Category: commuters

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NJ TRANSIT PREPARED FOR WINTER WEATHER SEASON

ridgewood train station

Equipment, Supplies and Personnel are Ready for Mother Nature

December 10,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, “We can’t predict what kind of winter season we will have, but I can say with confidence that NJ TRANSIT will be as ready as we can be” said Executive Director Steven H. Santoro.  “The safety of our customers and employees is always the top priority as we work to keep our transportation system moving during the winter weather season.”NEWARK, NJ — NJ TRANSIT is prepared to do battle with Old Man Winter this season.  Snow fighting supplies and equipment across the state are stocked and ready to be deployed as conditions warrant.  NJ TRANSIT is busy inspecting and winterizing its infrastructure, equipment and stations to be in the best possible position to handle winter’s potential fury.

Executive Director Santoro outlined the following steps NJ TRANSIT has taken in advance of possible inclement weather:
NJ TRANSIT Preparations for Winter Weather

Rail Operations
• Hundreds of rail cars and locomotives have been “winterized,” a process that includes checking onboard heating systems, ventilation, thermostats, weather stripping and electronic components, as well as changing locomotive filters and fuel from a summer blend to a winter blend.
• NJ TRANSIT’s preventative maintenance program also includes the inspection and winter maintenance of more than 750 switches and switch heaters, overhead wire systems, 12 moveable bridges and wayside power at storage yards and terminals.
• Two jet-engine-powered snow blowers are available to remove ice and snow from tracks and critical switching areas. In addition, all locomotives are equipped with snowplows to clear snow from the rails.
• NJ TRANSIT Rail Operations has 20,000 pounds of salt on hand with the ability to obtain an additional 100,000 pounds, if needed.
• In addition, our year-round tree trimming program proactively minimizes downed trees or limbs along the right-of-way and on our overhead electrical system, personnel are on standby to quickly respond to reports of trees or limbs that could damage overhead wires or prevent safe passage of trains.  Our year-round tree trimming program is part of our preventative maintenance program.
Bus Operations

• Bus maintenance personnel have checked the heating systems, engine fluids, tires, windshield wipers, doors and airbrake systems on NJ TRANSIT’s 2,200 buses.
• Bus snow-fighting equipment has been readied and ice/snow-inhibiting supplies have been restocked for winter to keep 52 bus loops, terminals and lots cleared throughout the state.
• NJ TRANSIT Bus Operations has 900 tons of bulk salt on standby statewide, with each of its 16 garages stocked with bag salt.
• Vendor contracts have been finalized to perform plowing of larger park/ride facilities.

Light Rail Operations

• Snowplows are ready to clear station platforms and park/ride lots.
• All switch heaters have been tested.
Stations and Terminals

• All rail stations equipped with heaters have been inspected to ensure that they are in proper working order.
• All public address systems at rail stations and bus terminals have been inspected.

Travel Advice:

• Before starting your trip, visit the Travel Alerts page at njtransit.com for up-to-the-minute service information.  This information is also available by calling (973) 275-5555 or from broadcast traffic reports.
• Customers are encouraged to sign up for the My Transit alert system on njtransit.com, which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your cell phone.
• Allow extra time getting to and from your destination.  Use extreme caution when walking on exposed sidewalks or station platforms and when boarding trains and buses.
• Report slippery or unsafe conditions to bus operators, train crews or
NJ TRANSIT staff.
• Listen closely to public address announcements at stations for late-breaking service information.

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Will Donald Trump be the Gateway to that crucial rail project for New Jersey? | Mulshine

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By  Paul Mulshine | The Star Ledger

on December 08, 2016 at 6:28 AM, updated December 08, 2016 at 6:29 AM

You don’t need Wikipedia to tell you that New Jersey is the most densely populated state. Just go for a drive.

That brings up a question that hung over a joint legislative committee hearing on transportation Tuesday:

What will the effort to build transportation infrastructure look like under President Trump?

The Donald may have gotten elected with the votes from people who live in states where driving is a perfectly fine way of getting around. But he is a New Yorker and therefore congenitally inclined to understand the transportation needs of this part of the country.

The Donald’s No. 1 boast is that he knows how to get around the bureaucracy that stalls construction. In his 1987 book “The Art of the Deal,” Trump tells of how the city of New York began in 1980 to rebuild the Wollman ice-skating rink in Central Park but still had not completed it six years later.

