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Sandy: MNRR, LIRR, NYCT impacts


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#1 KevinKorell

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Posted 26 October 2012 - 09:30 PM

Weekender Alert: Hurricane Sandy

With weather forecasts calling for the arrival of Hurricane Sandy beginning this weekend, all MTA Agencies have begun storm preparations in order to ensure safe travel across the region.

All planned subway service changes this weekend are cancelled—with the exception of changes planned for the and , which are now scheduled through Saturday only.

The LIRR's scheduled weekend track work between Jamaica and Queens Village, and the resulting bus service for westbound Queens Village and Hollis customers has been suspended for this entire weekend.

As high winds and heavy rain are anticipated, normal Access-A-Ride service may be cancelled.

We urge customers to monitor news reports and our website as service is subject to change as conditions demand. We will update your local news outlets regularly, and "Service Status" will provide the latest information for all of our subway, bus and rail services as well as bridge and tunnel conditions. You can also subscribe to our free email or text message alerts.

As the storm advances, our website may default to our 'Weather Emergency' site which will provide information that stays abreast of storm conditions and its impact on our services.

For your safety — should it become necessary—we urge customers to take any official calls to evacuate seriously. Evacuations are called before the worst of the storm conditions are expected. During the evacuation period, we stand prepared to enhance subway and bus service as needed.



Kevin Korell


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Lakewood, NJ


#2 KevinKorell

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Posted 27 October 2012 - 06:00 PM

New York, NY Times, 10/27/12:

M.T.A. Chief Announces Storm Plan for Subways, Buses and Commuter Trains


Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Saturday directed the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to begin planning for an “orderly suspension” of all subway, bus, and commuter rail service — a process that would begin at 7 p.m. on Sunday if a decision is made to shut down the system because of Hurricane Sandy.


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Kevin Korell


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#3 KevinKorell

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Posted 28 October 2012 - 09:42 AM

Latest from MTA:

MTA Directed to Move Forward with System-wide Shutdown


The MTA has been directed by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to begin an orderly shutdown and suspension of all subway, bus and commuter railroad service at 7 p.m. Sunday. The decision was made to protect customers, employees and equipment from the wrath of Hurricane Sandy as the strong storm continues its march up the east coast.

MTA Chairman and CEO Joseph J. Lhota announced that service on NYC Transit subways will be curtailed beginning at 7 p.m., and the bus network within the following two hours. Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad will start their finals trains by 7 p.m. from terminal locations. Subway and rail road stations will be closed after the last trains pass through stations. Outbound Access-A-Ride trips are being scheduled only until 12 p.m. today, and return trips will continue until 5 p.m. Any previously scheduled trips after that time, including subscription trips, are canceled.

Customers are advised to adjust their plans and travel early in the day as possible and not wait until the last train or bus. Anyone who does not leave for their destination before 7 p.m. runs the risk of being stranded when service is suspended.

The MTA Hurricane Plan calls for suspending service hours before the approach of winds of 39 mph and higher. That gives MTA crews time to prepare rail and subway cars, buses, tunnels, yards and buildings for the storm, then return to safety. Winds of 39 mph and higher are predicted to reach the metropolitan region during the predawn hours Monday.

The MTA has been preparing to suspend service for days by readying recovery equipment, clearing drainage areas, moving vehicles from low-lying areas at bus depots and rail yards and sealing some tunnel access points.

The duration of the service suspension is unknown, and there is no timetable for restoration. Service will be restored only when it is safe to do so, after careful inspections of all equipment and tracks. Even with minimal damage this is expected to be a lengthy process.

Customers and the media should monitor this website or call 511 for the most current service information.


Transit Operations Will Shut Down Beginning 7pm Today


The Staten Island Railway will attempt to continue to operate until the Staten Island Ferry suspends service, in order not to strand any customers in the ferry terminal. However, the railway will not operate if conditions are deemed unsafe

These actions are consistent with our Hurricane Plan, designed to protect the safety of customers, employees and equipment, and ensure our ability to restore service after the storm as quickly as possible. Work has been underway throughout the weekend in anticipation of this possibility.

The Hurricane Plan is designed to protect the safety of New Yorkers before, during and after the expected impacts of Hurricane Sandy. Instituted for the first time last year, prior to the arrival of Hurricane Irene, the plan allows customers to move to safety prior to the storm’s arrival, then protect employees and equipment before dangerous sustained winds of more than 39 mph reach the area.

Thousands of buses and subway cars have been pulled from service and stored in safe locations. Subway yards and bus depots that are prone to flooding have been cleared and that equipment sent to dry areas. Subway stations in flood-prone locations, such as lower Manhattan, will be evacuated of personnel and then secured.

