Railroad Forums 

Discussion relating to the operations of MTA MetroNorth Railroad including west of Hudson operations and discussion of CtDOT sponsored rail operations such as Shore Line East and the Springfield to New Haven Hartford Line

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 #1354252  by Backshophoss
 
MN uses the Lower Level normally for short turn weekday rush hour runs on all 3 lines out of GCT,tend to use the Upper Level
for all the Off Peak and Weekend service.
 #1354266  by Noel Weaver
 
In this day and age I no longer study Metro-North public timetables and I haven't looked at an employee timetable in quite a while either. I still have a friend up north who tries to keep me uo to date with public folders and that's good enough for these times with Metro-North really like an extension of the subway anyway. Public timetables used to specify which level each train would use, when did they stop providing that information? I was told by somebody in the know that they increased the use of the lower level in order to justify a raise in the rents they were charging for the business space in the lower level which I guess makes sense.
Noel Weaver
 #1354280  by checkthedoorlight
 
If you take a look at the big boards right now, there are plenty of Harlem and Croton trains that are assigned to leave from the lower level, but not a single Stamford or New Haven train. I do see New Haven trains down there during the week though.
 #1354287  by NH2060
 
Aren't the platforms on the lower level shorter? Their original purpose back in the 1910s was for commuter trains anyway and at that time they were no longer than I guess 6-7 cars that weren't always 85' long in comparison to today's rolling stock. Nowadays with the New Haven Line having more trains of 8-10 cars are at least some of those platforms not long enough to accommodate them?
 #1354304  by patcat88
 
Lower level has no trains on weekends, although they don't lock the doors to the tracks, if you walk around the lower tracks on a weekend you will be stopped and told to leave.
 #1354366  by Kurt
 
The Harlem line uses the lower level almost exclusively on the weekends. Usually track 111 for trains to Southeast and track 108 or 106 to North White. I have a photo of the departure board that my cellphone will not let me attach at the moment.
 #1354419  by Bill D
 
Here is a link for GCT departures, showing track assignments. As I type this, the information shows (as Kurt stated) that Harlem line departures are operating from the lower level, while New Haven and Hudson line trains are on the upper level (New Haven line using the 20's tracks and Hudson line using the 30's tracks).

http://as0.mta.info/mnr/html/bigboard.cfm

Bill
 #1354439  by PC1100
 
Noel Weaver wrote:In this day and age I no longer study Metro-North public timetables and I haven't looked at an employee timetable in quite a while either. I still have a friend up north who tries to keep me uo to date with public folders and that's good enough for these times with Metro-North really like an extension of the subway anyway. Public timetables used to specify which level each train would use, when did they stop providing that information? I was told by somebody in the know that they increased the use of the lower level in order to justify a raise in the rents they were charging for the business space in the lower level which I guess makes sense.
Noel Weaver
The last public timetable I have seen with the Upper/Lower level information was issued January 12, 1976. It was not listed in the March 14, 1977 timetables and I have not seen it listed in any subsequent timetables.
 #1354457  by runningwithscalpels
 
patcat88 wrote:Lower level has no trains on weekends, although they don't lock the doors to the tracks, if you walk around the lower tracks on a weekend you will be stopped and told to leave.
No. I've taken plenty of trains to Southeast that originate from the lower level on Saturday nights, and this was not in the distant past either.
checkthedoorlight wrote:If you take a look at the big boards right now, there are plenty of Harlem and Croton trains that are assigned to leave from the lower level, but not a single Stamford or New Haven train. I do see New Haven trains down there during the week though.
 #1354470  by Ridgefielder
 
runningwithscalpels wrote:
patcat88 wrote:Lower level has no trains on weekends, although they don't lock the doors to the tracks, if you walk around the lower tracks on a weekend you will be stopped and told to leave.
No. I've taken plenty of trains to Southeast that originate from the lower level on Saturday nights, and this was not in the distant past either.
The 11:52 a.m. to North White Plains, Fordham first, was on track 105 yesterday: I know because I was on it. :-)
checkthedoorlight wrote:If you take a look at the big boards right now, there are plenty of Harlem and Croton trains that are assigned to leave from the lower level, but not a single Stamford or New Haven train. I do see New Haven trains down there during the week though.
I'll second that about the weekdays- I was on a 4:11 New Haven semi-express last week that left from downstairs.
 #1354477  by DutchRailnut
 
due to GCT partnership and the restaurants there are suppose to be equal amounts of trains going to lower level .
 #1356590  by theozno
 
DutchRailnut wrote:due to GCT partnership and the restaurants there are suppose to be equal amounts of trains going to lower level .
No all people will eat down there waiting on the NH line. Example my family, 2 full pizzas up the block at lex and 45th for $16 vs spending $50+ on 6 people downstairs last time we waited for a train on lower level.
 #1356594  by ExCon90
 
The point is that for the rents the MTA has to charge for the LL space to pay for the restoration they did on GCT they have to provide enough walk-in business to keep the restaurants alive; I'm sure the deal Dutch mentioned had to be made to get anybody to sign up for that space.