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.
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.
Ridgewood NJ, The Ticket Office will resume operation in the Terminal on Saturday. Monday’s schedule will be available online after 10 p.m. on Saturday, October 15.
On Monday, October 17 at 4 a.m., NJ TRANSIT will open six more tracks at Hoboken Terminal restoring full train service into and out of Hoboken Terminal.
Customers should note that there also will be some reconfiguration of paths of travel to account for the change in access points.
For the morning peak period, Tracks 1 through 4 and Tracks 7 and 8 will re-open. Customers may access Tracks 1 through 4 through the external walkway near PATH and Tracks 7 and 8 via the Main Terminal.
Tracks 5 and 6 will remain closed as NJ TRANSIT advances ongoing repair and recovery work.
Customers may experience some delays as NJ TRANSIT personnel work with construction crews to clear the area. Congested conditions in certain locations may also be expected at the terminal with the loss of space around tracks 5 and 6.
View printable schedules HERE..
Please Note:
As repair work continues at the terminal, customers are advised to stay clear of all work areas.
The Hoboken Terminal waiting room, Customer Service office, and restrooms will be open.
Ticket Vending Machines located in the waiting room will be fully operational.
Customers can download the NJ TRANSIT App and sign up for MyTix to purchase their tickets.
Bus, Light Rail, and Additional Services
NJ TRANSIT bus, Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, PATH and NY Waterway also continue to operate in and out of Hoboken on their regular routes and schedules.
NJ TRANSIT would like to thank its customers for their continued patience and support
Strongly Urges Customers Not to Use or Charge the Device Onboard Vehicles or in Facilities
September 13, 2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Following safety concerns raised by Samsung about its Galaxy Note7, NJ TRANSIT is strongly urging all customers not to use or charge the mobile device on board trains, buses, light rail vehicles or in stations and facilities.
“We are asking our customers who have the Galaxy Note7, to simply turn it off before entering an NJ TRANSIT facility or boarding a vehicle.” said interim Executive Director Dennis Martin. “Because of the uncertainties surrounding this device, we are issuing this precautionary advisory to ensure the safety of all of our customers.”
The Samsung Galaxy Note7 has been the subject of numerous accounts of the batteries bursting into flames. Both Samsung and the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission are urging owners to power down these devices and stop charging or using them.
“NJ TRANSIT is urging our customers to do the responsible thing and heed the manufacturer’s advice to power down the Galaxy Note7” said Gardner Tabon, Chief of NJ TRANSIT’s Office of System Safety. “This is especially critical when riding a transit system along with hundreds of thousands of others.”
NJ TRANSIT has not had any reported cases of a Samsung Galaxy Note7 becoming a fire hazard. In February 2016, NJ TRANSIT restricted customers and employees from using, charging, storing or transporting hoverboards following similar fire safety concerns.
Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT has announced its support of a joint letter released by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Association of American Railroads (AAR) urging safe behaviors in or near railroad tracks, stations and rail yard facilities in light of the popular Pokemon Go game.
Last week, the national railroad organizations sent the letter to John Hanke, chief executive officer for Niantic Labs, Inc., the maker of Pokemon Go. In it, they recommend that the Niantic Labs team consider ways to promote safety, particularly by avoiding the placement of Pokemon and virtual points of interest in the game on or near railroad tracks.
“The public needs to be aware that NJ TRANSIT is an active system, with buses, trains and light rail vehicles moving constantly,’’ said Interim Executive Director Dennis Martin. “With a 24-7 transportation operation, a distracted pedestrian could unintentionally find themselves in harm’s way.’’
There have been no instances of anyone being injured on or near the NJ TRANSIT system as a result of playing this game, but NJ TRANSIT urges all game players to use extreme caution. NJ TRANSIT has been involved in an active campaign to increase the public’s awareness of potential risks while playing on or near the system. Social media tweets urging players to not get lured into danger and an increased safety campaign, such as posters reminding the public to “look up from their phones’’ were put into place soon after the game’s release earlier this summer.
“Safety is the No. 1 priority here at NJ TRANSIT for our customers and personnel,’’ said NJ TRANSIT”s Chief, Office of System Safety Gardner Tabon. “If you are going to play Pokemon Go, we want you to catch them all, but do so safely when around trains and buses.’’
