TheNEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - NOVEMBER, 2002 Bulletin New York Division, Electric Railroaders’ Association Vol. 45, No. 11 November, 2002

The Bulletin NEW MIDTOWN DIRECT SERVICE FROM Published by the MONTCLAIR HEIGHTS New York Division, Electric Railroaders’ by Randy Glucksman Association, Incorporated, PO As it turned out, the last inbound and out- side at Benson Street, photographing the six- Box 3001, New York, bound runs on the Boonton (actually Green- car train of Comet Is, which by the way, was New York 10008- wood Lake Branch) were so low-key that filthy with litter. Only one car, former Snack- 3001. they could be classified as “no-key.” Steve Bar car 1603, was being used. Lofthouse and I drove to the Montclair A colorful brochure titled Introducing Mid- Editorial Staff: Heights station in plenty of time to ride Train town Direct Montclair – The Montclair- #1036 (7:27 PM), which should have been Boonton Connection was issued. Besides Editor-in-Chief: the “last” inbound train. An email that circu- describing the new service, it contains de- Bernard Linder lated the previous day mentioned that this tailed maps showing the streets and high- News Editor: train would be the second train to operate ways that serve each station. There are Randy Glucksman over the new connection. What we learned maps for what is called the Eastern Essex after arriving there was that after the depar- Region, Montclair Region, Southern Passaic/ Production ture of Train #1074, that the final two trains of Eastern Morris Region, Northern Morris Re- Manager: the day, #1032 and 1036, were replaced by gion, and Northwest Region, plus a map of David Ross Decamp buses. As we passed the connec- the entire area. On one page, there is a his- tion site, we did notice a work train and main- tory of the “Connection,” which was first pro- tenance of way equipment. Member Jack posed by the Regional Plan Association in May (who presented the show at the Sep- 1929. One page was dedicated to “Stations tember meeting) and member Bob Under- No Longer In Use,” and there is a paragraph ©2002 New wood planned to ride #1032, but also found a that explains that NJ Transit provided each York Division, bus, which picked up passengers at Upper affected town with a 20-seat minibus and Electric Montclair and Walnut Street, before proceed- funding to maintain and operate the bus for Railroaders’ ing to Broad Street, Newark. Jack and Bob five years as part of its Rail Service Shuttle Association, (as I learned later), as well as Steve and I, Program. Incorporated got off at Glen Ridge, and rode the Montclair Earlier in the day, member Larry Kiss rode Branch into Hoboken. Train #1030 (8:48 AM Montclair Heights) at Train #1015 (11:15 PM Hoboken/Lake Ho- Benson Street, which was the last train patcong) departed without ceremony. There scheduled to stop there. Freight service will were no announcements, whistle blasts, me- continue to Forest Hill, where there is a junc- In This Issue: mentos, or any NJ Transit officials, and it can tion with the Orange Branch that shares part Broadway safely be said that “this train passed quietly of its right-of-way with the Newark City Sub- Line—History into the night.” Aboard were Division mem- way, and for now, there is still one customer. and Track bers Jack May and Bruce Russell (and of Larry prepared the following table listing the Plans...Page 2 course myself), as well as representatives of stations on the Greenwood Lake Branch and NJ-ARP and the Lackawanna Coalition. the year in which those stations were closed. Members Gary and Andrew Grahl were track- (Continued on page 13) 1

NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULL BULLETINETIN - NOVEMBER,OCTOBER, 2000 2002 BROADWAY LINE by Bernard Linder

Owners: STREET CARS 1885 42nd Street, Manhattanville & St. Nicholas Avenue Railway Company November, 1895 Third Avenue Railroad Company April 13, 1900 Metropolitan Street Railway Company January 18, 1908 Third Avenue Railroad Company January 1, 1912 Third Avenue Railway Company July 7, 1942 Third Avenue Transit Corporation BUSES December 15, 1946 Surface Transportation Corporation December 17, 1956 Surface Transit, Incorporated March 23, 1962 Manhattan & Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority

Route: STREET CARS April, 1885 Street Railway Journal reports that horse cars were running from Grand Central to W. 72nd Street and Broadway. Track was laid as for north as W. 110th Street. The company expected to extend its road to Manhattanville in the middle of May June, 1885 Street Railway Journal states that the company expected to run cars to Manhattanville in two weeks December, 1885* Grand Central to Fort Lee ferry via E. and W. 42nd Street, Seventh Avenue, Broadway, and Manhattan Street (W. 125th Street) June, 1886* Extended to E. 42nd Street and First Avenue January, 1887* Extended via First Avenue to E. 34th Street ferry December 10, 1899 Began electric operation from Fort Lee ferry to W. 71st Street. Horse car shuttles operated from W. 71st Street to E. 34th Street ferry December 22, 1899 Extended electric operation to W. 59th Street June 19, 1900 Electric operation extended to W. 42nd Street and Broadway November 11, 1900 Electric operation extended to E. 34th Street ferry 1905* Rerouted and extended to Houston Street and Broadway 1907 Extended to Murray Street in rush hours February 16, 1908 Discontinued south of E. 42nd Street. Rerouted via E. 42nd Street and First Avenue to E. 34th Street ferry May 6, 1917 Cars operated from W. 181st Street and Broadway to E. 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue and from Fort Lee ferry to E. 34th Street ferry September 30, 1917 Cut back to E. 42nd Street and First Avenue. Shuttles operated from E. 34th Street to E. 42nd Street October 28, 1917 Discontinued shuttle November 11, 1917 Rerouted to W. 129th Street and Amsterdam Avenue instead of Fort Lee ferry March 10, 1919 Cut back to E. 42nd Street and Third Avenue March 27, 1933 PM rush hour cars shortlined via New York Railway’s tracks to W. 39th Street and Seventh Avenue November 11, 1935 Discontinued shortlining to W. 39th Street and Seventh Avenue and extended service to E. 42nd Street and First Avenue July 19, 1937 Discontinued service between W. 181st Street and W. 129th Street December 15, 1946 Buses replaced street cars *Approximate date from Bullinger’s Monitor Guide BUSES December 15, 1946 M-104 buses started operating over the same route as the street cars March 11, 1956 One-way on Broadway and Seventh Avenue between W. 42nd and W. 59th Streets March 10, 1957 South on Broadway and north on Eighth Avenue between W. 42nd and W. 59th Streets (Continued on page 3)

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Broadway Line (Continued from page 2)

March 22, 1976 During the morning every third bus northbound via Sixth Avenue and W. 59th Street. Dis- continued before 1986 September 11, 1977 Branch on Broadway between W. 125th and W. 138th Streets. We do not know when it was discontinued

SIGNS center section, and building new platforms at each end. Checking the transfers, we find that the Broadway line Cars 102-150 were originally short 1600-series con- was designated as line #2. This number was never dis- vertibles, while 151-155 and 157-200 were rebuilt from played on the street cars. In 1936, a large metal sign longer 100-series single-truck convertibles. Cars 101, with “Broadway” on the bottom and a large “B” above it 156, and 301-400 were built in the company’s shops; was hung on the dash. In 1941, the large “B” and the the latter were built of mild steel. Cars 551-625, the only route name were painted on the dash of 180-190 and center-exit cars ever operated by the company, were 551-625. nicknamed Huffliners in honor of Slaughter W. Huff, ONE-MAN CARS who had been Third Avenue’s President since 1918 and Effective June 7, 1925, night cars were operated by who was in favor of retaining trolley cars. A detailed de- one man. Starting November 2, 1930, passengers en- scription of the cars was published in the September, tered through the front door instead of the rear door and 1986 Headlights. deposited their nickels in a farebox near the Motorman. Before building the Huffliners, the company ordered The Conductor operated the rear exit door until a one aluminum car, 551, from Brill and built one high treadle was installed. On June 10, 1931, all cars operat- tensile steel alloy car, 601. After comparing the bodies ing on this line were equipped with treadles and the on a cost-weight basis, the company decided to build 24 Conductor was no longer needed. more steel alloy cars, 602-625. Meanwhile, the Alumi- ALTERATIONS TO CARS num Company’s engineers were able to design a lighter Many years ago, Walter Ench informed us that the aluminum alloy car body. The company built aluminum company replaced the hand-operated doors on the alloy cars 552-600. Car 551 was the odd car; the center Broadway cars with air-operated four-part folding front doors were opposite each other. The other Huffliners’ and rear doors in 1925. Four years later, the city asked center doors were staggered. the company to load and unload from the center islands All of the homemade cars were equipped with recon- between W. 59th Street and W. 120th Street. The com- ditioned motors. Old 600-volt motors were rewound to pany complied by installing dual door controls at the 300 volts. Armature turns were reduce to increase the Motorman’s and Conductor’s stations. But the cars were rating from 25 HP to 38 HP. With four motors, each Huf- converted to one-man and the dual door controls were fliner could accelerate at 4 miles per hour per second removed before the city modified the islands. The Mo- and reach 38 miles per hour on level track. torman was able to energize the treadle near the center It is believed that the trucks used on homemade cars door on the left side of the Huffliners, but he never did. were salvaged from scrapped cars or bought from scrap NEW AND REBUILT CARS dealers. On most cars 39-E trucks with one motor were During the Depression, the company did not have rebuilt to 77-E trucks with a motor on each axle. enough money to replace its aging equipment. There- BUS CONVERSION CEREMONIES fore, it decided to rebuild and lengthen its small single- On December 14 before midnight and December 15, truck convertibles. The company’s June 30, 1935 an- 1946 shortly after midnight, four cars with 200 passen- nual report reveals that it cost only $6,000 to produce a gers, including Third Avenue’s President McQuiston, city officials, and stage and movie stars, rode from W. modern lengthened car by using reconditioned motors nd and trucks bought at scrap prices. The old wooden cars 42 Street and Fifth Avenue to Times Square. Janis were scrapped because it would have cost $1,000- Paige, movie actress, broke a bottle of champagne over $1,500 per car to rebuild them. a new bus and christened it “Miss Times Square,” after The 100-series cars were rebuilt from single-truck which the bus led the procession to Columbus Circle convertibles by cutting the body in half, adding a new and back to Times Square. (Continued on page 4)

