Quiet Cars start tomorrow???

All trains with three or more cars open to customers (i.e. if there are four cars in a consist but only two are open [as in the outbound continuation of a morning peak train] QuietRide does not apply), from start of service until trains arriving or leaving Center City at 7:00 pm.

Initial test was on selected trains on the Doylestown line (the expresses); then it was rolled out to all peak trains; and about a year later to all trains except nights and weekends.

One comment regarding dimming the lights: one reason for sitting in the quiet car is to be able to read in peace (napping is not the only reason for desiring quiet). Dimming the lights would not be well received.

Quiet cars may work on off-peak trains but when you are packing commuters in the peak trains, it will be extremely difficult to enforce. Especially considering commuters often sit in the same cars and even the same seats for their convenience (aligns with parking deck, etc) and they'll fight changes which will put restrictions on them.

drumz0rz wrote:Quiet cars may work on off-peak trains but when you are packing commuters in the peak trains, it will be extremely difficult to enforce.

I can't say LIRR is doing likewise, but on SEPTA. the QuietRide policy is suspended when trains are overcrowded or on other extenuating circumstances. But with a normal peak load, even a few standees, there've been no additional problems.

Especially considering commuters often sit in the same cars and even the same seats for their convenience (aligns with parking deck, etc) and they'll fight changes which will put restrictions on them.

I had that same concern and watched for that pretty closely during the trial period. There were a handful of complaints, but nothing serious. What we learned is that passenger preferences are usually not cast in stone: passengers would be willing to move to the quiet car and comply if they wanted for those reasons to be up at the head end, or if the quiet car was where the available seats were. Likewise (and it happens to me on my usual morning train) people who would otherwise prefer the quiet car will sit elsewhere if that means a better chance of getting a seat.

Good questions, good concerns. And guys, if any of you are riding the trains in the test, please keep your eyes open to see how passengers react, and share your observations with LIRR management. That kind of information is really helpful.

MTA wrote:LIRR Expands Quiet Car Pilot Program
Starting Monday, June 18, the LIRR’s Quiet Car pilot program will be expanded to include all peak single-level electric trains that operate to/from Penn Station and Atlantic Terminal during the rush hours.

...the westernmost car on designated trains is the Quiet Car.

• During the AM Peak, the FIRST CAR of your train is a Quiet Car.
  During the PM Peak, the LAST CAR of your train is a Quiet Car.

Quiet Cars will be available on...AM and PM Peak single-level electric trains to/from Penn Station and Atlantic Terminal, Brooklyn.

See the full web release here: LIRR Expands Quiet Car Pilot Program

How have the quiet cars been working out on the trains to Atlantic Terminal? I know some other railroads have had success with them but I haven't heard too much on how the LIRR ones were doing.

lirr42 wrote:

MTA wrote:LIRR Expands Quiet Car Pilot Program
Starting Monday, June 18, the LIRR’s Quiet Car pilot program will be expanded to include all peak single-level electric trains that operate to/from Penn Station and Atlantic Terminal during the rush hours.

...the westernmost car on designated trains is the Quiet Car.

• During the AM Peak, the FIRST CAR of your train is a Quiet Car.
  During the PM Peak, the LAST CAR of your train is a Quiet Car.

Quiet Cars will be available on...AM and PM Peak single-level electric trains to/from Penn Station and Atlantic Terminal, Brooklyn.

See the full web release here: LIRR Expands Quiet Car Pilot Program

How have the quiet cars been working out on the trains to Atlantic Terminal? I know some other railroads have had success with them but I haven't heard too much on how the LIRR ones were doing.

I think the question was answered in your post.

It must have been working out well, if they are expanding it to all rush hour trains. I think with this expansion of the program though, it will be interesting to see how it works on Brooklyn trains, both westward and eastward, with the western most car being designated as the quiet car. For Penn Station trains this shouldn't be a problem, but pretty much all Brooklyn trains get pretty busy on the west end, being that it's the end closest to the main waiting area, and the stairs.

Quiet Cars have worked well on NJ Transit, a system much larger than SEPTA that runs trains of comparable length and crowdedness to LIRR. I think the prognosticators are just stubborn and instinctively fearful of change. I think this is a great addition to LIRR.

Veteran commuters, such as myself make their own quiet cars

Commuter X