Many people who took to New Jersey’s roads on Monday witnessed an eerie sight: hundreds of road construction projects sitting idle, their workers having been sent home by Governor Christie’s executive order suspending $775 million in projects over a budget fight with legislators. Christopher Maag, The Record Read more
Includes enhanced express weekend rail service to the shore; late-night weekday Bay Head rail shuttles and daily express buses from Philadelphia to Cape May County
Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT is making it convenient and affordable to get to summer shore destinations with express weekend rail service from Penn Station New York to shore communities along the North Jersey Coast Line, the return of weekday late-night Bay Head-Long Branch shuttles, and daily express bus service from Philadelphia to Wildwood and Cape May. Saturday, June 25
The #316 express bus from Philadelphia to Wildwood and Cape May resumes for the summer. This year, the #316 will conveniently originate on JFK Boulevard just outside the Amtrak 30th St. Station in Philadelphia providing access to Wildwood and Cape May from the University City section of Philadelphia. All trips will continue to serve the Greyhound Terminal in Philadelphia and then serve the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden, eliminating the need for customers to travel to the Avandale Park and Ride to transfer to the #316. Also new this year, the #316 will stop at the Gloucester Premium Outlets in Blackwood, providing access to the new and popular shopping destination. Beach goers can enjoy service to North Wildwood, Wildwood, Rio Grande and Cape May. The complete timetable is available at njtransit.com.
Sunday, June 26
Enhanced Saturday, Sunday and holiday express rail service on the North Jersey Coast Line will operate from June 26 through September 10 and feature the agency’s dual-powered locomotives to provide a one-seat ride.
“Going ‘down the shore’ is a time honored summer tradition in New Jersey. So whether you’re traveling from North Jersey or South Jersey, New York or Philadelphia we are providing more options to get you to the fun in the sun,” said NJ TRANSIT Interim Executive Director Dennis J. Martin. “Everyone should experience New Jersey’s beautiful beaches and what better way to relax than a stress-free ride on a bus or train.”
Four round-trip weekend and holiday express trains will operate between Penn Station New York and Bay Head. This service also features hourly train service between Bay Head and Long Branch from approximately 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Two of the round-trip express trains will be geared to beach travelers, with an additional two round-trips providing service during the early morning and late night timeframes.
The express service will serve Penn Station New York, Secaucus Junction, Newark Penn Station, Elizabeth, Rahway, Aberdeen-Matawan, Red Bank, Long Branch, Asbury Park, and then all station stops to Bay Head, and no need to transfer in Long Branch. A travel time savings of approximately 25 minutes is expected from the regular travel time between New York and towns such as Belmar, Manasquan and Point Pleasant.
Seating will be limited aboard the express service. Customers are strongly encouraged to purchase round-trip tickets or discounted beach packages to Long Branch, Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, Bradley Beach and Belmar (a savings of $5.00) prior to the start of their trip. NJ TRANSIT beach packages are available at all rail station ticket windows and ticket vending machines except on the Atlantic City rail line. More information on beach packages is available on njtransit.com.
Customers can also purchase NJ TRANSIT tickets using MyTix mobile ticketing. However, beach packages are not currently available on the NJ TRANSIT mobile app.
Express trains will supplement NJ TRANSIT’s regular weekend hourly rail shuttle service between Long Branch and Bay Head, and will operate using the ALP-45 dual-powered locomotives. These specialized trains operate in electric mode between New York and Long Branch and switch to diesel operation for travel between Long Branch and Bay Head – allowing for the one-seat ride.
Detailed schedules are available on njtransit.com.
Monday, June 27
Late-night weekday Bay Head-Long Branch rail shuttles return. This service was temporarily suspended in October for the winter season. Late-night shuttles will depart Long Branch at 11:19 p.m. and 2:42 a.m. heading to Bay Head. In addition, there will be a 9:43 p.m. departure from Bay Head to Long Branch. This service will run through September 9.
Ridgewood NJ, National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Mathews on Tuesday urged federal leaders to fast-track necessary approvals to replace the Hudson River rail tunnels.
If the tunnels aren’t replaced in time, the New York City region could face a “transportation meltdown,” Mathews wrote in a letter to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and New Jersey Transit.
Each day, the aging tunnels accommodate 100 trains carrying 24,000 Amtrak riders. Additionally, NJ Transit trains move 90,000 weekday passengers through the tunnels, which run between New York and New Jersey.
“Given the importance of these tunnels to the entire East Coast transportation system and to passenger rail, NARP strongly urges the government to proceed as expeditiously as possible, within the confines of applicable law, to begin desperately needed and long-overdue construction of new tunnels,” Mathews wrote.
He also advocated separating the Hudson tunnels project from Amtrak’s larger Gateway Program, which calls for a number of upgrades to improve capacity between New York City’s Penn Station and Newark, N.J. Separating the two projects would help ease the funding burden, simplify permitting and design, and “secure the widest possible agreement to proceed from elected and appointed officials throughout the region,” Mathews said.
