METRO NORTH NEW HAVEN RAIL COMMUTER COUNCIL

(Established in 1985 under Connecticut Public Act 85-239, now Sections 13b-212b and

13b -212c of the Connecticut General Statutes)

 

MINUTES OF MAY 18, 2011

METRO NORTH HEADQUARTERS

247 MADISON AVENUE

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

 

 

Present were:  Terri Cronin, Bob Jelley, Mitch Fuchs, Laura Cordes, Luke Schnirring, John Hartwell, Jeff Maron, Mark Maruszewski and Drew Todd, Members of the Council; Gene Colonese and Jim Redecker, CDOT; Howard Permut, Robert MacLagger, Tim McCarthy, John Hogan, Bernadette Cicchesi, Dan  O’Connell, Sue Doering and John Longobardi, MNR; Jim McKenna, MTA Police; Alex Karman, SWRPA; Harold Cobin, PATCH News; Martin Cassidy, Stamford Advocate; and John Austin, Member of the Public.

 

The meeting began at 6:00 p.m.

 

Vice Chair Terri Cronin introduced the attendees at the meeting.  She then introduced Howard Permut, President of Metro North, who gave an overview of the New Haven line and of its various problems, as follows:

 

●          NHL serves both Connecticut and New York State residents and is the busiest rail line in the United States.

 

●          Hosts a major commuter rail line, part of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor and various freight

operators.

 

●          In 2010, largest ridership increase for MNR occurred on the NHL.  Ridership was up

+2.8%; from 36.3 Million in 2009 to 37.3 Million in 2010. The average number of

weekday trips taken on the New Haven Line 289 daily trains totals over 127,000 trips.

 

●          The line serves multiple critical markets.

 

Ø  The traditional commute to Manhattan

 

Ø  Intra-line & discretionary travelers going to the theater, museums, or summer homes.

 

Ø  The reverse and intermediate commute to emerging employment centers such as Stamford and Greenwich. Over 16,000 people travel to those two stations every day.

 

●          Without NHL service to carry people to Stamford & points west, you would need to add up to 3 lanes in each direction on I-95 to handle the additional cars on the road.

 

COMPLEX OPERATION

 

●          The New Haven Line also shares the distinction of being the most complex rail operation in the United States. Rail cars must operate on two different power sources – overhead wire (AC) & third rail (DC).

 

●          Cars change power source while moving; unlike any other U.S. railroad and makes designing/building rail cars and right-of-way infrastructure much more expensive.

 

●          Despite these complexities, the line’s overall on-time performance reached 96.8% in 2010. While this is below Metro-North’s system-wide average of 97.7%, it is better than most commuter operations in the region and country.

 

●          Consist Compliance reached 97.2%, giving most customers a seat, compared to 2009 when consist compliance was only 95.2%.

 

●          In 2010, the AM consist compliance was 94.5% vs. 81.1% in 2007 and in the PM was 93.8% vs. 82.8% in 2007.

 

●          Good accomplishment—despite no additional cars, aging fleet—reflects hard work of all Metro-North.

 

●          It is this very reliability, and the convenience of our service, that is the foundation for our ridership growth and has fueled the economic growth in Stamford and Greenwich, as well as other areas of the state of Connecticut.

 

SERVICE AGREEMENT

 

●          MNR operates the NHL under a comprehensive service agreement with the State of Connecticut. Under this agreement:

 

Ø  MNR is responsible for the daily operations of the mainline/branches. Train schedules are determined by MNR and CDOT. CDOT oversees the schedules for the branch lines.

 

Ø  Fares for the main line must be approved by both the MTA and CDOT for the main line: effectively MTA sets the fares in NYS. CDOT controls fares on the Connecticut portion of the line, as well as for fares on travel between New York and Connecticut.

 

Ø  CDOT assumes 65% of the operating deficit for the main line & 100% for the 3 branch lines. The MTA is responsible for 35% of the main line deficit.