Critical track-level components will be removed from under river tubes so that, if flooding occurs, they will not suffer from the corrosive effects of salt water. Prior to high wind conditions, workers visit elevated stations to make certain that everything is secure and not subject to wind damage.

As soon as conditions allow following the storm, MTA personnel will evaluate damage and begin implementing its plan to restore service as quickly as possible while protecting the safety of all involved. Even with minimal damage this is expected to be a lengthy process that will impact service following the storm. MTA riders are urged to call 511 and stay tuned to mta.info and local news broadcasts before traveling.


LIRR Moves Forward With System-Wide Shutdown at 7pm
Last Train Departures by Branch


The following is a listing, by branch, of the last trains to operate before the shutdown at 7 PM.

Babylon Branch:

· Eastbound: The 6:40 PM train from Penn Station, due Babylon at 7:57 PM.

· Westbound: The 6:58 PM train from Babylon, due Penn Station at 8:12 PM.

Montauk Branch:

· Eastbound: The 5:41 PM train from Jamaica, due Patchogue 6:49 PM.

· Westbound: The 6:42 PM train from Speonk due Jamaica at 8:10 PM

Ronkonkoma Branch:

· Eastbound: The 6:15 PM train from Penn Station, due Ronkonkoma at 7:35 PM.

· Westbound: The 6:40 PM train from Ronkonkoma, due Penn Station at 7:59 PM.

Port Jefferson Branch:

Port Jefferson:

· Eastbound: The 5:36 PM train from Huntington, due Port Jefferson at 6:25 PM.

· Westbound: The 5:42 PM train from Port Jefferson, due Huntington at 6:29 PM.

Huntington:

· Eastbound: The 6:51 PM train from Penn Station, due Huntington at 7:55 PM.

· Westbound: The 6:36 PM train from Huntington, due Penn Station at 7:39 PM.

Oyster Bay Branch:

· Eastbound: The 6:52 PM train from Jamaica, due Oyster Bay at 7:46 PM.

· Westbound: The 6:20 PM train from Oyster Bay, due Jamaica at 7:14 PM.

Hempstead Branch:

· Eastbound: The 6:42 PM train from Atlantic Terminal, due Hempstead at 7:35 PM.

· Westbound: The 6:19 PM train from Hempstead, due Atlantic Terminal at 7:12 PM.

Long Beach Branch:

· Eastbound: The 6:45 PM train from Penn Station, due Long Beach at 7:42 PM.

· Westbound: The 6:26 PM train from Long Beach, due Penn Station at 7:21 PM

Far Rockaway Branch:

· Eastbound: The 6:12 PM train from Atlantic Terminal, due Far Rockaway at 7:05 PM.

· Westbound: The 6:50 PM train from Far Rockaway, due Atlantic Terminal at 7:42 PM.

Port Washington Branch:

· Eastbound: The 6:18 PM train from Penn Station, due Port Washington at 7:05 PM.

· Westbound: The 6:40 PM train from Port Washington, due Penn Station at 7:25 PM.

West Hempstead Branch & East of Ronkonkoma to Greenport

Weekend service does not operate on the West Hempstead Branch and East of Ronkonkoma to Greenport on the Main Line.

Jets Fans Urged to Head Home after the Game

Jets fans attending the game at the Meadowlands are reminded to check the LIRR timetables to determine when the last train on their branch leaves Penn Station before service is suspended.

A major and time-consuming aspect of the LIRR’s storm prep is the removal or tying up and securing of railroad crossing gates system-wide in advance of the storm to protect them from high winds. The LIRR has 295 railroad grade crossings system-wide – the great majority of which are on the eastern portion of the system. Since each crossing has multiple gates, a total of 690 crossing gates need to be secured or removed – a process that takes approximately 12 hours. Power to the crossing gates will also be removed. This process must be completed prior to forecasted sustained winds of 39 mph.

Train service must be suspended for the crossing gates to be removed. The LIRR started removing gates yesterday east of Ronkonkoma on the Main Line to Greenport, where weekend service does not operate at this time of year. Additionally, crossing gates will start being removed on the Montauk Branch east of Speonk today. As a result, LIRR train service east of Speonk on the Montauk Branch will be replaced with buses starting Sunday at 9 AM and continuing until 7 PM when the full service shut down begins.


