A meeting of the Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council (LIRRCC) was convened at 4:30 p.m. on August 11, 2011, in the Transportation Services conference room at Penn Station, New York.
The following members were present:
• Gerard P. Bringmann
• Ira Greenberg
• Owen Costello
• Matthew Kessler
• Mark Epstein
• Larry Rubinstein
The following members were absent:
• Sheila Carpenter
• Maureen Michaels
In addition, the following persons were present:
• William Henderson -PCAC Executive Director
• Janice Wells -PCAC Associate Director
• Joe Calderone -MTA/LIRR
• Raymond Kenny -MTA/LIRR
• Joseph M. Clift -Concerned citizen
• Stuart Desser -Concerned citizen
Approval of Minutes
The agenda for the August 11, 2011 meeting was approved. The minutes of the July 14 meeting were approved as amended.
Board Report
The Council discussed the standee report provided monthly to the Board. Mr. Greenberg commented on the on time performance (OTP) figures from the July MTA Board meeting, noting that every month, there seems to be a new reason for shortcomings in OTP. Mr. Greenberg also noted that Jeffrey Rosen of MTA Real Estate presented a report on the LIRR’s real estate holdings. Mr. Greenberg said that while the report itself was rather bland, Mr. Rosen said that he is negotiating with Vornado, which controls retail space on the north side of the Penn Station LIRR concourse, to upgrade this space. Mr. Greenberg requested a report on the efforts to upgrade the LIRR concourse.
Mr. Henderson commented that the diesel trains have been performing well for the last several months, although this assessment is in relation to reduced goals for mean distance between failures. Mr. Bringmann stated that as a rider he has not noticed an improvement. He said that when diesel trains go down, they go down hard and that the LIRR is responsible for creating a new word, “uncanceled,” which they used in recent service alerts.
Chair’s Report
Mark Epstein gave the Chair’s Report. A copy of the written report is attached to these minutes. It was noted that the first meeting of the Governor’s advisory committee that will assist him in choosing a new MTA Chairman will take place on Monday, August 15. Mr. Epstein asked that Hector Garcia provide the Council with a report on the LIRR’s ADA task force. Mr. Epstein also said that as part of the Council’s outreach efforts, he has met with representatives of business and labor groups and that he is hoping that we will have a timeline for the appointment of new LIRRCC members by next week.
Introduction of Ray Kenny, LIRR Senior Vice President – Operations, and Joe Calderone, LIRR Vice President – Market Development and Public Affairs, to Discuss Recent Weather-Related Service Outages
Ray Kenny discussed the sequence of events when lightning strikes LIRR equipment. He said that first of all the lightning strike often disables the signal system. When there is a direct lightning strike, the surge of electricity overwhelms the protection that is built into the system and takes out the signals that are necessary for the operation of the Rail Road. When this occurs, trains have to be controlled manually and the system operators lose ability to see the movement of trains on the system.
He said that during the storm that struck Long Island last week the Babylon tower took a direct lightning hit. The tower then lost control of switches and personnel had to be sent into the field to control the switches manually in order for the system to be started up again. Some of the switches had to be blocked and spiked to hold them in place. Mr. Kenny said that at some point they got control back, but lost it again at Babylon, and without central control, trains were able to proceed at less than 15 miles per hour. He said that later there was a lightning strike on the Main Line that knocked out control in this area, and in this case, the workers couldn’t even respond in the field because of a hail storm. At this point, the LIRR had no choice but to cancel and combine trains; the Rail Road tried to let its riders know of the impacts on their commutes, but in situations such as this it is very difficult to develop estimates of the delays that riders will face.
Joe Calderone said that when the LIRR realized there were weather related problems, they posted a flash alert on the MTA website. He said that there are ways to communicate to trains and passengers through the public address system, the Audio Visual Paging System (AVPS), texting/email, web, and cellphones issued to crew and conductors. All trainmen except for engineers have phones and therefore have the capacity for two way communication.
Mr. Kenny explained that the Rail Road also had a train disabled on the Oyster Bay branch. This train could not be moved because it was between interlockings. He said that there were also some issues with the cellphones issued to the crews. There was an operating plan in place, but those carrying it out had some difficulty keeping up with which crews needed to be called. Mr. Kenny stated that they will reinforce with crews that if they are in a situation similar to this storm and they don’t receive a call or message on their phones, they should take the initiative to call in.
Mr. Epstein wanted to know what happens to crews if they do not call in. Mr. Kenny stated that the LIRR reinstructs crew members on the communication policy and has not had repeat incidents of crews not calling in after they were reinstructed. Mr. Calderone also commented that the email alerts were issued for trains that were running 10 minutes or more late. He said that there are presently 40,000 riders signed up for the email alert system and noted that an additional problem occurred when power to AVPS went down on the morning following the storm.
