sandyhookken The article states that Transit personnel have raised "Security" as the reason for refusing to provide information.
The article states that Transit personnel have raised "Security" as the reason for refusing to provide information.
The "security" they are talking about is their job security!
Sandy,
Thanks for the article. Mike Frassenelli of The Star-Ledger has a similar article today. An additional point he made is that NJT is now short of parts to repair its cars and locomotives because all of the spare parts they had at Kearney were destroyed by the storm. One part they especially need is wheels.
With best regards,
John
Overmod OK, some general NORAC rules applicable to the situation involved here. General rule "L" states that employees MUST protect company affairs and property if endangered, and must "unite" to do so. General rule N states that compliance with ordinary operating rules may be superseded '[when] otherwise directed'. but one example is that a combination of Rule 241 and the authority granted under things like 712 or 716(a)(2)(a)(1) [note, this is proof I'm not making this up' who would imagine something as convoluted as that in work product from anything less than a committee or a Government agency] allows equipment, subsequently operated at 'restricted speed' as defined in Rule 80, to approach within nearly any distance of already-parked equipment. 130(a) and (c) cover all necessary protection of the end of the 'previous' train -- likely this would be done by one employee given authority under something like 132(a) rather than by the previous train's crew directly. pursuant to 133 et seq. All that is required for operation of the remaining track is covered in rules like 400 and 401; there are provisions for DCS (the "D" by the way standing for Form D) by issuing a Form D line 2 order to any train running counterflow in 251 territory or observing normal passing procedure for an occupied or a 'work' track by trains in 261 territory. It pays to read the book! (Pity the NJT supervisors didn't think of this earlier! ;-) ) RME
OK, some general NORAC rules applicable to the situation involved here.
General rule "L" states that employees MUST protect company affairs and property if endangered, and must "unite" to do so.
General rule N states that compliance with ordinary operating rules may be superseded '[when] otherwise directed'. but one example is that a combination of Rule 241 and the authority granted under things like 712 or 716(a)(2)(a)(1) [note, this is proof I'm not making this up' who would imagine something as convoluted as that in work product from anything less than a committee or a Government agency] allows equipment, subsequently operated at 'restricted speed' as defined in Rule 80, to approach within nearly any distance of already-parked equipment. 130(a) and (c) cover all necessary protection of the end of the 'previous' train -- likely this would be done by one employee given authority under something like 132(a) rather than by the previous train's crew directly.
pursuant to 133 et seq.
All that is required for operation of the remaining track is covered in rules like 400 and 401; there are provisions for DCS (the "D" by the way standing for Form D) by issuing a Form D line 2 order to any train running counterflow in 251 territory or observing normal passing procedure for an occupied or a 'work' track by trains in 261 territory.
It pays to read the book! (Pity the NJT supervisors didn't think of this earlier! ;-) )
RME
Thx IGN
narig01It pays to read the book!
As we used to say in the Army, "When all else fails try reading directions."
All PATH service will be restored this weekend beginning Saturday, March 2. That included weekend service between Exchange Place and World Trade Center. It has been 4 months since the service was knocked out by Sandy until the complete restoration.
The report is in The Jersey Journal: http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2013/02/all_path_service_to_be_restore.html#incart_river_default
John WROne part they especially need is wheels.
Do you suppose the ones from the Turbotrain auction in New York could be adapted? If so, the person who bought them so cheap could probably turn a handy profit... ;-}
Overmod,
I think people who stored there trains in a swamp despite the predictions of flooding might also be persuaded to buy the Turbotrain wheels.
The New Jersey Transit Board of Directors approved $19 million worth of repairs to their equipment at an emergency meeting last night. The repairs are not going well. Executive Director Jim Weinstein reports on the flooded milti level cars it has been necessary to rip up the floors with crowbars to get them out. There is also a time problem; if the repairs are not done by spring mold will begin to grow.
Here is a link to The Star-Ledger report by Mike Frassinelli: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/03/nj_transit_approves_19m_in_eme.html
MTA has been awarded $193M for SANDY repairs.
http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/passenger/rapid-transit/new-york-mta-gets-193-million-in-sandy-aid.html?channel=62
One repair item is a large amount to repair LIRR substations. An obvious question is " will the repaired substations be built ( ? ft ) above the sandy floood level "?. As well will any "A" train substations be built above that line ?
Hope it doesn't add a new nuance to "throwing money down a hole"... ;-}
blue streak 1 An obvious question is " will the repaired substations be built ( ? ft ) above the sandy floood level "?.
Streak,
Everything I read says "repair," "replace" and "rebuild." Nowhere do I see the word "improve." It could mean that the MTA and LIRR will have to raise their own money for improvements to the system to guard against damage from future storms.
the LIRR, MN, and possiblly the NJT people as well, are not idiots, and whatever they can do with the funds avialable will certainlly be spent in ways to mitigate effects of future floods.
Dave,
The New Jersey Transit Board of Directors has already announced they will seek a new repair facility in a higher location. Certainly, when rebuilding after a storm you can always upgrade to protect yourself from future storms. However, ordinarily insurance covers losses and not the upgrades in and of themselves.
Today, NJTransit announced the restoration of electrically powered trains to Hoboken, beginning on March 24th.
http://www.northjersey.com/news/Electric_NJ_Transit_trains_returning_to_Hoboken.html
Here is NJT's news release with some added detail: http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PressReleaseTo&PRESS_RELEASE_ID=2850
Finally !
http://www.northjersey.com/news/NJ_Transit_approves_17M_more_for_Sandy_recovery.html?page=all
Additional details are available in The Star-Ledger. That article is more focused on the details of the repairs than on the issue of transparency:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/03/nj_transit_board_approves_17m.html
(Transparency is certainly important).
