underneath the floor, which would make the rubber flooring to lift. If you look, you can see these "welds" on those black rubber floors. I know of this because we had our hall floors redone and this same method was used.
Bill "Newkirk"
John
Stef & N Train started the day sanding, priming and changing out
windows on 6688. Midday they were joined by the PM crew, Mr. T. &
BMT Man. But at the conclusion of the work day, they did remove
some oxidation from the wheels of the R-17, after the demand hours
ceased. [The Lady in Red couldn't come out to play on Saturday, due
to the weather conditions]. Weather permiting Stef & Andy B will
continue prepping and final coating it next Wednesday. Any assistance
of extra hands are welcomed to join the work party.
I was the designated car cleaner and took care of four service cars
during the course of the day, including bug removal from the windscreen of BRT 4573.
George P & Linecar 25 were at the East Haven Trestle changing over
the overhead, power line, etc,. to a replacement line pole.
George B, tended to his manegerial chores, as required and also
road tested a candidate for operations.
But the surprise of the day, after lunch was when George B asked, if
I would be interested in posing "A Trolley Car" in the vicinity of
Beacon Hill for a photo shoot. I advised CONNCO 1602 & operator
would be available for the assignment. To put the scenario in perspective,
that's a 1911 Trolley Car posing on a 1899 ROW, which
basically, other then the removal of the 2nd track, is the same
as it has been for 100+ years. "Living History".
After, the photo session, returned to the yard area and closed up
and parked the other vehicles, which were not needed and then "Polished the Rails" with 1602 along with S\A Mr. R-17 operating a streetcar. Well, there are similarities to seasoned IRT equipment. Longitudal seating and a concrete floor.
Wednesdays are work days at Branford, so come on up and get dirty. >GG<
8-) ~ Sparky
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
Remember 1602 was remanufactured by the CONNCO Crew,
most of whom have other employment, on Mondays and Tuesdays.
The museum is not a Saturday\Sunday function.
CONNCO Crew now doing 865 Monday & Tuesday. Stef & Andy B will be
working on 6688 on Wednesdays. I'll be tending to service fleet as required or operations after 27 May. >GG<
8-) ~ Sparky
Cheers,
Your Friendly Neighborhood S/A
8-) ~ Sparky
And also such things as a spouse who says that those days belong to her :-)
Given that my round trip travel time from the house in New Jersey to the Museum and return is six hours, I'll stick to Saturdays... that way I have Sunday to recover before going back to work Monday. One of these years I'll be able to retire and be a bit more flexible.
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
I have one of those also, most Branfordites do.
>>>"Given that my round trip travel time from the house in New Jersey to the Museum and return is six hours, I'll stick to Saturdays..."<<<
To keep everything in the proper perspective, shouldn't that be
occasional Saturdays? Don't embroider the facts. Yes, all donated
time is treasured, some come once a month, some for a week or so of
vacation and others dedicate whenever possible. It's a strong mixture
of devotion to a cause. And a good number are functional in more than one location.
As for drive time, I stopped counting those hours years ago.
When I was still employed, at various times in my Branford tenure,
I've been the Friday or Monday person in operations. Now, Wednesdays
are more prevalent to availability. >GG<
8-) ~ Sparky
But you have two things going for you that I don't: one, you're retired, and two, your spouse shares some of your enthusiasm for the Museum.
To keep everything in the proper perspective, shouldn't that be occasional Saturdays? Don't embroider the facts.
No one's embroidering anything, Sparky... you and every other Branford member on this board know that I come up when I can, which during the main operating season (May - October) is usually twice a month. It was simply a reference to Saturday being the day of choice - you're reading too much into my original statement. Very few members - even among the ranks of those fortunate enough to be retired, like yourself - have the option of devoting even one full day a week to BERA, and I'd venture to say that almost all of those who do spend that much time on behalf of the Museum are not significantly involved in other activities.
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
That's your opinion, to which you are entitled. But many Branford
weeklies are employed and do have other interest. I've been their
for 18 1/2 years, so I think, I know who does what when. >GG<
8-) ~ Sparky
The wife, sure I'll be sure to save a couple of days to do something nice with her < grin >
Why can't all stations look like this?
wayne
Your own photos say it all
wayne
Franklin's color scheme is a bit loud, but in a way that's part of its charm.
The station has remained in excellent condition, partly because it has comparatively low traffic, and it's not in a neighborhood that sees a lot of riff-raff.
"Why can't all stations look like this?"
Every year, a few more stations improve. But as Larry Littlefield recently pointed out, if a renovation is meant to last 50 years, it means that only 1/50th of the stations are renovated each year. So it's a slow process. And it is only comparatively recently that station beauty has been part of the equation.
I've also observed that the really beautiful rehabs tend to be at local stops. The express stops and major transfer points suffer a lot of wear and tear, and don't seem to get this type of rehab. Times Sq is getting there, however.
Except Chambers itself, which looked scruffy when I was there last November, staying at the Cosmoplitan Hotel which is right by that station. I agree that Franklin looked pretty nice.
Mark
I don't work for TrainWorld but I now many of you purchase these sets so I figured here's some advanced word.
Look here
--Mark
--Mark
I'll bet Nassau Hobbies & Willis Hobbies will also take such an order, if those stores are more convient to you.
With Train Land/World make sure they put the cost on the pre-order as they have the habbit of raising it if they see a big demand by the time it comes in.
>>>"TrainLand/World is also STILL taking orders for the soon to be released Proto 2000 series HO scale R-17 sets from LifeLike (due in June)."<<<
Brooklyn, there's your HO scale set. From my understanding, the
LifeLike R-17 will be exclusive to TrainLand/World with an allocation
for the Transit Museum Store. [Licensing agreement and yes TainLand/World
is a large enough dealer to have an exclusive limited run]. Hope that info helps you. >GG<
8-) ~ Sparky
You are a gentleman, and a scholar.
And the crash-it was supposed to be a "simulated" crash-i.e. stop the train, remove it from the track, and treat the section of track as temporarily unusable. Ironically it happened to end up actually crashing. To this day I'm trying to figure out how the hell that happened...not enough pins, maybe?
On a lighter note, the thought of TrainWorld brings back memories...when my family's hobbies were cost-effective...I used to go there like every other week with my father in the summer, we would either take the L to the M to the F (transfer @ 4th/9th) to Ditmas, or if it was a weekend we took the L to the A to the F. I always thought they were a small local hobby store on McDonald Ave...I never knew they had such large (and expensive) operations.
Corona Maintenance Shop
Guided Tour
Saturday June 21, 9:00 AM
Members $15, Non-Members $20
RESERVATIONS AND ADVANCE PAYMENT REQUIRED.
The Corona Maintenance Shop supports the 400-plus car fleet of the #7 Flushing Line. Five sets of track cand hold up to 55 cars within the shop and the 29 storage tracks in the yard have a capacity of 409 more. Join Joseph Ragusa, superintendent, as we tour the entire facility, including a subway car wash. A new facility will soon replace the current structure, constructed to support the many technologies and features of the new 142 and 142A cars.
==================================================================
The number to call for reservations or questions is : 718-694-5139 Tuesday - Friday 10 AM to 4 PM.
These tours have a limited capacity and they do fill up fast.
Really? Not to be rude or anything, but does anyone know where I can obtain details on this new facility.
...and here's the other page of interest for you guys
Thank you
Carlton
Cleanairbus
Transit Is My Drug
“Them” is Rich Galiano, who has put together a great site about NJ Scuba resources. However, he is very opinionated on just about everything (including browsers) and will be sure to share it with you. If you want to discuss the browser issue, send him e-mail at galiano@optonline.net.
Getting this back to transit, Rich has been working on an underwater tripod, so he can take long, naturally lit shots underwater, similar to the ones Herb Segars took of the dead PATH trains. He had his second prototype ready yesterday and took it and camera/housing into the pool to see how it worked on an Open Water class that was running.
Now all we need is some NJ Redbirds!
John
However, they are using FrontPage, which means sooner or later something is going to break Netscape/Mozilla/ & Opera support. And since this webmaster believes that CSS doesn't work properly in anything other than IE, he probably won't bother fixing anything that doesn't view properly under other browsers since he is under the false impression that if it works under IE, that it is the fault of other browsers for not following the "standard".
It's my opinion that you don't run a web site to exclude people from viewing it-- on purpose. I can understand to a point why it's done -- hire cheap developers who only know one browser, etc-- but I suspect very few corporate webmasters have gone into their CEO's office and said "here's our cool new site and we expect that 10% of our customers won't be able to use it." and left with their jobs or asses intact. They say instead "Everyone can just upgrade their browsers! Yay!"
In the corporate world you don't go around upgrading system components because it's "cool" and you certainly don't let end users do the upgrades themselves. That's one of the reasons why we're stuck with NT 4.0 and Office 97 on the desktops here. It takes a lot of effort to certify that upgraded components work well together and are supportable. You don't upgrade a trading floor system "because it's Cool". But no one's told web developers that! You end up having developers build apps that the end user desktops can't support, within the same firm.
BTW, what version of Solaris are you using? I've worked on Versions 1.1.2 up to and including 9. I actually have an old Sparc 20 at home that I took from my last job after I retired all but one machine that was lower than an Ultra.
Peace,
ANDEE
Ahh...memories, my first machine was a 486/66. It is still running somewhere in Brooklyn as I gave it to a friend.
Peace,
ANDEE
Peace,
ANDEE
Opera 7.03 on a Win98 box here, and I don't have any trouble accessing the site.
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
Briefly, the plan calls for re-zoning a large swath of land in the vicinity of the Hudson Yards. The #7 subway would be expanded westward to 11th Avenue, and then southward to 33rd St. New stations would be added at 42nd & 10th, and at 33rd & 11th. The scoping document says that the re-zoning and the subway construction must go hand-in-hand, neither one being much good without the other.
This subway route is a change from earlier documents, in which the #7 extension would have gone south before turning west, including a stop at Penn Station. That plan would have offered a 1-seat ride between GCT and Penn Station (I am not sure how valuable that is), but it would have been more complicated to construct due to the tangle of existing lines and the built-up commercial activity along 8th Avenue. Also, the new plan provides two new stations in areas now lacking subway service, instead of just one such station.
Not a lot of detail is offered about the subway extension (which is appropriate in a scoping document), but it appears the tail tracks would point south, not west. This suggests that any future #7 extension will continue down the West Side, not into NJ as some people have suggested. The construction period for the subway extension is given as 2005-2010.
Also mentioned are plans to expand the Jacob Javits Center, to build a new "Multi-Use Facility," and a hotel complex. The "Multi-Use Facility" is what other people call a "Stadium," but the term has been chosen to emphasize its adaptability to other uses than merely as a place where the Jets would play 10 games a year.
The Olympics are mentioned, but only in passing. Clearly, they do not want to place undue focus on a 1-time 3-week event that might not even come here.
Honestly, Brooklyn has excellent access to Downtown Manhattan, it's time Staten Island gets it's due.
"The portion between Battery Park and St. George can be retrofitted with high speed (70 MPH) capabilities...."
It can't be retrofitted, until it has first been fitted.
(Seriously, the plan at one time was to extend the 4th Avenue Line in Brooklyn to Staten Island. Robert Moses killed it, so that he could build the Verrazano Bridge instead. That would be a cheaper way to bring the subway to S.I.)
http://1010wins.com/siteSearch/winstopstories_story_116090021.html
The problem is that it will never happen. Many people in the areas around CI would welcome the Casinos and the Jobs they would bring.(dealers make between $17-30 hour) Unfortunitly the ultra librals who rightfully claim that gambling brings many social ills would never allow it. What they fail to mention is those who are prone to blowing all there money on gambling already have an outlet
ie OTB, LOTTO, free bus to Atlantic city, local illegal gambling hall, cock fights etc
In addtion with the building of kewspan park there is not much beachfront real estate big enough to develpe a casino without tearing out some of the outdated amusment attractions such as the batting cages and go carts or tear down and relocate the poorly placed public housing projects that dominate the landscape
The Govenors island location quietes alot of the critics who would use land use and traffic review studies to stop any casino developemtn in Coney Island. Much of the NIMBYism is generated by groups such as NYPIRG who looks to find a victom so that they can file a lawsuit to stop the project any project
A NYPIRG affiliated group sued the parks department a few years back who preposed to allow Golden Bear golf to build a golf driving range on a derilict stetch of land that was officially park department property along the belt parkway just west of cropsy ave. The site consited of 2 soccer feids and 25 acres or trash and weeds. Not far fron the new home depot
The NYPIRG affiliated group used statistics in there lawsuit that stated brooklyn had two few parks and that a pay driving range would infringe of the right of NYC citizensd. paying no mine to the fact that the area where this facility was to built has tons of parkland and the proposed location is not near many residences and is hardly used by parkgoers. Neighborhood group supported the parks department plan
To make this long story short they found a judge to block the project. The two old soccer feild and weeds and garbage are still there
The develper would have paid an annual $600k payment to the parks department, built a waterfront promenade plus build an addional 10 acres of ballfeilds and soccer feilds that golden bear would have paid for the upkeep
A CI casino no matter how good for the econmomy will never happen. The biggest winners would be all the housing project residents that surely would get the lions share of jobs at the casino as any deal to bring the casino would need to give consesions to the community
Arti
1. you dont want to put another mall out in da boondocks.
2. more better? Not to nag, but that's bad english 101.
I was of course only messing around. heh.
It had one bennifit it chased the hookers away with all the extra traffic
what made me laugh the most about the state senator Karl "the idiot" Kruger is he argued that the casino NY boat would attract undesirable, The area where the boat was and may return this spring was cleaned up by the boats arrival
The boat sits next to the Wind Jammer hooker hotel plus on the other side of the highway the golden gate in also features many street walkers
On the other hand, if you've ever been to Laughlin, Nev., you know that people will go pretty much anywhere and entrepreneurs will build any type of hotel building if they cam put a casino in it. Even with its isolation, if casino gambling was licensed for the Rockways, people would find a way to get there, and others would find ways to build hotels out there.
A downside to that would be any possible height restrictions on the hotel buildings due to the JFK flightpaths (given how close the airport is to the strip in Las Vegas, this may not be a major problem), while the larger problem would come from tourist-related businesses in midtown Manhattan that would fight any casino idea for the Rockaways (or Coney Island) for fears it would cut into their business. The Atlantic City hotel owners and the state of New Jersey would also try to fight any NYC casino plan -- the casinos because it would cost them all their casino bus "day trippers" who would turn into MTA "day trippers" if there was a CI or Rockaways option and the state because all that gambling tax money NJ gets right now from New Yorkers would vanish, and possibly go the other way if people from northern New Jersey decied CI or the Rockaways was a better option.
If the administration were to consider casinos...no doubtedly the MTA would have to do something about it to compensate for the expected additional ridership numbers.
For example, take the 7 extension to the West Side. It's being done for the Olympics, but benefits are also mentioned on the MTA's website, as noted by oakapple. Examples include development, especially commercial around the Hudsen Bay area, quite barren indeed.
Now we turn back to the Rockaways area. In many ways, it's quite barren ever since all of the hotels and other places of interest left the area since I dunno...hmm 1950's? If anything please correct me on the year. Back to the issue, the casinos would bring needed money anbd tourists which in turn bring more money to the city... All good of course, unless you believe the casinos bring 'social ills' as some other poster posted within this thread, I believe. I won't comment any more on the issue because I don't any more on it, but other posters may do so at their own discretion.
All the way back to the topic at hand, the MTA would probably add new rail connections or somehow improve the A line's infrastructure in relation to the entire system. I know many people are aware of the LIRR Rockaway ROW along in Queens. This would be a perfect opportunity. Rehab the line and have the A run along this line. Just a perfect solution. I wouldn't know where the extension would end north, but I'd assume it would act as a new line in Queens, maybe connecting with the Queens Blvd. IND. IMO, this plan has a lot of parallels with the CI Stillwell Terminal Project. Besides the reconstruction, and the Manny-B reopening coinciding with it, that draft plan suggested changes that will improve service along the Brooklyn subway lines. I'm sure the plan I suggested with the A change in the Rockaways would have a similar effect, demanding changes in other parts of the system.
Whew, that was a lot... A lot more so then I thought. I'm sure my plans are not perfect so give suggestions or augment my plan as you wish.
Thanks, CPCTC!
With the increase in residence the line may warrent more service
The A already has a northern line. Perhaps it would be best to extend a QB local along this line.
There is one developement currently in construction phase in the rockaways that took the developer 10 years of jumping through hoops ti get done.
CI is a better choice because it will draw many NJ gamblers and is close to the belt parkway. The rockaways has terrrible highway access with only the Marine Parkway and cross bay bridges and limited access road once in the rockaways.
CI along CI creek has plenty of developent areas that are not really sutible for housing and if more casino space is needed a platform over CI yards could allways be built.
Another good casino site would be above corona yards and casey stengal depot. There could be great access to both manahattan and the airports via an extention of airtrain to connect LGA to JFK. I already envision a new convention center and Hotel for the Area why not add a casino component.
Plus Flushing Medows Corona park adds places for gamblers or the spouses who do not like to gamble a place to roam around
What happened with Disney's proposal to come to CI, if they have an establishment there they could generate lots of revenue; especially since younger kids love Disney; for the area seeing there's lots of empty space.
Surely there has to be better ways for us collectively to support and upgrade our cities than to encourage people to spend what little they've managed to accrue above living expenses on meager chances to gain minor financial gain. Do we need yet one more blatent example to children of how silly and phony the adults are? As a "city rebuilder" concept it's a bust, consider how little of Atlantic City has actually been renovated. And A.C. has been a resort city for over a century! You might assume that it could really absorb he industry to its benefit. But away from the Boardwalk.....
To pin such hopes on the gambling industry is a sad, pathetic development. It helps the miniscule number of casino employees a little, and the owners a great deal. Would it help Rockaway Beach? I have my doubts. Build a Great Adventures or Busch Gardens there instead. Or make the beach as good as Jones Beach.
I preposed the idea as the only way a subway to SI via lower manhattan would be viable. Otherwise the ridership on the new SI branch would be so low that it would go down as the biggest porkbarrel project in NYC history
This plan makes much more sense. A 1-seat ride from Penn to GCT would have been nice, but the cost would have been immense and the overall benefit to the west side (and resulting tax base increases) lower.
Arti
But not from GCT to Penn!
Arti
I wonder whether they really have the tax base in mind. There is dicussion in the documents of moving the tow pound and sanitation facilities off of the river and into this neighborhood. This doesn't sound like the kind of neighborhood one would want to live or work in. A massive convention center -- which would be busy by day but likely be empty most nights. A massive "multi-use" facility -- which would be filled to capacity probably less than 20 times per year and unused a good 250 days per year. A sanitation truck depot and transfer station. The LIRR's West Side Yard. The Lincoln Tunnel access ramps. A massive auto impound yard. Is the Greyhound bus facility still in there somewhere?
Rather than creating a "revitalized neighborhood", it seems that they're creating a dumping ground for eyesores.
At least there won't be any costs in the EIS to relocate the hookers.
CG
With construction being scheduled to start at the end of 2004 and the Olympic bid being decided during the Summer of 2005, New York is able to hedge the Olympic issue. On the one hand they can tell the International Olympic Committee that the subway extension is already under construction. Of course if the IOC goes and awards the Games to another city, not so much has been done that the project can't be quickly and cheaply abandoned.
I haven't made my way entirely through the documents yet to see if it is there, but hopefully they can improve the connection between the 8th Avenue lines and the 7 train. Is it just my perception, or does one have to walk much farther than necessary to make this transfer?
I think you're right as far as New Jersey goes -- at least the oft-speculated connection to the Meadowlands. It appears that the extension is going to go below the 8th Avenue line, curve north up to 42nd Street (the 7 is on 41st at Times Square, correct?), below the Amtrak West Side line, curve south on 11th Avenue and go over the Lincoln Tunnel and Amtrak/NJT tunnels to terminate at 33rd St facing south. I'd assume that being that far west but that close to the surface would preclude any immediate crossing into NJ -- but there's a 1/2 mile along 11th Avenue heading south that it could drop and head out to Hoboken or Jersey City.
Or Staten Island -- yeah. That's the ticket. Staten Island.
CG
Doesn't seem likely.
Is it just my perception, or does one have to walk much farther than necessary to make this transfer?
It's your perception. It really has to be a hike. The west end of the 7 platform is only 300' west of 7th Ave and 750 east of 8th Ave.
Thanks. I was vaguely aware of that, though not to the extent of the detail you provided. I think that most of my perception comes from the access from the 7 to the 8th Ave not being at the extreme west end of the platform.
Perhaps a few million out of the billions could be put towards a nice pair of escalators, an elevator and a wide walkway with moving sidewalks to cover the distance between 7th and 8th.
CG
Clearly, if the #7 construction isn't underway by the time the IOC votes, NYC's chances of getting the Olympics are very slim. (I consider them slim already, but that's beside the point.) But I wouldn't be so quick to conclude that the project will be abandoned if the Olympics go elsewhere. I think they are truly serious in their belief that the #7 extension has long-term benefits regardless of the Olympics.
The #7 extension and upzoning of the West Side predates the whole Olympic idea by at least half a decade, perhaps a decade.
'Construction of the new (7) Subway Line Extension is expected to begin by Winter 2004.'
If anything, it's not so surprising to me since the MTA is have strides with the Manny-B project right now.
When I first read that I thought they meant Jan/Feb of 2004. From the dates for the EIS, though, it becomes clear that by Winter 2004 they mean that little 9-day stretch between Dec 22 and the end of the year. Which is still quite ambitious by NY standards.
CG
Pointing the line south does allow for tail tracks at 33rd and for a future extension, though given the closeness to the Hudson south of 27th St. or so, sending it underground the rest of the way downtown in that area probably isn't feasible -- it would either have to come back east to Ninth or 10th Ave. and then down Greenwhich or Washington streets, or they would have to bring the line above ground south of 33rd and run it elevated the rest of the way, probably along 12th Ave. or West Street (yea, the High Line is an option at least to 14th St., but the NIMBY headaches wouldn't be worth the battle)
As far as the New Jersey connection, but continuing straight across 11th Ave. that doesn't preclude a future junction somewhere in the area that would allow some trains to go to New Jersey while others continued to 33rd and 11th, or further downtown (given number of TPH on the Flushing line, even sending half the trains to Jersey and keeping half in Manhattan would still give both routes as much service as several other lines receive with their full compliment of trains).
A Greenwich Street line could make a connection to both of the PATH's Christopher Street and new WTC station. This new IRT extension could continue straight down Greenwich then merge and/or terminate with the 1/9 at South Ferry.
41st and 10th Avenue... The Number Seven is on 41st Street.
N Bwy
It will consist of me, at midnight, standing and foaming at the railfan window of the preserved Redbird as we traverse the new line on the first revenue train. David Greenberger will probably come along with me, and maybe 2 or 3 of the other "hard core" NYC subway buffs will be present. Any more than five railfans on the train will be a big surprise. Then again, since it is in Manhattan, it may be closer to home for many of you, so maybe more of you will come out for the ride. Considering, by some estimates, that there are over 700 active members of SubTalk, I continue to find the enthusiasm for "first ride" trips to be severly lacking and pathetic. HOWEVER, I am very pleased with the turnout for Peggy's trip. That shows me that, at least during daylight hours, many SubTalkers are willing to walk the walk and talk the talk.
---Choo Choo
How would you define active? There were posts by 404 distinct handles throughout the month of April.
N Bwy
Please note the alignment on the CURRENT far west midtown page of NYC planning:
http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dcp/gif/pub/profwmt.jpg
Did you take the time to study this option?
The assumption is: subway + rezone = new CBD. It's not that simple.
Why not? That's been the development pattern for the last hundred years: build a subway, rezone, and buildings spring up. Hudson Yards is the last real "frontier" for ground-up development in midtown Manhattan, and it will have its very own subway line. I'm sure developers are already lined up to get a piece of it. Also, don't forget about the Jets stad- er, mulit-use facility planned for the site.
Where? Downtown and Midtown were CBDs before subways. If it's so simple, why didn't 8th Avenue -- which is a half-block from a CBD and on top of a 4-track subway -- take off decades ago?
N Bwy
I look forward to the analysis saying what the cost and ridership would be for the each route. If they even release all the info.
The conductor said there was nothing mentioned about a stepup fare.
Watch the Crap!
Mark
LIRR/MNR? Too late, the fares went up today. If you bought your tickets yesterday, they would have been honored today.
Watch the Crap!
Mark
They really ought to get rid of the "Coney Island Mixed Use Area" which is intended to prevent anything from happening in the area north of Memaid between Stillwell and Cropsey. If there were every an area where the transit availability calls for more commercial density, this is it. Lindsay proposed urban renewal and a major shopping center, but three people complained so he put in a special district to get their votes.
Lets hope he gets to CI before his term is up. Just another example of the non headline grabing work the Bloomberg administration is working on to improve our city for the future.
Let me give you a little inside information -- the staff members charged with getting those proposals through are not optimistic.
The City Council will be looking for opportunities to stick a finger in Bloomberg's eye to get their name in the paper. Not on the budget during a fiscal crisis. That would require saying "don't screw X screw Y instead." The Council wants to pretend to be on the side of X and Y. So they'll do it on land use.
It happened in the Giuliani Administration. The Council went along with Rudy on the budget -- until times got good and everyone wanted the credit for handing out poor. So they played games with land use.
That is why the concil is resorting to preaching in there update mailings that bloomberg is a millionair and out of tough
The truth shall set you free
Whether CI rezoning takes place or not. Who knows. At least Bloomberg will give it the old college try which is more than anyone else has done
There's also the minor fact that in many cases the locals don't want any rezoning for very good selfish reasons. I live in Manhattan Community Board 3, which is one of the most fanatical anti-rezoning boards in the city. They have successfully fought the introduction of high rises for 40 years, though there has still been considerable gentrification and corresponding increase in the tax base.
The opposition is partly left-wing ideology but partly also simple selfishness of the residents. I can see that the gentrification that has happened has brought good things as well as bad. In part, it has negated the moderate levels of traffic, density, etc., that attracted me to the neigborhood in the first place many years ago.
I especially like the the stanchions they used to support the terminal. They are nearly identical to the current ones.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
The NY State Supreme Court judge presiding the case by the Straphangers Campaign against the MTA reserved judgement of this issue until then next hearing date on Friday May 9th. The reason: They must prove documents that the MTA cooked it's books.
So wake up to reality, the fares on subway and buses will go up this Sunday.
Hevesi's public statements have suggested that there was no evidence that the MTA did anything legally wrong. They filed all the paperwork and reporting they were supposed to by law.
Hevesi even asserted that the fare should have been raised last year to close last years budget instead of using bond refinacing and toll revenue to pump of the MTA's books
"Budget Brinksmanship" (TimesUnion, no subscription needed)
Now aren't you sorry you insulted Moopatties? :)
Moo…
Chuck Greene
REMEMBER, HELP YOUR FELLOW NEW YORKERS and SCREW THE MTA. EXIT SWIPE AND GIVE YOUR UNUSED FUN PASSES AWAY!!
Happy 72nd Birthday to the Empire State Building, an edifice that would not be possible without the subways.
Peace,
ANDEE
And the tower that is the Empire State. I remember the big feature they did on its construction when New York: A Documentary aired on PBS a couple of weeks ago.
All I know is, whenever I think of NYC, the ESB comes to mind first. It is synonimous with New York, just as the R-10s are synonimous with the A.
I doubt that the subway had all that much to do with its construction. The closest line to it when it opened was the BMT Broadway line, at the other end of the block.
The other end of the block was a Transportation Hub, when ESB was
built. Besides the BMT Subway, there was the 6th Avenue EL and the
Hudson & Manhattan RR to downtown & New Jersey. The main entrance
was serviced by the Fifth Avenue Coach Company, while the cars of
New York Railway, plied 34th Street, 7th Avenue & Broadway.
BTW, here's a question, that many New Yorkers, can't seem to answer.
What is the street adress of the Empire State Building? >GG<
8-) ~ Sparky
Peace,
ANDEE
BTW, I know a Young Lady who worked at 350 5th for many years on the
5th Floor and to this day, has not been to the 86th or 102nd. She's
my bride of 36 1/2 years. >GG<
8-) ~ Sparky
(But as far as I'm concerned, once is enough... although I think I have been up there three times in my lifetime: once as a child, once with my wife and our older daughter when she was a teenager, and once again with friends around 1996.)