“If it took me two and a half years to put up a major skyscraper,” he wrote, “surely it was possible to build a $2 million ice-skating rink in a matter of months.”

Trump took over the project and finished it in six months.

Compare that to the attitude of the many conflicting government entities that throttled the predecessor to Amtrak’s Gateway Project, which would add two new rail tunnels to Manhattan.

The original Access to the Region’s Core plan in the 1990s was to build two new tunnels that would be shared by NJ Transit and Amtrak trains.

https://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/12/will_donald_trump_be_the_gateway_to_that_crucial_r.html?utm_campaign=Observer_NJ_Politics&utm_content=New%20Campaign&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New%20Jersey%20Politics#incart_river_index

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NJ Politics Digest: Bus Terminal Battles Demonstrates Political Dysfunction at PA

Ridgewood bus terminal theridgewoodblog.net

By Steve Cronin • 12/07/16 9:05pm

It’s Thursday, and the political battle over building a new Port Authority Bus Terminal is calling harsh public scrutiny over the dysfunctional operations of the scandal-plagued bi-state agency.
The harsh spotlight is also continuing to shine on Gov. Chris Christie’s tenure in New Jersey, with Vanity Fair now weighing in on his dwindling political fortunes. With cabinet positions closing and his bid to head the Republican National Committee still in doubt, the governor is giving some indication of how he’d like to spend his time after leaving Trenton if he must leave the national stage. In Atlantic City, where the administration has stepped in because it contends the city can’t control spending, critics are complaining about the hundreds of thousands of dollars the state is paying out to the departing head of the Casino Redevelopment Investment Authority.

https://observer.com/2016/12/nj-politics-digest-bus-terminal-battles-demonstrates-political-dysfunction-at-pa/?utm_campaign=Observer_NJ_Politics&utm_content=New%20Campaign&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New%20Jersey%20Politics

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Port Authority employees get paid overtime to nap on the job

300px-33rd_St_PATH_platform_jeh

By Susan Edelman

November 26, 2016 | 11:18pm

Modal TriggerPATH employees sleep on the job in the locker room at the rail system’s consolidated shop in Jersey City.

PATH workers are snoozing away huge chunks of their regular shifts, using nap time to rack up big overtime pay, The Post has learned.

“Everybody sleeps,” an insider said. “Guys make big overtime by doing work for 40 minutes or an hour, then billing the Port Authority for four or five. That’s been going on for years.”

The workers’ on-the-job dozing is under investigation by the PA inspector general, an agency spokesman said.

The PA, which operates the rail system, prohibits PATH workers from sleeping on the job — but the rule is routinely ignored, eyewitnesses said.

https://nypost.com/2016/11/26/port-authority-pays-employees-overtime-to-nap-on-the-job/

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NJ Transit will offer Extra Bus and Rail Service for Black Friday Shoppers and Commuters

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Kids ride free on NJ TRANSIT all holiday weekend

November 22, 2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Whether it’s over the river or through the woods, NJ TRANSIT is offering additional trains and buses this Thanksgiving holiday weekend to make it even easier for customers to unite with family and friends, travel to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, or get started on holiday shopping at various malls throughout the state.  Plus, feel free to bring your holiday helpers as kids ride free* the entire long weekend!

NJ TRANSIT will once again offer “early getaway” rail and bus service on Wednesday, November 23, for the benefit of customers leaving work early, and to provide additional capacity for customers traveling to Newark Liberty International Airport.  The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is typically the busiest day of the year at Newark Airport’s rail station, with ridership levels about twice that of a typical weekday.  Customers are urged to purchase their tickets early – round trip preferably – to avoid lines or download NJ TRANSIT’s mobile app available free at the App Store and Google Play.

On Friday, November 25, traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year, enhanced bus service will be offered to shopping centers throughout New Jersey and additional trains will operate to and from New York.

NJ TRANSIT customer service representatives and volunteers will be deployed at major facilities throughout the holiday weekend to assist customers with their travels.