Well, just when we thought we were done here along comes a story on www.northjersey.com : NJ Transit Chief Says Equipment Moved to Meadowlands Before Sandy...
Check it out.
I tell ya boys, it's like the Celine Dion song, it "goes on and on and on..."
Wayne,
Every time I think of something to say in response to this latest disclosure it is unprintable. Will the legislature demand some kind of accountability from NJT? I wait and hope.
John, there's even more.
According to my last issue of "Railpace" a Hudson-Bergen Light Rail official stated they'd moved their equipment well out of the danger zone prior to Sandy's landfall and were ready to begin operations again almost as soon as the waters receded but were ordered not to by NJT until after November 4 so as not to make the rest of NJT look bad.
Also according to some NJT employees when NJT officials finally realized just how bad Sandy was going to be and hit the panic buttons they tried to call in off-duty crews to the Meadowlands facility to try and move the equipment stored there, but "off the time cards" and without pay. Needless to say the crews refused, not just for the no pay part but because if they went to the Meadowlands at that point they'd lose their cars, as some Meadowlands personnel did.
These were un-named "off the record" quotes so take them for what they're worth. They DO make you wonder, though.
Accountability? I'm not holding my breath.
Wayne
NJT could probably explain away the delay in restarting the Hudson Bergen Light Rail line. Large parts of Hoboken were flooded and they could say they needed time to inspect the line for damage.
As far as asking people to work off the books, frankly that is hard to believe even for New Jersey Transit. If the evidence is there the unions should bring it to the attention of the State Legislature.
Here's the link to the NorthJersey.com report: http://www.northjersey.com/news/NJ_Transit_chief_Equipment_moved_to_Meadowlands_facility_just_before_Sandy_flooding.html
NJTransit is still using the "Security" tactic to avoid comment, even though the equipment they won't comment on can easily be seen by the public. NJTransit Executive Director Jim Weinstein is still claiming “There was not reason to believe it {Meadowlands Maintenance Complex} would flood by Sandy.”
After all of this time, they still don't get it!
But a new scandal about Rutgers' oversight of its basketball coach has now claimed public interest and distracted attention from New Jersey Transit. It's an ill wind that is blowing NJT a lot of good.
John if the unions didn't bring the working off the books issue to the State Legislature it's probably because NJT didn't push it to the "or else!" level. But like I said, these quotes from un-named sources are in the "take it for what it's worth" category. Maybe they're true, maybe they're not. Who knows?
By the way, is there some unwritten law that says basketball coaches have to be borderline psychos? Every photo I see of a B-ball coach during a game makes me wonder. Or maybe it's only the psychos that get the press.
Yep, as long as people get their "bread and circuses"..... Sports, sports, sports.
Firelock76Yep, as long as people get their "bread and circuses"..... Sports, sports, sports.
Actually, I think we should change Rutgers name to Rutgers -- The State Football Team. They are good enough to allow a few academic classes, though.
It's a shame what's happened to Mr. Magoo's "Alma Mater". Mr. M must be spinning in his grave.
Firelock76Mr. M must be spinning in his grave.
Plenty of other people have their heads spinning too. How could people who are supposed to be so smart (like the Athletic Director who got RU into the big 10 and the President who didn't bother to look at the video tape until after everyone else in the state saw it as well as the Board of Governors) be so dumb?
Nothing NJT has done has even begun to cause the uproar over Rutgers.
Today's Bergen Record has an interesting column on the current status of Hoboken Terminal, along with some sarcastic comments about NJTransit management.
http://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/doblin/
sandyhookkenToday's Bergen Record has an interesting column on the current status of Hoboken Terminal, along with some sarcastic comments about NJTransit management.
I was in Hoboken Terminal last Saturday and actually came in the front doors of the waiting room, when out the back doors to the ferry slips, came back through the waiting room and back out again to the PATH station.
The room was warm and clean when I went through it. It was comfortable. However, I did not see any benches in it to sit on at all. The center benches which were there before the storm were covered with plywood. The entrance to the rest rooms, the ticket windows and one set of entry doors were covered with plastic. The boot black stand was also covered with plywood. I can only wonder where Doblin sat.
Tickets are sold outside from a trailer. Another trailer houses the rest rooms.
Doblin has been riding NJT trains for many years as I have. NJT did bring back good to excellent rail commuter service to New Jersey and, where bus service is available, that too is good to excellent. But our state transportation authority does not provide public transportation for the whole state; only for portions of the state and it does a lot better in north Jersey than in mid and south Jersey. Yet all people are taxed to support NJT. And NJT is a rigid and hide bound bureaucracy with no sense of being accountable to the public. For years we had off peak fares. NJT just arbitrarily abolished them for no particular reason. They alienated a lot of people when they did that. When they feel like it they stop service with 10 days' notice and no concern for people who are affected. That has happened to me; fortunately I could deal with it. And they never, ever explain a decision. They just announce it. I think Alfred Doblin has experienced this too. But he is an editorial writer for one of the two most influential newspapers in the state, The Bergen Record. New Jersey Transit has created in enemy and now they have to live with him.
John no one has yet stated if NJTransit raised the substation at Hoboken. Were you able to see it or has any of our posters noted the rebuilt traction susbtation and its elevation?
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