Currently, Amtrak removes one of the tunnels from service each weekend for continuing maintenance, which results in slow, single-tracking operations. Until new ones are built, this will continue indefinitely, according to Mathews.
Additionally, the existing tubes will be removed from service for a full year for complete rehabilitation after the new ones are built.
“There is a real danger that if one of the current bores becomes permanently damaged or disabled, the throughput of trains would fall some 75 percent,” noted Mathews.
Special offers include money-saving beach packages; Kids ride free all weekend with Family SuperSaver Fare
May 25, 2016
Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT will kick off the Memorial Day weekend with “early getaway” rail and bus service on Friday, May 27, for the benefit of customers leaving work early. To help speed the getaway, customers are reminded that they can enjoy the convenience of purchasing tickets through the MyTix feature of the NJ TRANSIT mobile app. Besides giving customers a jump on the unofficial start of summer, NJ TRANSIT is making it easy and affordable to get to fun in the sun around the state with a variety of discounted packages.
On Friday, May 27:
Extra outbound trains will operate on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, Raritan Valley, Morris & Essex, and Port Jervis lines starting at approximately 1 p.m.
One outbound Pascack Valley train (#9653, leaving Hoboken at 2:51 p.m.) will extend its existing service to terminate in Spring Valley.
Extra buses will operate from the Port Authority Bus Terminal on more than two dozen bus routes starting around noon. Visit njtransit.com for details.
All light rail systems will operate on regular weekday schedules.
On Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29:
The Bay Head-Long Branch shuttle is enhanced to hourly service (8 a.m.-10 p.m.)
Weekend shuttle service resumes between Toms River and Seaside Park on bus route no. 137. The bus leaves Toms River at 11:25 a.m. with the return departure from Seaside Park at 6:25 p.m. This service runs every weekend and holiday through the end of June, when direct service resumes from New York on bus route no. 137 and Newark bus route no. 67. See schedule for details.
All light rail systems will operate on regular Saturday/Sunday or Weekend schedules.
On Memorial Day, Monday, May 30:
Trains will operate on a weekend/major holiday schedule on all lines.
The Bay Head-Long Branch shuttle is enhanced to hourly service (8 a.m.-10 p.m.)
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 Sunday schedule.
Bus schedules vary by route—customers are advised to check their timetables or visit njtransit.com for schedule information. Many routes serving shopping malls will operate on weekend/holiday schedules. Consult timetable for details. NOTE: Buses may be subject to detours and service delays for Memorial Day parades through various towns. See njtransit.com for details.
Summer Savings
With Memorial Day marking the “unofficial” start of the summer recreational season, this weekend is a great time for customers to take advantage of NJ TRANSIT’s discounted travel packages to destinations including the Jersey Shore, Six Flags, Monmouth Park and Liberty Science Center:
Beach Packages: Save up to $5.00 on admission to one of five beaches— Long Branch, Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, Bradley Beach and Belmar—by purchasing round-trip train fare and a discounted beach pass for one price at NJ TRANSIT ticket vending machines (choose “Beach/Monmouth Park Packages” and select “Beach Package”) or at ticket windows. Customers can purchase the package at all NJ TRANSIT rail stations, excluding stations on the Atlantic City Rail Line. Beach Packages go on sale on the following four Fridays: May 27, June 3, 10 and 17 at 7 a.m. and are valid throughout the weekend and on holidays. Beach Packages will be available daily starting Saturday, June 18 and continuing through Labor Day, Monday, September 5.
Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari or Hurricane Harbor: Save up to $30 by purchasing round-trip bus transportation and park admission together. NJ TRANSIT provides express bus service to Six Flags from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York and Newark Penn Station.
Monmouth Park: Board a train anywhere on NJ TRANSIT’s rail system, excluding Atlantic City Rail Line stations, and save $5.50 when you travel to Monmouth Park Racetrack. Simply purchase a package to Monmouth Park from NJ TRANSIT ticket vending machines (choose “Beach/Monmouth Park Packages” and select “Monmouth Park”) or at ticket windows, and receive round-trip transportation, Grandstand Admission and an official track program for $3.50 plus the regular cost of a round-trip rail ticket.
Liberty Science Center: Beginning June 1, save $5 per person for up to four general admission, combo ticket and/or all-access passes when you travel on NJ TRANSIT and show your ticket, pass or fare receipt at Liberty Science Center. General admission passes include live science demonstrations, hands-on labs, and a variety of daily activities. Combo and all-access passes provide options for films and premium exhibits.
Visit njtransit.com for more information on NJ TRANSIT summer travel deals.
On weekends, kids ride free on NJ TRANSIT
Every weekend, families riding NJ TRANSIT can save with the Family SuperSaver Fare, which allows two children 11 and younger to travel free with each fare-paying adult. For the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the program will be extended and in effect from 7 p.m. Friday, May 27 until 6 a.m. Tuesday, May 31.