On Friday, November 25, one of the busiest shopping days of the year, trains will operate on a modified weekday schedule on all rail lines with additional New York-bound trains between 10 a.m. and noon on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast and Morris & Essex lines.  Customers are encouraged to travel early, if possible, when ridership is light.  Select morning peak period trains on the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Line will not operate on Friday, due to expected light ridership—customers should visit njtransit.com and use the “Station-to-Station Trip Planner” to find trains on Friday.  Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule.  Newark Light Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule.  River Line will operate on a weekday schedule.  Holiday bus schedules vary by route—customers are advised to visit njtransit.com.

Extra bus service to New Jersey malls

Starting Friday, November 25 and continuing through December 26, NJ TRANSIT will offer additional bus service to major New Jersey shopping destinations to accommodate extended store hours and busy shopping times throughout the day.  Throughout the holiday shopping season, extra trips or expanded service will be offered on several bus routes serving malls and shopping centers throughout the state, including Garden State Plaza, IKEA Paramus, Jersey Gardens, Livingston Mall, Harmon Meadow/Mill Creek in Secaucus, Willowbrook Mall, Wayne Towne Center Mall and West Belt Mall.

*Kids ride free on NJT

For the Thanksgiving holiday, NJ TRANSIT’s Family Super Saver Fare, which allows up to two children 11 and younger to travel free with each fare-paying adult, will be in effect from 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 23 until 6 a.m. Monday, November 28.

Travel tips

Check Schedules in Advance:  Additional service will be provided on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  Plan your trip online to take advantage of extra trains and buses.
Travel Early on Friday, November 25:  On Friday, NJ TRANSIT rail lines will operate on a modified weekday schedule with additional trains during the late morning hours.  Avoid the crowds by traveling during the traditional peak-period (6-9 a.m.) when ridership is light.
Allow Extra Travel Time:  Traffic congestion during the holidays may affect bus travel times to and from New York City, so customers should plan accordingly.
Ticketing:  Purchase round-trip tickets at the start of your trip to speed your return.  Use ticket vending machines or see a ticket agent, if available, to avoid possible surcharges.  Bus customers departing Port Authority Bus Terminal are reminded that tickets must be purchased before boarding the bus.
Luggage:  Travel as light as possible.  Passengers with luggage or packages should use the overhead racks or designated luggage spaces.  On multilevel trains, customers with large bags should use the mezzanine levels at the ends of each car.
Bus Gate Changes:  Some gate changes have been made at Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York.  Customers are reminded to check the public timetable for new departure gate information.

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New Jersey Transit Adds Extra Buses and Trains for Thanksgiving Travelers

Ridgewood Train Station

file photo by ArtChick Photography

SERVICE ADVISORY:EXTRA RAIL AND BUS SERVICE SET FOR THANKSGIVING TRAVELERS

Kids ride free on NJ TRANSIT all holiday weekend

November 22, 2016

the staffof the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Whether it’s over the river or through the woods, NJ TRANSIT is offering additional trains and buses this Thanksgiving holiday weekend to make it even easier for customers to unite with family and friends, travel to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, or get started on holiday shopping at various malls throughout the state.  Plus, feel free to bring your holiday helpers as kids ride free* the entire long weekend!

NJ TRANSIT will once again offer “early getaway” rail and bus service on Wednesday, November 23, for the benefit of customers leaving work early, and to provide additional capacity for customers traveling to Newark Liberty International Airport.  The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is typically the busiest day of the year at Newark Airport’s rail station, with ridership levels about twice that of a typical weekday.  Customers are urged to purchase their tickets early – round trip preferably – to avoid lines or download NJ TRANSIT’s mobile app available free at the App Store and Google Play.

On Thanksgiving Day, November 24, NJ TRANSIT will add extra trains and buses to the schedule in the morning and midday hours to accommodate customers traveling to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Then on Friday, November 25, traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year, enhanced bus service will be offered to shopping centers throughout New Jersey and additional trains will operate to and from New York.

NJ TRANSIT customer service representatives and volunteers will be deployed at major facilities throughout the holiday weekend to assist customers with their travels.

For complete schedule and fare information, customers may visit njtransit.com or call 973-275-5555.