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
Her attitude is if I didn't do it then, wy should I do it now.
Couldn't get her to go up in the late sixties\early seventies either. >GG<
8-) ~ Sparky
Peace,
ANDEE
Amazingly, MOST people born and raised in the city never do any of that stuff. :-\
Anyways, it turned out to be the nicest ride I've had in a long time. I recall a post earlier about station names to be after streets and not neighborhoods. I brought up Cypress Hills and I was corrected by the response being the entrance was on Crescent St. I noticed the exit sign also said Hemlock St & Jamaica Ave & Crescent St. So to go back to the station topic for a bit, Cypress Hills can be renamed Hemlock St-Jamaica Ave.
Back on topic here, I tried to find the Chestnut St connector, which if I'm not mistaken, connected at one time to the LIRR Rockaway ROW that's now abandoned. I remember the discription of the structure like an old switch section, but I couldn't find it on both trips. Maybe one of those new box offices was built over it.
Well on my return trip, I decided to change to the L at the Junction to try out the new R160 and catch the 6 from Union Square. The R160's are nice, but I think they would have better usage on the G instead of the L. These cars have good acceleration and being the L has some really tight curves, maybe the R160 would have better use of the acceleration on the G line. I know about the new signal testing, sensors and stuff, but I'm just tossing in a little opinion here.
I noticed one error at Myrtle Ave. The train indicates this station as Wyckoff Ave. But overall, she's a fine piece of equipment.
Aside from the IRT, which is my current favorite, I've always had some passion for the BMT. Especially for the Eastern Division. Hopefully, when I become a T/O, if I don't get on the IRT, I would like to run on the BMT Eastern Division, the J line especially.
Also, when I get a digital camera, I would love to take night time pics from the Junction's L platform. Not for pics of the yard, but when facing East, the way the lights in the neighborhoods are lit are breathtaking. All those colors. Perfect for a calender picture.
Jimmy
Certainly Park Place-Chambers St on the 2/3 would be a candidate. By the time the end of the train has left Park Place, it seems the front car is already entering Chambers St. But several of the stations on the L in Brooklyn seem to be extremely close.
Anyone know for sure?
Mark Michalovic
Mark
Mark
Arti
I'm sure that would of got LOTS of opposition.
Arti
The entrances are somewhat further apart.
CG
Part of it depends whether the center of the platform is under the street for which the station is named. I don't know that for Beverley and Cortelyou.
On my Hagstrom's, the following street to street distances look like a dead heat to the nearest 100 feet or so:
Beverley to Cortelyou
Wall to Fulton on William (2/3)
Rector to Cortlandt on Trinity/Church (N/R)
And in the case of Wall to Fulton, the Wall St station is pretty much all north of Wall St, while the Fulton St station is at least 50% south of Fulton, so that might actually be the least track distance between platform ends.
That may be roughly true, but still doesn't necessarily make them the closest stations. It's also true of the ones I mentioned, and also Wall to Bowling green on the 4/5.
Those are some very short distances between stations.
Rector-Cortlandt (N/R) and Wall-Fulton (2/3) are definitely shorter than any of those 3.
The 3rd Ave and the 14th St station aren't centered on the street they're named after, but skewed all the way to one side (far N end of 14th St station is at 14th, far west end of 3rd Ave station is at 3rd Ave), so the distances between stations are almost as long as the distances between entrances.
You're forgetting about the Rockaway line. Also the tunnels under the East River are probably longer.
CG
The east (south) exit from Park Place 2/3 is about one block from the entrance to City Hall N/R.
The secondary exit at Rector N/R NB is very close to the secondary exit at Rector 1/9 NB -- IIRC, they share a traffic island. And 1/9 SB is across the street.
Whitehall N/R is about a block from South Ferry 1/9.
The south exit from 57th N/Q/R/W is two blocks from 7th B/D/E.
The main entrances at 50th 1/9 NB and 49th N/R/W SB are a block and change apart.
The shuttle entrance to Grand Central is between Madison and 5th, about one block from the 7 at 5th.
Nostrand 3 and President 2/5 are two short blocks apart.
Lawrence M/N/R and Jay A/C/F are a block apart, but they're being connected.
Lafayette C and Fulton G are named after the same intersection.
Queens Plaza and Queensboro Plaza are about two blocks apart.
What else?
Crazy part is that the C has no entrance on Lafayette. However, the entrance at S. Oxford is one block over from the Fulton G's (closed) S. Oxford entrance. And its a REALLY short block. These would probably be closest.
CG
By the way, neither the MTA neighborhood map nor the Hagstorm's map of lower Manhattan show an N/R Rector exit on the traffic island that has the 1/9 secondary exit. But those may still be the two closest unrelated entrances, just looking at the main entrances at Rector.
I estimate that they are about one half of a (vertical) car length apart.
Arti
All tickets orders received as of last Friday, April 25 have been
processed and mailed with the corrected flyer etc.
A NOTE TO ALL: it's IND cars on Sunday, June 8 & Saturday, June 28
departing the Chambers Street Station on the 'J', but that does not
relegate the excursion to BMT trackage. It's just any easy pick-up point,
where the train may park in advance, without intefering with weekend traffic.
But that doesn't lock it into BMT trackage, North to Essex Street,
reverse thru Chrystie Street [not in service connector] and you are
on IND trackage at Broadway~Lafayette. The routings have not been
determined to date. Capital construction [GOs] have precedence over
the excursions. Not available at this time for the month of June. >GG<
8-) ~ Sparky
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
But the flip helps those who prefer Saturdays, too. Whether you go on both Saturdays, or you go on both Sundays, or you go both days of the same weekend, you'll hit one A Division trip and one B Division trip.
Thanks again to whoever's responsible for the change!
---Choo Choo
Enough with the plaudits, the responsible persons behind the change
are not "Glory Seekers", but your contributing to this Charitable
Event is your best way to show your Thankfulness.
8-) ~ Sparky
This S/A will probably be sitting in Car 6609 for much of the trip (and soaking it all up) and enjoy some quality time with a relative of 6688.
I'd like to squeeze an R-1/9 trip in there somewhere, but that may be harder to come by.
-Stef
-Stef
But SMEE's, compared to the old timers WERE like driving a car by comparison. FWIW, "Dougie's train" scares me ... cab hooked up backwards, elevator stand to run it, I'd get that time/space continuum jiggy-legged "who teleported me to Heypaul's apartment?" thingy. :)
ME-23's may not RULE, but they DO stop. Most of the time anyway. :)
Hopefully they will stop before hitting a bumper block. Don't want SMEEs to turn into SMASHEs
The usual culprits have been in discussion, as to who's going on
which trip. The majority now seem to be doing the SMEE on Sunday,
June 29.
If we're watching ticket #s to see how sales are going, here's ours:
R1\9 - Sunday, June 8 - #72 & #73
R1\9 - Saturday, June 28 - #32
SMEE - Sunday, June 29 - #29
Since we didn't order tickets for Saturday, June 7 SMEE, will some
one who did, chime in with a number, please?
Advance Sales look strong for the 1st R1\9 excursion. >GG<
8-) ~ Sparky
Yes, there still taking orders. The first batch of orders was processed
late last week and early this week. Seats are still available for all trips.
[Though by ticket numbers, the 1st R 1\9 is selling briskly].
So send your $$$ with a SSAE, ASAP and we will look for you on the trips. >GG<
8-) ~ Sparky
>>>"Oops I forgot to ask...exactly what forms of payment are acceptable (money order, personal check, cash, etc.)?"<<<
Dante,
Money Orders or Personal Checks, Payable to}:The March of Dimes{, are the preferred methods of payment. Don't send C*A*S*H*, a couple of others who mailed in early for tickets, had their orders returned. Seems the Post Office Person on the route that day, couldn't find the subway yard. [Don't Ask]. >GG<
8-) ~ Sparky
---Choo Choo
Your FEEBLE minded. Do you think a postal employee, who pilfers the
mails for C*A*S*H* would deliver same? Your thinking like a SCHMO!!!
No, the problem one day only, that I know of, was that the orders
were returned to the sender, "AS NO SUCH ADDRESS" or something
similar. I didn't see the exact terminology, but if either poster
choses, he can enlighten us further.
One of the envelopes was delivered at Members Day to the "P.M."
mailbox at Branford. He thought "it was so cute, they couldn't find
the subway yard in the Bronx, but located him in Connecticut." >GG<
8-)~ Sparky
Chuck Greene
---Choo Choo
Chuck Greene
TransitChuckG
I mean, Smeeeee...
:^)
Maybe you better send it back to driver's ed... :-)
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
Maybe you better send it back to driver's ed... :-)
Too late; I pronounced it "dead".
---Choo Choo
We recently moved, and I haven't come across my software stash yet. Also, the computer was nearly 4 years old, so with upgrades and hardware additions that I want, it's easier to start over; so I ordered a new one.
What I miss most is that I can't access my Webshots photos from work; Webshots is blocked by the morality application.
A computer-whiz friend recovered all my data for me, so I haven't lost my train/subway photos. My grandson photos were all backed up, and now I'll back up the train/subway photos, too.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Bob
Chuck Greene
Chuck Greene
Chuck Greene
"March Of Dimes" ... the benefactor of those who have bucks to ride Selkirk's favorite trains (Arnines) and them pesky SMEE's (redbird technology, starting with ArTens) ... wish I could make it, but once again we're sitting here waiting for an economy where folks can buy some of Unca Selkirk's software so's we can pay our bills and take a day arf to play. Alas, everyone appears to be trapped in their bunkers still.
Then again, I suspect the MTA has orders to "shoot to kill" should *I* show up anywhere near an Arnine sitting on "revenooer trackage" ... With our natural security code raised to "unpack yer Depends" level, I don't think security would let me anywhere NEAR a consist. :)
While my OWN preferences for charitable groups lean towards those who support legal freedom for anyone denied representation in political realities as well as electric railway museums, but more importantly FOOD BANKS and ENERGY supplimenters (after all, don't get cold in TEXASS) who keep people from *DYING* in winter) ... March of Dimes *is* a necessary and beneficial entity ...
Unca Selkirk though is TWISTED in what constitutes "public service" ... the ONE thing that is NOT considered in ANY "social welfare" scenario is the ability to provide the "poor" with "DRESS-WHITES" in military parlance so that they can LOOK presentable when they have an opportunity to go on a "JOB INTERVIEW" and have hopes of being PRESENTABLE ENOUGH to GET ONE. :(
Whoops ... right-wingers IGNORE that reality. Welfare would work MUCH better, and be available to ALL if only they covered *MY* situation when *I* tried to apply and got blown off 20 years ago ... "I need a SUIT and I need to pay my rent NOW ... if I can LOOK presentable, I *HAVE* skills, all I need is a *JOB* and my LAST JOB didn't REQUIRE me to have a SUIT ..."
Nope ... these are REPUBLICAN times and we can't HAVE ANY OF THAT. Nope, someone dressed like a bag of chit doesn't NEED a job. And the taxpayers don't WANT you to have that suit ... they'd rather PAY you to watch CNN. :(
Don't mind me ... March of Dimes does great work and all, but there's OTHERS in need right in YOUR neighborhood. And the politicos only want to shake them down too. :(
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
The IRT SMEE trips depart from Grand Central Shuttle Track 1 @ 1030am.
>GG<
8-) ~ Sparky
---Choo Choo
8-) ~ Sparky
30 St. - Philadelphia, Facing south from Tracks 1 and 2.
30 St. - Philadelphia, Facing south from Tracks 1 and 2.
Yard outside of PHL. (What is it called?)
The 10:09p Acela Express to Washington D.C. is on Track 5.
The Atlantic City line train (2-Comet IV cars) - Comet IV Cab #5025.
Oh, and that yard is the Race St Engine yard, I think that the area where the amfleets and RoadRailers are commonly stored is called like the Arch St Coach Yard. I'm fairly certain that it's now Powellton Coach yard, cause that's SEPTA's yard to the west, just on the other side of the High Line and DrexelShaft.
Either way, I generally refer to the lower level area as 30th St yard, theres not much else it could be mistaken for, other than SEPTA's yard, and thats not really at 30th St.
Wassaic - Facing south from ground level.
Wassaic - Facing south on platform level. Shoreliner #6311. Is this a I, II, or III?
The mountainous countryside on platform level - facing east.
Wassaic - facing south. Nothing but mountains on all four sides. Shoreliner Cab #6304 in photo.
Wassaic - facing west. The metal moose depiction is in the lower-right hand side.
Wassaic - facing north. Shoreliner #6311 is in the photo with the leading FL9 #2024. The exterior speaker is clearly shown. What is the function of the little waiting rooms on MNRR platforms? There is barely enough room to stand, and the room is not very big.
Brewster North. Transfer point while returning to GCT facing south. The FL9 is trailing away to the yard outside of this station.
FL9 #2024 - Side view from ground level - facing west.
To be honest, I'm not thrilled with the contemporary signs the MTA uses for the subways. They're just plain ugly to me. I don't mind the color usage as some posters do on this message board. In fact, I think it helps distinguish the subway from the commuter rail system in NYC. It's the style, really. I personally don't go for the Helvetica font. I mean, why did the MTA change from that Akidenz (sp?) stuff?
Anyway, the pics of the signs are great. Black-on-white, bold and italized! Wow....
I think MNRR has color-distinguishers according to its lines. This sign has a blue stripe at the top of the sign. Blue was the color of the Harlem line on the MNRR map.
What is the Akidenz you mention?
Manhattan-bound 7 approaching Queensboro Plaza. The fuzziness of some photos shows the quality of this railfan window.
Rockaway Park Shuttle - 116 St facing northeast. The emptiness of the platform despite it being PM rush.
Rockaway Park Shuttle. R44 #5225. Is the storage track on the other side of this train just an ordinary storage track?
The railfan window I had on the R44 shuttle back to Broad Channel. There is a shuttle heading back to 116 St. in the photo. Approaching Beach 105 St.
Manhattan-bound 7 just east of Willets Point. Shea Stadium is in the right side. There is a GT35 marker and under it is a capital "D". What does this letter stand for?
Manhattan-bound 7 closer to Shea Stadium. A Main St. - bound Redbird is approaching.
1. I don't know who saw the photos.
2. It would be acknowledged to give a response instead of using up the bandwidth like it was nothing at all.
Yes it WOULD matter if you moved the photos to a site that didn't have such restrictions.
What the hell are you talking about? Other people do not use Angelfire. Other people therefore do not have any problems with people seeing their posts. FIRE ANGELFIRE!
#3 West End Jeff
Oddly, the cab is at the left side at one end of the train and at the right side at the other end. Anyone know any other railway that does that?
AP
Nagoya Railway (Meitetsu) 7000 series
Odakyu Electric Railway 3100 series (retired)
and 7000 series
The Odakyu ones are also articulated trains.
I know that Japan National Railway had trains of this type too, but I don't remember off the top of my head, any web sites that has pictures of them.
BTW, most of the subways in Tokyo built during/after the 60s have catenary, because they have through service to the suburban lines.
This concept was in turn, adopted by SNCF/RATP through service of the RER in Paris. On the earlier RER lines, ownership of lines was transferred from SNCF to RATP. After a study of the Tokyo subway by both the SNCF and RATP administration, it was decided that a transfer of ownership wasn't necessary for through service.
Of course, NYC and London have seen this type of service even earlier than that, in the form of H&M/Pennsy joint service, BRT/LIRR through service and Met/GWR/LNER service. But in the US, FRA regulations prohibit such service today. Who knows the future though? If anything, I'd like to see one day a JFK Airtrain/LIRR/NYCTA through service.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Answers would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You.
I had been assuming that NYCT would mail checks. Nope. New MetroCards, either PPR or unlimited.
I was hoping to buy a $120 unlimited this week, use it on the last day it will be accepted, and mail it in for a $116 refund. I don't want to end up with a PPR card with a balance of $139.20, if that's even possible, so I guess I'll have to find other ways to ease the pain.
Like going out Sunday and Monday and snatching up all the discarded cards with $1.50 balances.
Hey, I didn't think of that (don't worry I'm not going to steal your idea, I won't be anywhere near the city Sunday or Monday).....but seriously, I would think that the chance would be pretty good that there will be quite a few $1.50 cards thrown around when the turnsiles say it doesn't have enough funds. Many people don't want to be bothered, or may just think it's empty and fling it.
It would take someone with much patience and time however to swipe countless cards to see if they have cash though......but $4.00 funpass will still work......
Arti
(But, as the one who first posted this idea, I reserve the right to scope out other stations.)
Arti
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Arti
I didn't know limousine liberals had a sweet odor.
If I use it one day and send it in for a prorated refund, I'm entitled to $116.
But that $116 is in the form of a MetroCard, not a check. Since $116 is more than $10, it's subject to the 20% bonus. That brings it up to $139.20.
Artio
I have to make up for the loss of the $4 Fun Pass somehow.
Arti
I agree with your assessment of the Fun Pass. It was nice while it lasted, but it's effectively dead now. It will probably be officially killed off with the next fare hike due to low usage.
Arti
Not necessarily. Tourists may buy it for the sheer convenience of being able to ride as much as they want without worrying about spending more money. NYC would be out of line with most major tourist cities if it didn't have a "go anywhere you like for the whole day" kind of ticket available at all.
I agree that it will rarely be worthwhile for residents, given that single rides (including free transfer privileges) cost $1.67 with the discount.
Still very useful for active tourists.
Remember, they never wanted NYC residents to use it in the first place; that's why pre-MVM they only sold it in hotels, newstands, and the Transit Museum.
Interesting idea. At the racetrack, when I was young and struggling, I used to find lots of discarded tickets good for a refund after a horse was a late scratch. Once I made a quick $60 that way. It was easier than picking a winner. Many people don't know the ropes. The racetrack tickets could be identified just by visual inspection though. The only way to verify a MetroCard will be to swipe it. Tedious. But have fun! :)
On Monday, May 5th, shops and maintainance facilities of the Transit Car Equipment Department will be receiving new Inspectors as well as those who chose to make a move. I expect that everyone involved will greet them with due respect, even for the 'juniors.' There would be NO SUBWAYS without the department that inspects and maintains the trainsets. WE MAKE TRAINS GO. CI peter
http://mta.info/nyct/service/schemain.htm
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Arti
if only the redbirds were still here.........
The Q line still has 8 minute intervals most of the day on both Saturday and Sunday. The adjustment was made because ridership patterns are light on those times.
"Now that nothing's running over the bridge on weekends, the load is shared with other lines (R, W, IRT)."
The IRT going through that Montague rathole? And do we really want NYCT to recite the announcement "Please Watch Your Step" in a literal sense?
If anything, check out the B or D! They have many changes involving the Manny-B!
If anything, it's hard to get route timetables because most of the token booth clerks say no when I ask them. Pathetic., I have more luck if the station is devoted to one line, like G or 7. However, going for multi-route stops like TS generate nothing. I try to get a 1/9 brochure at the newest entrance and no dice. Just sad.
I see they're finally willing to admit that half of those Z trains don't stop at Broadway Junction...the three still listed as doing so probably don't either. They start at whatever lead is convenient, and stop at whatever stations they feel like. I have seen two Z's lined up to leave ENY at once, one stopping, one not. I still find it remarkable that out of only twelve (revnue) runs on the Z daily, they cannot keep the Z on time, ever. Of the six trains, at least one is always either late or out of sequence (i.e. Z-Z-J-J-J).
David
"Weekday W trains operate local in Queens, express in Manhattan
between 34 St and Canal St, and local in Brooklyn."
No they don't. On weekdays the W runs express in Brooklyn.
David G. and "Sylvain" are right and the PDF is wrong. W trains do indeed run express in Brooklyn on weekdays.
David
The LIRR seems to want nothing to do with the line east of Ronkonkoma. They don't even list Medford to Greenport on the online Ronkonkoma schedule!. You have to click the individual stations for the schedule. They are going to have to start to admitting it exists if the load at Ronkonkoma is ever to be eased. For the time being though, you are right - the machine will just collect dust for now.
What's the point of maintaining ROW if no mass transit is provided?
Arti
Plus I think that's the original LIRR main line.
Probably because those stations are listed on the GREENPORT branch schedule. [sigh]
That being said, I'm not sure I understand the point of the Daily TVM's. They don't look any smaller, they accept cash and credit cards just like the full TVM's. What's the point of only being a daily ticket machine? The only thought I have is that maybe they don't have to empty these of cash as often? Of course, are that many people really paying cash for their weekly/monthly tickets?
On the 6:42 from Medford, how full is the train when it gets to Ronkonkoma? What do you think would happen if after Medford it was next stop Jamaica? BTW it looks like Medford now has 4 trains a day in each direction -- is this just a summer thing?
CG
CG
Hmmm, I think it's just a daily machine, but I'm not completely sure. I'll have to take a look tomorrow morning.
On the 6:42 from Medford, how full is the train when it gets to Ronkonkoma? What do you think would happen if after Medford it was next stop Jamaica? BTW it looks like Medford now has 4 trains a day in each direction -- is this just a summer thing?
There are usually around 35 to 40 people getting off at Ronkonkoma. As to the feasibility of service to Jamaica, it's hard to say; some people might like the extra convenience, but I doubt there'd be enough to make the service worthwhile.
Medford's service level is the same all year.
Daily ticket machines are dark red in color while the standard TVM's are gray in color.
Bill "Newkirk"
The picture at the bottom of this page shows it was when the station opened. Not a very clear picture, but clear enough.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Peace,
ANDEE
---Choo Choo
---Choo Choo
Peace,
ANDEE
Ignoring or avoiding problems never solved anything. Discourse and debate is what makes a free society work. Many people feel that your behavior brings harm to the board and have sought to engage you in a variety of ways. You have responded with nothing but malice and vitriol. Have you ever stopped to think that the problem just lie a little bit with you and your behavior? Maybe if you would make a point to listen to other's critisism and meet people half way they would respect you more.
As long as you insist to post without regard to other's complaints, we will continue to respond without regard to yours.
I try to inject a little humor here at SubTalk,
This is dependent upon you actually being funny. Your "jokes" are usually little more than laundry lists of punchlines. You lack delivery. Do you think that YOUR USE OF CAPS or ........ will induce laughter? You'd be better off using *g* as in:
Redbirds should be called Rustbirds *g*
The *g* would tell us that it is time to laugh, something that your current "jokes" neglect.
Seriously, delivery is 80% of a joke and if you re-structured your writing they would probably be funny.
Here's a tip, unless you are posting news, do not have your posts read like an article. Subtalk is interactive and it also helps to try to engage the other list members to post.
For example, in your Redbirds post you should have tried something like:
"I was thinking about some alternatives to dumping the Redbirds in the ocean and here's what I came up with:
--list of uses described each with a full sentence--
Can anyone else come up with any more??"
Finally, the other 20% of a joke is originality and most of your jokes have been posted here many times before. I don't blame you for not knowing what has or has not been popular, but without any literary padding in your posts they become just a tierd re-hash.
:-)
This Time at Boro Hall, I was prepared with a crips new $5 bill that I got from the clerk (super nice about it) and the machine short changed me!
Unbelievable! What kind of outfit are they running here. Or is this the standard for TA Bookkeeping? The clerk was great, super friendly and helpfull. But I just have to laugh. Now imagine this situation after they eliminate the fare clerks.
I got this crazy form to fill out and who knows when I'll get my dollar back. Now if the TA would short Changed 5 Million every day....
Chris
I don't know if you got a receipt from the MVM, but if you did, you would call the 1-800-Metrocard number and see how to apply for a refund. This if there was no agent there at all. The receipt is the only evidence of the transaction.
Bill "Newkirk"
"The entire New York City subway system is underground."
Never been outside of Manhattan, eh?
"The entire IND Division was built underground."
Smith-9th viaduct!
"Everything in Manhattan is underground."
Not only the two bridge approaches and 125th/Broadway, but four elevated stations further up the line.
"All IRT lines become elevated when they enter the Bronx."
Nothing is elevated above 149th Street. The 2 and 4 each make two underground stops, the 5 makes three, and the 6 makes seven. The 5 temporarily goes underground at Pelham Parkway.
"Once a line comes outside, it stays outside till its terminal."
Main Street. Jamaica Center.
"All BMT lines that go into Brooklyn go outside sooner or later. All BMT terminals in Brooklyn are elevated."
Bay Ridge on both counts.
"The L serves Manhattan and Brooklyn only."
The L runs along the Brooklyn-Queens border for almost a mile with two of its stops straddling Wyckoff Avenue.
As implied on a T-shirt in the Transit Museum shop: "The A runs from Manhattan to Brooklyn."
Queens: The Forgotten Borough.
"All mainline IRT lines go to the Bronx."
The 3 stays in Manhattan, though it is a short walk over the Harlem River into the Bronx from 145th Street.
"The northern terminal of the A is in the Bronx."
Manhattan's northern boundary is NOT 125th or 145th Street. It's highest numbered street- at least on the island- is 218th.
"The D train was the first IND line to serve the Bronx."
The D wasn't born until 1940, when the 6th Avenue line opened. Prior to that, Bronx IND service was solely provided by the C- or CC.
"The Rockaways are an island and politically part of Brooklyn or suburban Long Island."
Part of Queens, but connected by land to suburban Long Island.
"All IRT and BMT lines and stations were completed and in service before ground was broken for the IND."
The 3 wasn't extended (albeit via yard trackage) to Lenox Terminal until 1968. The Dyre line was acquired for the IRT in 1941.
"All elevated lines were completed before ground was broken for any underground subway line."
The original IRT subway opened for service in 1904. Most modern els opened for service after that, the newest being Pelham (1920), outer Livonia (1922) and outer Flushing (1928).
"The Depression put a stop to all subway construction."
Most of the IND was built during the early to mid 1930s.
"The Redbirds served the IRT for over forty years."
The R26s through 36s only became Redbirds as we know them in the mid-eighties. They were variously brown, dark green, jet black, maroon and 'World's Fair' when delivered. Over the years they also wore the TA-standard gray with wide blue stripe and 'anti-graffiti' white.
"PATH is entirely underground."
For railfans, too ridiculous to contemplate.
"All transfer stations are express stations."
Columbus Circle. Yankee Stadium. 9th/4th Avenue. 74th/Broadway. Bleecker. Franklin/Fulton. 51st/Lex. Canal/Lafayette.
"All original express stations have island platforms only."
Nostrand/Fulton. 86th/Lex. 34th/Penn. Atlantic/Flatbush.
"All local stations have side platforms only."
Grand Army Plaza. Innumerable stops on Canarsie, Crosstown, Jamaica and other lines.
"All terminal stations have island platforms."
Flatbush Avenue. South Ferry.
"The Sea Beach and Brighton are the only lines that run on ground level or in open cuts."
A lot of the Dyre. The West End portal approaches, outer Canarsie and extreme outer Myrtle.
"Queens lines always get all the new equipment. Bronx lines get all the crappy old equipment."
The J, M and RR in the seventies and eighties. The 1, 4, 6 and D in the late eighties.
"You can turn around at any station with a mezzanine."
33rd, 40th and 46th on the 7. Briarwood/Van Wyck.
"It's worth it to ride a packed express over an empty local because the express is ALWAYS faster."
Queens Boulevard or lower Lex in the rush hour.
"It's easy to get a seat outside of rush hour because trains aren't as crowded."
Uhhhh- yeah.
"Riding a local for two stops instead of an express that will skip the one intermediate stop is a fate worth than death, so by all means wait for the express- no matter how many locals go by."
"There's money on the floor right inside the car doors, so you'd better plant your feet right there and not move. Standing in the middle of the car will cause you to lose your job and your mate, or to die a slow, painful death."
"It's perfectly all right to stop at the end plate of an escalator and look around to see where you are."
"The conductor or fellow passenger will INSTANTLY know what you mean and be able to direct you accordingly when you ask if this train goes to 'Broadway', 'Brooklyn', or 'downtown'."
"Exposed dogs are welcome on the subway. Any conductor or police officer who orders a passenger with an exposed dog off the subway is mean, cruel and probably hates animals."
"Preaching on the subway is a valuable public service, because there may be some people who will instantly adopt the religious philosophy of the preacher that happens to be on the same train as them."
"Old Metrocards are NEVER to be discarded in trash containers- only on the floor."
"
South Ferry is argueably not a terminal as trains do not terminate there. The 1/9 only has one terminal, at 242nd St.
"The entire IND Division was built underground."
Smith-9th viaduct!