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NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULL BULLETINETIN - NOVEMBER,OCTOBER, 2000 2002

Broadway Line (Continued from page 3)

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NEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - NOVEMBER, 2002

Broadway Line (Continued from page 4)

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Broadway Line (Continued from page 5) CAR ASSIGNMENT, 1931-1946 DATE CARS DATE CARS May, 1931 1030-1125 January, 1937 101-200, 360-390 July, 1932 1006-1125 June, 1937 101-200, 316-320, 334- 340 (A), 360-390 (A) May, 1933 950-966, 995-1125 From September, 1937 to March, 1939, the number of Huffliners (551-625) increased while the number of 100– and 300-series cars were decreased. August, 1933 943-966, 995-1125 March, 1939 551-625, 169-200 (A), 626-640 (B) March, 1934 943-966 (A), 995-1005 (A), September, 1939 551-625, 180-200 (A) 1006-1125 June, 1934 948-966 (A), 995-1005 (A), May, 1941 551-625, 184-200 (A) 1006-1125 The first rebuilt car, 131, was placed in service on No- June, 1945 551-625, 181-190 (A) vember 26, 1934. During the next 16 months, the num- ber of 100-series cars increased while 1006-1125 were taken out of service. March 22, 1936 101-184, 200 March, 1946 551-625, 182-195 (A) September, 1936 101-200

(A) Occasionally (B) 626-640 occasionally February and March 1939

R-143 UPDATE By George Chiasson Through October 9, 2002 R-143s 8213-8228 entered Brighton Beach, relay on the leads north of Ocean L service, for a total of 112 cars. As of the same date, Parkway, then cross back to the southbound express cars 8229-8236 had arrived on NYCT property. track south of Brighton Beach. q trains usually hold at With the September 8 schedule changes, 4-car units the crossovers north of Brighton Beach for an inbound of R-143s were introduced on weekend M OPTO ser- Q train, then relay at the south platform. They can also vice between Myrtle Avenue and Metropolitan Avenue. cross back on the yard leads toward Ocean Parkway if For this purpose, the following 32 were modified with required. When observed on October 4, the terminal at Automated Announcement System software for M and Stillwell Avenue was in advanced stage of demolition, are the only ones which are assigned to this duty: 8109- but for the West End (westerly) platforms. Engineering 8116, 8133-8140, 8149-8156, 8165-8172. Unlike the forces were also observed at Neptune Avenue (F) and standard R-40M or R-42 trains used on weeknights, W. 8th Street (F, Q), where ancillary improvements are Train Operators cannot leave the doors open on both likely during the closure. sides while changing positions. This can force passen- The second group of R-40Ms transferred from East gers switching from Manhattan-bound J trains to New York to Coney Island on August 22, as corrected, Queens-bound M shuttles to change platforms. was 4466/4467 and 4470-4477. Since that time, the Amplifying the changes that occurred with the new mixing of R-40Ms and R-42s (both Morrison-Knudsen September 8 schedules, F trains operated in alternat- and Coney Island) has been discontinued on J/Z, L, ing short-turn service to Kings Highway during rush and M with few exceptions. However, it remains com- hours do run light via the center track through Avenue U mon for the two types of R-42s to be mixed in trains. and Avenue X when putting in or laying up at Coney Island Yard. Q trains use the southbound platform at (Continued on page 17)

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NEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - NOVEMBER, 2002 TECH TALK by Jeffrey Erlitz There has been a lot of work going on around the sub- vice on the West End Line, this interlocking can only be way system this fall. Work is progressing on the West controlled from the new maintainer’s control panel in the End Line signal contract, S-32344. The interlocking at new relay room located in Canarsie Yard. During the Bay 50th Street was placed in service over the course of first five phases of this cut-in, tower operators were re- six weekends, as follows: quired at both the relay room and the existing tower. The 30+-year-old control panel at Rockaway Parkway DATE SIGNALS/SWITCHES PLACED IN SERVICE was removed from service during the fifth phase. This October 5-7 Tracks D14 and D15 (the yard leads) from diamond crossover to Coney Island Yard homemade control panel was placed in service after a October 12- Remainder of Track D15 and Track D2 from the station fire destroyed the original station and tower in the 15 north 1960s. The interlockings at Rockaway Parkway (and E. October 19- Track D3-4 north of the station 105th Street) were notable in that they were the last me- 21 October 26- Track D1 north of the station chanical interlockings on the subway/elevated system. 28 In other Canarsie Line news, all of the track panels November 2- Tracks D1 and D3-4 south of the station have been installed for the new northbound Track P2 4 south of the Atlantic Avenue station. Only the actual November 9- Track D2 and remainder of Track D14 south of the station connection into the existing northbound track north of 11 Sutter Avenue remains to be done on this segment. Since the new master control panel at 38th Street Yard North of the Atlantic Avenue station, the new is still not in service, Bay 50th Street (like 62nd Street and northbound track has now been installed on new steel- Bay Parkway) will need to be operated from within its work placed over the original steelwork. The canopy relay room using the maintainer’s control panel. Ninth over the old center platform at Atlantic Avenue has been Avenue and Fifth Avenue Interlockings are now the only removed. locations left to be done. Over on the Nassau Street Line, starting on October 7 Not to be outdone, the first signal cut-in under the Ca- Track J4 is now out of service from north of the Bowery narsie Line CBTC project (contract S-32701) is also station to the switch north of Canal Street. This is tem- taking place this autumn. You may recall that, unlike porary during the reconfiguration of this line under con- traditional signal systems where the automatic signals tract C-34572-R. are placed in service before the interlockings, under this From October 12 to November 2, the temporary project the interlockings are being placed in service southbound platform at Howard Beach on the Rock- first. away Line was dismantled. A photo taken on this plat- In the September, 2000 Bulletin, I listed the order in form was coincidentally included in last month’s Bulle- which the interlockings on the Canarsie Line were ex- tin. pected to be placed into service. In that list, Rockaway Last month, I mentioned that only one bid was re- Parkway was scheduled to be last. It turns out that this ceived for the Concourse Line signal contract, S-32308- interlocking is now the first to be done. It was placed in R. This bid was from Halmar Builders of Mount Vernon service over seven weekends, as follows: for $183 million, which was a little more than the esti- mates. Negotiations are underway with the firm to dis- DATE SIGNALS/SWITCHES PLACED IN SERVICE cuss pricing. October 11- Diamond crossover at Rockaway Parkway; remove trail- The design work on the second phase of the signal 14 ing point crossover south of E. 105th Street; new signals modernization of the Flushing Line was completed on in Rockaway Parkway station July 17. In light of the fact that the Concourse Line re- October 18- Relocate remaining facing point crossover south of E. th ceived only one bid, this contract (S-32704) is going to 21 105 Street closer to platform be split into parts. Hopefully, this will make this contract October 25- Install half of new diamond crossover on yard lead Track 28 Y1 more attractive to potential bidders. The procurement of November 1- Install remainder of new diamond crossover on Track P2 the signal equipment will be split from the installation 4 work. This is how almost all signal contracts were done November 8- Most of the new signals from north of Rockaway Parkway th from the 1930s to the 1950s. In addition, to attract more 11 to north of E. 105 Street installers, the installation of equipment may separated November Remove single trailing point crossover from yard to 15-18 northbound Track P2 into different contracts. Stay tuned. November Two signals on Track P2 south of E. 105th Street The facing point crossover from the lower level track nd 22-25 at 42 Street (Track D3, Eighth Avenue Line) to the southbound local Track D1 north of 34th Street station Like the interlockings that were recently placed in ser- (Continued on page 19)

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Commuter and Transit Notes by Randy Glucksman

