Railroad Forums 

  • Pope Service on ACL and NEC (with Connecting Pope Service)

  • Discussion related to New Jersey Transit rail and light rail operations.
Discussion related to New Jersey Transit rail and light rail operations.

Moderators: lensovet, Kaback9, nick11a

 #1340443  by Launcher
 
Any ideas on possible frequency for the AC Line trains during Pope visit? Many thousands of people will be trying to get to 30th, from points such as Cherry Hill and Lindenwold, both which offer huge parking lots. Single track limits what NJ can offer. I'm wondering when NJT plans on announcing its modified schedule. It will be an all pre-sales weekend, most likely.

Mactraxx on SEPTA forum speculated in a return of clocker service for the dates of Sep 25-27, as a way to alleviate SEPTA's overcrowding. SEPTA won't be running trains past Levittown on this line.Is this even possible, and what hurdles are there to getting it funded and done? The lack of announcements thus far makes me skeptical. Are NJT equipment compliant with the current PTC in that area?
 #1340469  by MACTRAXX
 
Launcher wrote:Any ideas on possible frequency for the AC Line trains during Pope visit? Many thousands of people will be trying to get to 30th, from points such as Cherry Hill and Lindenwold, both which offer huge parking lots. Single track limits what NJ can offer. I'm wondering when NJT plans on announcing its modified schedule. It will be an all pre-sales weekend, most likely.

Mactraxx on SEPTA forum speculated in a return of clocker service for the dates of Sep 25-27, as a way to alleviate SEPTA's overcrowding. SEPTA won't be running trains past Levittown on this line.Is this even possible, and what hurdles are there to getting it funded and done? The lack of announcements thus far makes me skeptical. Are NJT equipment compliant with the current PTC in that area?
Launcher: (and Everyone:)

First - this topic needs a better title: "NJT NEC and ACL (and River Line) service to Philadelphia - Papal Visit
Weekend" (September 26-27, 2015)

Second - NJT has more then likely been more concerned with the possibility of a rail strike and the recently voted
for fare increase instead of planning ahead for a two day special event like the Philadelphia Papal Visit...

Third - I was advocating extra trains to and from the Papal Masses from the NEC namely Trenton and north -
I was not even thinking of any kind of hourly "clocker" type service - but if NJT can handle it - and Amtrak
OKs it - it could be a good service option...

Fourth - NJT equipment - including the multilevels - can operate into Philadelphia - the only problem is the
ML's may not be able to be used into 30th Street upper - remember that NJT A3 MU cars and ML cars have
been used in Amtrak (Thanksgiving holiday) and charter service respectively to Washington in recent years...
Serving 30th Street lower would be better for any added NEC service for logistical reasons...

Fifth - NJT needs to notify riders as to what they plan to operate on the ACL and River Line on the Papal Visit
weekend so everyone affected can plan accordingly: Extra ACL trains? River Line service to be coordinated with
PATCO's special service? There will be a substantial demand for ACL and RL trains that weekend...

Sixth - NJT should announce what their service plans will be for the Papal Visit weekend and what rail and bus
routes will have added, restricted or no service into or out of Philadelphia and if there will be any special fares
for added train service promptly - so those interested can consider NJT a viable option...

MACTRAXX
Last edited by MACTRAXX on Fri Jul 24, 2015 8:17 am, edited 2 times in total.
 #1340509  by ExCon90
 
As far as I can tell, the RiverLINE, regardless of equipment availability, can only handle 2-car trains on 15-minute headways because of all the single track--a teaspoon in the ocean for anything like the papal weekend.
 #1340558  by nick11a
 
jamesinclair wrote:There arent enough diesel light rail vehicles on this continent to make the River Line a viable option if the NEC is severed by jurisdictional bull.

11-car bi-levels need to run into 30th, period.
So, are you implying divine intervention is needed? I've heard of the multiplying of bread, but the multiplying of rail equipment, that would be a new one.

Now to play Mod for a second (not God), let's keep this thread on the topic of NJT Heavy Rail in regards to the papal visit and not go too far into Light Rail or other modes of transport.
 #1340586  by MACTRAXX
 
Launcher: (and Everyone:)

With the usual NJT-SEPTA Trenton transfer not a option on the Papal Visit weekend through NJT NEC trains to
Philadelphia 30th Street will be a service very much in demand and will also take a major burden off of Amtrak
which has its own service limitations on the Northeast Corridor for this period...

A better way of wording Trenton's status on that weekend is "Since SEPTA will not be serving Trenton on the
Papal Visit weekend riders will be looking to NJT for alternate train service to Philadelphia" because Trenton
Station will not be closed - Amtrak and NJT will serve Trenton as they usually do...

