Long Island's grade crossing problem

An increasingly growing problem with the LIRR has been the recent abundance of vehicle grade crossing strikes. In the last 2 years, there have been 4-5 significant ones. Most recently, on Feburary 3rd, an extra train running from Jamaica to Ronkonkoma (a result of earlier cancellations) struck a car around 7:15pm. Luckily, there were only a couple injuries and no fatalties but this comes to show the consequences of a bad decision. This shows that Long Island is in the midst of a grade crossing crisis.

Incident in Farmingdale on Feb 3rd

A common trend you will notice with the grade crossing strikes is that most of the more notable ones occur on the Ronkonkoma Branch. And this makes sense, given that not only are the grade crossings on the Ronkonkoma Branch are on straight, 80 mph high speed branch, but it also passes through some of the densest areas as well. At big railroad crossings with very frequent traffic, passenger vehicles and 80 mph multiple-units do not mix well. I think the main solution to this issue would be for the LIRR to look to either close or grade-separate the crossings on the Ronkonkoma Branch, at least the most prevalent ones. Many of the grade crossings on the Ronkonkoma Branch are just an accident waiting to happen. 

While the two most dangerous ones, Pond Rd and Ocean Avenue in Ronkonkoma are scheduled for elimination (which is a great thing), there are a couple other dangerous ones as well like Carleton Avenue in Central Islip, Suffolk Avenue in Brentwood, and Straight Path in Wyandanch are most cause for concern. Additionally, Broadway in Bethpage and Robbins Lane in Syosset have also been cited to be dangerous. I personally think eliminating these particular grade crossings as well would also help the issue and while this would be expensive, it would help significantly to prevent these accidents from happening. 

The LIRR should also do a better job educating drivers on the importance of practicing safety when on or near grade crossings. 

In the end, as Long Island grows and gets even more congested, grade crossing strikes will likely become even more common and the LIRR should do something about this issue now, and begin projects to eliminate the most dangerous ones before we lose more people to crossing strikes. 

What The Ronkonkoma Branch Timetable Could Look Like

It’s been a while since we’ve looked at a branch in the series of sample timetables but today, ladies and gentlemen we are back at it with the crowded Ronkonkoma Branch. But before I begin, guys, be aware, we are not entering the most complicated and complex part of the project, covering the biggest, crowded and complicated branches. 

Anyways, ridership along the Main Line (particularly the electrified segment east of Hicksville) is huge. You may know that Ronkonkoma is actually the second busiest station on the entire railroad that’s not in New York City, after Hicksville. This in mainly in part due to poor service levels in eastern Suffolk, as discussed in a post I wrote a couple of days ago, but also, in the 1980s, the railroad electrified the line all the way to Ronkonkoma and this resulted in a ridership boom along the branch. 

With that being said, providing adequate service levels on the Ronkonkoma Branch was no easy task. While the opening of the third track and Mid Suffolk Electric Yard definitely cleared up some of the worst capacity constraints, track space on the Main Line is still limited and during the height of the rush hour, when trying to manage sustainable levels of service with only 3 tracks from both Ronkonkoma and Huntington, along with supporting diesel trains from Port Jefferson, Speonk, and Oyster Bay, and the occasional local west of Hicksville, things can get difficult fast. 

For the purpose of these timetables, not surprisingly, I have given priority track space to the Ronkonkoma Branch, over other branches on the Main Line. I did this because ridership clearly reflects this, and given that it’s the second busiest branch, after Babylon, trains get crowded fast. 

Included in the linked .pdf file is the full sample weekday and weekend Ronkonkoma Branch timetable. Peak, off-peak, extra, and special event trains have all been included. Note that this is a new and improved timetable design.

The timetables have yet to include deadhead/non-revenue moves, both of which have been planned out alongside crew and equipment rotations on paper, using AI, and will be included in the attached PDF with the completion of this project. I tried to mostly minimize deadheading as much as possible since it’s essentially just wasted time, crew, and equipment hours but in some cases it was unavoidable to make the most out of the resources available. 

