| Author |
Message |
    
Jason & John
Citizen
Username: Johnh91011
Post Number: 102
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 3, 2003 - 5:38 pm: | 
|
It is incredibly frustrating to have to deal with the NJ Transit Midtown Direct schedule from either Maplewood or South Orange. I have to be at work at 9:00 am or thereabouts.
From Maplewood my choices are the 7:44am train which gets in at 8:16am or the 8:31 train which gets in at 9:08am. (notwithstanding taking an 8:13 Hoboken train and switching at SO which a bunch of people do).
From SO I can take a 7:34am train to get in at 8:04am or a 8:22 train which gets in at 8:55am.
The fact that there is a 51min difference between train arrival times at that hour of the morning is ridiculous.
I have written to NJT and got the standard "there are no slots at Penn Station" response. BS. |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 1604
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 3, 2003 - 7:04 pm: |
|
It IS ridiculous isn't it? I'm one of those that takes the 8:13 and switches, and it's a royal nuisance. Everyone on the 8:13 jockeys to be near the door, as if there's a point to that, because you've got to wait anyway. The South Orange platform -- the less said about that the better!
Don't forget, too, the 7:44 train is a cattle car. There are zero seats. |
Brett
Citizen
Username: Bmalibashksa
Post Number: 456
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 3, 2003 - 7:16 pm: |
|
I only go into the city once or twice a week but I gave up on the later trains. The 7:06 from SO is rarely crowed and I stop for a Coffee and bagel before hitting the office. It takes all the rushing out of the commute. I know it’s not an option for those who have to do it every day but it works out well for a part time commuter.
The 5:20 home is a different story.
|
Joan
Citizen
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 2239
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 3, 2003 - 7:23 pm: |
|
Try the 6:08 AM Midtown Direct train. Plenty of seats, especially at the rear of the train.
The Hoboken trains are also worth another look, especially with PATH once again running into lower Manhattan. |
Yossarian
Citizen
Username: Yossarian
Post Number: 119
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 8:50 am: |
|
Is there no end to what people will complain about?
There is a train in your town that gets you into the city in 30 minutes. Regardless of how crowded it is, or how you may be inconvenienced by getting to the office a bit early, your commute is much better than 90% of the people who go to the city every day on NJT.
Be happy for what we have. It could be much worse.
BTW, I'm on the 7:06 every day. I get a seat every day. I'm in the my midtown office by 8. |
JJC
Citizen
Username: Mercury
Post Number: 125
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 9:51 am: |
|
I think we can do better. If you have been to ofther cities you can see this. Many of us have lowered our expectations - which is wrong. To your point Yoss - if I take the 5:30 train (I do 2x per week), of course I get a seat. But that is really not the issue. The bulk of commuters need to be in their offices 8:30-9:00am. service needs to be better during these times. |
Yossarian
Citizen
Username: Yossarian
Post Number: 120
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 10:11 am: |
|
JJC -- Things can always be better. And they may be better in other cities. But there is only one New York. And if you consider the number of trains that come into the city every day, it's pretty amazing that we have what we have. In my case, I need to be in the office by 8:30. The 7:06 gets me in at 8, and does so in comfort. I like the extra 1/2 hour in the office in the morning. Would I rather have that time with my kids in the morning? Of course. But since I'm in a bit early, I have no guilt bolting at 5 every day and getting the 5:20 home (which I rarely get a seat on, but who cares, it's only 30 minutes.)
Plus - and this is and entirely different issue, as we all know - if I don't take the 7:06, I don't get a parking space at a meter.
My point is, there are plenty of other things to get worked up about, but all things considered, folks around here have it pretty good in terms of a commute. Better than they realize, me thinks. |
newone
Citizen
Username: Newone
Post Number: 107
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 10:14 am: |
|
The conductor on my train this morning said that there will be new schedules taking affect soon (I believe he said the 13th or 14th but am not sure). Maybe they changed some of these times? I haven't seen the new schedules so I can't say. |
JJC
Citizen
Username: Mercury
Post Number: 126
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 10:43 am: |
|
Yoss - With all due respect, the commute is the way it is because people took an interest in making an improvement. That's what this was about. The center-of-the-universe stuff ('there is only one New York') doesn't get us off the hook. NY is a great place but we have issues that need constant attention. And while there are more important things in life, that pile of laundry will always be waiting for you...it's not going to fold itself. |
Jason & John
Citizen
Username: Johnh91011
Post Number: 103
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 10:44 am: |
|
They are changing schedules once again (right after new ones were printed Sept 23) because the Secaucus transfer station is opening for regular weekday service on Dec 15. This will add 5-10min to our commutes.
