I'm going to copy this topic to both MNRR and NYC Subway. Obviously, discuss the related portion in the appropriate forum.
Fordham Ram
Some snippets (brief and fair-use):
Why Does the MTA Hate Fordham?
Aside from the MTA’s refusal to identify Fordham to its millions of daily riders, it has also had its way with limiting service to and from Rose Hill. Nearly 60 percent of trains stopping at Fordham’s Metro-North Station use the New Haven Line, or as many students who frequent the Metro-North know as “the red trains.” The other 40 percent of the trains run on the Harlem Line through Fordham and allow full access to and from the station, while the New Haven Line trains only permit passengers to exit inbound New Haven Line trains and to enter outbound trains.
After reaching out to a Metro-North spokesman for a comment, I was told that the New Haven Line trains do not provide access between Fordham and Grand Central. The State of Connecticut purchased the new M8 train cars and the trains are only operated by the MTA, not owned by the MTA. The Metro-North refused to explain why these trains stop at Fordham at all, and indicated that the “exit-only” service to Fordham on New Haven Line trains has been a policy for years.
I think the writer here is probably not aware of the history between the NYNH&H and NYC service. Originally, the stop was at Woodlawn; it was changed later to Fordham. The NYC obviously didn't want the NH serving inbound passengers on their ROW. Later, CtDOT didn't want to fund operations on Stamford express trains to Fordham according to their service agreement. So if you're going to Fordham and live in Bridgeport, you get to take a whole lot of local trains.
I think I have that right.
Now, this runs in the face of CtDOT wanting M8's to serve Penn and Bronx stations on the Harlem River Line. CtDOT wants to do that for the labor market, which makes me wonder why the parties don't amend the agreement to allow full service at Fordham and other Bronx stations for the New Haven. I've heard that some of the restrictions from the legacy railroads may have to do with that; I've never been quite sure of that.
And, after all, Game Day service from beyond Stamford also serves Yankee Stadium directly; why not allow it at this point? Crowding? All the trains are crowded at this point.
Finally, to continue the thought of Yankee Stadium service and the MO wye, the writer surprisingly makes no allusions to Hudson service. That's a pretty busy stretch of track; I've never even heard it raised. After all, you can just double back from 125th, although that's not optimal.