May 11, 2002

Modern Electric Multiple Units and Fleet Rehabilitation

• A More Cost-Effective and Operationally Efficient Method of Fleet Expansion Than Bi-Level Passenger Cars
• Saves $260.4 Million in Scarce Capital Funds
• Enhances Equipment Utilization Minimizing Operating Costs

NOTE: The New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers (NJ-ARP) has discussed this proposal with New Jersey Transit. NJ-ARP can appreciate the rationale for bi-level equipment, the political realities involved and the commitment of monies already made. However, we still believe our proposal is in the best interests of both the rail rider and the State of New Jersey. We encourage NJT to minimize its order of bi-levels and redirect the funds to the purchase of modern electric multiple units.

Contents:

• Executive Summary
• NJT & NJ-ARP Proposals
• M&E EMU Operation
• Midtown Direct Proposal
• Conclusion

Executive Summary

The New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers (NJ-ARP) urges New Jersey Transit (NJT) to reconsider its proposed $692.5 million acquisition of 277 bi-level passenger cars, and instead examine a $432.1 million alternative which could save the corporation $260.4 million.

NJT has indicated its willingness expand passenger capacity by procuring 231 bi-level cars for systemwide use comprising 33,495 seats for $577.5 million as well as purchasing an additional 46 such cars for the "Clocker" service incorporating 6,670 seats for $115 million.

NJ-ARP recommends an alternative $405.1 million expenditure for systemwide use accommodating 33,543 seats and a supplemental $27 million buy for the "Clocker" service adding 2,656 seats. We believe the acquisition of 150 individually powered, self-propelled, electric multiple-unit (EMU) passenger cars, the rehabilitation of 102 Comet 1 and 1B cars, the purchase of 32 MTA West-of-Hudson cars, as well as the securing of 36 Amtrak Horizon cars for "Clocker" service trains would be a more effective use of scarce capital funds, enhance rolling stock utilization, and minimize equipment operating costs. Despite the contribution of Port Authority of New York & New Jersey funds toward the proposed capacity expansion, NJ-ARP believes EMUs should be purchased rather than the proposed bi-level equipment.

NJ-ARP believes this action would be in the best interests of both the riding public and the state's taxpayers given the severe financial crisis affecting both the state and NJT. Our conclusions are based on the cost and passenger capacity of the respective cars, the improvement in travel times, flexible service patterns and increased operational efficiencies.

NJT & NJ-ARP Proposals

The NJT Proposal:

1. Purchase 231 bi-level passenger cars for systemwide use ($577.5 million, 33,495 seats, $17,241 per seat).
2. Purchase 46 bi-level cars for "Clocker" service ($115 million, 6,670 seats, $17,241 per seat).

Total is $692.5 million for 40,165 seats or $17,241 per seat.

The NJ-ARP Proposal:

1. Purchase 150 Electric Multiple Units (EMU's). ($375 million, 16,800 seats, $22,321 per seat).
2. Purchase 32 MTA-Metro North Railroad West-of-Hudson Shoreliner/Comet cars, available as Metro-North re-equips its Port Jervis and Pascack Valley trains. ($14.75 million, 3,929 seats, $3,754 per seat).
3. Retain and overhaul 102 Comet 1 and 1B cars to extend their useful life 5 years. ($15.3 million, 12,814 seats, $1,194 per seat).
4. Re-establish the Morris and Essex (M&E) Lines as predominantly EMU operation (including Midtown Direct service).
5. Acquire 36 Amtrak Horizon cars, mechanically identical to Comet II cars, to replace 37 Amfleet cars for NJT operated Clocker service. ($27 million, 2,656 seats, $10,166 per seat).

Total is $432.1 million for 36,199 seats or $11,937 per seat.

