Atlantic City Line to Reopen Early With Added Service

[Yankees1]

https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/new ... user-share" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Hopefully this means good things for the NJCL and RVL!

[EuroStar]

I am going to go on a limb here and guess that the added service will be gone with the Fall 2019 schedule change. While this might be an effort to entice the ridership to return, I doubt that for the first full year of operation after service restoration ridership will be more than 80% of what it was before the shutdown.

[jamesinclair]

Schedule here:
https://www.njtransit.com/AdminTemp/AC-WKDY-051219.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is there a reason the train time are so....random?

Departing Philly at times like 6:17, 5:44, 8:51...

It's not a busy line right? Why not pick times people can remember easily, like 6:15, 5:45, and 9:00?

[CNJGeep]

That might be Amtrak's doing so they're not tying up any interlockings around departure and arrival times. Same reason SEPTA has such jacked up service on the north side on weekends.

[ExCon90]

Scheduling between 30th St. and Frankford Jct. is critical--particularly westbound, where every train from AC conflicts with all eastbound moves of Amtrak and SEPTA. Besides that, the location of sidings on the AC line pretty well dictates the times. Oh for the days of double track and 80 mph with cab signals ...

[glennk419]

Oh for the days of double track and 80 mph with cab signals ...

But we WILL have PTC.

[Backshophoss]

From a quick check of the posted schedule,ACL is going to be a few equipment sets short for a bit

[ExCon90]

Oh for the days of double track and 80 mph with cab signals ...

But we WILL have PTC.

Oh yes--let us count our blessings ...

[JasW]

Van Drew warned ridership may be low when the line first reopens, because people have gotten used to using other means of transportation.

I don't know anyone who ever gets used to the bus.

[ryanov]

They "added" service, but also removed the late night train out of AC to do it? Progress?

[ExCon90]

I thought I read somewhere--can't find it now--that the late train from AC had very low ridership. You run into that kind of thinking a lot; it seems to disregard the possibility--and likelihood?--that many riders on earlier trains are only there because of the late-night train. They may not ride it, but they would drive if it weren't in the schedule as a fallback. It would probably take a market survey to determine how many empty seats on the last train represent two occupied seats earlier in the day.

[lensovet]

They "added" service, but also removed the late night train out of AC to do it? Progress?

the late night train left AC at 1.52 am. who exactly was taking that?

[NorEasterNick]

The late night I think most are talking about is the 12:44am train. Casino employees who work 4pm to 12am are forced to drive or take the bus. The schedule is HORRIBLE for casino employees in general. Getting into work and leaving even with the traditional 9-5 shifts. From a day trippers perspective, who the heck is coming to the city to see a show or gamble and is ready to head back to the station by 10pm? How about 4th of July? Doesn't make sense. This schedule almost promotes drunk driving. $700k+ spent on a "study" to improve service when the answer is in front of you. Insanity.

[WashingtonPark]

The late night I think most are talking about is the 12:44am train. Casino employees who work 4pm to 12am are forced to drive or take the bus. The schedule is HORRIBLE for casino employees in general. Getting into work and leaving even with the traditional 9-5 shifts. From a day trippers perspective, who the heck is coming to the city to see a show or gamble and is ready to head back to the station by 10pm? How about 4th of July? Doesn't make sense. This schedule almost promotes drunk driving. $700k+ spent on a "study" to improve service when the answer is in front of you. Insanity.

Having served on an infrastructure committee, IMO the key to infrastructure spending in NJ is studies done by politically connected consulting firms. The fact that they usually add little to nothing positive to our physical infrastructure means nothing to those who dole out the tax dollars.

[ryanov]

Yeah, casino employees for one. Further, though, who the heck is coming home at the time the current train leaves AC?

No one is really taking any of these trains because of the poor service.