That viaduct is an aberation, and can be treated as an exception to the rule. Same with Fren Rock on the SEPTA BSS, the BSS is still an all underground system even thought Fern Rock is technically above ground.
That's rather pedantic. The last stop on a line is conventionally referred to as its terminus, or terminal, regardless of the mechanism employed for turning the trains around.
Anyhow, these myths & falsehoods were good for laughs, but the provenance of some of them is bit doubtful. Who ever said, "All terminal stations have island platforms?"
---Choo Choo
For passenger purposes, South Ferry is the south terminal. (What south terminal does the signage give?)
Correct me if I'm mistaken, this is just from personal experience.
Chambers Street is the 1/9's southern terminal.
---Choo Choo
Specifically, when the trains are heading in the Bronx-bound direction.
Actually the original LIRR Mott Ave station was on the viaduct just east of where the current one is now. It looked just like all the other LIRR stations between Wavecrest and Seaside (two side platforms, lots of wood, etc). There's a photo of it in the book "Change in Ozone Park" on page 59. The line was severed at the western end of the original Mott Ave station. The LIRR used the original Mott Ave station as it's terminal for a while after the IND took over the rest of the Rockaway Line. The subway used Wavecrest as it's terminal. Later, the IND built the current Mott Ave station where the line was severed on the subway side, and the LIRR eventually built it grade level station where it is now. Then the portion of the viaduct in between was removed, including the original Mott Ave station.
Oh, please. Does that mean the PATH's Hudson Terminal was mis-named because of the loops? Or Grand Central Terminal what with loops on both levels??
The access doors are open on both ends of every subway car.
All Trains stop at 59th Street.
There is an undercover cop (usually dressed as a homless person) in every car.
The people on your commute are always anonomys strangers. Never would you see the same people day in and day out.
Clear and concise announcements are a common occurence!
If you pee onto the third rail you get electricuted.
All New York Natives know every route and stop by heart.
That's neither a myth nor a falsehood.
BTW, I keep forgetting to buy that book...I never finished reading it. Every time I pass through GCT I either don't have the money or forget to go to the TM annex store and get it.
Like the fare control at 52/Lincoln is IND-style as depicted by NYCSubway's (7)'s section and the 'TS' IND tiles at the very west end of the TS terminal on the 7. Very weird. The 7: The tri-run line.
I checked the 52/Lincoln station section and I stated something incorrectly. It says it has 'IND-style fare control grilles.' Hmm, it also said the original controls were closed.
Dogs must wear pants on the subway?
I've seen some wear skirts. :-D
I've seen some wear skirts. :-D
"The IRT and BMT subways were paid for by the City and given to the private companies to operate."
The idea that the City paid for the new subways (in fact, the expense was split approx. 50/50) and then handed them over to private interests was a populist argument against the private companies that is still repeated today.
14 St-6 Av/7 Av/Canarsie, Broadway-Lafayette/Bleecker, Smith 9 St [to the G]
If they're riding the Rockaway Park shuttle. These people seem like they don't know too much about the subway; they should ride the 4 on weekends for example.
The highest number on the island of Manhattan is West 220th Street (the north terminal of the M100), opposite the entrance to the Allen Pavilion. The very next intersection is 9th Avenue, then (over the Broadway Bridge) West 225th Street.
I have said no such thing. Had I said that, I would have been lying.
That would be strange! The Bronx had always used white on blue.
Jim Fish
This is NOT true. The Post Office considers it part of the Bronx.
Oddly, if you sent me snail mail with Baltimore, MD 21234 or Parkville, MD 21234 on it, it still winds up in my mailbox.
Interesting.
Ed Alfonsin
Posdam, New York
Peace,
ANDEE
Peace,
ANDEE
Also, that statement also neglects the 6th Avenue express tracks, 63rd Street, Archer Avenue, and the Rockaway Lines.
Also to add, I guess this counts even though the terminal is outside, but on the L Canarsie-bound only:
Halsey Street (until that point - all underground)
Wilson Avenue (outside)
Bushwick-Aberdeen (back underground)
Broadway Junction (back outside again, and this time for good)
So Bushwick-Aberdeen does prove the statement false, as for Wilson the line goes outside, but then does go back underground for Bushwick, so the train did not stay outside after going outside the first time.
www.forgotten-ny.com
So why aren't there train tracks on the Verrazano?
The Brooklyn-side approach would have to have been over a mile long in order to make the grade low enough for subways.
It says: "7-Day Unlimited Pass. $21, up from $17. Need 11 rides to make it worth the money, down from 12." Trouble is, Newsday has forgotten the discount available on cash-balance Metrocards.
Under the fare structure expiring Sunday, $17 buys 11 rides plus $.50 change. But purchase a $17 MetroCard, and you actually get an $18.70 balance, thanks to the 10% bonus on all purchases $15 and over. So, a $17 MetroCard actually buys 12 rides plus $.70 change. You therefore need to take 13 rides in a week for the Weekly Unlimited card to be worth the money.
Under the new fare structure, the bonus on cash balance MetroCards is 20% for purchases $10 and higher. So if you buy a $21 MetroCard, you'll get a $25.20 balance, good for 12 rides plus $1.20 in change. The new Weekly Unlimited card, just like the old one, is worth the money if you take at least 13 rides in a week.
Newsday gets the math wrong for the monthly card, too. They say: "$70, up from $63. Need 36 rides to make it worth the money, down from 43." Again, they have forgotten to consider the bonus on cash balance MetroCards.
Under the old fare structure, if you purchase a $63 cash balance MetroCard, you'll get a 10% premium, making your card worth $69.30. That'll buy you 46 rides, plus $.30. Under the new system, if you purchase a $70 cash balance card, you get an $84 balance, worth 42 rides. So the break-even point of the monthly cards goes from 47 rides to 42, not 43 to 36.
Newsday is right about the one-day unlimited pass, though. Under the new system, you'll need to take 4 rides for the $7 price to be worth the money, up from 3 rides.
I do agree that if you always buy your MetroCards in $10 increments, then the break-even point for the Fun Pass is between 4-5 rides, not 3-4. However, I think the Newsday article's statement on Fun Passes is defensible, because it compares the two options you have for spending $7 at one time. It is not really defensible in the other two cases.
Therefore they say subway fares are going up 33%, when in fact for any kind of moderate usage (other than the Fun Pass) it's only going up 22% or less.
The Fun Pass increase is 75%. That's the outrageous one. Well, IMO, the 30-day 11% increase is also outrageous, as is the B&T 17%. They couldn't all be kept within the 20-30% range?
Actually, I guess I'm in that category too. Whenever I considered the value of an unlimited card I always compared it to the list price of the individual rides instead of the actual discounted price. Now I see that with an old $4 Fun Pass I was only saving eight cents instead of fifty cents on three rides. When I file my expense sheet I always use the list price just because it's slightly easier. I'm sure my boss doesn't care though-- I often ask for $3 for a round-trip to Manhattan instead of the $9.50 off-peak or $14.50 peak that I could be spending.
But I still like the feeling of freedom on an unlimited card. For example, on an unlimited card I can take the A to Far Rockaway and then take the N31/32 to the N4 or even the N36 instead of being locked into Jamaica Center and the N4. I could also take the F to 179 St and switch to the N6 and later the N16 or N37 (which put me slightly closer to home). I can also switch between subways on an unlimited card and I can even walk through long passageways within fare control if it's pouring rain. Putting a dollar value on that sort of thing is hard to do.
I've never bought a PPR over $15, but my impression is that if you bought a PPR for $63, you would get a $1.50 bonus for every $15 that you spent. Therefore, the balance on the card would become $63 + (4x$1.50) = $69.00. Am I wrong?
---Choo Choo
---Choo Choo
Either way, us T/O's still log 6+ hours of cab time per day.
A few weeks ago, I was at the 7-11 at Middletown Rd., complaining about something to another T/O. He was telling me that I have no rights because I am "from the street". Then, a customer at 7-11 asked me if there were going to be any service changes that weekend. He told me that he was going to Brooklyn for Easter, and was hoping to avoid the usual hassles. I laughed and warned him that there would be split service on the 6 line, and that he should allow himself an extra 30 minutes in each direction. He sighed, looked at his girlfriend, and the conversation ended there.
Two days later, I'm standing at 125 waiting for a friend who was going to give me a ride home. A n/b 6(from BB-125) had just detrained, and I was immediately bombarded with questions by anxious and confused customers. Among them was the guy and girl I met at 7-11 on Middletown Rd. We recognized each other, and he yelled, "You! It's you! You warned me. You were right"! "This is hell". I really feel for Bronx passengers. There is always some kind of major GO, forcing them to add more time to an already long commute.
For instance, the 125 St Lexington Avenue station is a block away from the 125 St Metro North station on Park Ave. One of the subway's most important missions is to provide connections to commuter rail, and yet these two facilities are a block away out-of-doors. I'm not sure which facility was built first, but either someone blew it, or politics interfered with what would otherwise have been obvious--to provide an indoors connection between the two. The SAS, as now designed, is supposed to finally rectify this error.
I think this is the worst station-placement mistake in the system. Whichever station was built second (125/Lex or 125/MNR) should have been closer to the other. Anyone have a better example?
DON'T EVEN think about tampering with my Brighton line, no way buddy. Beverly road on the Brighton line will be remembered for two things, the correct spelling of the street name (the IRT station a mile away has the incorrect spelling on the 1920 tiles, BeverlEy) and some of the greatest photo run-bys you can take of all trains that pass that curve at the north end of the station.
I would! I'm sick of the Brighton Line. If I moved, I'd probably like it again, but not now!
My favorite route to CI is the Belt Parkway.
You have that backwards; the IRT station omits the E (as does the DOT on the street signs for the section east of Holy Cross Cemetary, IIRC). The correct spelling is Beverley.
Beverl(e)y makes a slight jog at Flatbush. Is it possible that the two roads have differently spelled names?
From what I've heard, it was due to pressure by real estate interests.
R-32
---Choo Choo
---Choo Choo
I hated the old system. Some station agents made you fill out the back. 3 rides anywhere is a better restriction than unlimited rides boarding only at two stations. And you had to wait in line with all the people buying their single tokens. Maybe it was better when you could just flash your pass and walk through the slam gate, but by the later years all stations had them locked and you needed to be buzzed through a turnstile. Some station agents had the brain capacity to see your pass and press the button without it interrupting their other work, others were less endowed.
Would they then offer a free 24/7 bus making a continuous loop along Junius, New Lots, Van Sinderen and Blake for displaced pedestrians?
If so, I can agree.
I don't thnk anyone blew it at 125th St.
The railroad was at 125th St/Park Av for decades before the Lexington Avenue subway line was opened in 1918. The railroad dates back to 1831.
You are forgetting that the railroad and the right of way was owned by The New York Central Railroad not NY City. I am sure there would have been signficant legal issues involved between the NYC, the IRT and the City of NY.
Besides very few people wanted to get off at 125th St to get the Railroad because not all of the trains stopped there. Only the local trains. Long Distance trains would bypass the station which is why people always went to (and still go to) Grand Central. As a result, the passenger volume at 125th/Park Av would never be enough to justify a physical connection.
I have to admit before I retired I wished the "J" Station at Bway Junction was closer to the ENY LIRR Station. I worked at the 81Pct a block away from the Gates Av Station (now that I'm retired I could say that here!) when I did a day tour I took the train. It was a gamble as to whether taking the Canarsie Line one stop to Atlantic or walking was the better choice. Especially if you only had a few minutes to make your train. Sometimes if I was really lazy I would just stay on the "J" to Sutphin.
Which reminds me of a guy I know who lives near Yankee Stadium. He used to visit a friend who lived in Hartsdale, and he would take the # 4 down to Grand Central to get his Metro-North train, instead of taking the D train up to Fordham Rd. Granted, you have a bit of a walk from the Concourse over to the station, but this guy was "able-bodied" enough to handle it.
It just drives me crazy to go South when I want to end up going North!
---Choo Choo
---Choo Choo
1. 42 St
2. 125 St
3. Gun Hill Road
4. 233 St
5. 241 St(in some cases
Locations 3, 4, and 5 only have connections to a tiny fraction of MNRR trains, namely the Mt Vernon locals and White Plains ultra-locals. No connection to the Hudson or NH lines at all, or to most
Harlem line trains.
In some case from the #5 line ONLY if you are on the Thru-Express train to East 238th st from 4:30 PM to 6:45 PM weekdays only. Otherwise from the main-line of the #5 train it's a long walk for you or you will have to use the Bx 28 (Gun Hill) or Bx 16 (Dyre Ave) buses to get to Metro-North.
You are giving it too much credit, it doesn't even run for 2 hours, that is one of the thing the MTA should really expand on <5> service
The Fulton Street line has two express stations between Bwy-ENY and Downtown Brooklyn; it should have none. But the stop closest to Brooklyn's "Grand Central" at Atlantic and Flatbush is a local stop, and a distance away to boot.
Fortunately, they located Queens Plaza under Queensboro Plaza, so Queens is not as bad off.
Also, they need a direct connection between the E and LIAR at Jamacia.
As for the Penn kids, they've got like 3 subway surface stops on their campus, the LUCY(I have yet to see a Drexel student use those POS), the 21, 30, 40, and 42 busses.
Theres nothing unusual about the spacing of the MFL stations starting at 34th st, it's 6 blocks to 40th st, another 6 to 46th, and then 6 more the 52nd, after that it shortens to 4 for 56th. It wraps up with 7 blocks to 63rd, some amount (not much) to Millbourne, and just a little ways from there to 69th St. You cannot have a stop at 33rd or 32nd, becuase the subway-surface ramps are there, plus theres a Sub-Surface stop at 33rd st already, you can get off at 30th and transfer. It wouldn't make much sense to have a stop at 36th or 37th, becuase it'd be only 3 and a half blocks to the next stop, which would be like the stops every two blocks on the MFL in center city, that is the WORST section of track I've ever ridden! What we need is local bus service on Market west of 34th St (where the 30 turns south, leaving Market busless until the 31 rejoins it down the line) in a role similar to the C bus over Broad St. A trolley would be nicer, with all the LUCY route made part of it, but that ain't gonna happen...
This is under construction. It is part of the Airtrain-related desecration.
Beyond that, the LIRR station is only open for business in rush hour. It actually isn't surprising that 52nd Street (and others) have more customers.
The Court street IND station was evidently not a bright idea, though not because of the location.
There's really no good excuse why A-C and G don't have stations as part of Atlantic-Pacific-Flatbush LIRR.
I am not sure how I would have done it. In the very least, I would have put the Atlantic Avenue Brighton station under the IRT. I would also have considered a very different Dekalb, perhaps combined with Nevins, as the IRT/BMT transfer point. The again, relocating the Fulton IND for a connection to the LIRR is also desirable. We could have run it under Atlantic instead of Schermerhorn with a Broadway-Nassau-type station at the LIRR. And, then put a BMT Borough Hall station between Jay Street and the IRT, with a connection there.
Or just enhance the E.N.Y. connection. Anyway, it's enough with East New York being an assumed "no-mans-land". We ain't got time for that crap nowadays, and the real estate is too central and well served by rail to be left in the relatively abandoned state that it is. I think in ten years we won't recognize the place.
I kind of like the disconnected nature of the subway routings in the Downtown Brooklyn area anyway. I think that when they were built the area was such a strong regional draw that the main point was to get into the core zone. Probably similar to how it doesn't matter where you park in the lots surrounding a shopping mall. Get to the lot and zero in from there.
It's also very handy sometimes to have routes not be physically connected to each other but headed in the same general direction. Downtown is good that way.
But surely the MTA would put a new entrance at the south end, and then rename the station to go with the new entrance!
Hi,
I'm new at Subtalk, but to answer your question, the 125th St. Metro North station is older; many years over. First of all, the present station is just over 100 years old whereas the Lex. was built in 1908. Secondly, the whole Park Av. deal at that point used to be a cut (two tracks) prior to that. Then (apparently) they toyed with putting the station underground but that was aborted. This accounts for the current storage 'basement' that exists beneath what we see above the street. A little known fact. When You remember the whole dog-and-pony show was originally a horse - drawn operation (New York and Harlem R.R.), this paints a bigger picture.
Also, who's to say that it was economical to swerve the Lex over to Park Av. just to grab some New York Central passengers - even in those days. The Lex. already did one S-turn transition further south, why should it perform another? Right at GCT in fact! So; in fact, it had to avoid the terminal ( with its five levels of tracks) and the N.Y.C. tunnels altogether when heading north from that point. The route north was added in about 1908 as part of the Dual Contracts, even though the original route takes Park South, after coming from Bway. on what are now the shuttle tracks.
This reminds me of a third point yet. If remember anything abouth the architecture at 125th St., those tracks start setting up for the Bronx immediately upon exiting the station. In fact there isn't much left of Lexington after 125th St. so they're forced to cross the river. Hope this clears everything up. Nice to meet everyone.
R-32
-- Ed Sachs
What experiences have you had with customers paying with pennies?
There is a "discussion" over on Strappies about someone saying that he is going to protest the fare hike by paying his bus fare completely in pennies.
We all know the "legal tender" issue but I want to get the view from within.
Personally if someone HAS to give me a baggie full of pennies, I HAVE to count them. Not that I don't trust their assurtations that the amount is all there. It's is just a matter of ensuring that "accidently" there are no Canadian pennies in it. Of course the customer would have to explain to the people behind him that the line is going to be delayed a moment while pennies are being counted. Maybe people will be annoyed at this person holding up the line.
and what about more than 2 rides worth? are you forbidden to take it?
Because it is rush hour and there are other customers who have to go to work.
(Just to let you know, I will never do this to any of you station attendents.)
Bryanh
If you charge 1 Canadian penny and get an American one, you were paid extra (you got 1.4 cents). If you charge 1 American penny and get a canadian penny, you were underpaid (you only got 0.7 cents).
Basically the MTA doesn't want to get ripped off. Can you blame them?
Just out of curiosity, do most places in New York City accept Canadian currency at the normal exchange rate? Like for example where I work there's a key on the cash registers for American currency... we hit that instead of "cash" when someone pays with American money.
Everyone is expected to pay in US$ or by credit or debit card where accepted.
Only countries with second-rate currency allow you to use foreign currencies deep inside their borders.
I never said Canada was a second-rate country, I said it has a second-rate currency. I think we should unify the two currencies a la the Euro, this way they will have a first-rate currency (the NAD: North American Dollar).
I expect that Canada and the US will have seperate currencies for a long time to come though, because whenever something controversial comes up our government does what it does best... nothing.
Ah maybe it's for the best... I like our multicoloured currency anyways :-)
Oddly, our Treasury Department is actually looking at another redesign of our currency, with different colors for different denominations. It would also have more anti-counterfeit provisions.
Treasury has blown, however, the dollar coin not once, but twice. The basic problem is that they won't stop printing and issuing the dollar bill, and people are lothe to give up the familiar, so the coin never gets into general circulation. There are two in issue, the original Susan B. Anthony coin, which looks too much like a quarter, and the current Golden dollar.
The Light Rail and Subway ticket machines do issue them as change, but aside from the MTA here, not all the banks even carry them.
All the "colorized coins" Take your pick, they're all $29.95 regardless of the actual value.
No thank you.
As I mentioned, in Baltimore the major dispenser of dollar coins is the Maryland Transit Adminsitration, which is the major user of dollar coins in the Richmond Federal Reserve District. Stick a $5.00 bill in a light rail ticket machine for a single ride (currently $1.35, rising to $1.60 July 1) and your change will be 3 dollar coins plus quarters and nickels. Buy a Day Pass and you'll get 2 dollar coins as change.
Three of the major banks here, including Bank America, First Union and Provident don't even carry them.
Dan, isn't that more like 62 exchanges (transactions)? I think the average life is more like 18 months. Coins in general, on the other hand, have an average lifespan in excess of 20 years.
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
There's the rub. It doesn't matter what the customer thinks of dollar coins. All that matters is what businesses think, since they are to be received in change. We never get them.
Mass transit would be a major beneficiary of widespread use of dollar coins. In addition to Metrocard, they could be used on the bus.
Personally, I think the government should just bite the bullet and get rid of the penny, nickel, and quarter. A dime is worth what a penny was worth 50 years ago, a dollar coin is the equivalent of a 1950 dime. Add in a 50 cent piece to replace the nickel, and change would have value again.
Pennies tend to build up in the poceket or purse. They either wind up in drawers around the house, or if you are especially viligant, you roll them and deposit them in the bank. We do, and you would be surprised how much rolled coins mount up over a short time.
It is typical of the TA to want to be accomodating to a selective profile of rider and whsh all the other rider would just go away.
Once again the TAs attitude is revaling of their contempt for a large portion of their ridership.
The dollar coin was introduced in 1987 as a replacement for the dollar bill, which was swiftly withdrawn. The two dollar coin replaced the two dollar bill in 1996. While we in the US have never embraced the $2 bill, Canadians used theirs heavily, so introducing the $2 coin made sense. As I understand it a CDN $5 coin was also planned for introduction in 2000, but has been indefinitely postponed.
The dollar coin would catch on very quickly in this country if the dollar bill were withdrawn from circulation as it should be. While I'm not particularly fond of the front of the current dollar coin (the eagle on the back is beautiful, though) it is at least distinct from our other coinage and should gain rapid acceptance when the $1 bill is retired.
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
there IS a 50 cent piece, the half dollar, also not used much, although STILL made
Please, we all know Canada is America Junior... :-)
Je t'AIME Les Canadiens! Les Torontotiques, aussi. Heh. If any "Uh-mericans" want to purchase a copy of "Talking to Americans" as provided by CBC featuring RICK MERCER, which DEMONSTRATES why our Northern brethren and sisteren are a "bit concerned" about us, send me an email ... It'll cost for tape and time to dub it on company property, but "Talking to Americans" should scare the QWAP out of us as to how *WE* talked to Canadians. :-\
And yeah, Shrub and others made IDIOTS of themselves too, ON CAMERA. WITH audio. :(
Trust me here - you wouldn't BELIEVE how forgiving of us our neighbors to the north have PROVEN themselves overWHELMINGLY to still talk to us AT ALL ... Is it worth $20 for a dub? I might actually make it available to those who DON'T have CBC as a local TV station. :)
You think so, eh? I happen to know they import Cuban cigars which makes them an imminent threat to the security of the U.S. :-)
Tom
Well we should be ready to take action against countries that trade with the Cuban dictator. It's rumored that he is so evil that he even leases space on his island to a foreign country to squirrel away prisoners brought from across the globe to be imprisoned for years without contact with the outside world or charges being filed. Thank God none of our allies, who believe in human rights, would stoop so low. :-)
Tom
Every time I've been visiting and tendered US currency, the change came back in Canadian currency/coins with no exchange value. Give the clerk a US $20 for a 6 dollar purchase, get $14.00 CDN in change.
The only place I ever got exchange value was at the casinos, which are government run.
I usually pick up a decent amount of Canadian currency (at the offical exchange rate) at my friendly local bank here in Baltimore.
Which parts of Canada have you visited? The reason I ask is that I live in Ottawa and have only really done this here. It could just be that because Ottawa is the nation's capital and we get both a lot of foreign tourists and residents from other countries, the establishments around the city are more open to accepting foreign currency.
So with that I guess I'll change my statement to say in *Ottawa* you can usually get your currency exchanged at the exchange rate, but not necessarily in the rest of Canada... I assumed that if they do it in Ottawa they must do it in the rest of Canada too. I'll have to test this theory after I move to Toronto this summer :-)
Got to spend two weeks with the TCC's Chief Instructor and the School of Instruction in the early 70's. Road and operated school cars as a visitor from Baltimore.It was nice to be accepted as a fellow professional.
We did get our change in U.S. currency while at a store in Canada when we paid them in American dollars. They have a "converting" mechanism on their cash registers which converts the Canadian to American currency.
Here is the updated information on the transit project. Chapter 5--part 1 is now complete, and I'm still finishing up Chapter 4, with only some additional information left to add. The targeted day that I will get an opportunity to email Chapters one, two and the Introduction out will be on May 13 and May 14, so be sure to check your inbox on those two days. Chapter 3 will follow on May 16 and May 17. I will have to get back to you on the dates for mailing out Chapters 4 and 5.
Also I've included here, the summary of the project by chapter:
General Introduction
This section covers my fascination with trains, how it evolved and how it led to the ambitious transit project
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Transit Project
This chapter will describe the focus of the project itself. It points out the goal of providing more subway coverage for the city as well as providing service to the suburbs. There are descriptions of current problems the current subway system faces and possible solutions that are implemented in the alternate reality of the transit project.
Chapter 2: Expasnion of the Current Routes
This chapter focuses on the extension of the current routes in both the A and B Divisions of the current system, which are all affected in some way by the larger system that is presented here. The chapter also describes the use and need of additional route markers and lines which were discontinued that continue to play a role in transit operation. Also included are ROW's of selected rail lines that now feature subway routings.
Chapter 2 was the result of three original documents that I've produced for last year's railfan audience that has been merged together into one document.
Chapter 3: Trunk Lines
This chapter gets into the heart of the project, by listing all the trunk lines of this much larger alternate subway system. This is chapter is one of the longer chapters in the project and one of the original documents I have produced for last year's group of railfans. Every line and possible connection is included, covering all five boroughs, and surburban counties in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.This chapter includes an Appendix, which is also of extended length covering details of information in regard to the trunk lines. Many interesting aspects of transit operation are found in the Chapter 3 Appendix, which is divided into five smaller appendices. A comprehensive listing of river tunnels, shuttle routes, track connections between the A and B Divsions as well as to commuter and freight trackeage and other intriguing things are found in the Appendix. Note that any remaining general transit information is included in Appendix A at the end of the project. (see below) Chapter 3 now includes a introduction in regard to the context of the document.
This appendix, which was another original document for last year's railfan audience will be mailed with Chapter 3.
Chapter 4: The Route Markers and Routing Information
This chapter lists all the route markers that are used in the transit project and markers not used. Following the table of route markers are routes themselves, with listings of terminals, trunk lines, operation times, rolling stock each route uses and the yards each route uses.
Chapter 5: Rolling Stock, Yards and Equipment--Part 1, 2 and 3
Chapter 5 also delves into the heart of the project by providing a comprehensive lists of rolling stock used in the transit project. This Chapter primarily consists of tables that lists all the cars used and that are in service. Each car class has been expanded to at least twice its size. This chapter is one of the longest in the project, and because I found that composing this all this information added up over time, the chapter is divided into three parts. The first part is completed, the other two I'm still working on while I'm completing Chapter 4. The first part of this chapter lists all the cars--real and fictional--and includes a table of experimental cars. The second part goes into detail about all the cars classes, providing a fictional context of their time on the rails. The third part covers retired cars (real and ficitional) beginning with the IND R1 cars and provides a fictional context of their time on the rails. What you may find when reading this chapter is the overwhelming number of cars used, but I've got around the capacity issues somewhat by introducing a system of car transference from one yard to another--which will all be explained in this chapter. As I'm certain every railfan has a favorite car--real or fictional--you will be sure to find it in this chapter.
Subway yards are listed in this chapter also, in the third part, and there are a lot of them.
Like Chapter 3, this chapter also features a brief introduction and an Appendix at the end. The Chapter 5 Appendix covers prewar cars listed for both the IRT and BMT and additional general information about rolling stock that wasn't covered in the main chapter.
Chapter 6: Station Design and Architecture
This chapter covers some intriguing designs of underground station design. Some elevated and grade/cut/embankment stations are covered too. Also covered are a more detailed expansion of the IND color coded station tile system and more creative designs on the moaics motifs and wall signs on the IRT and BMT.
Chapter 7: A Fictional History of the New York City
(later Metro Area) Subway System
This chapter, aslo covers the heart of the project and supports one of the main points of the project: subway development in New York under different circumstances, different attitudes, a different spin on politics, finances and social concerns. Chapter 7 will be entirely in a fictional context using realistic facts and events for support and as a foundation to illustrate transit development in another reality.
Chapter 8: Commuter Rail and Light Rail--Further Development and Expansion of the LIRR, Metro North, NJ Transit and the new Light Rail System
Though the prime objective of this project is the subway, the project does not leave out commuter rail. As part of mass transit system, I felt it was integral to include further development of the three commuter rail systems in the Metro Area to supplement subway expansion to the suburbs in the form of more transfers and more inter-regional traveling options. The inclusion of commuter rail in the project also provides a single large mass transit entity consisting of subway and commuter rail designed to cover the entire New York City Metropolitan Area within a 75 mile radius. It is set up so that the subways serve inner zone areas (NYC, neighboring cities in Westcheter, and New Jersey and the immediate suburbs outside these regions) and commuter rail serves the inner and outer zones (outer zones being distant suburbs and more remote areas) The inclusion of the light rail system is simply the expansion of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail System, which is expanded entirely to reach many regions--first and foremost developed to the system that NJ Transit is working towards--see the NJ Transit site for all the planned extensions of the light rail system--and providing an additional link between NY and NJ via original routings.
