Lackawanna Coalition

advocating for rail passengers since 1979

Category: Railgram

  • No Changes for NJT Budget; $12M for Private Bus Carriers

    –

    Webweaver

    –

    New Jersey’s budget for Fiscal 2024, which starts on July 1st, was approved on the last day of June. This year’s budget approval process was not long and drawn out with government shutdown looming. Although there were debates over certain items, e.g., the tax rebate for seniors, the Legislature passed the budget on time. At…

    Read more

  • A New NJT Headquarters?

    –

    Sally Jane Gellert

    –

    ,

    commentary Recently it was reported that NJ Transit is going to move its headquarters from its owned building on one side of Newark Penn Station to leased space on the other side of the station. We were flummoxed to hear this—generally speaking, owing one’s “home” is not only considered the American Dream, but also gives…

    Read more

  • RUN to Newark at the End of April!

    –

    David Peter Alan

    –

    The RAIL Users’ Network (RUN) will be coming to Newark on Friday, April 28, for its first “in person” conference since the COVID-19 pandemic sent RUN, the Lackawanna Coalition, and most of society into “virtual space” for the past few years. The conference itself will take place from 8:30 A.M. until 4:50 P.M. at the…

    Read more

  • Report from the Chair

    –

    Sally Jane Gellert

    –

    Budget season is in full swing in Trenton, and as April turned to May Legislative Director Vito Havrilla presented remarks at a Senate hearing. These have been posted to our website and forum. Kevin Corbett appeared at a later hearing and admitted that fare increases are on the table despite the governor’s denial. The last…

    Read more

  • NJ Transit: Truth in Advertising, Please!

    –

    Jesse Gribin

    –

    NJ Transit is lying. I don’t say this because of dishonesty in their dealings, or the fact that their IT constantly claims that trains are running and on time when they are in fact not. No, this is dishonesty in advertising. They claim, prominently—in advertising, news releases, and elsewhere—the following lie: “NJ TRANSIT is the…

    Read more

  • Budget Season Is Here

    –

    Sally Jane Gellert

    –

    Checking the state legislature’s home page as this issue goes to press, we found that the annual Senate and Assembly budget hearings have been announced; the first on March 14th, the final on April 25th. Each year the legislature spends much of this season hearing from constituents about particular budget concerns, suggestions for more, less,…

    Read more

  • Report from the Chair, March/April 2023

    –

    Sally Jane Gellert

    –

    The biggest train-related story since our last issue of the Railgram has to be the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. We note that the problem was compounded by a slow EPA response that allowed the corporation’s request to burn off toxic chemicals—possibly necessary to avoid an uncontrolled explosion, but done in such a…

    Read more

  • Norfolk Southern Rips Up Tracks On Former Lower Greenwood Lake Line

    –

    Webweaver

    –

    After securing a $65 million deal to transfer the right-of-way of the former Greenwood Lake line to the nongovernmental organization Open Space Initiative, Norfolk-Southern (NS) railroad began to rip up tracks at the end of last year. Right now, Norfolk Southern is a household name due to the derailment and controlled burn in East Palestine,…

    Read more

  • Essex2045 Plan Moves Forward

    –

    Sally Jane Gellert

    –

    On December 15th, I attended a virtual meeting of a Stakeholder Advisory Committee on the Essex2045 plan for the next 20 years of transportation in Essex County. In a study funded by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Association, Mercer Planning Associates, the consultants running the program, had conducted surveys and hosted 2 pop-up kiosks and…

    Read more

  • Report from the Chair: Jan./Feb. 2023

    –

    Sally Jane Gellert

    –

    A new year starts this month: my 3rd as Lackawanna Coalition chairperson, and NJ Transit Rail’s 41st. The Coalition has a new Web site, the forum is back in operation, and we are looking forward to being the advocate host of the Rail Users’ Network’s in-person conference in the spring. Our resolution supporting the expansion…

    Read more

Recent Posts

Categories

Archives

Tags

Amtrak ARC bicycles budget bus buses Chris Christie conference Delays equipment fares From the Chair From the Railgram Gladstone history Hoboken Jim Simpson Jim Weinstein Joseph Clift LIRR Midtown Direct Montclair-Boonton Morris & Essex MTA Newark NJT board NJ Transit NJ Transit Board Northeast Corridor North Jersey Coast Line NY Penn Station Pascack Valley Line PATH Penn Station First Plan Raritan Valley RUN Safety SCDRTAC Secaucus Junction Super Bowl Superstorm Sandy transparency Transportation Trust Fund tunnels weather