 

Ø  Responsibility for capital improvements to “fixed assets”— such as new rolling stock, shops & yards, stations, and replacing catenary lines and bridges--are divided at the states’ border

 

HISTORIC UNDER-INVESTMENT BY CONNECTICUT

 

●          As some of you may know, the New Haven Line has been underfunded in Connecticut starting 10-15 years ago.  Results:

 

Ø  Catenary & moveable bridges that are 100+ years old on the Connecticut portion of the line.

 

Ø  Inadequate Shop space: there are 36 repair spaces in New Haven Line shops (30 in New Haven; 6 in Stamford); by comparison there are 94 repair spaces at our Harlem and Hudson Line facilities in New York. Yet the fleets are approximately equal.

 

Ø  Investment in signal and power systems and stations has been deferred.

 

Ø  In total, there are over $2 billion dollars (unfunded) of basic infrastructure needs on the Connecticut portion of the line.

 

●          Compounded by lack of investment by Amtrak & Federal Gov’t.

 

●          Today, about half of the line in Connecticut is either out of service for maintenance, or operating under 100-year-old catenary wire. For those of you who travel between Southport and Bridgeport, on a daily basis you can see the 2 (out of 4) tracks that are out-of-service for catenary repairs (a 12 mile stretch).

 

●          We had to revise our train schedules and operating procedures so infrastructure repairs can be accommodated.

 

●          The most visible example of this disinvestment is illustrated by the fact that almost 70 percent of the line's fleet is 40 years old or more.

 

●          And this disinvestment has very real consequences. Last year, the Mean Distance Between Failure for the New Haven Line's older M2 fleet was a little more than 95,000 miles. Compare that to the newer M7s on the Hudson and Harlem Lines, where the Mean Distance Between Failure is almost 727,000 miles.

 

WINTER EXPERIENCE

 

●          Most obvious result of this disinvestment was what happened last winter

 

●          Despite the aged fleet, poor infrastructure, and other challenges, Metro-North employees have worked hard to ensure that the NHL performs well.  And as winter 2011 approached, customers had high expectations. 

 

●          Our successes, unfortunately, lulled them into a false sense of security, as one of the region’s most difficult winters severely impacted our service.

 

●          Six weeks of record snowfall, ice and sub-freezing temperatures exposed all the problems that exist with the old infrastructure and equipment, and the cost of deferring investment was fully realized.

 

●          The impact on the NHL—and our customers—was devastating. The line's antique fleet was crippled: Up to 40 percent of our cars were out of service after the cumulative effects of nine winter storms.

 

●          One of the key contributing factors was the fleet's antiquated design, which exposes key components to severe weather, especially snow and ice.

 

TOOK ACTION

 

●          Transferred locomotive-powered train sets from the Hudson & Harlem Lines to the NHL to limit the need for electric cars.

 

●          Implemented a new schedule on February 7 in which we were forced to operate our trains with fewer cars. We had to reduce service by about 10 percent during peak hours.

 

●          Reduced schedule enabled us to provide customers with a more reliable and consistent level of service.

 

●          Before it was implemented, the line’s on-time performance during the peak periods hovered at an extremely low 40-50%. Trains skipped stops and customers stood while riding on crowded rail cars.

 

●          Once the reduced schedule went into effect, on-time performance increased to 94-96% in those same periods.  The number of customers having to stand on trains in the AM peak dropped as we were able to fix railcars and add them back to trains. 

 

●          As announced, we returned to the regular schedule on March 7 and have been operating reliably at 96.8% since then, fixed the damaged cars and are operating a regular service. 

 

M8s

 

●          On March 1, we introduced the new M8s.

 

●          With Jim Cameron and others, I rode the first set of M8s that went into service, and the customer reaction was truly overwhelming. The train actually was applauded as it rolled into several stations. These cars are an improvement that was truly too long in coming, and they are greatly appreciated now that they are beginning to go into service.

 

●          Before the cars were put into service, the M8s went through over a year of rigorous testing to ensure a high quality car for the next 30 years. In addition, the first group of cars was also subjected to a 4,000-mile, simulated revenue service test to assure system reliability and safety.