Chapter 9: Expanded New York City Subway System--smaller versions
This chapter provides other additional scenarios of the subway expansion in the city. I'm not sure yet of how many scenarios I'm going to include in this chapter, but there will be two included, which I can tell you right now.
(1) The first scenario is simply an extension of the current system using only past proposals the MTA, the TA and the Board of Transportation has made. Notably included is the full development of the IND Second System--both 1929 and 1939 plans. This system is confined within the borders of the city and except of one route to Jersey City, offers no extensions to the suburbs.
(2) The second scenario is an expansion of the first, but a scaled down version of the main scenario that this project fouces on. It is simply a modest expansion of subway service into Nassau, Westchester and New Jersey, covering only the immdediate Metropolitan Area.
Appendix A: Miscellaneous Items regarding Transit Operations
This Appendix describes/lists information that wasn't covered in the Chapter 3 Appendix or in Chatpers 7 or 8.
Appendix B: ???
This is a planned second appendix to this project, but I'm not sure what its contents would be yet.
(1) Question and Answer section
This section focuses on questions you may have about stuff that you may not be clear on, or have in the back of your mind, that I've thought of ahead of time. This document is half completed, and since the questions covered thus far are only about the first five chapters, I may likely send the first half of this document after Chapter 5, to see if it answers any questions that you may have.
(2) Feedback--What Do You Think? Comments, Suggestions, etc.
This section is simply a feedback section where you can freely comment only any aspect of transit operations of this project. It lists various questions of what you think about the material you read. The interesting part of this section is that it includes questions that lists scenarios where you decide how you would best handle the situation or event.
I'm still working on this document as well, but like the Question and Answer document, I'm thinking of dividing it into two parts and mail the first part to you after Chapter 5.
Chapters 6 to 9 I haven't started yet, but I will be working on them through the summer. I hope to have the remainder of the text portion of this project completed by mid-October.
Peace,
ANDEE
"I'm a cowgirl from Canarsie
And I ride the BMT
It's a subway, not a horse
But if you rode it you'd agree
That it's a bucking bronco
And it's better than TV
The shoot-um-ups are real
And the side shows all are free"
There are more in the way of lyrics, but I cannot remember all of the words. I saw a live theatrical production of N3 last year, here in PA, but this particular number was not included. All three of the musicals are very entertaining. The nun from Brooklyn is in all three and is named Sister Robert Anne. I think SubTalkers would get a kick out of this musical, if only for this one number.
Based on his postings, I'd say he defies all attempts at categorization :)
You mean heypaul is foam free ?
Bill "Newkirk"
Given his attitude I would not be surprised if he had set him on fire on several non-consecuitive occasions.
If Train Dude has a problem with a rail buff on TA property, Train Dude has to act as per his professional responsibilities. That Subtalker has no special privileges because he and Train Dude happen to post on the same Internet board. SoTrain Dude can be friendly to him personally (or not) and would then still be entitled to eject that person from TA property or a train if the Subtalker is breaking the rules.
I think you answered your own question.
No, I didn't - and that's what makes the question so puzzling. Train Dude's always been highly knowledgeable, and (except with respect to Heypaul) quite reasonable in his opinions and comments. Now, however, he's gotten totally nasty and sarcastic, basically a 100% all-around schmuck. Something's got to be going on in his life.
What message board have you been on? His views are extreme and he treats people with absolute contempt and condesention with little or no provocation. TD has always been viewed as you describe by a sizable segment of the SubTalk community, especially for those SubTalkers who worked for him or have run into him while on duty.
Of course most of the real TD dirt is discussed off the board.
What message board have you been on? His views are extreme and he treats people with absolute contempt and condesention with little or no provocation. TD has always been viewed as you describe by a sizable segment of the SubTalk community, especially for those SubTalkers who worked for him or have run into him while on duty.
I wouldn't go quite so far. Train Dude has never suffered fools willingly, that's for sure; if someone posts something that's stupid or ill-informed, Train Dude won't hesitate to point that out in no uncertain terms. That's one thing. With this security paranoia, and his attitudes toward railfans, however, he's really gone too far. There's a line between being stern and being obnoxious, and he's crossed it.
I don't work for him and have never met him on duty or otherwise, so I can't comment on that aspect of his behavoir.
But he has also posted a lot about religious and ethnic minorities; about welfare; about other themes where he has openly expressed hatred and prejudice and expected other Subtalkers to accept those posts as evidence of his supposed patriotism. This also describes some of his offline behavior. He often sees criticism as "personal attacks" when it is not, and his ostensible intolerance for nonsense does resemble a thin skin covering a huge ego.
I'm not saying these things because I hate the man; I do not respect some of his writing. The analogy is being able to respect a drunkard without respecting his drinking.
I think he's a colorful and knowledgable presence on this board. I have no problem with that. As to his personal circumstances, not many of us know enough about that to know if even specuulation is justified, so I'm leaving that alone.
As an understanding colleague to my rantings on about the Sea Beach, he has been more than a patient supporter even when I go over the line sometimes. This isn't meant to cast any negative thoughts about any of the rest of you but TD stands tall with me.
Someone stole his MTH trains ?
Bill "Newkirk"
Consider this: pictures, diagrams, schematics, maps or anything else...would anyone, despite innocent pursuance of their hobby, want to post or release anything that places passengers and system in jeopardy? The same goes for airports/shopping malls/subway stations/railroad stations/libraries/anything the public congregates in. Reuters letter instructs us to tell you, buffs and transit enthusiasts, to think first before any action that could be used to create harm in the future. TD has his abrupt way of expression but he is correct in reflecting current policy CI Peter
Dispite my personal dislike for that one subtalker, Doug, on the rare occasions when he's actually posted something transit related, I either ignored him or I responded with a legitimate comment or fact. It's only when he posts his idiotic, non-transit related clap-trap, that I take a shot at him. Besides, Doug, he's a big boy and i'm sure he can defend himsef when he feels the need.
His most recent post was about finding a subway car where the number 8 had been vandalized so that it appeared to be a 3. He stated that he was 'fooled' twice by the car. I stated that the posting was thrilling or words to that extent. If you think that's going for the jugular, Doug, then you need to lighten up.
Reuters letter instructs us to tell you, buffs and transit enthusiasts, to think first before any action that could be used to create harm in the future.
Well since we have given up so many civil liberities, imprisoned so many people and spent so much money we have to assume that the homeland is now secure and anything we could do could not possibly cause any harm. I mean he we gave up all these things and didn't even make ourselves secure from attack that would be just nutty.
Yes, I am a railfan. But yes, I also resent the selfish attitude expressed by many railfans who put their own desire above the legitimate needs and concerns of the railroad. Apparently many of you have forgotten how one of the subtalk family put his selfish desires above the rules and was arrested (although not charged) and possibly ruined the career of a transit employee. You forget how he was also later (having learned nothing from the previous experence) was ejected from two LIRR trains on successive days.
Growing up in Glen Oaks, Queens, we used to play stickball alot. To the best of my knowledge, there was never a law agains stickball but when people complained, the officers from the 111th Pct would tell us to move on. There was never any BS about our rights. We moved.
What really pisses me off, Peter is yours and other subtalkers who feel that my supposed employment status should be a factor of mitigation or aggrivation in what I post. When I first came to subtalk, I came as a railfan. I thought that my employment status might add some insight as to the day to day happenings but I didn't come here as an official representative of any organization. The idea that I should not get upset or feel strongly about a topic because of my employment status is simply rediculous.
I've taken strong positions before on other topics, both rail and non-rail related and each time - this same issue has been raised and frankly, Peter, I'm really tired of it. I've never heard anyone say that, "as a person in the banking industry you should be more temporate." or "As a police officer you should not express a personal opinion here".
Now as for my anti-photography postings - they are consistent with my personal feelings only. They are not meant to be a reflection of MTA policy although the MTA policy is for employees to report all such photography and have police investigate the perpetrators. I'm simply tired of pseudo-intellectual railfans who put themselves above the legal authority of the transit agencies that do set policy on their property. Railfans should not view themselves as invitred guests on rail property. Their interest and knowledge conveys no such rights. If this is too anti-railfan for you or others on subtalk - tough. Ignore me!
Finally, As for those who have linked my personal distaste for railfans who forget that they are not entitled to free reign on rail property with my annimosity for a particular subtalker, there is no linkage. Again, my personal feelings. Just like it was his and another subtalker's personal feelings when they were doing tag-team attacks against me with their idiotic posts about Amos and Andy. I don't recall anyone calling him or his hand-puppet for their nightly attacks.
There are railfans and there are railfans. Some of them have been known to go beyond the limits, for instance entering non-public areas or using flash attachments. Unfortunately, you seem to be lumping ALL railfans into that category, ignoring the fact that many (most?) of them play by the rules. And that's just plain wrong.
I always thought you were from Brooklyn.
Anyway, for those of you who don't know, I am a T/O in the A division, and work near TrainDude's work location. I've tried to meet him twice, but he was not around as we work different shifts. But I'm going to try to meet him within the next few weeks.
Come on, Steve -- all of that was OVER A YEAR AGO!
And where was your all rightous indignation then, Doug?
What TD hasn't said is where and how the LIRR has changed its official policy, and what they have done to inform the public that their policy has changed. No one else has heard of this.
In this case, the rule is more than a rule: it's a state law. Larry Reuter couldn't simply decide to ban photography on the subway; he'd first have to persuade the state legislature.
Are you sure? I really don't know, and the details are probably in an earlier posting somewhere, but usualy things like codes of behavior are just administrative regulations.
Nevertheless, I also am not convinced that the LIRR rules have changed. If nothing else, if they don't announce them, the rules are of dubious legality. After all, the TBTA very clearly says "no photography" at various places.
Apparently, the TBTA's photography ban was in place long before 9/11; it just wasn't enforced.
I think your position on railfan photography is a reasonable one - though I also think it is in the MTA's best interest to be tolerant and even gracious to railbuffs who take pictures.
You're entitled to be as passionate as the next guy or gal, and express it. Why not?
Having said that, I (and others) strongly criticized your posts when they expressed religious and ethnic hatred (esp. when masquerading as patriotism, which it isn't); you were similarly criticized over the same issue regarding emails. You fired the first shots there, and earned the response you got.
As far as I'm concerned, you're welcome here.
Dude's been here longer than I have, and by quite a good amount of time. I've chuckled many times at some of his comments, my favorite STILL being "when you walk down the street, do you leave sparks behind as your knuckles drag on the sidewalk?" TRUE New Yorker in those words.
It's not my place to explain Train Dude, but I *do* have a feeling as to a piece of it given some emails I've received in the past from other folks working on the MTA Paturkey farm who are no longer EMAILING either owing to the "fear factor" the MTA is imposing on their employees lately.
I always noted that Dude's purpose in posting in the past was to CORRECT really bad and innacurate technical information, and to explain why various things were what they were and why. Now, in the ever-enclosing fear and paranoia campaign of our leaders, it's becoming more and more of a thought crime to detail ANYTHING. Even though all the information's already out there in the hands of potential terrorists, the close the barn doors after the horses have already gone is paramount in management's mindset.
Memo after memo about not discussing ANYTHING in public has gone around, employees are being monitored for their activities not only at WORK but at HOME as well to ensure that official state secrets are only revealed elsewhere. So here's someone who has always been HIGHLY beneficial to us in the past not being allowed to dish details and corrections like before, possibly becoming more and more frustrated in not being able to settle various misstatements and errors in fact owing to this ridiculous "too late" sweeping policy, and then having to come here and read all sorts of silliness.
In the national paranoia which is being beaten into us with a never ending rampup in order to ENSURE that we cower in fear and vote "properly" in 2004 for our "leader", we're all the losers here as far as being able to talk the nitty gritty that made this place a lot of fun.
As MTA management sees "objectionable thought" here and whips everyone who knows what a modem is at work, I can only imagine that Train Dude's taken a good amount of guff for even visiting here. I'm sure folks have noticed how LITTLE we hear from train crews and other specialists with juicy details on subways, ALL of this a direct result of paranoia enforcement at their jobs. Damned shame this is ...
But I'd be willing to bet that he's incredibly frustrated at not being able to have the simple pleasures this board once represented. I've heard this from numerous OTHER people who I used to chat with frequently in the past prior to the latest rampup of fear at the MTA.
Maybe I'm wrong here, but I can only suggest that if the guy bothers ya, don't read him ... and bear in mind that as a nation, we're going to hell in a handbasket under the current regime of bashing one another and beating up on those who don't tow the line ... I for one am really getting tired of all the negativity, shouting down of others and "my way or the highway" attitudes ... then again, these are Limbaugh times. What the terrorists couldn't do to us, we're doing to OURSELVES. :(
I feel for both T.D. and for all of us. I, for one refuse to submit to the claptrap coming out of the Admsissitration of Homeland (Paul G., where are you when we really need you) inSecurity and the house at 1600.
I didn't vote for him, I still feel that somethings not right with the 2000 election, but we are stuck with him. (BTW, given the history between 2000 and today, I'm not sure Al could have done any better over all, but who knows.) We can either give in to the bedsheets and adult Depends mentality, or live up to the fact that life is not secure. Ever.
I'm not changing my life a lot. I happen to live in a city that's pretty high on the murder count, year in and year out. Do I lock my doors? You betcha. Do I stop doing what brings me happiness in my life?
HELL NO!!!!!!!!
Now I will get off the political bus and get back to talking about arnines, LoV's, HiVs', flivers, and what have you as long as it's on flanged wheels.
And I sit in wonderment how we were able to live through the cold war with the threat of thousands of unannounced mushroom clouds surrounding us WITHOUT a change in color on the flagpole to warn us at ANY MOMENT. Somehow it's OK to be a chickensheet NOW. Then again, back during the cold war we had LEADERS, not these chickensheets ... agggh. I shaddup. :(
It's called courage - a basic human characteristic that people used to have, but which today is as scarce as hen's teeth (to continue with the chicken theme). World War II and the Cold War were the sort of things that could have scared the bejesus out of Americans, but people grit their teeth and got through. The 9/11 attacks, however, turned everyone into a pathetic bunch of cowards. Maybe we'd gotten too soft and couldn't take the shock to our systems. Whatever the case, it's pathetic.
Wish I knew the sliders in various pieces of equipment - alas, I had to earn a living and KNOW what I actually got paid to know, "television equipment" and politics ... at least there was a SCHEMATIC that was TRUTHFUL in ELECTRONICS. Even the PUNDITS can't show me a schematic that works for LAWGIVERS. :)
But it's a DAMNED shame that America has gone for the whole "you're gonna DIE unless you let the GOP protect you." ... I remember when the GOP ***CUT THE QWAP*** out of anti-terrorist agencies" (I was *INVOLVED* in it, and got cut loose due to tax-cut budget cuts) while Bubba was Predident ... "contract *ON* America" ... but if the demos have no balls, then who am *I*, a mere outraged citizen stuck among politicos with *NO* balls? Nope ... phuck America ... you believe it, you voted for it, you BOUGHT it ... at least *I* am WELCOME in Canada.
Sorry foer the attitude, but the "liberal media" is to blame for it all, they have no balls either. NY POST tells the truth, need say no more. :)
Once again, SORRY ALL ... if folks only KNEW the crap they were being sold ... "I assure you, there is a train RIGHT behind this one, bing phucking bong, HAVE a nice day." :(
I agree 100%. No, make that 101%.
Same for Arcadia ... LET'S GET REAL HERE ... NEW YORK CITY *IS* their PRIME TARGET ... and DESPITE how NYC voted, what the NYC attitude is, they're GOING TO phuck New York ... Shrub PHUCKED us worse than Usama! I *cannot* forgive the GOP for SHAFTING NYC even though anyone with half a brain (Ronnie Raygun might BE a vegetable, but he's STILL smarter than the REST of his par-tay) realizes that NYC will STILL be the focus of "let's crash a bimb-laden plane into ..."
PLEASE forgive my never-ending raspberries here, but *****WHY***** does NEW YORK CITY have to CONTINUE to pay the price for a Texas MORON? No personal offense intended, unfortunately reality remains an immovable object even IF the spinmeisters remain clueless. If DALLAS or HOUSTON were attacked, I'd end my comments in a FLASH.
Alas, "terrorists" have chosen BROOKLYN and MANHATTAN (and ONE plane for DeeCee) as their "targets" ... how DARE the GOP piss away money in Keokuk when NOTHING happened there? Might as well send troops to VOORHEESVILLE ... only difference is WE *got* guns, know how to aim them, and we KNOW who belongs here and who DOESN'T ... *NO* problem.
Forgive me if I recoil here - the DEMOS were morons ... that particular grade timer's STILL red and the repubs are about to "wrap it" on a red ... don't mind me, I've lived my life in political reporting as a certified "NON-partisan" ... I can't get OVER the stupidity in charge these days. How DID we survive the cold war? C'mon ... REALLY Bro, YOU were there for it ... how CAN you NOT call our "leader" a MORON? Even JOHNSON stood his ground. Even CARTER. :(
But this NONSENSE (I stayed silent during the "war") just irks me to NO END. All the things I heard on conservative TALK RADIO over "Clinton is taking away your freedoms" which did NOT come to pass suddenly *ARE* under the "Militia-approved New World Order administration." ... you know what I mean ... and here we are. :(
Meanwhile, your Sea Beach, and MY "favorite CITY" are left UNFUNDED by the "Bechtel Administration" ... *NO* jets to defend the Sea Beach, and yet DISNEY has cruise missiles on call 24/7 ... am *I* smoking the wrong chit? :)
Make that demanding a fair share of government spending for protection.
Tom
The PRIMARY duty of the federal government is to protect citizens from FOREIGN ENEMIES waging war, and to counter an attack on the land(s) of the United States. That's job number ONE. New York City was ATTACKED by a foreign enemy. The job of the police is to protect the citizenry from DOMESTIC criminal acts, not to act as a surrogate for the military. And yet here we are.
So, as I see it, either we should have MP's and regular army stationed to protect the infrastructure from these foreign enemies, or the federal government should "make whole" the costs of an unauthorized civilian paramilitary to do the job that our federal government should be doing. But what I see here is final proof that it's time to abolish the federal government because it's not doing its job with respect to protecting this country from a foreign enemy that is ON OUR SOIL.
Or at least, pay the bills if we have to do their job ourselves. :(
Ask Martin O'Malley, our Irish Rock Mayor. He's been down to the Halls three times to basicaly tweak Congrease to pay the fair share. If "Homeland Security" is a Fed idea, then why do the cities/states have to pay for HS stuff?
Tip O'Neill, God rest his soul, used to mention that ALL politics is local. Seems some of the bhoys in Congrease seem to have forgotten that.
Last time I looked, Immigration is a FEDERAL task. INS blew it big time with the slipshod policies that let bunches of foreigners in without bothering to check them. Profiling is bad, but last time I looked the guys who flew planes were not blond haired and blue eyed, and all were in a certain age group, so I see nothing wrong in restricting access to their ethnic group.
Rail comment:
The Low-V's were built by a bunch of builder, but all tended to look alike. Has anybody bothered to mention that WMATA's cars all look the same regardless of who made them?
Just a thought: Is somebody in WMATA's car department a reincarnated IRT man?
I just got back from driving around east Tennessee for a week and I see Dubya got it EXACTLY right. Those voters have had their schoolkids tie yellow ribbons on EVERYTHING. New Yorkers count for about NOTHING when you got TX and FL exporting (sometimes a few extra) electors. And we know now that New York's only profitable export is Pataki.
Until, that is, the oil starts to get expensive. Then the political equation could change in a hurry.
It's estimated that 5% of the fighting force were resident aliens
Don't confuse support for the troops as support for the president
But the oil is not going to get expensive thanks to Operation Iraqi Liberation. The grateful Iraqis will be happy to sell us as much oil as we want at the price we want to pay for it, and if necessary we will keep holding fair elections there until they agree to our price.
Tom
Gee, we vote 80% Democrat in every election. Gosh-golly, now why wouldn't Republicans want to send us any money? Waaaaaahhhh!!! *sniff* *sniff* It's not fair!!!
As long as NYC remains an automatic 80% Democrat vote, I fail to see any reason why Washington would want to send any money here. You can bitch, rant, and rave as loud as you want to. Here, have a loudspeaker, with a fresh pair of batteries. Holler your lungs out. It won't make any difference. Everyone who could possibly vote for a Democrat in NYC already does, so any more Democrat party proselytizing would have negligible impact.
You'd be very naive and foolish if you want to claim that sending a few bil-s to NYC would suddenly gain them a bunch of new fans here. The only time you'll see Washington or Albany spend any money on NYC is when it gives them some other political benefit. There's some mileage in being portrayed as helping NYC to recover, so that's why NYC got some bucks to rebuild downtown. But anything beyond that would be complete waste of money, as far Washington and Albany is cocnerned. They'd rather send that pile of cash someplace else where it CAN give them some political benefit.
You claim to have great political acumen. Here's a pop quiz for you. Here's one city where every election sees about 50% of your vote go your way, and the rest go to the other guy, with the outcome up for grabs each either. Here's another city where 80% of the vote always goes to the other guy, and your polls indicate that even Saddam Hussein would win over there, if the other party nominated him.
Now, you have a few billion dollars' worth of spare change in your pocket. Which city's going to get it?
You don't need to be an Einstein to figure that one out.
When the OTHER party was in power, I could actually pay my bills on time. :(
But not to worry, the latest genius work out of the NeoCons is "states need to stop paying teachers such fat retirements" and is pushing the California legislature to "recapture inflated retirement funds" ... here in New York, they're already doing that. Like they say, a republican is a democrat that got mugged ... and as was the case before, democrats are former republicans that finally looked at their bank statement and 401K ... whoops, after adjustments, that's a 101K. :)
But no sense in arguing, it's off-topic as far as transit goes and republicans actually BELIEVE them windbags. And we wonder where MSS (Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf) got his training from. He would have been victorious if only he'd learned how to shout down the media when asked pesky questions. :)
I'd suggest that we tread lightly here - into the area of religion. I will make one comment on the subject as a Jew. The number of Jewish members of Congress is irrelavent to the discussion of israel. I can tell you with absolute certainty that there are many Jews and jewwish sects that oppose the state of Israel on religious grounds. To assume that all Jews - deomcrat or Republican vote a particular way because they are Jews is prejudice. Jews no more vote in lock-step than any other ethnic or religious group.
Indeed, we probably vote less that way than any other. There's a reason for the old joke about two Jews and three opinions.
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
But since your perspective is "a good Arab is a dead Arab," all your program guarantees us is more bloodshed. By your logic, telling a drunkard to ease off the bottle is a mortal sin. And, of course, anyone with a less pure ultra-right-wing philosophy is evil.
I'm not sure you really know what it means to be pro-Israel or not.
Getting just a little carried away there, Write-your-Congressman-Ron? Really, your on-topic posts read much, much better.
A left wing and right wing radical are basically the same. A conservative can get there as easy as a liberal.
There's a serious problem with that plan. Plainly speaking, I pay a considerable sum for my medical coverage. Despite this, my employer still pays the lion's share. The cost of the coverage not withstanding, there are treatments and benifits that my plan will not pay for. Does it not seem wrong that while I could not get those treatments, people who do not pay for healthcare, people who get healthcare through entitlement programs are entitled to those same treatments. Threatments that I pay for with my tax dollars. I, for one, resent paying for services for others that I am not entitled to.
Think I'm kidding? Ask your medical plan to pay for viagra or Rogaine or similar treatments. Mine won't but medicare has determined how many viagra pills the average male is ENTITLED to. Wanna buy viagra cheap? Hang out in front of a medicare drug mill. 20 & 30 year old 'patients' will gladly sell you their allotment. You are paying for this because of Democraticly sponsored entitlement programs.
To keep it topical, people in my neighborhood pay $12.25 one way to Penn Station on the LIRR (peak) or $8.25 off peak. I assume that most here would pay for the LIRR and the subway. However, if you are on medicare, your fare is much less than that. The fact is, we subsidize the transportation of those receiving medicare.
Heck, I get at least ten "Discount Viagra!" spams a week.
At any rate, I think you're confusing Medicare and Medicaid.
After all, can't have minority groups out childbirthing the GOP ... every sperm is sacred. :)
I'm not too sucessful with Rogaine but it would make Redbirds hair-eeryer.
NJ got caught using Medicare funds to transport handicapped students to school and have to pay it all back. Frelinghuysen Township has the highest per capita property taxes in NJ with no police/fire/hospital/librtayr/anything. Not even one fire hydrant.
Did your crew receive a visit from Ole Roger??? I got an hour of rest out of it but had to scramble doing 14 PCE trucks with the computer finishing at 1445 hrs. CI Peter
:-O
Andrew
Did you pay taxes for the lion's share your employer paid for your medical insurance?
Did you declare the consideral sum that you pay for you medical coverage as an income tax deduction?
Did your employer deduct the lion's share for you medical insurance as a business expense?
In point of fact, the current system of employer provided health insurance benefits amount to government subsidized health insurance. Why should such subsidies be restricted to a certain class of citizens, at the expense of the others. Do you subscribe to the Constitution's equal protection clause?
The cost of the coverage not withstanding, there are treatments and benifits that my plan will not pay for. Does it not seem wrong that while I could not get those treatments, people who do not pay for healthcare, people who get healthcare through entitlement programs are entitled to those same treatments
One part of the Clinton plan addressed this issue, if you remember. It set a standard for basic care. Any employer-sponsored benefits that exceeded this level would be treated as a taxable perk. BTW, the greater objection to this provision came from company executives. Their executive health insurance policies, covered far more than health insurance they provided their employees.
Threatments that I pay for with my tax dollars
I have the same gripe as somebody who has retired but is not yet eligible for Medicare. Part of the tax dollars that I pay on my unearned income is used to pay for your subsidized health insurance. My own health insurance payments are not subsidized to the same extent nor are the benefits likely to be as good. However, I believe that good health is good public policy. I don't begrudge my tax money being used to provide for health, even with the evils of a third party payment system. I do begrudge the private sector profiteers who are indirectly subsidized and rant against those who get direct subsidies. I say a war against hypocrisy.
Yikes, I agree with Bauman about something.
He's right about the indirect tax subsidies for private health care. On top of that, remember most health care spending is on the old and the disabled, and the government pays for most of that through Medicaid and Medicare.
In fact, as of the most recent copy of the Statistical Abstract of the U.S. I bought (2001, data earlier), the federal, state and local governments were already paying, directly and indirectly, for 70 percent! of third party (not out of pocket) health care expenditures. That share is going to go in one direction (up) as the nation ages. Rising private health care premiums increase the tax expenditure on those who are lucky enough to be insured.
The question is, why is there constant pressure to add more direct and indirect goverment spending for those who already have health care? What about the working poor, who lack health insurance, and the self-employed, who can't afford it? What about the children of such people They get nothing. But they do pay sales taxes to support Medicaid (no matter how poor they are) and FICA taxes for Medicare, at 2.9 percent of income for the self employed. MASSIVE generational equity issue.
There is a lot less of a generational inequity issue than you may suppose. The high cost of medical care usually wiped out a person's life savings before Medicare existed. Now, if one's parents accumulate a modest estate , there is a good chance that most of it will pass on to their children.
Then you have intra-generational inequities. Sounds like those whose parents do not have estates (or whose parents are not here, like the immigrants) are being forced to subsidize those whose parents do have estates. As it is, those who have their elderly parents move in with them and provide care are forced to subsidize those who have their elderly parents give them their money then go on Medicaid.
Unless one's parent winds up in a nursing home, without having had the opportunity to transfer assets prior to the statutory "look-back" period. Then it's adios estate.
At the risk of ruffling a few feathers, not to mention veering even further off-topic, I'll have to say that the real problem with health care spending is the excessive focus on costly, but ultimately futile end-of-life care. It's standard practice to spare no expense in prolonging the life of a dying aged person even though little extra life may be gained and the quality of life is nonexistent. I'm talking about such things as inserting a feeding tube to prolong the "life" of an incontinent, immobile 85-year-old with Alzheimer's. Maybe the person will live a few more months. For what point? Lest there be any misunderstanding, I'm not advocating Kevorkian-style euthanasia, but merely a recognition that heroic life-prolonging treatments often do more harm than good.
