The Case for Regional Rail

Four railway operators - Amtrak, plus the LIRR, Metro-North and NJ Transit commuter rail lines - host a network of priceless, but underperforming assets for regional mobility. Three states that provide funding to operate and preserve these lines, are guided by their own needs and perspectives, and find it difficult to reach a consensus on common plans to make better use of these railway lines.
Read entire chapter in pdf...
Read entire chapter in html...

Why Connect Penn Station and Grand Central?

A plan for connecting Penn Station and Grand Central was developed by regional transportation agencies in the final phase of planning for a new rail tunnel across the Hudson River. The plan called for using existing tracks and platforms at the two stations, taking advantage of unique elements that were incorporated into their design when they were built nearly a century ago, to permit their extension.
Read entire chapter in pdf...
Read entire chapter in html...

Out of the Depths

Bringing the LIRR into existing tracks and platforms that connect to the Upper Level loop at Grand Central Terminal is a far better option than sending them into a new "Deep Cavern" terminal station to be constructed some 150 feet below Park Avenue. Asking commuters to climb the equivalent of the height from the base to the torch of the Statue of Liberty is not in anyone's interest.
Read entire chapter in pdf...
Read entire chapter in html...

Ticket to Anywhere

Regional Rail operations at Penn Station in Manhattan will be greatly improved with the completion of the new rail tunnel under the Hudson River, and the construction of a relatively simple two-track connection from Amtrak's West Side line, into existing platforms and tracks at Penn Station. Penn Station becomes three side-by-side thru stations.
Read entire chapter in pdf...
Read entire chapter in html...

One City, One Fare

With the integration of bus and subway fares, all of New York City has become a "one fare zone". This zone is roughly a fifteen mile radius from Penn Station. West of the Hudson River, fares become more complex. Initially, the Regional Rail plan suggests extending the central fare zone west to include Hudson County and the City of Newark, since these places are already accessible with a single PATH fare.
Read entire chapter in pdf...
Read entire chapter in html...

Regional Rail and Real Estate

With frequent service and thru operation for Regional Rail, the need for close-in real estate to store railcars, midday, diminishes. High levels of service mean that many railcars will be used all day long. The remainder can be sent back to more remote rail yards. With thru service, rail cars are more efficiently deployed and the size of the fleet is reduced accordingly.
Read entire chapter in pdf...
Read entire chapter in html...

Berlin, London, Philadelphia - Why not here?

Regional Rail systems have been put into place in cities around the globe. While much attention has been focused on the construction of new subway and surface light rail lines, the concept of transforming commuter rail lines into Regional Rail systems with frequent service and integrated fares is accepted in many European and Asian cities.
Read entire chapter in pdf...
Read entire chapter in html...