Past Scheduling Oddities

Jo24Sam wrote:
Currently, the only Brooklyn train to skip Jamaica is the 5:29PM to Huntington train, first stop Westbury (in the past I believe it was either Hicksville or Syosset). How much demand for an FBA express is there (is it crowded?) when only 2 AM Huntington trains serve FBA direCtly.

Actually I came onto this board tonight to post about that same train. I was in FBA tonight and noticed this run...I knew there was a PM rush to Huntington, but I never realized it was non-stop to Westbury -- is this the only FBA train that doesn't stop at Jamaica? It didn't seem too crowded - it was a 4 car M1 on track 6 (which is a short platform that very seldomly even sees service), although there were quite a number of last minute runners for it who seemed to know where they were going.

An interesting fact about this run - according to my 2005 ETT, this run uses the freight track to get from Dunton to Hall - the freight track is 3 tracks south of track 8 at Jamaica station, and passes under the Airtrain building. And yes, despite its name, it has third rail.

[quote] Name the only electrified station that doesn't have direct AM peak service to Flatbush Avenue. (other than East Williston, Pinelawn and the stations that don't have direct track into Flatbush PW branch, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, etc.) [/quote]

What is Carle Place?

What is Belmont Race Track?

You're a winner with Carle Place -- I had meant to exclude Belmont along with East Williston and Pinelawn.

Carle Place has always struck me as odd. It has strangely limited service for a station on a busy line(s) right smack in the middle of Nassau.

One example is the Evening Westbound schedule (post rush hour) -- 6:55, 8:30, 10:30. In between 6:55 and 10:30, 3 other trains make both Westbury and Mineola. A 90 minute gap followed by a 2-hour gap. That's about as bad as the West Hempstead branch.

I don't think there's much parking at the Carle Place station - if any. This might be why it is not used as much as you would expect.

Carle Place has maybe 8 commuter spots.....yes, eight. It's a very limited amount in a shared parking lot with a small factory and a small office...so each business is very defensive of 'their' parking. The small hand full of spaces intended for LIRR commuters is located along the platform and is labled as LIRR Commuter Parking. So as a majority, people walk to Carle Place station, or get dropped off by car. It is a quirky little station, no doubt...as most people that live outside of walking distance to the west probably don't even know it exsists and would probably drive to Mineola to catch a train. Anyone east of walking distance would probably either take Westbury or Hicksville.

Not that there are THAT many homes west of the station. The streets run another block or so until they hit the Meadowbrook.

Also, the only use for the N22 connection there is to get to Roosevelt Field Mall, but despite the time savings, most people just get off at Mineola because there are far more options.

...and with the new inter-modal center at Mineola....

CTG wrote:OK -- 3 posts in a row for me. I promise to stop after this one...

One of Jo24Sam's recollections reminded me of one of my favorite LIRR schedule trivia questions.

Name the only electrified station that doesn't have direct AM peak service to Flatbush Avenue. (other than East Williston, Pinelawn and the stations that don't have direct track into Flatbush PW branch, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, etc.)

is it St Albans?

Meh, the intermodal center doesn't really add much. It just saves one block walking distance. You can still reach the westbound plat faster from the N22/N23/N24 by getting off at 2nd St. If they really wanted Mineola Intermodal Center to be something to rave about(as good as it is), they would've put in a spot for Trailways and Shortline to stop. Trailways recently bailed out of Mineola and went for Carle Place, where Shortline stops. No connections there. Trailways at Mineola Intermodal would've been far better.

And a few N15s to the station wouldn't hurt either. Nor would having the N67 make more than just school trips.

There I go ranting again....

What, no light rail provisions either at MIC, Nimby?


By the way, I've been parking in the new MIC about half the time lately (the other half is when I get up early enough to get a parking spot at Merillon Ave.) and I find the new parking garage very convenient. It sure beats having to park at a meter several blocks away. I only wish that they would reduce the parking fee to, say, $3 in stead of the $5 that they charge - at least they give you 20 hours for that price - in case you have to work very late or want to spend a might out on the town.

davelirrider wrote:is it St Albans?

Nope, #903 on the WH stops there.

3 more...

How is it that the 4:01PM to Huntington and 4:04 to Babylon are NOT rush hour trains?! Who complained that much to get these two trains free of rush hour fares? I guess rush hour dosent start at 4PM afterall.

Train 2737, the 6:21 AM Speonk to Penn makes a Kew Gardens stop?! Probably the only diesel train (sorry forcive habit to call it that) to stop in the city terrminal zone thats not a terminal.

I see that Oyster Bay only has 1 last 'Change at Mineola' train. It seems early enough that that equipment can run to Jamaica without track congestion. What does this equipment do after dumping passengers off at Mineola?

Jo24Sam wrote:3 more...

How is it that the 4:01PM to Huntington and 4:04 to Babylon are NOT rush hour trains?! Who complained that much to get these two trains free of rush hour fares? I guess rush hour dosent start at 4PM afterall.

Train 2737, the 6:21 AM Speonk to Penn makes a Kew Gardens stop?! Probably the only diesel train (sorry forcive habit to call it that) to stop in the city terrminal zone thats not a terminal.

I see that Oyster Bay only has 1 last 'Change at Mineola' train. It seems early enough that that equipment can run to Jamaica without track congestion. What does this equipment do after dumping passengers off at Mineola?

Yeah, I always wondered about that speonk train that stops at kew gardens.

As far as the off-peak trains, they must leave western terminals between 4:00 and 8:00. Since trains 656 (LIC) and 2860 (FBA) leave their terminals before 4:00, their connecting trains from NYP, although they leave after 4:00, will be off-peak.

I think the 4:01 and 4:04 are off peak because their connections from Brooklyn leave before 4:00PM

Jo24Sam wrote:
I see that Oyster Bay only has 1 last 'Change at Mineola' train. It seems early enough that that equipment can run to Jamaica without track congestion. What does this equipment do after dumping passengers off at Mineola?

Heads back to Oyster Bay, presumably to provide equipment for 507.