Train Commute - 4/4-4/7

I took the 8 am Penn Station train from Maplewood. We were diverted to Hoboken. As all trains. The ride took 70 minutes. Hoboken was jammed up with crowds. Nobody could enter PATH. I never had a worse commute. I ended up going back to Maplewood. Anybody out there who made it to NYC?

I made it, somehow. I took the 7:18 from Maplewood, SRO to Hoboken. Got to the PATH just as they announced it was suspended. I've never seen a crowd of people like that before! Even though it was "suspended" I somehow got on a 33rd St train (waited 25 minutes for one and jammed myself on). Made it to my Soho office just before 9am.

And it's only Tuesday...dreading the commute home.

Took me roughly 2 hours to get to Columbus Circle. Took the packed 7:18 train to Hoboken. Did the cattle drive down to the PATH platform only to find the trains to Herald Square weren't running. Got on to a jammed WTC train that was delayed en route, and took an A train uptown. Wasn't the worst commute I've ever had, but it was pretty bad.

I'm leaving the office early today so I don't have to deal with the hordes later in the evening at Hoboken.

I made it in without too much trouble, although since I work near 12th Ave I tend to gravitate towards taking the ferry when the trains are messed up. Unfortunately I have to take the light rail up to Weehawken to to that which isn't the zippiest commute ever, but it helps avoid the inevitable PATH nightmare (my wife also let me know that she had heard that PATH was only going to WTC.)

My timing today was:

7:49 - Got on mystery train at South Orange. I was aiming for my normal 8:05. But this train showed up.

8:33 - Arrived in Hoboken

9:03 - Arrived at Ferry Terminal

9:19 - In Manhattan

All in all, not too bad for a Hoboken day. Having taking the ferry three times now in a two week span though I'd rather just have a normal train commute! Going home I've been taking a Lyft from Weehawken and with the traffic it can be a little slow which ads to the expense.

Thank God I don't have to do this any more. But take a tip from me: when you get to Hoboken, take a bus to NY Port Authority. They come one after the other, they never leave the PATH station full, you always get a seat. And it doesn't take any longer than waiting for a PATH train on a jam-packed platform, squeezing on to a train when it does come, and then having to take the subway to Times Square.

this is all good practice for when the tunnels collapse.

Thanks for the feedback. I think I'll work from home today.

via http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news...

"The head of New Jersey's commuter rail agency says it's unclear when full service will resume after Monday's train derailment in New York's Penn Station.

New Jersey Transit Executive Director Steve Santoro said Tuesday that eight tracks in the station are either unusable or partially usable."

FilmCarp said:

this is all good practice for when the tunnels collapse.

And then there is this: Trump Budget Leaves New York-Area Transit Projects Up in the Air

This says we should expect the same Hell for Wed.

http://www.nj.com/traffic/inde...

kegunn said:

via http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news...

"The head of New Jersey's commuter rail agency says it's unclear when full service will resume after Monday's train derailment in New York's Penn Station.

New Jersey Transit Executive Director Steve Santoro said Tuesday that eight tracks in the station are either unusable or partially usable."

So then it's a lot more than a derailment on Track 9?

Switch damage, I think.

mumstheword said:

kegunn said:

via http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news...

"The head of New Jersey's commuter rail agency says it's unclear when full service will resume after Monday's train derailment in New York's Penn Station.

New Jersey Transit Executive Director Steve Santoro said Tuesday that eight tracks in the station are either unusable or partially usable."

So then it's a lot more than a derailment on Track 9?

I just saw on the news where there was a switch problem in the East River tunnel that affects LIRR, not NJ trains. Who knows -- everybody lies nowadays!

kegunn said:

Switch damage, I think.

mumstheword said:

kegunn said:

via http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news...

"The head of New Jersey's commuter rail agency says it's unclear when full service will resume after Monday's train derailment in New York's Penn Station.

New Jersey Transit Executive Director Steve Santoro said Tuesday that eight tracks in the station are either unusable or partially usable."

So then it's a lot more than a derailment on Track 9?

The link I posted above talks about the switch damage caused by the NJ Transit derailment. Amtrak is working on fixing it.

mumstheword said:

I just saw on the news where there was a switch problem in the East River tunnel that affects LIRR, not NJ trains. Who knows -- everybody lies nowadays!

kegunn said:

Switch damage, I think.

mumstheword said:

kegunn said:

via http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news...

"The head of New Jersey's commuter rail agency says it's unclear when full service will resume after Monday's train derailment in New York's Penn Station.

New Jersey Transit Executive Director Steve Santoro said Tuesday that eight tracks in the station are either unusable or partially usable."

So then it's a lot more than a derailment on Track 9?

Mums - where do you pick up the bus at Hoboken to NYC? I think I might do that tomorrow. Thanks!

