MTA Construction

The MTA’s brain-drain problem at the top

by Benjamin Kabak
written by Benjamin Kabak on September 8, 2011

A few weeks ago, word got out of a few new FTA reports concerning the MTA’s ongoing big-ticket capital items. Initially, we learned that the Federal Transit Administration believed the MTA’s current launch dates for the Second Ave. Subway and East Side Access project were premature. Instead of a 2016 revenue service date, the FTA expects SAS and ESA to open in 2018. That was not, apparently, the only key finding in the reports.

As The Post details, turnover at the top of the management structure for these projects has become a major issue for the MTA. Brain drain, it seems, isn’t just limited to the Chairman’s spot. Jennifer Fermino has more:

Top managers on mega-MTA projects — who haven’t had raises in four years — are bolting at an alarmingly high rate, leaving crucial positions vacant and prompting concern from federal regulators. The Federal Transit Administration is so disturbed by the high turnover that in two separate reports, they’ve cautioned the cash-strapped agency to quickly bring in experienced managers to fill current and future vacancies on such massive projects as the Second Avenue Subway, according to government reports obtained by The Post. But that likely will be easier said than done. Unlike unionized workers — whose contracts ensure they get annual cost-of-living increases — members of MTA management haven’t had a salary hike in four years.

“There are obviously issues with MTA employees and staffing levels and pay scales,” said MTA board member Mitch Pally, who is on the committee that monitors the agency’s big-ticket projects. “I can assure you that management doesn’t make enough money, especially for people who are experienced,” he said. “These are complicated jobs.”

…Federal regulators lamented the “substantial turnover” among contract and MTA staff managers over the past year in their monthly report on the Second Avenue Subway. The agency “remains concerned that the continued staff shortage may impair proper functioning of the project quality processes,” the FTA said in another report, which suggests they hire more managers. In one area of quality management on the Second Avenue Subway, two of the MTA’s three agency consultants are new. Another outside consulting position in the same division also is vacant, according to the report.

This is what we call a vicious cycle. As unionized workers — those who weren’t dismissed, that is — earned raises and will fight for more, the MTA’s management minds have gotten none, and they’re starting to leave. They can get higher paying jobs at organizations that enjoy greater political and fiscal support than the MTA. So then why shouldn’t they leave? If that story sounds similar, it’s because that’s basically what Jay Walder is doing at the end of October.

The solution, of course, is a politically dangerous one. The MTA must be allowed to raise salaries to remain competitive in a global market. The authority can’t afford to see its projects completed slowly, haphazardly or not at all because its salaries aren’t high enough to attract and retain the leaders they need. Ultimately, this isn’t some great insight into the state of things at the MTA, but it’s a lesson few people in Albany and elsewhere have learned. Now it’s starting to get too late.

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AsidesStraphangers Campaign

TA, Straphangers: Next MTA head should know the transit

by Benjamin Kabak
written by Benjamin Kabak on September 7, 2011

New York’s straphangers want the next MTA head to be well versed in public transit, according to a Transportation Alternatives poll. With current MTA CEO and Chairman Jay Walder’s looming departure, Trans Alt and the Straphangers asked 600 New Yorkers their views on the next MTA head, and the results show that riders want someone to advocate for the bus and subway systems. “New Yorkers know first-hand the city’s public transit needs,” Paul Steely White, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, said. “Over the last three years, the state legislature has raided a total of $260 million in dedicated funds from transit riders. It’s no surprise that people want the next MTA chair to ensure that elected officials protect the public transit funding needed to prevent further fare hikes and service cuts. They want serious leadership for these challenging financial times.”

The polls, unfortunately, are somewhat self-selection as the two groups hosted them on their websites and Facebook pages. The respondents therefore are more attuned to transit issues than a typical subway rider may be. Still, the answers are telling. Riders want someone who has experience running other large and complext transit systems, and they want someone with the political skills to raise support for transit in Washington, Albany and City Hall. Those traits represent the Holy Grail amongst transit advocates, and finding the right person who is both willing to stick around and enjoys support from Albany has been a challenge.

“Riders most want an MTA chair experienced in running other large, complex transit systems,” Cate Catino of the Straphangers Campaign said. “With a public transit system that runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, riders need the next MTA chair to be able to step into our complex system and hit the ground rolling at full speed. Riders want it all, and we deserve it.”

