And, IGN, not just the MTA subways but also the MTA's LIRR and MNRR...even Amtrak....all back in service quicker, did the right things before Sandy hit, and kept the public informed openly, step by step, with ugly truths, details on what happened, what had to happen to fix it, what was being done, and predicted a hoped for timetable in getting the lines back in service under the circumstance.
RIDEWITHMEHENRY is the name for our almost monthly day of riding trains and transit in either the NYCity or Philadelphia areas including all commuter lines, Amtrak, subways, light rail and trolleys, bus and ferries when warranted. No fees, just let us know you want to join the ride and pay your fares. Ask to be on our email list or find us on FB as RIDEWITHMEHENRY (all caps) to get descriptions of each outing.
Re: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie
Right now Governor Christie's popularity is at an all time high. 77 per cent of New Jersey's people approve of him according to the poll I read. He really took charge during Sandy, has toured extensively and still does telling people what he will do and encouraging them. He and President Obama toured together and put aside political differences to work for Federal assistance to recover from Sandy. And the Governor has just announced he will stand for re-election next November.
In the past the Governor has been outspokenly critical of certain groups and he himself has been criticized as dividing the people in New Jersey. Is he now simply responding to a natural disaster? Or has he decided to put his best foot forward and be a force for unification? The second would build on his high approval rating. If that is true he nay not be inclined to act strongly against NJT decision makers.
And more importantly for him, his acceptance outside NJ has risen, too. What that means for 2014 and 2016 is yet to be seen.
I can understand Chris Christie's popularity rising outside of NJ. I haven't watched "Saturday Night Live" in a long time, but I DID watch the Christie appearance after Sandy. He's funnier than the regulars! When he gets tired of being governor he should take over the show!
Both you and Henry are absolutely right, Firelock. Chris Christie has been making a lot of speeches outside of the state in the past year or so and he is popular wherever he goes. And I know he can be very funny.
On Monday, Dec 3rd, the Bergen Record of northern New Jersey (www.northjersey.com) had a front page article on the failure of NJTransit management during Hurricane Sandy. Today (Tuesday), they published a strongly worded editorial condeming both the lack of action before the storm, and the subsequent silence from NJT and state officials. Even Gov. Christie got some flak for not commenting.
The Record is generally agressive about following through with front page stories. Maybe the media has finally realized the magnitute of this situation.
The Bergen Record does have a pretty hard hitting story, Henry. And it promises hearings both in the State Assembly and the Congress. We can only wonder where the tens of millions needed for repairs will come. Meanwhile, I am pretty amazed by John Durso's statement that there was no place to put the rolling stock other than in a meadow lands swamp.
I read the piece...and yeah, it hit harder than any so far. It raises some questions. But there is no one on one question and answer with anybody at NJT or with Christie on the matter. Oh, some people have asked a question here or there, but a real sit still and answer panel has to be assembled and not be allowed to leave before answers are given. Statements and hand outs aren't answers but means of avoiding questions. I'm also not sure there are reporters around today who know enough about railroads, railroading, NJT, equipment, procedures, history, and the people involved to ask sledge hammer and spike maul questions that are needed instead of the nerfs that have been tossed.
link to bergan record article
http://www.northjersey.com/news/state/other_state_news/Months_before_Sandy_NJ_Transit_dismissed_need_for_climate_risk_study.html?page=all
I assume you guys are aware of the Newswire article about hearings scheduled in the U. S. Senate and the New Jersey State Assembly.
Yeah, saw it John...thanks...I guess this is about to go public and wildly so. It is an unbelievable defense I've heard so far and so I wonder how far the heads are going to roll in the end!
Henry,
I can imagine the reaction of the Senators if Jim Weinstein gives them the same reasons for not moving NJT equipment to a safe place that he had given us. I know a fair amount of the funds to buy this equipment came from Federal grants in the first place.