Key Assumptions 

• My only real assumption is that the LIRR will commit to improving service east of Ronkonkoma. Right now, stations east of Ronkonkoma such as Yaphank, Riverhead, and Greenport see easily some of the worst service levels in the entire MTA system. Seeing only 3 trips a day, the LIRR has done little to improve service over the years out there, however, last year they announced the construction of a brand new station in Yaphank, and with this my hope is that this will give some sort of incentive for the LIRR to improve service out there, especially since better reverse-peak service should be a no-brainer to cater to those going to the lab. 

Service Guidelines

• During the morning rush hour, a hodgepodge of local and express trains depart Ronkonkoma throughout the peak period. There is no true consistency in stopping patterns, and that is entirely in part due to the varying difference in service needed throughout the peak. Service generally emulates current levels however additional trains have been added to provide better service to all stations with more and better express service provided to drastically shorten the commutes of those who commute from the easternmost stations in Ronkonkoma, CI, and Brentwood.
• During the evening rush hour, service is also quite scattered. 
• During the off-peak period and on weekends, service to/from Ronkonkoma runs approximately every half-hour. Trains generally run to/from Penn Station, which is the preferred terminal during those hours. 
• During the busiest travel times on weekends, additional service has been added to reflect ridership and take load off existing trains. 
• I’ve yet to include service east of Ronkonkoma, which will be covered in a future post specifically about the North Fork.

Like Patrick O’Hara of the LIRR Today worded it, Ronkonkoma can be viewed as a monster. If you don’t constantly feed it trains it will turn around and gobble you up real fast. The Mainline is already one of the worst routes for overcrowding during rush hours, and if service isn’t provided at a satisfactory level you can expect to see people standing the entire 1h20m ride to Ronkonkoma. 

During the morning rush hour, one of the biggest issues with the LIRR’s ESA timetables is the elimination of true express service from Ronkonkoma. This was one of the best parts of the old schedule, with the fastest trains shaving upwards of 10 to even 15 minutes off the commute time from Ronkonkoma. I have long held that running a couple of  “super-expresses” from Ronkonkoma in the morning and back in the evening will go a long way in relieving crowding. 

Despite all the capacity constraints along the branch, I definitely feel I provided adequate service over the course of the morning rush hour, balancing speed with flexibility. In addition to the super-expresses mentioned above, intra-island and riders to alternate terminals were not forgotten and were instead treated to two the addition of two one-seats to Atlantic Terminal along with another to Hunterspoint Av, making more local stops to accommodate inter-island travelers. 

To speak on the train to Hunterspoint Av, I specifically timed this train, departing Ronkonkoma at the bright and early 5:13am, with the intention of appealing to construction workers (note all that development in that area of Queens), to allow for a direct ride for an early start. In addition, I feel the two Brooklyn trains will be well-travelled, especially by the Wall Street crowd, and train 2021 (the 6:56a from Ronkonkoma), is perfectly timed to allow for easy travel to downtown Brooklyn or the Financial District for a 9am start. To some (specifically those with a Manhattan-oriented logic), this may seam like wasted capacity, however, Intra-island travel along the Main Line is solid, and so is demand for the direct service to Brooklyn. By providing trains to alternate terminals, not only can you provide additional service without eating up precious Manhattan trackslots, but the trains can take on local stops for seamless inter-island travel. 

During the evening, I have completely revamped the structure of service to provide faster and more frequent service. It is much more difficult in the evening to balance service to two different terminals, oppose to just one in the morning. One of the most frustrating parts of the current timetable is the lack of options. There are a limited number of trains provided Ronkonkoma, and of these, a majority are very slow. I worked to include more express service, while still providing satisfactory local service. 

During the off-peak period, with a couple exceptions, service is generally provided every half-hour to/from Ronkonkoma, like today. You will notice that on the westbound weekday panel, two additional trains start Farmingdale towards Grand Central in the two hours directly following the end of the peak period. This is with the specific intent of providing Main Line stations west of Hicksville with a direct service line opportunity following the peak for anyone who needs it.