Metropolitan Transportation Authority peak service. More than three decades have passed since the MTA Apparently, the introduction of speedier ferries has was established, and with the exception of a few worked. Metro-North reported that ridership on the agency renamings, it has remained largely unchanged. Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry has nearly doubled from its On October 9, Chairman Peter Kalikow announced that previous daily average of 176 per day to an average of he would be seeking approval from Albany to restruc- 364. Other factors that have helped are the later sched- ture the Authority. Under his plan, Metro-North and the ules, and advertising such as the flyer that arrived with Long Island Railroad would become one entity – MTA my EZ-Pass statement. Railroad (after an immediate public backlash, the MTA Armed with state and local grants totaling $1 million, backed off and said that at least the LIRR probably Stratford town officials are hoping that Metro-North will would keep its name), while the subway and the Staten kick in another $500,000. These funds will be used to Island Railway would become MTA Subway. Permission upgrade the rail station by adding much-needed parking would be sought to acquire four private bus operators, spaces, doubling the size of the platforms so that eight Green Bus Lines, Jamaica Buses, Queens Surface, and cars can be accommodated, and providing additional Triboro Coach. These, along with MSBA and NYC Sur- capacity on the platforms. Other work that would be face and MABSTOA, would form MTA Bus. MTA done includes new traffic lights and sidewalks. Thanks Bridges & Tunnels would remain unchanged, but a new to member David A. Cohen for the report. division, MTA Capital, would be created to oversee all Connecticut Department of Transportation capital construction work. One of the goals is to make Returning from a trip to the Shore Line Trolley Mu- transportation in the region “seamless” and another is to seum (see below), I stopped in New Haven to have a reduce some of the bureaucracy and duplication of look at the State Street station that opened this past functions within each agency. The enabling legislation June. As there is only weekday service, and it was a was to be submitted before the end of this year. The Saturday, a gate blocked access to the station. The rail- Chairman indicated that at some point there would be road is below street level, and so is this station, which some reduction in the number of employees. consists of an island platform, served only by Tracks 4 MTA Metro-North Railroad (East) and 6. New timetables under General Order No. 206 were MTA Metro-North Railroad (West) issued as of 2:01 AM October 27, coinciding with the Something occurred that caused Metro-North to return to Standard Time. They will remain in effect change its decision on which company will build the two through April 5, 2003, when we change the clocks back. locomotives for West of Hudson service. In the Septem- There were no Hudson Line changes. On the Harlem ber Bulletin, I wrote that MotivePower, Incorporated Line, two Saturday trains have been added between would receive the award, and now it is Norfolk Southern Brewster North and Grand Central Terminal to provide that got the job. Metro-North had requested bids on two half-hourly service inbound between 9:34 and 11:34 AM new or remanufactured diesel-electric locomotives. After and outbound from 4:48 to 6:48 PM. Schedules were evaluating the proposals, it was decided to purchase adjusted for the evening Wassaic service to provide equipment that was compatible with what was already better connections. Up to eight minutes that had been operating, so two F-40-PH-2 locomotives have been added due to construction projects have been removed ordered. Possibly reflecting market conditions of a glut from the running times of those trains. Schedules for of such units and the economy, the cost of the locomo- three Danbury Branch trains were changed to provide tives ($3,167,404) is $370,000 lower than the two en- better connections. Due to customer requests for earlier gines that were purchased in 1999. service at Fordham, Train #1303 (5:00 AM Stamford) For the first time since Liberty Weekend (July 4-6, now stops there. 1986) there was a passenger train operating over the Special Holiday schedules will be issued again for Pascack Valley Line on a Sunday. It was not a sched- Thanksgiving weekend and the Christmas/New Year’s uled train, but a Special, operated to raise money for Eve/Day periods. Beginning in late October, though the seven non-profit groups in Rockland County. Tickets end of the year, the New Haven will offer its usual Satur- were sold for $50 (adult) or $30 (child). I went over to day Shopper’s Specials. Additional morning inbound off- have a look, and found a five-car train of Comet I cars peak service will also be scheduled. Saturday sched- at the Pearl River station, with GP-40-PH-2 4190 await- ules will be in effect on Martin Luther King Day (January ing the scheduled 1 PM departure. Passengers rode to 20) and Presidents Day (February 17). On St. Patrick’s Hoboken where they boarded a NY Waterway boat for a Day (March 17), there will be additional inbound off- (Continued on page 9)

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Commuter and Transit Notes county. NJ-ARP members attending the annual meeting got a chance to inspect the car. County transit officials (Continued from page 8) would like to use this type of vehicle on what they call two-hour tour, then returned to Pearl River. NJ Transit the “Bergen Regional Network.” The network consists of and NY Waterway provided their crews and equipment the existing rail lines, Bergen, Main, Pascack Valley plus at no charge. the New York, Susquehanna & Western (recently de- MTA Long Island Rail Road ferred from consideration by NJ Transit), a future A Port Jefferson timetable dated September 29 was HBLRT extension from the present northern terminus at issued. the Vince Lombardi Park & Ride, and a restored North- NJ Transit ern Branch service to Tenafly. Executive Director George D. Warrington made an The Montclair Connection opened as scheduled on announcement that was long awaited: that Secaucus September 30. Please see my report elsewhere in this Transfer would open for weekends starting next Labor issue. Day. NJ Transit believes that using this approach any Because of additional service, the Newark City Sub- “bugs” that arise can be worked out, and at the same way got new timetables effective October 5. During mid- time Warrington promised that the entire project would days all cars now operate to Grove Street, and head- be in service before the end of 2003, in conjunction with ways on the section beyond Branch Brook Park, which the restoration of PATH service to lower Manhattan. had ranged from 9 to 13 minutes, are now standardized Other projects that must be completed are the Morris- at 7 minutes during peak and midday periods. ville, Pennsylvania storage yard, Main/Bergen Connec- With HBLRT’s arrival in Hoboken, a new timetable tor, and the New County Road Bridge projects. The was issued on September 30. On the same day, NJ groundbreaking ceremony for this project was held on Transit held its Try Transit Festival. As I was unable to May 30, 1995, and at the time I wrote (July, 1995 Bulle- attend, I asked Alan Kramer, who told me that he would tin) that Secaucus Transfer was to open in 2002. And, be going, to give me a report. He reported that there that might have occurred, except for with the September were not any large crowds, nor were there significant 11, 2001 attacks, PATH’s line to the World Trade Center numbers of vendors selling railroad-type items. NJ Tran- was lost, and all of the seats that were expected to be sit showed off examples of its newest equipment – ALP- available for transferring commuters, vanished, as riders 46 4610 and Comet V coach 6513. There were a few stayed on the trains and are riding into Penn Station. other private coaches and locomotives as well. PCC 10 When construction began, the cost of the project was was in the Plaza; a trolley pole replaced the pantograph $450 million. That has now grown to $550 million. that it carried during its last years of service. PATH was In advance of the September 23 opening of NJ Tran- represented by PA-4 cars 846 and 850, and locomotive sit’s 50,000 square foot “terminal within a terminal” at L-1. In response for my request for members to send Penn Station, New York, a color brochure was issued. It reports of the Festival, member Bob Underwood re- contained a schematic plan of what was built, and sponded with the following: showed all of the connections to Tracks 1-12. During Track 3 – Hi-rail station wagon and work equipment the first afternoon rush I went over to have a look. (I had Track 4 – Round-end observation Pullman “Hickory been in it during the summer while construction was still Creek” with 20th Century Limited drumhead going on.) What I found was a magnificent facility, with Track 5 – Observation L&N 364 “Ohio River,” NJ RR’s no crowds at the ticket windows, TVMs that worked, and “Alex DeCroce, Lackawanna caboose 896, M&E 22 a good distribution of passengers waiting for the track (John Fiorilla) M&E 18 assignments to pop up on the video monitors. Unfortu- Track 6 – NJT 4610 (ALP-46), 4213 & 4218 (GP-40- nately, the air conditioning was not working, and there PH-2B), Metro-North 4190 (GP-40-PH-2) were a number of large fans placed strategically to at- Track 7 – Alstom 6513 – open for visitors - nice seats tempt to circulate some air. and BIG windows NJ Transit announced that it will back a study to build Bob had some criticism for the HBLRT operation: al- a second rail tunnel under the Hudson River. This has though the rides were free all day, there were no signs been proposed for many years, and is a key recommen- on the TVMs to alert would-be riders of that fact. He dation by Access to the Region’s Core. If built, 21 addi- also found that a portion of the walkway to ferry/train tional train slots would be created in the peak. To get terminal affords no protection to passengers. things moving, NJ Transit’s Board of Directors voted to Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spend $4.9 million on an environmental impact study During AirTrain testing on September 27, a three-car (DEIS), which is expected to be completed during the train derailed, causing critical injuries to the operator, a Winter, 2004/2005. Bombardier employee. Initially the Transportation Safety Colorado Railcar Company brought its DMU to Bergen Board declined to investigate the accident because the County during October 10-14, to provide some test runs system is still in the construction/testing phase but with and display the car at several locations around the (Continued on page 10)

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Commuter and Transit Notes to announce that a deal had been struck to purchase the James A. Farley Post Office Building and turn it into (Continued from page 9) a train hub. The State of New York will buy the building the death of the operator several hours later, the board for $230 million and the Port Authority will provide the reversed itself. A news photo showed that car 102 was additional funding to complete the project. the car involved. Preliminary findings pointed to the Plans are already in the works to extend the popular 16,000 pounds of concrete ballast (used to simulate a Downeaster service about 133 miles, to Bangor, Maine carload of passengers) that shifted as the train rounded within the next four to six years. Now, some rail support- a curve near Federal Circle crushing the 23-year-old ers are urging Maine’s DOT to include rail service to the operator. Investigators also reported that the train was central part of the state in its 20-year master plan. operating at between 55-58 mph at the time of the According to the Empire State Passengers Associa- crash. There are no cabs in these cars as they are to be tion’s ESPA Express, the first of the rebuilt RTG III Tur- unmanned; however, there is a console at each end of boliners was to be in service by now. Successful runs the car, which can be manually operated, and that was were made between upstate and Penn Station, and eve- being done at the time. The structure received exten- rything checked out. sive damage, and the system, which was to have partial From Cinders: It appears that June 12 was the last service the end of this year, will be delayed for many day that F-40s ran in Amtrak service, when 271 and 280 months. handled Train #294 (Ethan Allen) from Rutland to Al- Amtrak bany. F-40s are not extinct yet, some remain available For the historic special session of Congress, held in for emergency use, and some been leased out to other New York City on September 6, many members trav- railroads such as the MBTA and CSX, to name just two. eled aboard a special Amtrak train. Thanks to Weekly Six Clocker cars remain in the service for which they Rail Recap for the report. are named: 7005, 7602, 7606, 7609, 7617, and 7623. Amtrak presented its $1.2 billion 2003 budget to Con- 7608 is also thought to be active. gress, and it calls for more personnel cuts and an even- Museums tual end to state-subsidized (403B) trains unless the Two days of much-needed rain ended just in time, and states agree to pay all of the costs associated with the weather was spectacular for Shore Line’s annual those trains. States would have two years to transition Autumn in New York celebrations. Attendees were not to this, and you can determine which trains would be to be disappointed. As soon as my car was parked be- affected by checking the notes in the Amtrak timetables. hind the Sprague building, BRT 4573 was waiting to Also at risk are Amtrak’s freight trains and track im- transport us to the Car Barn Area, where we transferred provements on the Northeast Corridor. President David to the high-level platform for the subway trains, at the Gunn said that repair of more than 100 wrecked pas- “Avenue L” station. The first trip to Short Beach was senger cars would continue however. made aboard IRT 6688, which was followed by switch- In September, the United States Senate approved Am- ing to TARS 629. While we were at Short Beach, Shore trak’s requested $1.2 billion appropriation, but House Line’s crew made a few car moves and our next trip Republicans were holding up their version of this bill, was aboard IND 1689, which was once again “married” due to their insistence that it include a provision that to IRT 5466. Personally, the highlight of all these trips would limit losses on any train to $200 a person. In re- was my last one, using IRT car “G” (recently returned sponse, Amtrak threatened elimination of six trains that from its sojourn at the NYC Transit Museum) and its met the criteria. They are the Pennsylvanian, Three Riv- “mate” for the day, BMT 1227, as it was the first time ers, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited, Kentucky Cardi- that I got to ride in either car. BMT PCC 1001and TARS nal, and Texas Eagle. The New York Times 316 made appearances, and in close proximity were (September 30) supported Amtrak in an editorial labeled BMT “AB” 2775 and SIRT 388. It’s pretty amazing that “Keep the Trains Running.” It began with, “It’s time for the aforementioned cars have a lot of years under their Congress and the Bush Administration to stop playing belt. The oldest, Car ”G,” built in 1878, is 124 years old. games with Amtrak’s future.” The editorial ended with, It is followed by 316 (1896), 1227 (1903), 4573 (1906), “Instead of squabbling over how much spare change 5466 (1924), 1001 (1936), 629 (1939), 1689 (1940), can keep Amtrak hobbling on from month to month, and the “baby,” 6688 (1955). Congress must ensure adequate financing for at least Miscellaneous two years while it focuses on developing a serious, Imagine seeing this ad in a current transportation long-term plan that includes the building of new high- magazine” “Antique, standard gauge, ‘Narragansett’ speed corridors. Passenger rail remains crucial to the style, 13 open bench, double-truck, double-ended trol- nation’s future transportation needs.” ley. The car measures 40 feet long, 8 feet wide, 11 feet A ceremony was held on October 8 with Governor high. It is equipped with four Westinghouse traction mo- George Pataki, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former tors (one per axle). The car operates off 600 volts DC.” Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and other dignitaries, (Continued on page 11)

