LIRR CAN"T WIN FOR TRYING!

[henry6]

The LIRR has added trains and schedules to handle important travel weekends to the East End but apparently people get in the way. The more trains they make available, the more trains they run, the more people that show up the more confusion and overcrowding and late trains they have. Today, Thursday, July 3rd, the LIRR had to order buses to Jamaica to handle the overflow crowd for two of the trains to Montauk today...The more the LIRR offers the more people demand more! Yeah, Mr. Moses, you didn't build enough highways to accommodate them all!

[54light15]

I assume that  you've read "The Power Broker" by Robert Caro? Let's hope that there's never another Robert Moses!

[henry6]

Agreed.

[narig01]

Build it and they will come.
Run trains and people will ride. Run a lot of trains and more people will try to ride them. Run too many trains and you have to have buses to handle the crowds!!


Rgds IGN

[blue streak 1]

narig01

Build it and they will come.
Run trains and people will ride. Run a lot of trains and more people will try to ride them. Run too many trains and you have to have buses to handle the crowds!!
 
 

 Yes ask a certain super bowl RR

[Firelock76]

Can you imagine if they tried running steam excursions to the East End with a restored LIRR steam locomotive?  They'd have to fight people off with baseball bats!

So, there's worse things than being a victm of your own success.

 

[henry6]

They have to do that now without the expense etc of steam. And the like it because they at least are not having to deal with railfans!

[Firelock76]

Not having to deal with railfans?  Hey, everybody knows railfans are cool!

At least the ones on this Forum are!

[henry6]

Sunday, July 6. LIRR has had its hands full all day on the Montauk Div out east with overcrowded and delayed trains in both directions all day because of "heavy holiday travel". This is with added schedules and longer trains! Again, if you give service people will use it. If you run only one train you don't have service and nobody will ride. This is the lesson Congress and states' DOT's have to learn about Amtrak and regional rail needs.

[NKP guy]

   In the summer of 1997 I traveled on the LIRR to Montauk.  I was astonished by a few things:  1.  the equipment in 1997 was beaten to death, with several non-functioning (except for the stink & filth) restrooms aboard;  2. the use of a baton (!) to regulate traffic in dark territory;  3. the single track line was as rough-riding as I expect trains in Central America to be.

If the LIRR is serious about handling more traffic they'll need more double track, a decent signaling system and some food service options for hungry passengers (I know new equipment is now in use).

For all its defects, I enjoyed my Montauk trip; I can't even conceive of driving the LI Expressway all that distance!   

[henry6]

NKP GUY, you are talking a world away. BiLevel cars, push pull diesels--even dualies, welded rail, new signal system--thus no more train orders, more trains and more capacity. What they have done is proven that service attracts riders: the more service they provide, the more riders they attract. It is still a long haul out of Penn Sta., Hunterspoint Ave., Atlantic Ave., and Jamaica but more are also being hauled. Single tracking east of Babylon is the sticky point right now...but they are way better off now than they were 5 years ago and way, way, way better off than they were 17 years ago. Now, if they'd only take that "service" concept and apply it to the North Shore to Greenport....

[NKP guy]

henry6:  I stand corrected!  I knew things had improved since 1997 but not to the extent you discuss.  It's almost enough to make me pack a suitcase and enjoy Montauk again.  

My LIRR Montauk fantasy:  Traveling from Manhattan in a parlor car and then eating fried clams at dinner in the diner.  

Thanks for the positive update.

[blue streak 1]

NKP guy

My LIRR Montauk fantasy:  Traveling from Manhattan in a parlor car and then eating fried clams at dinner in the diner.  

OK  Just tell LIRR to lease an Amtrak heritage diner when enough Viewliner2 diners are in service. ?

[henry6]

This year LIRR instituted a non stop Cannonball from Penn Sta. to West Hampton but return on Sun stops at Jamaica. No parlor cars but seat service offered in the first class section. Initially when LIRR first started service from Penn Sta. the Cannonball and some other trains were pulled to Jamaica with electric motors with steam taking over there. I did ride a parlor car train to Montauk back in 1977 or 78 thanks to a fan trip sponsored by Tri State Chapter. Since, I have ridden several times via the BiLevels...they are a little cramped but aren't too bad. Summer is the best time to go out to Montauk as there is an hour turn around in mid afternoon. There are no restaurants or services withing reasonable distance at Montauk station.. Would love to do the Cannonball on a Fri eve but there is no way back and still get an NJT/MNRR connection westward. Plus with a two to three hour drive on both ends of the day it would be about a 20 hour day for our Ridewithmehenry riders...and at our age, well, that's just too long a day. Also wish they had more service on the North Shore as there is so much to see and do at Greenport and the noon arrival, 1PM return is too, too short a turn around. But overall, the LIRR is doing the best it can out East, a totally different railroad, totally different attitude.

[wanswheel]

Henry, as you know, a strike is looking awfully possible.

http://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/mta-lirr-unions-hit-impasse-as-strike-nears-1.8801748

[henry6]

Yeah...Sun 12:01AM. We're gonna try and squeeze a trip in Thurs. before. There is talk of the LIRR taking steps as early as Wed to close things up. I am most interested to see what they will to with the East End service as it is always late because of the over flow crowds in both directions. So, lets see if they take them all out there Friday afternoon and evening, and Saturday morning. And leave them there Sunday and Monday. Hell, if I were rich and had a place to go to out there, I'd take the first train out and stay until the next train west. Seriously, I wonder if the LIRR will have service provided by management or if they will just zip it all up, pack it in, and wait for the end of the strike.

[BaltACD]

Strike may be averted!

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/18/nyregion/cuomo-negotiations-lirr-unions.html?emc=edit_na_20140717

[blue streak 1]

Henry:  ---  Another weekend for LIRR problems

http://www.mta.info/status/LIRR/Montauk/23439017

 

 

[HERBYD]

MORE PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE ROBERT MOSES FORESIGHT. MISS HIM DEARLY. THEY CUT HIM BACK TOO SOON. BIG MISTAKE NOT TO HAVE OYSTER BAY TO RYE BRIDGE. SOME FUN DRIVEING TO CONN. OR UP STATE NEW YORK  FROM LONG ISLAND  .NIMBY GONE WILD.

[e-mail]

[henry6]

More people see that Moses really screwed up the ability to expand and use much of what he built, he took away too much and restricted a lot of development. He was all gas and concrete and without any real foresight.