Metro-North Moving Forward With System-Wide Shutdown



Service also will be suspended on Metro-North’s Port Jervis Line west of the Hudson River. Pascack Valley line service will be determined by NJTRANSIT. Customers should visit http://njtransit.com/ for service status information

The following is a list of the last trains that will operate on Sunday before the system-wide suspension:

Hudson Line

-6:50 PM train from Grand Central to Poughkeepsie arriving 8:32 PM

-6:59 PM train from Grand Central to Croton-Harmon arriving 7:57 PM (this train is normally an express but will make all local stops from Yankees-E. 153rd Street to Croton-Harmon)

-6:35 PM train from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central arriving at 8:22 PM

-7:00 PM train from Croton-Harmon to Grand Central arriving at 8:07 PM

Harlem Line

-6:48 PM train from Grand Central to Southeast arriving at 8:18 PM

-6:55 PM train from Grand Central to North White Plains arriving at 7:43 PM (This is normally a Saturday-only train)

-7:06 PM train from North White Plains to Grand Central arriving at 7:59 PM

-7:13 PM train from Southeast to Grand Central arriving at 8:40 PM

-6:55 PM train from Wassaic to Grand Central arriving at 9:05 PM

New Haven Line

-7:07 PM train from Grand Central to New Haven arriving at 8:59 PM

-7:10 PM train from Grand Central to Stamford arriving at 8:17 PM

-6:53 PM train from New Haven to Grand Central arriving at 8:44 PM

-7:03 PM train from Stamford to Grand Central arriving at 8:09 PM

New Canaan, Danbury and Waterbury Branch customers: all branch line train service will end with the last train operating prior to the 7 PM suspension.

The last Amtrak trains to operate on the New Haven Line will be 7:05 PM Acela out of Penn Station, N.Y. and the 7:18 PM southbound out of New Haven.

Port Jervis Line

-6:15 PM train from Hoboken to Port Jervis arriving at 8:23 PM

-5:27 PM train from Port Jervis to Hoboken arriving at 7:38 PM

Pascack Valley Line customers should contact NJTRANSIT for information.

In preparation for the brunt of the storm, train equipment will be moved out of low-lying locations known to be prone to flooding, such as the east end of the yard in New Haven and Highbridge and Mott Haven yards in the Bronx.

As the storm approaches, Metro-North has secured its infrastructure by moving trucks, and equipment such as backhoes, cranes and bulldozers, to higher ground. This includes bringing trains into Grand Central Terminal for shelter.

In addition, the wooden crossing gates at grade crossings, which are susceptible to high winds, will been removed and secured. However, people should be aware that work trains and patrol trains may still be operating and approach all grade crossings with caution.



Kevin Korell


OTOL Board Leader


Lakewood, NJ


#4 KevinKorell

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Posted 28 October 2012 - 10:30 PM

Staten Island Railway (SIR) passenger service is now suspended. Trains will be moved to higher ground.

Didn't know there was much higher ground on Staten Island, considering a good portion of the island is an evacuation zone.


Kevin Korell


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#5 CNJRoss

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Posted 29 October 2012 - 09:51 PM

BusinessInsider.com, 10/29:

Here's What We Know About The Situation In The New York Subway System

The flooding from "Frankenstorm" Sandy has been everything New York City was expecting (if not worse), and it looks like the long term effects could be serious.

The subway was closed today and looks likely to be definitely closed tomorrow, but that may just be the beginning. This photo, tweeted out by Port Authority NY + NY, shows how bad the situation is at underground stations.

Posted Image

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#6 AlanB

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Posted 30 October 2012 - 04:17 PM

Here's a video of the flooding at the South Ferry/Whitehall Station at the southern tip of Manhattan. :o

MTA Video

For those who don't know, they're walking around on the upper level of this station, which means that the actuall tracks & platform for the #1 train has water from floor to ceiling. :o Seems like the Whitehall station for the R train fared a bit better.
Alan,

Take care and take trains!

#7 AlanB

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Posted 30 October 2012 - 04:20 PM

For my local line, the #7, I've been hearing work trains on the scanner running up and down clearing things and getting signals either back on line or tied down if they couldn't quickly fix things. I believe that I've heard that 1 of the two Steinway tunnels has been pumped dry and that they've just started pumping the other tunnel out now. I'm guessing that some of the repeaters are down due to the power issues, as I'm not hearing much radio traffic from other lines. Most transmissions are for the #7, although I did hear one call about a line being cleared down to City Hall. But which line, I have no idea.
Alan,

Take care and take trains!

#8 AlanB

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Posted 30 October 2012 - 08:01 PM

Here's a vid from the MTA of the water running into the Amtrak Line 2 tunnel, the normal inbound tunnel for Amtrak.
Alan,

Take care and take trains!

