So, what just happened?

It does get tiring - it gets tiring sitting at a stop signal waiting for a train (NJT or Amtrak) to pass which is miles back (no headlight on the horizon). Its even better when its an NJT X train flying by the pax train.

It gets tiring coming up to a stop signal, one of those "voice activated signals" Oh look at that, the "ghost train" just cleared up......

It gets tiring following pre-programmed routes when just thinking a little bit would save a heap of time.....why not run down track 4 at EWR when trains are really late? - that saves at least 3 minutes, being able to go 70 right out of Newark Penn (well, past MP9) instead of 45 the whole way from Newark to EWR. Instead nearly every NJT train that makes EWR has to go down track 5.

Most NJT guys (and passengers) understand that Amtrak trains get priority, and thats fine, and quite honestly, thats how it should be. They are a higher priority, and if I was on an Amtrak train as a pax, Id wanna get around the NJT trains too. However, that doesn't mean that NJT trains should suffer all the time, many times for no reason, especially since we could clear up or get out of the way before the other train would even be affected - well maybe they would SEE the advanced approach 2 miles down the railroad, but it would clear up before they even got there........

But instead, boneheaded decisions are made, like holding trains that are or would be on time, for a train thats late. So now, there are 2 trains late. Putting locals in front of expresses, or using interlockings to cross trains over that cause slow downs and delays. For example, if there is nothing following a PJ express, runngin west on track 3, why cross him over at Lincoln or even County? Thats banging the local on track 4. Cross him over at Midway like they do other days of the week. If there is something behind the train on track 3, okay fine, but if there isn't.....

Its amazing however, how different dispatchers run their railroad on different days. One day, the dispatcher will keep everything moving and things are good, the next day, say his day off, the relief guy does things his own way, and things are totally different. And its also amazing how many "voice activated signals" there are with certain dispatchers, while there are never any with others. does that happen with Acela? For some reason, I doubt it.

But i guess these kinds of battles have been going on since the very first dispatcher/tower controlled the very first siding so many years ago...........so it don't look promising for anything changing in the future hahahahaha

Jt, very well written (as always) but I have to disagree on just a few thoughts. I do agree that not all Njt trains should have to run down track 5 leaving Newark but if you are making Newark airport and there is an Amtrak train making Newark airport, I think it's only fair that you take the slow road so to speak but you are right, if nothing is around then run down 4.jt send me a pm because I'm curious what there reasoning why they make Njt do that move. I don't think between Trenton and Newark is a problem but between newark and nyp it's horrendous especially during rush hours. It's not the Newark division trains that are a problem, it's all of the midtown direct trains. I can speak from experience jt that many Amtrak trains are delayed by Njt including acela's and that it's not a fair assumption to make that only Njt trains are delayed. I have 2 pet peeves, 1 being secaucus jct and the 2nd regarding Trenton and of course maybe these problems are caused by dispatching but when a Njt train makes secaucus, why is an Amtrak train routed right behind them and 2nd why when a wb Trenton train is unloading in trenton to go to morrisville do they sit and sit and sit checking for passengers and meanwhile 2 Amtrak trains are waiting to enter instead of simply holding the Njt trains out until the Amtrak trains are done with th station work. Njt gets alot of priority dispite what is written on these boards. It's true that Njt has paid for alot of track work etc etc etc but Amtrak does own the railroad and Njt does run a million trains a day that constantly beating up the track and catenary. Just last week a Njt tore wires down on track 1 on the flyover at lane disrupting service. I think Amtrak runs what, maybe 50 trains a day in each direction if it's even that, although I have never opened my ett to count. When Amtrak runs on metro north do they get priority? Absolutely not. Why, because metro north owns the railroad and there trains get priority. Of course this is just a discussion amongst railroaders but maybe it's food for thought?

If Section A would route trains that are making SEC the PROPER way, meaning using A track inbetween Allied and Portal (mainly for westbounds), it would really speed things up ALOT. however, that is rarely done, and trains that platform at SEC on the inner tracks are usually crossed in or out (or both) at Erie or Lack to 2 or 3 (depending on direction of course) and which is faster, 70mph or 45? Of course, trains in one direction woudln't be able to use A as trains in teh other directoin would be, but it would be quite helpful. Also, if the 562 up there was better, and not constantly dropping, (that approach medium drop at Allied is a REAL PITA) it would make it worth while to run at least close to track speed....... I have noticed recently, however, that every once in a while, going west, Sect A does route via track A-B-A and its cab speeds all the way through - very very very nice.

Your absolutely correct Budd, all trains are delayed on the High Line, which is what happens when they try to stuff 10 pounds of potatoes into a 5 pound bag. However, as far as I remember, all the trains have the same MAS speeds up there, so its not like one train is going to get somewhere any quicker than the next. The only thing is is if a train makes SEC or not. And quite frankly, NJT trains tend to get up and out of the way much faster than Amtrak trains, (except Acela) especially MUs and '46 powered trains - even 10 car ML sets.

