Comments for trainjotting.com http://trainjotting.com Tales from the Rails Wed, 23 May 2012 16:03:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Eleven Charged in ‘Enormous’ LIRR Disability Scheme by bill http://trainjotting.com/2011/10/28/3482/#comment-23043 bill Wed, 23 May 2012 16:03:36 +0000 http://trainjotting.com/?p=3482#comment-23043 there should be no amnesty deals for any of these people who steal from the public, who are bankrupting the system and cannot even work to 50 in an already too generous pension plan. there should be no amnesty deals for any of these people who steal from the public, who are bankrupting the system and cannot even work to 50 in an already too generous pension plan.

]]> Comment on New York’s Got Talent by Michelle http://trainjotting.com/2012/05/16/new-yorks-got-talent/#comment-22979 Michelle Wed, 16 May 2012 22:45:31 +0000 http://trainjotting.com/?p=4168#comment-22979 Indeed, these musicians do put a smile on my face, especially the 'Saw Lady' http://youtu.be/lPvTTc7jAVQ who has a contagious smile on her own face :) I love relaxing to her angelic sounds while waiting for the #6 train. Indeed, these musicians do put a smile on my face, especially the ‘Saw Lady’ http://youtu.be/lPvTTc7jAVQ who has a contagious smile on her own face :) I love relaxing to her angelic sounds while waiting for the #6 train.

]]> Comment on Station Photo Project is ‘Unstoppable’ by Heather http://trainjotting.com/2012/05/15/station-photo-project-is-unstoppable/#comment-22974 Heather Wed, 16 May 2012 00:04:24 +0000 http://trainjotting.com/?p=4161#comment-22974 I had the pleasure of meeting our favorite station-photographing blogger Saturday at Grand Central :) I had the pleasure of meeting our favorite station-photographing blogger Saturday at Grand Central :)

]]> Comment on If Train Stations Could Speak… by Emily http://trainjotting.com/2012/05/10/if-train-stations-could-talk/#comment-22942 Emily Thu, 10 May 2012 18:11:37 +0000 http://trainjotting.com/?p=4147#comment-22942 We're a bit too late, unfortunately. It was torn down yesterday. We’re a bit too late, unfortunately. It was torn down yesterday.

]]> Comment on Time For Another Best Commuter Town Poll by scarsdude http://trainjotting.com/2012/05/02/time-for-another-best-commuter-town-poll/#comment-22891 scarsdude Fri, 04 May 2012 17:15:01 +0000 http://trainjotting.com/?p=4130#comment-22891 If it weren't for its proximity to Central Ave and the lack of express trains, Scarsdale might actually be a candidate for an ideal commuter town. To a Garth Road resident, (not so much to a 1%-er) Scarsdale has a lot to offer: Walking distance from your co-op, it's on the relatively punctual Harlem line, sorta ample parking, modern amenities (Dunkin Donuts AND Starbucks practically ON the platform?), recent station renovations, not to mention the desirable zip code in which to receive your monthly commutation. I rather enjoyed my commute to/from Scarsdale for a few years, back before they did the station renovations and the big businesses moved in. It was less than 30 minutes to/from GCT, but I eventually moved north to get more bang for my family's buck. If it weren’t for its proximity to Central Ave and the lack of express trains, Scarsdale might actually be a candidate for an ideal commuter town. To a Garth Road resident, (not so much to a 1%-er) Scarsdale has a lot to offer: Walking distance from your co-op, it’s on the relatively punctual Harlem line, sorta ample parking, modern amenities (Dunkin Donuts AND Starbucks practically ON the platform?), recent station renovations, not to mention the desirable zip code in which to receive your monthly commutation.
I rather enjoyed my commute to/from Scarsdale for a few years, back before they did the station renovations and the big businesses moved in. It was less than 30 minutes to/from GCT, but I eventually moved north to get more bang for my family’s buck.

]]> Comment on Riding in Style: Club Meeting in the Caboose by Eric R. http://trainjotting.com/2012/05/03/riding-in-style-club-meeting-in-the-caboose/#comment-22884 Eric R. Thu, 03 May 2012 18:41:29 +0000 http://trainjotting.com/?p=4132#comment-22884 There is still a commuter club in New Jersey. I think it's they only one left. They had half a car renovated for their one round trip a day. http://www.jerseyshorecommutersclub.com/ There is still a commuter club in New Jersey. I think it’s they only one left. They had half a car renovated for their one round trip a day.

