Passenger Trains > NJT's latest rebuttal regarding Sandy...

Today's Newark Star Ledger had a pretty informative article regarding NJT's decision into the reasoning as to how they would deal with Sandy's arrival. Attached is the link to the entire article which I hope is allowed here on TO. I guess the debate will continue as to why and who is to blame in this fiasco.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/12/questions_surface_over_nj_tran.html

The more they talk, the supider they look.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> The more they talk, the supider they look.


They're looking about as intelligent as the Long Island Power Authority!

I'm at a total loss to understand why NJT apparently doesn't subscribe to Accu-Weather or one of the other commercial services. Class I railroads all do. The commercial services provide assistance in analyzing NWS forecasts, and they also "localize" the information as much as they can so, for example, towns and counties know how much snow to expect in a particular geographic location.

When I was working for NY MTA in the 1980s, we subscribed to Accu-Weather and used their forecasts to figure out where to pre-position our jet snow-blowers, among other things. That NJT has *one employee*, trained by NWS, who understands and can use their forecasting tool really is unbelieveable.

And NJT never called the NWS to ask about the forecast. This just gets odder and odder.

Wouldn't be easier for NJT to just admit "we screwed up royally" and then work to fix the problem in the future. Oh, wait, we are talking about politicans and other yakkies who can never admit to making a bad decision. What's that saying about "digging a hole and then pulling the dirt in on top of you"?

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

Typical Political Hack positions! All they are good for is trying to protect their own ass! When they fail at one agency or entity, they move to another one - sometimes locally or to other areas of the country. They all belong to the "good ol boy club"

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/12/questions_surface_over_nj_tran.html#incart_m-rpt-1

I think what is also interesting is that NJT only had one person trained in the use of interpreting the weather data. What, no backup when that person is on vacation or out sick? That lack of foresight by NJT in having a backup seems strange since having a backup person is standard operating procedures with a majority of organizations.

I am sure they have access to NOAA and NWS information that most of us do not with just fumbling around on the internet as amateurs. They should also have geologist or meteorologist on staff.

It's glorified bus company run by political hacks.
Illinois may be just as corrupt as New Jersey, but at least Illinois seems fairly competent and gets things done.

I take NJT to NY Penn everyday and while service ok its far from the level pre storm. I dont really understand all the trials and questions about what they did wrong before a 100yr storm. The info they learn will likely not be applied in our life time. All its gonna do is set up protocals for overreaction next time we have a summer rain storm. More so I want to know what is being done to fix the issues right now, I loose an hour a day with the currect commute and if I miss one train im the afternoon/evening it costs me 2+hours. Now we(commuters) all understand the issues and most folks are patient but that patience is wearing thin. They are providing about 60% of service and charging 100%. And now there are rumors that this will be the schedule going forward because ridership is down. Well duh its down because your not providing the service. I wish they would just fix the issues at hand and then determine how not to get in the same predicament next time, but then thats rational and NJ politics is anything but rational. Sorry for the rant but....

FULL RVL SERVICE DECEMBER 17
NJ TRANSIT announced today that full service on the Raritan Valley Line (RVL) will resume Monday, December 17, marking another milestone for customers in the transit system's return to normalcy after Hurricane Sandy. The Raritan Valley Line has been operating on a modified schedule since the storm, due to continued infrastructure-related repairs and restorations. With NJ TRANSIT already operating more than 99 percent of its pre-Sandy rail service into New York Penn Station, the full service restoration of the RVL will bring NJ TRANSIT's rail service back to 90 percent of its pre-Sandy schedule. Also today, NJ TRANSIT Executive Director James Weinstein reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to enhancing the transit system's resiliency to future superstorms, even as the agency continues to recover from Sandy's unprecedented damage. “It is vital that we rebuild for the future, not merely settle for returning the system to its pre-storm state,” Weinstein said. “We have made tremendous progress restoring service to customers. Now, we have to plan wisely for the future simultaneously as we continue to repair bridges, electrical substations and other facilities.” Although the transit system has returned to near normal for more than 95 percent of NJ TRANSIT’s daily customers, repairs will go on for a number of months. For example, two of the electrical substations that were submerged and destroyed by Sandy’s flood waters will take months to replace, as new substations have to be designed and built from scratch, a process that will take six to nine months. (NJ Transit - posted 12/12)

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Illinois may be just as corrupt as New Jersey, but
> at least Illinois seems fairly competent and gets
> things done.


They sent THEIR crooked Governor to prison; that says something. The hack who preceded
Christie still walks the streets...

pal77 Wrote:
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> I take NJT to NY Penn everyday and while service
> ok its far from the level pre storm. I dont
> really understand all the trials and questions
> about what they did wrong before a 100yr storm.

Not too sure about that. I lived in Nacogdoches, Texas for 4 years and during that time we had (2) 100 year floods.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> The more they talk, the stupider they look.

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"Our dog ate our homework..."

The "localized" weather forecasts are becoming exceptionally important for transportation agencies, even in NJ. Flash floods which drop enormous amounts of water over a small stream collection basin area (like Suffern / Mahwah, Lodi, Wayne, Bound Brook, etc) show up in the NOAA forecasts, and in the stream level forecasts.

Curiously, the NJ Department of Transportation has used localized forecasts to arrange contractors, pre-position plowing trucks, salt stockpiles, etc on various highways in recent years. The state's incident command center also has good access to localized forecasts, and works closely with planners for events like the festival of ballooning, etc.