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View from Underground

Guest Post: A tablet for your subway commute

by Benjamin Kabak
written by Benjamin Kabak on September 7, 2011

With the attention recently on tablet computers in the subway — perhaps for some of the wrong reasons — I have a guest post today from my friend Joseph Pawlikowksi. In addition to writing with me at River Ave. Blues, Joe also keeps up with everything BlackBerry at BBGeeks, and today, he offers up this primer on the best tablet for your commute. I’m an iPad guy myself. It makes reading the papers in the morning on the subway far easier.

Since the introduction of the transistor radio, people have used electronic devices for entertainment on the subway. Think about how many people you see using one on the subway. On some days you might be better off counting the people who don’t have an iPod, a Kindle, or some form of electronic entertainment. The latest trend has involved the tablet PC. The iPad got everything started, and now it seems there are dozens of different tablets making subway appearances. There are dozens of tablets on the market, and each one provides a different experience on the subway. Here are your best bets.

Apple iPad

Pros: It is the standard bearer of the tablet computer. More people own an iPad than any other tablet, so it’s easy to get recommendations on apps and cases from people who already own one. It also has the largest selection of apps, so you’ll have plenty of choices for your entertainment. The big screen makes for great video watching, and there is plenty of storage for your music, videos, and apps.

Cons: The size and weight can be a problem. If you have to stand up, your arms can get tired holding up the iPad while you watch, read, or listen. It’s also an obvious target for any subway theft.

Android tablets

Pros: They come in many sizes, so you can find one that fits your specifications. There are even some that have keyboard attachments, so you can get some work done if you find a seat. There are also tons of apps in the Android Market. Best of all, many of them are free where iPad apps cost money.

Cons: The app environment on Android is not as regulated as on the iPad, so there’s a lot more crap to sift through. While the variety of Android tablets makes it likely you’ll find one you want, there is an abundance of low-quality Android tablets on the market that will break with reasonable wear and tear. That is, in order to find a high quality Android tablet you have to do some homework. The software also isn’t up to par with Android smartphones.

BlackBerry PlayBook

Pros: It’s one of the most compact tablets, measuring 7.6 inches wide by 5.1 inches high. That can fit in the back pocket of some jeans. The video quality is on par with the iPad, even if the screen is a few inches smaller. It ranks among the more durable tablets as well, so if you drop it while sitting you might be able to avoid damage you would incur with an inferior tablet.

Cons: There still aren’t many apps for it, though the addition of the Android player, which gives users access to Android apps, will help. That should come in the fall 2011. There is also no native email and calendar, staples of the BlackBerry platform, though again those are due to hit the PlayBook in the fall. It works best when tethered to a BlackBerry device, so BlackBerry owners will benefit more than non-owners.

A note to subway tablet PC users

If you’re going to carry your tablet on the subway, the first thing you need to do is buy a case. It’s amazing how little of a drop it takes to damage them. As these guys demonstrate, even a waist high drop can ruin your tablet if you don’t have a proper case for it. If you’re on the subway, it’s the No. 1 essential thing you need.

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Subway Security

Ten years later, better security or just theater?

by Benjamin Kabak
written by Benjamin Kabak on September 7, 2011

Signs for the September 11 memorial have appeared in the subway lately. (Photo by Benjamin Kabak)

It’s impossible to escape the spectre of September 11 right now. As much as I would rather not dwell on the uncertainty and emotion from that terrible day, it is now pervading New York life. New signs at Cortlandt St. point the way to the 9/11 momument, and news outlets of all stripes are covering the decade from every angle.

New York City’s subways were, of course, not at all immune from the impact of 9/11. Physically, the city’s subways were altered. Trains had to be re-routed and stations rebuilt as the falling towers crashed into the subway tubes below. Those weren’t, however, the only changes as security underground became a renewed focus.

Around the world, other cities have seen their subways come under attack. Since September 11, Moscow, Madrid, London and Tokyo have all suffered terrorism-related bombings in their subway systems, but New York’s has so far remain unscathed. That isn’t to say it’s a relatively protected system though. While the MTA has focused its security efforts on high-volume stations and train lines that pass under key infrastructure, the system is porous. Anyone can board a train anywhere and ride it to another destination for the simple swipe of a MetroCard.