Two rail workers unions that recently rejected tentative contracts with New Jersey Transit are resuming efforts to reach new deals. Associated Press Read more
New Jersey Transit’s director defended the use of audio surveillance systems on some of its trains Tuesday, as some questioned the monitoring’s legal and ethical underpinnings. Associated Press, Read more
In New York, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority received a $3 billion budget cut last year, endangering completion of the long-awaited Second Avenue subway. In San Francisco, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission faces $1 billion in budget cuts over the next two years, forcing the agency to scrap seven projects aimed at reducing congestion.
In Washington, D.C., chronic underfunding of maintenance and safety programs at the Metro transit system has contributed to numerous accidents and more than a dozen deaths over the last 33 years, including an electrical problem in January 2015 that killed one passenger and injured more than 80. Earlier this month, the entire subway system was shut down for a day to conduct emergency inspections.
NJ Transit faces similar financial problems. The agency’s current budget diverts $450 million from long-term construction projects, intended to improve safety and reliability, to pay for day-to-day operations. Since the practice started in 1990, governors and legislators of both parties have diverted $6.5 billion, according to NJ Transit.
That’s enough money to build the long-awaited extension of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line into Bergen County and contribute to the replacement of the century-old Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River in Kearny as well as the proposed train tunnel under the Hudson River, experts say. All of those projects, which include repairs to parts of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor line that NJ Transit relies heavily upon, would help the agency accommodate its recent surge in ridership more reliably and safely, said Martin Robins, a former deputy executive director of NJ Transit.
Still, how the funding deficit affects maintenance, performance and system upgrades is a matter of debate among transportation experts. NJ Transit leaders defend the practice, saying it helps the agency maintain its aging fleet and keep trains running on time.
NEWARK – New Jersey Transit and rail union negotiators have reached a deal to avert a strike ahead of the Sunday deadline.
Hundreds of thousands of New Jersey riders would have been impacted by a strike, which was set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Sunday.
After nearly nine hours of negotiation Friday, transit union spokesman Steve Burkert came out with other union leaders to announce the deal.
“We have reached a tentative agreement,” he said. “Thankfully for the commuters of NJ Transit the crisis has been averted. We thank our members for having faith in us in solidarity. We’re going home to our families.”
Burkert did not take any questions from the media following the announcement.
Gov. Chris Christie held a news conference soon after the announcement. He reiterated that a deal was reached, but said that it still needed to be ratified by the rail unions involved. He said that he would not discuss the financial details of the agreement until union leaders shared it with their members, but said that it would not require any immediate fare increases.
The major issues that were being negotiated were health care and wage increases. About 4,000 NJ Transit workers had been working without a contract for nearly five years.
Ridgewood NJ, A crew member of a NJ Transit train telephoned police after spotting a man lying on the tracks near the West Glen Avenue train trestle in Ridgewood on Thursday night, 03/10, at approximately 10:30 PM. Responding NJ Transit and Ridgewood police officers found the individual lying between the HoHoKus train station and West Glen Avenue. He was unresponsive when found and pronounced dead shortly thereafter by a paramedic team from The Valley Hospital. It is believed the deceased was struck and killed by a Hoboken bound NJ Transit train.
Investigators will review video footage from at least one (1) train to determine if, when, and where the victim was struck. All train traffic on the NJ Transit Bergen County and Main Lines was delayed while investigators worked at the scene. The body was removed from the scene by representatives of the Bergen County Medical Examiner’s Office shortly after 1:00 AM on Friday, 03/11. The victim was said to have been a Ridgewood resident
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — The clock is ticking towards a possible NJ TRANSIT strike on Sunday.
Leaders representing the 11 rail unions wrapped up talks Thursday with NJ TRANSIT officials at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Newark after taking a day off from negotiations, CBS2’s Meg Baker reported.
NJ TRANSIT negotiator Gary Dellaverson said no announcement of a deal was imminent. He said wages and health care negotiations have yet to be reached, calling agreements “very complicated.”
“I don’t have anything very exciting to say,” Dellaverson said. “What we did this morning, for the last few hours, has been to continue to be precise with one another… as to the areas where there still remain differences between us.”
NJ TRANSIT released a notice Thursday saying that in the case of a strike, all existing positions would be terminated. All employees on sick leave would no longer receive sick leave compensation and insurance positions would be discontinued.
Union members rejected the notice and said it is counterproductive to the negotiating process.
Sen. Robert Menendez said federal negotiators will get involved if they have to, saying “we cannot afford a shutdown.”
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