It was ENTIRELY during Clinton's time that the US economy had its huge boom, and yet this is "Clinton's" recession.
I say it's Nixon's recession, makes just about as much sense blaming it on him as on Clinton.
Clinton was a very effective and pragmatic executive who knew how to work well with either party in Congress. He knew when to leave something alone, when to put the brakes on some dimwitted scheme the Republican majority would bring to the table (and some definitely were, although others were reasonable); everybody gets some credit for how we did, of course. He was a team player, and Congressional leaders knew it.
A trivial non-issue, frankly. He left Alan Greenspan alone to do what Greenspan felt was best; he let agency heads to their jobs (unlike Bush, who has basically tried to micromanage all of them). If he had a weakness, it was foreign policy, but that didn't keep him from being reelected.
Nobody's perfect. The problem wasn't Lewinsky; the problem was, he lied about it. If he had just said "Yeah I slept with her. Sorry about that." and his wife had just come out and said "Yeah, he slept with her. Big deal. It's a family problem, and we'll take care of it," nobody would have cared.
I don't care about it either frankly.
But it's Twiddledee and Twiddledum: a.k.a. Paturkey and Doomberg that's SCREWING THE WORKING CLASS OF NYC. Pataki coud've done something to the fare hike if he wanted to. Doomberg just wants to raise taxes on everything. Pretty soon, there will be a tax just for using your vocal chords.
Don't mind me - I've gone over the top today as far as lying republicans when I found out that more than a third of my retirement fund went byebye when KMart decided to just cancel the stock we held without even a vote, nothing. Seems Shrub changed the rules for corporate conduct while we were distracted looking for Saddam. :(
PeaceNik: Why did you say we are we invading Iraq?
WarMonger: We are invading Iraq because it is in violation of Security
Council resolution 1441. A country cannot be allowed to violate Security
Council resolutions.
PN: But I thought many of our allies, including Israel, were in violation
of more security council resolutions than Iraq.
WM: It's not just about UN resolutions. The main point is that Iraq could
have weapons of mass destruction, and the first sign of a smoking gun
could well be a mushroom cloud over New York.
PN: Mushroom cloud? But I thought the weapons inspectors said Iraq had no
nuclear weapons.
WM: Yes, but biological and chemical weapons are the issue.
PN: But I thought Iraq did not have any long range missiles for attacking
us or our allies with such weapons.
WM: The risk is not Iraq directly attacking us, but rather terrorist
networks that Iraq could sell the weapons to.
PN: But couldn't virtually any country sell chemical or biological
materials? We sold quite a bit to Iraq in the Eighties ourselves, didn't
we?
WM: That's ancient history. Look, Saddam Hussein is an evil man that has
an undeniable track record of repressing his own people since the early
Eighties. He gasses his enemies. Everyone agrees that he is a power-hungry
lunatic murderer.
PN: We sold chemical and biological materials to a power-hungry lunatic
murderer?
WM: The issue is not what we sold, but rather what Saddam did. He is the
one that launched a pre-emptive first strike on Kuwait.
PN: A pre-emptive first strike does sound bad. But didn't our ambassador
to Iraq, April Glaspie, know about and green-light the invasion of Kuwait?
WM: Let's deal with the present, shall we? As of today, Iraq could sell
its biological and chemical weapons to Al Qaida. Osama Bin Laden himself
released an audio tape calling on Iraqis to suicide-attack us, proving a
partnership between the two.
PN: Osama Bin Laden? Wasn't the point of invading Afghanistan to kill him?
WM: Actually, it's not 100% certain that it's really Osama Bin Laden on
the tapes. But the lesson from the tape is the same: there could easily be
a partnership between Al Qaida and Saddam Hussein unless we act.
PN: Is this the same audio tape where Osama Bin Laden labels Saddam a
secular infidel?
WM: You're missing the point by just focusing on the tape. Powell
presented a strong case against Iraq.
PN: He did?
WM: Yes, he showed satellite pictures of an Al Qaida poison factory in
Iraq.
PN: But didn't that turn out to be a harmless shack in the part of Iraq
controlled by the Kurdish opposition?
WM: And a British intelligence report...
PN: Didn't that turn out to be copied from an out-of-date graduate student
paper?
WM: And reports of mobile weapons labs...
PN: Weren't those just artistic renderings?
WM: And reports of Iraqis scuttling and hiding evidence from inspectors...
PN: Wasn't that evidence contradicted by the chief weapons inspector, Hans
Blix?
WM: Yes, but there is plenty of other hard evidence that cannot be
revealed because it would compromise our security.
PN: So there is no publicly available evidence of weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq?
WM: The inspectors are not detectives, it's not their JOB to find
evidence. You're missing the point.
PN: So what is the point?
WM: The main point is that we are invading Iraq because Resolution 1441
threatened "severe consequences." If we do not act, the Security Council
will become an irrelevant debating society.
PN: So the main point is to uphold the rulings of the Security Council?
WM: Absolutely. ...unless it rules against us.
PN: And what if it does rule against us?
WM: In that case, we must lead a coalition of the willing to invade Iraq.
PN: Coalition of the willing? Who's that?
WM: Britain, Turkey, Bulgaria, Spain, and Italy, for starters.
PN: I thought Turkey refused to help us even after we gave them tens of
billions of dollars.
WM: Nevertheless, they may now be willing.
PN: I thought public opinion in all those countries was against war.
WM: Current public opinion is irrelevant. The majority expresses its will
by electing leaders to make decisions.
PN: So it's the decisions of leaders elected by the majority that is
important?
WM: Yes.
PN: But George Bush wasn't elected by voters. He was selected by the U.S.
Supreme C...
WM: I mean, we must support the decisions of our leaders, however they
were elected, because they are acting in our best interest. This is about
being a patriot. That's the bottom line.
PN: So if we do not support the decisions of the president, we are not
patriotic?
WM: I never said that.
PN: So what are you saying? Why are we invading Iraq?
WM: As I said, because there is a chance that they have weapons of mass
destruction that threaten us and our allies.
PN: But the inspectors have not been able to find any such weapons.
WM: Iraq is obviously hiding them.
PN: You know this? How?
WM: Because we know they had the weapons ten years ago, and they are still
unaccounted for.
PN: The weapons we sold them, you mean?
WM: Precisely.
PN: But I thought those biological and chemical weapons would degrade to
an unusable state over ten years.
WM: But there is a chance that some have not degraded.
PN: So as long as there is even a small chance that such weapons exist, we
must invade?
WM: Exactly.
PN: But North Korea actually has large amounts of usable chemical,
biological, AND nuclear weapons, AND long range missiles that can reach
the west coast AND it has expelled nuclear weapons inspectors, AND
threatened to turn America into a sea of fire.
WM: That's a diplomatic issue.
PN: So why are we invading Iraq instead of using diplomacy?
WM: Aren't you listening? We are invading Iraq because we cannot allow the
inspections to drag on indefinitely. Iraq has been delaying, deceiving,
and denying for over ten years, and inspections cost us tens of millions.
PN: But I thought war would cost us tens of billions.
WM: Yes, but this is not about money. This is about security.
PN: But wouldn't a pre-emptive war against Iraq ignite radical Muslim
sentiments against us, and decrease our security?
WM: Possibly, but we must not allow the terrorists to change the way we
live. Once we do that, the terrorists have already won.
PN: So what is the purpose of the Department of Homeland Security,
color-coded terror alerts, and the Patriot Act? Don't these change the way
we live?
WM: I thought you had questions about Iraq.
PN: I do. Why are we invading Iraq?
WM: For the last time, we are invading Iraq because the world has called
on Saddam Hussein to disarm, and he has failed to do so. He must now face
the consequences.
PN: So, likewise, if the world called on us to do something, such as find
a peaceful solution, we would have an obligation to listen?
WM: By "world", I meant the United Nations.
PN: So, we have an obligation to listen to the United Nations?
WM: By "United Nations" I meant the Security Council.
PN: So, we have an obligation to listen to the Security Council?
WM: I meant the majority of the Security Council.
PN: So, we have an obligation to listen to the majority of the Security
Council?
WM: Well... there could be an unreasonable veto.
PN: In which case?
WM: In which case, we have an obligation to ignore the veto.
PN: And if the majority of the Security Council does not support us at
all?
WM: Then we have an obligation to ignore the Security Council.
PN: That makes no sense.
WM: If you love Iraq so much, you should move there. Or maybe France, with
all the other cheese-eating surrender monkeys. It's time to boycott their
wine and cheese, no doubt about that.
PN: Here... have a pretzel, instead.
Yes, there were some bad missteps.
You're a pretty good back seat driver, there.
Let's see, a Train Dude Administration:
-Afghanistan and Pakistan and Iraq would be neutered
-All Muslims in the US would be in concentration camps (for their own safety, of course)
-Income taxes would be eliminated and only consumption taxes would be levied, so those of us earning more than $100,000 a year could stop subsidizing the poor unworthy poor
-The MTA would become a road-building entity, because Train Dude's Transportation Secretary would elkiminate the word "subway" from the vocabulary (goes with the territory)
-The NRA would have absolute veto power over all Justice Dept. appointments
Sound good? When are you running, Train Dude?
That would be nice. Trouble is, his political bedfellows wouldn't go for it.
But hope springs eternal.
Why don't you give give yourself two "good posts", take a couple of Tylenol and lie down.
Ilike your line, BTW. May it be resurrected in the glory of the Manny B. Peaxce be unto you under its majestic girders.
It isn't personal, Train Dude. It's all business. I predict what you would do. If you would do differently, that's cool. How is that a personal attack?
"As for the other points, well you don't really know Dude that well and that's all I have to say about the matter."
The trouble is, I know him very well. Too well.
Unfortunately, prior to the attack on New York, how many would have believed that so-called suicide attacks would have occurred would occur in the U.S.A.? Calling them "suicide" attackers or bombers is incorrect. They are best referred to as what they are, homicide bombers, as multiple first-degree homicide is their main intent and the result of their actions. They are mass murderers in the first degree.
Pres. Bush has got it right and he wasn't even elected by majority vote: Bring them to justice or if that's impossible then bring the justice to them.
All that said and for all of his outbursts, #4 Sea Beach Fred's heart is in the right place, so I give him a lot of slack. Besides, he knows that if it was up to me, with both sides of the MB open, I'd send his train over the bridge.
No, suicide bomber works. Homicide bomber is redundant. What kind of bomber doesn't want to go out and kill? Suicide bomber describes someone who kills himself to kill.
Midnight terrorist these are terrorist who bomb symbolic targets in the middle of the nigh so that no one is hurt.
Not in the days of "Murderers' Row."
Tom
Where IS Osama anyway?
I've gone out of my way to avoid the spouting of a few, but this morning's propaganda has gone WAY over the top ...
I contend that whoever is in the White House has little to do with the economic well being of the country.
All that Republican GOP money still hasn't been invested heavily on you Slum-Beach line, just a signal overhaul, that's about it.
But hey, if you're living on Halliburton, Enron or Bechtel dividend checks, you'll pay NOTHING in taxes. And they're ALL subway vendors, so look at it as the reason why the Metrocard costs more. If you're a republican, it really *IS* a fun pass and nobody down. Except them swine who live on welfare or WORK for a living. SCROO THEM! :(
Beam me up Scotty!!!
Yes, as a matter of fact. Reagan himself was forced to admit that the economy reeked to high heaven the first few years of his administration.
"Cut the crap Bob."
Maybe it would be better if you checked your own facts prior to posting.
I did check it out. Reagan created huge deficits through extravagant spending at the same time he pushed through tax cuts, which had nothing to do with inflation. Reagan inherited half of it, then created the rest.
You do some homework.
Tawana Brawley - Ambassador to Fantasyland or even Secretary of the Interior (of plastic bags).
Louie Farahkan - Ambassador to Israel
Clinton could be the Ambassador to the Southern States
Al Gore could be his runnin' mate
Where was he when the fare was going up? Does he know it would be a regressive hike that hits hardest on the poor and working class?
But there were other ways to accomplish those goals, and economic prosperity came, in part, in spite of Reagan, not 100% because of him. He did some heads-up things, and he screwed up saome things too. Bush I was worse on domestic issues and the economy, and that got him kicked out of office after only one term.
Now you know the facts, too.
A Fantasy History of the United States, by SeaBeach Fred.
You know, Fred, instead of postring bull like that, you could crack a book open yourself once in a while.
No, Bush Sr. LIED about telling the American People to read HIS lips. Also in reference to the Democrats convincing him, all he had to do was to do what his predecessor's wife did, "JUST SAY NO".
Look at what happend to another Republican, Nixon and the fallout from the break-in at Watergate.
At least the asprin factory was closer to chemical weapons than anything the shrub destroyed in Iraq. :-)
Tom
You're right, Train Dude. Bill should at least have let Hilary aim the missiles. Her aim was much better.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Peace,
ANDEE
And don't expect to ever catch hilarious Hillary riding the subway. You can imagine the consternation if I boarded the Sea Beach at 36th Street in Brooklyn and saw her on my train. My reaction? Don't ask!!!
http://www.whitehouse.org/initiatives/posters/index.asp
Enjoy. :)
Yes, but did he have any faults? :-)
Tom
Peace,
ANDEE
So why exactly did you choose to pull this thread up? What little game are you playing here with this one?
AEM7
A quiet word from your boss that your activities have been noticed and will hurt you in your next performance review will do wonders to someone's exercise of their First Amendment rights to free speech.
Take a look at bryan1945's posts 496040 and 497900. It looks like cause and effect to me.
I used to think that this business of MTA supervision monitoring Subtalk was paranoid baloney, but not after what happened with bryan1945.
It's a very strange world of work, in the public sector. When you're dishing out services, inevitably some people will complain, because some people will get the shaft in favor of others who are more needy. The irony is that the powers that be wants those people to get the shaft without noticing that they've been shafted. This is why organized government doesn't work -- you need a way of distributing resources that carries all the information: and that's called $. If you had $2 taken away from you, you notice, because you're now $2 poorer than you were.
Take a look at bryan1945's posts 496040 and 497900. It looks like cause and effect to me.
Yeah, that does seem an unwise move. I suspect he probably moved on since then.
I used to think that this business of MTA supervision monitoring Subtalk was paranoid baloney, but not after what happened with bryan1945.
I still wonder why they have to be so secretive. It's not like NYCTA needs bipartisian support. I don't feel that it's the duty of the transit authority to preserve its authority, and if people want to shoot down the TA for trying stuff, they should try to live in a New York without the TA...
Their concern is understandable. But telling someone who was mildly critical (nothing really serious) to stop posting, which is what looks like happened to bryan1945, is very dismaying.
But yeah, these NWO cronies have now given us "Vaterland Sicherheit" (google those words as your history assignment for today from Unca Selkirk) and as a FORMER Republican, they can kiss my coupler. :)
Check my comments in the "George Will on Amtrak" threads if you will about where I'm coming from. We're LOSING our freedoms and our sanity and it's scaring my teat off. How DARE our "servants" take their revenge out on *US* when it was THEY (our party) who screwed up in the first place by cutting funding for CIA/FBI/INS SO drastically for dubious purposes which directly lead to those towers falling. And they have the AUDACITY to come after *US*?!?!?!?!?
You BETCHA I'm in a foul mood over this all, but Train Dude's CONTINUING silence after several of us have emailed him only CONFIRMS the madness. I hate to see someone who has been SO involved here silenced. GOOD NEWS is, according to my sources with NWI (NewsWorld International) ... Train Dude is *NOT* in Guantanamo. YET. Whew. :(
The First Amendment does not bar your employer from appropriately and correctly sanctioning you because of confidential information you chose to make public.
The First Amendment also does not bar your employer from inappropriately and incorrectly sanctioning you because of non-confidential information you chose to make public.
Employment is generally "at will" unless a union contract says otherwise, or discrimination on certain specified grounds occurs.
I doubt that either Train Dude or bryan1945 has ever released confidential information on Subtalk.
These are republican times. Hitler would have been PROUD. :(
Seriously bro ... NY is under PERPETUAL "Orange" (and I don't mean TUSTIN) ... NY *has* become a police state ... aside from here, where we always WERE a police state. :)
But that's OK ... I ain't black, ain't muslim, ain't gay and ain't a gypsy OR a Catholic (well, yes I am, but I deny it to live in peace) ... they ain't come for ME yet ... so it's OK. :(
His most recent beating involved a page that said nothing but "bump" just so a post from this thread could end up in the index. Why didn't you respond to that?
-Stef
Afterwards a walk of the Bay Ridge up to the hi-level platform was in order. (Took some pictures at the tunnel portal).
We parted company about 10:30 am, I going to grab a late breakfast and the Twin Forks crew went on to Dunton (Jamacia Yard) for an appointment to acquire parts from scrapped LIRR cars over there.
I picked up a quick Mickey D's breakfast during which I got a call from Mark W. alerting me that the SMEEs exited the tunnel portal onto the New Lots structure. So I got back into my car and drove over to Livonia & Snediker Avenues for an unobstructed view of the EL from the street. Waited a few minutes and sure enough the Redbirds FLEW passed me like a steel bat outta hell (was only able to snap off a couple of shots).
Of course I HAD to say hello to my fellow SubTalkers and Branfordites once the excursion made the Junius Street stop. The TSS-in-Charge was good enough to 'crew-door me' at Franklin so I could doubleback to ENY for my car.
It was good to see you Stef, as well as Mr. T, Allan Aron, Conrad Misek, Doug Carrier (both of Seashore) and the other asorted ERA and Branford regulars. I even heard that Dennis Riga was there! Is this true???
-Stef
--Mark
C'mon Fred, that doesn't fully explain the poor academic performance of California students. :-)
Tom
Look, Fred, you've got a bias there that the Congressional record isn't going to fully support. The basic facts are correct, but incomplete to the question, and as to who convinced whom and whose fault it was, well, the Democrats have as mmuch legitimately to claim as you do.
I'm not a registered Democrat by the way.
All kidding aside, Fred, we have acid tongues to match. I want you to keep posting and keep Subtalk as lively as it is. If you think Democrats are the root of all evil, so be it. If some of us (not me) think the Slum-Beach line should be replaced by rickshaws charging $5 per ride, so be it.
And take care of the Brooklyn BMT for us.
Actually, it was President Eisenhower who initiated military assistance to South Viet Nam after the defeat of the French in 1954. But like the U-2, it was not something mentioned in polite society. The military advisors dressed in civilian clothes in Saigon, and wore no U.S. insignia in the field. Kennedy expanded the numbers when the original commitment was not effective.
Tom
In the daily news, today, a reader wrote that the reason President Bush could fly a military jet was because he "hid out in the air national guard instead of fighting for his country". Yes, this night be so. He should have fought for his country like his predecessor. Oooops, did I say that?
Look what happened last year in the Gubernatorial Election in Florida. Jeb Bush cleaned the Democrat's clock in the race by 14%.
And, by the way, your pal Robert Byrd made a complete ass of himself with that self serving monologue about the President landed on the AC. All he needed was his KKK uniform to make the opera-bouffe a complete farce. Your boys are a sad and sorry lot. BTW, your sheets are ready.
And the NY Post PREMATURELY delcared Bush the winner (BUSH WINS) in their usual front page of sin, despite it being correct after the Supreme Court said THE HELL with the American People let's do OUR voting.
Nah, they just knew in advance ;^)
The fact is Gore lost. More importantly - Gore threw in the towel. Based on the performance of the previous administration, in which Mr. Gore played a minor role, we were fortunate to have a real president when this nation was attacked. Of course, some of you have short memories. It was Al Gore who stated that Sen. Byrd was his greatest inspiration in his life (or words to that effect). A man who idolizes a former Klan Kleagel, as president of this nation? Are you sure you really want to go there? Stick to trains, Kool!!!
Peace,
ANDEE
I see at least 20 threads about transit, many with contributions by notorious Democrats, that have been active today.
The trouble is it's easy to overlook those threads with all the political postings filling up the board.
---Choo Choo
You should therefore assume that what you said was so complete that there was nothing that could be added, so clear that no one had any questions about it, and so persuasive that no one could possibly disagree with what you said. Pat yourself on the back!
Tom
Arti
I want to hear about a tunnel rat finding a station made of gold....
-Stef
Peace,
ANDEE
I couldn't resist....
How stupid are you? We've already established (in a post by me, responding to you) that there aren't even that many voters in the entire Florida Panhandle.
Even though I went through this a year ago, and you'll probably ignore this again and spout the same lies a year later.
According to the 2000 Census, there were 671,445 persons aged 18-years or older in the 10 Florida counties in the Panhandle.
According to your logic, fully a 3rd of these people waited at home for the last of 15 or so hours that the polls are open, and immediately decided not to go when the TV told them not to. Does that make any sense to you?
In any event, only 180,221 registered voters in all 10 counties did not turn out to vote. This comprises 67.32% turnout among registered voters, consistent with Florida statewide statistics of 70% for that election that year.
2000 Florida CST election resultsCountyPopulation over 18BushGoreOtherTurnoutRegisteredAbsent
Bay112575386371885020335952064.179274933229Calhoun999628732155228525672.6672341978Escambia2251397302940958715412114170.8417100449863Gulf1043735462389630656566.1699233358Holmes1427949852154402754173.09103172776Jackson363069138686814641747072.87239736503Okaloosa128365520431692425457151264.2411132039808Santa Rosa86474362481279516415068465.167777827094Walton318061217656377241853765.86281449607Washington1606849832796574835358.18143586005Totals6714452376581115261739536657967.32546800180221
Sources: United States Bureau of Census, Census 2000: American Factfinder; Florida Department of State: Election Statistics, 2000.
Apparantly somebody wants to keep them for "history".
I submit that Florida could have made a mint selling them on eBay.
After all, we've seen Radio Shack selling a much rebuilt Washinton PCC and tokens, so why not all those chads?
and, it is true that the number of Florida ballots in storage is equal to the total of posts on Hippos and 76th Street?
Inquiring Mimes want to know.
Maybe it's because these attacks occured on American Soil. It really does amaze me how scared these people are though. Tall buildings and airplanes seem to be a combination that won't happen again, yet people are terrified to work at the 60th floor. It amazes me. But personally, i don't allow crap like that to get me shook up. Still do what I want.
I object to that broad statement. Keeping it On Topic, ain't the trains and buses still full? Streets fulla people, stores, bars, it's all going on. Most people aren't as you describe. Time goes on and things settle. I personally think most potential "foreign terrorists" who are thinking about their brand of evil don't take into consideration the seductive allure of the common American society. Call me simplistic, call me naieve, whatever. But I think the first three thoughts that pop into these guys minds when they get here are
1. "Damn, look at the women they got here!"
2. "Damn, look at the McDonalds they got here!"
3. "Damn, they got toilet paper here!"
This is some very STRONG juju. I think of it as at least causing doubt in the minds of most of these devils. Of course, it's not foolproof, nor does it help for native boy wonders. But it is a part of our strength. Us home growns forget how Disney-like it all is to most of the world.
We're cautious now, not cowards. We'll deal with it.
Okay. I'm not gonna get outta line here. But I've grown up with many "foreigners". I've seen what happens when people outside of our "culture" become exposed to it. My honest opinion: We will never become like Israel or Europe regarding terrorism. That's all I'm gonna say; I don't want to jinx things. But you wanna consider my thoughts "silly" it's okay by me. But I too have personal connections to that murderous attack on us.
BTW: I have not received any e-mail from you.
I don't see any problem with insulting foreign countries if you avoid insulting the people.
One partial explanation for the flat ridership could be explained by the driving restrictions around lower and midtown Manhattan. But even with the relaxation of the driving regulations, ridership on mass transit did not dip and there was not a mass exodus to autos.
If TD is stressed out from this particular Subtalker(s) and other elements on the outside, he should just ignore them and if he's really stressed he should just take a break form this board PLAIN & SIMPLE!
When I was practicing, my office would sometimes try to find federal claims when we were suing New York State or the City. It was always a tradeoff: state judges tended to be more sympathetic to our claims, but the government didn't get an automatic stay if we got a federal injunction.
Apologies for my political rants when I do them, but they ARE related to transit. Whether the direct link is those who control the funding, or those who make the rules, or those who BENEFIT from scraing us out of our teat so we won't RIDE the subway and take a cab instead. If it were my PURPOSE to engage in politicospeak, I could go on and on on thousands of details not related to transit far more condemning on more substantive issues. THIS ain't the place for any of that.
But the politicos DO control the ENTIRE game, and while we argue over loose bolts and lockwashers and where they're located, or WHERE the P train terminates today, the entire transit system we all love, appreciate and depend on is ENTIRELY owned by our politicos and the particular mood swing and photo op that attracts them today. Strappies TOO is a "political entity" ... if you're into PUBLIC TRANSIT, there's no escaping the political angles, they dictate the realities we all discuss.
Sorry for the lecture, I put in MORE time in "politics" than railroading or anything else ... railroading (even on museum trackage) *is* politics. The anointed MAKE the rules ... and they change them faster than some of our compatriots change their ... ahem ... undergarments. :)
I *sat* through all of that. Every session, every "Hear ye hear ye" ... I also was hooked up with the "Legislative Bill Drafting Commission" and other inbred nonsense. My chuckle of the last 26 hours I've been awake was a contact from a Westchester county newspaper (A "daily") asking me if I could get them a copy of the BUDGET which was passed yesterday afternoon. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha ... it won't even be PRINTED until the night before the vote. Oh, if people only knew that the MTA was a "BENEVOLENT DESPOT" compared to those we re-elected who blew genuine Arnine "blue smoke" up our collective butts. Hahahahahahahaha ...
Don't mind me, y'all KNOW how Selkirk gets when he's too punchy from too much email and too much code-writing ... when I'm struggling to wake up (whatever time) I hit subtalk and post until I'm semi-conscious. When I feel the sleepies coming on and have gotten home, post some more nonsense. Well ... bedtime I s'pose. :)
But suffrage of those who are "appointed" to a civil service title and KNOW what picking up the soap is REALLY LIKE (and you'd BETTER "fake it" buddy when the politico ... uh ... stains the floor) can attest that all I say can be corroberated ... once again to ALL, sorry for bringing up politics once again, but everything RAPID TRANSIT as well as ANY OTHER railroad is ENTIRELY politics ... and when a politician sneezes, everyone up and down the chain of "command, this is 0730 Brighton, I need a push" has to take "personal time" ... I apologize once again to anyone who feels that my political comments are off-topic. While I may inject an opinioin here and there with my rantings, the underlying truth *IS* on topic. :(
He called today with this information. The two subway cars on flatcars that are shown in the catalog are actual cars that can be pulled in a train on their own wheels and will light up. Since they are Premier models, there will be two number choices on both the red R-17 and the R-17 rider car.
I wonder if the rider car will be available in the original two numbers, RD339 & 36740. 36740 was the number of the rider car in the work train set that everyone felt bad about not being able to purchase separately. MTH would not commit as to what the two numbers would be.
I'm surprised, MVM's give them as change. Here's a picture of one.
BTW, does anyone know if Boston accepts them yet?
People can always use the "UTT" on the bus.
Mark
Another movie I can think of shot there was the scene in coming to America. R32 or R38 train signed as an "E" train in that special Grafitti paint job.
Thats why on the southboud track, the nameplates on the wall are so random.
Hoyt is the budget location on the Subway as it requires the least amount of work from the MTA to provide it. Shows with a little more $$ or a little more clout (like Law and Order) can shoot in actual locations. Some movies, like The Warriors, shoot in Hoyt and real locations like 96th St. (standing in for Union Sq I believe). The Movies section of www.nycsubway.org has more complete information.
Erm, this is the show that tried to pass off PATH WTC as a subway station, and a PA-1 as an A train....
I don't have a great problem with these "foamers". They're doing what interests them or comforts them. They may be very limited in how they are leading their lives, but it's their life. They're doing something.
There is another class of foamer, which I call the message board foamer. They fill this message board daily with 500 to 1000 posts talking about transit.
I think it's the message board foamers that give the railfan window foamers a bad name.
My remarks are not meant to be a subtle attack on any one person here. They are meant as an attack on everyone here.
My remarks are not meant to be a subtle attack on any one person here. They are meant as an attack on everyone here.
Yes, everybodys posts combined equal roughly 500 to 1000, so it was easy to figure out.
