Lackawanna Coalition

advocating for rail passengers since 1979

  • M&E, Montclair Restored after Storm

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    John Bobsin

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     Morris & Essex and Montclair-Boonton lines are scheduled to restore service at noon, Saturday, Feb. 9; service had been suspended at 8 p.m. on Friday during  the snowstorm.  NJT attributed this action to the vulnerability of those lines to tree damage, citing the experience of Superstorm Sandy in October (which has resulted in continuing reduction…

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  • Grand Central Terminal Celebrates 100th Birthday!

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    Donald Winship

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    On Friday, February 1st, Grand Central Terminal (GCT) celebrated 100 years as a great place to arrive in Midtown Manhattan.  The current terminal replaced an earlier station on the same site, fronting on East 42d Street.  Today, it is the terminal for Metro-North trains from Westchester and Duchess Counties, and as far north as Poughkeepsie,…

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  • Commish: NJT Head Needs Help

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    John Bobsin

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    According to New Jersey State Transportation Commissioner Jim Simpson, NJ Transit is probably the most complex transportation company in the country; “It’s more complex than United Airlines—it’s United Airlines on steel wheels and rubber tires”, according to reporting by Mike Frassinelli in the Star-Ledger  (Jan. 30).  Therefore, says Simpson, NJT Executive Director Jim Weinstein needs…

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  • Safer Yards for Next Storm?

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    John Bobsin

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    NJ Transit service as of mid-January continues to be limited since Superstorm Sandy on some lines, mainly those relying on electric service to Hoboken.  Why is the service limited?  NJT has not been particularly forthcoming on this point, but many observers point to limited availability of nonelectric rolling stock, perhaps limited by equipment damaged by…

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  • NJT Posts New Rail Schedules without Notice

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    Donald Winship

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    New Jersey Transit has just posted new schedules for all rail lines to their web site, as service takes another step toward returning to pre-Sandy levels.  The new weekday schedules take effect this Monday.  There are improvements on the Morris & Essex, Montclair-Boonton, and Gladstone lines, although there are still some serious gaps in service, and…

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  • Commuter Tax Benefit Restored

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    John Bobsin

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    According to various media sources, the “cliff deal” tax bill passed by Congress this week increases the tax benefit available to transit commuters to $240 per month, up from $125 per month in 2012.  A higher benefit has always been available for commuter parking, but in 2012 the previous parity between parking and transit was…

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  • Report Warned NJ Transit Officials of Flood Risk

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    Donald Winship

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     The article quoted here was posted to Northjersey.com. The quotation is posted here as a matter of interest. A report on climate change completed for NJ Transit months before superstorm Sandy struck New Jersey urged the agency to begin planning for higher storm surges that could envelop rail yards, destroy track beds and corrode switches,…

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  • Hoboken Terminal Building Closed

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    Donald Winship

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    Less than two days after PATH train service returned to Hoboken, New Jersey Transit’s historic terminal has been closed to the public.  Informed sources say that it was closed because of mold contamination from flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy.  Notices posted on the doors to the station waiting room say that the building has been…

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  • Communications Spotty: Report

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    John Bobsin

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    During the recent Hurricane Sandy emergency, New York transit agencies increasingly relied on social media such as Facebook,Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube to keep customers informed.  How well did they succeed?  Some did quite well, others not so well, according to reporting by Ray Rivera in The New York Times  (December 15). The Long Island Rail Road…

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  • Long Recovery for Hoboken PATH

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    John Bobsin

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    Major portions of the region’s transportation structure remain out of service or limited 6 weeks after Hurricane Sandy devastated the infrastructure.  In many cases, the public has received little information about just what has been damaged, how it’s being repaired, or when normal service might improve. One of the hardest-hit installations was the Hoboken station…

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