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Commuter and Transit Notes Tri-Rail ridership has exceeded 10,000 per day, and that figure does not include the “snowbirds,” who have (Continued from page 10) not returned in force yet, according to a report from This unusual ad appeared in this October’s Bus Ride member Karl Groh. (www.busride.com) magazine, and is being offered for Chicago, Illinois sale by the Community Redevelopment Agency of the METRA operates eleven lines within the State of Illi- City of Orlando, Florida. From the photo in the ad the nois, including one that extends to Kenosha, Wisconsin, (yellow) car has the following lettering on its headboard: plus it contributes 18% to the South Shore operation to INLET VENTNOR LONGPORT. Does any member South Bend, Indiana. Prior to my four-day visit, I had know who the original owner of this car was? only ridden the South Shore Line, which is under the Other Transit Systems jurisdiction of the Northern Indiana Commuter District Boston, Massachusetts (NICTD). Armed with an updated set of timetables There were several news stories in the Boston Globe (courtesy of member Jim Beeler), I laid out a plan to about MBTA commuters who revealed that they rarely ride as many of the lines as possible, and over a 3½ had their tickets checked by train crews. In the following day period was able to ride all but one, the Chicago & days there were news reports from both sides, each Northwestern Line to Harvard. I began with METRA defending its position. Management claimed that 83% of Electric’s three branches: Blue Island, University Park, its trains operated with less than the required number of and South Chicago, by riding all of them. At one time crewmembers for 14 of 32 weeks last year. The Union most of the diesel lines operated to further destinations defended its members by reporting that trains are over- when they were owned by railroads such as the Chi- crowded and/or understaffed, and cited the need to cago & North Western; Gulf, Mobile & Ohio; Illinois Cen- close doors between stations and get onto the platforms tral; Milwaukee Road; Norfolk Southern; Rock Island; (all functions that train crews are expected to perform). Santa Fe; and Wabash. In the future, trains may once There were also examples of non-fare collections taking again roll over some of these tracks. Amtrak trains also place on the subways and buses as well. Thanks to run over some of these lines. I also took along my copy member Todd Glickman for the report. of Chicago’s Commuter Railroads – A Guide to the Member Philip Andrade sent in what I hope is the final METRA System by the late Richard Kunz, published by word about the Orange Line relocation (September and Andover Publications in 1992. This was an invaluable October Bulletins). Here is his report: “The southern resource while traveling through these unfamiliar territo- portion of the line now parallels Amtrak's Northeast Cor- ries. The book however, was published prior to the com- ridor, the former New Haven line which passes through mencement of service on the North Central Line to An- Attleboro before Providence. (Stoughton is not on this tioch, August 19, 1996. line, but on a branch that goes to Taunton from Canton Some statistics: Total mileage ridden exceeded 500 Junction.) The northern portion of the Orange Line, that miles on 23 trains. (I rode both the Beverly Suburban used to go to Everett, now runs to Malden, paralleling Branch and Main Line of the Rock Island District Joliet the former Boston and Maine line to Reading and Hav- Line between Gresham and Blue Island.) In order to erhill.” maximize my time, it was advantageous to use a taxi Washington, D.C. area service to get from the Grays Lake station (Milwaukee Virginia Railway Express has leased a third set of North), Fox Lake Line to Prairie Crossing (North Central Sounder Bombardier bi-level cars from Seattle, and Line) – cost was $6.75 plus tip. By doing this, I avoided placed them in service on Trains #330/327/336/337, as having to ride all the way back into Chicago. Although of September 9. METRA operates bus service outside of Chicago, I was Orange Line trains were increased from four to six not able to ride the line between Geneva and Elgin be- cars after WMATA transferred some of its new CAF cause the last bus departed prior to my arrival time. 5000-series cars from the Green Line. Thanks to mem- Greyhound ($7.75) was the link I used to get to ber Steve Erlitz for the report. Kenosha, as there is limited service to that city and rid- South Florida ing the only morning train would have given me three With interest in creating a regional transportation hours until the trolleys began operating (see below). agency gathering steam, Tri-Rail would like to purchase METRA trains operate out of four terminals: La Salle the Florida East Coast’s 80-mile line that parallels US 1 Street – Former Rock Island Joliet District Line; Ogilvie and Dixie Highway between Jupiter and Miami. The Transportation Center – Chicago & North Western – tracks are not for sale, but transportation officials will Geneva, Harvard and Kenosha Lines; Randolph Street develop a plan whereby they will be able to purchase or Station – METRA Electric and South Shore and Union lease these tracks. FEC officials have stated that they Station – Burlington-Northern to Aurora, Illinois-Central are not interested in jeopardizing their freight business (GM&O) to Joliet, Milwaukee Road to Elgin and Fox for passenger service. Thanks to member Joe Gagne Lake, North Central to Antioch, Norfolk Southern (ex- for the article from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. (Continued on page 12)

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NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULL BULLETINETIN - NOVEMBER,OCTOBER, 2000 2002

Commuter and Transit Notes the level of service it operates on the North Central Line to Antioch and the N-S Southwest (Orland Park) Line. (Continued from page 11) Using $225.5 million in Federal funds, double or triple Wabash) to Orland Park. Amtrak trains also use Union tracks will be added at selected locations. Several sta- Station. tions will be renovated and four new ones will be built. Push-pull trains using bi-level gallery cars in varying New locomotives and cars are already on order. Accord- lengths are used on all diesel lines, and bi-level EMUs ing to the article in the Chicago Sun-Times, by next on METRA Electric. Although the transit agency has April, work should begin to extend the U-P West taken delivery of new cars which are ADA-compliant, (Geneva) Line to Elburn. there are still some cars which date from the early Kenosha, Wisconsin 1950s. The weather was extremely hot and humid dur- Before visiting Kenosha, I phoned the Transit Office to ing the first two days, but the air conditioning worked confirm that the cars were running weekdays, and they well on all cars, even the older ones. All METRA cars were. Earlier in the year financial problems forced a cut- feature comfortable 2-2 seating, on the lower level with back in service to just weekends. Car 4609 (Pittsburgh seats that can be and are “flipped” in the direction of Railways scheme) was running approximately every 15 travel by train crews. Above, there are single seats, minutes. Fares are 25 cents. The mechanic told me that many of which also flip, and depending on the type of the cars are riding on former CTA trucks. While I was in car, there are some fold-down seats on this level. On- the “Car Barn,” I met member Irwin Davis, a Chicago board train announcements are made using a recently resident, who later drove me over to see the former Chi- installed GPS. For those who are in the Chicago on cago, North Shore & Milwaukee station, which had re- weekends, there is a real bargain to be had, as METRA cently been a restaurant. We decided that the restau- sells a $5 pass that is good on all lines except for the rant was defunct, as there was a collection of mail just South Shore. As the Kunz book suggested, I purchased below the mail slot. Outside the station is Milwaukee a 10-ride Zone H ticket, paid the differential to higher Road coach 634. We made several trips around the 1.7- zones, and supplemented it with other tickets as mile line, and I went to the METRA station to await Train needed. #340, the 2:49 PM back to Chicago. On a number of lines, including the Rock Island Dis- Salt Lake City, Utah trict, trains run “wrong-rail” in the evening peak be- With the handing over of a $185 million check (raised cause, as one of the crew members explained it, the by the sale of 30-year bonds and some state funds), the platforms are longer on the Chicago-bound side. Trains Utah Transit Authority finalized the deal announced ear- operating on METRA Electric display the train number lier this year. UTA purchased portions of the Union Pa- on the ends of the train. Because Chicago has so many cific trackage between Salt Lake City and Ogden and different rail lines, it is inevitable that they should occa- from Salt Lake City to Spanish Fork. Also included are sionally cross each other. At many locations, the lines I the Denver & Rio Grande Western route from North Salt rode trains cross these lines at right angles, a phe- Lake to Roy, the Sugar House rail spur from South Salt nomenon that is virtually unknown in today’s metropoli- Lake to southeast Salt Lake City, rail from Point of the tan area. Mountain in northern Utah County to Orem, and an At several of the outer terminals, there were train- abandoned rail spur from Spanish Fork to Payson. New, theme restaurants, and at the McDonald’s in Union Sta- commuter-only track and sidings will be constructed tion, which had a nice display of train signs, photos and through those areas. Also included was the Mid Jordan memorabilia, most of the employees wore pinstriped line, which branches off from UP's main line from Mid- overalls with matching hats. vale, through West Jordan and into South Jordan line. It I was also able to complete the CTA subway and ele- is expected to become a TRAX route. The Sugar House vated system by riding the O’Hare (Blue) Line from the corridor will be held for a still-to-be-determined transpor- Airport and the Congress Line to Forest Park, as well as tation use. UTA plans to build by 2007 what could be a the entire Green Line. Riding in from O’Hare during the $300 million to $400 million commuter-rail system be- morning rush hour, traffic on parallel I-90 (Kennedy Ex- tween the Weber County-Box Elder County line and pressway) was stop-and-go for almost the entire length, Salt Lake City. Environmental studies are under way, but the train easily sped past the vehicular traffic. A with construction to begin by late 2004. As many as number of the CTA cars are “wrapped”, but the window seven stations could be built between Ogden's Union areas were excluded. On-board train announcements Depot and Salt Lake City's Gateway Intermodal center are made via GPS, which also identifies the run num- at 600 West, between 200 South and 400 South. Inter- ber. All cars had American flag decals on the side. I mediate stops could be built at Roy, Layton, Clearfield, thought that it was strange, but many of the stations on Farmington and West Bountiful. the recently rehabilitated Green Line still had wood plat- Portland, Oregon forms. In the first year that the Airport LRT line has been By the end of 2005, METRA expects to almost double (Continued on page 13)

