TheNEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - MAY, 2011 Bulletin New York Division, Electric Railroaders’ Association Vol. 54, No. 5 May, 2011

The Bulletin TWO ANNIVERSARIES—

Published by the New DYRE AVENUE AND NASSAU STREET York Division, Electric Railroaders’ Association, 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF DYRE from the same terminal five minutes later and Incorporated, PO Box 3001, New York, New AVENUE SERVICE the first revenue train followed at 11:56 AM. York 10008-3001. On May 15, 1941, IRT trains started operat- There was no midnight service when gate ing in the Bronx on the former New York, trains started running in 1941. Two-car trains Westchester & Boston Railway right-of-way. provided shuttle service until through service For general inquiries, began in 1957. Transit Authority statistics contact us at nydiv@ Northeast Bronx residents were finally able to erausa.org or by phone enjoy rapid transit that was promised, but indicate that fares were always collected at at (212) 986-4482 (voice delayed for several years. each station and by Conductors on the trains. mail available). The When the IND Concourse Line was built, It is believed that passengers deposited their Division’s website is the City expected to extend it via Burke Ave- fares in the turnstiles at the stations during www.erausa.org/ rush hours and that the Conductors collected nydiv.html. nue and Boston Road to Baychester Avenue. But the City ran out of money during the De- fares on the shuttles when riding was light. Editorial Staff: pression and the line was never built. It At first, riding remained nearly constant be- Editor-in-Chief: chose the cheaper alternative, rehabilitation cause no new housing was built during World Bernard Linder War II. The area was built up rapidly during News Editor: of the right-of-way to accommodate IRT cars. Randy Glucksman The railroad, which was still intact, was con- the postwar building boom and riding in- Contributing Editor: verted to a feeder line to the White Plains creased sharply from 1952 to 1969, after Jeffrey Erlitz Road Line at E. 180th Street. The 11,000 volt which it decreased slightly. TH a.c. power supply and the catenary were re- 80 ANNIVERSARY— Production Manager: David Ross placed by 600 volt d.c. power supply to the NASSAU STREET third rails. Also installed were signals similar The Nassau Street Line opened on May 30, to the other signals on the transit system. 1931. It was the last line built under Contract Because steel cars were not available, the #4, which was signed on March 19, 1913. In Board of Transportation decided to rehabili- 1922, BMT filed a $30 million damage suit

©2011 New York tate 20 surplus wooden gate cars that were because the City delayed building the line. Division, Electric operating on the old elevated lines. Freshly The 1930 report by the Special Master was in Railroaders’ painted 1581-7, 1589-1600, and snow plows favor of the City. A year later, the Federal Association, 107 and 1580 were assigned to the line. Thir- Court did not reach a decision on the Mas- Incorporated teen years later, March, 1954, they were re- ter’s report.

placed by Hi-Vs in the 3657-3754 group. In The 4,822-foot tunnel, which cost $10 mil- In This Issue: October, 1956, Steinway cars 4025-36, 4573, lion, opened at noon without any ceremony. A History of the and 4756 were assigned to this line. They The first train was a Jamaica train and the were in service until through service began next was a Culver. A Train on May 4, 1957. At 3 PM, Mayor Walker drove a special ...Page 2 The first train, an official train with the train from Chambers Street to Broad Street Mayor and City officials on board, departed and back to Chambers Street. On board the from E. 180th Street at 11:21 AM May 15, train were BMT, Transit Commission, and 1941. A second official four-car train departed (Continued on page 6)

NEXT TRIP: BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON1 WEEKEND, MAY 21-22

NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN OCTOBER, - MAY, 2011 2000 A HISTORY OF THE A TRAIN by George Chiasson th GENESIS OF THE A TRAIN: PART ONE-THE NINTH 30 Streets was what had provided the economic incen- AVENUE ELEVATED IN MANHATTAN tive to offer the faster, traffic-free alternative that an ele- Manhattan’s First Rapid Transit Line, 1866-1875 vated railway could present. The Ninth Avenue Elevated, as originally opened un- As might be expected of such bold yet neophyte tech- der the auspices of the West Side & Yonkers Patent nology, operational problems impeded the company’s Railway Company, has the distinction of being the very ability to achieve financial success and the line sus- first rapid transit installation on the North American con- pended service on November 15 of the same year. Sub- tinent, following initial establishment of the world’s first sequently it entered bankruptcy and was sold off to subway in London, England in 1863 by just seven bondholders, thereby reorganizing as the West Side years. Even so, it had been a long financial road for the Patented Elevated Railway Company. This concern ac- inventor, Charles T. Harvey, from incorporation in July, quired a handful of diminutive steam-powered “dummy” 1866 to construction, which began in July, 1867, to the engines (steam engines with a passenger car shell) and first practical demonstration on December 7, 1867, used them to haul the three existing cars, discarding its which consisted of Mr. Harvey riding a single truck on a original cable-powered propulsion entirely. This enabled short stretch of track above the sidewalk of Greenwich two trains to be operated simultaneously, consisting of Street, being pulled along by a cable. By mid-1868 one dummy engine and one car each, when service there were two blocks of single-track elevated structure was resumed on April 20, 1871. To enable them to pass each other, sidings were installed at each end of the along Greenwich Street, from Battery Place (Bowling th Green) to Cortlandt Street in Lower Manhattan (a loca- still-single-track line at Dey and 29 Streets. Though a tion now occupied by the World Trade Center site), with step in the right direction, multiple financial entangle- one cable-powered car atop that was built by the John ments of the original franchise proved fatal and the Stephenson works of New York City. A trial run was company again reorganized as the New York Elevated made for the Board of Directors (and investors) on July Railroad in December, 1871. After this time its fortunes 3, and over the next two years the line was extended up briefly stabilized, and additional station stops were es- Greenwich Street to Ninth Avenue, then Ninth Avenue tablished in 1872, which helped to attract more riders as all the way to W. 29th Street. well as expand the “culture” of the burgeoning Manhat- When passenger service finally commenced on Feb- tan elevated railway. Each consisted of simple wooden ruary 14, 1870 it consisted of three cable-drawn cars platforms reached by perfunctory stairways and were th opened at Watts Street, about midway up the route, on shuttling between two stations (Dey Street and 29 th Street), with the cables drawn by stationary steam en- May 6 and Little W. 12 Street, where the el turned from gines at four wayside locations. From a practical stand- Greenwich Street onto Ninth Avenue, on June 17. In point, its purpose was mainly to haul suburban commut- addition the three original cable-drawn cars of the West ers between the Financial District and the terminal of Side & Yonkers Company were replaced by the first four the Hudson River Railroad (later known as the Hudson “Shadbelly” coaches, which had a low center of gravity Division of the New York Central Railroad) which was to allay fears they might wobble onto the paving blocks then on W. 30th Street just west of Ninth Avenue. As below. As more new cars were delivered over the next opened, the railroad had been required to use teams of few years, train lengths were eventually extended from horses, and not steam engines, to draw its trains north one to as many as three cars each. from the original terminal at Chambers Street to 30th Extension work to the initial segment was already un- Street, which made for a long, slow trip through the derway at the northern end, but on August 15, 1872 the West Side of Manhattan to start or end a journey that first additional piece of the existing line was placed in was potentially much longer. To put things further in per- operation by a few short blocks from Dey Street to a spective, the Hudson River terminal at 30th Street was new station at Morris Street. An intermediate station and located at what at the time could be considered an edge siding were also added at Franklin Street (between the of the city, and bore absolutely no relationship to the Dey and Watts Street stations) on January 21, 1873 and another station opened at Houston Street (between area presently in the shadow of Penn Station (a plot th that wasn’t even surveyed for such purpose until 1903), Watts and Little W. 12 Streets) on November 3, 1873. At the north end, service was pushed farther up Ninth but rather was associated with a predecessor right-of- th th way of the former West Side freight line that is being Avenue from 29 to 34 Street, where a new platform and siding were located, on July 30, 1873. A new station redeveloped into the “High Line” pedestrian walkway in st 2011. In any case the standing requirement that all Hud- was also added at 21 Street, expanding the El’s indus- son River trains be drayed by horses from Chambers to (Continued on page 3)

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NEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - MAY, 2011

