Comments on: Raritan Line also being cut on weekends http://www.nj-arp.org/blog/2008/04/raritan-line-also-being-cut-on-weekends/ News and opinion on NJ rail advocacy Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:09:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Eine Kleine Multi-level http://www.nj-arp.org/blog/2008/04/raritan-line-also-being-cut-on-weekends/#comment-627 Eine Kleine Multi-level Mon, 19 May 2008 07:03:35 +0000 http://www.nj-arp.org/blog/?p=303#comment-627 Ah, but how much was spent on the Aldene Plan back in the 60s? Elevating the Lehigh Valley RR in and of itself seems rather exorbitant, in retrospect, and since there's enough room on the ROW reservation to add a third track (it would take using a lot of fill, but the property is already in the possession of the railroad), there would be those tempted to ask "why not"? And why would it cost $1 billion? I'd like to see what that $90 million per mile estimate would include. Shinkansens, LGVs and NBS corridors have been built for far, far lower cost and with far greater complexity. Ah, but how much was spent on the Aldene Plan back in the 60s? Elevating the Lehigh Valley RR in and of itself seems rather exorbitant, in retrospect, and since there’s enough room on the ROW reservation to add a third track (it would take using a lot of fill, but the property is already in the possession of the railroad), there would be those tempted to ask “why not”?

And why would it cost $1 billion? I’d like to see what that $90 million per mile estimate would include. Shinkansens, LGVs and NBS corridors have been built for far, far lower cost and with far greater complexity.

]]> By: Joe Versaggi http://www.nj-arp.org/blog/2008/04/raritan-line-also-being-cut-on-weekends/#comment-618 Joe Versaggi Tue, 06 May 2008 21:44:12 +0000 http://www.nj-arp.org/blog/?p=303#comment-618 What you are suggesting would cost about a $1 Billion since the Lehigh Line portion between Aldene and Hunter would have to be triple-tracked, then a flyover junction onto the NEC, which is even more big bucks, and finally the Waterfront connection completed in the westbound direction. It is done only on the eastbound side, which precluded anything but NJCL trains from using it weekday rush hours since they "wrong-railed" westbound to Rahway. What they should do is run service once or twice an hour between Plainfield and Elizabeth, and further east, restoring the old CNJ main east of Cranford. What you are suggesting would cost about a $1 Billion since the Lehigh Line portion between Aldene and Hunter would have to be triple-tracked, then a flyover junction onto the NEC, which is even more big bucks, and finally the Waterfront connection completed in the westbound direction. It is done only on the eastbound side, which precluded anything but NJCL trains from using it weekday rush hours since they “wrong-railed” westbound to Rahway.

What they should do is run service once or twice an hour between Plainfield and Elizabeth, and further east, restoring the old CNJ main east of Cranford.

]]> By: Clark Morris http://www.nj-arp.org/blog/2008/04/raritan-line-also-being-cut-on-weekends/#comment-616 Clark Morris Tue, 06 May 2008 19:48:30 +0000 http://www.nj-arp.org/blog/?p=303#comment-616 If the Raritan service was every 15 minutes (or at least every half hour) and with the SAME fares as the bus between Newark, Raritan and all points between, would the ridership be enough better because the service would then be true TRANSIT. I could see with proper bus connections to some of the malls that this would be a help to people living in Plainfield and Newark. Then if the Hoboken connection was fast it might be a better way of getting around New Jersey. If the Raritan service was every 15 minutes (or at least every half hour) and with the SAME fares as the bus between Newark, Raritan and all points between, would the ridership be enough better because the service would then be true TRANSIT. I could see with proper bus connections to some of the malls that this would be a help to people living in Plainfield and Newark. Then if the Hoboken connection was fast it might be a better way of getting around New Jersey.

]]> By: Eine Kleine Multi-level http://www.nj-arp.org/blog/2008/04/raritan-line-also-being-cut-on-weekends/#comment-615 Eine Kleine Multi-level Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:48:54 +0000 http://www.nj-arp.org/blog/?p=303#comment-615 There was no sense in operating such service on the weekend. If anything, direct service to/from the waterfront should have been a weekday affair, when they could have attracted the most passengers. Now of course, there's no service at all. The only trains to use the Waterfront Connection in revenue service will be the "former CNJ" NJCL trains to/from Bay Head. Ah, but who cares when it's still "full speed ahead" towards THE Boondoggle? There was no sense in operating such service on the weekend. If anything, direct service to/from the waterfront should have been a weekday affair, when they could have attracted the most passengers.

Now of course, there’s no service at all. The only trains to use the Waterfront Connection in revenue service will be the “former CNJ” NJCL trains to/from Bay Head. Ah, but who cares when it’s still “full speed ahead” towards THE Boondoggle?

]]>