Minutes

October 17,2001

Onboard Shore Line East Train # 3646

Minutes of the June Meeting were approved. Chairman Rodney Chabot took the opportunity to thank Mr. Ray Cox - CDOT and Jim Turngren - AMTRAK for arranging for the use of SLE equipment to hold the Commuter Council meeting.

Old Business

The Solari Boards are all working with exception of track 14 reported Mike Donnarumma of CDOT. Council member Lee Carlson indicated that the track assignments were not working on the boards located in the tunnels. Lynda Pantalena of AMTRAK indicated that the boards were working, however the track assignments will only activate 6 minutes prior to departure.

Council member Lee Carlson introduced a letter from Laura Raymond a Shoreline East commuter. The issues which Ms. Raymond are concerned with, are related to maintenance of SLE equipment and ACELA scheduling which interferes with scheduled SLE departures. Mr. Cox indicated that the maintenance issue is related to staffing and budget cuts. He further indicated he would supply the Council with a detailed listing of the proposed budget cuts. Mr. Turngren indicated that the scheduling delays were unavoidable but equipment related.

Mr. Cox reported that the State Street Station is expected to be completed in April 2002.

Council member Jelley inquired if any thought has been given to tying city bus schedules to train schedules. Chairman Chabot indicated that the local municipalities do in fact try to tie the bus schedules and train schedules especially during rush hour.

Stanton Otis of SLERA reported that Madison commuters are receiving parking tickets in the

other Madison lots, while non-commuters are using the rail parking lots. Mr. Cox indicated that

this is a local police issue. but CDOT is looking to add parking to the Madison lot.

E.C.Schroder of SLERA reported that a gas station is parking its repair cars in the rail lot causing a loss of spaces and access. Mr. Turngren indicated that he would have the AMTRAK police follow up.

Mr. Donnarumma reported that on the Waterbury branch line busses were substituted on 5 occasions during the month of September. All substitutions were for equipment related reasons. He further reported that there were 311 trains run on the Waterbury branch during that same period.

Mr. Donnarumma reported that on the New Canaan branch line busses were substituted on 70 occasions during the month of September. The substitutions were required for brush cutting and the closing of Grove Street for re-grading. He further reported that there were 905 trains run during that same period.

Mr. Donnarumma reported that on the Danbury line busses were substituted on 28 occasions during the month of September. Track maintenance accounted for 24 and equipment issues accounted for the balance. He further indicated that there were 298 trains run during that same period.

Chairman Chabot requested the status update of the CTC signal system on the Danbury branch line. The original proposal was for the burial of wires. Due to excessive costs that approach was being re-evaluated. Mr. Cox reported that new bids were being requested for overhead wiring. He further added, that some of the costs would be federally funded.

Chairman Chabot commented that there still was a lack of street level monitors at the Stamford station. It was noted that there is a plan for street level monitors, however they probably will not be installed until the station is almost completed.

Council member Jelley indicated that there is confusion with doors not opening on the center island platform when west bound trains arrive on track 5 (slot). Council member Mohs indicated that the both doors open when a train arrives in the slot. There is a delay due to the fact that the doors are manually opened. That delay is only a few seconds until the conductor opens each side.

Mr. Donnarumma reported that there would be major wirework preformed this weekend. He further indicated that there would be a groundbreaking ceremony sometime this month for the Stamford parking garage expansion project. In addition, he supplied the council with a status report prepared by Dennis Murphy CDOT Engineering, which outlines the progress to date.

The Legislative Update was postponed and will be transferred to next month’s agenda.

There was no other old business.

New Business

1. Citing numerous complaints of trains being short cars, Chairman Chabot inquired as to the Shop Backlog. Mr. Cox reported that there were 36 cars out of service at the present time. He further indicated that the shop was operating 3 shifts in an attempt make as many cars operable as possible. Council member Mohs reiterated that with winter fast approaching we don’t want to start out short.