A History of the A Train upon which trains of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad could be diverted to thus enable through (Continued from page 2) operation to Lower Manhattan from its northerly trial constituency even more, on October 21, 1873 and reaches. This was at least partly necessitated by a con- finally, the original terminal at 29th Street was replaced tinuing demand for through service on the Hudson Line by a new platform laid at 30th Street, which opened on to the Financial District, an option that had been stifled December 10, 1873, at which time service was concur- by the overall re-routing of Hudson trains into the origi- rently cut back again at the southerly end from Morris to nal Grand Central Terminal in 1872, which at that time Dey Streets. As has been demonstrated thus far, ele- had more or less obviated the elevated railway’s original vated stations in their most basic form were expected to purpose. The new siding at W. 11th Street was extended be operationally nimble installations, to be added or from Bank to Bethune Streets to provide for this eventu- eliminated as current patronage needs dictated, and ality, and it does appear that some railroad service was this philosophy was widely practiced in the early years. operated via the Ninth Avenue Elevated for a relatively On January 4, 1874 service was extended on the short time. Nevertheless, as the El had increasingly south end of the line once again, from Dey Street to a been redirected from its initial orientation in the previous station at the 7 Broadway building (located at the pre- several years, it became overwhelmed by its duties as a sent Bowling Green). A new stop located at Cortlandt conveyance of convenience for Manhattanites, and the Street was activated on May 25, 1874, at which time needs of commuters who desired it as a bridge to sub- both the original Dey Street station and siding at were urban railroad trains were subsumed to the greater closed, with trains passing each other at the Franklin good at an early date. Street siding instead. Effectively, that ended the Ninth The very last extension of the Ninth Avenue Elevated, Avenue Elevated’s initial phase of development, with it in its original form, turned out to be a very short one that having gained its desired place of notoriety in the trans- was opened on April 15, 1876 from the 7 Broadway portation scheme of a young New York. Afterward, more Building (Bowling Green) to the South Ferry terminal prominent investors and citizens alike were drawn in the inside Battery Park at the very southern tip of Manhat- support of its commercial welfare and even bigger plans tan. The latter location proved far more popular with the for its future evolved. In March, 1875 operation of the riding public than the former, so that on or about April 5, line was suspended for several months, as parts of it 1877 the former station at Morris Street was reopened were reconstructed in a more substantial manner. (though perhaps using a new and different platform) Ninth Avenue El Rebuilding Number 1, and the older one at 7 Broadway closed permanently. At 1875-1880 some point in the same time frame (1877) it appears When reopened on November 6, 1875 the original that what little through service was being offered by the portion of the Ninth Avenue Elevated had been rein- Hudson River Railroad was discontinued (most likely forced from a spindly, single-track concoction of over- due to reliability issues owing to the line’s limited capac- st head lengthwise steel beams (one for each rail, laid to ity), and the briefly-used ramp to W. 61 Street aban- 4’10½” gauge) with a middle slot intended for running doned. cables, to a series of steel trusses laid end-to-end and Undaunted, the New York Elevated Railroad Company known as “bents,” which supported crossties and rail had already resumed a massive expansion to its origi- laid to standard (4’8½”) gauge to be used by steam- nal line even before this time, having undertaken a du- powered trains of dummy engines and open-ended plication of the existing structure for the full length of the th coaches. Another new station and siding, thus to allow route from South Ferry to 59 Street. To achieve the three trains to operate simultaneously, was also placed ultimate fluidity in its operations, the entire Ninth Avenue in service at W. 11th Street (between Watts and Little W. line was reconfigured as a double-track structure begin- 12th Streets), as was an additional intermediate stop at ning on June 2, 1878 with new steel erected along the 14th Street. Finally, the line was extended for a second west curb of Greenwich Street and the east curb of time from 34th Street (the present site of B&H Photo, Ninth Avenue (opposite that which had existed since one block from Penn Station) to 42nd Street (present site 1870). Existing platforms were duplicated at all stations, of the Port Authority Bus Terminal), with the erection of but in turn these were connected to the older stations additional single-track structure underway well beyond via wooden walkways at track level, as opposed to hav- that point to what were then the far reaches of the city. ing new and separate access points of their own. Stop On January 18, 1876 the final uptown increment of the locations at this time included South Ferry, Morris original Ninth Avenue Elevated was placed in service, Street, Cortlandt Street, Franklin Street, Watts Street, th th th with trains extended from 42nd Street to 59th Street, one Houston Street, W. 11 Street, Little W. 12 Street, 14 th nd th block from Columbus Circle. Street, 34 Street, 42 Street, and 59 Street. In addition, the structure ended via a two-block long The Sixth Avenue El was also opened by the Metro- ramp to the surface at Ninth Avenue & W. 61st Street, politan Elevated Railroad in June of 1878, originating at (Continued on page 4)

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NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN OCTOBER, - MAY, 2011 2000

A History of the A Train brosses Street (one block south of Watts Street); Hous- ton Street (in kind); Christopher Street (new); 14th Street (Continued from page 3) (in kind); 23rd Street (new); 30th Street (new-second in- Morris Street & Trinity Place, practically right next to the stallation); 34th Street (in kind); 42nd Street (in kind); 50th Ninth Avenue El’s station at Morris & Greenwich Street (new); and 59th Street (in kind). At 155th Street, Streets. About the time that both came under control of Sixth and Ninth Avenue El trains also made cross- the Jay Gould-bankrolled Manhattan Railway Company platform connection with the New York City & Northern in September of 1879, the older stop on Greenwich Railroad starting the same date. This was a suburban Street (which had been shut earlier in 1873, then re- line that traveled to the distant community of Brewster opened in 1877) was closed again, but this time perma- and was more readily identified through the years as nently. At its other end, the new Sixth Avenue line the Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad. (which originally terminated at 58th Street on the south- In turn, NY&N built a short extension of its line from erly perimeter of Central Park) added a physical con- their original terminus at High Bridge in the Bronx nection to the existing Ninth Avenue El at W. 53rd Street (where riders could transfer to the New York Central & on February 25, 1879 and some of its service extended Hudson River Railroad) to meet the el at 155th Street, to the station at 59th Street. Both before and after the using a short new elevated structure that included a two lines were formally consolidated under the aegis of steam-powered swing bridge across the Harlem River. the Manhattan Railway Company, new steel structure Ultimately, for a time in the 1881-1918 period, the New proceeded uptown at a rapid pace, with some rush hour Haven Railroad offered through service from 155th service on both lines extended to W. 81st Street on June Street station to Boston using its “New York & New Eng- 9, 1879 and to W. 104th Street on June 21. As extended land” affiliate (this was an inland routing via Waterbury, to W. 125th Street on September 17, 1879 the Ninth Hartford, and Putnam, Connecticut and Woonsocket, Avenue El bridged the Manhattan Valley on what Rhode Island). Owner New York Central also estab- amounted to a a high railway-like viaduct along W. 110th lished a pair of local branch services that fed into the Street to Eighth Avenue, where it turned north and Putnam route from Mahopac, New York and Getty passed above the present site of the IND local station at Square in the Westchester city of Yonkers. 116th Street (BC). From 125th Street, the Ninth Avenue As part of its 1879-80 reconstruction, a middle track El pushed further on to W. 135th Street on September was installed on the Ninth Avenue El from 14th Street, 27, 1879; and, lastly, to W. 155th Street & Eighth Avenue where it turned onto Ninth Avenue but before passing on November 7, 1879. In all, the Ninth Avenue Elevated the 14th Street platforms, all the way to 59th Street. The extensions had included stations at 66th, 72nd, 81st, 86th, line was then extended northward on a totally new two- 93rd, 104th, 116th, 125th, 135th, 145th, and 155th Streets. track structure until it reached completion at W. 155th When built in the 1920s, the new IND “Eighth Avenue” Street. Early use of this short middle track was ex- Subway diverged beneath St. Nicholas Avenue at W. tremely limited, but nevertheless gave rise to the 121st Street and pursued a completely separate align- uniquely “New York” phenomenon of express and local ment from the Ninth Avenue El. As another part of origi- rapid transit service as it evolved. In the 1880s, a pair of nal construction, the IND also crossed under the Ninth morning rush hour expresses ran non-stop from 155th to Avenue El station at 155th Street en route to the Bronx’s 59th Street then called at 14th, Desbrosses, Franklin, Grand Concourse Line. Barclay, and Cortlandt Streets before ending their trips Ninth Avenue El Rebuilding Number 2 and at Rector Street. Similar service was offered in the eve- Electrification, 1880-1916 ning rush northbound, but making Warren Street a stop At the same time (again as part of the Manhattan Rail- instead of Desbrosses Street. At that early stage the way consolidation), the original line above Greenwich middle track was used as a “siding” to which local trains Street and Ninth Avenue was replaced outright, with were steered when one of the express trains ap- proached, with the expresses staying on the “local” new, stronger steel erected immediately next to those th structures already in place, though over the edge of the track all the way between Rector and 59 Streets. Not only that, but most of the Ninth Avenue El’s local service street instead of the curb, so that operations could be th maintained during construction. This replacement struc- was still being turned back at the 59 Street station, as ture was placed in operation from South Ferry to 59th the ridership north of that point had not yet sufficiently Street on May 2, 1880, and at that time the Ninth Ave- developed. nue El’s line-up of stations was revised, including wholly By 1890, the area now known as the Upper West Side separate platforms and entry points on the northbound had grown enough to support additional rapid transit service and on December 1 all rush hour Sixth and and southbound sides. The new stop sequence was: th South Ferry (in kind); Battery Place (new); Rector Street Ninth Avenue Local trains were extended from W. 59 Street to W. 135th Street, which was the last Uptown (new); Cortlandt Street (in kind); Barclay Street (new); th Warren Street (new); Franklin Street (in kind); Des- station shy of the yard at 145 Street (added to the (Continued on page 5)