Mr. Kenny stated that AVPS works off the train tracking system that is used by operators and that also, the Train Information Management and Control System (TIMACS) went down between Merrick to Babylon. Mr. Bringmann said that train information displays went down on the Montauk branch as well. Mr. Kenny stated that they tried to keep up by adding information to AVPS manually, but couldn’t do it with the staff available. Mr. Calderone stated that in the next budget the LIRR is proposing to add customer communication personnel until they can upgrade the automated system. There are 13 new positions that would be created to handle a worst case scenario. At the same time, the LIRR would be taking technological steps to upgrade information inputs to AVPS. Mr. Calderone stated that the Rail Road has identified hardware that they will use and in about a year, we will be able to see exactly where all revenue trains are located.
Mr. Henderson asked how these improvements relate to AVPS. Mr. Kenny stated that AVPS gets the data that it uses to provide arrival information from TIMACS. The data from TIMACS lack granularity in that the system only knows that a train passed one tower or timepoint, but not whether it is still moving. Mr. Rubinstein suggested that a rider representative should be a part of the technology development process for this system. He said that riders have needs for information that should be incorporated into decisions about the system. For example, most riders do not know the origination points of trains for which they are waiting and information about the train’s point and time of origin may not be useful to many riders.
Mr. Greenberg stated that the departure boards above the ticket windows at Penn Station were installed because riders need information that is keyed to specific stations. As it stands, a branch schedule is often needed to interpret messages that are sent out by the LIRR. He noted that there is also a problem with conflicting information that is put out in alerts and information being sent out after the fact. Mr. Calderone commented that information may change over time and that sometimes email systems and cellphone carriers delay messages even though an alert was sent out in a timely manner. Mr. Epstein stated that riders don’t know what the term “Delayed” in email alerts means. He said that if there is a delay, riders should be told of its length.
Mr. Calderone said that the proposed improvement to the system will address this; with additional staff, the person inputting the information to AVPS will also be able to make public address announcements in the stations. Up until now the LIRR hasn’t had sufficient personnel to make public address announcements at the branch line stations.
Mr. Epstein asked about the LIRR’s plans to direct riders when Penn Station access is restricted. Mr. Kenny stated that Penn Station has a capacity of approximately 5,000 people. Therefore, when there are major service problems police will shut down entrances to the Station to slow the flow of people into the station. In the recent storm, the LIRR did not get anyone out to direct passengers.
Mr. Epstein asked whether the LIRR wants riders to avoid Penn Station if there is restricted access. Mr. Kenny stated that they are not trying to get riders to avoid Penn Station and go elsewhere in the system. Mr. Calderone said that they have used the sign on the 7th Avenue side of Madison Square Garden to advise passengers of restricted access to Penn Station He said that on August 1 there was a problem with communication between the LIRR and MSG management, but he believes that the communication problem is resolved.
Mr. Kenny commented that one of the proposed communication improvements will improve tracking of diesel trains. He said that there is a tracking system known as ASI that was included on C-3 coaches that has never worked. Instead of using the ASI transponder technology, the LIRR will use Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite technology to track diesel trains.
Mr. Calderone stated that at a certain point when they have enough information, the LIRR has a prebuilt application for smart phones that can be deployed. This application can access GPS data and will be like Metro-North’s Train Time system, but with finer grained information.
Mr. Epstein asked what would be at the top of the guests’ wish list for the system. Mr. Kenny said that his greatest wish for the system would be central control.
Mr. Kessler noted that Mr. Calderone had said that he did not know how long LIRR email alerts take to be transmitted to recipients by various cellular carriers and email systems and asked whether the LIRR could do testing to check on this. Mr. Calderone replied that there are systems in place to confirm that the messages are getting out. Mr. Epstein asked about the possibility of having service information on trains. Mr. Calderone stated that as part of WiFi request for proposals that has been issued, the LIRR is pushing for service advisory messages to be transmitted through advertising displays that would be a part of the system. Mr. Rubinstein questioned whether people would look at this information, as riders often seem to ignore existing advertising. Mr. Calderone stated that he has reviewed a pilot of this kind of system and believes that it can be done tastefully and attract riders’ attention.
New Business
Mr. Costello asked for an update regarding the Port Washington branch right of way encroachment by properties along Haven Avenue. Mr. Calderone stated that they are completing a survey of the area and have recently met with the legal department. They now have to address the issue with neighboring property owners. Mr. Garcia stated that the Town’s code enforcement is to notify property owners of the Rail Road’s findings with respect to encroachments on the right of way. A meeting between the LIRR and the Town has been postponed to September. Mr. Calderone stated that they are trying to be sensitive to the Town’s prerogatives, because of the Town’s relationship with its residents and businesses.
Mr. Rubinstein asked if there could be a way for riders to report problems while on the trains through the Coo Coo system without expecting a response from the Rail Road. He noted that the LIRR could establish another system besides Coo Coo to take these reports and said that such a system is needed because on board LIRR personnel do not necessarily report all problems that are brought to their attention.