 

●          Each subsequent M8 car will receive a series of tests prior to acceptance.

 

●          We are at the start of the roll out process. As we speak, a total of 20 M8s are conditionally accepted. By the end of the year, approximately 60-80 M8s will be in service.

 

●          The M8 has been engineered with many of the same technological advances improving service reliability that are featured in our popular M7 fleet operating on our Hudson and Harlem lines.

 

These include:

 

Ø  Critical solid state computer-controlled components located within the car body (instead of under the car) so that inclement weather is less likely to affect their operation.

Ø  Redundant systems, including dual roof-mounted HVAC units, providing greater reliability and ease of maintenance.

 

Ø  Prominent external destination signs and Public Address speakers improving customer communication.

 

Ø  Third rail and catenary power systems allowing for future operation on Shore Line East and to Penn Station.

 

 

●          The new cars have received overwhelmingly positive customer feedback.  Many customers have commented favorably on all of the new amenities and features, including the interior color scheme, seating, lighting, etc., many developed after extensive input from customer focus groups.

 

●          Now provide customers with an M8 Update page on our website at www.mta.info and will be updated periodically to provide the most current information on the M8 rail car procurement.

 

PRODUCTION PROGRESS

·                  Kawasaki is assessing potential impacts of the events in Japan on the production of parts that will be used in cars to be built in Nebraska.

·                  To date, there has been no impact on delivery of the 38 cars being produced in Japan due to the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disturbance there

·                  So far there has been no production impact in Lincoln, Nebraska, due to recent events in Japan

·                  The Lincoln plant was shut down for the month of April due to a production error with bracket welds that hold components to the underside of the cars. The brackets welds are made by several manufacturers near the Kawasaki plant in Kobe, Japan. The bracket problem is unrelated to the earthquake. The issue with the bracket welds has been addressed and it will have no adverse impact on the Lincoln production line.

·                  The brackets welds are not a safety concern, but could be a durability issue and, therefore, the bracket welds will be replaced with uniform size and strength brackets that conform to design specifications.

·                  Production has started at the Lincoln plant and should be in full operation by the end of May; the first cars are due out of Lincoln by early July 2011.

LOOKING AHEAD

 

●          While there is good progress with the M8s, it is important to remember that for next winter only about ¼ of the car requirement for New Haven Line service will be M8s, while ¾ will be the old fleet.  It is not until 2013 at the earliest that we will have a completely new fleet.

●          Our infrastructure will remain constrained because of the age of the catenary, bridge, power and signal systems.

 

●          For the next 10 years we will face operating restrictions imposed on by the ongoing catenary replacement project and moveable bridge work on the line.

 

●          As a result, next winter's service will again be a challenge.

 

●          Will work with CDOT to prepare plan for winter schedule:  concept for service schedule, bus contracts, communication plans

 

●          M2/4/6 CSR will not help; 12-18 month lead time before start.  Will take 4 years to complete all cars.

 

●          Fortunately, Connecticut’s new governor understands the critical need for increased investment in the New Haven Line’s fleet and infrastructure.

 

●          With the support of the new administration, we have already invested in 38 additional M-8 rail cars—for a total of 380 new cars. Connecticut has also identified an additional $250 million of rail investments.

●          This is the type of investment that is sorely needed to ensure service reliability. As I mentioned at the start of my talk, the New Haven Line plays a major role meeting the transportation needs of region’s residents and businesses, and is crucial to economic growth of Connecticut and New York.  Only government can ensure its continuing role in these successes by making its proper funding a priority.

 

Following Mr. Permut’s talk, Ms. Cronin asked about problems with supplies for the new M-8s from Japan, and in particular, mentioned a problem with brackets.  Mr. Permut said that Kawasaki had first thought that the earthquake in Japan would have no impact on parts supplies, but in looking at the brackets that hold various pieces of equipment underneath the car, they decided that the welds were not deep enough to give the brackets an infinite life.  Test to the present brackets show an 11 year life.  There was a two month delay in construction in Nebraska awaiting new bracket design.  Twenty cars now in service have defective brackets, which will be replaced within a year.  

