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NYC4Life

Oct 22, 2010 11:39 PM

Updated 10:35 AM
Major LIRR Service Delays Expected This Weekend
By: NY1 News

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beat...-this-weekend/

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/2469/31258863.jpg

Quote:

Some major service changes are expected this weekend as the Long Island Rail Road begins a massive modernization project.

The project will update technology at the control center at Jamaica station and will make travel easier in the future. But for now, riders can expect extremely limited service this weekend.

Only the Port Washington Branch, Babylon, and Long Beach branches will have direct service to and from Penn Station.

All other LIRR branches have significant changes.

Officials say buses and subway service will replace some LIRR trains. But they caution riders to allow for up to 70 minutes of additional travel time.

"We believe this is absolutely essential for service reliability and train service reliability through Jamaica and while it is inconvenience for train customers on two weekends and we recognize that it is an extremely important upgrade for the LIRR," said Long Island Rail Road President Helena Williams.

Officials say riders can expect a normal commute on Monday.

Work will also be done the first weekend in November, so service will again be limited.

For more information, visit mta.info.

NYC4Life

Oct 22, 2010 11:40 PM

Updated 9:18 AM
Cash-Only Drivers May Get Higher Toll Hike
By: NY1 News

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beat...her-toll-hike/

Quote:

E-ZPass users may get a break when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board votes next week on toll hikes.

But those who use cash-only lanes should prepare to dig deeper into their pockets.

According to the Daily News, drivers who pay with E-ZPass will be hit with a five-percent increase, just half of what was originally proposed.

The paper says drivers who pay cash will be hit with an 18-percent hike.

Board members tell the News they want to encourage more drivers to use E-ZPass, which they say will reduce MTA labor costs, traffic congestion, and pollution.

The agency had originally proposed a 25-cent to 50-cent increase per trip on its bridges and tunnels.

If approved, the hikes will go into effect in January to help close the agency's budget gap.

NYC4Life

Oct 25, 2010 6:44 PM

Updated 2:27 PM
Minor Train Derailment Causes Major Delays For Evening Commute
By: NY1 News

Quote:

A minor train derailment is causing major delays at Penn Station, which are expected to continue throughout the evening rush hour.

Trains are delayed up to an hour on New Jersey Transit and Amtrak trains due to what officials are calling a "slow-speed derailment."

NJ Transit says two cars jumped the tracks as a slow-moving train was departing Penn Station this morning. About 300 passengers walked back to the station.

No injuries were reported but the problem is limiting the number of tracks available at the station.

NJ Transit officials say problems could continue through the evening commute on the Northeast Corridor and New Jersey Coast lines.

LIRR rush hour service will likely be affected, as well.

PATH is honoring NJ Transit tickets.

For more information, go to NJTransit.com, mta.info/lirr and amtrak.com.

NYC4Life

Oct 29, 2010 4:37 PM

10:20 AM
Amtrak Shells Out $500 Million For New Electric Trains
By: NY1 News

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beat...ectric-trains/

Quote:

Amtrak is shelling out nearly $500 million for 70 new electric locomotives.

These new locomotives will replace the ones in use on the Northeast Regional line between Boston and Washington and the Keystone route in Pennsylvania.

Those cars are between 20 to 30 years old and have an average of 3.5-million miles.

First delivery of the new trains is scheduled for 2013.

The purchase is part of Amtrak's plan to replace and expand its entire fleet over the next 30 years.

NYC4Life

Oct 29, 2010 4:42 PM

11:03 AM
MTA Works To Bring Down Its Decibel Level
By: John Mancini

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beat...decibel-level/

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/7111/11301675.jpg

Quote:

On the heels of a study saying New Yorkers are being stressed out by too much noise, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority says it's doing what it can to help – at least in one small way. NY1 Transit reporter John Mancini filed the following report on how one sound New Yorkers hear from buses may become a bit less irritating.

The beeping noise that buses make while becoming handicapped accessible may not be the loudest thing about the bus, but it can be the most annoying if you live along a route.

"At night, when people are trying to sleep or rest in their apartment, the last thing they want to hear is a noisy bus outside their window or door,” said MTA Bus President Joseph Smith.

