Metro-North boss Peter Cannito uses the front page of the June Mileposts, out today, to bid farewell to the railroad. “I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of the work that is done every day to serve you,” says Cannito, who then begins to tell us how proud he is of the work that is done every day to serve us.

“The performance improvements, the ridership growth, the innovations that we have made in technology, and the strategic planning we have undertaken for our needs now, in five years, and in 20 years were all done to make this railroad better for you,” he enthuses.  

What Cannito and the rest of Mileposts does not mention, but the NY Times does, is that Metro-North–and the NYC subway–may raise prices again next year, on the heels of the price hikes it instituted just a few months ago. MTA executive director Elliot Sander sounded a very despondent note when addressing the Authority’s budget woes, due primarily to thinned real estate tax revenue and of course gas prices.

“We’re going over the cliff,” said Sander, fairly ominously, about the MTA’s 2008 finances.

The last time subway fares went up in consecutive years were the dreary days of 1980 and 1981.

Sounds like Cannito is getting out just in time.

[image: blog.bibijon.org]

If you’re sitting on a Metro-North car tomorrow afternoon, and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, and it’s a really nice car with headrests and electrical outlets and bathrooms that, if you close your eyes, you don’t even realize they’re there, you probably got on the new demo model of the M-8 that’s on display at 2 p.m. Thurs.

MTA Chairman Dale Hemmerdinger (that name’s a real humdinger!) and Metro-North president Peter Cannitto will be there to say a few words at track 25.

The M-8s will be pressed into service on the New Haven line at some point next year.  

It being Earth Week and all, Metro-North does its part by switching from incandescent light bulbs in Grand Central to the compact fluorescent variety favored by green types everywhere. Installing more than 1,700 of them in the public areas of Grand Central, Metro-North figures on saving more than $100,000 a year on utility bills.

“While we may be talking about improvements to Grand Central, there is nothing ‘grand’ about day-to-day efforts we, as individuals, can make to improve the environment,” said Metro-North President Peter A. Cannito. “Whether it’s switching to fluorescent bulbs at work or at home, or simply by riding the train instead of driving, we can all play a part in making the world a better place.”  

You know what would truly make the world a better place? If Metro-North took that $100,000 in Con Ed savings and knocked a few bucks off our monthly passes. Or spring for some extermination on the New Haven Line. Or bought us a Sam Adams every Thursday evening in April, it being Alcohol Awareness Month and all.

Just a thought.

Peter Cannito, the longest tenured president in Metro-North history, will retire in July. Cannito came on board, so to speak, in June 1999. His claims to fame include “record-setting on-time performance”, a 60% reduction in employee injuries since 2000, pushing for the new Yankee Stadium station next year, and a 93% customer satisfaction rate.

“I prepare to leave this railroad knowing that Metro-North’s employees will continue to raise the standards of excellence,” he said, “both as it relates to what our customers have come to expect of us and what the employees have come to expect of themselves.” 

MTA CEO Elliot Sander thanked “Pete” for his hard work over the years and said “MTA will begin a nationwide search to identify the next Metro-North President knowing that he or she will have very big shoes to fill.” 

Cannito, by the way, prefers size-13 loafers in a triple-wide.

Connecticut governor Jodi Rell showed off the new exterior as well as some interior aspects for the M-8 cars that will be introduced on the New Haven Line late in 2009. Between reader surveys and focus groups, more interior features will be ironed out before the cars go into production.

Rell says the car’s attributes include:

Also on hand was Metro-North president Peter Cannitto, who reveals that he spends a lot of time dreaming about new Metro-North cars. “Seeing a mock-up of the M-8 car has shown us that the dream of a new commuter rail car on the New Haven line is becoming a reality,” he said. “Although we are still more than a year away from seeing the prototype cars in operation in this country, the dream of improved service for our New Haven Line customers in New York and Connecticut is also one step closer to reality, too.”  

Sneaking up like an on-time 8:20 morning train into Valhalla, the Harlem line was the winner in Metro-North’s 2007 annual customer satisfaction survey. Fully 99% of Harlem line customers reported they were “satisfied” with service, two ahead of the Hudson Line.

What’s surprising is that the Hudson Line, with its scenic river views and longtime stranglehold on the on-time percentage crown, trailed the Harlem Line.

No great surprise over at the New Haven Line, as 88% of those Mamaroneck/Rye/Greenwich types voiced their satisfaction.

All told, the railroad posted a 93% satisfaction level, which Metro-North called a record. President Peter Cannito said the scores reflected customer satisfaction “from the track to the parking lot to the station, on-board the trains and at Grand Central.”

Offered the choices of “not satisfied,” “satisfied” and “very satisfied,” 46% ticked off very satisfied. Furthermore, 88% said the service was the same or better than a year ago.

That’s a bit surprising as well, because according to Metro-North’s own figures, its on-time performance was actually substantially off in 2007. Overall, the railroad was on time 98.2% of the time in ‘06 (”on-time” of course meaning within 6 minutes of when it’s supposed to arrive), compared to 97.8% this year. Most lacking of the three lines was, strangely, this year’s top performer in terms of satisfaction. The Harlem line was on time 97.9% of the time in 2007, down from 99.2% in 2006.

Which I guess means Harlem Line riders are simply a lot happier than they were a year ago.

As the new issue of Mileposts boasts, that pesky railroad we call Metro-North has turned 25. “We play a crucial role in the lives of a lot of people, taking you to work, school, family and other destinations,” writes President Peter Cannito. “And in doing so, we made a difference in the economic and environmental well being of the region.”

Yeah, blah blah blah. Happy birthday, Metro-North. It being the silver anniversary and all, I may just mark the occasion by buying a one-way ticket entirely with nickels.

More importantly, Trainjotting turns 1 next week. We’ll be celebrating the milestone with Best-of’s all next week–those memorable Words of the Week, Straphanger Joes,  Engine Bobs and the occasional musing from yours truly from the past year. If a past post comes to mind that you think the rest of the Trainjotting world (uh, all six of you, including Mom) might enjoy, let us know.

And as has been teased recently, we’ll also be raising a few glasses in our honor at a bar to be determined on a date to be determined. We’re currently negotiating with the striking writer’s union as to whether or not I’ll be allowed to say a few funny words at the beginning of the event, but it should come to a resolution soon.

We’ll share the place and date as soon as we find one that works for most of our talented and tireless contributors.

Thanks to Little G, we end up spending a lot of time in Sodor—that is, the mythical island on which Thomas the Tank Engine and his train friends operate. All of the trains in Thomas’ world have unique personalities, whether it’s the narcissistic engine James or the perky young train Percy.  

That got us thinking—if Manhattan was Sodor, and vice versa, where would the Metro-North cast of characters fit in in Thomas’ little technicolor world? 

New Haven Line = Henry

Henry is a long train that “tends to be somewhat highly strung and prone to illness,” according to ThomasandFriends.com. The New Haven Line is highly strung as well–as in those arms extending to the electric catenary wires strung above the tracks. The most susceptible to foul weather of the three lines, New Haven is indeed prone to illness. Just ask any veteran rider of the line. 

The Harlem Line = Peter Sam

Peter Sam is “a happy and kind engine, but is a little vulnerable and often teased by the others.” Like Peter Sam, the Harlem Line suffers from a severe case of Middle Child Syndrome–not quite the doddering doofus that the New Haven Line is, not quite the beacon of efficiency that the Hudson Line is. 

MTA Board Member Mitchell Pally = Lady Hatt

Lady Hatt is Sir Topham Hatt’s wife and “a kind and gentile woman…who will also scold the engines when they act up or behave improperly.” Pally is the schoolmarm who wanted to do away with drinking on the trains.  

Slippery Rail Season = Lead Paint from China Used on Thomas Trains

Both lead paint and oily residue left on Metro North tracks force trains out of commission and leave their users gravely agitated.  

Finally, where, you ask, does our humble narrator, Thomas himself, fit into the equation? Thomas is described as a “cheeky, fussy little engine. He often gets into scrapes…but clouds never last long in Thomas’ world and he’s soon bustling about again.” 

Yes, that’d be you and me—the working stiffs shrugging off the floods and snowstorms and rude riders to turn up at our jobs in Sodor…er, Manhattan…each day.