And finally, reverse-peak service remains quite similar to how it is today with a majority of the trains untouched. However, I have added a couple trains to New York during the evening, using existing equipment deadheads to do so. This will greatly reduce crossing on some current trains that are currently very crowded, even on a lot of non-event days. These new trains also provide faster options (i.e running express on the Main Line between Bethpage and Jamaica). One of these added trains, which runs on Fridays only, is actually a flyer that runs non-stop from Hicksville to Penn Station. 

In conclusion, despite the difficulties I faced, particularly during the busiest part of the peak period, I feel that I provided adequate service to and from Ronkonkoma and all other stations along the branch. By using the third track and the expanded Mid-Suffolk Electric Yard to my advantage, I was able to create a balance between satisfactory local service and high-speed express service, while balancing service out to all terminals in order to adequately serve each of their needs, meanwhile not leaving out intra-island riders. In the end, the Ronkonkoma Branch is a difficult branch, as unlike the other branches, which generally have a busy period, the Ronkonkoma Branch has a much wider window especially in the evening, as trains departing NYC as early as 2pm regularly rack up standees carrying all the construction workers home, and unlike most of the other branches, the crowds generally don’t let up until well after 11pm on some nights with people heading home after events at both Elmont and MSG.

Snow, Snow, Snow: Winter Storm Fern

Since we are now in the midst of a relatively large snowstorm, at least the largest in years, I decided why not take a look at something very important during a snowstorm. When to curtail transit service?

Over the last couple decades, transit agencies like the LIRR and even MNR have the adopted the practice of halting train service if snowfall exceeds a certain amount. Typically, once snow reaches above 10-13 inches, they will suspend service systemwide. In the old days, snow would never halt the trains, and if need be, they'd put a snow plow on the head end.

Why? One would think a 65-ton M7 or a 140-ton DM would easily be able to power through a couple inches of fluffy snow, and that very well is the case. The only problem could occur if snowfall exceeds the height of the third-rail, but even in that case preventive methods could occur before, and worst case they could just use the DMs.

But, that's not the issue here. The real problem isn't found in the LIRR's operating department, but instead in the public affairs department. In late December 2009, a huge snowstorm hit Long Island to close out the year, and a early morning Main Line train running with diesel equipment destined for Ronkonkoma became stranded just east of Wyandanch. Because the conditions were so bad, it wasn't safe to unload the passengers and were told to just sit tight. The passengers were then stuck on the train for hours, waiting for some train to come along and rescue them. 

The Standard Operating Procedure suggests that a rescue train should be brought up just along side the disabled one and the passengers should be transferred over to the new train so they could be on their merry way. However, at that point, it was single-tracked around Wyandanch and a spare DE/DM set wasn't possible. Therefore, the passengers had to sit there until they could either get a DE/DM going or send a rescue engine. Eventually, a MP15 got out there, dragged the passengers to Farmingdale where the passengers were set on a spare set. The protect set stationed in Hicksville was unable to reach the train due to frozen switches east of Hicksville, so they used an engine that was supposed to run on a snow extra to Greenport.

While it may not seam like a reason to halt snowstorm service, the news coverage on the incident was huge. Numerous news agencies covered the ordeal, and it wasn't good press for the railroad. The know-it-all Monday morning quarter-backing politicians were up in arms over the alleged "mishandling" of the situation. Ever since, the LIRR has been very skittish about operations in snow storms.

Nowadays, if snow totals exceed a certain amount they'll suspend service, therefore, if conditions do become bad, there won't be anyone on the trains to get stranded. Luckily, (well, for them), we don't get that much snow anymore, therefore, it's increasingly rare that this would be an issue. And, even if, they have lot's of snow fighting equipment.

Well, if we do actually get a decent amount of snow, which I hope, I'll definitely be shoveling tomorrow, and maybe even railfanning too, but I do have a nice post coming out tomorrow morning. 