Untreated, those mechanisms can produce 110 decibels.

That's why the MTA is aiming to make the kneeling system on all of its 5,900 buses less loud. Pneumatic noise is muffled and that beeping is made a bit softer.

The new setup tamps things down by 20 percent. That’s similar to the difference between a doorbell or alarm clock and a leaf blower or power saw.

So far, 220 buses have been retrofitted, at about $170 each.

"It is a complaint that we can do something with that's relatively not that costly,” said Smith.

The new muffler on the kneeling system is just one of the ways the MTA is trying to take some of the noise out of transit.

On elevated subway lines, announcements through external train speakers stop after 8 p.m. Bus suppliers have to reduce engine noise.

And the MTA is working at taking some of the hiss out of other compressed-air systems.

"We're working with our bus manufacturers to incorporate these changes into new buses so the new buses will be delivered with the equipment already installed,” said NYC Transit Assistant Chief Maintenance Officer Daniel Corzdoza.

The MTA says 2,400 new buses should roll more quietly into service over the next four years. This comes as welcome news if you work 12 hours a day along a route, even if not all the noise is bad.

"It has its pros and cons for me, you know,” said Ron Sawney, a button vendor in Union Square. “If I don't want to hear somebody, and the bus is right there, it can just drown them out."

But even the oldest kneeling bus doesn't make enough noise to drown out bigger annoyances.

"I live at First Avenue and 29th Street, across from Bellevue. I hear nothing but sirens 24 hours a day,” complained one Manhattan resident.

For others, complaints about beeping fall on deaf ears.

"I'm sorry that New Yorkers are so sensitive. I think they need to get ear muffs,” said another New Yorker.

There has been no word from the MTA on that particular retrofit.

NYC4Life

Oct 29, 2010 7:44 PM

An Emirates passenger jetliner originating from Dubai has just landed at JFK International Airport following military jet escort. There are reports of a possible suspicious package from Yemen onboard. This follows other developments from earlier today involving suspected packages from Yemen aboard UPS cargo planes that were investigated in England, Philadelphia and Newark.

NYC4Life

Nov 8, 2010 6:16 PM

Reuters

Amtrak in talks to revive New Jersey rail tunnel

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6A72YB20101108

http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?...ASOLINE-TRAINS
A passenger walks on the platform beside an Amtrak train in a file photo.
Credit: Reuters/Brian Snyder

Quote:

PHILADELPHIA | Mon Nov 8, 2010 10:33am EST
(Reuters) - Amtrak is in preliminary talks with New Jersey's public transit agency to revive a plan to build a commuter rail tunnel between Manhattan and New Jersey, a spokesman for the U.S. national passenger railroad said on Monday.

"We are in preliminary discussions," spokesman Cliff Cole said. "We are discussing options that would be mutually beneficial. We have been talking with them ever since the program was put in jeopardy."

The $8.7 billion tunnel under the Hudson River, which would have been America's largest public works project, was canceled on October 27 by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who said the state could not afford likely cost overruns.

Cole said talks would continue. He declined to comment on any financing options that may be under discussion. He said the possibility of a revival of the project was first publicly stated by a senior Amtrak official on November 4.

A spokesman for New Jersey Transit did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

(Reporting by Jon Hurdle; Editing by Daniel Trotta, editing by Philip Barbara)

NYC4Life

Nov 10, 2010 7:26 PM

Yahoo!

A “Secret” Subway Stop

Quote:

By Mike Krumboltz – Tue Nov 9, 2:16 pm ET

Hidden deep under New York City, a "secret" subway stop is drawing visitors. The Big Apple's City Hall station, a beautiful structure that opened in 1904, but has been out of use for decades, can be seen by riders ... if they know how to make the journey. Check out these photos below, courtesy of John-Paul Palescandolo.

Jalopnik writes that if you want to check out this long-forgotten station, one of the "most gorgeous gems in the world of mass transit," you'll have to take the 6 train and then stay on board. Jalopnik elaborates, "The 6 train used to make all passengers leave the train at the Brooklyn Bridge stop, but no longer. If you have a little extra time, you can stay on the train and view the City Hall station as the train makes its turnaround."

