3 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

I decided since Michael and I had little to do at home instead of staying on the Game Boy and computer respectively all day, we would run over to Trenton and take our first spin on the River Line. Nice smooth trip. The DLRV's are huge, and they were all MU'ed (or really DMU'ed?) into two-car trains. Each car has two separate sections, connected by a narrow walkway where the motors are. Signs tell you that you should not pass through this center area while the train is in motion. It was crowded, with many people standing. Not surprising for Opening Day. We'll see how they fare once the line gets going and also on weekdays when commuters can use it to go to and from work. Many single-track sections, but with 30-minute headways these did not pose any problems. A few trains ran late, including the two we were on. Our Camden-bound train was roughly 10 late, and the Trenton-bound train was 15 late. There was enough double track that our late trains did not cause us any delays. My favorite portion of the trip was the part between Cass Street in Trenton and the Bordentown station. Here in this stretch, the trains got up to their highest speed, and one got the flavor of an interurban (especially after the line went down to single track) .. minus the nonexistant catenary towers. There is a mini Rebel Yell section (not at all as steep as Baltimore's) right in Trenton where the River Line goes under Greenwood Avenue and then over the Northeast Corridor tracks. Michael and I were on the 12:15 PM train out of Trenton, and since we were starving by the time we got to Camden, we bailed at the Walter Rand TC station, and walked over to Broadway where we ate at a Subway shop quickly in order to make the next train 1/2 hour later. Then we continued out to the Entertainment Center stop, and returned on the same train all the way to Trenton. We got back into the Trenton station a little bit after another car departed, so those who were joy riding and turning at Trenton would have to wait almost 1/2 hour for this car to head south. Opening day glitches included the on-board announcements being off by one station, something which still happens on the more established Hudson-Bergen LRT. Also, the ticket machine in Trenton was not accepting dimes, which is important since the fare is $1.10. It did give me 15 cents change from a quarter. Also, the mere crowded situation probably is what caused the lateness. Passengers will have to learn the schedules and try to be at the stations on time. With the 30-minute headways, it was admirable of the crews to hold up for stragglers arriving late at the stations, however enough is enough and at some point they had to go to keep on schedule. Already late in leaving the endpoint station in Camden, they continued to hold and reopen the doors for people running for the train. By the time we left there would be another one in about 20 minutes. There were railfans, railfans, railfans everywhere..... one could spot them throughout the Trenton rail station, around the Trenton River Line station, shooting photos along the ROW, and aboard the River Line as well. I figure there would have been a lot more railfans around had the grand opening not conflicted with the special West Chester RR train that ran to and from 30th Street Station; otherwise there would have been plenty of other railfans from the Philly area. Unlike the shroud of security in the Secaucus station during and after its opening, there was absolutely no problem shooting film, digital, or movie cameras anywhere on the property, which surprised me in a way considering what happened in Spain this week. All in all, a great ride, and a great day on the rails. Now I get to ride this thing twice more in the next 6 days, although in only one direction each time.

Edited by KevinKorell, 14 March 2004 - 06:04 PM.

[KevinKorell]

And no "freebies" as one can sometimes expect on Opening Day. No hats, no pens, no shirts. Just the same timetables, CD's, maps, etc. that were sent to me twice in the mail. I saw somebody wearing a "River Line" cap complete with the logo, but perhaps it was just for the NJT people. BTW Owen Sindler from our group was out there as well, but we did not cross paths. When I spoke with him I believe he said that he was one trip ahead of ours out of Trenton.

[gary99]

Hi Kevin, What is a "Rebel Yell Section"? And how about the DLRV, is that dual level? Gary

[KevinKorell]

Hi Kevin,
What is a "Rebel Yell Section"? And how about the DLRV, is that dual level?
Gary

Rebel Yell, a popular name for a roller coaster, is an informal name given to two sections of the light rail line in Baltimore, where the line threads it way through both overpasses and underpasses, with rather steep grades in between.

DLRV is a diesel light rail vehicle. Single level.