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A History of the A Train motion. Other applications were developed through these years, for which the Manhattan Railway Company (Continued from page 4) bided its time as opposed to taking the lead, which was structure between 1885 and 1887). With all these trains more descriptive of its close-by rival, the Brooklyn Rapid on a tighter headway, and being confined to the original Transit Company. In fact, were it not for the need to two-track structure from 1879-80, congestion quickly meet operational compatibility with the abuilding Inter- resulted. During 1890 the Manhattan Railway Company borough Rapid Transit Company’s subway, one won- added a large new yard beyond the terminal at W. 159th ders if the implementation of electric traction may have Street, and the following year extended the middle track proceeded even more slowly. on Ninth Avenue (which was fragmentary as built above Most notably, the multiple-unit concept of Frank J. 59th Street) to be continuous as far as 125th Street. Sprague was adopted by the South Side Rapid Transit Starting on January 29, 1892 rush hour express sched- Company of Chicago in 1897, refined even further, and ules were greatly expanded, with all trains for both Ninth (at last) implemented on the Manhattan Railway system and Sixth Avenues that originated at 155th Street operat- in stages. The Sprague system utilized a mix of motor ing express (downtown in the morning and uptown in and trailer cars in each train consist, with all wired to- the evening). Additional Ninth Avenue Express stops gether as one unit such that power and braking was included 125th Street, 59th Street, and 14th Street in the applied universally throughout the train in unison. This direction of peak travel, with trains returning as locals. lent much greater flexibility and efficiency in operations, Additional express station stops were added or dropped as trains could be switched back where they stood, as on the lower portion of the line over the years, but his- opposed to requiring the “motive” car to be at the head torically the Ninth Avenue Express was always turned at end, as was the case on non-MU systems. By the time Rector Street. Also by this time, the middle track was of the Manhattan Railway application (and perhaps in generally used in sections to bypass local trains where part because of it), Sprague’s system was gradually required, mainly from 116th to 23rd Street (116th to 66th migrating to the burgeoning traction equipment empire for Sixth Avenue trains), but most of the action re- of then-young General Electric Company, though it mained on the two local tracks. On top of this standard would continue to carry his name for some time to service pattern, put-ins and lay-ups ran from Lower come. At any rate, the conversion of existing Manhattan Manhattan to and from the yards at both 145th and 159th Railway rolling stock from steam-hauled coaches to Streets. A portion of off-peak service was still being electric traction was begun during the middle of 1901, turned at 59th Street well into the 1890s (as referenced as transformation of the physical plant commenced on by a date of June 30, 1894), but the exact timeline of its the East Side lines. The first small group of entirely new evolution is unknown. Nevertheless, by the time the first cars was designed and procured as well, but would not version of the Polo Grounds was opened to profes- arrive until the first electrified trains plied the Second sional baseball’s New York Giants immediately next to Avenue Elevated on December 20, 1901. Contractors the 155th Street station in July of 1889, through service continued systemwide electrification through the next to the northern terminal had been expanded substan- two years, and on November 2, 1902 Sixth Avenue tially, certainly enough to support a full schedule of ball- trains that operated uptown began using third rail power games. By June of 1897 it appears that nominal opera- from the 53rd Street junction to 155th Street, finally being tions at all hours had been extended from 59th to 135th joined by Ninth Avenue trains from South Ferry (which Street, with all other service going to 155th Street, plus was the last large piece of the system to be electrified) layups and put-ins to and from 159th Street Yard. It was- starting on February 18, 1903. Because conversion of n’t until April 1, 1899 that full-time, 24-hour service was the older equipment and the delivery of new rolling implemented from South Ferry to 135th Street (but still stock lasted longer than the installation of electric- not to 155th Street), including overnight trains on a 15- powered infrastructure, steam-powered trains minute headway. (sometimes hauling otherwise electrified coaches that The next important stage of development for the Ninth used third rail for lighting) continued to be seen along Avenue El involved its transformation from steam- the Ninth Avenue El until April 4 (when all Sixth Avenue powered trains to electric traction. This was an objective trains were converted) and June 3 of 1903 (conversion that had been sought by the Manhattan Railway since of all Ninth Avenue trains), respectively. As the Manhat- the technology’s earliest phases of development, with tan Railway’s Forney locomotives were gradually re- an experimental “Daft” electric locomotive being tested tired, they were largely resold for further industrial or as early as 1885. The first practical application of elec- transportation uses, being stowed at the idle (since tric “third rail” to propel rapid transit in the U.S. was that about 1899) 145th Street Yard before leaving the prop- of the Metropolitan West Side Elevated in Chicago dur- erty. It appears in fact that this was the last use for the ing 1895, which used single motor cars to move trains yard itself, as it was not electrified and after disposition of trailer coaches, essentially replicating existing opera- of the Forneys was closed permanently on March 24, tions but using electricity instead of steam to provide (Continued on page 6) 5

NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN OCTOBER, - MAY, 2011 2000

A History of the A Train the Manhattan Railway, which demurred as long as pos- sible. With conglomeration of the el and subway sys- (Continued from page 5) tems under the flag of the Interborough Rapid Transit 1906, to be removed thereafter. Company, things changed, however, and such an instal- With ridership continually growing as surrounding de- lation was added to the Ninth Avenue El’s line-up on velopment mushroomed, other stations were changed June 3, 1903, including the use of elevators to reach or added to the Ninth Avenue El in the time before its the platforms. Situated above W. 110th Street between Dual Contracts reconstruction. Privately-funded build- Eighth and Ninth Avenues, it was some 100 feet over ings, which contained 80-foot high cable-powered ele- the northwest corner of Central Park and sometimes vators, were added at the 116th Street station in Novem- dubbed “suicide curve” by IRT personnel and patrons. ber, 1887 to relieve passengers of a long, arduous climb This was due to the number of people who used its ver- up a multiple “stack” of wooden stairways. At the time tical position as a means for self-extinction, even before service to the station at 116th Street was mainly concen- the station was added. Finally, because Manhattan’s trated, but not confined, to the rush hours. The first new crosstown street grid had not yet matured when the stop location was a downtown-only platform at 130th Ninth Avenue El was extended uptown in 1879, stations Street on June 1, 1893, which was then the first way were initially located more on the standard of distance station for rush hour local service south of origin at 135th than proximity, and some of the “key” cross streets as Street. A corresponding uptown platform at 130th Street later established were omitted. On August 12, 1912 a (and at that mainly used by exiting passengers) didn’t station was finally added at 86th Street (filling a void be- follow until February 12, 1907. Another “in-fill” station tween 81st and 93rd), and another opened at W. 99th was opened at 140th Street on May 23, 1898, by which Street on November 1, 1914. This was between the ex- time service all the way to 155th Street had been mark- isting stops at 93rd and 104th Streets and three blocks edly expanded. An additional station at 110th Street was north of the major cross street at W. 96th, but was also long desired by the surrounding community, but due to near the 97th Street Transverse, and the location of the the height of the line through the area, promised to be a only more-or-less level stretch of track amid an area of very expensive proposition to construct and operate for mildly rolling topography. (Continued on page 7)

Two Anniversaries rush hour locals operated via tunnel to Coney Island. Rush hour expresses ran from Kings Highway via (Continued from page 1) bridge and Nassau Street, returning to Brooklyn via tun- civic officials. After the train departed from Chambers nel. Street, it proceeded to East New York, the 14th Street Rush hour West End Locals were formerly turned at Line, and the newly opened extension to Eighth Ave- City Hall. Effective May 30, they ran from 62nd Street or nue. Bay Parkway via tunnel and Nassau Street, returning to Culver and West End Local service was revised when Brooklyn via bridge. Service through DeKalb Avenue the Nassau Street Loop opened. Until 1931, Culver ele- was increased ten percent. vated trains normally ran between Park Row or Sands Service from Nassau Street via tunnel was curtailed Street and Coney Island, with additional rush hour ser- gradually. The June, 1933 BMT map reveals that Culver vice between Ninth Avenue and Kings Highway. Starting subway trains operated on weekday and Saturdays, May 30, 1931, Elevated trains operated from Sands leaving Chambers Street from 7:03 AM to 7:40 PM. At Street to Ninth Avenue in non-rush hours and Coney Unification, June, 1940, 24/7 service was resumed. Island in rush hours. In the summer, trains operated Weekend service was discontinued November 6, 1954, between Park Row and Coney Island during midday weekday midday trains were not operated after May 1, and evenings. 1995, and the last rush hour train ran on June 25, 2010. When the Nassau Loop opened, Culver subway trains (Continued on page 8) started operating to Chambers Street at all hours. Non-