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/net/20101109/c...XifSGHCSUmmQ--

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/net/20101109/c...gk5rHrJ_CXZw--
Looking up at the mezzanine level from mid-way up the stairs between the track and mezzanine levels.
(Photo courtesy of John-Paul Palescandolo)

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/net/20101109/c...UZYvIJjiKolQ--
Looking down the tunnel. This is how trains departing Brooklyn Bridge station and arriving at City Hall would have come. This is still the route the 6… Read more »
(Photo courtesy of John-Paul Palescandolo)

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/net/20101109/c...yKOvxpMjVfmA--
Standing on the track level and looking up through the archway to the mezzanine level.
(Photo courtesy of John-Paul Palescandolo)

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/net/20101109/c...0dpIspWEiJxA--
Looking down to the track level from the mezzanine.
(Photo courtesy of John-Paul Palescandolo)

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/net/20101109/c..._MIOOHAZDL6A--
Shot of the skylight and lighting fixtures of the mezzanine level.
(Photo courtesy of John-Paul Palescandolo)

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/net/20101109/c...pvb9ZuRYeVaw--
One of the old City Hall wall mosaics, identifying the station to passengers.
(Photo courtesy of John-Paul Palescandolo)

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/net/20101109/c...H1.nm6KOVNrg--
The former mezzanine level of the City Hall station taken with a wide angle lens.
(Photo courtesy of John-Paul Palescandolo)

Busy Bee

Nov 10, 2010 9:07 PM

Someone explain to me why the City Hall station isn't a branch of the Transit Museum? Would be amazing clean and completely restored with a rotating exhibit and gift shop of equal size to Brooklyn but with no subway car displays?

J. Will

Nov 12, 2010 8:41 AM

Quote:

"The 6 train used to make all passengers leave the train at the Brooklyn Bridge stop, but no longer.

Do all NYC subways have a front and back? Here the subways are reversible, so they don't have to turn around at terminal stations.

ardecila

Nov 12, 2010 9:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Will (Post 5052466)

Do all NYC subways have a front and back? Here the subways are reversible, so they don't have to turn around at terminal stations.

When this happens, the motorman has to walk from one end to another, from car to car. That takes a few minutes, and back in the days when most of the NY subway system was built, trains came on ridiculously small headways at peak periods - 30 seconds, I've heard. If they had to wait for the motorman to walk down the length of a 12-car train, a bunch of trains would back up.

Early NY subway planners preferred to build loop stations so that trains could operate continuously. The older lines in Chicago have this, too - usually, there is a yard at the end of the line with a loop track in it. In NY, some lines terminated in Lower Manhattan, so they couldn't very well build a yard - they just built a loop-shaped station. City Hall and South Ferry both had this setup.

Most systems today - Chicago and Toronto included - don't have those ridiculous headways, so a simple pocket track at the end of the line works to turn trains around, and the motorman can do his walk.

NYC4Life

Nov 13, 2010 2:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busy Bee (Post 5050415)

There were talks back in the 90's of renovating the station and opening it to the public as part of the NY Transit Museum. Howerever; citing safety concerns mayor Guiliani at the time abandoned the idea.

NYC4Life

Nov 13, 2010 2:33 AM

Updated 2:34 PM
Amtrak Abandons Talks To Put Hudson Tunnel Plans Back On Track
By: NY1 News

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beat...back-on-track/

Quote:

It seems Amtrak will not be the one to put the scrapped commuter rail tunnel under the Hudson River back on track.

Amtrak told NY1 today that it has abandoned "exploratory" talks with New Jersey Transit.

The railroad issued a statement saying its primary interest is advancing high-speed rail service along the Northeast. And it says N.J. Transit would have to put up the extra cash in a potential joint-commuter venture.

The announcement comes a day after Governor Chris Christie told a New Jersey newspaper that Amtrak showed interest in the plans for the rail tunnel.

NYC4Life

Nov 13, 2010 2:39 AM

Updated 4:59 PM
Memorial Service Held In Remembrance Of Flight 587 Crash Victims
By: Roger Clark

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stori...-crash-victims

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/466/13629424.jpg

Quote:

A solemn memorial service was held this morning to mark the ninth anniversary of the Flight 587 crash in Belle Harbor, Queens.

