Commuter Rail Delay Discussion

[philipmartin]

The good news: NJT is no longer reporting overhead power problems this morning.
The bad news: "Jul 28, 2015 10:46:14 AM Trains in/out of NYPS are subject to up to 20 min. delays due to a disabled Amtrak train. Trains are currently single-tracking in/out of NYPS."
The more it changes, the more it stays the same.

Here are a couple of alerts from Jul 28, 2015 03:58:06 PM
"NJT rail passes/tickets will be cross-honored by NJT & private carrier buses, PATH at 33rd, Hoboken & Newark Penn Station & NY Waterway at South Ferry Hoboken.
Jul 28, 2015 03:58:02 PM NEC train #3719 the 3:15pm from Metro Park is subject to up to 35 min. late, due to disabled Amtrak train ahead." I wonder why they are cross honoring? The dead Amtraker is probably west of Metro Park.

[Ken W2KB]

Thanks for giving us the actual case of the power problems, srepetsk. What seems a little odd is that the cables are supposed to run between Hackensack and New York. Is there a power plant in Hackensack that supplies the juice? I know that there is a big power plant a little closer, on the Hackensack River between Portal and Hack. And isn't there a railroad owned power plant across 31st street from Penn Station?
I rode a train from Raritan to New York yesterday morning, worrying about the reported delays, but we went out of Newark behind an Acella and had a fairly good ride to New York.

I don't know too many specifics about Amtrak's power setup, but according to all the articles I've read the issue(s) were between the Hackensack and Penn substations, not power being supplied to either. And apparently there was a disabled NJT train in one of the tunnels causing additional havoc on Monday, too: http://www.northjersey.com/news/christi ... -1.1380604" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The only source of Amtrak traction power in New Jersey is the 25 megawatt rotary converter located at the PSE&G Metuchen Switching Station. The refererces in the news are to Amtrak substations along the right of way which merely step down the 25Hz voltage from the Amtrak 138kV transmission line to catenary level.

[philipmartin]

The only source of Amtrak traction power in New Jersey is the 25 megawatt rotary converter located at the PSE&G Metuchen Switching Station. The refererces in the news are to Amtrak substations along the right of way which merely step down the 25Hz voltage from the Amtrak 138kV transmission line to catenary level.

Thanks for the information. I worked at Lincoln tower in Metuchin a few times.

[philipmartin]

Must have been a bad day in NYP last October. All departures are cancelled, even the one to Albany.
That's a good idea. Load the train right in the waiting room. No need to climb up and down the stairs to track level.

[philipmartin]

Bus service between Long Branch and Elberon, Aug.3 through Aug. 7, due to signal work.
http://www.njtransit.com/sa/sa_servlet. ... ntId=12756" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[time]

Tonight was a horrid commute for some. Train 6663 (express) ran local to drop off passengers they took on for 6363 (local). As a result, the train was so crowded that the crew had to have people get off at Newark Broad to open the trap doors (the passengers eventually shoved their way back on). A family could not make their way out of the train at Orange, and took a ride to South Orange to wait for a train back to Orange. Mashing yourself up against another body on a hot, humid July evening is just so pleasant. The price you pay to get home on NJT.

[philipmartin]

Tonight was a horrid commute for some. Train 6663 (express) ran local to drop off passengers they took on for 6363 (local). As a result, the train was so crowded that the crew had to have people get off at Newark Broad to open the trap doors (the passengers eventually shoved their way back on). A family could not make their way out of the train at Orange, and took a ride to South Orange to wait for a train back to Orange. Mashing yourself up against another body on a hot, humid July evening is just so pleasant. The price you pay to get home on NJT.

It sounds like the New York City subway during rush hour.

[time]

Yeah, pretty much. Except on the subway your trips are usually shorter, and the conductor doesn't have to remove people from the car to open trap doors. Of course, that express train was a consist with some cars that did not have center doors. Of course. A long shove to get off at the early stops.

[philipmartin]

NJ Transit Alerts <[email protected]>
3:35 PM Thursday, Aug. 6.
"There's a hold on all tracks at Newark Penn Station due to fire department activity at the station. All trains being held outbound from NY and inbound to Newark"
4:03 PM "NEC/NJCL and RVL trains are subject to 45 minute delays in/out of NY due to fire department activity at Newark Penn Station."
PATH was running. 4:03 PM "System wide cross honoring with PATH, NJ Transit, private carriers."
Fire's out. 5:43 PM "NEC, NJCL, MidTown Directs and RVL trains are subject to 30 minute delays in/out of NYPS due to earlier fire department activity at Newark Penn."
http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/201 ... delay.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/08/06/ ... rack-fire/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BigDell]

Yes, did the E train down to WTC to the PATH to Newark and by the time I got there (6-ish) the NJ bound trains were running but backed up. I got to Metropark quickly and hadn't even left the platform when the next NJT train came in almost directly behind (and mostly empty). It's been an adventure, the past few weeks.... Everything was fairly normal this morning but there were minor delays going into NYC. My 8AM from Metropark was late.

[philipmartin]

It's been an adventure, the past few weeks....

That's one way to look at it. Sounds like a nightmare to me.
My experience has been that when service is knocked out, and nobody can say when the will be another train; right after people leave, a train comes through. I've seen it happen a number of times.

[philipmartin]

Amtrak repairs power cables.
http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/201 ... d_for.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[philipmartin]

How cross honoring costs NJT.
http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/201 ... _year.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ken W2KB]

1 of 2
FRM:NJ Transit Alerts
SUBJ:NJ Transit Alerts
MSG:M&E service from Mt. Arlington to Hackettstown is suspended in both directions due to an
(Con't) 2 of 2
overturned truck on a Rt. 80 overhead bridge in Lake Hopatcong. 1 of 2

Sent: 11:36 AM
(End)

[philipmartin]

3221 broke down in thee unnel this morning, causing onr hour delays. He was cancelled and so was the train he turns for at Long Branch, 3232. Midtown Directs to Hoboken.