Comparison of the NJ-ARP and NJT Proposals:

• NJ-ARP systemwide use total cost is $405.1 million for 33,543 seats or $12,077 per seat, as opposed to NJT systemwide use total cost of $577.5 million for 33,495 seats or $17,241 per seat.
• NJ-ARP "Clocker" total cost is $27 million for 2,656 seats or $10,166 per seat, as opposed to NJT "Clocker" total cost of $115 million for 6,670 seats or $17,241 per seat.
• NJ-ARP systemwide use and "Clocker" total cost is $432.1 million for 36,199 seats or $11,937 per seat, as opposed to the NJT systemwide use and "Clocker" total cost of $692.5 million for 40,165 seats or $17,241 per seat.
• NJ-ARP cost savings are $260.4 million. (NJT $692.5 million - NJ-ARP $432.1 million.)

Criteria for the NJ-ARP Proposal:

• Maximize the limited availability of Northeast Corridor (NEC) and Hudson River tunnel slots.
• Fully utilize the longer platform lengths in New York Penn Station by maximizing train lengths.
• Respect the outlying yard train length limitations.
• Improve train performance, speed service - maximize train acceleration/deceleration rates.
• Boost aggregate seating capacity and reduce standees on the most overcrowded trains.
• Maximize equipment and crew utilization.
• Minimize station dwell times, especially at key points such as New York Penn Station, (NYP), Newark-Penn Station, Newark-Broad Street Station, Secaucus Transfer, and Summit.
• Designate new equipment for full-time use while older cars are cascaded to part-time use.
• Configure EMUs to be operationally flexible, and reliable. Equip them to automatically change line voltages between 11kv/25 hertz and 25kv/60 hertz.

Rationale for Equipment Proposal:

While the goal of increasing per car capacity is laudable, NJ-ARP believes bi-level cars are not the most efficient use of scarce NJT capital resources. We believe each bi-level car will:

• Only marginally increase capacity since they contain only 10-to-15 more seats than the Comet I car it is partially replacing.
• Be 2.5 times the cost of a new single level Comet car and no more expensive than a modern EMU.
• Operate mostly in the peak hours on outer zone systemwide expresses even though there are an insufficient number of those trains to warrant the purchase of 277 such cars.
• Exacerbate the ongoing fare evasion problems as collectors will not be able to cover all riders in the floor space in each car, or may cause greater operating costs if the size of the train crews is increased.
• Increase dwell times at major stations with more standees near the 4 sets of doors per side.
• Have all the risks inherent in a custom designed car.
• Have minimal overhead racks, even smaller than those of the Long Island Rail Road.
• Result in additional safety and liability issues as riders stand on steps between levels or cluster near doors. Trains powered by the ALP44 Locomotives are prone to random start and stop motions because these locomotives lack sufficient tractive effort to start and stop smoothly and effectively on hilly routes, such as the M&E.

Despite an assumed 25% higher adhesion factor, the new ALP46 locomotives will simply make the currently unacceptable ALP44 performance with 8 or 9 Comet cars only marginally acceptable. Train performance will deteriorate even further when an ALP46 is assigned to haul the 9 bi-level and one (1) single level Comet 5 cab car consist or a 12 single level car formation. NJ-ARP's field observations reveal that a 150 ton, 3,000 horsepower, LIRR DE/DM diesel locomotive experiences difficulties when required to pull more than 6 bi-level cars, particularly on the Port Jefferson branch, where the topography is similar to the M&E. We are concerned that the ALP46 locomotive capability will be similarly limited.

Return the M&E to EMU Operation

In order to fully utilize the untapped capacity of the Hudson River tunnels and the platform lengths of New York Penn Station, NJ-ARP proposes the reinstatement of en-route splitting and merging of EMU train consists on the M&E lines, which was the case prior to its 1984 re-electrification. Reviving split/merge operations at Summit, and creating a new one at Newark Broad Street, create additional track and platform capacity. Critical to such operations is the adoption of automatic couplers, which are in routine use worldwide and in climates more extreme than New Jersey's. For example, this split/merge type of operation with such couplers is in constant use by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District's South Shore service. Midtown Direct trains could accomplish a split/merge at Summit and Newark Broad Street directing 9-to-15 car consists to/from Manhattan and still be accommodated in western terminal yards. EMUs would also speed service by 8-to-12 minutes per trip increasing NJT's equipment utilization rate.

