Melrose and Tremont Service

So many people are afraid to go into the "Big Bad Bronx" and take pictures, so we don't often get to see this end of the railroad. Nice shots, thanks for sharing.

-otto-

those are some great shots. I haven't been on MNRR very much since Melrose and Tremont's renovations were completed. How did they get away with not adding ADA access to those stations?

Probably because the ridership at the two stations is low.

Great pictures anyway!

Also, the bridge work was 100% NYCDOT, so no $ , no nothing. Even the old stairs to the platforms were left in place.

Looks like those stations were really narrow. No fat people allowed!

Awesome pics Fred! The third one is right by my old building -- that's very near the view I had from my old apartment. It's good to see the Bronx Metro-North photographed.

To bad I couldn't have been in the City for that one -- that would be a good little tour of the old neighborhood.

Yes indeed ! That's it. If you take a close look, in your photo, at the ground right between the boxcar and track 4 you can see a few remnants of the former trk. 4 platform. And, the "notch" in the wall on the trk. 3 side speaks for itself.

Back in the 60s when I was a college student in that neighborhood (Fordham) I well remember NYC had a day local freight --- NYC liked to call them "traveling switchers" --- that served that spot, which was a lumberyard at the time, and a few other customers in The Bronx. A railfan classmate and I used to go out now and then on a slow class day and track him down for photos. Very friendly crew, based in Mt. Vernon, or North White, I forget which. They would often tie up at a small yard on the track 4 side between Fordham and BG and have lunch, and we were welcome to join them. Looking back, I have to say some of the territory wasn't very safe in those days, but hey, at 19 you think you're invincible, right?

how come no train stops there after the 9:30 from GCT? Train #591

Actually 598 from North White stops there about 45 minutes after 591.

But the reason for no stops on later northbound trains might be a combination of low ridership and personal safety, especially at Melrose which is located in a tough neighborhood.

I give Metro-North high marks for expanding service to the stations and rebuilding them -- the neighborhood needs it -- but I know people in the area that are leery of using Melrose. It's somewhat isolated and the platform is not visible from the street.

Back in the 1980s I commuted from Manhattan to White Plains. I didn't have to be to work until noon so I experimented using every possible subway-bus-train combination I could think of. Included was the No. 5 subway to 149th St and Third Avenue, then a local bus to Metro-North's Fordham station. One day I got the idea to skip the bus and walk over to Melrose and take the train from there. Only I couldn't find the entrance to the platform!

I still think the main purpose of rebuilding Melrose was to block the Port Morris ROW.....

That's an interesting theory as it would rule out CSX using it as an alternate, but with the Oak Point connection why would it matter? CSX still runs up that way anyway on the NEC jobs, right?

Melrose Station is within walking distance to the Bronx County Courthouse, which is the Borough Hall and serves other agencies, in addition to Yankee Stadium.

I wonder what the ridership is anyway at Melrose and Tremont?

Patch.com

Brief, fair-use:

Metro-North Modifies Bronx Track Work Schedule on Harlem Line

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will be doing track work in the Bronx that will necessitate substituting buses for Harlem Line southbound trains at Metro-North Railroad’s Melrose station.

The substitution will take place during the last two weekends Saturdays and Sundays in September. The MTA had originally scheduled track work for the weekend of Sept. 10-11.

The specific dates are Sept. 17-18 and 24-25.

MTA Press Release:

Southbound customers looking to travel to Melrose should exit the train at Tremont to board a bus for continuing service to Melrose. The bus will be located at the top of the stairs leading from the southbound platform. Customers should allow for 15-20 minutes of additional travel time.
Customers seeking to catch a train at Melrose for southbound travel to Harlem-125th Street or Grand Central Terminal should instead catch a bus from the station. The bus will depart approximately 20 minutes earlier than normal train departure times, and will travel to Tremont, where customers will connect with regularly scheduled southbound Harlem Line trains. Bus and train timetables are available at this link:
This temporary service change will help ensure the ongoing reliability and safety of Harlem Line trains. Metro-North crews will be continuing their work installing new drainage pipe between the Tremont and Melrose station and building switches on the tracks that will allow trains to switch from one track to another.
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we'll broaden it from bus-titution to service

http://www.mta.info/news-metro-north-hu ... etro-north" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In an effort to build ridership and provide Bronx residents with more convenient travel options, the railroad will implement a demonstration project to increase service at the Melrose and Tremont stations from the current two-hour frequency to hourly frequency. This demonstration project will make service at Melrose and Tremont stations consistent with other Bronx stations.

In addition to the increased frequency, the service day will be extended, with earlier inbound service on weekdays and significantly later outbound service on weekdays and weekends.

Weekday southbound service will expand from: 7:20 a.m. – 10:41 p.m., to: 5:51 a.m. – 12:55 a.m.
Weekday northbound service will expand from: 5:38 a.m. – 9:25 p.m., to: 5:38 a.m. -1:16 a.m.
Weekend southbound service will expand from: 6:44 a.m. – 10:44 p.m., to: 6:44 a.m. - 12:44 a.m.
Weekend northbound service will expand from: 6:25 a.m. – 9:25 p.m., to: 6:25 a.m. – 1:16 a.m.

This demonstration project will continue through October 2017. If ridership and operational impact deem the project a success, the railroad will undertake the necessary steps to make the service permanent.

Increase in service? What do you think: MassTransitMag.com

Yes, I know the hearings past! Fair-use:

Metro-North to Hold August 23 Public Hearing to Increase Service at Melrose and Tremont Stations

MTA Metro-North Railroad has announced that it will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, August 23, inviting customers to comment on a plan to permanently increase service levels at the Melrose and Tremont stations on the Harlem Line. The hearing will be held at 5 p.m. at agency headquarters on 2 Broadway in Lower Manhattan.

In an effort to build ridership and provide Bronx residents with more convenient travel options, on October 2, 2016, Metro-North implemented a pilot program that increased service at the Tremont and Melrose stations from a two-hour frequency to hourly frequency during off-peak and weekend travel times.
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