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A History of the A Train (Continued from page 6)

Ninth Avenue El train north of South Ferry looking east, June, Ninth Avenue El train at Rector Street looking north, June, 1940. 1940. Bernard Linder collection Bernard Linder collection

Ninth Avenue El train at Cortlandt Street looking north. Ninth Avenue El, Greenwich Street north of Bank Street, May, Bernard Linder collection 1876. Bernard Linder collection

Ninth Avenue El at W. 34th Street. Ninth Avenue El on W. 110th Street, looking east at Columbus Ave- Bernard Linder collection nue. Bernard Linder collection

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NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN OCTOBER, - MAY, 2011 2000

Two Anniversaries (Continued from page 6)

Gun Hill Road station, March 22, 1942. Gun Hill Road station, looking south. Bernard Linder photograph Bernard Linder collection

Interior of car 1584, May 7, 1941. E. 180th Street station, looking south. Bernard Linder collection Bernard Linder collection

Dyre Avenue station, looking south in 1953. Dyre Avenue station, June 20, 1959. The station had undergone Bernard Linder collection temporary repairs after wind blew the roof off. Bernard Linder photograph

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Commuter and Transit Notes No. 270 by Randy Glucksman

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY running times and/or stopping patterns. With completion A ceremony was held on March 18 in Sunnyside Yard of the Bronx Drainage Project, the extra running time to dedicate a pair of tunnel boring machines that will has been removed. The New Haven Line timetables create four tunnels that will lead to the lower level of the were not available until April 3 due to a printing error. 63rd Street Tunnel for the East Side Access Project Continuing work on the installation of the new signal (ESA). Sixth grade students at nearby I.S. 204 named system on the Danbury Branch (March Bulletin) re- these machines “Tess” and “Molina.” The machines quires off-peak bus replacement between April 4 and have a 22’ diameter and weigh approximately 642 tons. August 19. On weekdays, this affects three midday Completion of the tunnels is expected in October, 2012. trains in each direction and on weekends, all trains be- When ESA opens in 2016, LIRR riders will have the op- tween June 4 and July 9. tion of arriving in Grand Central Terminal or New York There were various news reports over the weekend of Penn Station. April 9 that Metro-North had installed Wi-Fi in one car. There has been a dispute between Nassau County At publication time, all attempts to secure the car num- and MTA over the contribution that Nassau County has ber were to no avail. been making to operate MTA Long Island Bus, formerly MTA METRO-NORTH RAILROAD (WEST) known as MSBA (Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority). Newburgh-Beacon ferry service resumed March 28. MTA maintains that the $9.1 million payment falls short Although the temperatures during March had not been of the $26 million cost, and the other MTA counties are as severe as in January and February, service could not subsidizing their service. County Executive Edward P. be restored due to damage that the dock received Mangano rejects this argument and said that the county caused by heavy snows and ice in the Hudson River. would be hiring a private contractor to operate the ser- CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION vice beginning next January 1. At a hearing that took The March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan were place at Hofstra University on March 23, hundreds of expected to have a minimal effect on the production of angry riders along with transit advocates turned out to the M-8s. According to spokeswoman Marge Anders, protest the proposed service cuts, which MTA insists are “The steel production plant in earthquake-ravaged Fuki- needed in order to operate service for what Nassau shima Prefecture that supplies the M-8s’ truck assem- County is paying. 16,000 of the 100,000 riders would blies was damaged in the earthquake, but the effect on have been affected, but because the State Legislature rail car production is not clear.” Thirty-eight M-8s are appropriated $8.6 million, the service will remain at pre- being constructed in Kobe, Japan, and as of late March, sent levels through the end of this year. In addition, 200 twenty-six were on Metro-North property, ten were riders would have lost their paratransit service. Mean- nearly complete, and two were en route to the United while, MTA approved a resolution at its April 27 meeting States. The remaining 342 will be produced in Lincoln, to work with Nassau County officials to transition to the Nebraska, were work is already underway. new operator, who is expected to be selected in the MTA LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD coming months. MSBA was formed on June 3, 1973 Hicksville commuters got a new 1,400-space parking from ten privately owned bus companies and has been garage on March 21. This replaces one that was demol- operated by MTA since that time. ished in 2008 due to structural cracks. The $63 million In an April 7 editorial, The New York Times took Mr. project was built by the Town of Oyster Bay, and the use Mangano to task for his failure to financially support bus of this facility is restricted to town residents. service in Nassau County and for “ludicrously” believing During late March and continuing into early April, an that a privatized system would run better. information center was set up at Great Neck to explain MTA METRO-NORTH RAILROAD (EAST) the proposed Colonial Road Improvement Project and Because the next edition of timetables would not go receive comments for the required environmental re- into effect until April 3, and because the New York Yan- view. Personnel were on-site to discuss the details of kees had games on March 31 and April 2, PDF versions this $36 million project, which would replace the 114- of timetables were posted on the Internet. The special year-old Colonial Road Bridge, address track drainage Yankee Stadium timetable was issued in conjunction problems, and extend the existing pocket track 1,200 with the April 3 editions and only listed the games feet east of the Great Neck station. This is part of the through June 25. Service was generally similar to last effort to bring as many as ten AM trains to Grand Cen- year. tral Terminal when ESA opens in 2016. LIRR will also Timetables issued on April 3 are in effect through June be able to turn trains faster. Of the 43,000 daily Port 25. On all three lines there were minor adjustments to (Continued on page 10)

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Commuter and Transit Notes ownership. The initial segment from Port Morris to An- dover will connect to the Montclair-Boonton Line at Port (Continued from page 9) Morris. Washington riders, approximately two-thirds board at Shortly after 6 AM on April 7, due to the derailment of Great Neck and stations west of Great Neck. an Amtrak track car in one of the Hudson River tunnels, Opening Day for the Mets at Citi Field took place on service in and out of New York Penn was delayed. Mid- April 8, and the usual Mets-Willets Point timetable was town Direct trains were rerouted to Hoboken, with tick- issued. All home games through September 28 were ets being honored by PATH. The initial delays of 30 min- listed, although this timetable will be replaced on May utes were soon increased to 60 minutes. In email alerts, 16. Hoboken Division passengers were advised to ride to Special Babylon and Montauk Branch timetables were Hoboken and use PATH. NJ Transit and private carrier issued for the Amityville-Wantagh Signal Improvement buses honored rail tickets. All services were reported as Project, which took place over the weekend of April 9 & operating normally after 10:30 AM. 10. Bus service operated between Babylon and Free- For those who Twitter, NJ Transit now provides ser- port. Nine eastbound and nine westbound Montauk vice updates for all of its rail, bus and light rail lines. As Branch trains were routed via the Central Branch and an example, information on the Northeast Corridor is did not require a change from bus to train. The non- available by tapping “@NJTRANSIT_NEC”. For all of electrified Central Branch connects Babylon and Beth- the other lines, simply substitute NJCL (North Jersey page (Main Line). Coast Line) for the NEC. Following is the information for Contained within the May 16 schedules is another other lines: Atlantic City (ACRL), Hudson-Bergen Light service improvement that was suggested by member Rail (HBLR), Main/Bergen (MBPJ), Montclair-Boonton Larry Kiss. It involves a non-revenue, or as LIRR refers (MOBO), Morris & Essex (ME), Newark LR (NLR), Pas- to it, Equipment Train #3203. This was the westbound cack Valley (PVL), Raritan Valley (RVL), and River Line move for Train #200, also known as “The Juror Train,” (RL). The bus services are NBUS and SBUS, for North- which has provided eastbound service since last Fall. ern and Southern Bus Routes. This train will provide riders with an additional commut- PORT AUTHORITY TRANS-HUDSON CORPORATION ing option because it carries passengers between Riv- One of our members reported that PA-5s now make erhead and Ronkonkoma with intermediate stops at up about 70% of the fleet. Consists of PA-1 to PA-3s Yaphank and Medford. were still operating during mid-April. NJ TRANSIT Due to signal problems during the afternoons of March One of the items approved at the March 9 Board 31 and April 1, NJ Transit cross-honored PATH tickets. meeting was an expenditure of $155.6 million to install a AMTRAK positive train control (PTC) system. The Rail Safety Act On March 19, the Wilmington, Delaware station was of 2008 requires that all railroads operating passenger named for Vice President Joseph Biden, who was a trains have PTC installed by 2015. regular user of this station while traveling between Dela- During mid-March, I received an email containing a ware and Washington, D.C. This was done during a link that shows the very precise planning required to ceremony that also marked the completion of a $37.7 move the first of 46 ALP-45 dual-mode locomotives million renovation. Amtrak, the federal stimulus, and from Bombardier’s manufacturing plant in Kassel, Ger- SAFETEA-LU supplied funding. Thanks to member many to New Jersey. http://www.deutschebahn.com/ Paul Gawkowski for this report. site/bahn/zubehoer__assets/en/mediagalerie/videos/ Cinders reported additional details of the P-42 loco- bombardier_locomotives_shipping,templateId motives that are receiving “Heritage” paint schemes: =renderIFrame,layoutDocId=1101126,siteLang=en_GB. Phase I (156) – “platinum mist” and red nose (1972); html. Phase II (66) – wide red and blue stripes set off by I checked NJ Transit’s web site to see if there was a white pinstripes (1975); Phase III (145) – evenly spaced listing of dates that the Meadowlands Rail Service red, white and blue stripes (1979); and Phase IV (184) would operate this year and while a complete schedule – “platinum” mist body and narrow stripe above a wide was not provided as early April, there was a reference blue stripe (1993). All other active units are in Phase V that service did run on Saturday, March 26 for a soccer – “wave” scheme that was introduced in 2001 and will match between USA and Argentina, and will run to all be represented by 163. The Museum Train will have Giants and Jets games. P40 822 in a Phase III scheme. Member Andrew Grahl During February work began on 7.3 miles of the 29- spotted P-42DC 156 in service during the third week of mile rail line known as the Lackawanna Cutoff. This line, March. which once connected Hoboken with Scranton, Penn- On April 1, an updated fleet strategy plan was issued sylvania, was built in 1911 by the Delaware, Lacka- that reflects the current fleet status and business envi- wanna & Western, and was abandoned during Conrail’s (Continued on page 11)