From its inception, the twin challenges of hilly topography and frequent curves characterized M&E operations. This resulted in the exclusive use of EMUs when the line was electrified in 1931. But, with the initiation of Midtown Direct service in 1996, NJT decided to use electric locomotives with Comet cars. The ALP44 locomotives, while having very high horsepower, have demonstrated inadequate tractive effort to haul more than 7 cars on already padded schedules. In addition, their unreliability has led to en-route delays or outright cancellation of trains. Thus, today's 9-car consists coupled with adverse weather conditions demonstrate that the ALP44 is insufficient to accommodate increased passenger loadings.

The M&E has frequent stops on most trains with heavy peak hour ridership, often with many standees. Because of the ALP44's limitations, running times now are the longest since the 1920's, prior to the DL&W's electrification. NJ-ARP notes that most electrically powered suburban train operations in the U.S. and Canada (excluding the small MARC Penn Line and several SEPTA rush hour consists), including the FRA-regulated Staten Island Railway and PATH, make exclusive use of EMUs. Only NJT is "out-of-step" using locomotives that were designed to pull 7-car Amtrak trains to Washington in 3 hours, not haul regional passenger ("commuter") trains with frequent starts and stops.

We realize the FRA treats each EMU as a locomotive for inspection purposes. However, we believe this issue has been over emphasized and allowed to crowd out all other considerations in equipment choices: better scheduled on-time performance, quicker trip times, split and merge capabilities, and ease of passenger ingress and egress.

One further note on EMUs. NJT's failure to adapt its "Arrow" trainsets to operate on both the Newark and Hoboken Divisions without a time consuming transformer adjustment in the Meadows maintenance facility has inhibited rapid deployment of this rolling stock cars when emergencies arise.

Midtown Direct Operation Proposal

Assuming the re-equipping of M&E services with high performance EMU equipment and the establishment of split/merge procedures at Summit and Newark Broad Street, then operational enhancements become feasible and additional track capacity and slot space is created on the NEC and in NYP. With additional Hudson River tunnels years into the future, the correct selection of new equipment can allow for higher passenger boardings. Track slots cost money and these expenses should be factored into the equation when considering rolling stock acquisitions.

The following is our proposal:

• Five (5) of the 7 consists needed for the peak Dover service of 8 frequencies would be 9 car EMUs. At least 2 would split/merge at Summit with two 6-car Gladstone EMUs and operate as 15 car expresses between Summit and Manhattan. In the morning rush, this would free up two slots and permit two 9-car Summit trains to operate in place of the Gladstone trains. The Summit trains would split/merge at Newark Broad Street with Great Notch trains and the resultant long consists would proceed to Manhattan. The 3 freed "Montclair Slots" would be transferred to the NEC along with the cascaded equipment. The afternoon rush would be similar with all Summit trains splitting at Newark Broad Street for Great Notch.
• Off-peak weekdays would have 9-car Dover and 6-car Gladstone trains running 30 minutes apart as Midtown Direct skip/stops between Summit and Newark Broad Street with 3 car Great Notch trains splitting/merging with the Gladstone consist at that point. The Dover-Hoboken service would dovetail with the Gladstone service at Summit. A 2-car "Arrow" Newark Broad Street-Hoboken shuttle would complement it.
• On weekends, Dover and Gladstone trains would operate similarly and a one-car "Arrow" employed as the shuttle. These shuttles could be one-person operated with fares collected at the gate in Hoboken. The current 10 trainsets needed for weekend M&E operation would drop to 8 plus the shuttle.

Conclusion

We believe that the proposal presented above affords NJT with a unique opportunity to conserve scarce capital funds and increase capacity more quickly than by purchasing bi-level cars. The savings incurred from our proposal could then be deployed to extending the third rail from New York Penn Station to Secaucus Transfer, allowing out-of-use LIRR trains to transport Bergen/Main/Pascack Line passengers on dedicated trains to Manhattan.

We stand ready to meet with NJT representatives to discuss our proposal in more detail.