2. Mr. Colonese reported that ridership; post 9/11/01 was down significantly. While part of the decrease was caused by the catastrophic events of 9/11/01, the shut down of lower Manhattan also contributed. For the purposes of the following statistics ridership was tested only from 9/17/01.

Peak 4 to 5% Decrease

Off Peak 5% Decrease

Weekend 15% Decrease

Reverse 20 to 30 % Decrease

3. Captain Sean McLaughlin from the MTA Police attended the council meeting and was kind enough to brief the Council on the additional security measures that have been put in place in light of the 9/11/01 disaster. Captain Mclaughlin reported that after 9/11 the structure of security has changed. The MTA Police is in constant contact with both the NYPD and FBI. Security at GCT has been supplemented with National Guard Troops. The MTA Police like other law enforcement agencies are on High Alert, cameras have been added and are being monitored 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Additional Police have been added to trains and are working 12 hours a day 6 day a week shifts. Tunnel patrols have been stepped up. He added, that GTC is now a Frozen Zone, all vehicles entering are searched. While he in indicated that the added security was extremely costly, FEMA would be picking up the additional expenses.

4. Mr. Cox reported that there was no funding for the new West Haven/ Orange train station. He further added that he didn’t see any funding in the near future.

5. Mr. Colonese reported that the annual Consumer Satisfaction Survey would commence in November of 2001. He added that the Cell Phone question would be postponed until 2002.

6. Prior to the Council Meeting, while on the outbound New Haven run, the Council had the opportunity to meet approximately 20 of the SLE commuters and discuss many of their issues. The majority of the commuters indicated that they were satisfied with the commute, they did cite ACELA scheduling caused delays and schedule changes. Mr. Turngren indicated that equipment shortages necessitated the changes. Other issues raised were parking at the SLE stations, busing and long waits for connections from Metro North trains to SLE trains, especially in the evening. Mr. Cox indicated that CDOT was looking into additional parking along the SLE line.

In Attendance

Rodney Chabot, Chairman Jim Finch, Frmr Council Member-Hamden

Jim Mohs, Secretary Vanessa Wheeler, Commuter-Clinton

Ed Zimmerman, Council Member Ronnie Olinski, Commuter-Madison

Peter Marcuse, Council Member Mel Olinski, Commuter-Madison

Bob Jelley, Council Member Donna Patton, Commuter-Guilford

Lee Carlson, Council Member Joan D’Orsi, Commuter- Clinton

E.C.Schroeder, SLERA Dave Kozma, Commuter-Branford

Stanton Otis, SLERA Jim Bamman, Commuter, Guilford

Donna Gallo, CDOT Melanie Belanger, Commuter, Westbrook

Michele Salvatore, CDOT John Lannon, Commuter, East Lyme

Mike Donnarumma, CDOT Mike Brown, Commuter, New London

Ray Cox, CDOT Steve Barbee, Commuter, Guilford

Fred Chidester, Metro North Marjorie Pawling, Commuter, Guilford

Ted Bowen, Metro North George Samberaz, Commuter, Guilford

Joe Kanell, Metro North Gerard Zabik, Commuter, Niantic

Jim Turngren, AMTRAK Katharine Ramage, Commuter, New London

Lynda Pantalena, AMTRAK Betty Freeborn, Commuter, Guilford

Captain Sean McLaughlin, MTA Police Mary Lally, Commuter, Madison

Jason Page, WLAD Radio Lisa Keny, Commuter, Clinton

Eric Levy, WQUN Radio Amy Amenta, Commuter, Clinton

Marc Wiznia, WTNH Eugene Colonese, Metro North

Chris Valardi, WTNH

Marc Ciesensei, WTNH

Karen Florin, Reporter, Day of New London

Notice of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday November 14, 2001 at 7:30 PM at the Danbury Train Station.

Respectfully submitted,

James N. Mohs

Secretary