Minutes

December 13, 2000

SACIA, Stamford

 

           

1.  The minutes of the November 2000 Meeting were approved.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

2.  Jack Reidy said that the past month was generally good along the

Waterbury Branch Line.  There was one instance in which buses had to be

substituted because a train developed a speedometer problem.  Efforts

continue to be made, he said, to assure that buses are available when needed

on short notice.  Last month CDOT was unable to secure buses in an emergency.

 He responded to a question that CT Transit buses are radio dispatched, and

this should facilitate both dispatching them and communicating with them

when serving branch lines.

 

3.  There were no problems of consequence, either, on the Danbury Branch

Line, Mr. Reidy noted.  Buses were substituted on November 15th, he said, and

plans are progressing, too, for the installation of the centralized traffic

control system, beginning in May or June.  

 

4.  Shore Line East service has also been good, Mr. Reidy said, although

several trains have been short a car because cars have been lent to Amtrak

for its busiest season. The groundbreaking for the new State Street station

will be Tuesday, December 19th, he added.

 

5.      Consideration is being given to minor timetable changes in

mid-January, Eugene Colonese said, and the level of complaint about October

changes have subsided.  As the result of complaints, Greenwich and South

Norwalk have been reinstated as stops on two through trains.  Peter Myers

noted that he now must make changes in both Harrison and Stamford on his

daily trip between Milford and Pelham. 

 

Of greatest concern, he said, is the fact that there aren’t adequate seats on

Train #1550 for those boarding Stamford, this despite the fact that the stop

is only for "receiving" passengers. Rodney Chabot suggested that to provide

adequate seating Train #1348, which terminates in Stamford, might be run

through to New Haven.  But Mr. Colonese responded that the equipment is

needed back in Grand Central Terminal for a later run, saying that there are

adequate seats on Train #1550, but that the shortened Track 4 platform makes

them inaccessible for those boarding.

 

    Jim Cameron stated that many inbound trains, especially those from

Stamford, are littered because there is insufficient time for them to be

cleaned.  He suggested that, because of this situation and in courtesy to

others, conductors ask those debarking to take their litter with them for

disposal.

 

    Mr. Myers also voiced the opinion that up to 20% of fare revenue is lost

on Train #1550 from Stamford because conductors can’t get through the aisles.

 He further asked CDOT and Metro North representatives whether, in the face

of the 5% annual growth in traffic to Grand Central Terminal and the reported

20% growth in intrastate riders, Metro North has enough cars.  With four

locomotives and ten added cars now on order, Mr. Reidy said, this matter is

being discussed, looking to the day when a total of 500 cars will be needed. 

As the reconditioning of M-2’s begins, there may be limited shortages, he

conceded, but major funding for new cars is likely to be needed in the

future.  At their cost, he added, these won’t be M-8’s.

 

6.   Addressing the issue of idling diesel locomotives at Danbury, Ted Bowen

said that it is not Metro North’s intent to continue this situation.  More

electric plugs are needed and will be provided, he said, and a current

warranty recall of Genesis engines is complicating things.  We are wedded to

the Genesis, he said, and want them to run electrically in the Park Avenue

tunnel.

 

7.  The Telco answering machine has been repaired, Mr. Reidy reported, and is

now functioning properly.  A consultant is looking at the possibility of a

West Haven station, he said, and a site with adequate space for parking is

being considered, but there are no funds for such a station at present.

 

8.  The Stamford station project is progressing, Mr. Reidy said.  Eastbound

escalators are now operative, he added, and Westbounds will be in full

service in a couple of months; one set is now in use for up bound traffic,

although a construction crew damaged it recently.  Mr. Cameron said he found

them not working last week.  The new garage is out for bids, Mr. Reidy noted,

and is due for completion in two years.

 

9.  The long delayed station kiosks to provide vital information for rail

passengers needing directions to key local points are still in limbo, it was

reported.  Mr. Reidy said that the firm which created the one in Waterbury on

which others are supposed to be based is now out of business, and a new

resource has to be found.

 

10. The replacement for the timetable box at Talmadge Hill Station, destroyed

by vandals, is now on order, Mr. Reidy said, but no date has been set for

delivery or installation.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

1.  The planned presentation on the Transportation Summit action report,

scheduled by Harry Harris, was postponed as Mr. Harris was unable to attend

the meeting.

 

2.  No commuters were present seeking to provide comments.

 

OTHER NEW BUSINESS:  

 

Mr. Colonese supplied copies of the 2000 Holiday

schedule, to be in effect from December 22 and from December 29. 

 

Stephanie Harwood warned of the need for advance planning in preparation for

a severe winter storm if one occurs.  Mr. Colonese assured the Council that

emergency plans exist. 

 

Mr. Myers urged Metro North to replace the present heating coils on station

platforms with infrared heating systems; the question was raised whether

these are tamper and vandal resistant.

 

    Mr. Cameron said that construction now in progress to make the Darien

Station Americans with Disabilities Act compliant needs to be closely

monitored to forestall dangers and unwarranted inconveniences to passengers,

especially on streets and in the Route 1 underpass.

 

    Messrs. Chabot and Cameron adjourned the Meeting with tributes

Mr. Reidy for his willing and faithful participation in the Council’s

meetings, his knowledge of operations and background in a changing array of

issues, and his unfailing disposition of good will in dealing with topics

raised at the meetings.  Attendees warmly applauded Mr. Reidy, and Mr. Chabot

provided a cake in his honor along with his best wishes to him in his

California retirement.  

 

 

 

                Respectfully submitted,

 

                Edward H. Zimmerman

                Secretary

 

In Attendance:

 

Rodney Chabot, Chairman                          Jeffrey Maron, Council Member

Jim Cameron, Vice Chairman                     Peter Myers, Council Member

Edward Zimmerman, Secretary                  Stephanie Harwood, Council Member

Jack Reidy, CDOT                                        John Tierney, Transit Center, Stamford

Peter Richter Jr., CDOT                               John Hickey, SWRPA, Wilton

Eugene J. Colonese, Metro North               Saul Williams, The Hour

Ted Bowen, Metro North                              Jim O’Keefe, The Advocate

Fred N. Chidester Jr., Metro North         

 

 

 

Next Meeting: Wednesday, January 17, 2001, 7 P.M.

New Haven Station