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Do the p/p's have any advantages over the MU's?

As for the Access to the Regions core, it would probably work best if both two track tunnels, and Grand Central were connected. It would be nice to see Amtrak/NJ Transit service at Grand Central.
 
Amtrak couldn't use GC because it's not a thru station. It's tracks run perpendicualr to Penn's. If NJ transit wanted to use GC then they would have to come into Penn, back down along GC and pull into GC's platforms. I think GC;s doing fine with Metro N.
 
P/P's are of course cheaper to buy and cheaper to operate when one doesn't factor in the cost of the engine. Beyond that I'm not real sure if they have any other advantages over a MU. I guess the fact that you can take just one p/p car out for servicing could be considered an advantage too. MU’s must operate in a pair, so if one car needs service, its mate must go with it even if it doesn’t have a problem.

While it's still a long way off, if it ever happens, the overall regional transportation plans do include a proposal to link Penn with GC. This would allow for NJT trains to reach GC and Metro North trains to reach Penn. It would also decrease the number of passengers hitting the subway to get from one station to the other.

The real dreamers actually still hope to see NJT trains run up into Westchester on MN and out into Long Island over the LIRR. They also want to see the reverse of that, with MTA trains running into NJ. This idea of course while nice, is an extremely long way off. First of all you need the cooperation of two states, multiple agencies, and then you've got to deal with the incompatible power sources with the three transit companies. Currently not even the LIRR and MN can share MU consists, even though both are owned by the MTA. The reason for this is MN uses a third rail where the shoe runs under the rail. The LIRR, like the subway, uses a third rail where the shoe runs on top of the rail. Then of course NJT doesn't even know what a third rail is. Everything they have that's electrically powered is cat based.
 
Would be nice, but screwed up, don't forget Metro-North/NJT work together on the Pascack Valley and Port Jervis Lines.

I'd like to see all NJT lines electrified with two additional tracks in to NYP, and the NYG link.

First Electrify the rest of the Montclair/Booton line, Hackettstown-Dover and North Jersey Coast Line.

Second, electrify/dual mode service on the rest of the lines.

Finally with the intro of NJT Clockers, direct NYP/NYG-Philadelphia-ACY direct service, again electric/dual mode service, and of course have access to the ACRL through the other end of 30th Street.

Then some of the extensions proposed by NJT.
 
Here's a couple of figures on new cars.

The new Comet V push/pull cars that NJT is buying cost just under $900, 000 dollars for the trailer cars. A cab control car costs 1.05M per car. The new ALP-46 loco's cost 4.7 million a piece.

I found this info on the NJT website here. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Now for the MTA's new M-7's, which are currently undergoing testing on the LIRR. These new state of the art MU's cost just under 2M a piece, so there is no doubt that they cost more. However, as I pointed out their performance is better than NJT's p/p equipment. Especially when you've got stations that are less than a mile apart.

The MTA's numbers come from their captial improvement plan located here. Scroll down to table 5 and right under that they tell you the total cost of the contract and how many cars that buys.
 
Interesting read Viewliner, although I think that politician is dreaming a little too much. If all the short little lines he wants are near businesses so that he gets lots of local, one town to the next, commuters then it might work. If he expects people to hop on the DMU, then transfer to a Bergen line only to have to transfer again in Secaucus to reach Manhattan, then he’s dreaming. People want a one-seat ride; many will tolerate a two-seat ride. However, there are very few people who are going to settle for a three-seat ride. Especially when they may still have to ride a subway once they get into NY.

With all those transfers you’re talking about a two-hour commute from Passaic to NY. You can do that in your car in the same amount of time with rush hour traffic, or you could just drive to the nearest Bergen line station. So why would you want to take the train? Trains need to be frequent, reliable, and convenient to work. Three transfers are not what I would consider convenient. Yes as a rail fan I’d still ride it once for the fun of it, but I’m not sure that I’d want to commute every day like that.

That’s not saying that I don’t think that the DMU has its place, but I’m not sure if that place is Bergen & Passaic counties in NJ.
 
gswager said:
Definitions:
Push-n-Pull- is it referring to a locomotive with its cab on one end of commuter cars and on other end is a cab in a commuter car, just like LA Metrolink?

MU- ???
Push/Pull- Locomotive on one end, and a cab car (coach with controls) on the other. Can move either direction without having to turn around.

MU (Mulitiple Unit)- Train with no locomotive, each car has motor in it, and could power the train in the event that one motor fails.
 
Finally with the intro of NJT Clockers, direct NYP/NYG-Philadelphia-ACY direct service, again electric/dual mode service, and of course have access to the ACRL through the other end of 30th Street.
Viewliner,

How do you propose access to the Atlantic City line from the other end of 30th Street Station? How would the trains get past the river? The track to the ACRL now splits at Shore Interlocking in North Philadelphia. The tower & switch are approximately where Amtrak's NEC crosses under the Frankford Elevated (Blue Line). That is well to the north of 30th Street. The current ACRL route takes such a circuitous routing that it actually took George Washington less time to cross the Delaware than one NJT train on the Delair Bridge, which itself has permanent slow orders.

There has been discussion about having the ACRL trains stop at the North Philadelphia station, and have cross-platform transfers there with the Clockers (even while they are still operated by Amtrak). But North Philadelphia is not the greatest of neighborhoods, and so it's probably safer to make the switch at 30th Street, albeit with all that backtracking.
 
Isn't Newark's Penn station Amtrak property?
Yes.

But Newark Penn is served by far more NJT trains in a day than Amtrak trains. And it's the busiest transportation terminal in the state, plus it's immediately adjacent to NJT headquarters. So it's still a place where the most potential NJT passengers could come in to see a static display of the DMU....... although Hoboken Terminal is a close second.
 
Superliner Diner said:
Isn't Newark's Penn station Amtrak property?
Yes.

But Newark Penn is served by far more NJT trains in a day than Amtrak trains. And it's the busiest transportation terminal in the state, plus it's immediately adjacent to NJT headquarters. So it's still a place where the most potential NJT passengers could come in to see a static display of the DMU....... although Hoboken Terminal is a close second.
Plus, Newark is the 5th Busiest Amtrak Station Nationwide.
 
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