John
although not all of the preparations that AMTRAK did apply to our commuter RRs a list is enlightning. Here is Boardman's testimony to the Senate committee. draw your own conclsions ---
http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/1019/981/Amtrak-CEO-Boardman-Senate-Commerce-testimony-Dec-06-2012.pdf
Thanks for the link, Streak.
What strikes me is the damage that did not happen because of prior actions from installing new standpipes and drainage pumps in the North River Tunnels to cleaning out culverts and drainage ditches. Joe Boardman portrays Amtrak as an organization that has kept its own house in order by making needed improvements as soon as possible and constantly tending to household chores.
John WR Thanks for the link, Streak. drainage pumps in the North River Tunnels to cleaning out culverts and drainage ditches.
drainage pumps in the North River Tunnels to cleaning out culverts and drainage ditches.
I believe that is the east river tunnels ?
Actually, Streak, here are Joe Boardman's exact words:
"The first area is our Fire and Life Safety program for the tunnels into and out of New
York. We realized in 2001 that Amtrak had some potential vulnerabilities associated with the
New York tunnels, and I give my predecessors credit for the speed with which they moved to
address these vulnerabilities once they were identified, and the work that was done to ensure that
the improvements were funded. A standpipe system was installed; this was designed to allow the
fire department to pipe water into the tunnels in the event of a fire."
All he says is "New York Tunnels." His most recent reference a few sentences earlier was to the "North River" tunnels and I just took him at his word. However, he the previous sentence he speaks of the "East River" tunnels so perhaps I was reading him too literally.
If it has not been posted elsewhere, Gladstone branch electric train service has finally been restored, the last of the NJT lines without rail service.
In NYC, aside from the cross-bay Rockaway main line (brach of "A"), the Montague Street tunnel, between Whitehall Street and DeKalb, and South Ferry Station on the "1", trains turning at Rector St. are still being repaired.
I finally got to read through Joe Boardman's remarks to Congress in their entirety. He certainly said a lot about what Amtrak was up against before, during and after Sandy and detailed what Amtrak did to meet the challenges. With the upcoming investigation into NJT, I would propose that all NJT people read Boardman's comments then be asked what they did an didn't do compared to what Amtrak did.
Aside from Sandy's wrath and problems, Boardman also made a good pitch for the need for an entire approach to infrastructure improvements and alterations for Amtrak, NJT, LIRR, and MNRR to meet the future of the New York Metropolitan area, something Congress and area politicians should note and start working on.
Henry-- PATH is going to shut down all but one line this weekend to speed up repairs on rest of system especially Hoboken.
http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/m_and_w/path-curtails-weekend-service-to-speed-repairs.html?channel=5
Probably a wise decision to give an unimpeeded work window ?
Actually two lines are closed. Trains run Newark Penn to WTC with no service to Hoboken or 33rd St. As the announcement says having at least 48 hours without traffic will speed up the recovery repairs better than anything else at this time.
Effective today, all LIRR service is normal. One East River tunnel is still at reduced capacity, but will be fully operatonal in time for the Christmas rush.
LIRR returned to "full service" today. MTA still not running R train from Manhattan to Brooklyn nor A or S from Howard Beach Blvd to the Rockaway peninsula. NJT has not added trains nor altered schedules since last Monday, Dec. 3rd..except for addition of weekend Morristown-Gladstone schedules
PATH had reduced service! Next two weekends no weekend uptown service, only WTC-Newark! This is bad for pre-holiday shoppers, but may be necessary to get Hoboken back.
The Star-Ledger reports the New Jersey Assembly Transportation Committee held a hearing about NJT's storm preparations yesterday. Executive Director James Weinstein testified there was no way to know how severe Sandy would be. It was shabby but at least he showed up. Commissioner James Simpson didn't bother to even show up. There are a lot of comments about the story. All are negative assessments of NJT. Can NJT overcome this negative opinion by the arrogant treatment of Legislative oversight from people like Commissioner James Simpson? We will have to wait and see.