And in a way, you're right. On this site, people bicker and fight, Bitch and moan, Whine and complain. Out on trains people just enjoy the ride. Personally, I don't have that kind of time, and I enjoy discussing the future routing and construction of the subways.
Watch out if you're attacking me. We might have to meet somewhere for a "simple chat." ;-)
wayne
Heypaul, I like your stuff.
Bryan
I'd say foamers are pretty much ON topic.
Mind ya, we LOVE our trains whenever we get to play with them, but railroads, choochoos and where the SEABEAST runs consumes LESS than 0.0005% of our "reality" ... sure, when it comes to choochoos that ARe subways, we're into our own buzz ... but we get a BETTER buzz looking out the bedroom window and watching the bunnies on the lawn DO what bunnies are noted for. Folks who ONLY get into how many TPH occurs at a station they don't LIVE at are the ones who need to a$$ki$$ "Doctor Phil" ... for the rest of us, watching the sun rise and blessing the cab WHEREVER we are ... well ... "priceless." :)
No, but it is probably somewhere near Uxbridge at the end of the Piccadilly line. :-)
Tom
If ONLY! More like 100 on-topic posts and 900 posts about
politics, religion, general world events or personal feuds.
Added to the fact that DF is on the right of the pol spectrum, so no balanced coverage there.
This is why I used to post the entire article, but NOOOO, people just bitched at me.
Added to the fact that DF is on the right of the pol spectrum, so no balanced coverage there.
True, but if I posted articles from "Concrete & Asphalt" or "Destination Oil Dependence and SUV Isolation" nobody here would read them. This is a pro-transit message board, it would be stupid to post anti-transit news sources just for the sake of balance.
D/F presents a wide range of issues that deserve discussion here on SubTalk and would otherwise get no play.
Now then, since he seems to be in a digging up garbage mood, what about that time he made derogatory remarks about people who work low paying jobs (likening them to prision inmates) and then refused to explain himself when I pointed this out? He also called me a jackass, as well as a few other things, and then said that I was immature and that he and others should no longer respond to my postings. That describe a 'stand-up guy' to you Fred?
Even when someone says somthing mistakenly, they should at least apologize. If someone does not agree with them, there's no need to refer to them as assholes, or the myriad other terms that he has used for those who disagree with him.
I'm quite surprised to see dear ole CC calling his recent medical
situation "this crap".
If it's crap you say, then crap it is/was. (odd.)
There's a flaw in your logic, who is giving the bad name? If you are referring to the general public, the MB foamers can't give foamers in general a bad name because the general public would never in a billion years ever read into a subway message board enough to develop a bad opinion. However, they do run into window foamers on a regular basis in the real world. The only people in a position to give foamers a bad name are the RFW foamers.
That is really strange. I make compressor sounds, and even dynamic break sounds (you know, the MBTA 01800 makes those miuuuuuuuuuu whine because of the changing frequency in the thrystor-choppers). I also make animal sounds in the company of my friends, in public, and they are always embarrassed. I just don't quite get it.
But I have never been too interested in looking out the front car window, or drool over track diagrams that some people do...
I'm weird.
AEM7
Many (25-50) R-1-9 rollsigns (Front and side)
Several (15-25) "D-type" signs (Front and side)
20+ BMT Standard rollsigns
Several (25-50) assorted other signs (R-10, R-12, R-16, etc.)
Whistles (5-10)
Air Gauges (5-10)
An inventory check is ongoing. I will post any other news as I get it.
-Mark
If anyone is interested in donating any of the above listed items, Please contact me. This year, Things are happening that have not happened in 20+ years (R-9 trip, SMEE trip) this theft is a MAJOR setback for all of us.
How often were the museum cars inventoried? Could this have been an ongoing process?
I then remembered this post from back in May that there was stuff stolen....perhaps I'm just a tad suspicious....but I've seen similarities between what was listed as stolen, and the items I've seen on eBay. I wouldn't mind a few of you just checking eBay for yourself and see what you think. Perhaps you may have already noticed and this is old news...but just thought I'd mention it.
Go to eBay, and do a search for "SUBWAY ROLL SIGN". Pick any of them, and check the "Seller's other auctions"....you'll see the other stuff he has. Click on the number next to the sellers name (150), to see his feeback rating...you can click on any item number to see the stuff he's previously sold.
From the previous post, here's what was listed as stolen....I've seen MANY of these items...
> Many (25-50) R-1-9 rollsigns (Front and side)
> Several (15-25) "D-type" signs (Front and side)
> 20+ BMT Standard rollsigns
> Several (25-50) assorted other signs (R-10, R-12, R-16, etc.)
> Whistles (5-10)
> Air Gauges (5-10)
Your thoughts??
One of the feedbacks says "Great contractor too!"... So he's a CONTRACTOR!!
Did this guy get hired as a CONTRACTOR for TA and not get paid what was promised?
Items "recently found in STORAGE" (which is how CIY kept them).
You INVESTIGATORS can all draw your lines from there...
Good points, Tedd... IAWTP.
If this does turn out to be the "ill gotten booty"....how do you go about reclaiming the stuff?
Honestly, I really miss seeing the R40 slants on the (L). It's hard to believe they disappered so quickly.
David
1) Was this new rules every posted anywhere on the trains or station? If so then how can a blind man read this?
2) Who get the extra $0.25 that the C/R now has? I mean the pouch ticket dose not have a place to say they were charged extra money because there were no given coins for change. So does the MTA get it which is unfair or does the C/R pocket it, which is also unfair?
Robert
On Board Trains
Peak one-way, off-peak one-way, and off-peak round-trip tickets may be purchased on board trains at a cost of $2.75 to $3.50 more if ticket machines are available or the ticket office at your boarding station is open one half-hour prior to the scheduled departure. This higher on-board fare does not apply to senior citizens, people with disabilities, Medicare customers, or customers boarding at stations without a ticket office/ticket machine. Cash only; no bills over $50.
So it looks like the conductor should not have rounded up for the blind guy.
Thanks for the help.
Robert
How can they no longer carry coins if this is still in effect?
Excerpt from MTA rules:
Seniors and People with Disabilities
For individuals 65 years of age or older, as evidenced by a Medicare card, driver’s license, birth certificate, or MTA Reduced-Fare MetroCard presented at time of ticket purchase or use. Good all times except weekday morning westbound peak trains.
If he has a reduced fare card, it's not the conductor's job to figure out whether he has engaged in chicanery to get it.
How about the peak step-up charged when an off-peak ticket is used on a peak train?
In other words, if you have a $5.25 zone 4 off-peak ticket but use it on a peak train, will the step-up be $2.50 (peak fare is $7.75) or $5.75 (onboard peak fare is $11.00) or even $6.00 (no coins)?
How about the step-up charged when using a ticket for a shorter ride on a longer journey?
If you use the same zone 4 ticket for zone 7 travel, will the step-up be $0.75 (zone 7 off-peak fare is $6.00) or $3.75 (zone 7 onboard off-peak fare is $9.00) or $4.00 (no coins)?
In the past, the on-board purchase surcharge would apply to neither of these situations. Under the old policy, the step-ups above would only be $2.50 and $0.75, respectively. Has this changed?
It's obvious that they're trying to eliminate the handling of coins on board, but as long as step-ups are honored, they can't do it without getting messy and unfair.
Mark
2) I think the conductor pocketed the 25 cents.
Depends. If the receipt says $4 (I realize the blind guy can't check, but someone else can), then the LIRR has gotten an extra $.25 in revenue because the conductor didn't have change and didn't give the correct reason for failing to give change.
If the receipt says $3.75, the conductor stole the money and is guilty of petty larceny (not that it's provable at this point, but he's guilty anyway).
Obviously if the passenger has the correct change there is no problem if the conductor does not have change. The problem was the LIRR not giving advance notice that conductors no longer carried change for a dollar.
Tom
I don't know if that's LIRR policy, but I can speak for myself as well as many other NJ Transit trainmen and say that we do the money transaction first, THEN cut the ticket. This is because there were countless times when a passenger changes their mind and wants a one way instead of a round trip or vice versa, or they want to go to Elizabeth instead of Newark, etc. Of course we could tell such a passenger "too late, we cut the ticket already", but if they didn't pay yet, they don't care. It would just mean possible police activity if they refuse to pay at that point. Which is why we get the money first, then cut the ticket. Then, we can say it's too late if they change their mind, and we already have the money.
NJT's policy of charging passengers the $5 service charge is soaring high compared to MNRR's and LIRR's penalties for purchasing tickets on board trains if no prior opportunity to buy tickets was available at their boarding station. Does NJT really need all this money gained from service charges?
Actually, we usually STAND and cut tickets, but that's another story...
Anyway, in my humble opinion (and I know Railfan Pete will probably disagree), the surcharge from places like New York, Newark Penn, and Hoboken should be raised to $10, while the surcharge from outlying stations should be reduced to something like $1 or $2. The reason being that at the major stations, there are umpteen TVM's as well as many agents available. At places like Westfield or Aberdeen-Matawan, for example, there are only 2 machines and no agents after the morning rush. At times after the morning rush, those stations can get pretty crowded, and sometimes there are just too many people for only 2 machines.
Especially when the machines won't take debit/credit cards, only cash, as I've come to expect from the two machines at Little Silver. I've only once managed to use a debit card from there... otherwise it's been "cash only", due to communications line problems with the machines.
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
How many "odd-ball" TVM's does NJT have like the one mentioned above? And how many in different layouts? (i.e. missing BILL SLOT)
Also, what are the lighted messages and what colors are they? I know one of them is "No bills accepted" in white in red. What is/are the other one(s)?
Does the machine itself change the dispay (not lighted) of OPEN (green)? What is the message in red (or dark orange)? On the older TVM's that NJT used to have, the orange represented "Exact fare - no change given". This was misleading, as I stood in horror at viewing this message while I payed in cash, but was relieved when the coins started spitting out. If it is manually changed, who changes them?
Answers would be greatly appreciated.
NOTE: I like the colored effect over the black-and-white on the older TVM's. The front has F40PH2CAT #4118 (correct me if incorrect) in beautiful, accurate colors, but I forgot the second rotating design.
I don't know about the rotatings designed for the color screens, but the Black & White ones had it alternate between 4118 and Comet II 5135.
Now I realize some wiseass passenger could have paid a $9 ticket with quarters, but if that had happened he could have then given the blind man his quarter.
I wouldn't mind mints at least...
Here's the NYTimes article. As always, you need to register. It is free though.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/03/nyregion/03RIDE.html
Interesting thought though ... if the state really CARED about making the MTA a PROFIT making concern for the state teat, then they'd install KENO on the digital roll-signs, section off unused cabs and rent them out to hookers, use a trunk-based "bar car" employee to sell beers, install wagering on platforms as to whether the next arriving train is a 4 or a 5, double or nothing if it's a diverted 6, and a grand prize payoff if it's a number 2 owing to a blockage. What are the odds that some Looto player would hit on a #2 arriving at GCT southbound at 3:14pm? Why the odds would approach that of the LOTTERY! :)
But if the state wants to open up Video gambling, they might as WELL hire hookers and open state-run crack houses. Imagine SCRATCH-OFF METROCARDS!!! Ladies and germs, I rest my case. Heh.
Get 3 tokens and win a Weekly! But watch out for those lemons...
I tell ya though, if they went for the "hooker" idea, I'd bring my handles and keys and spend some money in "Fun City." Heh. Just call me "Bender" ...
Oh yeah, mandatory "on topic" ... wonder if the hooker's cab would be bigger or smaller on the N train, and whether the rathole or the bridge would make it bigger without having to reply to a spammer. :)
I mighta been ABLE to handle the morons if I'd toked up. Heh.
Even IF the token's gone, why NOT "a token and a dream" ... now that the MTA metal is gone, who'd actually HAVE sufficient command of the English language to equate "TOKEN" with "Tokin'"? :)
PLACE yer bets ... find the queen, find the queen ... GAMBLING is NYS' *FUTURE* ... PLACE YER BETS ... D train or A train ... the holding lights are LIT, no more wagering, please ... AND THEY'RE OFF!
(how much NOW would you expect to pay, but wait ... you'll ALSO get the fabulous WIND CHIMES!)
HOOKERS AND KENO! Watch the CLOSING doors ...
The subway dosen't need food service as on many platforms there are Newsstand brand news stands that sell a wide variety of food items. I also think that there is some place that sell Gyros and they are pre-made and waiting so people can jump out of the stopped train, grab a Gyro and then get back on the train b4 the doors close.
David
No Eating
No Drinking
No Radio Playing
(.....could be I've mistaken MTA for Bee-Line)
No Littering/Smoking/Spitting/Radio Playing
on NYCT, at least.
David
Chuck Greene.
Yeah, and think of the money that could be saved by not printing those useless maps!
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Once again their is no evidence the MTA cooked the books. Hevesi's own audit did not state the MTA cooked the books. His flashy headline implied they did using terminology like "two sets of books" to mislead the public. Read the entire document, he presented no evidence of cooked books. Beccause there was none that was evident.
If you read the audit you would know that. Standard and poors reaffirmed that the MTA's books were kosher
The MTA's biggest problem is all the debt they took on over the last 15 years which is now comiing due. They were able to take advantage of the historically low interest rates to refinace some of the debt but it still needs to be paid back someday. The $600 million thew comptrolers implied if used this year to cover operating expenses was used to pay off some of the mountain of debt comind due over the next two years
The MTA only hope going foward to keep the base fare from exceeding $2 is to streamline it's operations
PRIORITIZE capitol projects that will allow it to streamline operations. Postpone staion renovations that are not in dire need of repair. Utilize in house crews to do all work, hire specilaists such as elevator repair, esculator repair, CCTV(between bridges and tunnels and NYCT the mta will have installed 1000 cctv cameras over the past 3 years) etc. This is the perfect time to hire because so many good people are jobless. The end result will be lower overall costs and easier to track corruption.
Streamline it's administrative structure which they are doing
Reduce train crews from two to one by using cctv cameras, upgrade R68, r142, r143 with in cab flat pannels.. RUN SHORTER TRAINS MORE FREQUENTLY during non rush hours to reduce costs and attract more riders. Properly upgrade stations with clear consistant OPTO short train stoping locations. Better utilize public adress systems to keep the public abress including bi-lingual announcers where apropiate.
Reduce token booths to one a station and then replace the position with a security officer type position who would be responcible for maintaing secure premises such as monitor cctv, assiist NYPD and FDNY in disasters and other emergencies.
Better track and monitor surface operations such as busses and access a ride USING GPS BASED bus and access a ride monitorng. Take access-a-ride in house. I rather have the drivers make a bit more then the shady operating companies skim ther part. The whole system is amess and the MTA is occuring all the expenses of reservations and vehicles. Why not operate the dam thng themselves.
Better utilize MTA real estate and marketing opurtunities to create alternate revenue streams
Only then will the MTA be able to bring costs in line with expenses. Lets hope MR Hevesi participates in the un-sexy reorganization procccess where there is little to be gained politically except a better opereting more effecient MTA
#3 West End Jeff
http://www.timesnewsweekly.com/
Researchers at Cambridge and Oxford universities believe both scientists displayed classic signs of Asperger's syndrome, which include eccentricity, lack of social skills, obsession with complex topics and communication problems.
It is also suggested that Einstein, who discovered the theory of relativity, and Newton, who discovered the laws of gravity, had these traits in varying degrees.
According to the researchers, Einstein showed signs of Asperger's from a young age. As a child, he was a loner and often repeated sentences obsessively until he was seven years old. He was also a notoriously confusing lecturer, reports BBC.
Later in life, the German-born scientist made intimate friends, had numerous affairs and spoke out on political issues. However, the researchers insist that he continued to show signs of having Asperger's.
"Passion, falling in love and standing up for justice are all perfectly compatible with Asperger's syndrome," Professor Simon Baron-Cohen of Cambridge, one of those involved in the study said, reports BBC quoting New Scientist magazine.
"What most people with Asperger's Syndrome find difficult is casual chatting - they can't do small talk."
The researchers believe that Newton too displayed classic signs of the condition. He hardly spoke, was so engrossed in his work that he often forgot to eat and was lukewarm or bad-tempered with the few friends he had.
If no one turned up at his lectures, he delivered them anyway - talking to an empty room. At the age of 50, he had a nervous breakdown brought on by depression and paranoia.
However, others believe that these traits can be attributed to the high intelligence of both men.
"One can imagine geniuses who are socially inept and yet not remotely autistic," said Dr Glen Elliott, a psychiatrist at the University of California at San Francisco.
"Impatience with the intellectual slowness of others, narcissism and passion for one's mission in life might combine to make such an individual isolative and difficult."
Being familiar with Autism research, I'd like to make one other comment--"Asperger's," though it has separate diagnostic criteria from Autistic Syndrome, is used a synonym for "High Function Autism" or HFA, to distinguish from Rain Man. It is an abused diagnosis, but then Autism and Autistics have suffered a lot of official abuse.
Kinda hard, as he admitted here that he's actually a human being, as strange as that is, considering.
Direct from the annals of Subtalk.
Being OFFICIALLY labelled as a "geek" only assures that your BEST sex will be at a subway car storm door. Heh.
OFFICIALLY labelled as a "geek", as I wore thick black framed glasses, carried a pocket protector with 7 pens (all different ink colors) in it and tortose shell sunglasses, plus hung with the crowd that did things like the newspaper, the locker squad and the library club. (Did all that, plus delivered the New York Times (yeah, the school's in Baltimore) which meant I got to deal with the faculty, so I found out who were neat and who were cheapskates, since I also got to collect the money.)
however, I did drive a cool car (57 Chevy Bel Air) and played baseball (left handed catcher) mostly from the bench and got along with the jocks.
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
Do you mind if I ask why?
Mark Michalovic
-Robert King
Speaking of mercury, has anyone ever noticed the decor of the Jersey Avenue station of the Hudson-Bergen light rail? Medicine is the theme, and as chemistry is a big part of medicine the floor is decorated with symbols of chemical elements, including mercury (Hg). You can see the symbol for helium (He) upside down in the picture below from this very website.
Just out of curiosity, does anyone else have more picutres of this station and it's decor? I teach chemistry and they might come in handy. I'd take them myself, but I don't get up to North Jersey very often.
Mark
Mark
How about doing this one...
MTA: Not going my way!
Big bold letters:
"Lower fares, higher wages, richer pensions, more service, and fewer tax subsidies: the MTA delivered!"
Fine print:
"And now, to pay off the debts and unfunded pension liabilities, the MTA will deliver the opposite."
What is the PARODY that you are 'paradying'?
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
http://talk.nycsubway.org/cgi-bin/subtalk.cgi?read=487510
The following photo is from the last days of the K. The actual last day had R-40s on the K and B, preparing for the change over. Sorry for the low quality scan, but my scanner is antiquated, albeit still able to do transparency.
The BB became a single B in the late 60's after the Chrystie project I believe.
The "AA" (non-rush hours) from 168th to Hudson Terminal replaced the non-rush hour "CC", which became a rush hour only service when the 6th Ave. line opened (24 hour service to the Concourse line being provided by the new "D" train). In rush hours, with the "CC" operating, Washington Heights locals operated via 6th Ave. and became "BB" trains.
After Chrystie St. opened, existing post-war rolling stock, notably R32s and R38s, didn't have a "B" train indicator on their roll signs (the R1-9s did), so the pasted a single "B" over the "BB" and used that indicator. Sometimes, the pasted-on single "B" fell off.
-- Ed Sachs
The R-10s had B signs up front.
Bill "Newkirk"
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You know that this really sucks for Amtrak. Having a 44 train per day capacity constraint could really kill service on the NEC (as it did in this case for SLE service to New London). What bussiness does the CT DEP have in regulating how often Amtrak can raise and lower its lift bridges? Railroads are interstate commerce and thus under federal refulation and all inland navicable waterways are also mandated to be the responsibility of the federal government. I believe that either the Army Corps is responsible for lift bridge regulation. This needs to go to court and have Amtrak be able to run as many trains that it can while still making reasonable allowances to boat traffic.
http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df/df04282003.shtml#Trains
What would they be saying if this were an auto bridge? Keep it open until we allow it to close?
A bunch of Robert Moses supporters!
If Amtrak / US DOT / FRA didn't have it's head up it's ass when it did the Acela system, it'd be a less of an issue - raise the bridge 30 - 40 feet up and you don't have to open/close it as much. With real high speed trains, this isn't a problem - they can negotiate 3% or 4% grades at track speed no problem.
Thus, if they had properly designed the system in the first place, this wouldn't be happening.
Why should CT DEP, or anyone else, roll over to allow Amtrak to do whatever it wants? Amtrak chose to retain an acient, at seasd level bridge system, and they have to deal with acommidating boater's needs as a result. There were and are ways of engineering around these issues, but they didn't bother to explore them. Tough shit, IMHO. CT has every right to manage their waterways and access to / from however they see fit for their state. If that screws up Amtrak because of Amtrak's stupidity, tough. The waterways were there first, they were a known issue from day one, the technology existed to reduce or even elimanate the problems, Amtrak chose not to implement it. Not CT's fault.
Thus, if they had properly designed the system in the first place, this wouldn't be happening.
You're mistaking the Shore Line for that multi-billion $ TGV only lines that the French built all over. The Shore Line carries a lot more than just ACELA's you know. You have AEM-7 hauled NE Direct trains, GP-40 hauled SLE commuter trains and U23/B23-7/C30-7 hauled P&W freight trains. The AEM's might be able to handle the grade, the geeps could probably handle it with a little more difficulty, but the P&W's will be crawling at 5-10 mph. What are you advocating here? The complete elimination of non HST? Acela Line East Commuter service? High Speed Local Freight?
Rebuilding the 5 bridges would not only have cost billions, taken YEARS, but the approach ramps on either side would have never passed NIMBY muster, let alone dealing with the various railroad junctions that are located next to these bridges.
Jimmy
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Hopefully it won't be the one the MTA just hired
http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df/df04282003.shtml#Amtrakstarts
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Do we have any portland ppl around who can comment to how badly their state is in the crapper?
http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df/df04282003.shtml#Cascades
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Even despite the MHC's going out of service Amtraj is still having a rough time in the Mail and express bussiness.
http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df/df04282003.shtml#Amtrakboxcars
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http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df/df04282003.shtml#Greenbush
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http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df/df04282003.shtml#Tampa
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Let's all hope that this useless piece of "tourist transit" is killed before it wastes any more money.
http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df/df04282003.shtml#Seattle
You actually think that the POS Central Link being propped up by unSound Transit (aka Piece Transit redux) actually stands a chance at reducing the number of cars on I-5 and 99? The Green Line was THE ONLY project in the works that would benefit the riders over much of King County, quite unlike the uni-corridor Light Rail plan propped up by Sound Transit and City Hall.
Elliot Blvd and the West Seattle Freeway are so choked with cars that Commuting via them is at best a joke, and at worst, more of a nightmare than the LIE. The Green Line would have benefitted both places, north and south of the city in a manner quite unlike that created by the Trolley system, which by all estimation would CREATE more car traffic through the closing of the Bus Tunnel, and, later when the dual usage tunnel reopened, fewer busses running through the tunnel because the LRT cars would require bigger headways.
As to the reference to the Seattle Center Monorail: First, it's a wholely separate system from the proposed Green Line, it's just that both happen to be monorails, and so to the uncouth, unschooled observer, appear the same. Second, it's the ONLY publically owned transit system in the United States to turn a profit annually! Now how many light rail systems can say that? San Diego? NOPE! Lost it's profitablity when it was extended! The Seattle Monorail WAS a tourist transit system, it was built for the 1962 worlds fair, how could it be anything else? And might I add that the original system was built at a cost of merely 3.5 million 1962 unit dollars for the 1.5 mile ROW, thats 2.3 million per mile, or an incredible 13 million per mile if adjusted for inflation between 1962 and 2001. Oh, and after the fair, when ALWEG had covered it's capital costs for the construction of the system they turned the whole system over to Century 21 for nothing. Century 21 in turn sold to the city for a mere 600,000 dollars, probably the best deal any city ever got on a transit system.
Compare the Planned monorail, and planned light rail lines. And consider these direct quotes from LightRail.org: "The latest analysis estimates a total cost of $3.6 billion – about $171 million per mile," they go on to say, "Seattle is certainly one of the most expensive urban areas to build any kind of transportation facility," becuase, "...Hilly terrain and numerous waterways, plus the constraint of the Pacific Ocean (Puget Sound) on one side."
What a load of BullSh!te, they're building UNDER the city through a tunnel built 10 years ago, they propose to merely build a mostly at grade line with all the hazards that brings, AND most of their ridership currently rides the bus ANYWAY! Sound Transit's Lightrail "LINK" is a farce,
Now look at the Seattle Popular Monorail Authority's plan for their 14 mile Green Line, and see, first of all, that the amount is listed just three pages off the homepage, easily accessible (quite unlike SoundTransit, where the figure is so buried in .PDFs I had to go to a secondary source for it). They list the cost as 1.749 billion dollars for their 14 mile line, which works out to a mere 121 million per mile, and that is including all consulting and such fees (it would be 1.4 billion, or 100 million even per mile without such an addition). That right, $50 million cheaper, AND the line is FULLY grade separated, with the possibilty of quiet, street friendly service on the same level as any Subway system in the world.
So no, Seattle should DUMP Sound Transit on it's Arse while they have the chance and just have SPMA build a secondary line down to Ranier Valley off their initial Green Line if they really need the service.
The SPMA's Green line is a project totally concieved, paid for, and built in the City of Seattle. I'm not sure if the SPMA has studied how many of their riders will come from the bus, but i would bet the results would be very similer to those of Central LINK light rail. Of course everyone knows that they will attract more riders than they anticipated, like many other Light rail systems have done. And as for relieving traffic congestion it's doubtful the monorail will do much to resolve traffic congestion in the city of seattle. What capasity they do free up, will quickly be filled by more motorists from both inside and outside the city.
As for the Metro Transit Tunnel, Running light rail through it is the best use for it. More People could use it by riding light rail through it than they ever could by running buses through it. Yes during the construction period they will need to close the tunnel, but by altering the bus route configuration in downtown seattle a lot of the effects will be nullified.
And Finally, you must remember not to be making cost comparasions this early in the game. Sound Transit is almost done with their design and is complete with their EIS work, and they have started construction (well actually pre-construction) while the SPMA is still very early into their design and EIS work. As Sound Transit learned, A lot can happen between design and construction and the SPMA is not immune from the same circumstances that hit ST.
Sound Transit has done practically nothing for those people who live north of Seattle, a 3 stop Commuter train maybe running twice a day (if it ever gets started, now ST just says '2003'), and express bus service that Metro could just as easily provide (oh and you can't use the Tunnel, unless you're one of the lucky 550 from Bellevue bus). Yet they want 3.5 billion for a light rail line that will serve the same area as their Commuter train. Excuse me for calling it Neo-Pierce Transit, if forgot that Pierce Transit still exsists, and yet Sound Transit for some reason feels the need to build them the Tacoma Link, which will serve only downtown Tacoma. Why did Metro KC have to pay for it's own CBD ride free zone, while Sound Transit paid for Tacoma's? I'm sorry for bring a bit biased, I just think that transportation system should provide service to ALL that pay it a subsidy, especially when that transit system draws from a select group of counties, not an entire state. Perhaps Sound Transit should be restricted to running inter-county Sounder commuter trains and a few ST express busses while Snohomish Metro and Pierce all provide intracommunity services.
It may be that SPMA is in the beginning of it's construction phase, not yet loaded down with all the stuff that made Sound transit 50 million dollars more than SPMA, however the point is that the price per mile is unlikely to rise much more than the 50 million per mile separating the two. And, even if both come in at the same, or nearly the same cost per mile, Monorail still wins, becuase it automatically provides all the service that a LRT could, with all the grade separation that a Heavy Rail line (like BART, NYCTA, WMATA, etc) provide, all at a fraction the cost of a heavy rail line.
BTW, I was wondering, are you the guy who ran "Busdude's Page o' Busses" at http://www.barp.ca/busdude/? That was a great site for Northwest bus photos, mind if I ask what happened to it?
Thanks
As for the other projects, While we may get Tacoma LINK light rail, you will note that we dont get other ST Express improvements that Snohomish County does. While we have LINK light rail, we got about Three ST Express Projects (DuPont, Shill P&R, and Tacoma Dome Stn West). We dont have any HOV direct access ramps, New Transit Centers, or as many P&R lots/improvements. Its all a big trade off.
