Metro-North Adding Dozens Of Trains To Its Schedules
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - You might not even need a train schedule to ride the rails as Metro-North Railroad is adding 79 trains to its three lines starting on Sunday, October 14.
WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau On The Story
Podcast
Spokesperson Marjorie Anders said that 30 of those trains will be running on the New Haven Line each weekend. She said that means riders can hop on a train just about every half hour.
"People don't have to really plan. Nobody wants to leave the theater before the curtain call, and nobody wants to rush dinner before dessert because they know there is only one train an hour," she told WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau.
"Metro-North is thrilled to be adding service and increasing frequency in the time periods when customers want more choices," said Metro-North President Howard Permut. "Half-hourly service in the off-peak and on weekends will make the railroad a more attractive choice than it already is. The combination of 98% on-time performance and frequent train service will make Metro-North the preferred way to get around and we expect people will vote with their feet."
In Metro-North's West of Hudson territory, the Pascack Valley Line will get a new 7:59 AM New York State express train out of Spring Valley to Hoboken/New York-Penn Station and a new 7:20 PM train out of Hoboken (7:13 PM out of Penn) that will operate Monday through Thursday. On Friday afternoons, a new, pre-rush hour, semi-express will leave Hoboken at 2:58 PM (Penn Station at 2:51 PM) for the early getaway crowd.
On all East of Hudson lines, Hudson, Harlem and New Haven, Metro-North is restoring its weekend loading standard to 75% from the current 80% level. This will provide more seats to accommodate weekend ridership growth by adding extra cars to existing trains that are now a little crowded.
On the Harlem Line, the new schedule will provide half-hourly service at many stations during key higher-ridership times of the day on Saturdays and Sundays between Southeast and Grand Central. It will also provide half-hourly service at key high-ridership times on Sundays between North White Plains and Grand Central.
Harlem Line customers in the Bronx also will see half-hourly service at most stations in the mid-day on weekdays.
On the New Haven Line, the new schedule will provide half-hourly service at many stations during the key higher-ridership times of the day on Saturdays and Sundays between New Haven and Grand Central. In addition, there will be half-hourly service during the key higher-ridership times of the day on Sunday between Stamford and Grand Central.
On the Danbury Branch the 6:51 AM from Danbury will operate as an express from South Norwalk to Grand Central to relieve overcrowding and provide a 10-minute faster ride. A new train will cover main line stops previously covered by the 6:51 AM Danbury train.
There will be two new New Haven Line reverse peak trains, one departing Grand Central at 6:26 AM, with stops at Harlem-125th Street, Fordham, Mount Vernon East, New Rochelle, Rye, Port Chester, Greenwich, and Stamford; and another departing Grand Central at 8:07 AM, making Harlem-125th Street, Fordham, Rye, Port Chester, Greenwich, Stamford and continuing up to New Canaan, arriving at 9:25 AM.
Anders said there is even more.
Next April, another 150 trains will be added to the three lines each week in the biggest service boost since Metro-North started running the railroad.
Anders said Metro-North's ridership continues to grow and the added trains will accommodate riders with more frequent service and more seat availability.
