On Monday, October 19, 2015 at 9:54:48 PM UTC-4, Michael Finfer wrote:   
   > I occasionally ride on Sundays.  Even with the recent fare and toll    
   > increases, the cost of fare+toll+gas is about half of what I would pay    
   > on NJ Transit from Raritan (I drive a hybrid).   
      
   Question:  For EZPASS users from a different agency, does the Port Authority   
   still give a toll discount or charge the full cash price?  (Some toll   
   operators charge the cash price unless they issued the transponder.)   
      
   How is the travel time?   
      
   Could you recommend a station to park at?  (I used to use New Dorp, but   
   driving to it from the Outerbridge is a pain.)   
      
   Thanks.   
      
      
   > It is fairly well patronized.  There is lots of travel between    
   > intermediate stations, where it's free.  The equipment has seen better    
   > days, though.  The shop forces seem to do a really good job keeping the    
   > trains running.  A late train really is a rarity.  However, new    
   > equipment really is needed, and from what I have read, the R-179 order    
   > does not include cars for the SIRT.  That is apparently going to wait    
   > for the next equipment order.   
      
   They're short of new cars, and keeping the 50 y/o R-32's around for a while   
   (see separate thread).  It's too bad many of the newer cars had to be scrapped.   
      
      
   > By the way, the line was resignalled a few years ago.  They seem to be    
   > using a variant or NORAC rule 562, cab signal operation without fixed    
   > intermediate automatic block signals, and they kept the B&O-style color    
   > position light signals at the interlockings.   
      
   Has the new signals resulted in faster operation?   
      
   It was always hard to look out the front window on SIRT since it was a tiny   
   circle in a full width cab.  Signals were hard to find since they were covered   
   in fencing and approach-lit.  In a few places (someone once posted a picture   
   link), large PRR type    
   signal heads were used, though still color position.   
      
   Wayside signals are going away.  I think the LIRR is a last holdout.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)