On Friday, April 17, 2015 at 10:02:22 PM UTC-4, Michael Finfer wrote:   
      
      
   [CSX/SEPTA West Trenton line separation]   
   > At least separating the freights onto their own single track railroad    
   > will benefit the passenger operation.   
      
   I doubt it.   
      
   First, I heard gossip that the freights will run on the north side (on the new   
   track now being built), even though the freight track comes up from the south   
   side.  _If_ this is true, there will be contention as the freights cross over   
   the psgr tracks.     
   Hopefully, they'll keep freights on the south side, though this will mean the   
   extra cost of adding catenary for the new third track.   
      
   Secondly, I think the third track will end short (west) of the Yardley   
   station.  The bridges over Main St, River Road and the Delaware River in   
   Yardley will not be widened for a third track.  So, freights will still share   
   the trackage between Yardley and    
   West Trenton, including the two stations, and that presents opportunities for   
   contention.     
      
   In any event, there will remain contention with movements in and out of the   
   SEPTA yard at West Trenton.   
      
   I also heard gossip--and I really hope this is false--that from Yardley to   
   West Trenton the two tracks will be split--one for SEPTA, one for CSX.  This   
   will adversely impact operations in the rush hour, especially when trains run   
   late.  In addition, if    
   true, it will reduce scheduling flexibility.  Right now, many weekday trains   
   pass each other near Yardley.   
      
   SEPTA communications* do not lead to passenger confidence.  There are plenty   
   of times that passengers are directed by loudspeaker to cross to the other   
   platform, only to discover the train arrives on its regular track, and they   
   must go back.  Other times    
   there is no announcement and the train arrives on the wrong track, forcing   
   passengers to rush hour.  In both cases the train is delayed and passengers   
   are unnecessarily inconvenienced and stressed.   
      
   Would anyone know if actual plans have been published anywhere?  AFAIK, they   
   never bothered to hold public hearings on this project and no plans have been   
   released.   
      
      
   * NJ Transit communications aren't any more reliable.  At Princeton Jct, they   
   announce trains are delayed when they are on-time, and fail to announce   
   delayed trains or the degree of delay.  Sometimes an inbound train will fail   
   to wait for passengers    
   coming up the steps from the Dinky shuttle (the Dinky apparently is not   
   operationally coordinated with the maineline; I guess radios are beyond   
   them).  In Penn Central days, the ticket agent could telephone someone and   
   find out train status, today,    
   ticket agents refuse to do so.     
      
   --- SoupGate/W32 v1.03   
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