 

Ms. Cronin then asked what the problem was with the brakes on a particular M-8 car.  Tim McCarthy said that when there is no air pressure available to release a brake, there is a pulley system for manually releasing the brake.  Because the train crew didn’t fully understand the pulley system, they did not entirely release one brake, and an M-8 car went through the Park Avenue tunnel with the brake partially on.  They are improving instructions to train crews. 

 

Jeff Maron asked about where remaining cars from Japan were.  Mr. Permut said that four cars were still in Kobe, two were on a ship, and four were in Baltimore.  He said it would take awhile for them to get to New Haven.  He went on to say that he expected that it would be about October before Kawasaki’s plant in Nebraska would be producing ten new cars a month.  

 

Mr. Permut said that the signal system on the Danbury branch is expected to be completed in December, 2012.  He went on to say that a new signal system for the New Haven line is under construction in Westchester County, but that Connecticut has not yet funded replacement of the signal system in Connecticut.  He said that Connecticut was expected to apply for high speed rail money from the federal government for a new signal system.  Jim Redeker pointed out that Amtrak does not contribute any funds for capital improvements in the northeast corridor. 

 

In answer to a question from Bob Jelley, Mr. Permut said that a new substation to supply power in New Haven and other power improvements were well under way.

 

In answer to question from Drew Todd, Mr. Permut said that he expected 60 M-8 cars by the end of 2011. 

 

Mitch Fuchs asked why roadways under the railroad were being widened when the rail bridge above is being replaced.  Gene Colonese said that the policy is to do necessary road improvements as bridges are replaced. 

 

In talking about performance during the past winter, Mr. Permut said that they took three diesel trains from the Hudson and Harlem lines during the worst of the winter storm and put them on the New Haven line, thereby reducing Hudson and Harlem line service. 

 

In answer to a question from Jeff Maron about the scrapping of old cars, Mr. Permut said that Metro North and DOT continue to talk about whether and when to scrap old cars and whether or not to start a new CSR program. 

 

In answer to another question, Mr. Redeker said that DOT intends to hold hearings so as to impose the legislated 1-1/4% fare increase in January, 2012. 

 

In answer to a question about the shorter expiration dates for tickets and the $10 refund fee, Sue Doering said that there had been plenty of notice about changes.  She went on to say that the $10 refund fee covers all tickets included in a single request for refund, not $10 per ticket.  Mr. Permut said that the $10 refund fee and the shorter validity period were intended to cover uncollected tickets.  John Hartwell argued that the failure to collect tickets is a railroad problem and that it was unfair to penalize people in some other way.  Mr. Permut said that fare collection is a very complicated matter.  As for seat checks, he said all off peak and weekend trains must be seat checked.  In addition all peak trains require a seat check except one or two-zone trains.  Mr. Permut went on to say that there is much more short distance travel on Metro North than on any other US railroad except BART.  He said that short travel distance made it very hard to collect tickets. 

 

Ms. Cronin asked if there was anything new on the issue of WIFI on trains.  Mr. Permut said that they were doing some testing and the request for proposals was being checked. 

 

BRANCH LINE ISSUES

 

Mr. Hartwell raised the question of Danbury line trains also making stops at the stations in Darien.  He said that adding those stops made the trip longer.  Robert McLaughlin said that the less busy Danbury trains don’t have enough passengers to stop at only Danbury line stations.

 

Laura Cordes asked about more service to and from New London.  Mr. Redeker said there would be no weekend service this summer because they were still monitoring bridge operations.  He said another year of monitoring was required in addition to more money for trains.  He went on to say Amtrak is considering a high-level bridge over the Connecticut River.

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m. 

 

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at SWRPA in Stamford, CT.

 

Bob Jelley

Secretary

Phone:  (203) 498-4306

E-mail:  rjelley@wiggin.com