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Commuter and Transit Notes of national financial crisis, we simply cannot support this expenditure of precious tax dollars on a project that will (Continued from page 10) not be financially viable in the long-term. Constructing a ronment with an emphasis on the Next Generation high speed rail line across Western and Upstate New Equipment Committee, a partnership that also includes York is not practical. A true high speed rail line across the states, Federal Railroad Administration, and industry this region would require its own dedicated track. Fulfill- representatives. ing this requirement would cost tens of billions of dol- The 4th National Train Day takes place on Saturday lars. At a time when our roads, bridges, and other trans- May 7 with 40th Anniversary celebrations in Washington, portation infrastructure are deteriorating, our tax dollars DC, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles. would be better spent elsewhere. We simply must make INDUSTRY the tough choices necessary to prioritize our limited re- With the ongoing problems in the Middle East, the sources on projects that are essential and have the po- American Public Transportation Association released a tential for long-term self-sufficiency.” study reporting that if gas prices average $4 per gallon, However, on April 4, New York State Governor Andrew 670 million more passenger trips on public transporta- Cuomo announced that he is seeking $517 million in tion could be expected, bringing the annual total to 10.8 federal funds (from Florida’s rejected project) including billion trips. The study added that if gas prices average these projects: $5 per gallon, an additional 1.5 billion passenger trips ● High-capacity signal system between Croton- could be expected, bringing the annual total to 11.6 bil- Harmon and Poughkeepsie ($112 million) lion trips. ● Signal system replacement between Poughkeep- THE WINTER OF 2010-1, CONTINUED sie and Albany, 48 miles ($18.6) According to the calendar, spring began on March 20, ● Completion of the Rensselaer station – construct but snow fell the following morning. The highest a fourth track, extend platforms, realign existing amounts, just short of four inches, were recorded in tracks, and install a new signal system ($35.4) northwestern New Jersey. During the overnight of ● Intermodal station at Rochester ($1.4) March 23, snow fell again, but in Central Park there was ● Final funding – new Schenectady station ($4.1) only a trace. However, north and west of the city, in the ● Engineering and environmental analysis for a higher elevations, there was as much as ten inches. HSR maintenance facility in Niagara Falls ($1.75) This storm came in two parts, with a lull during most of ● Rebuild Harold Interlocking ($294.7) the daytime hours, but had little effect on transit. Snow ● Moynihan Station Phase II ($49.8) returned to some areas north and west of New York City The United States Department of Transportation an- on April 1. nounced that since Florida turned down the $2.4 billion HIGH-SPEED RAIL for HSR, it had received more than 90 requests for U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood desig- these funds, which added up to $10 billion – or more nated the Northeast Corridor as the 11th high-speed rail than four times what was available. Thanks to Railway corridor. This action was taken upon the urging of mem- Age for this report. bers of Congress and enables Amtrak to apply for fed- Three months after rejecting $810 million to build a eral high-speed funds. Madison-Milwaukee high-speed line, Governor Scott Meanwhile in Florida, on March 18 U.S. Senator Bill Walker plans to apply for $150 million in federal funding Nelson was informed by Amtrak that while it has an in- to improve Amtrak’s Hiawatha service between Chicago terest in operating high-speed rail in his state, it is and Milwaukee. These funds would come from the $2.4 “unable to do so now.” billion that was rejected by Florida’s Governor and That said, HSR might sneak into Florida via the would be used to construct a new maintenance facility Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor, which would run and purchase two train sets and eight locomotives. from Washington, D.C. and terminate in Jacksonville. On April 4, Amtrak applied for $1.3 billion to fund the This could take a decade or longer, but the Georgia Gateway Project that would construct new Hudson DOT is conducting a $750,000 feasibility study to be River tunnels, Portal and Pelham Bridges, and various completed later this year. A GDOT spokesman said that infrastructure (power, signal, and catenary) improve- Federal Railroad Administration maps have rail lines ments for the next generation of high-speed rail. coming to Jacksonville from Atlanta and Savannah. But With the down-to-the-wire settlement that prevented a it is likely the feasibility study will recommend connect- shutdown of the federal government as of April 9, HSR ing only one Georgia city to Jacksonville. lost $1.5 billion of the $38.5 billion that was eliminated Elimination of HSR has been proposed by freshman from the budget. representatives Tom Reed (R-29) and Anne Marie OTHER TRANSIT SYSTEMS Buerkle (R-25). They issued a press release on March BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 24 calling on Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to Two down and 12 to go. BLE&T and UTU agreed to a abandon plans for HSR in New York, writing, “In times (Continued on page 12) 11