With 9/11 looming, the MTA’s security efforts have creeped back into the news lately. New York 1 today offers up a few pieces. One looks at the authority’s increased security efforts while another praises the MTA’s seemingly successful “See Something, Say Something” campaign. According to that report, over 10,000 people called the NYPD to say something in 2010, an increase of over 7000 over 2009. The constant reminders to notice every suspicious plastic bag has at least given the police something to do.

“If there is an event in the the news, people will call more, they’ll see more, they’re paying more attention,” Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said. “If you don’t have any recent events, terrorist events, it’ll seem to fall off some. But generally speaking, I think it’s working well. People are aware of their changed situation.”

Now, the New York 1 pieces are designed to make us feel safer. The MTA, they say, is monitoring thousands of points throughout the system with cameras while some in high-traffic areas — Grand Central, Times Square, Penn Station — provide real-time streams to the NYPD’s high-tech monitoring system. These are necessary measures, but I sometimes wonder if it’s only for show. After all, someone intent on attacking the city’s transit network might know that the busiest stations are also the ones most heavily guarded.

Outside of the city, suburban dwellers are less comfortable with their security. The Daily New Canaan recently questioned Metro-North’s preparedness. As some riders noted, if cops had difficulty locating a stalled train a few weeks ago, how will they respond to a terrorism-related emergency?

Of course, these types of stories simply inspire more theater. People talk about bag inspections for commuter rail passengers, increased police patrols and on-board K-9 units. By stroking fears, lawmakers can push toward an increased police state in our rail network. No one really wants to experience that reality either.

Ultimately, it’s a balancing act. The NYPD and the MTA have to strike a balance between security and theater. They have to project an air of protection without seeming overbearing while working behind the scenes to ensure that the system is protected. We don’t like to think about subway security because we don’t want to think that the subways aren’t safe. We need them; we ride on them; we don’t want to fear them. But this week, security and terrorism are in the news, and subway security remains as it often is — a work very much in progress.

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Fulton Street

Before 9/11, Cortlandt St.’s southbound side opens

by Benjamin Kabak
written by Benjamin Kabak on September 6, 2011

Sheldon Silver thanks the MTA for opening up the Cortlandt Street station before the anniversary of the September 11th attacks. (Photo by Benjamin Kabak)

Flanked by the usual array of politicians and authority officials, MTA Chairman and CEO Jay Walder cut the ribbon on the southbound platform of the R train stop at Cortlandt St. in Lower Manhattan this afternoon. By opening the station today, the MTA fulfilled a promise made to the Lower Manhattan community to restore service to the station prior to the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. As the southbound platform right now has no direct access to the street, straphangers must use the open par tof the Dey St. underpass to exit on the northern side, and the MTA will restore the southbound exit once construction aboveground is complete.

“We made a commitment to have this platform open before the tenth anniversary of 9/11 and today we are here to fulfill that commitment,” Walder said. “I’m so proud that the MTA is able to participate in another vital milestone in the revitalization of Lower Manhattan. Our employees were first responders on that tragic day; we worked tirelessly to bring the subway back just months after the attack and every day since we have been rebuilding and helping the city come back stronger than ever.”

For the past ten years, the Cortlandt Street BMT station has been amidst a construction zone. The station was badly damaged during the attacks, and station was shuttered until September 15, 2002. It remained opened until August 20, 2005 when work on the Dey Street Passageway forced its closure. Right now, the underpass linking the northbound and southbound platforms is open but bounded by a false wall. Once the Dey St. Passageway is fully complete, that wall will be removed.

The other Cortlandt St. station impacted by the September 11 attacks will remain closed for now. The 1 train hasn’t stopped at its Cortlandt St. in ten years, but due to ongoing Port Authority work at the World Trade Center site, that station will remain closed indefinitely.

Along the BMT, the northbound platform opened in November of 2009, and the MTA and Port Authority spent another $20 million to reopen the southbound platform. Included in the reopened station are a variety of murals by Margie Hughto entitled “Trade, Treasure and Travel.” The murals were added to the station in 1997 and were undamaged in the attacks. Many of them have been restored to Cortlandt St., and the remaining panels will appear in the Dey St. Passageway.

For more scenes from the opening, click through to view the slideshow.

