NEC question

[F23A4]

Before I complain to NJT for Tuesday night's delays, I have a question:

On my way home on Tuesday night I was @ Nwk, where 3865 arrived 20 minutes late. Once onboard, we proceeded at about 10-15mph from Newark to Elizabeth. During this time, a Metroliner? (AEM7), Clockers (ALP46/Amfleet) and another NJT (NJCL or NEC?) shot past us on track 3. Once we cleared the 'S' @ Eliz. we accelerated to 'normal' speeds.

Now, I figured we were slotted behind a local (of some sort) until that track 4 split just past Eliz. However, I didnt seen any local train from Eliz thru Rahway.

My question: Why did we go so slow from Newark to Elizabeth????? I mean we went REALLY sssssllllllllooooooowwwww!!!!

[Jtgshu]

You might have been two trains behind the local or somehting like that....I don't konw off hand, but im assuming 3865 stops in Rahway, so you would need to be on track 4, which is why the Clockers and other NJT express trains passed you on track 3, as they are probably express to New Brunswick or Princeton Jct.

If you were two trains behind the local, (a train ahead of you also, maybe an express to Rahway or Metropark, I dunno the schedule off hand), there is a good chance you might not have seen the local by the time you got to Rahway, or it might have just left the station as you were pulling in. Also, if it was a local, it was either a Long Branch local or South Amboy local, as there are no local trains that run from NYP to Trenton during htese times, so as soon as it went down into the hole at Union interlocking (where the Coast line meets up with the NEC) it would be hidden from view.

BTW, it takes a rush hour local a good 2 to 3 minutes to unload at Elizabeth.....there is a significant amount of people there. And that train most likely stoped at N. Elizabeth also, and was probably running late, so now, it takes a good 7 to 8 minutes (maybe even a few minutes more depending on the amount of travelers) to clear up track 4 after stoping at N. Eliz, and Broad st. Eliz, then cross over to B. Because things were late, you were right on top of either that train or a train behind that train, which made it seem to take even longer, as you were catching slow signals the entire time, until Elmora interlocking, where B splits off.

[F23A4]

3865 expresses to Metropark and normally when we're behind a South Amboy local, we'll roll past it in Linden-Rahway area. But the irony is that I was in Nwk @ around 5:30 (just missing 3725) and the only train there when I arrived was NJCL 2309 (the one I came in on) and A627 (which pulled in on track 3 simultaneously. Both left around 5:35p, about 25min prior to 3865's arrival. I just figured any South Amboy/Long Branch locals (along with 3865 and A627) would be long out of the way prior to 3865's late departure; thus a clear shot to Metropark.

I dunno. Thanks for responding, JT. Like ususal your posts are very informative.

[1st Barnegat]

What is NJT's policy on trains that fall behind schedule? Is a late train subordinate to all others, so that those others stay on schedule? Or do they all "share the pain" and all become late?

Or is it just the luck of the draw?

[CNJFAN]

Last Sunday I was on the NEC from Newark Penn to NYC and it also was VERY SLOW!!!!
Not to mention very annoying that we had to stop for about 10 minutes to let 3 other trains pass us, then we proceeded very slowly again.
It seemed like an eternity to get to NY Penn Station.
Coming back was the same thing.
It seemed to me that NJT just couldn't get its act together.

[Irish Chieftain]

Again, a reminder: Amtrak owns and dispatches the NEC.

[CNJFAN]

Thanks for the reminder Irish.
I did forget that fact!

[AKelley728]

Another thread for more discussion on Tuesday's night's delays:


Is this anyway to run a railroad?