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 OCTOBER 20, 2010

SWRPA

STAMFORD, CT

 

 

Present were:  Jim Cameron, Chairman; Sue Prosi, Bob Jelley, John Hartwell, Rodney Chabot, Terri Cronin, Luke Schnirring, Drew Todd, Jeff Maron and Roger Cirella, members of the Council; Gene Colonese and Jim Redeker, DOT; Joe Kanell, John Hogan, John Longobardi and Susan Doering, MNR; Jim McKenna and John Kerwick, MTA Police; Jeff Newman, MetroGreen; Harold Cobin, PATCH News; Martin Cassidy, Stamford Advocate; John Austin, member of the public.

 

The Minutes of the meeting of September 22 were approved.

 

MAIN LINE ISSUES

 

Gene Colonese reported on passenger counts on trains that Terri Cronin, at the last meeting, said were overcrowded.  He reported Train 1433, with seven cars, had a passenger count of 742; 92% of capacity.  Train 1427, with nine cars, had a passenger count of 839; 88% capacity.  Train 1456 with eight cars, had a passenger count of 704; 84% capacity and train 1439 with six cars had a passenger count of 589; 86% capacity. 

 

Luke Schnirring reported that on the day of the meeting, there were no seat checks used on train 1439 and no conductor checking tickets.  He also reported that someone had brought a chest of drawers on to the train.  There was general discussion of people bringing items on to trains that needed to be placed in the vestibules. 

 

Mr. Colonese reported that he had looked into the question of bus parking at the yet to be opened Metro Station in Fairfield, and that he was working with the Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority to assure that there was some bus parking. 

 

METRO NORTH FARE INCREASES AND OTHER CHANGES

 

Jim Redecker said that the DOT was awaiting a letter from MTA about the fare increases and other changes.  He said that CT will oppose the elimination of the web ticket discount and the mail and ride discount. 

 

METRO NORTH EMPLOYEE OVERTIME

 

There was general discussion of the newspaper article listing the amount of overtime pay earned by certain Metro North employees.  Bob Jelley pointed out that they were all involved in construction or maintenance and that none were operating personnel.  Jim Cameron suggested that maybe it was appropriate to discuss the issue with Metro-North officials at our next meeting at GCT.

 

STATION REPAIRS

 

Mr. Colonese reported that some platform canopy repairs had been completed but said that Noroton Heights and some others were being held up by track outages.  He said that Noroton Heights and South Norwalk would be finished in December but Fairfield and Westport might be held up until spring. 

 

BAG CHECKS BY POLICE

 

MTA Police Captain Jim McKenna reported that random bag checks are done at all MTA facilities.  He said that passengers can refuse to have their bag checked, but then they can’t get on the train.  He said that a bag check might be done on every, for example, sixth passenger, and that there was no profiling.  He said that this had been done in CT since 2007 and had been done at least 100 times this year.  Ms. Cronin asked what couldn’t be carried and Capt. McKenna said that basically they were looking for bombs.  He said that passengers can carry guns if they have a permit.  Jeff Maron asked about dogs or police walking through trains, and the answer was that they continue to do that, but that bag checks were not conducted on the trains enroute.  Mr. Cameron suggested that the police should publicize the fact that they are doing bag checks.  He also asked about the right to take photographs of trains.  Jim McKenna said that it was not illegal to take photographs of trains. 

 

LOST AND FOUND

 

Drew Todd talked about the lost and found department at GCT.  Sue Doering said that depending on the item, they are held at lost and found for 90 days to three years.  After that, if not claimed, they are sold to a vendor.  In answer to a question, Ms. Doering said that the lost and found personnel look inside bags for identification to contact the owners. 

 

METRO GREEN

 

Mr. Jeff Newman Malkin Properties, the developer of Metro Green, near Stamford station, reported on the possible availability of commuter parking in the new parking garage being built in connection with their residential apartment construction.  Mr. Maron said that he thought it looked like good substitute parking. 

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Mr. Cameron reported that after a recent Yankees playoff game, there was only one person in the garage in Stamford to take payments, resulting in a very long line of cars to exit.  Mr. Colonese promised to follow-up with Pro-Park.  [REPORT]

 

Mr. Jelley reported that he had learned from Mr. Colonese that DOT and the United Illuminating Company had entered into a contract for construction for a new electrical substation in New Haven and construction would begin next year and would be completed in 2012.  Mr. Colonese reported that it was a difficult negotiation. 

 

In answer to a question, Mr. Redecker said that there are 14 M-8s at New Haven, that testing was going according to schedule, but that he did not know when they would begin regular operations. 

 

Bob Jelley said that on the previous Sunday, October 17, the 10:07 am train to New Haven had only six cars open and became very crowded and that two additional cars were not opened until the train was about to leave GCT.  He said that in the last couple of years the issue of too many closed cars had virtually disappeared on that particular train, and that he hoped that Sunday’s performance was not the beginning of a return of conductors keeping too many cars closed.  John Longobardi said he would look into it.   [REPORT]

 

Rodney Chabot raised the question of the position of the ticket machines at New Canaan station, and said that they were turned so that the sun frequently shown on them, making it almost impossible to read the display. 

 

Roger Cirella once again asked for more service on the Waterbury line, particularly at the end of the work day, and Mr. Colonese said the issue was not lack of equipment, but a single track with no signals. 

 

Mr. Cameron reported that the Town of Darien held hearings on a variety of issues dealing with station parking but ended up merely raising the annual rates by $50 per year. 

 

Jeff Maron said that it was his view that even though the M-2 rehabilitation program had ended, DOT should undertake to rehabilitate some of the M-4 trains.  He also reported on the number of people who were still parking across the line and taking two parking spaces at Stamford garage. 

 

Mr. Cameron reported that Connor Murphy and John Testani had resigned from the Council.  This is in addition to the earlier resignation by Jeff Steele. 

 

Mr. Cameron was re-elected Chairman of the Council with Terri Cronin appointed as Vice Chairman (with the possibility of a second vice chairman) and Bob Jelley as Secretary

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:45.  The next meeting will take place in New Haven at 6:00 pm on November 17, 2010.

 

Bob Jelley

Secretary

Phone:  (203) 498-4306

E-mail:  rjelley@wiggin.com