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AsidesNew York City Transit

At Columbus Circle, the system’s most popular turnstile

by Benjamin Kabak
written by Benjamin Kabak on September 6, 2011

As the MTA’s trove of daily data dumps pile up, the Daily News has crunched some numbers to determine the system’s most heavily used turnstile. The winner: one machine at Columbus Circle. According to their research, through August 19, 1,402,766 straphangers had swiped through the turnstile that’s first in row near the entrance by the escalators on the west side of 59th St. That’s over 4000 swipes more than a pair of popular turnstiles at Jamaica Center. A few machines at Times Square and Grand Central round out the top five.

It’s interesting to see how the system’s most popular turnstile is at a station that in 2010 was Transit’s seventh busiest. After all, Times Square sees nearly three times the annual ridership as Columbus Circle. Yet, Times Square has far more entrances and turnstiles than the 59th St. station does. That discrepancy probably explains why this Columbus Circle turnstile has been the 2011 leader in swipes. “This turnstile is situated in a pivotal location in a station complex that supports a high customer volume,” MTA spokesman Charles Seaton said to The News.

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View from Underground

Subway etiquette in three easy parts

by Benjamin Kabak
written by Benjamin Kabak on September 6, 2011

A 2010 stunt from Jason Shellowitz failed to bring courteous behavior underground. (Courtesy of Animal New York)

On a multiple occasions at random times of the day in recent weeks, I’ve found myself on a few different trains with bench seating. When I ride those lines, I try to be mindful of the space between me and others next to me. I prefer not to sit on top of my neighbors when train cars are half empty, but I also like to make sure I’m not hogging more than my fair share of the space. If there’s room, someone should be able to sit next to me.

What really grinds my gears, though, is when the person sitting down doesn’t take the same precaution. Recently, I’ve had people stumble over me, bumping into me and then sitting on top of me as they’ve attempted to take a seat on the train. Only after I glance, glare or raise an eyebrow at them do they mutter a half-hearted apology or finally utter excuse me. In any other setting — a movie theater, a sports stadium, an airplane — this behavior would be considered rude, but on the subways, it seems to be de rigueur as straphangers do everything humanly possible to avoid interacting with their fellow subway riders.

In the grand scheme of the way we ride, these seat-bumpers are but a minor inconvenience. They pale in comparison with the pole-huggers, door-blockers and iPod headphone abusers, but they’re still a part of the great dance of the subway system. They set the tone for the way we view people sitting next to us and for the way we all interact during our short or not-so-short subway rides.

Before the long weekend, Jen Doll at The Village Voice’s website offered up a primer on subway etiquette. Over the years, I’ve covered various approaches to politeness underground. Some have come in the form of a laundry list of dos and don’ts. Other pieces have examined single-issues topics (including the ever-controversial pregnant lady conundrum). Doll’s list though is short, sweet and to the point.

Picking up from a video of people doing something in the subway that isn’t normally done in the subway — for instance, yoga — Doll distills subway etiquette into three simple points: 1. Pay attention to yourself, and to other people; 2. The subway is for getting you to where you want to go; and point three, which I’ll quote at length:

?3. Get on the subway train of your choice. Sit down or stand up in an area that seems convenient, and is not massively in the way of or on top of other people. Stay there until you reach your stop, reading, listening to music, staring into the ether, counting the minutes until you’ve arrived. Get off the subway. Carry on.

In other words, be a good person and don’t use the subway for things that would annoy you if someone else did it or aren’t appropriate for the subway. Don’t eat; don’t fight; don’t host dinner parties; don’t take up more than your own seat. It’s all common sense to me, but when I watch the way we ride, I’m always shocked by how many New Yorkers can’t seem to grasp these simple concepts. The Golden Rule doesn’t always exist underground, but if it did, the subways would be a far more pleasant place for a commute.

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Service Advisories

Open Thread: Notes and service advisories

by Benjamin Kabak
written by Benjamin Kabak on September 2, 2011

Let’s try a new thing this weekend. For the service advisories, I’m also going to make this an open thread. Feel free to talk about anything. I have a few more notes to go over too.