Early getaway service from New York, Newark and Hoboken

On Wednesday, November 23, trains will operate on a weekday schedule on all lines with additional “early getaway” service from New York Penn Station, Newark Penn Station and Hoboken Terminal starting at 1 p.m. on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, Raritan Valley, Morris & Essex, Pascack Valley and Port Jervis lines.  Newark Light Rail, Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and River Line Light Rail service will operate on a weekday schedule.  Bus schedules vary by route—customers are advised to check their timetables or visit njtransit.com for schedule information.  Selected routes will operate on special holiday schedules to match service with ridership demand, including early getaway service from the Port Authority Bus Terminal and on the No. 64 and 68 bus routes from the Hudson River waterfront between noon and 4:30 p.m. to accommodate the heaviest travel, with less frequent service during the traditional rush hour and later in the evening due to lower ridership.  Special holiday timetables are available on njtransit.com.

On Thanksgiving Day, November 24, trains will operate on a weekend/major holiday schedule.  To accommodate customers traveling to and from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, NJ TRANSIT will add extra trains on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, Raritan Valley, Morris & Essex and Port Jervis lines.  Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule; Newark Light Rail and River Line will operate on a Sunday schedule.  Holiday bus schedules vary by route—bus customers are advised to visit njtransit.com.  Selected bus routes will operate extra service to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal for customers attending the parade.

Note:  Thanksgiving shoppers:  Service on the No. 111 bus route from New York to the Jersey Gardens Mall in Elizabeth will begin operating at 8 a.m. Thanksgiving morning, November 24.  The No. 40 will operate on a special holiday schedule serving Jersey Gardens all night long.  Service on the No. 163, 171, 175 & 770 bus routes to Garden State Plaza in Paramus will operate on a Saturday schedule to serve the mall all day.

On Friday, November 25, one of the busiest shopping days of the year, trains will operate on a modified weekday schedule on all rail lines with additional New York-bound trains between 10 a.m. and noon on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast and Morris & Essex lines.  Customers are encouraged to travel early, if possible, when ridership is light.  Select morning peak period trains on the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Line will not operate on Friday, due to expected light ridership—customers should visit njtransit.com and use the “Station-to-Station Trip Planner” to find trains on Friday.  Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule.  Newark Light Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule.  River Line will operate on a weekday schedule.  Holiday bus schedules vary by route—customers are advised to visit njtransit.com.

Extra bus service to New Jersey malls

Starting Friday, November 25 and continuing through December 26, NJ TRANSIT will offer additional bus service to major New Jersey shopping destinations to accommodate extended store hours and busy shopping times throughout the day.  Throughout the holiday shopping season, extra trips or expanded service will be offered on several bus routes serving malls and shopping centers throughout the state, including Garden State Plaza, IKEA Paramus, Jersey Gardens, Livingston Mall, Harmon Meadow/Mill Creek in Secaucus, Willowbrook Mall, Wayne Towne Center Mall and West Belt Mall.

*Kids ride free on NJT

For the Thanksgiving holiday, NJ TRANSIT’s Family Super Saver Fare, which allows up to two children 11 and younger to travel free with each fare-paying adult, will be in effect from 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 23 until 6 a.m. Monday, November 28.

Travel tips

Check Schedules in Advance:  Additional service will be provided on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  Plan your trip online to take advantage of extra trains and buses.
Travel Early on Friday, November 25:  On Friday, NJ TRANSIT rail lines will operate on a modified weekday schedule with additional trains during the late morning hours.  Avoid the crowds by traveling during the traditional peak-period (6-9 a.m.) when ridership is light.
Allow Extra Travel Time:  Traffic congestion during the holidays may affect bus travel times to and from New York City, so customers should plan accordingly.
Ticketing:  Purchase round-trip tickets at the start of your trip to speed your return.  Use ticket vending machines or see a ticket agent, if available, to avoid possible surcharges.  Bus customers departing Port Authority Bus Terminal are reminded that tickets must be purchased before boarding the bus.
Luggage:  Travel as light as possible.  Passengers with luggage or packages should use the overhead racks or designated luggage spaces.  On multilevel trains, customers with large bags should use the mezzanine levels at the ends of each car.
Bus Gate Changes:  Some gate changes have been made at Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York.  Customers are reminded to check the public timetable for new departure gate information.

