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 FEBRUARY 15, 2012

SWRPA

STAMFORD, CT

 

 

Present were:  Jim Cameron, Chairman, Bob Jelley, Rodney Chabot, John Hartwell, Roger Cirella, Jeff Maron, Laura Cordes, Terri Cronin and Sue Prosi, members of the Council; Gene Colonese, DOT; Martin Cassidy, Stamford Advocate; John Austin, Member of the Public.

 

The minutes of the January 18, 2012 meeting were approved as corrected.

 

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

 

Jim Cameron reported that the Council’s annual report had been sent out to all interested parties.  He announced that the U.S. Senate had approved the bill keeping the public transit benefit for workers.  He went on to say that the issue of having the money brought in by the fare increase of January 1, 2012 go solely for transit, rather than benefiting the State’s general budget (HB-5067), is to be the subject of a press conference with St Rep. Gail Lavielle that he will attend in Hartford. 

 

M-8s

 

Gene Colonese announced that 84 new cars have been received, 78 have been accepted, and 66 are in service.  Terri Cronin said that there have been some reports on the Council’s Facebook page of a banging noise when M-8s go over a joint.  Mr. Colonese said that he knew nothing about that.

 

There was discussion about scrapping the old cars as M-8s are put into service.  Mr. Colonese said that only a few badly damaged old cars are being scrapped at this point.  He went on to say that the non-rehabilitated M-2s will be scrapped before those that have been through the CSR program.  Eventually all of the M-2s, M-4s and M-6s will be scrapped. 

 

Ms. Cronin said that bar car workers are of the view that bar cars will disappear from the New Haven line.  Mr. Colonese said that the plan is to fit out some of the M-8 pairs as bar cars.  Bob Jelley asked why they weren’t planning to fit out the single cars as bar cars.  As a result of concern about bar cars, Ms.  Cronin was appointed head of  subcommittee to look into revenue and all other matters affecting bar cars.

 

NEW HAVEN LINE TRAINS TO PENN STATION

 

There was discussion of the MTA announcement that there is serious study of running some New Haven line trains to Penn Station.  Mr. Jelley raised the question of the third rail into Penn Station where the shoe rides over the third rail, as opposed to third rail into GCT where the shoe rides under the rail.  Mr. Colonese said that the M-8s have a universal shoe that can ride both over and under.  Mr. Jelley questioned that. 

 

Mr. Jelley mentioned the Long Island Railroad’s planned Sunnyside Station and said that it would be convenient if New Haven trains going to Penn Station were able to stop at that station so as to permit passengers to go out to Long Island without the need to go into Penn Station.  There was also discussion of the fact that the MTA wants to put the New Haven line into Penn Station before East Side Access opens Grand Central Terminal to some LIRR trains. 

 

QUIET CARS

 

It was reported that there have been very favorable reports on the quiet cars. 

 

ROWDY BEHAVIOR ON TRAINS TO AND FROM PARADE FOR GIANTS

 

There were various reports of unpleasant crowd behavior on trains on the day of the parade for the Giants.  Mr. Cameron said that he had spoken to MTA PD Captain Jim McKenna, who said that they did a lot of work on parade day.  Capt. McKenna said that there had been nothing unusual for the police to handle that day.  Jeff Maron said that even on the 6:00 a.m. trains going into GCT there was celebration going on.  It was reported that there were over 10,000 extra riders on the trains that day.  There was general discussion as to how to control crowds going to and coming home from big events in New York City, particularly when there had been a lot of drinking.  Mr. Colonese said that it was just hard to deal with. 

 

CONNECTICUT BUDGET

 

There was extensive discussion of the recent fare increase money going back to the special transportation fund where it might be spent on non-rail operations.  Mr. Colonese said that it was to replenish the fund for extra money that had come out when there were no fare increases.  There was some discussion of the fact that the budget includes money for Shore Line East expansion on weekends to New London. 

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Laura Cordes said that she would like the Rail Council to become involved on the bridge closing issue, which interferes with increased service to New London. 

 

Mr. Colonese reported that the RFP for the new Stamford garage will be coming along soon.

 

John Austin asked what the DOT was doing about long-range plans for ridership increases. 

 

Mr. Colonese reported that bridge and track replacement on the Waterbury branch will probably take place in August.  That will require busing. 

 

Mr. Colonese reported that the signal installation on the Danbury line was coming along well.

 

There was some discussion of filling gaps in service, particularly on the Waterbury line.  Mr. Jelley mentioned the email from Metro North saying that there was not demand for increased service on the Waterbury line.  Mr. Jelley said that it was really a question of “the chicken and the egg”; he said that it was his view that in situations in Connecticut where there were alternatives to taking the train, it was necessary to increase rail service first, and that the demand would follow. 

 

Mr. Colonese mentioned the federal requirement of Positive Train Control by 2015.  He said that it was hard to do that in time, and that they hoped that a new side track on the Waterbury line might solve the problem. 

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.  The next meeting will be held on March 21, 2012 at SWRPA in Stamford.

 

Bob Jelley

Acting Secretary

Phone:  (203) 498-4306

E-mail:  rjelley@wiggin.com