I agree with Yossarian that people complain about a lot of things. However, NJT can improve service. Of the 3 train lines servicing the Metro area (LIRR, Metro North and NJT) I have heard the most complaints about NJT. LIRR and Metro North have very good rush hour schedules and their on time performance is miles ahead of NJT. |
ashear
Citizen
Username: Ashear
Post Number: 817
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 11:02 am: |
|
I got one of the new schedules today and I do not see a single rush hour train to or from Mwood or SO that is stopping in Secaucus. Jason & John, what train were you reffering to taking 5-10 mins longer? The closest thing I saw is the 4:43 pm local will stop there. |
Yossarian
Citizen
Username: Yossarian
Post Number: 121
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 11:04 am: |
|
Good points JJC & J&J. I'd love to have better service, it's just that I also appreciate what we have now. I don't like the idea of adding 10 minutes to the commute though. If the 7:06 becomes a 6:56, that would s*ck. And if the 5:20 becomes a 5:10, I'll never make it. If it becomes a 5:30, we'll be packed in like sardines.
oh, listen to me complain. |
algebra2
Citizen
Username: Algebra2
Post Number: 1467
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 11:29 am: |
|
The Secaucus stop won't change any of the trains I take. 7:44 works out perfectly for getting in at 9:00. As much as I wish they were more options, the 7:44 gets me to work right on time (except today -- I was a few minutes late). Also, it is considerably less crowded than it was a few years ago -- I get a seat everyday (I am sure I am jinxing myself with that statement). |
xavier67
Citizen
Username: Xavier67
Post Number: 316
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 12:50 pm: |
|
"Of the 3 train lines servicing the Metro area (LIRR, Metro North and NJT) I have heard the most complaints about NJT. LIRR and Metro North have very good rush hour schedules and their on time performance is miles ahead of NJT."
There is only one tunnel in/out to Penn Station from NJ. This is the cause of the bottleneck (that Metro North and LIRR don't have to deal with.) Also, Amtrak controls who gets in/out of the tunnel, not NJ Transit. (And guess which trains get priority?)
There were numerous newspaper articles last year about the possibility of getting a federal grant to build a second tunnel and to refurbish the existing one (b/c, as is, it's a serious death trap in case of a catastrophe). Hope that will happen.
|
Paddy
Citizen
Username: Paddy
Post Number: 148
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 1:13 pm: |
|
We'll all be retired by the time the second tunnel gets built, if it gets built. The environmental study needed for the grant will take years alone to complete.
NJT is supposed to coordinate scheduling in conjunction with Amtrak. Given how many Amtrak trains I watched go by this morning while we waited at the bottom of the hill to connect with the NE corridor track, I'd say our contribution is minimal. I'd love to know what our actually deal with Amtrak is for these services. Given Amtrak's dismal performance and near bankruptcy, NJT should be pounding their fist to get better treatment.
|
thegoodsgt
Citizen
Username: Thegoodsgt
Post Number: 320
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 1:15 pm: |
|
There are economic issues at play here, too. I'll use imaginary numbers in an attempt to make my point.
NJT moves 10,000 people on the Summit/Gladstone/Dover line every morning. They can do that using 7 rush-hour runs. That's roughly 1,500 people per run. Those seven runs are crowded, but 95 percent of the riders get a seat.
If they add an eighth train, they're not going to increase their ridership by 1,500 people. They're simply going to spread those same 10,000 people over 8 runs instead of 7.
Now I don't know what it costs to move a train from point A to point B (fuel, maintenance, labor, etc.), but there is definately a price for doing so. NJT has to balance our issues of convienience with the bottom line of operating their trains.