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Commuter and Transit Notes that RTA paid $50,000 for each car, and that Public Ser- vice bought the cars for $11,000 apiece in 1952. Upon (Continued from page 12) delivery of the Breda LRVs, both cars went to the Min- open, ridership has exceeded projections. It had been nesota Transportation Museum. MTM has restored 3 anticipated that 2,300 daily riders but it has been draw- and given it back its original TCRT colors and number, ing about 2,800. 322. 27 was sold to the Shore Line (Branford) Trolley From the History Files Museum in September, 2001, and is presently undergo- 25 Years Ago: On November 14, 1977, Newark PCC ing restoration. 27 left New Jersey atop a flatbed, en route to its new 15 Years Ago: On November 16, 1987, M-4s began owners, the Greater Cleveland RTA. It was followed the running on the New Haven Line. next day by 3. Both cars were purchased to replace News items and comments concerning this column may be RTA (Shaker Heights) wreck-damaged 59 and 65. emailed to [email protected]. Headlights News Journal (January, 1978) reported

New Midtown Direct Service from Montclair Heights was wholly inadequate for the number of passengers who were riding. Cars were added later in the week. (Continued from page 1) New timetables were issued effective September 29 The mileage is from Jersey City. for the Main/Bergen, Morris & Essex, Montclair-Boonton and Pascack Valley Lines. NJ Transit’s Employee Time- MILES NAME CLOSED table now refers to the Boonton Line as the Montclair 6.8 Arlington 2002 Line, while the public timetable still identifies it as the 7.5 West Arlington 1969 Montclair-Boonton Line, I think that it is only a matter of 7.9 North Newark 1986 time before the “Boonton” disappears from the public 8.5 Forest Hill 1967 timetables as well. All of the new off-peak Montclair Mid- 8.9 Soho 1936 town Direct trains will require passengers bound for Ho- 9.4 Belwood Park 1964 boken to change at Broad Street, Newark. 9.8 Rowe Street (Orchard Street) 2002 Bob Underwood checked over the new timetables and 10.2 Walnut Street 1954 found that seven eastbound and five westbound trains 10.9 Benson Street (Glen Ridge) 2002 that serve stations west of Dover are listed in the M&E, but not the Montclair-Boonton timetable. These 800- Member Davis Dure visited the “Connection” site on series trains, which operate via the Morristown Line, Saturday morning and found that work had been com- were listed in the public timetables that were in effect pleted and both tracks had been swung over. prior to September 23, and should continue to be listed. An “interim” schedule was operated during the week Also, for the first time, there are pages in the M&E pub- of September 23-27, and the first passenger trains to lic timetable listing Extra Holiday Service trains that op- actually operate over the Montclair Connection were erate on Thanksgiving and President’s Days. #1050 (5:17 AM Mount Olive/Hoboken) and #1031 An article in the October 6 New York Times reported (7:44 AM Hoboken/Montclair Heights). However, no that during the first week of service, there were 1,600 train service operated into New York during that week. daily riders, 1,000 of whom formerly rode to Hoboken. One of our members used the service on the first day of The other 600 were new riders. NJ transit expects that “interim service” found that NJ Transit’s two-car train number to grow.

MONTCLAIR CONNECTION OPENS AND MIDTOWN DI- RECT SERVICE FROM MONTCLAIR BEGINS by Bruce J. Russell During the past summer, the final construction on the Arrow III multiple-unit cars was done and no major prob- double-track connection as well as on the extension of lems materialized. electrification from Bay Street, the end of the former On August 3, NJ Transit issued its final Boonton Line Lackawanna Railroad’s Montclair Branch, to Great timetable prior to the start of Midtown Direct service over Notch on the ex-Erie Railroad’s Boonton Line was fin- the new connection. At this point, all track work was fin- ished. During July, testing of the catenary using new ished except for the actual switches that would physi- ALP-46 electric locomotives, older ALP-44 models, and (Continued on page 14)

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NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULL BULLETINETIN - NOVEMBER,OCTOBER, 2000 2002

Montclair Connection Opens onto the eastbound track of the connection rather than left over the now-freight-only section of the Boonton (Continued from page 13) Line. It was still dark, but I was able to see enough from cally join the two routes. the shining overhead lights. In two minutes we arrived After riding the last train, the 11:15 Hoboken/Lake Ho- at the Bay Street station, a new facility with high-level patcong, Jack May and I disembarked at Walnut Street, platforms. As the door slid open from the cab car I was while Randy Glucksman continued farther west. I briefly riding in, I attempted to detrain. A burly Conductor walked from Walnut Street east to the connection and blocked my path and in an authoritative tone said I NJ Transit crews were fully occupied making the new could not get off since Bay Street was not a stop for this track arrangements. Giant floodlights illuminated the particular train. Somewhat disappointed, I returned to entire area, and a work train consisting of hopper cars my seat and traveled all the way to Hoboken. When we filled with rock ballast as well as a crane was present. arrived, I noticed this same Conductor and his associ- The eastbound connection had already been made and ate, who stated that to have allowed me to disembark at the connection of the westbound was in progress. I Bay Street was against the rules, and that management chose not to remain to witness the actual completion of personnel were present. I agreed with their actions, and the joining of the two lines, which probably took place for a few minutes we reflected upon the fact that we between 2 and 5 AM. were on the first train over the Montclair Connection. I On September 21 at approximately 7 AM, I drove to returned to Bay Street on Train #107 departing from the connection, hoping to see work still in progress. I Hoboken at 7:16 AM. What amazed me about my ex- was surprised to discover that all of the construction periences on September 23 was that I was the only per- personnel and their equipment had vanished. Further, son from the railway enthusiasts’ community aboard the the job was done. The Boonton Line’s two tracks were first train over the Montclair Connection! now physically linked with those of the Montclair During the week of September 23-27, Boonton Line Branch. After 73 years of discussions and planning, the trains adhered to the August 3 schedule, but ran from Montclair Connection was a reality. Hoboken to Walnut Street over the Montclair Connec- Midtown Direct service from Great Notch to Penn Sta- tion. Service over the now-abandoned segment was not tion was not slated to begin until Monday, September provided by the New York & Greenwood Lake Railway, 30. Instead, the existing Boonton Line schedules would which continues its fight to become the designated op- continue to remain in effect, except that the trains would erator. Its story is a complex one, but NJ Transit will not operate over the new connection rather than over the permit it to run service until insurance and other require- old route via Arlington. In essence, this was the inter- ments are satisfied. Meanwhile, the swing bridge over regnum or transition period. According to the August 3 the Hackensack River is now permanently in the open timetable for the Boonton Line, the first eastbound train position. An article in the September 25 Star-Ledger was #1050, originating at Mount Olive at 5:17 AM and described the life and work of the last operator of this arriving at Walnut Street, Montclair at 6:25 AM. It would span, and of how he loved the isolation of his job. He then proceed to Hoboken using the new connection and has since been reassigned to another bridge elsewhere the former Lackawanna Montclair Branch. My plan was on the NJ Transit system. to be aboard Train #1050 and ride it only as far as Bay September 30 was heralded as the official inaugura- Street, Montclair, situated at the east side of the con- tion of electrified service from Great Notch over the necting trackage. Here I would disembark, having rid- Montclair Connection directly to Pennsylvania Station. den on the first train over the Montclair Connection. NJ Transit issued many press releases and took out While this train was not scheduled to stop at Bay Street, advertisements in numerous papers announcing the I assumed that it would briefly halt to either pick up or start of Midtown Direct-Montclair. The first timetables detrain NJ Transit personnel. After having followed the showing the new service were available during the construction of the Montclair Connection for many week of September 23-30. The line has now been re- years, I felt it appropriate that I be on the very first train christened the Montclair-Boonton Line, and shows ser- through it. vice from Hackettstown to Hoboken via Broad Street, I arrived at Walnut Street at 6 AM, and numerous NJ Newark. Hourly service throughout the day is offered Transit personnel were on hand to explain to passen- from Montclair Heights to Penn Station, even though the gers that they would be traveling over a different route trains originate at Great Notch, where a storage yard than what they normally used. Most seemed to be and inspection track are situated. In order to win ap- oblivious. At 6:23 the headlight from the cab control car proval for the Montclair Connection, which involved the of Train #1050 appeared, and when the train pulled into demolition of houses and the relocation of families, the Walnut Street station I boarded. It consisted of a mainly poor and minority, NJ Transit had to greatly mod- locomotive and four coaches, and was surprisingly full ify and expand the scope of its original scheme for the for such an early morning journey. Standing in the vesti- linkage of the two routes. In the beginning the Montclair bule, I looked out the window as we slowly veered right (Continued on page 15) 14

NEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - NOVEMBER, 2002

Montclair Connection Opens The Watchung Avenue station is an old Erie Railroad edifice built at the turn of the last century, and was the (Continued from page 14) last station on the Boonton Line to have a ticket agent. Connection was supposed to consist of just one track While he is no longer there, the waiting room is kept and no extension of electrification. Diesel trains, with open for commuters. their associated noise and smoke, would simply operate Train #6200 arrived about four minutes late, perhaps over the Montclair Branch and onto the Boonton Line. because of celebrations at Montclair Heights. The ALP- This would allow NJ Transit to eliminate operations over 46 pulled, rather than pushed, the seven-car consist, a the Hoboken-Arlington-Rowe Street-Benson Street sec- departure from the normal practice in which the locomo- tion. Hard bargaining by Montclair’s Mayor and Town tive pushes eastbound and pulls westbound. As the Council resulted in extension of electrification and inau- “juice jack” pulled into the station, it made little noise. guration of a direct service into Penn Station not only Jack and I climbed inside of the Comet V coach and during rush hours but throughout the day. The only item took our seats. Only a few other passengers were pre- the town lost out on was the provision of service to sent. I purchased a round-trip into New York to see NJ Penn Station on weekends. This may come later, de- Transit’s new East End concourse and ticket area, pending on passenger counts and continuing demands. which opened on September 23. From now on, NJ On the weekend of September 28-29, equipment for Transit riders will not have to share space with Amtrak Midtown Direct-Montclair began arriving in the new yard passengers in the main waiting area. at Great Notch. Trains consisting of new German- I thought the Comet V coaches were very nice, except manufactured ALP-46 electric locomotives and Comet V for their seats, which were too straight back and gener- coaches traveled via the connection from the Meadows ally uncomfortable. On the positive side, they have Maintenance Complex in Kearny to Great Notch. When much larger windows than their predecessors as well as I visited the yard on Sunday, September 29, five ALP-46 the Amfleet cars used by Amtrak. locomotives and many Comet Vs were present, along At Bay Street, decorations were in place for the official with technicians from Bombardier, the manufacturer. A opening celebrations to be held later in the day. As our total of 29 ALP-46 electric locomotives were purchased electric train moved through the Montclair Connection, by NJ Transit, along with 200 Comet V coaches, por- no announcement was made on the PA system that this tions of which, including their body sheets, were made was the first Midtown Direct-Montclair train. No fire- in Brazil. The new locomotives and coaches are sup- crackers went off, and the Conductor never mentioned posed to be used throughout the NJ Transit system, but this fact while issuing our tickets. for Midtown Direct-Montclair they will handle all trains. At Roseville Avenue, the site of a long-abandoned Obviously NJ Transit wants to begin its new service with station and the junction of the line from Montclair with new rolling stock. The 99-ton ALP-46sare capable of the route from Dover via Morristown, two tracks were in generating 7,000 horsepower, and will have no difficulty place. During the late 1950s, the Lackawanna Railroad moving a ten-car train. The older Swedish- had simplified the junction by eliminating one track and manufactured ALP-44s begin to have problems with using only the eastbound platform. Now, two tracks are more than eight coaches. More and more people are back. The double-track Montclair-Boonton Line merges using the commuter trains of the original Midtown Direct with the triple-track main route. Obviously, having more service via Morristown, and the need for locomotives of tracks will reduce the chance of delays. greater pulling power was apparent. On a historical At noon on September 30, ceremonies were held note, the GG-1 electric locomotives last used by NJ marking the official start of the new service. New Jersey Transit in 1983 had a horsepower rating of about 4,500. Governor McGreevey and other officials spoke, as did The new “juice jacks” are obviously a significant im- George Warrington, the head of NJ Transit. Nothing provement. unexpected was said, and all agreed that the long- Jack May and I decided to ride the first Midtown Direct planned, long-delayed Montclair Connection was a train from Montclair on Monday, September 30. Accord- positive step in the right direction to make rail commuter ing to the new Montclair-Boonton Line schedule, it de- service more attractive. Unfortunately, within the next parts from Montclair Heights at 5:40 AM and arrives in few days there were complaints, mainly by riders from New York’s Penn Station at 6:22 AM, a total travel time points west of Great Notch and by those whose final of 42 minutes. We boarded at the Watchung Avenue destination is Hoboken rather than Manhattan. Hope- station, which, like others along the route, had been fully, their concerns will be addressed within the next decorated with red, white, and blue bunting. We arrived few weeks and appropriate adjustments will be made. at 5:30 AM, and NJ Transit personnel were on hand to But for many more riders, this improvement was long- explain the new service to people. Coffee, doughnuts, anticipated and should succeed in making rail the mode and bagels were likewise provided gratis by NJ Transit. of choice.

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NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULL BULLETINETIN - NOVEMBER,OCTOBER, 2000 2002 REDBIRD UPDATE by George Chiasson R-142/R-142As 4 and 5 with R-142As and R-142s, respectively. This Through October 11, 2002, Option R-142s 7051-7070 would result in a “cluster” of New Technology trains were delivered. By the same date, Primary R-142s through the midtown portion of the Lexington Avenue 6801-6805 and Option R-142s 7051-7055 were in ser- Line during peak AM commuting time. Hearkening back vice on 5. While there were no further cataclysmic to the Joralemon Street incident that occurred on 4 on events to mark the progress of New Technology Train August 27, the numbers of the second or “push” R-142A implementation on the IRT, R-142s 6396-6400 had not train should have been 7661-7665 and 7671-7675. yet returned to passenger service. Use of R-142s as- R-62A Changes; R-62 Movement Projected signed to 2 and 5 on each other's lines also continues As hinted above, the R-62A fleet has settled back into to be a common occurrence, though this may be more its “normal” routine on 1 and 3 since the September the result of service demands than technical glitches. 15 restoration of service to South Ferry, with no addi- Since the September 15 changes, R-142s have been tional cars moved to Corona for 7. When it does occur, consistently able to cover 100% of the 31-train 2 the next transfer to Corona is expected to involve a schedule (310 cars), and the use of R-62As on either 2 “round robin” scenario of shifts between 1 and 7, 1 or 5 (under any circumstance) discontinued entirely. As and 3, and 3 and 7 to deliver the proper quantities of of early October, the expectation is that assignment of unitized and single cars required for 7 operations. 370 R-142s to 5 should be completed by the end of To date there have been no R-62As reassigned di- January, 2003, at which time the remaining Redbirds on rectly from 1 to 7, and it is widely expected that no that route would be replaced. 2 is also expected to be significant transfers will occur until the last round of R- assigned 370 R-142s in the long-term, and the remain- 142 deliveries commences in the early months of 2003. ing 290 delivered for service on 4 (not 3 as earlier Projections for Phase III of the IRT’s New Technology proposed). This would create the final distribution quan- Train implementation plan (the blueprint for allocations tities desired for the 1,030-car acquisition. through mid-2003) show an eventual assignment of 55 By October 1, 2002, Option R-142As 7721-7730 had single R-62As to Jerome. Of these, 20 are anticipated arrived, thus completing the delivery phase of the R- for use on the S-42nd Street Shuttle—10 and 10 142A order. The first cars of this type had been deliv- spares—and 35 as extra 10-car trains for 4 (30 and 5 ered to NYCT in December, 1999. Due to continuing spares). These will combine with the 70 arriving R- familiarization and technical troubles, the use of R- 142As to supplant all Redbirds (originally 90, lately 110) 142As on 4 was briefly suspended during the middle that have been assigned there for the past decade or and latter portion of September. The former difficulty so. Allocation of the last 290 R-142s to 4 will serve to may have been rooted in the intense service levels re- displace all 315 Kawasaki-built R-62s from their home quired of crews and equipment on 4, where outside of almost 20 years, and they will provide all service on intervention was sometimes necessary to program the 3 until needs dictate otherwise. In turn this would dis- Automated Announcement Systems at termini. In the lodge the remaining single cars from Livonia (3) for latter instance, problems sometimes resulted when im- repositioning to the Flushing Line, and eventually find patience was exhibited during relatively minor failures of all 824 R-62As divided three ways: 365-1, 55-4,and system electronics, as personnel tried to keep trains 404-7. moving. At any rate, the R-142As received a “high The R-62 fleet's current projected life cycle replace- green” starting on September 26, when the fifth train, ment is the year 2024. composed of cars 7686-7690 and 7706-7710, entered 4 Redbird Notes, Transfers, and Status service. Time finally ran out for the last few active pairs of R- The remainder of 4’s R-142A fleet awakened in short 26s and R-28s on October 7, 2002. These had been order, with three trains in use on a single day for the reduced to eight cars for over two months, and were first time September 30, and a fourth on October 2. usually mixed with the 14 surviving R-29s on 5 in rush Since then, 3-4 R 142A trains per day has settled in as hours. First to be retired were actually R-29s the norm, weekends included. The sixth R-142A train 8694/8695, which were idled at E. 180th Street begin- (7711-7720) was in the latter stages of acceptance test- ning on September 26 and left the group with no spare ing through October 11 and expected be in service cars to make up its two remaining trainsets. On October within several days, to be joined by 7721-7730 at the th 3, both trains were observed on 5 at 138 Street- end of the month or in early November. Grand Concourse in the AM, then again at Borough Hall Starting in early October, efforts have been made to strategically fill specific morning rush hour intervals on (Continued on page 17)