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Commuter and Transit Notes ises were made for next year. There was a projected $130 million deficit, but far more of the budget is bal- (Continued from page 11) anced on one-time feats that will cost the “T” more later: three-year contract with the Massachusetts Bay Com- refinancing debt, leasing the North Station garage for a muter Railroad Company (MBCR) on March 17. This lump sum, and packaging the next 30 years’ worth of came about after two years of negotiations and includes parking income from all other garages and lots to inves- a 13.7% wage increase, a $100 cap on employee tors for $300 million. Subway fares were last increased health contributions, and a $1,000 signing bonus. It is on January 1, 2007 when the CharleyCard with either a retroactive to July, 2009. MBCR is still negotiating with $1.70 or $2 fare, depending on payment method, re- 12 other unions. placed the $1.25 token. The number of three-car trains was increased from 13 There is a proposal to close the Government Center to 32 each day on the B/Boston College, D/Riverside, station for three years so that the station can be reno- and E/Huntington Avenue Branches effective March 19. vated. The closing would save $16 million and reduce A pilot project began on the D/Riverside last October the construction time by 15 months, but 21,000 passen- 25. gers would be affected each weekday. The $71 million For the first time in memory, a four-car Green Line project is still in the design phase and the closure would train (3635-3859-3741-3679) ran in service from Ken- have to be approved by the city. more to Park at the conclusion of the Red Sox-Yankees MBTA’s General Manager, Richard A. Davey has do- game at Fenway Park on April 9. It was the idea of nated his car to a local charity and now commutes to MBTA GM Richard Davey. There was a placard in the work by train; just three stops from Back Bay to Boyl- front window that read “4-CAR TRAIN.” ston. His wife also uses the train to get to her job. One Ashmont residents have been complaining about the of his predecessors, David Gunn, who also headed high-pitched screeching noises made by PCCs as they NYC Transit, also did not use a car. operate around the loop. A meeting was held in late Not surprisingly, commuters do enjoy the quiet cars, March in which MBTA identified three solutions to this so on April 10, GM Richard A. Davey announced that a problem: rubber hubs for the wheels (already done), a quiet car will be designated on all 13-commuter rail spray that would coat the front wheel with a liquid, and lines during peak hours, based on the success of a a “tune vibration absorber” on the wheels. In addition, to three-month pilot program that ended the previous address complaints that operators have been speeding week on the Fitchburg and Franklin Lines. The survey as they make the tight turn, “T” officials pledged to in- said that 90% of commuters liked the refuge of this car. sure that trolley operators adhere to the 3 mph restric- Conductor training began on April 11, and full imple- tion. Some residents requested that buses similar to mentation was expected by mid-June. Thanks to Todd what is used on the Silver Line replace the trolleys, but Glickman for these reports, some of which came from that option is not being considered. The Boston Globe. The results of the environmental impact statement LINDENWOLD, NEW JERSEY (EIS) for the South Coast Commuter Rail Project rec- ERA member and retired PATCO Superintendent ommend that the Stoughton Line be used for the (1972-84) Bill Vigrass updated the progress of “his mainline routing. Copies of the 2,500-page document cars” (as he refers to them) that are being overhauled are being distributed to libraries in the affected commu- (March Bulletin). Cars 295-6 departed on March nities. Thus begins a yearlong comment period, to be 15. For those who keep records, 296 was originally 272, followed by the final EIS, which could take 2-3 years. which was struck by Conrail about 1980 at Selkirk and Two of the five ex-MARC locomotives that are being rebuilt by Vickers. 108 and 124 will go next to become leased were found to be in such poor condition that they the first married singles. They had been the brine train. could not be used. One was returned, while the other is Sometime later 116 will go to be "a mock up." It will be being used as a parts source for the others. At 15 years the 11th car, ending the first batch. Rebuilt cars will be of age, they are younger than the “T”’s own locomo- renumbered with four digits, probably 1001, etc. What tives, 18 of which date from 1979-80 and have been numbers will be assigned to the married singles is pres- described as “long past their 25-year service life.” MBTA ently unknown. The PATCO shop will do all car trucks should look at NJ Transit, whose 1968-built GP-40s can because the staff knows about them, and it saves ship- still be found operating daily. Full disclosure – these ping. They have a work order to accomplish this (the units have been overhauled. A fellow Seashore Trolley usual practice). Museum Director, and friend of member Todd Glick- PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA man’s, sent a photo of engine 67 hauling Train #231 to Member Bob Vogel, in one of the many emails with Haverhill on March 23. photos that he sends out, wrote this about the Silver- Fares will not increase, nor will there be service cuts liner Vs. “The rapid acceleration of the Fives and subse- in the fiscal year that begins July 1. However, no prom- (Continued on page 13)

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Commuter and Transit Notes (sort of) about its proposed electronic fare collection system. The plan for subway, trolley, and bus riders is (Continued from page 12) clear enough: card reading turnstiles will replace the quent waiting in stations reminded me of the Paoli Lo- existing ones in all stations and on board buses and cals when the Silverliner IVs were being put into ser- trolleys (and incidentally replace the Station Clerks, who vice. The usual equipment was MP54s, and when a will "metamorphose" to unspecified "customer service crew got a new Silverliner IV train, the Engineer would positions"). Payments may be made by credit card, cell accelerate rapidly out of the stations, and then had to phone, debit cards, or SEPTA electronic cards. Where wait for the timetable to catch up at the next station. the SEPTA cards will come from in the absence of Sta- After about a week of this, they accelerated at the MP54 tion Clerks was not indicated, but one assumes vending rate to avoid the boring wait.” machines. Regional Rail plans are still in dispute. No Cinders provided this Silverliner update as of March. one appears to be in favor of the plan to put turnstiles in Silverliner Vs 805-6 were delivered to Wayne Electric Center City, and make no charge inbound. Complaints Shop on February 18 and are being tested with 703. range from the goofy (having to use turnstiles is undig- The status of 702, which was sent to Canada for test- nified) to the functional (how will zone fares be en- ing, was unknown. 704 was due to be delivered before forced) to the fiscal (it would be easy to ride in for free the end of February. and back on much cheaper bus or trolley lines). And, of Meanwhile, during February, Silverliner IIs (Budd) 205, course, one must wonder if this is a plan to make re- 214, 251, and 257 and Silverliner IIIs (St. Louis) 222, dundant some or all of the Conductors. Will ye, nill ye, 224, 232, 234, and 237 were officially retired. Car 214, SEPTA plans on issuing a development contract this which had been at Wayne Shop for a number of years, summer, with implementation scheduled in "two to three was scrapped on February 16 at Roberts Yard. Budds years." Thanks to member Dave Safford for these two 208, 213, 219, and 9003 are out of service long term. reports from The Philadelphia Inquirer. 9006 and 9010, reported as stored, have returned to As winter ended, member Bob Wright wrote: “the El is service. still suffering a little from the winter weather. Many cars A February Silverliner V progress update reported that still have defective door leaves and are slowly being all 120 car shells have been completed and shipped to repaired. The cars are looking a bit ragged for some Philadelphia. Seventy-two are at the Weccacoe Plant reason. Compared to the 15-years-older Broad Street and 38 are stored at an off-site facility. Barring further cars, which are well kept, it is sad to see how they have setbacks, the last car is scheduled to be accepted in 'fallen' lately.” January, 2012. Member Charles L. Anderson wanted to share the Bob Vogel reported that two Silverliner V trains were following information with our members. “The ‘colored’ operating during the week of March 21. The consists commuter timetables issued by SEPTA March 13 were: 802-801-701-804-803 and 703-806-805. Bob also (March Bulletin) are the second issues of the revised photographed a push/pull train with ex-NJ Transit schedules issued since SEPTA dropped the ‘color Comet Is powered by AEM-7 2307. coded’ Regional Rail schedules - having removed the Member Alfred Gaus Jr. observed Silverliner IVs 296 Vukan Vuchic - U of P - devised paired commuter and 404, which also retain the original pantographs as routes which resulted from the 1984 opening of the the previously reported 294. Center City Tunnel connecting of PRR & RDG lines. It The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission also dropped the color code associated with each line, announced on March 19 the formation of a new King of i.e. R-5/Paoli-Thorndale and R-5/Lansdale-Doylestown Prussia Business Improvement District (BID) to coordi- were deep blue and R-6/Norristown deep green. These nate planning for the area, which includes the King of colors made it easy to identify each line. The public Prussia Mall, the largest east of the Mississippi. One of went, literally, NUTS! As a result there is no correlation their initial proposals is to revive planning for a 4.9-mile with the old color code! It will be interesting to see if the light rail branch from the Norristown High-Speed Line to public ‘accepts’ this change or forces SEPTA back to its the Mall. SEPTA said that formal planning will start in former color code.” May, with a combination of $625,000 in federal, state, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA and local money, including $12,500 from BID. This was As part of the 15% service reduction that went into a hot item in 2003 when it was proposed as an adjunct effect on March 27, the Brown (Allentown) Line, for- to the Schuylkill Valley Metro, and died from a lack of merly Route 52, was eliminated. At the end, there were funding together with that Philadelphia-Reading light rail just two trips in the AM and PM. On the Blue and Red proposal. Incidentally, SEPTA noted that planning has Lines, the first weekday round trips have been elimi- been underway for 17 months for a replacement com- nated and 20-minute headways are in effect between 6 muter service over Norfolk Southern (ex-Reading) and 7 AM and 6 and 7 PM. Here are some additional tracks from the existing Norristown Branch to Reading. details: SEPTA held an information meeting April 1 to tell all (Continued on page 14) 13