The ceremony featured the reading of the names of all 265 who perished, followed by remarks from the mayor and a procession of loved ones of the victims leaving flowers and trinkets by the memorial on Beach 116th Street at Rockaway Boulevard – 15 blocks from the 2001 crash site.

"In the span of those nine year,s our lives have changed and so has the great city around us," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "But what has remained is the unity of this group."

Flight 587 had just taken off from John F. Kennedy International Airport en route to the Dominican Republic when it crashed at 9:16 a.m.

All 251 passengers and nine crew members were killed, along with five people on the ground. Many of those killed were of Dominican descent and the crash was heavily felt in the Dominican neighborhood of Washington Heights.

"My sister came to my house crying, she was crawling, she couldn't even talk, she just screamed," recalled Karen Tavarez, who lost both her mother and her three-year-old nephew in the crash.

http://media.ny1.com/media/2010/11/1...587_victim.jpg

Many say time does not really heal the wounds.

"Sometimes the emotion just comes back," said Anna Inez Reyes, whose brother was killed when Flight 587 crashed. "Especially when you're walking around this area that you know where the tragedy was, you came after. So, it brings back sad memories, but it also brings happy memories because we were discussing stuff about him, like, 'you remember this?' It brings both emotions."

"These nine years, have helped me get used to life without him," said Belkis Lora, whose brother was also killed in the crash. "But the pain is still there. Every morning when I wake up, I always remember the day that I took him to the airport. It's really hard."

Federal investigators determined the crash was caused when the plane's tail broke off due to overuse of the rudder in the wake of turbulence from another flight.

NYC4Life

Nov 13, 2010 2:43 AM

Updated 9:29 PM
NY1 Exclusive: Video Shows Subway Motorman Texting As He Runs Train
By: NY1 News

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/transit/

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/1299/30347646.jpg

Quote:

City transit officials are investigating the case of a worker who was caught on cell phone video texting while driving the train.

The straphanger who shot the video says it happened at about 8:45 a.m. today on a 7 train that was headed from Woodside, Queens to Grand Central Station.

In the video, the motorman is seen using his mobile device and not keeping his eyes on the above-ground tracks. He then looks behind at the rider with the camera and then stops operating the mobile device.

A city transit spokesman said in a statement, "MTA New York City Transit has an absolute, zero-tolerance policy against texting, cell phone use or handling any type of mobile device while in a crew cab. The incident is under investigation and once identified, the train operator will be removed from service pending the disciplinary process."

Riders of the 7 train who saw the video today told NY1 they were scared and shocked by the incident, but said the driver should be reprimanded and not fired.

"This is disturbing. I don't even feel safe going on this train, to be honest," said one rider. "I don't know what to say, it's disturbing."

"It's a distraction, Thousands and thousands of lives are at stake. So I think that's not behavior that should be condoned. That should be cracked down upon," said a second.

"It's dangerous and it's not safe," said a third. "It's just like if you're driving a car, you shouldn't do it. I don't think you should be driving a train and doing it either."

MTA officials could suspend the motorman, or fire him if he is a repeat offender.

NYC4Life

Nov 16, 2010 7:51 PM

Yahoo! News / AP

City Hall unveils 3 finalists to be next NYC taxi

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101115/...c_s_new_taxi_5

Quote:

By SARA KUGLER FRAZIER, Associated Press – Mon Nov 15, 5:36 pm ET
NEW YORK –

The competition to manufacture New York City's next official taxicab has been narrowed to three automakers who each came up with similar tall, boxy designs that are more like minivans than traditional sedans.

The finalists announced Monday are Ford Motor Co., Nissan North America Inc. and Karsan USA. Karsan is a Turkish company that makes cars for such brands as Fiat and Hyundai.

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20101115/ca...34_vIg8TuMUQ--

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20101115/ca...E_5.0zIaTx3w--

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20101115/ca...N7G0fuaUPgDA--

The New York City yellow taxi fleet of more than 13,200 taxis is now made up of 16 vehicle models from nine different manufacturers, including nearly 4,000 hybrids. The anchor of the fleet is Ford's Crown Victoria, which was recently discontinued.