  • The Boardwalk Empire Nostalgia Train is going to net the MTA “north of $150,000,” according to an MTA spokesman. That’s not a bad haul for something that’s going to attract a crowd.
  • The downtown platform at Cortlandt Street on the R train is going to open on Tuesday. The ribbon cutting is scheduled for 3 p.m., and the station will enter revenue service shortly thereafter. I’ll have photos following the photo op.
  • The Village Voice’s Runnin’ Scared blog offers a primer on subway etiquette.

With that, here are you service advisories. As always, these come to me from the MTA and are subject to change. Trains on Monday will operate on a Sunday schedule. Enjoy the long weekend.


From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, September 3 to 5 a.m. Tuesday, September 6, there are no 1 trains between 242nd Street and 168th Street due to station rehab work at Dyckman Street, platform edge and canopy work from 207th to 242nd Streets, and switch renewal work at 238th Street. A train, M3 and free shuttle buses provide alternate service.


From 4 a.m. Saturday, September 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday, September 4, uptown 2 trains run express from 3rd Avenue-149th Street to East 180th Street, due to track panel installation at Freeman Street and 174th Street.


From 12:01 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, September 3, Brooklyn-bound 4 trains run local from Franklin Avenue to Utica Avenue due to conduit installation (for new fiber optic cables) at Utica Avenue.


From 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, September 3 and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday, September 4, there are no 5 trains between East 180th Street and 149th Street-Grand Concourse due to track panel installation at Freeman Street and 174th Street. Note: Shuttle trains operate between Dyre Avenue and East 180th Street. For service between East 180th Street and 149th Street-Grand Concourse, customers should take the 2 instead.


From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, September 3 and Sunday, September 4, downtown 6 trains skip Morrison Avenue-Soundview and Whitlock Avenue due to rail work at Elder Avenue. Note: At all times until October 2011, 6 trains skip Elder Avenue and St. Lawrence Avenue in both directions due to station rehabilitation.


From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, September 3 to 5 a.m. Monday, September 5, Manhattan-bound D trains run on the N line from Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue to 36th Street (Brooklyn) due to structural repair and station rehabilitation from 71st Street to Bay 50th Street and ADA work at Bay Parkway. Note: At all times until Friday, October 28, the southbound D is bypassing 71st Street due to stair reconstruction.


From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, September 3 to 5 a.m. Tuesday, September 6, E trains run on the F line in both directions between 36th Street (Queens) and West 4th Street (Manhattan) due to switch renewal north of Lexington Avenue, track panel and conduit work between Queens Plaza and Court Square-23rd Street and work on the 5th Avenue Interlocking Project.

(Nights)
From 11 p.m. Friday, September 2 to 6 a.m. Saturday, September 3, and from 11 p.m. Saturday, September 3 to 8 a.m. Sunday, September 4, and from 11 p.m. Sunday, September 4 to 8 a.m. Monday, September 5, and from 11 p.m. Monday, September 5 to 5 a.m. Tuesday, September 6, there are no G trains between Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts. and Church Avenue due to installation and final inspection of track work north of Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts. G trains operate in two sections:

  • Between Court Square-23rd Street and Bedford-Nostrand Avs and
  • Between Bedford-Nostrand Avs and Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts.

Note: A trains provide connecting service between Jot-Schermerhorn Sts and Jay Street-MetroTech.


From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, September 3 to 5 a.m. Monday, September 5, there are no L trains between 8th Avenue and 14th Street-Union Square due to track work between Union Square and 6th Avenue. L trains operate in two sections:

  • Between 14th Street-Union Square and Bedford Avenue every 16 minutes, trains skip 3rd Avenue and
  • Between Bedford Avenue and Rockaway Parkway

M14 buses and free shuttle buses (overnight) provide alternate service.


From 4 a.m. Saturday, September 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday, September 4, southbound N trains run express from Astoria Boulevard to Queensboro Plaza, skipping 30th Avenue, Broadway, 36th Avenue and 39th Avenue due to track panel installation between Astoria Boulevard and 36th Avenue.

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AsidesSecond Avenue Subway

First Ave. emerging as SAS construction winner

by Benjamin Kabak
written by Benjamin Kabak on September 2, 2011

For the past three years, as Second Ave. Subway construction has slogged toward an indeterminate launch date, we’ve heard a lot about how the constant noise, dirt and debris has had a negative impact on the quality of life along Second Ave. Business is down by 30 percent in some locations, and residents must confront constant construction right outside their windows at all hours of the day. Not everyone on the East Side, though, is suffering from Second Ave. pain.