The thing with the SPMA is, they are so early into their overall design that many people dont really know whats going on yet. Once people start really figureing out stuff, and once the final designs are done i will bet they will run afowl of their budget in the same way Sound Transit did. The other thing that i have agenst the monorail is that it isnt compatable with anything else. Most LRVs are capable of running anywhere, with a monorail there really are no standards to dictate stuff like that, and you are locked into a propriatory vendor.
And yes, i do run Busdude's Page O' Buses. The servers got changed and i bought a URL. Its now at www.busdude.com
I-695 (requiring voter approval for all tax increases) was found unconstitutional.
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Let's all hope that this useless piece of "tourist transit" is killed before it wastes any more money.
http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df/df04282003.shtml#GE
That GE was able to make a diesel that was 40% cleaner than their current one for a minor investment (100 million for a new engine design isn't a lot anymore), seems to point to a place where big improvements can be made at low cost/impact.
Then again, I hear the existing GM 2 stroke won't be able to meet the upcomming EPA regs, though with no EGR, no catalyst, and no SCR, it's not like they're designing for a clean motor in the first place. Look at light diesel industry, where the technology is leaps and bounds beyond rail diesels (electronic valving, EFI, EGR, feedback systems, etc), not to mention the auto industry. It shouldn't be hard to make rail diesels a LOT cleaner today.
Anyway, I'm amazed GE thinks this is all new - VW was showing diesel on demand in cars years ago.
Then again, electrics are known to be more efficient and don't use any power sitting in a yard any....
Because their engines will just get shittier and shitter. You know how long it takes for a GE 4-stroke to load. The EPA needs to get off the railroads asses. Railroads save far more fuel and pollution compared to the motor vehicles that they replace. By forcing the locomotive builders to cut their preformance of their units all that will happen is that the traffic will shift to trucks.
The problem with GE's is a piss poor turbocharger design that's been 'fixed' by screwing with the injection system, and not by designing a decent turbo in the first place.
I wouldn't worry though, the Class I's are so braindead, they'll by GE/GM's shit no matter what. apparently both companies figured that out years ago, too...
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Hmmmm, seems that Harvard is trying to expand its own operations at the expense of the economy of the greater Boston area.
http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df/df04282003.shtml#CSXBoston
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Seriously, they will be known as NAFTA Rail.
http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df/df04282003.shtml#Hola
According to the MTA web site No R Service between 36th Street and 95th Street(replaced by Shuttle Bus)
Today at Union Square Station announcement that R train is operating between Continental Ave and Whitehall Street only!!!!!
I actually saw a southbond R train (an R-46) with electric sign "To Whitehall Street"
THE MTA LIES AGAIN
Thank You
Thank You
Majority know well enough to NOT trust the MTA Website for a godsend.
You're Welcome. :)
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Lets list all their lies and let the public aware of it
Thank You
Ironically, SEPTA's slogan is "Serious about Change". I think it's not serious for anything. The way Philadelphians are and Pennsylvanians, nothing works out with their cranky and short-minded attitudes.
Is the N running on the local track SB from 36th to 59th, as usual for weekends? How about NB? Is it making local stops?
-AcelaExpress2005 - R143 #8265
C Train Local - #3519
C Train Local - #3413
--AcelaExpress2005 - R143 #8265
Do some R68's have this equipment? Finally, since CBTC can help safely operate trains, will it result in higher speeds/less timers?
--AcelaExpress2005
The conventional signals (remember, this is a pilot project) will be put in service over the next half year plus. Meanwhile, I think they are going to begin testing various CBTC components which are being installed.
When this is all over, the L line will be the line to ride. Meanwhile, we Culver riders have not yet begun to be stuck with G.O.s.
Last Sunday I saw six R-40 sets and one R-40M set on the W. Usually there have been about three. If the Q was running only R-68's and R-68A's, that would explain some of the excess R-40's.
http://english.glendale.cc.ca.us/angflt.html
perhaps they are confusing the 1963 date with the discontinuance of streetcar service in Los Angeles.
The PCC's saw very little use on the FCGU, three or four years total, as the cars were very in very bad shape by the storage for three years in the subway tunnel.
Southern Pacific (the owner of Pacific Electric) took FCGU to the cleaners on the PCC sale.
The PE (and LARy) is part of the focus of the OERM's collection. They do have at least one PCC from the PE. Salaam has posted a picture of it.
Tom
All the PC PCC's (double end, multiple unit, Pullman built) went to FCGU and were scrapped there. OERM didn't get a 5000. They have SF MUNI PCC's, LARy, LATL & LAMTA PCC's, a PCC from San Diego, but no PE ones.
I believe Salaam posted a PE "Hollywood" car, which is not a PCC.
It would be fun to explore the terminal end, but that would take some kind of approval from the building owner and an escort to unlock doors. Neither of those things is likely at any time, and certainly not on a weekend, unless you could convince the real estate agent that the group represented rich investors with a multi-million dollar down payment. You would have better luck getting a copy of the ½ hour tour of the place done by Huel Howser for his KCET program.
At the other end there is nothing but the abandoned tunnel, no tracks ties or wire. There is a gate in front of the tunnel mouth with plenty of holes in it. It is trespassing to go into the tunnel, which goes several hundred meters ending at a blank wall, but there is plenty of olfactory evidence that people have been there. Outside the mouth of the tunnel is the old Toluca Yard. There is usually a neighborhood soccer game in progress there. Here is an ariel view of the location. Or maybe this tour will suffice.
Tom
You have a safe trip over from the islands!!!
R-32
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
I seem to recall the rationale behind this hair-brained scheme was, "Let's paint the cars white. That way we can get the graffiti off as soon as it's applied." Huh? Sounds almost like a Ralph Kramden scheme. Hamana-hamana-hamana-hamana.
#3 West End Jeff
#3 West End Jeff
Because they aren't "Snowbirds". "Snowbirds" was a name previously taken by another rail transportation vehicle back in the 60's. I believe in 1965 the Lehigh Valley RR purchased a fleet of AlCo C628's that they then (eventually) painted in a white scheme with large black LEHIGH VALLEY lettering on the sides and black upper surfaces. Note the following example:
--------------------
Down with the rest, the Brighton line is the best! phased in from 1985-89.
Canvasbirds. Hmm, gotta love it.
The other typical train suffix is "Liner"
Peace.
ANDEE
Mark
---Choo Choo
On this past Friday (5/2), on train # 5446, 8 people got on and nobody got off. On train # 5713, 15 got off, and nobody got on.
Obviously a few years ago, the TA ran short trains during non-rush hours, but they haven't in a while. Why are these signs still up, and at every station?
"Board shuttle trains here"
What shuttle trains? I don't think the Culver Shuttle or the 3rd Ave El run anymore...
Are there any more (types of) signs like this? Why are they still up? And why don't they put some of these on the (G) platforms and cover up the part that says "off-hours", so passengers won't get confused? I was once part of an entire train-worth of (G) passengers that was standing near the back end of the platform at Hoyt-Schermerhorn, most having got off the A/C, and the train pulled in and stopped at the front. It was chaotic, and is really annoying running around the staircases to get to the train.
Elias
Pictures to come soon!
http://www.chesapeake.net/~cambronj/wmata/yards/e99/
After I left Oren and Tristan I went down to Central Avenue and got some pictures of the Blue Line G Route extension construction. 33 images, resized and compressed for faster viewing. These guy are not wasting any time.
http://www.chesapeake.net/~cambronj/wmata/g-route/
John
Here are three of what I think are the most interesting pictures I took today. Full complement will be on my website at a later date with bus rodeo pictures, this is merely a preview of what is to come!
White Line to...
CAF 5159
Between the blind ends of two Bredas (MUST SEE!!!)
View from the ground as opposed to taking picture from a station platform.
Here are more examples;
DCP01368.jpg
DCP01369.jpg
DCP01370.jpg
DCP01371.jpg
John
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
You asked for it.
http://www.chesapeake.net/~cambronj/wmata/yards/e99/DCP01350.jpg
John
No, WMATA has always had a open photography policy with certain limits. The limits are no tripods or light stands can be used on WMATA property for photography without a permit.
Mark
From what Oren related to me the Bus Rodeo was more open and had more stuff that people see then what was in Greenbelt Yard (E99).
This was my second rail Rodeo the first was in 2001, These are the pictures I took back then. I missed last years Rodeo. This was where I first saw and photographed the CAF cars before WMATA had excepted them for revenue service. Being I don’t use or ride metrorail very much my first ride aboard a CAF car was in Greenbelt Yard.
John, someday I'll see that collection of yours.
Haven’t had time to check with boss about that Saturday run from the west.
John
Everybody agrees that the Lex bottleneck is partly due to the dwell times at stations being too long, but too long means over 30 seconds. The announcements aren't that long.
Possibly a train in the middle of the night could get where it's going faster with quicker announcements.
"This is a Manhattan-bound L train. The next stand clear of the closing doors please."
Or even worse:
"This is...[BING-BUNG]-CLICK"
Some human conductors do, too. There's one guy on the F who insists on staying in each station to announce every major stop on every connecting train. For example: "Transfer is available to the uptown 'D' express to 205th Street in the Bronx, stopping at 59th Street-Columbus Circle, 125th Street, Yankee Stadium, Fordham Road, and ending at 205th Street. Transfer is also available to the 'B' to Bedford Park Blvd in the Bronx,...."). However, he does sometimes "hurry it up" - by omitting his own train's info!!
"This is a Brooklyn Bridge bound 6 train. The nex-Stand clear of the closing doors please!"
I guess he did this because there was no reason to sit at those stations for longer than necessary. But once we got into Manhattan, he let the messages play out fully.
As for late nights, I was on a Redbird #2 (over a year ago) from 12:07a to 12:30a (approx. from Bergen St. to Penn Sta.) and on some station stops the conductor wouldn't say anything and open and close the doors. Announcements were succinct, and this was where I met the best Redbird in service, #9119. Smooth starts and stops, smooth doors, and the like. What equipment was in use on the #2 line before the R142's took over?
"This i- The ne- Stand cl-" DING DONG CLICK
The R142A and the other NTTs should announce the next stop once the train starts moving if they don't announce it in the station. For example:
This is a Brooklyn Bridge bound 6 trai- Stand clear of the closing doors please! DING DONG
(train starts to move)
The next stop is 77th Street
But the only time it would do that is when the next stop wasnt announced when the doors were open.
"This is a Brooklyn-bound 2 express train. Stand clear of the closing doors! The next stop is 14th Street. Ding dong!"
I've only heard it that one time.
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Anyway, the descriptions of the items say that these date back to the turn of the 19th century, but they look IND style. Can anyone comment?
Reminds me of a pair of Redbird bulkhead signs (route & destination) I saw in an antique shop on 79 St, "great 1920s art deco collectable!" When I told the proprietor that the frames themselves couldn't be older than 1958, and the signs were from the mid-1980s, I was asked to leave the store.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
-- Ed Sachs
Construction of Church Street South Extension
Over New Haven Interlocking and Rail Yard
... As of Saturday May 3, 2003 6:30 PM the Church Street crane pick is a GO. Anticipated initial pick time will be at 12:30 AM to begin transport of bridge at 1:30 AM.
Newington, Conn. - State Transportation Commissioner James F. Byrnes, Jr. has announced that the construction of the Church Street South Extension over the New Haven Rail Yard is in the final stage of preparations of a major operation. O & G Industries, the contractor for the project, is completing plans to erect the bridge span over the mainline railroad tracks at Union Station. This will require a complete shut down of electric power and rail service while construction crews set the bridge span in place over the tracks.
Erection operations are currently scheduled for Sunday, May 4, 2003 between the hours of 1:30 AM and 3:30 AM, weather permitting. (In the event of inclement weather, the operation will take place on Sunday, May 11, 2003 at the same time.) The public is alerted that announcements and notifications from both Metro North and Amtrak will be made regarding any effect this construction may have on train schedules during this time period.
A protected viewing area will be established on Union Avenue adjacent to the construction work zone. The City of New Haven Police Department will control this area. The public is asked to abide by all in force parking restrictions and regulations. For safety and security reasons, the Public will not be allowed to enter railroad property.
This construction operation will be a first for the Connecticut Department of Transportation and will involve the use of the largest, mobile, land-based high capacity crane currently in existence. To minimize the disruption to train service and eliminate the difficulty with building a bridge over active rail lines, the Department of Transportation specified that this portion of the bridge be completed in a single night operation over the weekend.
The bridge span to be erected is a 320 foot long truss weighing over 850 tons and is the main segment of the 1280 foot long bridge that will carry Church Street South Extension over the New Haven Rail Yard to link up with Sargent Drive adjacent to I-95. The truss span has already been fully assembled on temporary supports outside the limits of the railroad tracks. This high-capacity crane owned by the Lampson International LLC, will require over 4 weeks of assembly and was delivered on more than 200 tractor-trailer loads of parts. The crane will lift the truss span in its entirety over 65 feet in the air and travel 100 feet towards the tracks where it will be set in it’s final position.
When all Phases of the construction work are complete in May of 2004, the new bridge and roadway extension will connect Union Avenue with Sargent Drive. This will provide an alternate route for traffic seeking downtown, Sargent Drive, and Long Wharf areas of New Haven as well as improved access to and from I-95 and Union Station. The total Project cost is approximately $32 million dollars.
If you've never seen Hudson, the tracks to ADM literally go right through the center of the city - right through a city park.
On occasion, they wouldn't call. And, without fail, when they didn't we would need to get to the other side - and couldn't.
Can you show me on a map where you are talking about?
I have passed through Hudson, NY on an Empire Service train to Albany...and I see what ur talking about
Carlton
Cleanairbus
Transit Is My Drug
What would be the point of lowering it?
Peace,
ANDEE
They are not supposed to block all three crossings, though of course they *could* if they tried.
There is a defect detector west of town, and if defect detected, they would be out the other side of town before they could stop anyway, but the rules are not to block the town. I spent an afternoon chewing the fat with the engineer while the conductor got in his two mile walk checking the train.
Ha.... I was taking with this crew before they left Dickinson, and then I drove home on the Interstate. Sometime later, same crew is cooling its heels. Actually the train ahead of them got tagged with a defect, and that one stopped east of town like it was supposed to, and so this guy got held up west of town, and could not enter the grade crossing until the front guy was gone.
Elias
Carlton
Cleanairbus
Transit Is My Drug
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
BTW there are no handles on the outside of the train. Gates and springs protect the people on the outside of the train not those crossing from car to car. That was the point of the modification.
I don't understand that. Please explain.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
As to why the end doors weren't simply kept locked when the decision was made that the slant wasn't good from a safety point of view, at first they were. However, unlike the 75-footers, the end doors can't be unlocked electrically in an emergency, and either nobody thought of retrofitting the cars with that feature, it was deemed more expensive than adding the chains and brackets, or somebody decided that it was better to allow people to walk between cars, even at the cost of the cars' aesthetic appeal (and remember, the first 200 cars came in without air conditioning and the end door windows don't open and never did, so locked end doors might not have been considered as palatable as they might be now).
David
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Chuck Greene
Chuck Greene
When the R-40 slants go to a museum, then the bars can be removed.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Well, It was fun when I was a teenager and in my early 20's - ten years later now I guess I would look a bit foolish riding between cars - you seem to be able to get away with more when you are a kid. I guess it was the closest thing my generation had to gate cars, as the Myrtle El was removed before I was born.
***It is not recommended to ride between cars - dangerous! I would never do such a thing.
wayne
Any other comments from those who attended?
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
Two grandkids. My 22 month old grandson is quite the railfan, having ridden and enjoyed PATCO, the Market-Frankford el, and the Cape May Seashore Lines Budd car.
Bob
Chuck Greene
--Mark
I liked your Standard - looked like who ever gets to play with it has loads of fun making those bull gear, door motor and compressor noises. I know I would!! :)
Yes, I get to make all sorts of fun noises when I play with the standard :)
--Mark
I also went on the Line Car Chase Fantrip on the Media and Sharon Hill lines. We chased line car D-39, due to be retired very shortly, as SEPTA now has a diesel replacement line car on the property. Events on this trip may have made this D-39's last run (it supposedly had three other last runs before ours).
We did the Media route first, and all was uneventful, with a good number of photostops made en route. But about 3/4 into the route, line car D-39 experienced motor problems (I think two of the four motors on the car shorted out). It travelled to the end of the line at reduced speed, with the railfans following it in a 1981 Kawasaki car.
On the way out of Media, on an upgrade on State(?) Street, the motors on D-39 were cut back in, but they blew again. This time, the Kawasaki car was in the same electrical block as the line car, and the power surge shorted out our car, too! No propulski!! The Line Car was able to recover from the surge (2 motors still OK) but we were dead in our tracks, literally! We were rescued by an in-service Media Local - it coupled onto our car and towed us back to the junction of the Media & Sharon Hill Lines, where we all got off. The car was then towed to the 69th St shop for repair. Meanwhile, the new diesel line car was dispatched to rescue D-39, and towed D-39 back to 69th St shop. We got unexpected pictures of these line cars coupled to one another.
After it dropped off D-39, the diesel line car and a new chartered Kawasaki car met up with us at the junction, where we took it to the end of the Sharon Hill line and chased the diesel line car back to 69th St. We ended uo chasing 2 line cars, had ample time for lunch and comfort breaks (very few or none were originally planned) and the trip ended about 4pm instead of 2:30pm.
Got some good video chasing the line cars as well as in-service video on some of the viaducts that these lines run over. Nearly went for a swim trying to grab that perfect angle!
There was an ad-hoc PCC trip that also occurred on Sunday, 1pm was the start time. Did anyone attend that trip?
--Mark
Are you making trolley videos yet:)
Simon
Swindon UK
Of course, if you'd rather just have the trolley portions of the videos that have subway, too, that can be arranged ... just talk to me off-line.
--Mark
DANBURY RAILWAY MUSEUM
SPRING RAILFAIR DOUBLEHEADER!
SUNDAY MAY 4TH 2003
TRAIN SHOW (at Western Connecticut State University) featuring 100+ tables of Railroad Collectibles, Gifts, Models and Books
COMBINED WITH RAILFAIR DAY (at Danbury Railway Museum) featuring Unlimited Vintage Train Rides, Track Car rides, Model Railroad Clinic and More
FREE SHUTTLE BUS service takes you between BOTH events all for ONE LOW PRICE ADMISSION ($7 Adults $3 Children).
Train Show runs 10am to 3pm (at the College)
Railfair runs 10am to 5pm (at the Museum)
Contact:
Danbury Railway Museum
(203) 778-8337
http://www.danbury.org/DRM
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Yep, that's it.
---Cho0 Choo
---Choo Choo
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
http://brianweinberg.com/photos/5borobike/5borobike.html
Note, there are some photos on-topic for this forum. Try to find them.
---Choo Choo
---Choo Choo
Your pictures made me feel like i was there
---Choo Choo
I bowed out htis year because for the first time in a long time I Had no one to ride with.
I was thinking about marshalling but decided just to skip this year.
What I like the best about the bike tour is you get to see the underbelly of the city from a prespective you don't normally see
---Choo Choo
It has never aired live. There isn't any competitive aspect, so there is no interest in carrying it as a sports event, like the Marathon.
It was featured in an episode of a program called "Marlo the Magic Movie Machine" sometime around 1979-1980. It was also the feature subject of a Johnny Carson monologue and a Charles Osgood poem around 20 years ago.
It has received more TV coverage abroad. There have been programs about it in Japan, Brazil, Germany and Quebec. There was a Canadian TV crew out yesterday.
FYI, I was a Marshall in it three years ago and my brother has been a Marshall in the tours for nearly 8 years...
Oh yeah, on regular days, do they currently allow cars on the SI Ferry?
---Choo Choo
You were at the tail end. The regularly scheduled 5:30 boat was coming in, when loading stopped on the Legion. The 5:30 boat was the last boat that officially took 5 Boro riders back to South Ferry. There were about 50 stragglers on the 6:00 boat; they used the passenger terminal to enter.
Oh yeah, on regular days, do they currently allow cars on the SI Ferry?
Not any more, thanks to 9/11.
So I went with her to the car and helped put the bike rack on the car and I chatted a bit. By the time I got back to the ferry line, it was shorter. The distance the line extended beyond the ramp was cut in half. The line moved quickly because a ferry was boarding. But the line stopped moving when I was about halfway down the ramp. I then had to wait an additional 20 or so minutes until the Legion arrived and started boarding.
Anyhow, my point is that when I left the festival, people were still coming off the bridge and there were a lot of people still at the festival. A LOT! So there is no explanation except that during the time I was helping with the bike rack at the car (30 min max), most of those people headed down for the ferry. Because as we were pulling away from the dock, the line on the ramp was pretty short.
How many people (with bikes) do you think they put on each of the boats?
---Choo Choo
I'm was a 5 Boro marshal and one of my assignments was the Ferry Terminal.
I tried to leave the festival at 3:45pm, but they were only allowing small groups out at a time.
The plan is supposed to be hold people in the Fort for 5 minutes out of every 15 minutes. The purpose is to permit automobile traffic to cross Bay St. There are contingency plans to hold people at the Fort, if there are any ferry problems. There were no ferry problems yesterday.
The line for the ferry at that time was way past the end of the ramp. It went up the street a good way.
If you left at 3:45, then you arrived at the Ferry Terminal at approximately 4:05. How far back were they? Our reports at the ferry dock were that they were backed up only to the water station near the Post Office. We try to keep the bus ramps to the terminal clear. Any overflow will go into Bay St, which is closed to traffic.
my point is that when I left the festival, people were still coming off the bridge and there were a lot of people still at the festival.
The last riders were entering the Fort at 3:45. The SAG vehicles pulled in around 4:15. They started pushing people out of the Fort around 4:30. All the people were at the ferry by 5:00, except those that stopped at the bars.
How many people (with bikes) do you think they put on each of the boats?
Our guess is around 1200. It varies with how much loading time we take. We figure that a boat load will take up half the ramp.
If you left at 3:45, then you arrived at the Ferry Terminal at approximately 4:05. How far back were they?
Let me try to describe it. On Bay St, right by the ramp, there was a low, concrete median with plant life in it. The median went up the street a ways, then either stopped, or there was a large break in it. That is where the line was backed up to.
The last riders were entering the Fort at 3:45. The SAG vehicles pulled in around 4:15. They started pushing people out of the Fort around 4:30. All the people were at the ferry by 5:00, except those that stopped at the bars.
My sister and I made a 45 minute stop at the pre-Verrazano Bridge rest area. We then arrived at the Festival at 2:30pm. Without that long stop, and another stop at the Astoria Park rest area, and without my sister, I guess I could have made it to the Festival by 1:15pm. When did the first bikers begin to arrive at the Festival?
Our guess is around 1200. It varies with how much loading time we take. We figure that a boat load will take up half the ramp.
At 1200 a pop, and assuming 25,000 take the boat home, that would be 21 boat loads. How many boats were there per hour? What was the race's estimate for the number of riders that would take the ferry home, and/or did take the ferry home? Also, do you have the latest for how many people rode in this year's tour?
Thanks for answering all these questions!
---Choo Choo
Approximately 11:15. There is a mandatory hold at Astoria Park until 10:00. There is also a mandatory hold at Ft Wadsworth until 11:45.
How many boats were there per hour?
4 boats/hour most of the time. The sole exception was the interval from 4:00 to 4:30. There were indeed 21 boat loads, starting at 12:15 through 5:30. The early boats went out with fewer than 1200. We loaded more on the later boats. We probably achieved maximum loading between 2:30 and 3:30. We use 25,000 as the estimate for the number that we transport back to South Ferry.
Also, do you have the latest for how many people rode in this year's tour?
We don't know how many people rode the tour but we will have an accurate number of how many were registered to participate. The registrations from Thursday on through Sunday have not been processed yet. Those numbers typically run more than 1000 per day.
Wow, I'm a good guesser!
Can you please post the final tally of registered riders when you know it? Thanks.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
--Mark
---Choo Choo
---Choo Choo
Four boats were operating, which constitutes the large boat fleet at any given time. One of the big boats is always out of service for maintenance.
The regularly scheduled Kennedy Class boats were the Kennedy and the Lehman. Bikes were permitted on the automobile deck, which is now closed because of post 9/11 security concerns. The bikes are restricted to the lower deck because of DOT's concern for their regular passengers.
The two extra boats were the Barberi (Barberi Class) and the Legion (Kennedy Class). All three decks could be used for bikes because they carried no regular passengers.
Needless to say there was a very long line (2pm) waiting for the ferry of sweaty bikers.
I'd be curious to know how long you waited.
Is it possible that the organizers paid for the extra boats?
The last page of the participant's Ride Guide reads in part: "Additionally, proceeds benefit the Department of Transportation Traffic Safety for NYC, Inc..."
This foundation is operated and administered by NYCDOT. It is not unusual for special events, organized "fun and games", etc. to make a contribution to NYC to defray extra costs incurred by the City.
I would not be surprised, if the amount of this "contribution" were not somehow related to the extra costs for operating the extra boats.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
It's just a matter of time before the Kawasaki R-62s debut on the 3.
-Stef
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
1506-1510 are back on the road in 4 service, sporting new trucks....
-Stef
R-32.
As to the length of #3 trains, it's been ten cars, not nine, for about a year and a half now.
David
wayne
They did. Has everyone already forgotten the how the MTA cut down the 11-car trains to 10-car during the summer months? It was done because of the presumably lower ridership during the summer months with students not going to school/and other stuff. I believe they got rid of the rogue R33 single with fans only. Even with the R62A's coming in last summer, they still ran 10-car trains.
For this summer, it'
I mean to say, 'For this summer, who knows if they'll still do the 10-car pattern.
How does cutting the trains to ten cars increase the capacity of the line?
9536-7 haven't been stripped; I wouldn't count them out just yet.
9536-7 was off the road today and stored on the track next to 9362-3, but I've seen cars there that have gone back into service. I won't believe it's permanently OOS until I see parts missing.
Correction: 9354-5 and 9526-7 have been OOS for months.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
In other words, they may be at one of the ends one day and in the middle the next.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
http://www.railfanwindow.com/temp/2003.04.15/r-36ml.html
---Choo Choo
---Choo Choo
Directly to its north were 9662-3, which seem to still have their original pre-GOH gray seats.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
You really have no clue how a railroad works do you?
---Chapter 11 Choo Choo
---Choo Choo
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Needless to say, your 'birds are not faring well. No more 'birds are running on the ML anymore and it seems they are going fast on the Flushing...
Sorry for the blurriness but it was zoomed through a tinted window.
Not that you can tell from the picture but the 2 genesis engines were /_____| |_____\ (back to back) instead of the usual /_____| /_____| (sniffing leader's ass) alignment.
Not that you can tell from the picture but the 2 genesis engines were /_____| |_____\ (back to back) instead of the usual /_____| /_____| (sniffing leader's ass) alignment.
It's called "Elephant Style".
That's blatant discrimination against dogs!
Computers like numbers.
Computers like to *SORT* things
they like to sort things by the numbers....
So, without the letters, the order of the doors would be:
1, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
End of Mystery.
(Except of course that they should have used Port and Starboard!
: )
that is, until a hoodlum fills in the 0's to look like 8's, then the computer goes wacko ...
oh wait, the comptuers don't actually look at the little stickers to figure out what doors to open. This is all moot
I'll bet you the computer will generate a report for the car-knockers on which doors need to be fixed.
Or if someone is holding a door, it can tell the T/O // C/R where the problem is.
: ) Elias
The thing is, I don't think there are any stations where both doors are opened at a station. So being told what side is being held open is pointless, since they should already know.
Robert
David
I hope this helps.
Robert
Finally, you've uncovered the real reason right-on-red is prohibited down here.
Mark
After all, if traffic moved in Manhattan, then a lot more people would be complaining about the subways being slow. Heh.
That used to be the reason, but it turns out that it doesn't matter which direction a stationary object is pointed in when you hit one. Let's face it: at a mile an hour, you're not gonna do that much damage anyway.
Mark
robert
But with the NYC Subway having suffered so many decades of deferred maintenance, there are now many more stations requiring rehabs than can be done at any given time. This is not to say that I excuse the lack of a response, but I wouldn't attribute it to racism.
At high street I noticed an 46 going southbound, so I got off at B'Way-Nassau to shoot some. How many pictures does anyone have featuring reroutes? :)
I got there and an A was pulling out. To my delight what pulled in next was...
But that wasn't the best. Then a C pulls in, and next up...