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NJ TRANSIT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PACKS UP COATS FOR CHARITY DONATION

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SEASON OF SERVICE EFFORT FOCUSES ON HELPING THOSE LESS FORTUNATE

November 21, 2016

NEWARK, NJ — As part of Governor Chris Christie’s Season of Service Volunteer Effort, NJ TRANSIT’s Executive Director Steven H. Santoro helped pack up coats for delivery to those in need of warm clothing this winter.

The outerwear will be distributed to those served by Jersey Cares, an Essex County-based group that serves the less fortunate, and for the Camden Mission.

The Season of Service is a statewide initiative where key members of Governor Christie’s leadership team devote part of a day to serving the community.

This Season of Service has an extra special meaning for NJ TRANSIT’s executive director as the coats he is preparing for delivery have been generously donated by NJ TRANSIT employees through the agency’s “Jersey Cares Coat Drive.’’ The agency’s slogan is “Warm Hearts Give Warm Coats.’’

A total of 334 coats were donated by NJ TRANSIT employees at coat collection bins set up at several work locations throughout the state.

“The Governor and his team members are committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of our fellow New Jersey residents,’’ said Executive Director Santoro. “For several weeks now, the men and women of NJ TRANSIT have been generously donating new or gently-used coats to this cause. I am happy to be a part of this worthy endeavor and gather these coats for distribution to those who desperately need them.”

In previous years, NJ TRANSIT’s Executive Director has volunteered at a Boys & Girls Club in Newark, N.J. and at a soup kitchen in Morristown, N.J.

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Sleep apnea suspected in fatal Hoboken train crash

Hoboken Train Station Crash

Lisa Marie Segarra , Staff Writer, @lisamarie_lynn8:33 p.m. EST November 16, 2016

Officials say sleep apnea may have played a role in the Hoboken Terminal crash that occurred on Sept. 29, killing a woman.

The Associated Press reported that two U.S. officials were briefed on the investigation and that sleep apnea is being investigated as a potential cause.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/new-jersey/2016/11/16/engineer-fatal-hoboken-train-crash-had-undiagnosed-sleep-apnea/93986074/?utm_campaign=Observer_NJ_Politics&utm_content=New%20Campaign&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New%20Jersey%20Politics

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NJ Transit knew train had faulty brakes before deadly crash

Hoboken Train Station Crash

By Chris Perez

November 14, 2016 | 11:59pm | Updated

The New Jersey Transit train that plowed into the Hoboken Terminal in September — killing one woman and injuring scores of people — was found to have faulty brakes just months before the crash, a report said Monday.

Back in January, inspectors discovered that a “hand brake gear pin” on one of the train cars was “completely out,” according to PIX11.

https://nypost.com/2016/11/14/nj-transit-knew-train-had-faulty-brakes-before-deadly-crash/

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NJ TRANSIT ELECTRONIC TICKETING SETS NEW SALES RECORDS

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MyTix sales soar past one million tickets and passes for October

November 14,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, “The ease and convenience of purchasing tickets and passes right from a smartphone continues to become more popular with our customers each month, making NJ TRANSIT a national leader in this new technology” said Executive Director Steven H. Santoro.  “As we reach these milestones, we continue to look for new ways to add additional functionality to the MyTix program and lead from the front on this digital platform.” NJ TRANSIT’s customers are downloading their way to electronic ticketing in record setting numbers.  During the month of October, the digital system known as MyTix shattered its record for most tickets and passes sold in one month, and in doing so, crossed the one million mark for the first time.  In addition, November 1st set a single day sales record.

During the month of October 2016, more than one million tickets and passes were purchased through the MyTix feature, surpassing the previous monthly record of more than 990-thousand set in August 2016.  As a comparison, January 2016 saw monthly sales of 690-thousand tickets and passes.  Year to date MyTix sales have grown 46 percent.

On November 1, 2016, MyTix set a single day sales record with more than 71-thousand tickets and passes sold, breaking the previous single day record of more than 65-thousand set on August 1, 2016.

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Transit Agencies Invite Public to Learn About Recommended Route for the Hudson Tunnel Project

Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project

November 1st 2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and NJ TRANSIT  invite the public to learn more about their recommendation for the Hudson Tunnel Project at two upcoming information sessions. During the meetings in November, the public will be able to learn more about the recommendation (Preferred Alternative) and the Environmental Impact Statement for the project.

