No Trains to Penn

All trains in or outsuspended due to Amtrak problems

Awesome.

Actually due to a catenary problem and yes, it's an Amtrak catenary problem (wire hanging in a loop - had to look that up. NJT may suck but they sure use big words).

Travel Alerts
Jul 22, 2015 06:02:48 AM
Midtown direct service is being diverted into Hoboken. Path Cross Honoring Hoboken, Newark Penn and New York 33rd street.
Jul 22, 2015 05:54:48 AM
Train service is suspended in and out of New York Penn due to Amtrak catenary problem.

Yup!! It's a mess. I was on the 5:40 out of mountain. Was transferring in Newark Broad when this was announced. Trains are slow right now. Usually my early morning commute is quick and painless.

service resumed but 60 to 90 minute residual delays reported

It's been a fabulous week.

Service now un- resumed.

any train updates ?

No change. Path, ferry, and buses cross honoring.

From my seat this has been the worst week on the rails in about a year and a half, or since the very bad winter of early 2014.

And the commuting week is only half over.

are trains running to Hoboken

get used to it. Congress is openly hostile to funding for mass transit infrastructure improvements. We can certainly blame NJT for its dreadful communication this week. But the power failures and stalled trains were all the result of unreliable Amtrak infrastructure.

We live in an era where our country can't do the most basic stuff that virtually every other developed nation does as a matter of course.

In these situations it does not help at all that the PATH train cut rush hour service, without preceding public discussion or mention, back in January:

http://patch.com/new-jersey/hoboken/hoboken-politicians-criticize-path-service-cuts-0

That's three fewer trains during the morning rush, and three less during the evening rush. It's crowded and slower now already. Adding in passengers diverted from NYP only makes it worse, adding yet another stage of misery to your day.

Is there an existing commuter advocacy group? I know of the Lackawanna Coalition, but I'm not sure how large or loud they actually are. I think it's time to make more, organized noise.

Maizy said:
It's been a fabulous week.

Especially if you come home on the 5:43.

Diverted to Hoboken but it was not bad. Trip to Hoboken was uneventful. PATH was packed but fine. Made it to office normal time.

I got in about 15 minutes late, but I'm usually 30 minutes early.

I'm on the 9:00am from Maplewood to Penn. It's a total crap show. Just sitting on the track waiting....

I should have bitched earlier. We're finally moving at a normal speed.

Maui said:
I'm on the 9:00am from Maplewood to Penn. It's a total crap show. Just sitting on the track waiting....

You've been sitting at Maplewood station for 1.25 hours?

Total nightmare today. Took the 7:22 from SO to Hoboken and finally got to 23rd and 6th Path station at 8:45. Fingers crossed the evening commute is OK, though I am not optimistic.

Well, I decided to leave early to hope to get ahead of rush hour and finish the day working from home. Well, penn is still a mess. I hope that it clears up, but just be prepared for delays all day.

misterpeepers,

I agree. In many countries, there would be demonstrations if their trains were like NJ Transit.

misterpeepers said:


In these situations it does not help at all that the PATH train cut rush hour service, without preceding public discussion or mention, back in January:
http://patch.com/new-jersey/hoboken/hoboken-politicians-criticize-path-service-cuts-0


That's three fewer trains during the morning rush, and three less during the evening rush. It's crowded and slower now already. Adding in passengers diverted from NYP only makes it worse, adding yet another stage of misery to your day.


Is there an existing commuter advocacy group? I know of the Lackawanna Coalition, but I'm not sure how large or loud they actually are. I think it's time to make more, organized noise.

not sure how much it would help, because imho commuters get angry and try to hold the wrong people accountable (usually the ones in closest proximity). like the guy next to me on Tuesday morning who was giving the conductor attitude about the delays, as if the Amtrak power problems were her fault. when I hear people complain, it's always about NJT. As I wrote above sure, make them accountable for their poor communication with commuters. But the problems with the signals, overhead wires, the portal bridge, stalled Amtrak trains in the tunnel, etc., etc., etc. are the responsibility of Amtrak and the federal govt. And those problems probably account for 90% of the delays, and close to 100% of the ones that result in a ****show. We need our congress people and Senators from the entire Northeast Corridor on this issue. Not a director of NJT.

Fantastic discussion here of the economic toll of a crumbling infrastructure -- especially transportation. It's in a conservative journal, so maybe someone he actually listens to will bring this to Christie's attention. http://www.city-journal.org/2015/eon0717ng.html

beppolina said:
Fantastic discussion here of the economic toll of a crumbling infrastructure -- especially transportation. It's in a conservative journal, so maybe someone he actually listens to will bring this to Christie's attention. http://www.city-journal.org/2015/eon0717ng.html

Unfortunately there is no indication that Christie is interested in economic tolls.

He's interested in appealing to tea-party primary voters in Iowa and New Hampshire. He doesn't want to explain to Grover Norquist why he increased the gasoline tax, and he doesn't want to take anything from the federal government that might even look like stimulus money.

Today was a disaster, which is unusual for me as I typically commute through Hoboken. Left around 8:00 and caught the usual 8:17 Hoboken train, which arrived in SO around 8:30? Maybe even a little later. Got off the train in Hoboken at 9:20 (huge back-up to get into the station). Waited to fit onto a PATH train and eventually arrived at the office (5 minute walk from Christopher St. stop) around 9:45. By the way, if asked, NJT was answering on Twitter than Hoboken service was on or close to schedule.

I'm going to a show that starts at 8. Do I have to leave two hours from here to get to midtown by train?

@pageturn I would leave extra time. Even though you'll be going in the reverse direction, if there are any tunnel or power problems, you'll be sitting outside the tunnel waiting to get in. It has been a particularly bad week for service.

NJ Transit even issued a sort-of apology. Well, they admitted service was not acceptable this week and said they will keep contacting Amtrak for a solution. LOL.

Christie knows the transportation infrastructure issue is archaic, messy and expensive, so he figured why be a hero and wade into the weeds on this -- the next guvnah can deal with it. Rather, he's off on some barnstorming flight of fancy in SC, NH and IA, kidding only himself, hoping against hope that he can recapture the pre-Bridgegate Christie mystique and somehow rise from the dregs of the GOP polling to become a serious candidate. Good luck with that.

Earlier today, @govchristie retweeted a NJ Transit update. Someone aptly replied that it was the most leadership he's shown on transit infrastructure in years.

Thank you, Jesus, for retirement.......