Metro-North Port Jervis Line Service Resumes
Yesterday was a welcome day for the thousands who depend on the Metro-North’s Port Jervis line. Just a few months after major damage from Hurricane Irene knocked out service on portions of the line, full service has been restored. Elaina Athans of YNN has more:
“It’s a great way to start into the holiday season,” said Metro-North President Howard Permut.
An early holiday gift for Port Jervis Line commuters complete with a small party. Refreshments were hand out and people snapped photos the day service resumed.
“It’s long awaited, but they did a great job,” said commuter Maryjane Ballinger.
“It’s just a lot more convenient,” said commuter Diane Cornacchio
Commuters have been bouncing buses and trains for three months during the repair.
“It’s an extra 45 minutes each way. So this is definitely, definitely great,” said commuter Gail Schweda.
It all comes after Tropical Storm Irene hit the Northeast in August and ripped up 14 miles of railway.
“The bridges were washed out. There were trees all over the place. It was an incredibly powerful storm and it just really destroyed the track,” said Permut.
Click here for the complete report.
Although full service has resumed, riders should note that travel time is a bit extra due to other repairs still needing to be done. Here are those details courtesy of the MTA:
Compared to the pre-storm schedule, train running times will be slightly longer to accommodate continuing work.
Travel time for eastbound trains (to Hoboken/New York-Penn Station) is three minutes longer.
Travel time for westbound trains (to Port Jervis) is up to 7 minutes longer.
Other travel time adjustments are made to individual trains to account for train movement in single track territory.
The additional running time is required due to slower speeds in effect over approximately 3-1/2 miles of track between Suffern and Harriman and because only one of the two tracks between Suffern and Sloatsburg has been returned to service. All trains have to use one track in that area.
We plan to return to a pre-storm schedule on January 15, 2012.
I would like to extend thanks to the hard working MTA employees who helped get service restored not only early but under budget. These are two things that are not seen enough around these parts. Hopefully they will be able to stick to their newly shortened time frame for complete repairs.
xoxo Transit Blogger
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment