Lackawanna Coalition

advocating for rail passengers since 1979

  • London Subway Plans 24-Hour Service

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    John Bobsin

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    Most lines on the New York subway system run continuously, except for planned work programs that sometimes reroute service.  Therefore, metropolitan area transit users may not realize that most urban rapid transit systems do not run all the time; this strategy reduces costs and allows needed maintenance to proceed unhindered by thundering trains. In London,…

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  • NY Subways Set One-Day Record

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    John Bobsin

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    New York City Subway ridership set a modern one-day record on Thursday, October 24, 2013, when 5,985,311 riders were counted entering the system, according to reporting by Matt Flegenheimer in The New York Times (Nov. 21).  This is the highest one-day count since the subway started recording daily ridership in 1985.  Subway officials say there…

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  • Amtrak to Repair East River Tunnels

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    John Bobsin

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    According to an announcement by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), Amtrak will use $86 million in Superstorm Sandy federal recovery funds to perform maintenance work on four East River tunnels used by Amtrak, the Long Island Rail Road, and some NJ Transit trains enroute to or from Sunnyside Yard in Queens.  Several issues in the tunnels…

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  • Japan Offers High-Speed Rail Financing

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    John Bobsin

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    While U.S.A. efforts to begin a true high-speed rail system remain mired in politics, Japan is eager to export its rail technology, and will even help finance systems that use it, according to reporting by Eric Pfanner in The New York Times (November 19).  In a recent visit, ex–New York Governor George Pataki inspected Japanese…

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  • Hoboken Waiting Room Reopens

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    John Bobsin

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    NJ Transit has reopened the historic waiting room at Hoboken Terminal; a visit on Monday, November 19 at 5 p.m. confirmed that the terminal has reopened.  The most recent reporting on the subject, just a few days ago, forecast the reopening before winter weather sets in; apparently, NJT has been able to beat those predictions. …

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  • N.Y. Penn Station Restrooms to Close for Makeover

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    John Bobsin

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    Several months ago, NJ Transit officials were embarrassed when confronted with evidence that the restrooms on the NJT 7th Avenue concourse in New York’s Penn Station were in lamentable condition; the situation was brought to light by Albert Papp, Jr., former Lackawanna Coalition chair and president of the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers.  Now…

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  • MTA Expects Lower Fare Increases

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    John Bobsin

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    New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority expects to scale back fare and toll increases of 7.5% previously planned for 2015 and 2017; now the increases will still occur, but are likely to be only about 4%, according to reporting by Matt Flegenheimer in The New York Times (November 14). The proposed new increases, which still need…

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  • Christie’s Budget Strategies Questioned

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    John Bobsin

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    New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie likes to portray himself as a fiscal conservative, but reporting by Kate Zernike in The New York Times (Oct. 30) questions this assessment, including Christie’s record on transportation issues.  In his election 4 years ago, Christie attacked his opponent, incumbent Jon Corzine, for using fiscal gimmicks to balance the budget.…

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  • NYC Mayoral Canidates on Transportation

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    John Bobsin

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    As New York City counts down the hours to this year’s mayoral election (Nov. 5), transportation users wonder how the two leading candidates stand on transportation issues.  Reporting in The New York Times (Oct. 30) gives some insights: Bill de Blasio (Democrat) would focus on increasing bus service, which he says is the system’s most…

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  • In Spring: Off-Peak Raritan Trains to New York

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    John Bobsin

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    After a long campaign, Raritan Valley Line riders on NJ Transit can expect the start of what they’ve been asking for: a single-seat ride to Manhattan, avoiding an annoying change of trains at Newark Penn Station.  The transfer usually involves stair-climbing, and can be daunting in the cavernous station at late-night hours.  NJT now has…

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