Which is worse for crews? New Year's Eve or St. Paddy's Day?

[R36 Combine Coach]

LIRR bans alcohol on selected special event days, including Belmont Stakes, Puerto Rican Day Parade Day and New Year's Eve. Not sure about MNCR policy.

[MNConductor]

As far as the MTA police riding trains go, they have had their budget cut too... No more roaving train patrols. On St. Paddy's day they try to station teams at the big stops like Harlem, White Plains, Stamford, etc... The cops stationed at Harlem had pocket fulls of plastic handcuffs incase half the train needed to be taken off I`ll take New Years Eve any day over St. Patricks. And I say that only cause when you mix the commuters who pay big $$$ to ride our trains with these young whipper-snappers who listen to their loud new-fangled rock music and chug their alcohol, nothing good is gonna come from that.

[MACTRAXX]

Everyone: After reading again thru this topic I would like to make a comparison between St. Patrick's Day and New Year's Eve-

St.Patrick's Day-when it falls on a weekday-is a mix of regular commuters and parade goers that can cause friction when those who drink and are bent on hooliganism cause problems on board trains enroute to NYC. A Saturday parade can be different because of either more parade-goers and less regular commuters. The rule is if St.Patrick's Day-the 17th-falls on a Sunday the Parade is held on the 16th.

New Year's Eve/Day is definitely treated differently because it is considered a holiday and since it is observed/celebrated at Midnight NYC bound trains can be a mix of partygoers and regular riders getting away for that holiday. Since everyone knows
that New Year's Eve can include alcohol and drinking in recent years more precautions are taken by most to try and stay safe.

My memory of the problems concerning the 1981 St.Patrick's Day Parade were no doubt fueled by the lower NY drinking age back then - 18 - and the easy availibility of alcohol to especially underage drinkers.

In conversation recently a gentleman I deal with came up with an interesting observation: Since it will be 30 years in 2011
since the 1981 Parade debacle the authorities in charge should review their strategy and get the word out to this newer generation of people to all bent on hooliganism that drinking and troublemaking will NOT be tolerated where this Parade is concerned. It should start with those who travel by train to NYC for the parade that the MTA Police for starters will not tolerate this behaviour and the NYPD will not tolerate any disruptions or hooliganism there on the Parade route.

Transportation facilities like MNCR,LIRR and NJT Rail should take note of this thought before other Parades coming up-like the mentioned Puerto Rican Day Parade(I am NOT singling out any one event/parade here)so those bent on making trouble know that there ARE consequences for causing trouble.

Thoughts,Memories and Opinion from MACTRAXX

[7express]

I had to work with my dad in Greenwich on the day of the Yankees championship parade in November and that was bad. His office is about a mile from the Cos Cob station, and I take the 8:20 from Bridgeport (1539). 1537, due in 5 minutes earlier at 8:13 was short on cars to begin with and even though Bridgeport is only the 4th stop down the line, there were already people standing in the aisles in the first 2 cars when it pulled in, and by the time it left, all 5 were filled to capacity. Don't think they checked any tickets that train.

I actually skipped lunch that day to beat the crowd; didn't work. 1:33 from GCT was SRO in all 8 cars when I got on in Stamford.

[Grump]

Had to chime in...
Worst day on the rails at NJT is the Puerto Rican Day parade... St Pattys Day and New Years is just stupid drunks doing stupid things. The Puerto Rican Day parade has stupid drunks thinking that they're the "best" and its their day to do whatever the heck they want...
Just my 2 cents from actually being out there folks.

[7express]

Sorry to bump an old topic, but whats so bad about the Puerto Rican day parade (for anyone thats had to work that day)?? I was at the front of 7581 tonight and the engineer was talking to the conducter about the St. Patrick's day fights on the Hudson on Youtube, and they both said the Puerto Rican day parade is probably the worst of the 3 (New Years eve, St. Patrick's, Puerto Rican parade). Is it because its always on a Sunday, and its all the people going to the parade or just something totally different??

[railmason357]

So for the last two years the youths of the Hudson Valley have been making train riding on St Patrick's day an adventure. No matter what MN does the animals are out of control. Do you make commuter only trains? split the train in sections and revelers only trains? Or do you hold people accountable? Take the day off? What more can the RR do?

[Steamboat Willie]

Heard the same report from people in the field who worked the Hudson Division this year. I worked it on the Hudson a few years ago and compared to the other 2 lines, the Hudson took the cake easily. The Highbridge switcher was busy switching out vandalized cars as trains went up there to layover/be serviced. I noticed there was an increased amount of law officer headcounts this year than the previous year in GCT.

There are no special "commuter only" trains during times like this. If you are a veteran commuter you should be prepared for the antics this holiday brings. Same goes for New Years, the PR day parade, 4th of July etc. In terms of increased police, I am sure this is discussed with MN's president and the MTAPD commissioner prior to the holiday.

St. Patrick's day is the one holiday most people once their personal day bank is replenished for the new year put in for ASAP.

[Amtrak7]

Well, St. Patricks Day is the biggest parade that I know of that occurs on a non-holiday weekday.

[metrony]

This year the Hudson Line had two more extra trains, MTA personal were on the platform at Beacon, MTA police were all over the place at Beacon too.

I haven't seen any youtube videos or heard much about the antics this year on MNRR for St Paddy Day..Seems like this year wasn't too bad compared to..?

[truck6018]

This year the Hudson Line had two more extra trains, MTA personal were on the platform at Beacon, MTA police were all over the place at Beacon too.

I haven't seen any youtube videos or heard much about the antics this year on MNRR for St Paddy Day..Seems like this year wasn't too bad compared to..?

Just because you didn't see it on youtube doesn't mean there wasn't mayhem.

Numerous NYC bound Hudson Line trains required police intervention due to rowdy crowded, smoking on the trains, passengers were thown off the trains by the PD along with numerous delays.

In the PM at least 5 Hudson Line trains required police intervention and there were limited issues on the other lines.

Lets not forget that this is all the same day an individual attempted to walk the cat's at New Haven (at least climbed up on the poles and got zapped).