One big block to the east, First Ave. merchants and restauranteurs are enjoying a renaissance, as Laura Kusisto writes in The Wall Street Journal today. Long playing second fiddle to Second Ave., First Ave. is enjoying a boom time right now as businesses seek out East Side locales that aren’t under construction. Rents, while still cheaper than Second Ave., are on the rise, and real estate experts expect the trend to continue.

Ultimately, First Ave. stands to benefit greatly from the Second Ave. subway. As Dean Valentino, a real estate broker, said to The Journal, “Once that subway is in there, then First Avenue is in great shape because then you’re only a block away.” It will no longer be a long three-block trek to the nearest subway line, and at that point, in 2016 or 2017 or 2018, the avenues east of Second that haven’t suffered from construction will truly see an increase in accessibility, desirability and, of course, rent.

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Metro-North

What future for the Port Jervis line?

by Benjamin Kabak
written by Benjamin Kabak on September 2, 2011

The Port Jervis line will be out of service for months following Hurricane Irene. (Photo courtesy of Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Hilary Ring)

Metro-North’s Port Jervis line is in trouble. As the pictures have shown us this week, the west-of-the-Hudson commuter rail line was hit hard by Hurricane Irene. It’s currently out of service and will be for months, according to MTA CEO and Chairman Jay Walder. By all accounts, this is the worst weather-related transportation outage the region has suffered in decades.

Earlier this week, the MTA had to pull out its emergency powers to begin to ready the Port Jervis line for revenue service again. “The damage suffered by the Port Jervis Line can only be described as catastrophic,” Walder said during a tour of the destruction. “There are sections of track literally suspended in the air, and in many places we will have to build a new railroad from scratch, from the foundation to the tracks to the signals. I have directed Metro-North to take such steps as are necessary to expeditiously and fully address the catastrophic damage suffered along the Port Jervis Line as a result of Irene. Rebuilding this infrastructure is going to be a long and difficult process, but we are taking every action in our power to continue serving our customers, to reduce unnecessary delay and to communicate every step of the way.”

The worst of the damage is extensive. Near Sloatsburg, three sections of track totaling 1000 feet each are gone. A smaller section washed out to a depth of eight feet. Several bridges have sustained damage, and the signal system which is exposed and under water will have to be rebuilt. By using the emergency powers, the MTA can bypass lengthy procurement processes and can push through these badly needed repairs faster. “The Port Jervis Line is critical to the MTA’s West of Hudson customers, so it’s important that we use emergency powers to remove red tape and rebuild this infrastructure as quickly as possible,” MTA Board Member Susan Metzger said.

In The Times today, Christine Haughney writes about the trip to Orange and Rockland Counties, and the report from the devastation really brings it home. Walder, who said the time for repairs would be “measured in months,” seemed floored by the damage. “In nearly 30 years, I’ve never seen anything like that,” he said.

But beyond the emotional impact of the storm’s path, the MTA has to ask a lot of questions about the Port Jervis line’s future. It has been a long slow ride toward modernity for this 100-year-old rail branch, and while ridership is still low — barely 2300 per weekday and under 800 per weekend — it provides a vital lifeline to the city for a rapidly-growing part of New York State. For now, the authority will bus the commuters from Harriman to New Jersey Transit’s Ramsey/Route 17 station. In the coming months, the MTA will try to expand bus offerings.

Meanwhile, the economics of the situation are a cause for concern as well. As we know, the MTA has had to cut back its five-year capital plan, and for now, it will have to dip into cash reserves to fund this emergency repair work. The authority hopes that FEMA dollars will flow its way and that insurance proceeds can pick up some slack, but it also can’t afford to wait for the money to flow through the red tape. For now, the emergency powers will allow the MTA to get started on this project.

So now the MTA has an opportunity to recreate an old rail line or jettison something that many consider to be a drag on the MTA’s bottom line and a sprawl-promoting spur. They can improve the signals on the Port Jervis line. They can double-track some of the line. Or they could work quickly and do nothing much new but just work to get service running again. Taking the long view would pay off in the end, but transit authorities haven’t taken the long view too frequently these days. Now we’ll see what happens with the closest thing to a blank slate the region has.

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