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NEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - NOVEMBER, 2002

Redbird Update cal equipment into Westinghouse (Black) and General Electric (Yellow) have been the exception rather than (Continued from page 16) the norm. No doubt this is attributable to the scarcity of in the PM rush hour. One set had all eight of the active WH cars remaining active. On October 11, there were R-26/28s capped by R-29s 8786/8787, while the other just 34 WH World’s Fair and mainline R-36s sprinkled used the balance of remaining R-29s. Both were on the into the overall Redbird fleet of 274 cars on 7. road again the following Monday (October 7), but imme- Technological oddball R-33S 9337 reappeared at Co- diately following the PM rush, the last train of R- rona on October 6, hauling the last few cars of its kind 26/28/29s, consisting of N-7819/7818-7846/7847- back to 7 for passenger service after they received 7939/7938-7863/7862-8786/8787-S, was broken up long-term SMS work at 207th Street during the summer and all eight of the older cars moved to Concourse Yard hiatus. It and the three other single units remaining at for storage. This left 8786/8787 as a spare set to sup- 207th Street (9317, 9329, 9343) have now been out of port the final train of R-29s (8708/8709, 8716/8717, passenger service for several months. 8718/8719, 8740/8741, 8784/8785), which was seen in Redbird Retirements and Restorations rush hour 5 service through at least October 9. It is Taken out of service through October 11, 2002 were: unclear how much longer this train will continue to oper- R-26: 7818/7819, 7846/7847 (second time) off 5 ate. R-28: 7862/7863, 7938/7939 off 5 Retirement of R-33s from 4 started in earnest by R-29: 8694/8695 off 5 September 19, when the first six cars were confirmed R-33: 8838/8839, 8848/8849, 8854/8855, 8856/8857, th out of service at 207 Street, to be prepared for reefing. 9220/9221, 9272/9273, 9262/9263, 9270/9271, R-33s 8874/8875 and 9210/9211 were returned to 5 as 9282/9283, 9284/9285 off 4; 8892/8893, 9010/9011, of September 17, while 8990/8991 and 8986/8987 have 9038/9039, 9068/9069, 9192/9193, 9200/9201 (second assumed their place as the fifth and sixth pairs of time) off 5 mainline R-33s to be assigned to long-term work ser- R-36: 9390/9391, 9450/9451, 9466/9467 (second time), vice. 9530/9531 off 7 On October 10, R-33s 8930/8931, 9020/9021, Restored to service through October 11, 2002 were: 9084/9085, 9116/9117, and 9182/9183 ran on . Since 2 R-33: 8874/8875, 9210/9211 on 5 early August, Redbird 7 consists separated by electri-

Around New York’s Transit System Correction In last month’s issue, member George Chiasson (Continued from page 20) reported on the Governor’s Special that ran on transfer privileges were curtailed. Effective October 2, September 15 to commemorate the reopening of the 2002, passengers with MetroCards riding the B-68 bus South Ferry Branch. George now reports the train made between Stillwell Avenue and Brighton Beach were its round trip to South Ferry on Sunday morning, allowed to make a free transfer to the Q train and an September 15, and not during the opening hours as had additional free transfer to any intersecting bus line. In been suggested. R-142s 6556-6560 were the five cars the reverse direction, passengers transferring from a that opened at South Ferry, but it was not known if five bus to the Q train were allowed to make a free transfer more were on the tail end. to the B-68 bus.

R-143 Update sighted on September 19. The use of 60-foot cars (R- 32, R-40, R-40M) on W was assured on weekends by (Continued from page 6) mid-October, reflecting the route’s extended service to Slant R-40s 4392/4393, forced out of service by a shop Astoria. Since the September 8 changes, R-40s have fire in late 2001, have been reactivated while 4260, also shown up a time or two on Q. R-68As have been which was damaged in a derailment near Ninth Avenue most common on W since the Manhattan Bridge clo- in 1994, is visible next to Coney Island Shops and ap- sure of July, 2001, but they also show up regularly on pears ready for service. Mate 4261 is presently coupled N and Q. Conversely, R-68s are on N and Q, and to 4258, while 4259 was retired after a collision east of also show up on W. Ninth Avenue in 1995. R-32s and R-40s were occasion- There continue to be subtle revisions to the Subivision ally seen on W during the first week after the Septem- “B” assignment listing to better reflect operational real- ber 8 schedule change, with an R-40M train likewise ity.

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NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULL BULLETINETIN - NOVEMBER,OCTOBER, 2000 2002 TRACK CONSTRUCTION FORECAST FOR NOVEMBER, 2002 IN THE NYCNYC TRANSITTRANSIT SYSTEM by David Erlitz There are lots of juicy tidbits this month in the good old der that we would normally write would not have been MTA New York City Transit, oops I forgot, MTA Subway. enough time for the workers to give the tracks back by Actually, I have no idea yet whether I work for MTA Sub- 5:00 AM Monday, so this plan will have some L trains way or MTA Capital. More to come. Until then, lets see turn back at Broadway Junction, and the L trains that what is going on in the system this month. go through will terminate at Rockaway Parkway and go th On the IRT, we have more painting of the 225 Street into the yard. Because we usually cannot get bus sup- Bridge, a couple of concrete pours (Track M2 in the Jo- port before 10 PM, a compromise was worked out un- ralemon Street Tunnel and Track C1 in the Steinway der which we could get enough buses to operate in ser- Tunnel), some punch list work to finish out the 1/9 vice northbound while the southbound service to Rock- tunnel restoration, and the Atlantic Avenue and 72nd away Parkway was still operating. Then, at 10:15 PM Street station rehabilitations. the normal weekend full shutdown would be in effect. The IND still has AirTrain, a switch job north of 42nd The weekend plans will probably work both weekends, Street on the Eighth Avenue Line, tunnel lighting be- but the Friday night plan should only need the first Fri- tween 145th Street and 168th Street, a 24/7 outage of day, with the second one being a backup. On the Sea Track B4 between Grand Street and Broadway- Beach Line, Track E4 will be out 24/7 for Division of Car Lafayette (which is not used for normal service any- Equipment R-143 testing. Track J3 comes out for the way), and Lexington Avenue station rehabilitation. rest of the year as part of the Nassau Street Loop re- The BMT gets a little complicated. You will notice in configuration. All the old favorites are still there — West one of the Canarsie line plans hours of work as Friday 8 End signals, DeKalb Avenue station rehabilitation, Mon- PM to 10:14 PM. The Atlantic Avenue reconfiguration is tague Street Tunnel fire lines, Fourth Avenue tunnel ready to disconnect the temporary Track P2 and con- lighting, etc. Don’t eat too much turkey. Enjoy! nect the permanent Track P2. The 55-hour General Or- DATE(S) TIME LINE(S) AREA OF WORK SERVICE ADJUSTMENT(S) DESCRIPTION OF WORK 11/16 to Wkend 2/3 Track B2 N/O 72nd Street to S/E S/B local 72nd Street to 42nd Street Electrical, plumbing and architectural 11/18 42nd Street N/B local 72nd Street to 96th Street installations Track B3 S/O 72nd Street to N/E 96th Street 11/16 to Wkend 1/Bus Tracks BB1/BBM/BB4 N/E 1 – South Ferry to 215th Street Abate lead and paint steel members 11/18 225th Street to N/O 215th Street Bus – 215th Street to 242nd Street of bridge 11/9 to Wkend 7/S/ Tracks C1/C2 N/O Times 7 – Main Street to Queensboro Plaza Concrete pour 11/11 Bus Square to S/E Queensboro S – Operates all weekend Plaza Bus – Vernon-Jackson to Queensboro Plaza 11/11 to Daily 7 Track C1 N/E Main Street to S/B via Track M S/O Main Street, then via Install signal cable and equipment 11/15 S/O Willets Point Track MC-MB to N/O 111th Street 11/9 to Wkend 2/3/ Track E1 N/E Atlantic Avenue S/B via Track 2 from Atlantic Avenue to S/O Install roof steel and tiles 11/11 4 Local to S/E Utica Avenue Franklin Avenue or Utica Avenue 11/16 to Wkend 4/4 Track M2 S/E Bowling Green to 4 – Woodlawn to Brooklyn Bridge Concrete pour 11/18 Short/ N/O Borough Hall 4 Short – New Lots Avenue to Brooklyn 5/6 Bridge 5 – Dyre Avenue to Brooklyn Bridge 6 – No effect on service 11/5 to Nights 1/Bus Tracks MVA/V1/V4 Rector 1 – S/B terminates/in service from Track 2 at Punch list work to close out contract 11/27 Street to Chambers Street Chambers Street Bus – South Ferry to Chambers Street 11/9 to Wkend 4 Lo- Track L4 S/O 125th Street to N/ N/B express via Track 3 S/O 14th Street to N/ Track wall panels th th 11/18 cal/6 O 125 Street O 125 Street 11/5 to Daily 6 Track P3 N/O Hunts Point Ave- N/B via Track M Hunts Point Avenue to Park- Install elevation blocks and plates 11/15 nue to N/E Parkchester chester and gauge track 11/9 to Wkend A/C/ Tracks A1/D3 S/O 50th Street to A/C - S/B operates express 145th Street to Dig and install switch #24 th 11/18 D/E S/O 34 Street Canal Street D – S/B local 145th Street to 59th Street E – S/B via Sixth Avenue Line to W. 4th Street, then normal 11/4 to Nights A Track A2 S/E 145th Street to N/ A - N/B operates express N/O 125th Street to Structural repair and tunnel lighting 11/15 E 168th Street N/O 168th Street, then normal rehabilitation