I happen to agree that the River Line could be a potential problem with its service limits and even though it
could be a alternative to the service changes on SEPTA's Trenton Line especially at stations that are near two
of the Delaware River bridge crossings - namely Burlington South and Route 73 Pennsauken - there is the DMU
capacity and track limits issues - and then with the Camden transfer one needs to have a Freedom Card to
ride PATCO on this weekend (no paper tickets sold or accepted) as an alternative to a very long walk across
the Ben Franklin Bridge which may very well be closed to vehicles...Ferries across the Delaware River to the
Penn's Landing area could be another alternative way to get to Philadelphia from Camden...

Again NJT needs to outline what they can offer in the realm of added train service to Philadelphia from the
NEC and ACL and I will add that these two rail routings will be the only sensible way to get to Philadelphia
from North and outer South Jersey because any other NJT services will be affected by the limitations of the
large secure zone perimeter - and resulting traffic - as a result of all the closures in Philadelphia that weekend...

MACTRAXX
 #1340609  by jamesinclair
 
nick11a wrote:Now to play Mod for a second (not God), let's keep this thread on the topic of NJT Heavy Rail in regards to the papal visit and not go too far into Light Rail or other modes of transport.
And how on earth is the River Line off topic? Is it not an NJ Transit line?

At this point, we know the following facts:

1) SEPTA will not serve Trenton
2) Private buses (Megabus etc) will not serve Philly
3) NJ Transit has not announced any intention to run into 30th from the NEC

That leaves the River Line as the only ANNOUNCED transit connection between central NJ and NYC into Philly, via connections at Trenton and PATCO.
 #1340638  by nick11a
 
jamesinclair wrote:
nick11a wrote:Now to play Mod for a second (not God), let's keep this thread on the topic of NJT Heavy Rail in regards to the papal visit and not go too far into Light Rail or other modes of transport.
And how on earth is the River Line off topic? Is it not an NJ Transit line?

At this point, we know the following facts:

1) SEPTA will not serve Trenton
2) Private buses (Megabus etc) will not serve Philly
3) NJ Transit has not announced any intention to run into 30th from the NEC

That leaves the River Line as the only ANNOUNCED transit connection between central NJ and NYC into Philly, via connections at Trenton and PATCO.

There is a NJT Light Rail forum here on RR.net. Light Rail discussions outside of connections with heavy rail should be discussed there.
 #1340659  by sammy2009
 
It would be great if NJT did run service from NY to PHL 30th St. I'm sure the MLV can fit onto the upper level but that might be a problem due to SEPTA Regional Rail trains coming in at what time and the loading and unloading of each train....the MLV's would be better served discharging and loading on the lower level with AMTRAK ,and the Atlantic City Line. And i thought i heard somewhere awhile ago that NJT wasn't going to operate into the city ? ( i know it might sound stupid ) Far as the Atlantic City Line i can see the demand being there because not everyone would want to drive into the city due to the street closings. MLV's would be a nice option for this line or maybe a 7-8 car consist. ??? And a possible higher frequency rather then 2 1/2 hours. ?

But like someone else mentioned NJT is in the possiblity of a strike so i know this is def not one of their top priorities.
 #1340687  by Launcher
 
Pope weekend will test our systems and transfers like none other. I do not think it is appropriate for our moderators to try to move discussions away from a rail forum just because "a bus transfer" or " a light rail vehicle" is mentioned as a secondary mode of getting from or to the NEC. We get it. This is the NJT RAIL forum. Now let's get back to talking about the NJT as a whole, with regard to how they plan on handling their portion of 2 million potential customers, no matter what vehicle is used.
 #1340709  by nick11a
 
Launcher wrote:Pope weekend will test our systems and transfers like none other. I do not think it is appropriate for our moderators to try to move discussions away from a rail forum just because "a bus transfer" or " a light rail vehicle" is mentioned as a secondary mode of getting from or to the NEC. We get it. This is the NJT RAIL forum. Now let's get back to talking about the NJT as a whole, with regard to how they plan on handling their portion of 2 million potential customers, no matter what vehicle is used.
Well, yes. We just don't want an entire thread talking about buses... which can happen. Keep it mainly centered on heavy rail as much as possible.
 #1340733  by nick11a
 
chuchubob wrote:A Philadelphia railfan queried NJ Transit concerning their Pope weekend plans. The reply received Friday said the plan would be announced no later than two weeks prior.
Hi chuchubob! I hope all is well!

That's interesting. I guess this is for security?