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 DECEMBER 19, 2007

THE OFFICES OF SWRPA

STAMFORD GOVERNMENT CENTER

STAMFORD, CT

 

 

Present were:  Jim Cameron, Chairman; Rodney Chabot, Bob Jelley, Joe McGee, Terri Cronin, Chris DeSanctis, Jeff Maron, Sue Prosi, and Jeff Steele, members of the Council; Gene Colonese and Al Martin, CDOT; Jeff Watson, Tom Tendy, Scott Ornstein and

John Longobardi, Metro North Railroad; Mark Ginocchio, Stamford Advocate; John Austin, Sr., Steven and Donna Kapsinow, and Kristan Tulp, members of the public.

 

The November Minutes were approved with several corrections.

 

Jim Cameron announced that long-time Council member, Peter Meyers, had died.  He spoke at some length of his effective service on the Council.  There was then a moment of silence. 

 

CATENARY REPLACEMENT PROJECT

 

Mr. Cameron summarized the events since the November meeting.  He said that on November 28, signs were posted at stations from Milford to Noroton Heights saying that beginning Monday, December 3rd, peak morning trains would operate on track 4, the normal eastbound track.  When the Council learned of that development, it immediately contacted the DOT to speak of the inconvenience of the track 4 platform during winter months, with no shelters, no ticket machines, no newspapers or coffee shops.  Before the end of the week, Governor Rell reversed the decision of the DOT and Metro North and ordered that bridgeplates be installed over track 3 so that morning peak trains could operate on track 1.  Mr. Cameron went on to say that the Council was very disappointed that the DOT had not discussed this important development with the Council in advance of implementation. 

 

Gene Colonese defended the action of the DOT and Metro North.  He said that there had been delays in replacing the track 3 catenary in Darien because of delayed steel shipments.  In spite of that delay, the DOT had gone out for bids on replacement of the catenary from South Norwalk to Bridgeport, and wanted to get on with that work.  He said that that the DOT and Metro North had not decided about switching sides at the time of the November meeting, which he noted was a week earlier than usual because of Thanksgiving.  He said that that they had been hoping that track 3 in Darien would be back on line in January, but then found out that it would not be.  The implication of Mr. Colonese’ discussion was that the Railroad could successfully operate with one portion or another of track 3 out of service, but that having track 3 out of service from Milford to Stamford was simply too far and would introduce too much delay in operations. 

 

Tom Tendy said that Metro North frequently reverses service on the Harlem and Hudson lines with no problem.  He said that he agreed that there was short notice to commuters of the change of sides.  He said that CDOT and Metro North were in total agreement on switching sides.

 

Al Martin said that he agreed that notice was short and should not have happened that way.  He said that he was making a commitment to the Council that it wouldn’t happen that way again. Mr. Cameron said that Metro North and the DOT should come to the Council and bounce ideas around at council meetings.  Mr. Colonese said that Metro North raised the issue of reversing directions at the last minute.  Sue Prosi said that Stratford station was accustomed to reversed operations. 

 

As a result of further remarks, it became clear that Metro North and CDOT were studying the delays caused by operating on track 3 with bridgeplates and were considering the possibility of reverse operations beginning in January.  Various Council members said that they preferred having trains a few minutes late rather than operating on the reverse side.  Mr. Cameron asked the question of whether Governor Rell hadn’t told DOT that they were not to reverse sides.  Mr. Tendy said that they would need strong evidence of delays and would need to run the issue through channels before switching to the other side.

 

Rodney Chabot asked what the original estimate was of how long track 3 in Darien was to be out of service for catenary replacement.  Mr. Colonese said that it has taken five months too long already and that the new estimate was that track 3 would be back in service in Darien in 10 weeks.  Mr. Chabot asked who the contractor was for Bridgeport to Norwalk catenary replacement, and Mr. Colonese said that it was a different contractor. 

