Passenger Trains > MTA Prepares for Winter Storm

MTA Prepares for Winter Storm  March 13th, 2017http://www.mta.info/sites/default/files/styles/rotator_horizontal/public/news%20images/010214snowprep02_1.jpg?itok=mvXoKeYgMTA personnel will continue to monitor the U.S. National Weather Service and have direct access to a customized weather prediction service that provides regularly updated weather forecasts. Substantial MTA service changes are anticipated across subways, buses, Metro-North and LIRR. Customers are strongly encouraged to sign up for the MTA’s various electronic notification systems – including direct email and text alerts for a customer’s specific travel – via www.mymtaalerts.com and check www.mta.info for updates, including modified emergency schedules.Subways and Buses 
New York City Transit will monitor conditions for subways and buses continuously via its “Incident Command Center” situation room. Approximately 13,000 personnel will be on duty for subways during the storm, including more than 9,700 personnel dedicated to snow-fighting, staged throughout the system and working up to 12-hour shifts. Snow-fighting equipment for subways will include more than 2,000 snow melting devices at switches and other infrastructure, about 1,500 3rd rail heaters, “scraper shoes” on approximately 80 trains, 10 snowthrowers, four jetblowers, and seven de-icer train cars.Bus operations will employ more than 90 pieces of snow-fighting equipment to supplement the work of municipal agencies. All buses in service will have tires chained. There will be up to 30 percent reduction in local, limited and SBS bus service starting Tuesday morning, and all articulated buses will be replaced in service by standard 40-foot buses. Previously planned subway maintenance, rehabilitation and construction projects (such as FASTRACK) will be canceled Monday overnight and Tuesday.Bridges and Tunnels
Command Center is activating additional weather desks and is currently monitoring conditions continuously to ensure efficient deployment of personnel and resources. Electronic weather sensors are functional and all facilities have the ability to monitor weather and roadway conditions. There are more than 9,000 tons of roadway de-icer on hand and more than 100 pieces of storm fighting equipment including trucks and plows are ready. Approximately 350 maintenance or operations personnel will be deployed during the storm, including about 270 specifically for snow-fighting.Railroads
Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road are deploying extra staff, specialized equipment, and continuously monitoring conditions ahead of the storm. This includes more than 3,000 personnel working specifically on storm preparation and response. Close to 700 pieces of storm-fighting equipment will be deployed, including up to 360 snowblowers, up to 35 pickup truck plows, and up to 7 rail-bound jets. Scheduled work will be canceled during the storm. Conditions will be re-evaluated throughout the day. Long Island Rail Road also has 800,000 pounds of salt available.Before a winter storm, snow fighting equipment is winterized, tested and positioned strategically throughout both railroads to start operation as soon as snow accumulations begin. Protective heat circuits are verified to be operational, air brake lines are purged of any moisture to prevent them from freezing, electric trains are fitted with special third rail shoes to prevent snow from accumulating, exposed shoes are treated with de-icer, and exposed couplers are covered to keep snow out. Door panels are also sprayed with an anti-freeze agent and rescue equipment is fueled. Scheduled track work will be canceled to allow personnel to concentrate efforts on storm preparation and response.During the storm, anti-freeze trains will be deployed throughout the systems to spray de-icer on the third rail in an effort to prevent ice-build-up, and non-passenger patrol trains will operate along the right-of-way to prevent snowdrifts from forming on the tracks. At stations, extra personnel will pre-salt platforms before the storm and clear platforms of snow during and after the storm. Waiting rooms will be kept open around the clock to provide shelter for customers waiting for trains.Paratransit
The fleet of more than 2,000 vehicles is ready with snow tires, with 200 sets of tire chains also available. Salt and snow removal equipment are in place to supplement municipal snow-fighting activity. Due to the prediction of potential snowfall starting Monday evening, Access-A-Ride customers may experience additional travel and wait times. Depending on conditions, customers may want to reconsider travel, unless medically necessary. Customers are also advised to follow agency announcements about any curtailed service. For the Access-A-Ride paratransit service, a dashboard storm monitoring system is in place to track immobilized vehicles and customers. New York City Transit has also coordinated a procedure with New York City first responders and the Office of Emergency Management for rescuing customers on immobilized vehicles or those who develop medical needs during storms. Also in place is a new paratransit-specific Storm Action Plan that includes processes for curtailing all non-medically essential service.
 

NY MTA has a very robust storm / weather etc program.  They do a lot of planning, and getting equipment into the tunnels, using express tracks for storage, etc.

With 18" of blowing slow, NJT will probably shut down everything west of the Turnpike for a few days LOL!

They now claim they wil run weekend rail service, and no bus ssrvice.
I don't think they wil be able to pursue that.

http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PressReleaseTo&PRESS_RELEASE_ID=3116

Does Metro North or NJT own any second hand plows or flangers? I know the Long Island has a new Harsco spreader.  Amtrak operates the Hudson Line from Poughkeepsie, NY to Hoffmans, NY along with the Post Road and I don't think they have any plows or flangers assigned to this section. I know MBTA has an ex Conrail flanger and some ex CN plows that they have already used this year.