LIRR’s Z trains to make a comeback

Photo: MTA

This weekend, the LIRR’s “Z trains” will make a comeback. Due to signal work at DIVIDE interlocking in Hicksville, for the weekend of November 8th and 9th, the LIRR will be operating the dual-mode “z trains” between Ronkonkoma and New York, which detour via the South Shore by reversing-ends in both Bethpage and Babylon, making local stops to Farmingdale before Jamaica, Woodside, and New York. 

While the Z train isn’t the technical term used by the railroad, it’s the unofficial name given to this type of service disruption by railfans as it refers to the route taking a Z.

These types of moves are pretty uncommon since generally, diesel equipment isn’t seen too often on the electrified portion of the Main Line east of Bethpage, and even more so stopping there. They’ve done the Z trains before and generally while it’s a hour-plus added travel-time detour, it gets the job done pretty well.

For those of you who travel on the Port Jefferson Branch, service will run between New York and Mineola, and between Huntington and Port Jefferson. Westbury and Carle Place stations will not be served at all, and Hicksville, Syosset, and Cold Spring Harbor stations will get shuttle busses to both Huntington and Mineola. 

In the end, while this is extremely frustrating and inconvenient for most people who needs to travel between Ronkonkoma and New York, this is hands down the best option to get people to New York as quickly as possible without using equally inadequate shuttle busses. It’s also a rare opportunity for railfans like myself to see moves like this that don’t happen very often.

Snow, Snow, Snow: Winter Storm Demi

Rumor has it that we'll receive some snow tomorrow morning. Over the last couple decades, transit agencies like the LIRR and even MNR have the adopted the practice of halting train service if snowfall exceeds a certain amount. Typically, once snow reaches above 10-13 inches, they will suspend service systemwide. In the old days, snow would never halt the trains, and if need be, they'd put a snow plow on the head end.

Why? One would think a 65-ton M7 or a 140-ton DM would easily be able to power through a couple inches of fluffy snow, and that very well is the case. The only problem could occur if snowfall exceeds the height of the third-rail, but even in that case preventive methods could occur before, and worst case they could just use the DMs.

But, that's not the issue here. The real problem isn't found in the LIRR's operating department, but instead in the public affairs department. In late December 2009, a huge snowstorm hit Long Island to close out the year, and a early morning Main Line train running with diesel equipment destined for Ronkonkoma became stranded just east of Wyandanch. Because the conditions were so bad, it wasn't safe to unload the passengers and were told to just sit tight. The passengers were then stuck on the train for hours, waiting for some train to come along and rescue them. The Standard Operating Procedure suggests that a rescue train should be brought up just along side the disabled one and the passengers should be transferred over to the new train so they could be on their merry way. However, at that point, it was single-tracked around Wyandanch and a spare DE/DM set wasn't possible. Therefore, the passengers had to sit there until they could either get a DE/DM going or send a rescue engine. Eventually, a MP15 got out there, dragged the passengers to Farmingdale where the passengers were set on a spare set. The protect set stationed in Hicksville was unable to reach the train due to frozen switches east of Hicksville, so they used an engine that was supposed to run on a snow extra to Greenport. 

While it may not seam like a reason to halt snowstorm service, the news coverage on the incident was huge. Numerous news agencies covered the ordeal, and it wasn't good press for the railroad. The know-it-all Monday morning quarter-backing politicians were up in arms over the alleged "mishandling" of the situation. Ever since, the LIRR has been very skittish about operations in snow storms.

Nowadays, if snow totals exceed a certain amount they'll suspend service, therefore, if conditions do become bad, there won't be anyone on the trains to get stranded. Luckily, (well, for them), we don't get that much snow anymore, therefore, it's increasingly rare that this would be an issue. And, even if, they have lot's of snow fighting equipment.

Well, if we do actually get a decent amount of snow, which I hope, I'll definitely be shoveling tomorrow, and maybe even railfanning too, but I do have a nice post coming out tomorrow morning. Make sure to check back Monday as well, as I'll be elaborating further on the LIRR's snow operations!