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Commuter and Transit Notes derground Dulles Airport station. With this action, the station will be just 550 feet away from the terminal (Continued from page 13) rather than 1,150 feet from an aboveground station. The ● Blue Line-Library: Weekend and holiday service first phase that will extend service to Tysons Corner has operates between Downtown Pittsburgh and Li- a scheduled 2013 opening date, while service to Dulles brary, every 40 minutes on Saturdays (6 AM-11:20 Airport would occur in 2016. PM), and every 60 minutes Sundays and holidays FLORIDA during the same hours Having killed the Florida HSR project, Governor Rick ● Blue Line-South Hills Village: Weekend and holi- Scott has now turned his attention to eliminating the day service is discontinued and is now provided Sun Rail Project in Central Florida by putting the project by the Red Line on hold at least until July. The first phase is a 31-mile ● Red Line: Weekday service operates every 15 line with 12 stations connecting DeBary with Orlando. minutes between 6 and 7 AM and between 6 and During March my wife and I visited the Orlando area 7 PM and ends at 12:30 AM weekdays. Weekend and the traffic conditions are extremely heavy, espe- and holiday service is extended from Overbrook cially during commuting hours. Phase II would see ex- Junction to South Hills Village, with changes to pansion to 61 miles with 5 additional stations: north to service frequency and span of service. The first DeLand and south to Poinciana. According to its web- round trip on Saturday was discontinued. Thanks site, service was to begin in 2013. to member Pete Donner for this news. On March 1, Tri-Rail’s Board voted to award a $100 Member Andre Kristopans added that the former million contract to Brookville Equipment for ten locomo- Brown Line trackage is now non-revenue only. tives (model BL-36PH), plus an option for 17, of which WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA four are designated for Sound Transit. Before the vote, Virginia Railway Express (VRE) CEO Dale Zehner business and political leaders criticized Tri-Rail for se- announced on March 22 that the Board approved his lecting this firm, which has little experience in building recommendation to share the cost of the $10 Step-up such locomotives. These groups urged Tri-Rail to pur- fee charged by Amtrak to carry its passengers. (Details chase engines that have state-of-the-art technology and were reported in the March Bulletin.) Mr. Zehner of- use clean energy. Tri-Rail countered that those locomo- fered these examples: “Burke Centre and Manassas tives would cost more money. MPI, one of the unsuc- riders on the VERY crowded Manassas Line Train #329 cessful bidders, filed a lawsuit in Broward County Cir- (departing Union Station at 4:25 PM) may wish to wait cuit Court alleging that Brookville's proposed locomo- for Amtrak Train #171, which departs Union Station at tive, which uses d.c. technology, is a novel design and 4:50 PM. While it operates a bit later, it is less crowded, has never been proven by continuous service, as re- has more legroom and a café car. On the Fredericks- quired by the bid, raising questions about its safety and burg Line, express train riders will be able to shorten reliability. your day by taking Amtrak Train #95, which leaves Un- CHESTERTON, INDIANA ion Station at 2:30 PM. In some cases, taking an Amtrak In an effort to save money, the ticket agents at the train may even shorten your commute.” This policy goes Gary Metro Center and Hammond stations were re- into effect on May 2. moved on March 4. NICTD reported that this action is VRE is also speaking with its host railroads to work one of many cost savings measures it has implemented out an arrangement to turn a Manassas Line train so in light of contract labor wage and health care increases that it could be stored at Broad Run. This would allow and reductions in fare revenue. Tickets can be pur- for more cars to be stored in the midday storage yard chased from TVMs. and would add some capacity to some of the more Andre Kristopans supplied this roster of NICTD. crowded trains. It was hoped that this would also be MANUFAC- accomplished by May 2. NUMBERS TURER TYPE BUILT NOTE Facing a $72 million shortfall, Metro is exploring ways to close the budget gap in its next operating budget. 1-44 Sumitomo EMU - DE 1982 1 Under consideration are cutting some bus routes, sell- 45-48 Sumitomo EMU - DE 1992 ing naming rights to stations and imposing a 5-cent sur- 101-110 Sumitomo EMU - SE 1999 charge for riders entering and leaving Union Station. EMU - The latter was proposed last June and the funds gener- 201-210 Sumitomo Trailer 1993 Nippon- EMU - ated would be kept separate and used for improve- 301-314 Sharyo Gallery 2009 ments at this station. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which 1. 17, 26, 41 destroyed, replaced by new cars with the same is managing the construction of the 23-mile Metrorail numbers extension from East Falls Church to Ashburn, approved spending an additional $330 million to construct an un- (Continued on page 15) 14

NEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - MAY, 2011

Commuter and Transit Notes 1. Not to be used on ex-UP routes due to weight 2. Standby locomotives (Continued from page 14) UPDATE: While reading the Special (April) Edition – UP-N of On the Bi-Level one writer complained that CHICAGO, ILLINOIS A revised plan to overhaul 22 rail bridges on Metra’s because his monthly ticket indicates that the owner is UP North Line was released on March 11. This time male, his wife could not use it. So, this corrects the in- around, two tracks will available for service rather than formation that I wrote in last month’s Bulletin on Page one as the project called for last fall and schedules will 13 under Philadelphia, and you can add Metra to the list not change. That is the good news. The bad news is of transit operators that have this policy. that the cost will be $215 million, $40 million more than HOUSTON, TEXAS previously. However, the service plan that was imple- Siemens announced on April 6 that it had been mented last fall caused significant delays and frustration awarded an $83 million contract for 19 S-70 LRVs. The to commuters, so work was halted in order to develop a first cars are scheduled for delivery in October, 2012. better plan. Work was to begin last month on Phase I Details were reported in the April Bulletin. (Balmoral to Grace Street) and will extend until 2015. ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO Phase II work (Fullerton to Cornelia) will continue until In an effort to better serve Rail Runner customers, 2019. Eleven bridges, some dating to 1898, will be effective April 9, riders find Ticket Agents posted at vari- done each phase. ous stations throughout the corridor each Saturday to Under the revised plan, the space of the former, now sell tickets to passengers before they get on the train. unused track will be rebuilt first and designated as “New They only accept credit cards. Cash sales can still be Track 1.” Trains will continue to operate on the existing made onboard the train. By having ticket agents at key Tracks 1 and 2. Once the work has been completed, stations during peak times, this will significantly lessen trains will operate on New Track 1 and Old Track 2 the workload of the crews onboard the trains. while the spans are replaced on Old Track 1, which will LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA later become New Track 2. After the switchover, Old Metrolink announced that effective May 9, a pilot ex- Track 2 will be removed but remain available to add a press train project will be launched on the Antelope Val- third span in the future should demand and money be- ley and San Bernardino Lines. Both express trains will come available. Thanks to member Jim Beeler for this reduce the number of stops from 11 (Antelope Valley) news. and 13 (San Bernardino) to just 4, including Los Ange- Jim also sent a copy of Metra’s Rock Island District les Union Terminal. On the Antelope Valley Line the (Chicago/Joliet) timetable dated April 3, to which in- other stops will be Palmdale, Santa Clarita, and Down- cludes the new 35th Street/”Lou” Jones station, the first town Burbank, while on the San Bernardino Line the station south of LaSalle Station. stops are San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, and Andre Kristopans also sent this Metra locomotive ros- Covina. Those stations were selected based on rider- ter. ship, parking availability, and location on the line. Thanks to Paul Gawkowski for this news. MANU- NUM- FACTU Monday, April 4 was the first day that an LRV was test rd BERS RER TYPE BUILT NOTES operated over the Expo Line. The trip began at 23 100-127 EMD F40PH-2 1977 Street/ Flower Street, where the Unimog had been cou- 128-149 EMD F40PH-2 1979 pled to car 231. Member John Pappas, who forwarded 150-173 EMD F40PH-2 1983 this report, added: “One more piece of the Pacific Elec- 174-184 EMD F40PH-2 1989 F40PH- tric is about to come back to life. The Expo line will 185-214 EMD 2M 1991-92 eventually stretch from downtown LA to Santa Monica. 1977, Originally Amtrak LACMTA also announced the start of service for No- 215-216 EMD F40PH-2 1981 258, 375 vember 15.” MP36PH ONOLULU AWAII 401-427 MPI -3 2003-04 1 H , H 611, 614 EMD F40C 1974 2 On March 21, the City of Honolulu awarded two con- Ex-Rock Island tracts valued at $946 million for work on its light rail pro- 1 EMD SW1 1939 4801 ject. Ansaldo Honolulu, a joint venture of Ansaldo STS Ex-Rock Island and Ansaldo Breda, will build the rail project’s “core sys- 2 EMD SW1 1939 4804 Ex-Milwaukee tems” – the train and system control center. Kiewit Infra- 3 EMD SW1200 1954 Road 604 structure West Company’s contract is for design and Ex-Southern construction of the second phase of the rail elevated Pacific 2643, guideway from Pearl City to Aloha Stadium. These lat- 4-5 EMD SW1500 1968 2476 Ex-Inland Steel est contracts represent a net savings of $165 million 6-7 EMD SW1500 1968 120-121 from the current project estimates and are part of the Ex-Helm 1519- (Continued on page 16) 8-9 EMD SW1500 1968 1520 15

NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN OCTOBER, - MAY, 2011 2000

