Shut up, Chuck

[^_^ 5,021]

by Paul Mulshine

When the U.S. Senator from New York gave that spiel about cancellation of the ARC tunnel he gave evidence he knows next to nothing about the project was supposed to do - and why resistance from New York officials made that goal impossible.

The original idea of the Access to the Region's Core project was to provide not just two more rail tunnels to New York City but also to provide a long-overdue rail connection between Penn and Grand Central stations. This connection should have been provided long ago by such New Yorkers as Schumer himself.

But when Jersey officials proposed to provide it, the New Yorkers threw up obstacles. They didn't want our trains arriving at their station.

At that point ARC could go only to Penn Station.

The New Yorkers threw up obstacles to that as well. One such obstacle was a refusal to let the tunnels traverse a jogging path - as it if would kill the joggers to jog a bit more.

Then we ended up with the most pointless plan in transit history. Instead of connecting current stations, we Jerseyans would be building at our expense a new terminal deep within Manhattan right next to Penn. This terminal would be unconnected to anything else and would serve only the two tunnels. Those tunnels could not be shared by Amtrak, also part of the original plan, so Amtrak would have to build two new tunnels of its own.

Everyone who knew anything about rail transit opposed the "tunnel to Macy's Basement." When Christie killed it, no knowledgeable source objected.

Schumer did, however. But he has no idea what he's talking about. Check this sentence from his spiel:

"In London, they are building a high frequency rail project to link commuter areas, the center city, and Heathrow."

I suspect he meant "high-speed" not "high-frequency." But London already has both. The Underground leaves Heathrow at highly frequent intervals. It's cheap but it takes almost an hour to get downtown. If you're in a hurry, though, the Heathrow Express train will get you to town in a mere 15 minutes. You can also take Heathrow Connect, which takes 25 minutes.

All of these trains are connected to all the other trains. That "connectivity" much beloved by rail experts is precisely what is lacking in the canceled ARC plan. The Brits would never in a million years dream of building a new station in the center of London that did not connect to any other station.

Does Chuck have a clue? Not a chance.

Check this passage in which he proves he's clueless about Philadelphia as well:

It has been one of the particular geniuses of New York going back centuries that we have always recognized the importance of investing in infrastructure, even when others did not.

This is true going back to the early 19th century, when New York was battling with Philadelphia and other eastern cities for supremacy in the young Republic. We became the greatest city first in the United States, and then in the world, in large part thanks to the bold visions that our political and civic leaders embraced.

Absolute drivel. Back in the 1980s Philadelphia connected the two stations that were Philly's equivalent of Penn and Grand Central. As a result of that wise investment in infrastructure, SEPTA trains can ride right through the city and out the other side.

In New York, trains still make dead-end stops at the two stations, going back out the way they came. ARC would have added yet a third dead-end station.

It gets worse. Look what he has to say about the LIRR's East Side Access project:

On the East Side, we made the East Side Access project a high priority, and it is moving towards completion. Once it is finished, we will finally have a link between the Long Island Railroad and Grand Central. It is a vital project for commuters from Long Island. For the 60,000 commuters who take the LIRR to Penn Station every day but who work on the east side, East Side Access will save them an average of 40 minutes on their daily commute.

Does this guy realize that the purpose of the original ARC plan was to give Jersey commuters the same East Side access he's talking about?

And that his fellow New Yorkers killed that plan?

Christie is right on this one.

Schumer should shut up.

http://blog.nj.com/njv_paul_mulshine/2011/01/schumer_should_shut_up.html

Edited January 27, 2011 by \

[mawilson 2,133]

Do New Yorkers need another tunnel or station to commute to New Jersey? Not really.

New Jerseyans need it, New Jerseyans should pay for it and build it where NYC allows them to build it.

[^_^ 5,021]

Do New Yorkers need another tunnel or station to commute to New Jersey? Not really.

New Jerseyans need it, New Jerseyans should pay for it and build it where NYC allows them to build it.

Are we going to pretend New York businesses do not benefit in the least from the access these trains provide to the New Jersey labor market?

Also, had the tunnels connected into existing Penn station, Amtrak could have used them. That benefits the entire NEC line, NY included.

[mawilson 2,133]

Sure, but who needs it *more*, NY or NJ?

[natty bumppo 289]

Are we going to pretend New York businesses do not benefit in the least from the access these trains provide to the New Jersey labor market?

Also, had the tunnels connected into existing Penn station, Amtrak could have used them. That benefits the entire NEC line, NY included.

wonder if workers in nyc don't want those from jersey diluting the labor pool as it will lower the nyc workers wages ...

[^_^ 5,021]

Sure, but who needs it *more*, NY or NJ?

Now you're just being silly. Does the clownfish need the sea anemone more than the sea anemone needs the clownfish?

[mawilson 2,133]

Now you're just being silly. Does the clownfish need the sea anemone more than the sea anemone needs the clownfish?

I don't know man... it seems to me a lot more New Jerseyans commute to NYC for work than vice versa.

It's not like our businesses couldn't find someone local - the unemployment rate among New Yorkers is still very high.

[^_^ 5,021]

It's not like our businesses couldn't find someone local - the unemployment rate among New Yorkers is still very high.

The 5 boroughs don't have anything close to the kind of educated and skilled middle class that exists in NJ and LI.

[^_^ 5,021]

wonder if workers in nyc don't want those from jersey diluting the labor pool as it will lower the nyc workers wages ...

Doubt it. There aren't too many people in the 5 boroughs who would compete for the kind of jobs NJ and LI commuters currently do. Most 5 borough residents either work jobs that pay very well or pay so little that the commute from NJ/LI isn't worth it.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

wonder if workers in nyc don't want those from jersey diluting the labor pool as it will lower the nyc workers wages ...

New Jersey is a third world state?

[natty bumppo 289]

New Jersey is a third world state?

is it a 3rd world state?

just tossed out the question ... not intending to be upsetting as it's been almost 5 years since i've spent lots of time back east.

i tended to avoid jersey as much as possible when traveling between VA and CT. something about always having a hand extended just to drive on the roads. though parts of NW and western jersey can be nice ....

[mawilson 2,133]

The 5 boroughs don't have anything close to the kind of educated and skilled middle class that exists in NJ and LI.

Agreed, but LI is still New York.