None of the vehicles on the road now was originally designed to be used as a taxi, which typically drives 70,000 miles a year and has its doors slammed 60 to 70 times a day. All were existing automobiles that were then specially outfitted by garages to meet the city's requirements for cabs.

For the next official taxi to replace the Crown Victoria, City Hall wanted to change that.

"Although the city has long set standards for our taxis, we have never before worked with the auto industry to design a taxicab especially for New York City — that is, until now," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

Of the three submissions, the Nissan design most resembles a traditional minivan. The Karsan proposal looks a bit like a Smart Car and the Ford submission evokes a sort of European ambulance.

The city declined to make the three finalist proposals available Monday because the information in them is still proprietary. Officials provided photographs but scant details about the proposed vehicles, their features or potential fuel efficiencies.

Nissan also declined to provide its proposal, and requests to the other two finalists were not immediately returned.

Taxi and Limousine Commissioner David Yassky described Nissan's design as the roomiest and the most ambitious in terms of sustainability. The automaker's proposal "aspires to a fully electric vehicle at some point," Yassky said.

Yassky said Ford is a trusted partner with its history of making Crown Victoria taxis and other models, and Karsan offered a proposal with an eye-pleasing design, roomy interior and accessibility.

Earlier this year the Taxi and Limousine Commission put out a request for proposals for the exclusive right to make the taxi of tomorrow.

The city asked all proposals to consider the roominess of the interior, driver comfort, environmental impact, maintenance and repair costs and exterior design.

It also asked for ideas to update the partition that divides the driver from the passengers.

The three finalists were chosen from seven submissions.

New Yorkers can go online, see the three finalist designs and vote on features they want to see in the next official taxi — choosing from such possibilities like sunroofs and electrical outlets to charge computers and cell phones.

The three finalists have been asked to submit their best and final offering within the next month.

A winning design will be announced early next year; the chosen automaker will have the right to exclusively provide the standard taxicab for 10 years.

Officials expect the new vehicle to be on the road by the fall of 2014.

NYC4Life

Nov 17, 2010 4:37 PM

WABC-TV New York

7 line extension an alternative to Hudson tunnel?
Updated at 07:39 AM today

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?se...cal&id=7793480

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/59/76932619.jpg

Quote:

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The rail tunnel project under the Hudson River that was killed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie could be staging a comeback.

The Bloomberg administration is looking at a plan to extend the No. 7 subway line from Times Square to Hoboken and then on to Secaucus.

New Jersey commuters say they pack themselves onto crowded trains, so many of them are hoping that the No. 7 train is on the way.

But riders shouldn't get their hopes up, at least not just yet. The subway extension plan is in its earliest thinking stages. More trains, more tracks and more seats are a long way off, but...
"If it cost what the subway costs, I would definitely consider it," one commuter said.

The proposed extension would link the Lautenberg Train Station in Secaucus to all of the city's subway lines, including Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal.

It would be the first time the subway system would extend beyond the city limits.

And it could be done for half the cost of the original plan. That's because the No. 7 line tunnel already extends to the Manhattan waterfront.

"The 7 line in Manhattan is good," one straphanger said. "And if they can extend it, I think, as long as the logistics are fine and it will help quantitatively, it sounds like a start, because we need another tunnel."

City officials say extending the No. 7 line would shave billions of dollars off the cost of the original proposed tunnel.

Crawford

Nov 17, 2010 4:51 PM

That map is obviously wrong.

If there is a 7 train extension, it would go to Union City, not Hoboken.

And the map doesn't show the actual route of the 7 train. The 7 train will travel south from Times Square.

The Hoboken Terminal is nowhere near Hudson Yards or Secaucus Transfer, and it already has direct subway access to Manhattan through PATH, so that would be nonsensical.

It would also blow up the budget, because it would basically double the length.

NYC4Life

Nov 17, 2010 5:42 PM

Amazing that commuters as far north as Port Jervis in Orange County and Spring Valley in Rockland County would have direct access to the subways from Secaucus and Hoboken.

M II A II R II K

Nov 17, 2010 9:54 PM

When would Staten Island get a decent connection....

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