Commuter and Transit Notes wire throughout, no continuous messenger wire plus contact wire as in most heavy rail electrifications. But (Continued from page 15) the contact wire is never attached to a span wire or $5.5 billion, 20-mile system. The first segment between bracket (and there are center-pole-brackets, side-pole- East Kapolei to Aloha Stadium is expected to open in long-brackets, and two pole-span wire locations) by a 2015. Full service along the entire 20-mile route from simple wire ear instead there is always upside-down ‘V,’ East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center is schedule for 2019. forming a delta with the span wire. In high-speed sec- One week later, Sumitomo of America, one of the un- tions, this delta is very wide, about four times the length successful bidders (Bombardier was the other), an- as the height, and the sloped sides are one wire, con- nounced that it would challenge the award to Ansaldo nected to the span wire or bracket by a small pulley, Breda on the basis that the operation and maintenance allowing the contact wire to move longitudinally with costs it they proposed were lower than Ansaldo Breda’s. respect to the span wire or bracket. This permits con- The City countered that Sumitomo did not highlight op- stant tension catenary, one end of the specific section erations and maintenance because they were not in- fixed, and the other connected to a weight vertically via cluded in the capital costs of the project. Sumitomo has large pulley or several pulleys. Other sections have an requested that a third party conduct a thorough review approach to constant tension that is simpler. Most over- of the financial proposals. Thanks to member David head wire installations for operations using pantographs Erlitz for these reports. or bow collectors stagger the wire, side-to-side slightly, TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA to reduce wear on the pan or collector. Here the me- On March 14, Metrolinx ordered 50 Bombardier bi- dium speed sections have a small delta, about a right levels. The cars will be built in Thunder Bay, with deliv- angle where the sloped side are attached to the span eries starting in November. Included in this order will be wire or bracket arm, and the point of attachment is not the 1000th bi-level car. Metrolinx subsidiary GO Transit directly over the wire, but about 50 mm further out in the pioneered the use of this model in 1978, and now 13 direction of the stagger. So as the wire contracts in cold transit properties across North America now count weather, it tends to straighten and raise itself, and as it these cars as a part of their fleets. expands, so does the stagger increase with the wire When Toronto elected Mayor Rob Ford, it got some- lowering slightly. So in the medium speed sections, it is one who campaigned on killing David Miller’s Transit the weight of the wire itself that provides the constant City Project, which would place light rail service on tension. Low speed sections have stagger but no con- Sheppard, Finch, and Eglinton Avenues. Mr. Ford would stant tension, example being the wire on the bridge it- rather extend the Sheppard Subway from the Don Mills self. And there are sections were one track is imple- station to Scarborough Town Centre and is hoping that mented by one of the three schemes and other by an- the Provincial government will do just that. According to other. Obviously a lot of thought went into the wire in- an article in The National Post provided by member stallation. Allen Breen, stopping this project may not be easy to “The track is another matter. Girder rail with built-in do. So far $137 million has been spent on Transit City flange is used throughout, even in places where a USA and last June a contract was signed with Bombardier installation would clearly use regular T-rail with conse- for 186 Flexity 2 LRVs. quent cost savings, such as in the grassed area adja- JERUSALEM, ISRAEL cent to the Old City Wall and in straight paved Member Dave Klepper reported: “on March 29, young- PRW. Concrete pads with rubber-type tops support the sters who were hired by Citidas-Jerusalem were hand- rail attached with Pandrol clips. Research in Norway ing out flyers on how to be safe around the operating showed that continuous support of rail reduces vibra- light railway, now that the temporary barriers are down tion, wear, and tendencies toward correction. The re- and one can physically but illegally (in many areas) in- sults of this research were not incorporated into the cur- trude on the tracks. No word yet on when we can ride. rent Jerusalem installation. They were in Canal Street So far, I feel there are both pluses and minuses regard- New Orleans. All paved track, including PRW, uses pav- ing the project. The trams are quiet, seem to accelerate ing tiles, another unnecessary expense. The nature of and decelerate smoothly and quickly, and look very the work disrupted the downtown area for an unneces- well-designed and appropriate for their tasks. The over- sarily long period. Much of the track and support could all design of the system, stations, track layout, etc. have been prefabricated, the necessary excavations seems well planned. I like the controversial bridge at done on a staged basis, and the commercial establish- the west entrance to the downtown area. To me it re- ments would be a lot happier, and so would the Light minds one of a harp, possibly King David's harp. The Rail's customers. overhead wire installation is also well planned. Pull-offs “Now the testing period continues to insult the intelli- and tangent ties are at a minimum for curves; the ten- gence of the average Jerusalemite, with Jaffa Road dency is use more poles as required. It is single-contact (Continued on page 18)

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NEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - MAY, 2011 PATH HARRISON MAINTENANCE FACILITY SHOP TOUR by Marc Glucksman (Photographs by the author) The New York Division-ERA's third trip in as many using "K" Class cars as its work motors for many years. years to the PATH Harrison Maintenance facility has About a month ago, the last of those cars departed for shown even more change. While the original PA-1 to Ashtabula, Ohio. They are being supplemented and PA-4 numbers dwindle, PA-5s increase. And yard ex- replaced by 50 converted PA-4s. As our host noted, the pansion continues. main complication that this poses for the system is that Car "5486" is shown without trucks, placed on steel they are not CBTC-equipped, and so will not show up beams. An astute reader will note that 5486 is not in the on the system when it is upgraded. They are deciding sequence of PA-5s. That is because this car is not a whether to adapt the PA-4s in the future, but for now true PA-5. It is the original mockup, which had been they will be used after an in-house conversion. The ad- delivered for design approval. The number is that of ditional yard space being built west of the facility will Brian Fitzsimmons, a PATH employee who passed house the expanded fleet as well as the additional away shortly before this car was moved and dedicated World Trade Center station-related work equipment. in his honor. Our host referred to this as PATH's The PA-1 to PA-4 fleet is being stripped of usable "Museum Collection," since all other cars are being parts to maintain the stragglers, and the cars are begin- moved off of the premises. ning to run their last miles, a journey that for some The PATH World Trade Center station project is enter- started 46 years ago. Ride these cars while you still ing its next phase. As its roof is enclosed, all construc- can, as the PA-1s trail only NYCT Subway's R-32s as tion materials will have to be brought to the location via the oldest rail equipment on regular passenger usage in rail. PATH owns and has added a number of flatcars to the metropolitan area. its fleet, including 21 pictured below. PATH had been

Brian Fitzsimmons demonstrator car 5486.

PA-3 741 with flat car 21. PA-4 843 being converted.

(Continued on page 18)

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NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN OCTOBER, - MAY, 2011 2000 Around New York’s Transit System

23rd Street-Ely Avenue Station Renamed installed at the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall 456 and rd On March 17, MTA announced that the 23 Street-Ely 23rd Street 6 stations. Designed for high visibility and Avenue EM station has been renamed “Court Square- ease of use, these devices have two call buttons, one 23rd Street.” A transfer passageway between the 23rd for emergency use and the other to request information Street-Ely Avenue and Court Square (G) stations has such as travel directions. Calls from the Help Point been open for some time, and a transfer facility devices will be answered by station booth personnel or between these stations and 7’s 45th Road-Court House the Subway Control Center. The Brooklyn Bridge station Square station is under construction. When it opens has ten of these units, and the 23rd Street station has (expected sometime this spring), the 45th Road-Court nine. Personnel answering the calls will be able to House Square station will also be renamed, and “Long determine from which unit a given call was made. Island City” (which is only seen on maps) will be This pilot will determine whether these devices should removed from the Court Square G station‘s name. be installed systemwide, and, if so, whether to use Help Point Pilot at Two Stations wireless or wired technology. A new Help Point communication system has been

Commuter and Transit Notes operated a ceremonial first run from Piermont to Dun- kirk, New York with President Millard Fillmore on board. (Continued from page 16) Part of the trip operated on the Piermont Branch in closed to all vehicles 24 hours a day, even though there Rockland County. Pascack Valley Line trains operating are long periods when no train operation takes place, between Nanuet and Spring Valley use the only active and it is clear that two rush hour windows for buses, portion. plus a night window for store deliveries could easily 40 Years Ago: On May 14 and 30, 1971, M-1s, also have been accommodated. The situation on Agrippa known as Metropolitans, made news as LIRR placed its Road, now handling the bus traffic, is about twice as final (620th) car into service and the first M-1 arrived for bad as Oxford Street, London, with the situation further the Hudson and Harlem Lines, which were then being aggravated by sidewalks far narrower. Hopefully, the operated by Penn Central. Before entering service the situation will be alleviated when passengers are carried, cars were tested on LIRR and temporarily had cab sig- even during a testing period.” nals and over-running third rail shoes installed. LIRR JAPAN retired its M-1s in January, 2008 and Metro-North Since the earthquake and tsunami, several videos (eventual successor to Penn Central) in October, 2009. have been circulating on the Internet showing wrecked Ultimately there would be 178 M-1s for the Hudson and rail cars that were just strewn across the landscape. Harlem Lines. FROM THE HISTORY FILES News items and comments concerning this column may be 160 Years Ago: On May 14, 1851, the Erie Railroad emailed to [email protected].

PATH Harrison Maintenance Facility Shop Tour (Continued from page 17)

PA-5s 5605 and 5133, and PA-3 768 in work service. PA-5 5770 in front of Harrison Shop.

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