All I can think of the the traditional "Public be damned" philosophy expressed by William K. Vanderbilt.
Here is the link: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/12/nj_transit_boss_vows_mistake_t.html#incart_river
I read the article and passed it on to TRAINS' Editor. It seems like everybody was using a velvet hammer for some reason. No one posed the right questions. The wrong decision about moving and storing is sort of accepted, no questions about lack of communications, no questions about a remote back up system, no questions that showed if anyone is really interested in getting facts or just putting on a show to put on a show.
You are correct. No one in government will mention the elephant in the room. There has to be a hidden agenda here but I don't know what it is.
A comment from a Monday morning QB:
The unusual part of the hurricane was what is called a "Right shoulder hit". The Atlantic hurricanes that have hit the Mid Atlantic states in the last century have come ashore on Long Island or further south in Virginia. This storm was rare in that it hit in central NJ. Further what the "Right shoulder hit" did in this case was push the strongest part of the storm, the east side(or seaward side), into New York Bay. This is where the wind was pushing the ocean water towards land. Add to that the shape of the lower harbor and the convergence of Long Island and New Jersey. Think of what happens when you push water with a squeegee into a corner(then add the third dimension of the rising ocean floor bottom).
One of the outer harbor bouys recorded a 35ft wave. Think of what happens to a wave like that as it comes ashore and you can see what I suspect happened in Staten Island.
The last storm that did this was around 1890 or 1900 I think. This storm was the storm that joined Coney Island to Brooklyn(Coney Island was a barrier island before then). The storm surge from that storm moved so much sand that it filled in the water course(more of an estuary I think) that separated Coney Island from Brooklyn.
To the current situation. When the National Weather Service looked at the potential storm track they understood the risk, and started issuing very strong warnings for the New York-New Jersey area. As long as you either listen to the experts or understand the science behind the forecast you can plan.
One other difference between NYCTA - LIRR and NJT think of all that third rail vs the overhead wire. NJT has suffered storm damage from downed overhead, however not a lot from flooding.
I may be wrong on the last. If I am Henry please say so.
Rgds IGN
Also Rockaway Beach service. The last I read elsewhere was NYCTA thinks that this line will be repaired across Jamaica Bay in time for next summers beach season.
As to NJT management, I would not be surprised if people did not rally to the cry of the French revolution "Off with their heads". (yes I know over the top)
Thx IGN
But MNRR has overhead to contend with and were back in business. MNRR is also on the banks of the Hudson and third rail or not, salt water coming up stream can cause damage. The LIRR suffered badly along places close along the Atlantic Ocean especially to Long Beach. NYCTA still have not brought back the Magnoila Tunnel nor South Ferry and the A train from Howard Beach Blvd across Jamaica Bay to the Rockaway Peninsula (but have trucked 5 four car trainsets to operate only on the peninsula!). With NJT there are a couple of factors: 1) They ignored the warnings of several weather services.and therefore did not remove equipment far enough out of expected harm's way. 2) They did not have a back up system remote from the Meadows for dispatching, operating, or communicating. 3) They did not, and still haven't, commuticated with the public what was happening and how bad the damages were. MNRR reportedly made the decision to put trains at Otisville and Campbell Hall instead of leaving them along water courses. NJT did not respond well, did not respond quickly, did not communicate their problems to the public.
If I may add a bit to your insightful post, Henry:
James Weinstein gives the reason for not moving equipment to safe areas as the risk of fallen wires and trees.
But railroad equipment is pretty rugged. Trees and wires falling on it would most likely cause significant damage. They could, however, isolate the equipment until the tracks were cleared. It could be several days before the equipment was actually accessible and usable. That is true but when equipment is badly damaged it is also out of service for a time. It is certainly better to have equipment temporarily unreachable than to have it badly damaged.
And of course the trees would be much less of a problem had NJT been performing routine maintenance along its right of way.
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