#9 AlanB

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Posted 30 October 2012 - 08:13 PM

The evening update from Metro North:

Metro-North Railroad Service Suspension Continues, Repairs Underway to Tracks, Power & Signal Systems Damaged by Hurricane SandyIn the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Metro-North is still unable to operate regular service on its Hudson, Harlem and New Haven Lines.

There is currently still significant damage to many portions of our system. Crews continue to work assessing damage and making repairs to our critical infrastructure.

Major issues include:

Significant flooding on the Hudson Line resulting in water-damaged substations that cannot provide third rail power, including one that provides power to Metro-North's largest yard and shop at Croton-Harmon;
Debris along the right of way that needs to be cleared, including a 38 foot boat along the Hudson Line in Ossining;
Several sections of track along Hudson Line that have been damaged by washouts: One section will require up to 8 rail cars of ballast stone to repair;
Third rail damage in several areas caused by fallen trees on the Hudson and Harlem lines;
Damage to the power, signal and catenary lines on the New Haven Line as the result of numerous fallen trees.
Please remember that our goal is to restore as much service as possible as soon as critical repairs have been made and we have determined that it is safe to operate trains. We also must get employees and equipment in place before any level of service can begin.

Until then, Grand Central Terminal and all outlying Metro-North station buildings will remain closed.

We urge customers to stay informed on our progress by monitoring media reports, and checking www.mta.info for the latest updates. You may also call 511. (Outside of New York State, call 877-690-5114 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 877-690-5114 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.)

Service still remains suspended on the Pascack Valley and Port Jervis Lines. Customers should check www.njtransit.com for details on service.

We regret any inconvenience you may experience as a result of this service disruption due to Hurricane Sandy.


Alan,

Take care and take trains!

#10 AlanB

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Posted 30 October 2012 - 11:43 PM

The LIRR report for Wednesday:

MTA Weather AdvisoryLIRR Service Suspension Continues, Repairs Underway to Tracks, Power & Signal Systems Damaged by Hurricane SandyLIRR service will remain suspended system-wide for the morning rush hour on Wednesday, October 31, as LIRR personnel work to make repairs after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. The LIRR is undertaking a comprehensive assessment of its 700 miles of track, including its train storage yards in the wake of the storm.

In conducting the assessment of the LIRR’s eleven branches, the LIRR has removed over 140 trees throughout the system with many more yet to be removed. The Port Washington and Oyster Bay branches and the Port Jefferson Branch east of Huntington had some of the heavier concentration of downed trees so far. Some of the fallen trees encountered on the Oyster Bay and Port Jefferson Branches are as large as 6 feet in circumference.

On the Babylon Branch in the vicinity of Amityville, three 90-foot high-tension utility poles snapped and are leaning over the tracks. There are also downed power lines in some areas.

In addition to making sure that tracks are clear of trees, debris and other obstacles and the track structure has not been undermined, the LIRR also needs to inspect all third rail throughout the system; as well as the power to the substations that feed the third rail and the power to the signal system.

Flooding from the extreme high-tides and the storm surge from the Hudson River flooded the LIRR’s West Side Train Storage Yard in Manhattan. The flood waters from the Hudson River washed out areas of ballast (rock) on some storage tracks in the yard and four signal units were affected – two were knocked out of place and two required replacement. Prior to the storm, the LIRR removed about 300 train cars from the yard before deploying a specially-designed water dam between the West Side Yard and the tracks leading to Penn Station to help prevent Hudson River flood waters from reaching Penn Station tracks and the East River Tunnels. The dam served its purpose, however the storm surge was so great that it over-rode the dam and flooded Amtrak’s North River tunnels at that location.

Two of the four East River tunnels owned by Amtrak were flooded from the Queens side of the tunnels. Amtrak personnel are pumping water from those tunnels. Inspections must be made prior to safely placing the tunnels back into service.

The LIRR has pumped out high water conditions at a number of locations including Long Island City, Hunterspoint Avenue and Borden Avenue in Queens; as well as from the track on the Port Washington Branch near Mets-Willets Point Station and in Island Park. It was at the Island Park location that the storm deposited some boats and cargo container units on the LIRR tracks adjacent to Reynolds Channel.

As a precautionary measure prior to the storm, the LIRR remove or secured 591 crossing gate arms at the LIRR’s 295 grade crossing throughout its system to prevent the gates from snapping in the high winds. The LIRR is now in the process of restoring the gate arms and power to the railroad crossing gates; however power outages may be a factor in restoring the power to the crossings.

Customers are advised to monitor news reports for the latest updates.


Alan,

Take care and take trains!




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