I believe there is a bus that runs from next to the South Orange train station to Port Authority.

I may give that a shot tomorrow. It can't be any worse than the PATH was this morning. What a nightmare!

mumstheword said:

Thank God I don't have to do this any more. But take a tip from me: when you get to Hoboken, take a bus to NY Port Authority. They come one after the other, they never leave the PATH station full, you always get a seat. And it doesn't take any longer than waiting for a PATH train on a jam-packed platform, squeezing on to a train when it does come, and then having to take the subway to Times Square.

the damaged switch controls at least 5 tracks at Penn, and there is no estimate right now for repair time. Plus, a train stalled in an East River tunnel, and there was path flooding. The switch problem may be around for a while. All of those parts are custom made.

Thanks. I'm trying this when I'm back on Thursday if the trains are still being diverted.

mumstheword said:

Thank God I don't have to do this any more. But take a tip from me: when you get to Hoboken, take a bus to NY Port Authority. They come one after the other, they never leave the PATH station full, you always get a seat. And it doesn't take any longer than waiting for a PATH train on a jam-packed platform, squeezing on to a train when it does come, and then having to take the subway to Times Square.

If you are going to Midtown, I would definitely second the suggestion of taking the 126 Bus from Hoboken Terminal. It seems to be the least miserable route for now.

Instead of going down the stairs to the PATH, take the exit to the outside of the terminal (just follow the people walking to the outside). Look to your far left and you'll see the buses lined up along Hudson Place. Make sure you get on the NYC bus that goes along Washington Street (there are other buses going elsewhere like Jersey City, etc.) There are dispatchers there if you need assistance. Good luck!

NotoriousEAM said:

Mums - where do you pick up the bus at Hoboken to NYC? I think I might do that tomorrow. Thanks!

Exits at Hoboken from the platform leading to the buses are currently fully obstructed by repair work from the derailment there. (!!)

Enter the station building and walk straight ahead toward the ferry dock (don't follow the crowds going to the left to the PATH), make two lefts once you're outdoors, and you're at the holding pen for NJT buses. Follow the fences to the marked lanes and take a 126 bus, which makes local stops in Hoboken before heading through the LIncoln Tunnel. I've been using Lane 3. There is a dispatcher there who can answer questions.

You can also descend to the PATH and be at the front of the train by taking the stairs there.

Wow -- thanks for bringing this up to date!

j_r said:

Exits at Hoboken from the platform leading to the buses are currently fully obstructed by repair work from the derailment there. (!!)

Enter the station building and walk straight ahead toward the ferry dock (don't follow the crowds going to the left to the PATH), make two lefts once you're outdoors, and you're at the holding pen for NJT buses. Follow the fences to the marked lanes and take a 126 bus, which makes local stops in Hoboken before heading through the LIncoln Tunnel. I've been using Lane 3. There is a dispatcher there who can answer questions.

You can also descend to the PATH and be at the front of the train by taking the stairs there.

And is the bus back from port authority better than path too? I work in Times Square.

j_r said:

Exits at Hoboken from the platform leading to the buses are currently fully obstructed by repair work from the derailment there. (!!)

Enter the station building and walk straight ahead toward the ferry dock (don't follow the crowds going to the left to the PATH), make two lefts once you're outdoors, and you're at the holding pen for NJT buses. Follow the fences to the marked lanes and take a 126 bus, which makes local stops in Hoboken before heading through the LIncoln Tunnel. I've been using Lane 3. There is a dispatcher there who can answer questions.

You can also descend to the PATH and be at the front of the train by taking the stairs there.

MikeZ said:

And is the bus back from port authority better than path too? I work in Times Square.

I hope so, and I'm about to find out!

I did the 7:45 to Hoboken. Find that scheduled Hoboken trains get in much faster than redicted midtown trains where they are always waiting for a slot. Then did ferry and subway to Herald Square. Added an additional 25 mins to my normal commute, but could have been worse. Still, this is getting old quickly

No wait at PABT for a 126 bus. Trains are slow and, at 9:10 p.m. At Brick Church, still SRO.

Morris & Essex, Gladstone and Montclair Boonton rail service will operate on a normal weekday schedule with MidTown Direct trains operating to/from Hoboken Terminal.

Cross honoring remains in effect system-wide with NJT bus, light rail, private carriers, NY Waterway and with PATH at NPS, HOB, and 33rd Street in NY.

6:18AM normally to Penn went again to Hobo. Our lovely conductor (you know, the one who growls "tickets, get 'em out" every time he walks into the car) indicated maybe Fri will be back to Penn.

So trains such as the 10:38 am Morris & Essex from Maplewood #6332 are operating today (Wed 4/5) as per their normal, weekday schedules? (just triple-checking, since their "alert" seemed to suggest weekend/holiday schedules).

Much thanks -

- Alex