Connecticut Metro-North, Shore Line East Rail Commuter Council

 

Minutes

 

September 18, 2002    SACIA Offices, Stamford

 

Called to order at 7:30

 

Minutes of June 19 2002 approved: unanimously

Meeting schedule for 2002 – 2003 approved.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

1. Shoreline East issues:

Reported that slight changes have been made in timetable

Average Daily ridership last  month 1456  up 20% since last yr

for year to date: 1281

On time 98.05%

Year to date 96.47%

174 of those rode through New Haven to Stamford

total ridership on SLE thru train = 547 per day

 

Amtrak track work mid-October in East Haven tunnel will mean one track out for 6 weeks.

Amtrak train #137 will carry Old Saybrook passengers to New Haven

 

New newsletter for SLE riders being launched, copies promised for all Council members.

 

Several questions raised by Mr. Carlson via e-mail were addressed.  Vice Chmn Cameron promised to forward answers to Mr. Carlson.

 

2. Waterbury branch 18 bus substitutions in summer months, 3 for mechanical failures

Mr. Marcuse asked MNRR for a report on past experimental through trains, Waterbury-New York and was promised data at  next  meeting,

 

3. Revised specifications for CTC construction on Danbury branch will be completed in first quarter of 2003.  Buses from Danbury to Brewster carry 75 people per day, Ridgefield CT to Katonah NY, 35.   Overall ridership on Danbury branch is not down, according to MNRR.

 

4. Stamford tunnel will be ready some time in October.

 

When new garage is opened in December there will be more room for van pickups.  8 am weekdays sees 43 vans meeting trains.  More parking for vans will be provided under I-95 starting in January.  New cab dispatch system also being installed.

 

5.    CC-TIA recommendations are strongly in favor of rail, but there are billions of dollars involved; the financing committee report is not in yet. Update next meeting.

 

6. Shop backlog is being reduced.  Two days last month saw full consists on all trains.  On meeting date (9/18/02) trains were 8 cars short.

 

7. Nothing yet has happened on reconfiguration of 10 bar cars.  They will be last to be rehabilitated under M2 plan.

 

8. Courtesy campaign will continue for quiet use of cell phones in cars, but no quiet cars,  says MTA.  Vice Chmn Cameron reported that MNRR claims that courtesy announcements are made on every train are inaccurate.  Informal survey of riders showed 2% compliance.

 

9. No comment from CDOT on possibility of a fare increase.

 

10. At a meeting with Metro North on October 1 new car purchase priorities will be discussed by CDOT, but no decision is expected for one year pending recommendations of the TSB.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

1. Fire on train #8!2 over the summer was mainly smoke.  No injuries reported as passengers were evacuated to station platform in Bronx.  Mr. Cameron inquired about standard operating procedure should fire occur in Park Avenue tunnel.  MNRR said first priority was getting train out of tunnel so it could be extinguished.

 

2. A wires down incident on August 20^th was attributed to problems with insulators.  Problem occurred in Larchmont on recently rebuilt catenary.

 

3. A slight change in schedule for Danbury service was proposed over the summer, but rider survey favored leaving the schedule as is..

 

4. A new parking garage will be built in Wilton by the State, at the expense of the State of Connecticut.  Discussion showed possibility of electrification of Danbury branch as far north as Wilton allowing increased service after CTC is installed.

 

5. Policies on medical emergencies were reviewed; there is discussion within Metro North about supplying defibrillators at each major station.

 

6. Bike racks at the New Haven station depend on negotiations with the New Haven parking authority.  CDOT’s Harris promised to investigate.

 

7. Opening hours of stations is up to the towns, which are responsible for the stations’ administration.   Council member Leaman, also a Selectman in Westport, said his town’s station is open 20 hours per day and has minimal problems with vandalism.

 

8. New ticket machines are being installed at all stations.  When activated, they will reduce use of human clerks, especially outside of rush-hour..

 

9. A sign is in process posting hours of the Bridgeport station indicating ticket seller’s hours.

 

10. Rude station agent at Stamford has been disciplined.  Cameron commended CDOT’s Ray Cox for fast action on this e-mailed passenger complaint.

 

11. New Haven Coliseum parking will be continued until Christmas, despite plans to close the Coliseum.  Currently 140 customers per day park there.   CDOT says that when construction starts on new station parking, 300 spaces will be lost.  Discussions are underway on running bus shuttle to station from Temple St. garage which has 800 empty spaces, but all money for shuttles ends with no new funding sources in sight.

 

12. CDOT promises expansion of Stratford station including longer platforms and canopy.

 

13. An orientation meeting for new members of the Council, including discussion both of mechanical and financial issues, will be held, dates to be discussed between Jim Cameron, Rodney Chabot, and Harry Harris.

 

Next meeting will be October 16, 2002, at the New Haven Railroad Station.  Start time 7 pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Peter Marcuse

Acting Secretary

 

In Attendance:

 

Rodney Chabot      Chairman

Jim Cameron         Vice Chmn

Peter Millard          Member

Joe McGee            Member      

Ed Zimmerman      Member

Peter Marcuse       Member

Pete Myers            Member

Jeff Maron             Member

Carl Leaman         Member

Harry Harris           CDOT

Gene Colonese     MNRR

Joe Kanell             MNRR

Maureen Wilhelmy  MNRR

Lawrence Ivy          MNRR

Jack Kadden         Press

Scott Crosby          Commuter