http://www.jerseyshorecommutersclub.com/

]]> Comment on Time For Another Best Commuter Town Poll by Andrew Barovick http://trainjotting.com/2012/05/02/time-for-another-best-commuter-town-poll/#comment-22879 Andrew Barovick Thu, 03 May 2012 14:37:37 +0000 http://trainjotting.com/?p=4130#comment-22879 A great commuter town has to at least have the possibility of a pleasant and efficient commute. I love Larchmont, where I live, but if you must rely on the MetroNorth trains to make it into the City in a timely way, good luck. Trains are late and overcrowded, without sufficient notice, on a regular basis, and that's the pleasant part of the story. Between late September and late April, when the weather may become cold, and an errant snowflake or two might fall, MetroNorth often shuts down entirely, stranding commuters and upending their business lives. Whether you can't get into the City, can't find a seat, can't squeeze yourself into an overcrowded train car, or can't breathe sufficiently because the AC has failed and it's 105 degrees on the tracks, MetroNorth is above providing refunds to its customers for its failures to deliver what customers have paid for. So I love my town of Larchmont. But unless you're being chaufferred into work in a limo, as the head of MetroNorth likely is, if he is smart, it's not a great commuter town. A great commuter town has to at least have the possibility of a pleasant and efficient commute. I love Larchmont, where I live, but if you must rely on the MetroNorth trains to make it into the City in a timely way, good luck. Trains are late and overcrowded, without sufficient notice, on a regular basis, and that’s the pleasant part of the story. Between late September and late April, when the weather may become cold, and an errant snowflake or two might fall, MetroNorth often shuts down entirely, stranding commuters and upending their business lives. Whether you can’t get into the City, can’t find a seat, can’t squeeze yourself into an overcrowded train car, or can’t breathe sufficiently because the AC has failed and it’s 105 degrees on the tracks, MetroNorth is above providing refunds to its customers for its failures to deliver what customers have paid for.
So I love my town of Larchmont. But unless you’re being chaufferred into work in a limo, as the head of MetroNorth likely is, if he is smart, it’s not a great commuter town.

]]> Comment on Time For Another Best Commuter Town Poll by jerseyjim http://trainjotting.com/2012/05/02/time-for-another-best-commuter-town-poll/#comment-22878 jerseyjim Thu, 03 May 2012 14:17:50 +0000 http://trainjotting.com/?p=4130#comment-22878 This could be our year!!! A co-worker asked a ballot question: Does Hoboken qualify as a "commuter-town"? This could be our year!!!

A co-worker asked a ballot question: Does Hoboken qualify as a “commuter-town”?

]]> Comment on Homeowners Trade Trees For Tracks by toori http://trainjotting.com/2012/05/02/homeowners-trade-trees-for-tracks/#comment-22868 toori Wed, 02 May 2012 17:28:21 +0000 http://trainjotting.com/?p=4126#comment-22868 As I remind myself constantly: The good thing about living near a train station is that you have very good, nearby mass transit that runs well in both directions at all hours of the day and well into the night. My husband and I are a zero car commute family living within spitting distance of a Metro North Harlem line station. I work from home, he walks to the station and snoozes all the way to NYC. We love the fact that we don't have to cringe every time the price of gas goes up 20 cents. It has also given us our choice of Catholic high schools without worrying about whether New York is going to significantly reduce out of district bussing (Kennedy? Fordham? Iona Prep? Ursuline? Maria Regina? - they all provide van or connecting bus service from the local train station or have a station nearby). So, the good thing about living near a train station is having the convenience of a train station. The bad thing about living near a train station is that, well, we live near a train station. :-) As I remind myself constantly:

The good thing about living near a train station is that you have very good, nearby mass transit that runs well in both directions at all hours of the day and well into the night. My husband and I are a zero car commute family living within spitting distance of a Metro North Harlem line station. I work from home, he walks to the station and snoozes all the way to NYC. We love the fact that we don’t have to cringe every time the price of gas goes up 20 cents. It has also given us our choice of Catholic high schools without worrying about whether New York is going to significantly reduce out of district bussing (Kennedy? Fordham? Iona Prep? Ursuline? Maria Regina? – they all provide van or connecting bus service from the local train station or have a station nearby).

So, the good thing about living near a train station is having the convenience of a train station. The bad thing about living near a train station is that, well, we live near a train station. :-)

]]> Comment on Track 61 Revisited by Paul http://trainjotting.com/2011/11/08/track-61-revisited/#comment-22799 Paul Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:40:49 +0000 http://trainjotting.com/?p=3550#comment-22799 The mystery was solved a couple of months back in an article in Trains magazine. The mysterious baggage car carries the same markings as the double ended wreck crane and associated flat car owned by Metro North. These cars were use by a contractor whose job was to clear derailments under Grand Central and repair any damage. The baggage car was used to house spare switch frogs and other equipment. As to the car that carried FDR's auto, it was a "horse car" owned by the Baltimore and Ohio RR. The horse car was similar in design to a baggage car with the exception that it had only on very large central door on each side. The width of the door allowed for easy loading and unloading of horses and later FDR's auto. The rest of the wreck repair equipment is located at a museum in Danbury Connecticut. The mystery was solved a couple of months back in an article in Trains magazine. The mysterious baggage car carries the same markings as the double ended wreck crane and associated flat car owned by Metro North. These cars were use by a contractor whose job was to clear derailments under Grand Central and repair any damage. The baggage car was used to house spare switch frogs and other equipment. As to the car that carried FDR’s auto, it was a “horse car” owned by the Baltimore and Ohio RR. The horse car was similar in design to a baggage car with the exception that it had only on very large central door on each side. The width of the door allowed for easy loading and unloading of horses and later FDR’s auto. The rest of the wreck repair equipment is located at a museum in Danbury Connecticut.

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