2009
Returned from a family visit in Florida where I saw first hand how bicycles are handled during peak hour trains on Tri-Rail, tri-county commuter rail between Miami International Airport and West Palm Beach.
Good news!
The e-mail (below) sent out on behalf of Connecticut Rail Administrator Eugene Colonese to a select number of members of the bicycle community encourages bicyclists to bring their bicycles to Grand Central Terminal on Tuesday, January 6th to try prototype bicycle hooks installed on a pair of M-7 cars at an event from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Mr. Colonese invited bicyclists “Bring your bicycle and try the hook.”
Ray Rauth, the Sound Cyclists Community Relations rep suggested to Sound Cyclists and Connecticut Bicycle Coalition members that “Anyone commuting to GCT should check this out and let us know what you think.”
Great idea, except if you happen to commute to the City by train during the peak hour period because Metro-North’s current bicycle policies prohibit bringing bicycles on peak hour trains (Regulation # 3.ii. - Bicycles will not be permitted on trains scheduled to arrive in Grand Central Terminal between 5 AM and 10 AM...)
But if you live in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens, bicycle commute to Manhattan, or you can set aside time to travel midday into Manhattan with your bicycle, by all means please bring your bicycle and “try out these prototype bike hooks.”
A pair of M-7 cars will be on track 28 (upper level) from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Spoke with Marjorie Anders earlier today; the track assignment at Grand Central Terminal for the M-7 car bike hook demonstration was made late this morning.
If you can make it, or even if you can’t please join our new campaign to write:
Elliot G. Sander, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
-
H.Dale Hemmerdinger, Chairman
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
347 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017-3739
Be sure to thank Mr. Sanders and Mr. Hemmerdinger for the efforts Metro-North staff have made to produce the prototype bicycle hooks on this pair of M-7 cars. This prototype is the first step in providing a design, which accomodates dedicated bicycle parking in the new M-8 cars.
At the same time, ask the MTA executive director and Chairman to eliminate the bicycle prohibitions that result in consternation among multi-modal bicycle commuters attempting to use Metro-North, or Long Island Railroad in their commute to work.
Be sure to cc.the presidents of MNR & LIRR.
cc: Howard R. Permut, President, MTA Metro-North Railroad; Helena E. Williams, President, MTA Long Island Railroad
Thanks,
Richard Stowe
FYI: an Advisory sent to members of the press by Ms. Anders earlier today is below:
420 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
212 672-1200 Tel
212 672-1220 Fax
News
For Release: January 5, 2009
Contact: Marjorie Anders or Daniel Brucker 212-672-1200
NYC DAYBOOK ADVISORY
Tuesday January 6, 2009
12:30 – 2 p.m. MTA Metro-North Railroad and the Connecticut Department of Transportation invite bicyclists to Grand Central Terminal with their bikes to try out prototype bike hooks that have been installed on a pair of the M-7 cars. Track 28.
Contact: Metro-North - Marjorie Anders 212-672-1200, ConnDOT – Michele Sullivan 203-789-7189 ext. 140
From the Connecticut Department of Transportation (C-DOT):
The following message is being sent on behalf of Eugene Colonese:
The Connecticut Department of Transportation and Metro-North Railroad
are pleased to invite you to try out the recently installed bicycle
hooks now being tested on a pair of M7 rail cars. They will be on
display in Grand Central Terminal on Tuesday, January 6, 2009, from
12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Bring your bicycle and try the hook.
The newly installed bicycle hooks are being testing for intended use on
the new M-8 rail cars soon to be delivered for the New Haven Line. The
Department is seeking feedback from the cycling community in its effort
to safely and efficiently accommodate bicycles on trains. The track
assignment will be sent to you early next year.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Very truly yours,
Eugene Colonese
Rail Administrator
(203) 789-7189
Track 28 Grand Central Terminal Tues. Jan. 6, 2009: Bike Hook prototype M-7 cars
1/5/09
Dedicated bicycle parking space on Tri-Rail, the Miami to West Palm Beach commuter rail service.
Design for bike parking on the new “M-8” New Haven Line cars is underway and a bike hook demonstration will take place from 12:30 to 2 p.m. on January 6 on track 28 at Grand Central Terminal.
photo by Richard Stowe
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