jeffj@sfmin.UUCP (J.S.Jonas) (03/11/86)
[clickety-clack-New-York-New-York-clickety-clack-New-York-New-York]
I am getting interested in railroading since reading this
newsgroup. All I know about the Northeast Corrider is what I
see from my window (I live in Edison, NJ).
Concerning freight on the corrider: I haven't noticed if it is
on a definite schedule. The freight trains are hard not to notice:
the diesel engines are loud and the trains are very long. I haven't the
patience to count how many cars.
Someone mentioned earlier if there's any electric freight. I can
list a few reasons against it:
1) although the NE corrider is electrified, most freight terminals
aren't. There are lots of spurs off the corrider into warehouses,
and none are electrified, thus the diesel engines.
2) It simplifies who pays for the electricity
There is no NJ Transit and very little Amtrack service from
1 to 5 AM. This is probably when freight is moved. I'm not sure
if the freight is on the inner or outer tracks.
Before the winter, the inner 2 tracks (of the 4) were being
replaced with concrete ties and welded rails. I haven't used the train
since then, so I cannot report on the progress. NJ Transit is
upgrading many stations by installing platforms,
so you don't have to use the end-doors with the steps.
With all these capital improvements, someone believes
in the NE corrider's future.
Now that this article has proven itself informative, I want to share
a little flame.
The tolls for cars going into Manhattan is being increased again.
There is the usual explaination that 'it will be an incentive to use
mass transit'. Bullpippy! I go into Manhattan some evenings after work,
so the route is Summit NJ -> Manhattan -> Edison NJ. To use the train
would mean using 2 trains (the Summit line stops at Newark NJ [*GROAN*], not
Penn Station like the NE Corrider lines, so I switch at Newark
for PATH or the NE Corrider line). This means a lot of waiting,
extending a 1 hour trip to maybe 2 (I never tried it since it barely
seems worth it). Going home is easy, right from Penn Station to
Edison, but the car in still in Summit! I'd have to go to work
by train, via Newark!
Maybe this is particular to New York/New Jersey, but the costs
of commuting are getting excessive! The train fares
(Amtrack and NJ Transit) will increase soon. The NY subway/bus fares
are always increasing (The Metropolitan Transit Corp.).
The highway tolls are high enough, but the bridge and tunnel tolls
are terrible! The Port Authority of NY/NJ control ALL bridges
and tunnels between NY and NJ, so you can't shop around for bargains.
The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority operate most of the NY
bridges (Verrazano, Triborough, Whitestone...).
Frustration communicated. End flame.
Jeff 'oooooooooh this makes me so mad' Skot
{ihnp4 | allegra | cbosgd} attunix ! jeffj