MTA Metro-North Railroad today announced that it will perform ultrasonic rail testing on the Upper Harlem Line on Tuesday, October 31, and Wednesday, November 1. Metro-North will put the specialized Sperry Rail car into action on the section of track between Southeast and Wassaic. The railroad uses this high-tech piece of equipment to detect defects and metal fatigue inside the steel rails, inspecting them with ultrasonic and induction test equipment. The Sperry Rail car identifies issues before they become major problems, resulting in a safer, smoother ride and more reliable service.
Elsewhere along the tracks, Metro-North crews will make improvements to the Muddy Brook under-grade bridge north of the Patterson station, as well as cut brush and weld rail joints.
To accommodate Upper Harlem Line maintenance and improvements, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 31 and Wednesday, November 1, buses will substitute for trains between Southeast and Wassaic on the Harlem Line. Buses will operate 20-40 minutes earlier than scheduled trains.
Service details are below:
Southbound
From 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., buses will substitute for trains from Wassaic to Southeast, making all scheduled stops at the following stations: Tenmile River, Dover Plains, Harlem Valley-Wingdale, Pawling and Patterson. Bus service will operate 20 – 40 minutes earlier than normally scheduled train times. Buses will connect with regularly scheduled trains at Southeast for continuing service to Grand Central Terminal.
For a detailed bus service schedule, customers may visit:
http://web.mta.info/mnr/pdf/Wassaic_bus_10_20_2017.pdf
Northbound
From 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., buses will substitute for trains from Southeast to Wassaic, making all scheduled stops at the following stations: Patterson, Pawling, Harlem Valley-Wingdale, Dover Plains, Tenmile River and Wassaic. Customers should allow for later arrival times.
For a detailed bus service schedule, customers may visit:
http://web.mta.info/mnr/pdf/Wassaic_bus_10_20_2017.pdf
Many Channels for Service Updates
Information about the planned service changes noted in this press release, and all planned service changes, is available through Metro-North Railroad’s real-time service information sources:
Email and text message service updates – Customers are urged to sign up to receive the alerts by visiting MyMTAAlerts.com. To avoid unwanted messages, a user can tailor the messages to the specific branch, and the specific times of day.
MTA.info – The rail tab of the “Service Status” box at the left side of www.MTA.info is always the definitive source for the latest status for each branch, updated every minute. In addition, customers can visit www.mta.info/mnr to see special service notices in the upper center of the page.
@MetroNorth on Twitter – Twitter users can follow @MetroNorth to receive updates of a similar nature to the email and text alerts, shortened to fit Twitter’s format.
Metro-North Train Time app – Customers who use the Metro-North Train Time app will see up-to-the-minute status for each upcoming train at each station. The app is available via the Apple Store for iOS devices or Google Play Store for Android along with MTA eTix – Metro-North Railroad’s mobile ticketing app which allows customers to buy Metro-North tickets on their mobile device — anytime, anywhere. As a caution, trains that start out their trips on time may experience delays en route.
The above communications channels can be accessed while at home or on the go. For customers who are located at stations, Metro-North will post the latest service updates on digital signs at station platforms and will make audio announcements over public address systems, and on-board announcements made by train crews.
For those who prefer the telephone, information is available from the Metro-North’s Customer Service Center by calling 511, the New York State Travel Information Line, and saying: “Metro-North Railroad.” For customers calling from Connecticut, the number is: 877-690-5114. Those who are deaf or hard of hearing can use their preferred service provider for the free 711 relay to reach Metro-North at 511.