Mr. Rubinstein wanted to know the procedure to compliment a conductor. Mr. Calderone stated that information can be given to him now or in an email message. Mr. Rubinstein commented on the new color that is being used on monthly tickets. He stated that this color has not used in the last three years and speculated that its use may have been a result of his pointing out the potential for reuse of monthly tickets from prior months.
Mr. Rubinstein asked about the status of efforts to more clearly identify trains that are short of their normal number of cars. Mr. Calderone stated he will have to look into the issue. Mr. Rubinstein said that this feature should be incorporated into design of a new train information system.
Mr. Epstein requested that Mr. Garcia report on the recent meeting of the LIRR ADA task force. Mr. Garcia said that the meeting discussed the last triennial review of the LIRR’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by the federal government. He said that the LIRR had been found to be out of compliance in substituting bus for train service, as carriers with non-ADA compliant equipment had been used. The LIRR is trying to work around these issues by implementing a call ahead program which will dispatch accessible vans for persons who need them. When buses are substituted for train service, the LIRR will have one van to provide accessible service that is compliant with the ADA. The call ahead program will be a part of advertising of all outages that use substitute busing.
Mr. Garcia said that he is getting information on the LIRR’s plans for accessibility improvements at the Pinelawn station and will report to the status to the Council.
New Business
Mr. Kessler said that he would like it noted for the record that he had asked Mr. Kenny whether the LIRR has emergency operation plans with regard to lightning and that Mr. Kenny had responded that they do have plans and fully revise them from time to time.
There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:00 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
William Henderson
Executive Director
Long Island Rail Road Commuters Council
Chair’s Report
August 11, 2011
Since we met last, the leadership situation at the MTA has changed considerably. Chairman Jay Walder will be assuming the position of CEO at MTR in Hong Kong and his last day at the MTA is slated to be October 21st. Mr. Walder’s embrace of technology is certainly consistent with many of the improvements in customer communication that we are trying to achieve, but his overall record was mixed, including fare increases and service cuts resulting from state funding reductions and persistent financial shortfalls. Governor Cuomo’s appointment of an advisory committee for the selection of a new Chairman consisting of respected and experienced members is encouraging, but Mr. Walder’s departure creates a good deal of apprehension and uncertainty within the MTA at a very sensitive time.
The lightning-related signal problems that the LIRR experienced last week reinforces the importance of the LIRRCC speaking out on the need for better communication between the LIRR and its riders. While the Rail Road cannot be blamed for signal malfunctions resulting from the severe storms that struck parts of Long Island, riders must be kept informed of the status of train service and what they can do to reach their destinations. In too many cases during the service disruptions on Monday of last week, riders did not have access to this information. As a result, I asked Ray Kenny and Joe Calderone to join us at this meeting to discuss customer communication changes that the LIRR is planning.
Last month I sent a letter to Rod Brooks, the LIRR’s Chief Transportation Officer, in response to Owen Costello’s concerns about trains being announced in Penn Station prior to their arrival at the boarding platform and his question of whether this process aids boarding. I noted the potential hazards that can be caused by directing passengers to the platform before there is a train to be boarded and asked Mr. Brooks to provide the Council with the LIRR’s procedures for announcing trains at Penn Station and whether announcing trains in advance of their arrival at the platform is within the LIRRCC’s protocols. We have not yet received a response.
On a positive note, I was glad to hear that the LIRR has responded positively to concerns about service to the Mets/Willets Point station that Larry Rubinstein raised and has revised their scheduling and staging of trains at the end of baseball games to resolve issues connected to long waits and crowding. This is a great example of what we can do together to improve conditions for the riders.
The LIRR ADA Task Force convened on July 19, Sheila Carpenter, Edith Prentiss and Karyl Berger attended the session along with representatives from Nassau and Suffolk counties. The task force is focused on a number of issues and will be conducting site visits in the coming month at Ronkonkoma station and Penn Station to review signage and investigate related accessibility issues. Sheila and Karyl will keep us updated as the Task Force’s work progresses.
We are also moving forward with our outreach program, and I’ve had successful meetings with leaders in the Long Island business community and others concerned with the improvement of Long Island. We need to make connections with others who share our interests and objectives and it is my hope that all council members will participate in future meetings.
Please mark your calendar for our upcoming PCAC meeting on September 8. Under our normal schedule, the meeting would be held on the 1st, but as many people are still in summer mode until Labor Day, the PCAC Executive Committee has decided to move the meeting to the 8th. Our guest at the September PCAC meeting will be James Brennan, a member of the New York State Assembly from Brooklyn. Mr. Brennan chairs the Committee on Corporations, Authorities, and Commissions, which is the committee with primary responsibility for oversight of the MTA. Some of you may remember that Richard Brodsky was the PCAC’s guest several years ago; Assemblyman Brennan succeeded Mr. Brodsky as Committee Chair.