A perfect day

The New York Times in it's NJ Section for Sunday 9/26 (no on-line link that I can find) reported that:

"New Jersey Transit's rail division has its own sort of Holy Grail - the perfect on-time day, which is a midnight to midnight run of every train entering and leaving a station on time. The last time it came together on a weekday was around 1989, although no one at the transit agency can remember exactly when."

"That is until last month."

"On Tuesday August 24, all of New Jersey Transit's 680 trains were as reliable as a Swiss watch"

See what schedule padding will get you.

HAHAHA Thats because I was off!!!!

Hmmmmmmm...I returned to work on the 25th.

Mark Schweber wrote: "On Tuesday August 24, all of New Jersey Transit's 680 trains were as reliable as a Swiss watch"

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That's really pretty impressive when you realize the things which could go wrong:

• NJT or Amtrak breakdown
• NYP problems
• Police activity on some tracks somewhere
• Late SEPTA connection
• MOW-related activity
• Heavy boarding or medical response for a passenger difficulty
• Thoughtful staff allowing a late pax to board

and on and on

"As reliable as a Swiss watch" and "New Jersey Transit" are phrases I have trouble putting together. Speaking of time, I've noticed that the time displays at the track signs in the NJT councourse area at NYP don't all agree. It looks like they are individually set, not controlled from a central computer. Incidentally Swiss trains are scheduled to quarter-minute times.

Hmm, both Jt or TR wasn't working that day and NJT had perfect performance. It's a sign.

But seriously, congrats. That is really quite an amazing feat.

nick11a wrote:Hmm, both Jt or TR wasn't working that day and NJT had perfect performance. It's a sign.

But seriously, congrats. That is really quite an amazing feat.

That's OK, though. After all, I was there.

thebigc wrote:

nick11a wrote:Hmm, both Jt or TR wasn't working that day and NJT had perfect performance. It's a sign.

But seriously, congrats. That is really quite an amazing feat.

That's OK, though. After all, I was there.

Haha.

Just to give it some perspective, I travel to Japan almost every year for two weeks. Once there I travel on JR all the time, especially the Tokyo-Osaka-Hiroshima-Fukuoka corridor.
Even the highly crowded, tight Yamanote line around Tokyo is always on time. Shinkansen performance is almost astronomical and the express, limited-express and local trains that travel from city to city are SO on time that I am constantly in awe.

The JR folks are amazing in their manner and on-time performance. Try to imagine NJT and LIRR conductors and trainmen wearing starched white gloves....
:-)
BigDell

They certainly messed it up on the 27th, though, at least for me. I had to be home early, so I decided to take the 5:14 train from Rahway to Hamilton (the 3861). Once there, I heard an announcement that the train was operating 15 minutes late. While I waited, 2 trains zoomed by on track 2 having NJCL express signs (2305? 2309? 3263?) followed by a slower train on track 3 (or was it 4?) without any labeling, but it must have been the express to Metropark. Finally, at 5:28 (I admit, it was not fully 15 minutes later) a trained stopped at the station, no signs anywhere on the train, no conductor anywhere that I've seen. So, I figured it must have been my train. It was not until we started moving that the conductor finally came on with a short "Avenel Next." If that was the 3259, it was 28 minutes late (I suppose if it was the 3507, it was 15 minutes early, but somehow I seriously doubt that). To his credit, the conductor did not charge me at did tell me not to get of at Avenel which is "in the middle of nowhere", but wait for Woodbridge. I took a taxi to Metropark from there figuring my train is long gone back at Rahway.

The rest of the story is of little interest. Suffice it to say that I was in Hamilton at 6:56, 1 hour late.

Mark Schweber wrote:The New York Times in it's NJ Section for Sunday 9/26 (no on-line link that I can find) reported that:

"New Jersey Transit's rail division has its own sort of Holy Grail - the perfect on-time day, which is a midnight to midnight run of every train entering and leaving a station on time. The last time it came together on a weekday was around 1989, although no one at the transit agency can remember exactly when."

"That is until last month."

"On Tuesday August 24, all of New Jersey Transit's 680 trains were as reliable as a Swiss watch"


See what schedule padding will get you.

In all honesty, sitting in Rahway for 20 minutes, getting on the wrong train, and having to get a taxi to Metropark then getting on a train to Hamilton and arriving only about 1 hour late is not bad at all!!!!

Im actually very impressed! Good job!

Thanks and all, but shouldn't they try to announce their trains better especially when they're delayed? When I'm going northbound in the morning they repeatedly say "This is a LOCAL train" on every station til Rahway (where I get off) or, if I'm in an express, "Next stop Newark Airport" at New Brunswick BEFORE the doors close (and I get off for the other express originating at JA and stopping at Metropark, which always gets delayed and put behind the local anyway Grrr!). I guess no one boards for southbound NEC at Rahway. What would really rock (for me) is some sort of connection from Westfield to the southbound NEC, or better yet, get a line from the RVL all the way to Camden to replace the River LINE (I know, that'll never happen)

Jtgshu wrote:In all honesty, sitting in Rahway for 20 minutes, getting on the wrong train, and having to get a taxi to Metropark then getting on a train to Hamilton and arriving only about 1 hour late is not bad at all!!!!

Im actually very impressed! Good job!

Maybe you're always on the same train. I've never heard anyone say "Local" all the way to Rahway then "Next Stop EWR". Some guys do say that the train is a Semi-Express.

As for the JA trains always being stuck behind a local.....try riding 3710. We express @ MetroPark behind 3928 or 3930 so I always get a straight run (If the train is on time).

Morning and Evening rush hours are TWO COMPLETELY different animals.

In the morning, most people are trying to get to the same few places, Newark, SEC, NYP, or Hoboken. But in teh evening, all those same people are trying to get to all different locatoins, and its not easy to try to get them there!!!

On outbound express departures, I say "Semi express or mini express" train to Trenton, stopping ONLY at Newark Penn station, Then we express to Rahway, Metropark, metuchen......................

At Rahway on say the Rahway platform on this same train, I would yell Trenton Local, because it makes all stops to Trenton from that poing, with maybe the exception of Jersey Ave. As for you getting on 3259, having worked that train in the past, that train is or at least was, notoriously short of help to work it. Thats why you didn't see anyone, becuase if htey were lucky, they had 2 TC's (plus teh Conductor and Rear brake) I believe 1 gets off in Linden. And the signs are a whole other animal. Sometimes they get stuck on a certain train number and WON'T change. Its not easy to get them all to say the same tihing!!!!!

Jtgshu wrote: And the signs are a whole other animal. Sometimes they get stuck on a certain train number and WON'T change. Its not easy to get them all to say the same tihing!!!!!

I second that. Don't bet your commute on those signs. Especially the ones on the Arrows.