Wait! Wait! After an A follwed by a C, and MASSIVE congestion (I could see the A still sitting right there outside the station for about 5 minutes), I got...
Only thing more beautiful would have been slants... :)
Zillions. Here's one from an unusual vantage point:
Great pics by the way. Rare to see reroutes, especially those through the Cranberry.
Here's what was crazy. E trains were running down 6th Avenue and terminating at 2nd Avenue. So the F was running via the E and the E was running via the F. When I got to 2nd this afternoon, there was a substantial crowd waiting for a Brooklyn-bound F that won't come until tomorrow morning.
And when I left 2nd, there were three R-32 sets in the station, two E's on the middle tracks and one F on the NB local track. Too bad I had no way to get a picture of that!
The E was rerouted via 63rd Street (and hence 6th Avenue) because of work somewhere on the 53rd Street line. In most cases, it continues to 2nd Avenue, even though it could go to WTC; this time, it may have specifically gone to 2nd to avoid congestion, with the C and F already sharing the track the E would need to get to WTC.
But it sure was confusing, especially since the PA systems on the R-32's aren't very clear. Nobody at W4 had any clue what was going on. Sending the E to a dead end probably wasn't the best of ideas, at least without reams and reams of crystal clear signage on the platforms and on the trains.
Yeah, alot of people were lost yesterday, I overheard a group @ Spring St that thought at first they had to change for the (F) at Jay, but then somebody pointed out that they already WERE on an (F), and they thought it would magically turn around at Jay and go back up towards 2nd Ave (I think they were going to Delancey or E Bway). The last I saw of them was at Jay; they were headed towards Bergen.
R-32
Not that its the definitive answer, but but to show you you're not alone in getting used to 100% R46s.
Also the N according to thsi report is 100% 60' cars.
To be honest I really don't know the purpose of this report and there may be some reason why the report doesn't actually reflect the true assignments.
Also, it doesn't tell what type of equipment runs on which lines. It just classifies as 51', 60' and 75'.
Its interesting because it does say that the N is all 60' cars, but during the midnight hours runs 4 car sets.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Sure enough, we came to an unscheduled stop in Garfield. After she got off, and we got going again, the conductor made a slightly humorous announcement, the essence of it was a reminder not to smoke on the train.
I checked the schedule: the next train from Garfield, the last train of the day, was three hours later.
On a related note: can someone explain the reason for adding a bicycle rack to a train station, when there's a grand total of two houses in a 1-mile radius, and the nearest village a couple of miles away? A new bicycle rack is apparently, one of the things that will be added as part of the ongoing construction work at the station.
Might come in handy. If it's such a low density area, perhaps there's a chance of riding your bike to the station each day without getting killed. And a few miles is the ideal range for a bike ride: too long for most people to enjoy walking, but pretty quick on a bike.
Also, is R62A 2133 still at Livonia or was it transferred to Corona?
Yeah, that happens when there is a 11-car set ENTIRELY of R62A singles, anything in the 2000- and 2100-series on the #7 line...that is EXTREMELY rare...and Gary C. or R33 #8840 a.k.a. Tom Maley can tell you that...
Carlton
Cleanairbus
Transit Is My Drug
David
Before GOH, the emergency lights were located in the center fluorescent ceiling lights. Installing the emergency lights in the A/C vent cover was a GOH thing, it wouldn't work when the fans were in place.
Bill "Newkirk"
As to the R-32 and non-air-conditioned R-38 and R-40 cars, their incandescent emergency lights were in the fluorescent lighting diffusers. The cars got air conditioning during GOH, and new fluorescent lighting (which doesn't require incandescent bulbs) at the same time.
David
R-32
David
David
David
David
There are some changes vs the March edition:
The new fares are reflected in the narrative portion of the map. A box detailing the new 311 Non-emergency help number has also been added.
The boxes at the lower left corner on the subway side detailing the restoration of the 1 & 9 service and regular 2 & 3 service and the Coney Island/Stillwell Av reconstruction have been removed and replaced by a box detailing the Q train weekend reroute via the local track in Manhattan.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Are you serious or joking? New printing facilities?
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
"No tourists go there, and New Yorkers don't need maps. Especially New Yorkers who work for the MTA at 370 Jay."
The workers at 370 Jay Customer Service could USE a few lessons on both the system and public relations. I recently attempted to bring to their attention an illogical weekend GO as listed on the TA website: No N service; W running EXPRESS outbound 59-Stillwell via Sea Beach and returning to Manhattan normal via West End local. No one on the phone seemed to understand, and there was no answer at the W line super's number. So I went down to 370 on my lunch hour.
Armed with the help of a map and pertinent screen shots from the website, I attempted to explain that the way the GO was worded, there would no service in either direction at any Sea Beach station except New Utrecht. They were very patronizing and dismissive- not to mention talking out of both sides of their mouths. I didn't know what I was talking about; after all, they work for Transit and I don't. They did at least call 'upstairs' only to find that the wording on the GO stood as written.
After ten minutes of frustration, I never did receive a definitive explanation one way or the other as to whether there would or would not be Sea Beach service. They probably got a good laugh about me being one of those stupid Foamers. Unfortunately, I never got to check out the GO for myself that weekend.
So 370 Jay is NOT the answer for recent maps or accurate information.
You really should, just on principle. Ask Greenberger, I think he knows what really happened that weekend.
---Choo Choo
...and New Yorkers don't need maps. Especially New Yorkers who work for the MTA at 370 Jay."
...I was being sarcastic :)
---Choo Choo
"Will there be any trains stopping at 9 Av on the Sea Beach line?"
They have to either say yes, no, or we don't know. If they say yes, fine. If they say no, fine again, and laugh at them for taking away Sea Beach service. And if they say they don't know, then it would be cause to file a formal complaint with someone who could force them to give you an answer. It is their job to give you an answer.
---Choo Choo
In response to customer remarks that for $2, the subway should stop at their homes, the MTA decided to better serve the Sea Beach line by adding more stops. Starting with 9 Ave, new stations will be added every block, plus some mid-block stations. When the Slants are retired, the Sea Beach will exclusively run retired MBTA Boeing LRVs.
But that explains why N trains weren't going past Kings Highway. They must have been busy building new stations down there!
David
And that reminds me of another thing. If there's no third rail, then what's up with the signals up there? How are they powered, and how can they tell if a train is in the next block?
I'm not sure what is meant by "up there." The yard's at ground level. As to signals, they're powered by AC, not DC (which is what courses through the third rail).
David
This is from First hand experince, since I work on the work train three pick ago and came out of the yard many times.
Robert
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
First, it was a yard that was NOT BUILT by NYCT but rather ACQUIRED -- in this case from the Long Island Railroad. Linden Yard was originally an LIRR freight classification yard. The yard is actually part of the LIRR Bay Ridge Branch that happens to be fenced off from the rest of the LIRR system. The entire facility is devoid of third rail, making it acessible to MOW equipment only.
Secondly, Linden does not serve as a 'backdoor' to Livonia yard or any other TA facility. Linden is primarily a track fabrication yard (where the track panels are assembled prior to installation). It allows access to the A division just outside of Junius Street (actually the southbound platform is 'cut' near the lead-car marker to accommodate trains coming out of Linden on the 'wye' track). The other 'arm' of the 'wye' track connects to the 'B' Division via the Canarsie Line (just outside of the Livonia Avenue station). Linden also serves as a diesel re-fueling facility.
22nd Street is but one station. Why would more LRVs be needed? In addition, service out to Weehawken is a mere 2 miles. I would imagine that the rolling stock that is either in storage or on order would be sufficient.
As for the NCS on the other side of the Passaic, I believe that enough rolling stock was ordered over there to eventually cover the startup of the NERL, if/when it ever gets built.
The 2 ones I have used to exit the station in recent weeks have always had the V up.
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
It's all part of Federal Employee Week
Phil Hom
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
Little Salaam-like posting there!
John
#3 West End Jeff
#3 West End Jeff
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
I know his email was something like that, but asiaticcommunications.com isn't a registered domain name, and according to whois.sc, never was.
He apparently has a TON of different email addresses as made obvious
by a different addy at each board/message..
Having met (and leisurely conversated with) him and his wife, these
two are in my thoughts and prayers...
While I seldom agreed with much of what Salaam posted here (nor understood much of it), still I would hope that his 'problems' weren't caused by others. Also, keep in mind that Salaam was VERY headstrong in his videography -- when it came to getting the 'ultimate shots' -- so his 'legal problems' might also lie in that arena. Unfortunately, not enough info to get an 100% answer here, but it's something not out of the ballpark.
Food for thought.
Salaam was wacky enough that I can assume he is just taking part in another wacky adventure.
---Choo Choo
OT
---Choo Choo
Brah, you're thinking in the OPPOSITE direction.
Myself and the mouse found PROFF it is a much COMPLICATED
case... Since IM NOT ABOUT TO SPILL DETAILS of the man's personal
life on this here TRANSIT SUBWAY board... best I can say is he's in
much need of our thoughts and prayers..
This is no time to bash the man... jest pray for his safekeep.
Since I had a POSITIVE meeting and enjoyed much conversating with him
in his times visiting NY previously...
If you did too, then do. If not, then nevermind brahs.
Yes, unless (1) the arrest happened when he was a juvenile [hardly the case here], (2) the arrest records have been sealed [very rare in non-juvenile cases, but it can happen - one of our lawyers here would know the circumstances better than I], or (3) the arrest did not result in a conviction and the record was "expunged" [this can happen when the person petitions for it and has no prior record, and probably under certain other circumstances - what, I don't know].
Like others have said, I hope that he has not done anything to get himself in trouble again. I may not care for his attitude or other behavior, but he is an excellent photographer who has made positive contributions as well as negative ones to our hobby.
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
Totally! So I just hope that if it is a fact that he has been arrested, then those in the know would tell us so and stop making vague allusions that just tease us. I hate when people make vague allusions. Either tell us everything (or at least a non-vague allusion) or keep your secrets to yourself.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
I don't think any of us know whether or not that is the case. South Ferry and I have both done some internet sleuthing but we haven't found any hard evidence of what may have occurred, just some references in Salaamallah's own posts on other message boards to some apparent legal difficulty he has been experiencing. In an earlier post I've stated the search arguments I've used; anyone can do the same and get a little more detail than what I've posted, but nothing substantial. I'm not planning to call the police department in the area where I think he lives and ask, especially since I don't know what alias he might have used that particular week.
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
This is a TRANSIT BOARD, Bri...
In the absence of a fellow SubTALKer the least I can do is reply
to public inquiry about his whereabouts WITHOUT putting up
PERSONAL FACTS or BELIEFS about the man... he's as much a private citizen as are you and I.
Further, with the intent of respecting the ON-TOPIC demeanor inscribed herein,
I'm refraining from mentioning any further details about this issue which:
A) Keep this from becoming yet another OT thread. (recently made notorious)
and B) RESPECTING the privacy and personal life of the man in reference.
I don't think any of us would want PERSONAL details of their common life
to be posted on a public forum..... hmm?
While to our man, Salaam, that may have been the case elsewhere,
nuh nuh, it AIN'T gonna be the case HERE, brother.
1SF9
Much Respect.
:)
No. Arrest records are not public records. They are treated as confidential records available to law enforcement and certain other limited disclosure. If criminal charges are filed, the court record is public.
Tom
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
I am sure of California only, but I imagine it is true throughout the country. If not, think of the political mischief that could take place if those with political power could have potential opponents arrested, then point out the arrest records in the next campaign. Of course no one thinks anyone in this country would stoop to such tactics. Just ask Marion ("Bitch set me up") Berry.
Tom
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
What you are missing is that most arrests are made based on a police officer's "probable cause" to believe that the person arrested has committed a crime. If a police officer gets a radio call at 3:00 A.M. that a residential burglar has just stolen a large TV set, and a few minutes later sees an old car with such a large TV set in the trunk that the trunk lid will not close, he might stop the car and investigate. While talking with the driver, who is evasive about who owns the TV set, he might notice a set of burglar tools inside the car. All those things together would give the officer pretty good probable cause to arrest the driver on suspicion of burglary without waiting for a case to be filed. The same thing could happen if a store owner reports that he has just been robbed and a police officer sees some one who fits the description of the robber a few blocks away who runs as soon as he sees the officer. In both cases some exculpatory evidence (the TV set is a different make than the one stolen; the store owner cannot identify the person arrested) may quickly surface which brings so much doubt as to whether the DA will be able to get a conviction that the DA will decide not to file a case (in California the DA has three court days after arrest to decide, resulting in many Friday evening arrests), and the arrested person will be released without charges being filed.
If you have ever watched the TV show, "Cops" you see virtually all the arrests being made prior to any case being filed.
Tom
A line MP never made an "arrest," he made an "apprehension." When the perp was brought into the MP station, the desk officer, upon hearing the details, would make the arrest, if appropriate, which meant charges were levied.
But even then it was up to the miscreant's commander to convene a court martial. I can remember an instance when an announcement was made that any enlisted man caught driving while drunk would face a summary court martial and upon conviction woud definitely lose a stripe and possibly be sent to the stockade. Two weeks later, a popular sergeant received a long awaited promotion to E-6 and was arrested while driving home too drunk to stand up from the NCO club that evening. He was brought to the orderly room the following morning by MP's after spending the night in the cooler. The C.O. decided not to prosecute the case, and no entry went into the sergeant's record.
Tom
If you have ever watched the TV show ...
The only thing I use a TV for is watching railfan videos :-)
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
---Choo Choo
I wish him the best and hope he gets through whatever he is dealling with right now.
You are just now thinking of that? When we have laws which allow the arrest and detention without charges or communication by those detained, that should be the first thing you think of.
When they came for the Arabs and Muslims, I said nothing because I am not an Arab or Muslim .....
Tom
I truly miss him and hopefully, he will be safe. Is it too much of a coincidence that the 'birds are dying fast only now? :-(
David
----Choo Choo
To tide you over, here's one that I don't think I've posted here yet:
I'd give you another shot or two of the same GO, but the server seems to have gone down within the past five minutes, and I can't give you anything until it comes back.
I did a lot of Sea Beach photography in the fall.
Oh, that's too bad. Maybe it's time to go here: dixiesys.com
:)
--AcelaExpress2005 - R143 #8265
#3 West End Jeff
Taken from the May 2002 Farewell to the Redbirds MoD trip
3004-3009 had the brighter flourescent bulbs with the same type of lighting fixtures. Those cars were as bright as the current 142(a)/143.
R142
Seriously, if you do an automotive 'boost', the goggles are a must.
This procedure was a result of TWU 100s protests. Nothing will protect you well but your common sense. The crew doing the R110A...three CIs and a Bombardier employee...most likely did everything properly...I suspect a chaffed cable made carbody contact.
The battery boxes in R142s are insulated from carbody...a short to chassis will not complete a circuit.
People think batteries store electric power. What in fact they do is convert electricity into a chemical reaction during charging and discharging. An electrical 'short' makes a very rapid chemical reaction with lots of Hydrogen and Oxygen. CI peter
37.5 volts is considered "intrinsically save" by the National Fire Code - meaning it will not generate sparks to ignite flammable gases. I believe the threshold is 44 volts. Automobiles will be going to a 42 volt battery system. This will not present a spark hazard for any gasoline fumes.
What in fact they do is convert electricity into a chemical reaction during charging and discharging. An electrical 'short' makes a very rapid chemical reaction with lots of Hydrogen and Oxygen
No sir. When batteries supply power, the hydrogen and oxygen combine to produce water. (Actually, you implied a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell - the product for NiCad's or Edison cells is nickel or iron oxide). Hydrogen is produced when the batteries are being charged. Specifically, for NiCad's hydrogen is produced only when the batteries are being overcharged. A fairly simple charger with a full-charge detector would entirely eliminate hydrogen generation in NiCad's.
http://www.lirrhistory.com/oct2001/1898map.jpg
It has two things I noticed right off the bat. The only map I've seen that shows the LIRR Sheepshead Bay Branch alongside what looks like the precursor railroad to the Brighton Beach Line. And, the Franklin Avenue line is shown connecting to the early LIRR Brooklyn line, with all the street level stops on that line shown.
You will notice that the LIRR Manhattan Beach Line is not directly next to the Brighton for most of its run. See this map.
http://www.lirrhistory.com/whistone.html
You can actually see what is left of the line when you travel westbound on the Port Washington line of the LIRR. Just before the Shea Stadium station, you can see the remnants of what was left of the line as it meets up with the main line. And on the other side, you can sort of make out what is left of the Central line as it goes near the Home Depot.
This brings me to my first point. How come San Fran had so many problems with their Boeing LRVs, while their Bredas started up with no problems? Yet in Boston, they had no problems with the Boeing Vertols, but the Bredas have been sitting in the yards for years? I realize that despite being similar the San Fran and Boston trollies are not the same, with San Fran getting Trap doors and all on their Boeings, while Boston opted for Low Floor on their Bredas. However, does anyone else find it odd that the two TAs basically changed roles in the purchasing of the two LRVs?
The book mentions a 50mph speed limit for the Boeing LRVs, is this even legal under the FRA's definition of a Light Rail Transit system? I thought that the FRA defined LRT sytems as being slower than 45 mph, does anyone know when this might have changed?
Finally, possibly the most enjoyable thing about the book is that it's out of date. It alludes to both SEPTA and Dayton buying the Boeing Vertol LRVs. First, did Dayton ACTUALLY consider making a rail-based transit system? I've heard of the joke website with the Miami Valley Transportation system, but were they actually thinking of building a light rail transit system? And second, was SEPTA considering buying the Boeing LRVs? I'm assuming that they would have been purchased in lieu of the K-cars, but does anyone know if they would have been for the 101, 102 lines or the Subway-Surface lines?
Thanks, thats about all I can think of for now.
As to the Breda's, MUNI's had lots of problems with them at first, but seem to have solved most of them. Boston's Type 8's are simply junk. Somebody didn't do their engineering homework.
Breda does seem to have won first prize in the Ugly Car Contest. Both the MUNI Breda's and the Type 8's are plug ugly.
It is not so twisted. Light rail refers to light duty, not the weight of an individual car. Generally light rail cars are narrow enough to run on streets (whether they do so or not), and run in shorter configurations than heavy (duty) rail cars. The Chicago L is probably closer to light rail than heavy rail, although always categorized as heavy rail.
Tom
Chuck Greene
I can't imagine the FRA defining LRT speeds, since in closed systems not attached to the national rail network they have no jurisdiction. In any case the system speed limit in Los Angeles for the Green Line LRT is 55 mph, and the design speed is higher.
Tom
Since the 142s have taken over most of the IRT and the 160s planning for the IND/BMT, are they planning to get rid of "variety" in the subways and "standardize" the system with only the same two looking cars 142 and 143? Although they are advanced, are they planning to have different designs of the new trains, so that the system would just like what we have now.. 40s slant and modified, 32s 38 etc...Or are they more into function over form? thanks!
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
With the pre-May 4 postings, there has been absoultely NOTHING on the fare increase since the fare went up.
Very strange for SubTalk.
It'll be nice to find out whether the MTA is bluffing about unlimiteds bought at the old rate or not. But we can't find that out till tomorrow at the earliest, when supposedly $4 Fun Passes will no longer work.
I also do wonder what the MTA will give me for my 2 leftover $4 Fun Passes. If I can't get a check for $8, can I send them a check for $2 and get a $10 Pay Per Ride (good for 6 rides)? I'll lose value if they send me an $8 Pay per ride or a $7 Fun Pass and a $1 Pay per ride. But again, it's too early to find out.
I'm sitting 178 miles from New York, and there's been zilch here on the MTA's increases. Meanwhile, here in Baltimore the Maryland Transit Administration (our scandal-ridden MTA) has announced a .25 cent rise in the base fare ($1.60, a quarter more than the current $1.35). Other than a piece in the local rag, there's been nothing since. The general assesment on the local transit BBS's here has been "oh, hum).
---Choo Choo
The Straphangers' Campaign, a transit watchdog group, sued last week to try to block the increase, arguing that millions of commuters would be irreparably harmed.
A Manhattan judge refused to block the increase after MTA lawyers argued that reprogramming 12,000 pieces of equipment, including all 4,500 city buses, to accept the old fare would be a logistical nightmare. The MTA also said it would lose $1.2 million a day in revenue to a delayed fare hike.
But Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Louis York scheduled a hearing for Friday to hear evidence on the matter, and said he may then roll back the increases.
So unless Yogi Berra makes a surprise appearance in front of the judge, it's over. :)
I'll be on the lookout for Fun Passes tomorrow.
---Choo Choo
Give the guy a break, rents in Manhattan are so high, you do what you have to. At least he is not dumpster diving behind restaurants for food. :-)
Tom
What do you think the reader will say tomorrow when you swipe a $4 MetroCard through? Just so I know what to look for.
---Choo Choo
Wait untill the weather gets really nice!
I imagine I'll walk home as well.
I wonder why they're all picking on that photo.
When it showed up in the NYT, I emailed Joe and he knew nothing about it.
---Choo Choo
My sister told me more than once that if I were to live in the city and use the subway every day to get to work, as she did for 12 years, I would feel differently about it. She may be right. I've looked at the subway from a railfan'e perspective ever since my first ride on those shiny new R-32s on July 21, 1965.
And yes, I remember Mister Ed mooing also. Wow ... three in ONE! :)
"I was checking off the cows when this horse walks up, looks me straight in the puss and says, 'Mmmmmmmmmmmoooooooooooooooooooooooo'".
You left me out, Fred. I guess I'm not a Blighton Bitch aficiando !!
Bill "Newkirk"
And the makeovers are all positive, in fact a S/A I talked to, was on Kings Highway on the Slum-Beach line and she though it was THE MOST PITIFUL PLACE TO WORK OUT OF. That was what she said, and was so GLAD to be back of the Brighton Line.
My station and mall, Newkirk Plaza is undergoing a makeover too! Does that say a lot for a LACK of makeovers on your line Fred? Huh?
Doesn't anyone also remember when then the New York Times did the same? I don't remember what the article was about or the choice of the picture's relevance to it, but it was in the Science section for all I know.
www.newyorkish.com
What gives? The MTA is trying to cheat me out of money again probably. There couldn't be a fare hike or anything, I would've seen something about it posted somewhere. I haven't seen any signs on token booths, walls, inside subway cars, ANYWHERE.
What the heck is going on?!?
[/sarcasm]
Probably facetiously enunciating what 80% of subway riders are thinking right now.
Incidentally, the main entrance to that station has no MVM's, although there are a few by the Brighton escalator.
I've seen fare hike posters and the news has plastered us with so much information on this for the last month or so.
When it comes to myself, I always read the signs once I read a station. A station I enter almost everyday, I see at least 2-5 advisories each week. It's good to know.
It has been a long term theroy of mine that the classic rude new yorker steriotype resonates from the fact that many New Yorkers are immigrants not just now but over the course of the last 100 years and pretend to understand when they do not understand many words or expressions that natives are speaking or posted on posters.
Other factors include the move from a homogenious society to a mixed ethnicity society with different social norms thus the rude steriotype
There weren't signs in every language?
What about people who speak Swahili, Maltese or Basque?
Even if we ignore these languages, I didn't see a single sign in Haitian, Arabic, Polish, Korean, Urdu or Hindi. The only signs I saw were in Chinese, Spanish and Russian.
I think the problem lies not in which languages the MTA can make signs in, but rather that people expect to be able to live in the United States without learning the English language.
Agreed. I believe that public documents in the United States (and, by extension, signs in the subway are public documents) should be in English only, and that commercial, non-government signs should also be in English (although I would not infringe on the right of the business owner to display signs in another language). Those immigrants who have been the most successful, as a general rule, are those who have immersed themselves in American language and culture, adding their traditions to those already part of our mix but fundamentally becoming Americans - not Anglo-Americans, Asian-Americans, Mexican-Americans, or any other hyphenated form, but simply Americans.
Until next time...
Anon_e_mouse
HAve poor eysight (like myself, I can't read most signs without glasses)
The MTA operations need to be treated as a customer service driven operation. Although I agree that english emmersion is the best way to really pick up the english language one must also think of all the fireign tourists who pump momey into our city and the fact that having them usse mass transit and pay the base fare makes good business sense
In a world of satalite dishes that you can view tv in any langualge you want, many new arrivals are at a severe disadvantage becasue othe options exist and dooming them to low paying jibs
It is good to reatin one's culture and weave it into our great society . that is what makes america great but you must assimulate your public life to succeed
It's a weekday evening, 5:40 PM, and a Flushing-bound 7 pulls into Queensboro Plaza. Conductor announced, "this a Flushing bound 7 EXPRESS train making EXPRESS stops on the EXPRESS track. Next stop is 61-Woodside, followed by Junction Blvd, Willets Point, and Main St. EXPRESS, EXPRESS, EXPRESS. Stand clear of the closing doors." Then some schmuck sticks his foot in the door and asks, "Local?"
Better yet, the same station, same track, same day, but at 9:00 AM. Some schmuck asks, "Express?"
NO - don't tell me - I don't want to know.
Arti
I'll give you a lead. Go to Bowling Green, to the upper level mezzanine adjacent to the NB platform. Look behind the MVM. Thousands of MetroCards!
Go and swipe.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
I also found a much smaller stash in my local station. I went through a small handful and found one with a $1.00 balance.
Even if so, you'll probably find a balance here and there.
I suspect it will be a short term windfall, limited to one time when a person uses a pre May 4th card for the first time with the new fare. Then it will taper off to the regular amount of discarded cards with value, which will interest only the regular scavengers.
Tom
We do have posts here very often about how stupid some people are who never read any signs and are shocked, SHOCKED when their train is out of service due to a GO.
He must have been living in a cave (of his own making).
I would take my own advice on this one but I just spent 10 minutes writing this post.
Anytime you put "As I said before" in a post, it is you wasting bandwith, more than the original poster. If people cannot find your original post, let them do without.
Tom
However, I chose to do something about it! I wrote about it on subtalk. Now, I think my metrocard should work.
Or, I could just try my jumping skills.
Your card might have $1.50 on it.
But the fare is now $2.00.
Therefore $1.50 is Insufficent fare.
I'm not surprised.
On the day of the fare hike, a relative of mine boarding at
(omitted) Station on the (omitted brah) subway line in the
Bronx, reports to having swiped in at a turnstile and it only
deducted $1.50 from her card....
STILL $ 1.50 by this count.
GOTTA Love that MTA Metrocard PC!!
---Choo Choo.
Chapter 11 Choo Choo (Lyrics)
www.railfanwindow.com
Nah.. by the time someone gets out to it.. It'll be rigged fixed.
PS..What color is money? Same color for this line, bud! ;)
I won't be able to check until May 15th, and it'll probably be fixed by then.
DAMN!
---Choo Choo
The MTA did a failr good job. If all the asstute poster onthis board only found one or two problems systemwide.
A fairy good job
You shoud've played with their system, you are lucky you've checked you balance. My version of scavenger hunt paid off to some degree, I have a $6 Metrocard thanks to all those who discarded their cards with $1.50 on it because they forgot to check their cards after seeing "Insufficient Fare".
The name is temporary as I couldn't think of anything better at the time.
http://underground.goumba.net/
I know some of the images are asking for trouble, but they're remporary as well.
Right now I only have a gallery of up of most recent photos. Photos -> 5/4/2003.
Subway grrl
To my surpirse, the sign had been covered by a new one! I am curious about the following:
1) How much did it cost to put up said sign?
2) How many commuters were left waiting on the platform for a "Rockaways" train which will never arrive?
3) How many commuters actually use the stairway in question?
And you wonder why we have a repeat of the 1975 fiscal crisis. Government is government, before and always!
Regarding NJ Transit train consists:
Is is possible to use Electric Multiple Units such as the Arrow I or III to pull the Comet I-V cars. The reason I ask is becuase I remember riding the <7> past Sunnyside Yard during July of last year seeing this consist (Though my eyes may have been playing tricks on me as it was about 8:30AM).
Any responses would be greatly appreciated.
OR, it was a Comet IB (a Arrow I converted into a Comet coach)
A comet IB is much more likely scenario, given the fact that pretty much all the 1Bs are assigned to Newark Division (with the rest in Atlantic city), and the Raritan Valley line's been dumping them on the NEC as they get Comet IIGOH trainsets.
Actually, NJ Transit considers the Atlantic City Line as part of the "Newark Division".
Hope this helps. Check with Jgtshu or other NJT workers at Railroad.net for the supplemental info.