The East Side Access Project Discussion (ESA)

A repeat of '68 - Rockefeller rushing the M-1s into service by the end of the year.

WE - Good thought about not rushing the opening of ESA/GCTM because of the upcoming NYS elections...
Agreed that the ESA project needs to be finished right and not rushed because of political aspirations...

R36 - In fairness there was just a small group of 18 M1 cars that were placed into service back in late 1968
(9001-9018) by the order of then-Governor Nelson Rockefeller for political reasons...The LIRR learned that
the M1 MU cars needed further testing with their new-car "bugs"...MACTRAXX

MACTRAXX wrote: ↑Mon Aug 22, 2022 1:51 pm R36 - In fairness there was just a small group of 18 M1 cars that were placed into service back in late
1968 (9001-9018) by the order of then-Governor Nelson Rockefeller for political reasons.

It was actually the first 16 cars (9001-9016) which rolled out of Red Lion in October 1968.

The SAS to 96th was also allegedly "rushed", but the Hudson Yards extension actually delayed (being a project
initiated under the administration of Mayor Bloomberg in 2005, original schedule was by end of 2013 to have
it in service in his term. However delays pushed back to September 2015. The mayor did ride a train into the
incomplete station shell in December 2013 in his final appearance in office).

WOR radio helicopter traffic reporter ("Fearless" Fred Feldman) used to report on "silver snail" sightings, esp. when he saw dead trains somewhere.

I agree with the above posters. Opening any new facility for political purposes before it's truly ready usually backfires. It happened with the government run facility where I worked years ago.

The timetable change and crew pick points to 12/5 for full service, but they could certainly run revenue trains prior to that.

Last thing they need is to run a revenue service commuter train into ESA and it not be 100%

Has any progress been seen wrt the protection engines?

It is all the tunneling and trackage completed?

ConstanceR46 wrote: ↑Sun Oct 02, 2022 2:33 am Has any progress been seen wrt the protection engines?

Unsure.

nyrmetros wrote: ↑Mon Oct 03, 2022 8:33 pm It is all the tunneling and trackage completed?

yes, long since completed

ConstanceR46 wrote: ↑Sun Oct 02, 2022 2:33 am Has any progress been seen wrt the protection engines?

More SW1001s!

At least, I would assume at this point some of the SW1001s would return to their "old stomping grounds" of the main line between Morris Park and LIC. I also think one of the 1001s (104?) is being restored from the deadline, but I'm not entirely sure what the progress is with this project. Maybe someone can confirm this by seeing if 104 is still on the deadline as of now.

Anyone know if they built a connecting track between the ESA levels and the Metro-North tracks? Doesn't have to be powered by caternary or third rail, just something to get equipment down there and back. The FEIS wasn't all that helpful.

The difference in (negative?) elevation would probably require a one-car-at-a-time elevator like the Hudson & Manhattan used to have in Jersey City between the underground tracks and the shops on the surface; the ESA tracks themselves are on two levels, and there's a mezzanine between them and the GCT Lower Level.

ExCon90 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 10:37 pm The difference in (negative?) elevation would probably require a one-car-at-a-time elevator like the Hudson & Manhattan used to have in Jersey City between the underground tracks and the shops on the surface; the ESA tracks themselves are on two levels, and there's a mezzanine between them and the GCT Lower Level.

Ugh, no. The FEIS did indicate some possible connection at the ESA tracks coming into GCT LIRR level, with a possible tail that may of connected to track 200 on the MNR lower level. I'm wondering if it got connected.

The reason for the ask is I want to have a reproduction-fake Hornet Hudson in Dreyfuss streamlining connecting up to a train just outside the interlock to ESA, then hauling it into GCT though ESA and parking it on track 42. I probably have to just haul it up to New Rochelle and have the Hudson pull it back down again instead of pulling the timeframe card I have for this sequel novel.