The Preferred Alternative identifies a specific alignment that includes two new tracks extending from the Northeast Corridor in Secaucus, N.J., continuing in a tunnel beneath the Palisades, and beneath the Hudson River to connect to the existing approach tracks that lead into Penn Station New York, as well as rehabilitation of the existing North River Tunnel once the new tunnel is complete.

  • The first meeting will be held at the Secaucus Junction Rail Station, Upper Level Long Hallway in Secaucus, N.J. on Thursday, November 10, 2016. 
  • The second meeting will be held at the Hotel Pennsylvania, Skytop Ballroom (18th Floor), in New York City on Thursday, November 17, 2016.

Both meetings will be held from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM and will be in an open house format. Although there will be no formal presentations, project staff will be available to answer questions. See attached flyer.

The new tunnel would be constructed first, so that upon completion of construction, trains could be diverted from the existing tunnel to allow its rehabilitation. When the rehabilitation is complete, both the existing and new tunnels would be in service, providing redundant capability and increased operational flexibility for Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT.

The Project is intended to preserve the current functionality of the Northeast Corridor’s Hudson River rail crossing between New Jersey and New York and strengthen the resiliency of the Northeast Corridor. FRA and NJ TRANSIT have made a recommendation (identified a Preferred Alternative) that consists of a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River and rehabilitation of the existing Northeast Corridor Hudson River crossing, the North River Tunnel.

More information about the Hudson Tunnel Project, the upcoming meetings, and the Preferred Alternative is available at the Project website,www.hudsontunnelproject.com. Project staff may be contacted via the Project website as well, at www.hudsontunnelproject.com/contact.html.

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SECOND AQUATRACK UNIT DEPLOYED BY NJ TRANSIT FOR LEAF CLEANING

Ridgewood Train Station

file photo by ArtChick

October 28, 2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT is stepping up its annual battle against Mother Nature and fallen leaves on the rails.  Based on the success of its original leaf-clearing unit, NJ TRANSIT is deploying a second AquaTrack machine throughout the fall season.

The equipment is a high-pressure power-washing system which removes leaves and oily residue from the tracks in an effort to prevent train delays caused by “slippery rail” conditions.

The second AquaTrack unit will allow the cleaning process to maintain a larger coverage area in helping to prevent delays.

“While there is no way to completely eliminate the effect Mother Nature has on the railroad, the AquaTrack unit has had great success in prior years when it comes to managing leaf-related slippage on our rails,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Steve Santoro.  “By utilizing these two highly specialized pieces of equipment, we can keep the rails free and clear of fallen leaves, which increases safety and keep trains running on time.”

Fallen leaves left on rail tracks can cause a condition known as “slippery rail” – a challenge facing all railroads in the Northeast and other parts of the world where deciduous trees are prevalent.  The decaying leaves create an oily residue that coats the rails and causes poor traction.  The decreased train speeds, in turn, create delays.

The AquaTrack system has been in use by NJ TRANSIT since October 2003.  It consists of two 250-horsepower diesel-engine units mounted on a flat car with an operator control cab.  Two pressure-pump units dispense water up to 20,000 pounds-per-square-inch directly to the top of the rail. The process uses 17 gallons of water per minute.

Traditionally, the original AquaTrack operated primarily on the M&E and Montclair-Boonton lines, which are particularly challenged including the hilly areas around Glen Ridge and Summit stations, washing the rails twice a day Monday through Friday—once overnight and again during midday hours.  On weekends, the Pascack Valley and Main/Bergen County lines are usually covered.  The addition of a second unit will add cleaning on the Raritan Valley and North Jersey Coast Lines.

In addition to AquaTrack, NJ TRANSIT also strategically spreads sand on the rails in front of peak-period trains to increase traction.  NJ TRANSIT also trims trees to help stem the amount of leaves on the tracks.  The leaf clearing operation runs from mid-October through mid-December.

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NJ TRANSIT Takes Steps to Implement Positive Train Control (PTC)

Ridgewood-Trainstation1_theridgewoodblog

October 28,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT continues to advance its implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) in order to meet the 2018 deadline with the lease authorization of radio spectrum.  The approval of the lease authorization today by NJ TRANSIT’s Board of Directors allows NJ TRANSIT to execute a lease agreement with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for the last component of radio spectrum needed for NJ TRANSIT’s PTC system.