 

Bob Jelley made a motion that the Council express its opposition to reversing train operations during the morning peak period, with the proviso that Metro North could continue reversed operation of very early morning trains, which has been going on for some time.  The motion passed with six votes in favor and an abstention by Ms. Prosi. 

 

Mr. Colonese said that in connection with a possible timetable change in January, 2008, he would look into moving the five early morning trains that have been operating on track 4 over to tracks 1 and 3.  Mr. Tendy said that he would communicate any decisions about changes to Mr. Cameron. 

 

Mr. Cameron asked why in Connecticut the outbound platforms have no amenities, such as shelters, ticket machines, etc. while outbound platforms in New York State have amenities.  Mr. Colonese admitted that the platforms in New York were better than those in Connecticut.  Mr. Tendy noted that in connection with an arbitration with the Railroad’s Clerical Workers’ Union, Metro North had been limited to 210 ticket machines in the entire Metro North system. 

 

Mr. Cameron suggested that if there were a switch in January to reverse operations, Metro North should not charge a penalty for passengers who bought tickets on the train, because there were no ticket machines on the reverse side. Mr. Tendy argued that it was merely a higher onboard ticket fare and not a penalty, and said that Metro North would not agree to charge a lower fare on tickets bought on trains.  Members of the Council found Mr. Tendy’s discussion unconvincing. 

 

WIRES-DOWN INCIDENT ON DECEMBER 13, 2007

 

Mr. Cameron provided a chronological listing of conflicting email messages from Metro North and CDOT.  He suggested that CDOT merely sent out a link to the Metro North website, because the Metro North messages are generally more accurate than CDOT’s. 

 

LOWER LEVEL NEW HAVEN LINE ARRIVALS AT GCT

 

Mr. Tendy argued that New Haven line trains had their fair share of upper level arrivals.  Council members were unconvinced.  Scott Ornstein noted that lower level tracks 115, 116 and 117 would be lost with the construction of eastside access. 

 

ESCALATORS AT GCT

 

Mr. Tendy, in answer to a question, noted that escalator repair work was contracted out.  He said that under the contract, escalators must be fixed within two hours but went on to say that sometimes parts are needed to be sent from Germany.  He noted that MTA’s website notes when elevators are out of service, and said that he would look into including escalators in Stamford on the status list. 

 

MISC.

 

In answer to a question, Mr. Colonese said that station repair funding would be prioritized at the February meeting of the Bond Commission. 

 

Mr. Chabot asked about whistles at 4:00 a.m. on the New Canaan branch, and John Longobardi suggested that it might have been a leaf removal train which, like all trains, whistles for grade crossings.

 

Mr. Chabot asked about a telephone at Talmadge Hill Station, and Mr. Martin said he would take care of it and report at the next meeting.

 

With respect to bar cars, Mr. Tendy said that there were five bar cars running the morning of the meeting and that they were improving in having bar cars on all trains on which they were scheduled. 

 

Kristin Tulp asked whether the new locomotives had been received yet and Mr. Colonese said that they would be received in December but then would have to be qualified.  He did not know how long that would take.

 

Mr. Ornstein, in discussing the November Operations Report, said that performance was at the highest level for any November of Metro North operations. 

 

In a discussion of people killed by trains as they crossed tracks, it was said that on average, one person per month was killed.  Mr. Colonese reported that the tracks had been fenced at a place where people frequently crossed.

 

It was reported that while the Danbury branch had a lesser leaf problem than usual this fall, there was a considerable leaf problem on Shore Line East, causing the Acela trains to slip and be delayed.  Mr. Colonese said that CDOT was very pleased with the experimental weekend service on Shore Line East over the holidays, and that regular Shore Line East weekend service would begin on Memorial Day weekend.

 

The meeting adjourned at 9:15 pm.

 

The next meeting will be held on January 16, 2008 at SWRPA.

 

Bob Jelley

Secretary

Phone:  (203) 498-4306

e-mail :  rjelley@wiggin.com