NJT trains take so long in Trenton, because the crew has to walk the train to make sure no passengers are left on. Crews have been getting time out on the street for taking stragglers into the yard. And of course, MUs and Comets make this much easier, as the crew only has to walk through once, adn can close back as they go, but the MLs, the crews have to walk both upstairs and downstairs, taking, you guested it, twice as long. and usually by this point, its only the cond and rear brake, and MAYBE one TC, so that takes a while to go through 10 ML cars or 12 MUs.

Sometimes Amtrak trains are held for NJT trains - with several hundreds of trains running every day, there are times when this just has to happen. if not, it would just cause total gridlock. I love it when some Amtrak Engineers get on the radio and say "Are we being held here for the Transit????" - the one time CETC 7 got on and said, "well, now you are gonna be" I was laughing my tail off and make sure I gave a real good toot as I passed his head end. He was grumbling all the way up to Newark on the radio, and he only passed me at the east end of Dock hahahah Not bad for me being a semi local (exp from MP)

I work in Philly. One of my coworkers commutes from Princeton. She was late one day, said the crew member gave her a lift from Morrisville to some train station, I assume Levittown. the crew member didn't want to get reported for missing her at Trenton, he looked for people's feet on the upper levels without actually going up the stairs. She had her feet up on the seat in front of her.
She was also embarresed for having not noticed that the train had gotten to Trenton, ironically she didn't pay attention because as she said it she was reading literature that was supposed to be important for her work assignment that was due at her expected arrival time, which of course got delayed because she missed her Trenton connection.

I still say this is a case for a Morrisville station. Do the passenger check someplace where there's minimal impact on other trains. I've heard many shortsighted excuses against a Morrisville station, for example NJ taxes shouldn't subsidize PA residents. This ignores the facts that NJ highway taxes subsidize the PA residents who would otherwise take the train, and ignores the operational inefficiency we get by making trains dwell at Trenton in order to make sure everybody's off before the train can clear the platform. Put a platform at Morrisville and invite the stragglers to wait there for the next train that comes out of the yard back to Trenton.

I've heard many shortsighted excuses against a Morrisville station, for example NJ taxes shouldn't subsidize PA residents. This ignores the facts that NJ highway taxes subsidize the PA residents who would otherwise take the train, and ignores the operational inefficiency we get by making trains dwell at Trenton in order to make sure everybody's off before the train can clear the platform. Put a platform at Morrisville and invite the stragglers to wait there for the next train that comes out of the yard back to Trenton.

Pretty expensive remedy for a minor problem. In case you hadn't noticed, NJT's capital budget is already overstretched, being used in part to fund operations and build a $7 billion tunnel to NYC. If PA doesn't want to pay for a station, so be it. I'm glad we aren't.

There's a sign that says "KEEP FEET OFF SEATS." She should have had to pay for a taxi.

ryanov wrote:There's a sign that says "KEEP FEET OFF SEATS." She should have had to pay for a taxi.

HAHA i was thinking the same thing.........."should have kept your feet on the floor............"

Hate having an express jammed behind the local. I took 2305 home on Tuesday and I'm pretty sure we were stuck behind 3405 the ENTIRE way to Union with how slow we were going

firthorfifth06 wrote:Hate having an express jammed behind the local. I took 2305 home on Tuesday and I'm pretty sure we were stuck behind 3405 the ENTIRE way to Union with how slow we were going

How sure is pretty sure?

Jtgshu wrote:

ryanov wrote:There's a sign that says "KEEP FEET OFF SEATS." She should have had to pay for a taxi.

HAHA i was thinking the same thing.........."should have kept your feet on the floor............"

As heard on a AC line train...."If you look down in front of you, you will see New Jersey Transit has conveniently placed a floor there for your feet."

TheTroll wrote:

Jtgshu wrote:

ryanov wrote:There's a sign that says "KEEP FEET OFF SEATS." She should have had to pay for a taxi.

HAHA i was thinking the same thing.........."should have kept your feet on the floor............"

As heard on a AC line train...."If you look down in front of you, you will see New Jersey Transit has conveniently placed a floor there for your feet."

Reminds me of something my Mom used to say when i was little and had a bad habit of sitting on the coffee table...

"Tables are for glasses, not little kids..............."

BuddSilverliner269 wrote: When Amtrak runs on metro north do they get priority? Absolutely not. Why, because metro north owns the railroad and there trains get priority. Of course this is just a discussion amongst railroaders but maybe it's food for thought?

Quite often Metro North dose give Amtrak priority, once my train sat for 5 min. in Stamford waiting for a late Acela to come through, another time the train I was in was behind 3 or 4 late Amtraks and needed to run in Restricted.