“This is another milestone in our commitment to upgrading our current safety systems to Positive Train Control by the federal deadline at the end of 2018,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Steve Santoro.  “We are aggressively tackling the challenges posed as PTC is being designed, developed and deployed simultaneously.  Acquiring the needed radio spectrum was one of the larger hurdles which we have now crossed.”

NJ TRANSIT will lease the 218MHz radio frequency spectrum from the MTA for a period of 50-years, at a total cost not to exceed $725,000.  The authorization will allow for the acquisition of the needed spectrum for the northern and eastern portions of NJ TRANSIT’s system.

The radio spectrum provides the wireless link which allows information to pass between the rail vehicles and wayside equipment, ensuring that the onboard PTC system is getting the most accurate and up to date safety data.  NJ TRANSIT must have its own radio bandwidth or spectrum so transmissions do not overlap or interfere with any others in the region.

In April 2016, NJ TRANSIT’s Board of Directors authorized the purchase of radio frequency spectrum from PTC-220, LLC for the southern, central and western portions of the NJ TRANSIT system.

In addition to acquiring the needed radio frequency spectrum, NJ TRANSIT is also in the process of securing the hardware and software components of the PTC system including thousands of transponders and 124 radio “towers” along 326 route miles in addition to the radios and antenna equipment for 440 locomotives, EMUs and cab cars.

Positive Train Control is a federally mandated train control technology designed to prevent train-to-train collisions, over-speed derailments, incursions into work zone limits and train movements across switches in the wrong position.  As part of that requirement, the PTC systems must maintain interoperability between commuter rail, freight and Amtrak trains and their associated wayside components.

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10 charged in protest that shut down George Washington Bridge

GWB traffic1

By Craig McCarthy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on October 26, 2016 at 4:36 PM, updated October 26, 2016 at 5:08 PM

Police charged 10 people Wednesday in a protest on the George Washington Bridge that closed lanes and caused extensive delays during morning rush hour.

One of the protesters was a New Jersey resident, according to Port Authority police spokesman Joe Pentangelo. The eight were from New York and one was from California.

The immigrants’ rights demonstration stopped upper-level traffic completely for about 15 minutes before police arrested the protesters, who chained themselves to the bridge, blocking three lanes.

The demonstration caused up to 90-minute delays for drivers heading into the New York City. All lanes were reopened by 8:50 a.m.

The following people were charged in New York with reckless endangerment and criminal trespass:

Christina Fox, 27 , Oceanside, Calif
Felix Cepeda, 35,  Bronx, N.Y.
Diego Ibanez, 27, Brooklyn, NY
Karl Kumodz, 25, Brooklyn NY
Elana Gold-24, Brooklyn, NY
Claudia Palacios, 27, Brooklyn, NY
Jeremy Weissman, 22, Jericho, NY
Virgilio Aran, 38, East Orange, NJ
Juan Romero, 25, Queens, NY
Marco Abendano, 31, Bronx, NY

https://www.nj.com/bergen/index.ssf/2016/10/10_charged_following_gwb_protest_that_snarled_morn.html#incart_2box_nj-homepage-featured

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Funding approved for new Hudson rail tunnels. Will tolls go up?

Lincoln Tunnel

By Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on October 20, 2016 at 5:58 PM, updated October 20, 2016 at 5:59 PM

Tolls on the Port Authority’s bridges and tunnels will not be increased to help fund construction of new Hudson River rail tunnels, officials said Thursday after approving a financing plan for the Gateway Project.

Authority officials will discuss revising the agency’s 10-year capital plan next month to include Gateway, building a new Port Authority Bus Terminal and replacing the aging Newark Airport Monorail, said John Degnan, the board chairman.

Both Foye and Degnan said revising the capital plan won’t include a toll hike. The last toll hike took place last December as part of an increase that was phased-in over five years.

“The two governors said the Port Authority will take the lead for a financing plan,” Degnan said. “We’re not accepting that the Port Authority will pick-up the entire (local share of costs).”

The federal government and both states have agreed to a 50-50 financing plan for Gateway, but New York and New Jersey officials said they would turn to the Port Authority for some of that funding and to create a development corporation to apply for financing.

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