US Open Golf Train Blues

[bingdude]

Busy week at Patchogue. Every morning there is an extra Eastbound before my train. Must have been 50 people waiting for it on Tuesday. Wednesday about the same. Today...WOW! Hundreds. No room on the platform from end to end! The train was 17 minutes late (which delayed mine) and it was packed when it pulled in. Not everyone was able to get on the 6 Bilevels with a DE on each end. They were going to bustitute the rest. Plently of pissed off golf fans. And a few regulars mad about the late Westbound.

There are going to be some long trains running this weekend. Too bad I can't take any pictures

[krapug]

As I have been saying to the LIRR people all along IF the LIRR was attempting to carry all these Golf Fans to the US Open they should have leased extra Diesel Equipment for this week.

By their own admisson they have been planning this service for over 1 year.

This Fri/Sat/Sun should be very interestingto say the least. For my trip from Southold to Penn on Friday I will be on a bus to and from Ronkonkoma.

Hopefully the US OPen will NEVER EVER AGAIN be on the East End.


I'll be happy when it's Monday.

[Mr Met]

Hey I am going tomorrow but at shinock the platform is only 3 cars and if the train starts at penn would it then be twom dm's

[LI Loco]

I took the LIRR to the US Open Thursday. The train was packed like a Lexington line express at rush hour. Although we kept to the schedule, it took over 45 minutes to get from the train to the golf course due to having our LIRR tickets punches as we exited the station area and long lines at security.

Going back, we were advised to get to the station at least 30 minutes early to avoid getting left behind. The train crowded but at least this time the standees had breathing space. The downside was going into a siding twice - first at Westhampton and then at Mastic Shirley - to allow eastbound trains to pass. On one occasion we had to wait over 20 minutes, which suggests that the meet could have occured at a different station further west where we wouldn't have had to wait so long. Arrival in Babylon was 30 minutes late. The run took over 2 hours; add another hour to get back to Rockville Centre.

The experience persuaded me to try driving today. I got to the parking lot at Gabreski Airport in a little over an hour. It took less than 15 minutes for me to walk from my car to security, clear security and be on a bus headed toward the golf course; another 15 minutes and I was on my way to catch up with Phil Mickelson.

Going back, I had no trouble leaving. However, I met up with heavy traffic congestion as I neared the Nassau County line. Still, I was home in less than two hours; it took over three hours by train.

While the LIRR does a wonderful job of getting hundreds of thousands of commuters to and from Manhattan and Brooklyn each day, they seemed ill-prepared to handle the 5,000 or so who were going by train to the US Open

[JoeLIRR]

I herd somthing like 8,000 on news 12. i really think that a leace with amtrak woulda helped, maby full trainsets power and all, or just a load of amfleets to be couppled to the remaining MP15's. with some give and take this coulda or shoulda happened.

that might have lessened the amount of standees or the need for bustition.

[jayrmli]

Leasing engines from Amtrak wouldn't have worked for the same reason it didn't work when they tried it two years ago to incorporate parlor car service during the summer.

I don't believe the Amtrak engines meet the clearances to fit under the canopies in Jamaica. Leasing Amtrak coaches to work with the DE/DMs wouldn't work because of door light incompatibility.

Jay

[LI Loco]

LIRR to Shinnecock was better on Saturday and Sunday. Better connections, less crowded trains, shorter waits and minimal delays.

Can't say enough good things about the C-3 bilevel coaches. They're quiet, smooth and comfortable and the trains got up to speed quickly. If only there was a matching cafe/bar car that could be added to the consist...

[JoeLIRR]

LI Loco,

"If only there was a matching cafe/bar car that could be added to the consist"

I have issioned such a car, mor or less to be used on both eletric and diesel trains as cell phone/ computer cars. my plan also includes a operition drink/snack bar.

hopfully that would keep thoes inconciderate cellphone uses outa the other cars so the other people wount have to here someones life story.

[LI Loco]

Joe -

I prefer Amtrak's approach, a quiet car for people who want to get away from the talkers and cell phones. If you put everyone with cellphones in one car it would get too noisy. And, you'd be discriminating against cellphone users while other people - groups of friends, cardplayers, crying babies, etc. - would be able to converse loudy without impunity.

LI Loco

[JoeLIRR]

didnt think as discriminiton, i used cell phone uses as the EX. but its good for other purposes as well. take a C3 lower level a bar car, upper level tabels w. seating. would go good on the cannonball. im shur if the price is not ubsean, people would buy on the train.

tho the quite car will work fine as well, that is weual opertunity peace for all.

[N340SG]

The final figures for the U.S. Open LIRR service, as per the LIRR employee newsletter, are:

Nearly 75,000 customers total

Saturday 16,744
Sunday 15,213
Friday 14,072
Thursday 12,813
Wednesday 7,629
Tuesday 4,959
Monday 2,985

Train 2602 on Thursday was the busiest train, carrying 1,927 customers in 7 [?] (TIMACS printout showed 7 cars) bilevel coaches. (Can you say. "Sardines"?)

132 of 134 C-3 coaches owned were in service.