by ryanov
I am starting to really feel sorry for the regular commuters on train 1165, the 6:42 departure from SEC (6:50 from Rutherford). I rode on it yesterday night and tonight.
Last night, it was a four-car consist (down from six). I rode from SEC to Rutherford. The conductor apologized for the overcrowding, explaining a problem had developed with the 6-car consist and they were forced to take that one.
Tonight, the train was not able to draw traction power and when the brakes were released, the train rolled backward (I got on at Rutherford, riding to Radburn this time). The engineer eventually was able to get the train moving, but not until we had blocked the grade crossing for at least 5 mins, maybe longer. I felt like it was door lights, from the NEC, but then I remembered these older cars are pretty lax with that stuff. Anyway, shortly after departing Rutherford, we lost HEP. They messed with it for a little while, but eventually they announced (by Plauderville) that it was a lost cause. It started to get hot in the train, but luckily I was getting off soon.
At Radburn, I got off... but as I was walking off to the car, the train started to take off with people halfway between the train and the ground, with at least 10 people still waiting at each door. The trainmen scurried around to signal a stop, and then the train stopped. It then started AGAIN before people were off, and the train stopped and sat... all of the crewmen got off, and eventually there were some men standing outside the engine (4205) as well.
Does anyone know what was going on? It was pretty screwed up, and the passengers were pretty annoyed by that point already. I didn't hear anyone give the engineer two to go, and I did hear him get buzzed to stop... very odd.
Interestingly enough, on 1172, my train also took off outta Rutherford with someone on the platform who was just about to get on (he ended up jumping or grabbing his way onto the departing train). I've never seen so much of this in one day.
Last night, it was a four-car consist (down from six). I rode from SEC to Rutherford. The conductor apologized for the overcrowding, explaining a problem had developed with the 6-car consist and they were forced to take that one.
Tonight, the train was not able to draw traction power and when the brakes were released, the train rolled backward (I got on at Rutherford, riding to Radburn this time). The engineer eventually was able to get the train moving, but not until we had blocked the grade crossing for at least 5 mins, maybe longer. I felt like it was door lights, from the NEC, but then I remembered these older cars are pretty lax with that stuff. Anyway, shortly after departing Rutherford, we lost HEP. They messed with it for a little while, but eventually they announced (by Plauderville) that it was a lost cause. It started to get hot in the train, but luckily I was getting off soon.
At Radburn, I got off... but as I was walking off to the car, the train started to take off with people halfway between the train and the ground, with at least 10 people still waiting at each door. The trainmen scurried around to signal a stop, and then the train stopped. It then started AGAIN before people were off, and the train stopped and sat... all of the crewmen got off, and eventually there were some men standing outside the engine (4205) as well.
Does anyone know what was going on? It was pretty screwed up, and the passengers were pretty annoyed by that point already. I didn't hear anyone give the engineer two to go, and I did hear him get buzzed to stop... very odd.
Interestingly enough, on 1172, my train also took off outta Rutherford with someone on the platform who was just about to get on (he ended up jumping or grabbing his way onto the departing train). I've never seen so much of this in one day.
|=| R. Novosielski |=|