The best arguement we could make is that they add one car to each run (although there's a cost to that, too, I'm sure). Or, that they adjust the existing schedules by 20-30 minutes (although what's convient for me or you isn't necessarily the same as the other 10,000 riders).
|
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 1609
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 1:40 pm: |
|
Why can't Amtrak sell Penn Station, maybe to the Port Authority, maybe create a new Authority. The extra cash will help keep them afloat, and transportation can be managed for the convenience of the travelers instead of the stockholders. |
Jackie Day
Citizen
Username: Zoesky1
Post Number: 207
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 4:43 pm: |
|
Does the new schedule affect the 8:31 in on the morning? That's already a poky train, taking 40 minutes to get in. If it has to stop at Secaucus it could take almost an hour. That's certainly not why I live in Maplewood. I can't leave earlier on that because my nanny can't get to my house before 8. |
algebra2
Citizen
Username: Algebra2
Post Number: 1470
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 4:49 pm: |
|
Jackie -- I've got the new schedule in my hot little hand and I THINK the 8:31 is now a 8:28 and makes Brick Church, Broad St, and NYP -- no Secaucus -- getting in at 9:08. |
mrmaplewood
Citizen
Username: Mrmaplewood
Post Number: 99
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 5:08 pm: |
|
Can anyone answer this one?
On the 7:44 AM this morning the we had to wait at a dead stop on the tracks while the crew announced that we would have to wait for three NJT trains to go ahead of us. Then we had to wait for the Amtrack trains to go ahead of us. This train is scheduled to arrive 32 minutes. Actual time was 1 hour, two minutes.
OK I understand (but do not like) waiting for Amtrack, but why the heck do we have to wait for NJT trains if we are there and ready? And no, I am not confusing the Hoboken trains for Penn Station trains. |
JJC
Citizen
Username: Mercury
Post Number: 128
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 5:22 pm: |
|
There was a disabled NJT train this morning and they had a switching problem. So, if you were on the wrong track (like the SO and MW express trains were), you had to wait. SO express train was 1 train behind the disabled train. Trains on the other track were able to get around and go into NYC... We were about 30 minutes late this AM. |
mrmaplewood
Citizen
Username: Mrmaplewood
Post Number: 100
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 5:24 pm: |
|
Thanks for the explaination. |
bobk
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 3985
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, December 5, 2003 - 9:08 am: |
|
Sarge hit on part of the problem, but didn't mention that our trains serve two terminals, Hoboken and Penn Station. Since there is some finite limit to the capacity the tracks can handle and in demand for trains every ten minutes, we end up with limited service to both terminals.
Jackie, forty minutes to Penn Station may seem like a long time. However, when we first moved here long before MTD, it took around an hour to get there via Hoboken and the PATH. |
ffof
Citizen
Username: Ffof
Post Number: 1679
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, December 5, 2003 - 9:33 am: |
|
I went in a few saturdays ago. THe train was late by 15 minutes then it stopped in Secaucus. It took and hour to get to Penn station. I may drive from now on.
|
pcg
Citizen
Username: Pcg
Post Number: 98
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, December 5, 2003 - 7:10 pm: |
|
You can drive to harrison or newark and take the path train. They run every 3-8 minutes in the am. Buses run on springfield to newark every day. There are least 6 ways to get to NYC explore the possibilities....
NJT does a great job of getting people to NYC. IF you dont like what they do try other options..... |
Joan
Citizen
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 2251
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, December 7, 2003 - 4:11 pm: |
|
The new train schedule has been posted on NJTransit's website. Times have been changed for several trains I am familiar with.
Both the 6:08 AM to NYC and former 3:17 PM (now departs several minutes earlier) from NYC will be stopping in Secaucus. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 1861
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, December 7, 2003 - 6:14 pm: |
|
What's ironic is that, a couple years ago, they cut back on Hoboken service in the a.m. to try and make the Midtown service better for more commuters. The Spouse goes to Hoboken & her train was moved so that she would either get in an hour early or 10 minutes late everyday.
She changed her shift to later in the day. It works out fine for us, but only because we don't have kids to worry about in the morning or picking up from daycare by 6. I have no idea how families with all-commuter parents do it. |
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page