(Continued on page 19) 18

NEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - NOVEMBER, 2002

Track Construction Forecast for November, 2002 (Continued from page 18) DATE(S) TIME LINE(S) AREA OF WORK SERVICE ADJUSTMENT(S) DESCRIPTION OF WORK 11/8 to Wkend A/C Track A2 S/E 145th Street to N/E A/C - N/B operates express N/O 125th Street Structural repair and tunnel lighting 11/18 168th Street to N/O 168th Street, then normal rehabilitation 11/3 to 7 nights A/D Track A4 N/O 59th Street to N/E A – No effect on service Install continuous welded rail and th 11/15 per week 125 Street D – N/B local 59th Street to 145th Street boutet weld 11/12 to 24/7 F/S Track B4 S/O Grand Street to No effect on service Type II–Type II chip-out 12/31 N/O Broadway-Lafayette 10/28 to Nights F Track D3 S/O Roosevelt Avenue S/B operates express via Track D1 from S/O Tie block and plate renewal 11/16 to S/E Queens Plaza Roosevelt Avenue to S/O 36th Street 11/11 to Nights G Track E1 N/E Nassau Avenue to S/B single track via Track E2 N/O Nassau Remove blocks and install new 11/27 N/O Bedford-Nostrand Avenue to Track E3/4 N/O Bedford-Nostrand plates to Track E1 11/4 to Daily A/ Track F1 N/O Aqueduct to S/O A – All mainline trains to Lefferts Boulevard Demolition of platform at Howard 11/29 A sh. Howard Beach A sh. – Rockaway Boulevard to Far Rock- Beach away, single track via Track F2 S/O Rockaway Boulevard to Track F4 N/O Aqueduct to Track F3 S/O Howard Beach and normal 11/9 to Wkend A/H Tracks F1/F3/F4/FAF4A N/O A – All mainline trains to Lefferts Boulevard Remove temporary shields over th 11/11 Bus Howard Beach to N/O B. 67 H – Far Rockaway to Rockaway Park tracks Street Bus – Rockaway Boulevard to Howard Beach and B. 98th Street 11/16 to Wkend E Tracks D3/D4 S/E Fifth Avenue Operates to Second Avenue daily and to Renovation of Lexington Avenue 11/18 to N/E Lexington Avenue Whitehall Street overnight station 11/9 to Wkend W/R Track B1/R1 S/E S/O Prince S/B operates via Manhattan Bridge S/O Prince Station rehabilitation, fire lines, 11/11 Street to S/E DeKalb Avenue Street to S/O DeKalb Avenue water grouting 11/16 to Wkend W/R Tracks B2/R2 S/E DeKalb Ave- N/B operates via Manhattan Bridge S/O Station rehabilitation, fire lines 11/18 nue to N/E Whitehall Street DeKalb Avenue to S/O Prince Street 11/12 to 24/7 N Track E4 N/O Kings Highway to No effect on service EMI testing on R-143 equipped 12/31 N/O Eighth Avenue with Siemens propulsion 10/21 to Nights L Track Q1 N/E Third Avenue to S/B single track via Track Q2 from N/O Third Replace and rehabilitate manhole 12/6 S/O Bedford Avenue Avenue to S/O Bedford Avenue, then normal doors 11/1 to Wkend L/Bus Tracks P1/P2 S/O Broadway L – Eighth Avenue to Broadway Junction Remove switches #7A/B 11/11 Junction to S/E Rockaway Park- Bus – Rockaway Parkway to Broadway Junc- way tion 11/15 to Friday 8 L/L Track Q2/P2 S/E E. 105th Street L – S/B to Rockaway Parkway, lay-up to yard Disconnect temporary Track P2 11/22 PM to Short/ to S/O Broadway Junction after terminating and connect new Track P2 10:14 PM Bus L Short – turn alternate trains back at Broad- way Junction Bus – Rockaway Parkway to Broadway Junc- tion. N/B service only 11/15 to Wkend L /Bus Tracks P1/P2 S/E Rockaway L - Eighth Avenue to Broadway Junction Disconnect temporary Track P2 11/22 Parkway to S/O Broadway Junc- Bus – Rockaway Parkway to Broadway Junc- and connect new Track P2 tion tion 11/7 to 24/7 J/Z/M Track J3 S/E Canal Street to N/ No effect on service Modify circuit breaker house #69 12/31 O Chambers Street 11/9 to Wkend W Tracks D2/D3/4/D3/DC2/D4/ N/B via Sea Beach Line from Stillwell Avenue Track in-service 11/11 D14/D15 N/O Stillwell Avenue to to 36th Street S/O 36th Street 11/16 to Wkend W Tracks D1/D3/D3/4/DC1/D14 S/B via Sea Beach Line from 36th Street to Wayside testing, breakdown test- 11/18 S/O 36th Street to N/O Stillwell Stillwell Avenue ing, track in-service Avenue 11/12 to Nights N sh./ Track F2 S/E 95th Street to N sh. – N/B normal, S/B local 36th Street to Install conduits, tunnel lighting 11/22 R sh. S/O 36th Street 59th Street fixtures, and associated supports R sh. – exclusive use Tracks F1/F3 95th Street to 59th Street Daily = Days, Wkend = Fri to Mon Continuous, Wkndys = Sat/Sun Days David Erlitz is a Superintendent with MTA New York City Transit and has been interested in trains all his life. He may be con- tacted via email at [email protected].

nd Tech Talk the lower level trackage at 42 Street will be removed in time. (Continued from page 7) Jeff may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected]. was removed from service on October 15. The rest of 19

NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULL BULLETINETIN - NOVEMBER,OCTOBER, 2000 2002 Around New York’s Transit System

Proposed Transportation Hub Defective R-142/R-142A/R-143 Crew Switch The rebuilding of lower Manhattan will provide for If the crew door on the R-142, R-142A, or R-143 cars improved transfer privileges between subway lines. cannot be opened with the Crew Door Key Switch, the Newspapers reported that NYC Transit has plans to door must be cut out using the Door Cutout Key Switch provide easier access to the Broadway-Nassau Street on the side panel adjacent to the door. The standard (R- station by demolishing the buildings on the east side of 9, R-62) key must be inserted into the Door Cutout Broadway between Fulton Street and John Street and Switch and the key must be turned from the normal to building a new entrance to Fulton Street, Lexington the cutout position. The door must be snap tested by Avenue Line as well as Broadway-Nassau Street. It is attempting to push the door into the pocket. not known whether a two– or three-story building will be Accurate Announcements—R-142/R-142A/R-143 built above this entrance or whether the air rights will be Cars sold to a developer. NYC Transit would also like to build To provide accurate information, Conductors on R- a passageway connecting Cortlandt Street (N/R/W) 142/R-142A/R-143 cars must make live manual with the Broadway-Nassau Street station. announcements at all locations where General Orders Work Train Routing are in effect or schedules have been changed. Before Road trains are allowed to operate directly behind entering stations with transfer points, Conductors must work train transfers, runaround trains, and work trains depress the “TURN AUTOMATIC MESSAGES OFF” button en route to and from General Orders. Road trains will on the operating screen and make the announcements. be rerouted and/or held back behind a Continuous De-Zoning Trains Welded Rail train, project work train, and bad order To prolong the life span of Conductor’s Indication light work trains or when it is necessary to expedite service. bulbs, the Conductor’s operating position should be de- There are no restrictions regarding the Vacuum Train, zoned whenever a train is removed from passenger Track Geometry Car, Refuse Train, or Revenue service or sent to a storage yard. The Conductor’s Collection Trains. operating position must be de-zoned and the Work Train Motive Power Conductor’s Indication light bulb must be extinguished Work trains transporting heavy loads — continuous by turning the drum switch from the “ON” position to the welded rail, hoppers loaded with ballast, flat cars loaded “OFF” or “THRU” position on R-26 through R-38 cars or with concrete or other heavy material — move slowly if depressing the zone switch push button located on the one locomotive is used. To supply sufficient motive Master Door Control Panel on R-40-and-up cars. power, a transition unit composed of a locomotive, a Autumn Leaves Make the Rails Slippery modified rider or flat car, and a locomotive is used. This Train Operators operating on outdoor ballasted track, special transition car must be used to avoid excessive including embankments and open cuts, must be wheel loads on the track. Transition units can be made extremely cautions and keep their trains under control up with electric throttle or pneumatic throttle equipment, because of falling leaves and damp rail. When trains but will not work if the equipment is incompatible. When slide on wet leaves, they may slide past stations, a work train is composed of a transition unit, flats, develop flat wheels, or cause the Operator to conclude hoppers, and a locomotive, the latter is to be used only that the train is not braking properly. for spotting cars after the train has been uncoupled at Extreme caution must be exercised when operating in the work site. The single locomotive must not be used both directions on the following lines: to pull the entire train. If there is excessive wheel spin, • Dyre Avenue Line (5) between Dyre Avenue and the Train Operator must spread sand. E. 180th Street Regenerative Brake Activation—R-142/R-142A/R-143 • Brighton Line (Q/q) between Avenue H and Cars Church Avenue Effective October 1, 2002, the regenerative braking • Franklin Avenue Shuttle (S) between Prospect feature was turned on in the above cars. With Park and Franklin Avenue regenerative braking, trains generate electrical energy th • Sea Beach Line (N) between 86 Street and during normal service braking and return it to the third Eighth Avenue rail. When regenerative braking is turned on, trains will • Far Rockaway Line ( ) at the Aqueduct station automatically detect if the third rail is de-energized and A revert to the non-generative dynamic braking mode Additional Free B-68 MetroCard Transfers within one second, stopping delivery of electrical energy When Coney Island Q service was discontinued, to the third rail. With regenerative braking, the train will passengers riding the Q train complained that their perform the same as with dynamic braking. (Continued on page 17)

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