Lackawanna Coalition

advocating for rail passengers since 1979

  • Hoboken Waiting Room Closed—Restrooms Open

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    John Bobsin

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    NJT has announced that the waiting area in the main waiting room at Hoboken will be closed for several months starting Monday, October 7, at 9 a.m.; restrooms will remain open, with alternative access.  Since the waiting room was flooded in Hurricane Sandy almost a year ago, the historic benches have been closed, with alternative…

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  • Christie’s Sandy Remarks Questioned

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    John Bobsin

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    NJT’s massive loss in Hurricane Sandy was caused by a bad decision by a low-level official, not by reliance on poor storm forecasts.  So said NJ Gov. Chris Christie, as reported by Karen Rouse in The Record newspaper (Oct. 3), after Christie met with The Record’s board that day.  The low-level employee “ditched” a plan…

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  • Fixing the Penn Station Mess

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    John Bobsin

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    Fixing Penn Station in New York first requires cooperation among the 3 railroads that use it: Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, and the Long Island Rail Road.  So says Robert W. Previdi, former spokesman and operations planner for New York City Transit, writing in the Op-Ed section of The New York Times.  A new Penn Station,…

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  • PATH Fares Rise

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    John Bobsin

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    The new one-ride fare on PATH is $2.50, effective October 1.  PATH fares for a single ride are thus equal to NYC subway and bus fares, although the PATH system is much smaller than New York City’s.  Free transfers to and from buses—a feature of the city system— are not included, nor are free transfers…

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  • PATH to EWR? Maybe.

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    John Bobsin

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    NJ’s Gov. Christie might require PATH service to Newark Liberty Airport—but only if United Airlines agrees to beef up service at Atlantic City.  The airline has balked, according to reporting by Ted Mann in the Wall Street Journal (Sept. 30).  If the long-contemplated PATH extension were to be built, it would likely go only to the Newark…

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  • Transit Pushes Pepsi

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    John Bobsin

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    Pepsi ads on NJT for the Super Bowl will earn NJT $635,000, according to reporting by Mike Frassinelli (Star-Ledger, Sept. 26).  The ad agency involved will get another $400,000 or so from the deal.  Ads will appear at multiple stations, and on the backs and sides of buses and sides of rail cars.   Digital…

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  • Concrete Blocks Replace Seats

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    John Bobsin

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    NJT denies waging war on the indigent, but the railroad has replaced benches outside its Newark Penn Station entrance with unappetizing concrete blocks.  NJT officials deny any discrimination in the $435,000 “improvement” project, which added greenery, “pedestrian upgrades”, flower beds, and improved lighting—but replaced comfortable benches seating 12 with plain concrete blocks, which seat 36—if…

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  • NJT Conductor Nabbed in Ticket Fraud

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    John Bobsin

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    A highly-paid NJT conductor has been arrested for reselling used rail tickets.  According to reporting by Mike Frassinelli in the Star-Ledger (Sept. 23), Joseph Abate, a 46-year-old 24-year NJT veteran, made $57,346 in regular salary last year, plus $33,415 in overtime—but apparently that wasn’t enough.  He concocted a scheme to sell apparently unused tickets to…

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  • James T. Raleigh (1934–2013)

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    Donald Winship

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    It is with profound sadness that we note the passing of our Legislative Director, James T. Raleigh. Jim was a scientist, a historian, and a great advocate.  He understood politics, and how officials make the decisions that affect our daily lives.  He made history through his brilliant strategies that helped to defeat New Jersey Transit’s…

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  • NJT to Sandbag Critical Facilities

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    John Bobsin

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    Exploring yet another technology to protect its Meadows Maintenance Facility rail yards in Kearny from possible flooding, NJ Transit has announced its latest effort: sandbags.  Not just any sandbags, these will be pentagon-shaped bags called “TrapBags,” sloped on angles to form a 6-foot-high protective dam around critical electrical facilities, according to reporting by Mike Frassinelli in…

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