http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-fresh-flynn-bikes-train-comm.artmay20,0,2623882.story

It's a work in progress, with lots of cyclists getting bumped during peak hours particularly since gas prices shot up. But do thank yourpowers that be and help them make things better.

http://newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/09/pclear_cycling.php

However, reflecting on my experience on riding in Westchester County, bike access on trains is probably the least of the problems for a better integration of cyclists into the transport mix. While i do see a few bikes locked at train station, i hardly ever meet another cyclist on my daily commutes. This in turn is not surprising and rather unrelated to train access: the road infrastructure is pretty bike-unfriendly, e.g., the few bike trails are mostly useless for commuting and riding on the many (hard to avoid) four-lane roads without shoulders with lots of speeding cars is not necessarily for the faint of heart.

So to me a much more important policy push would be try to increase bicycle friendly roads and bike storage at train stations (not too much of that exists right now and the few bikes are mostly just locked to various fences). My guess is that the potential home-to-train station cyclists are a far larger target segment than the end-to-end cyclists; this would be at least match my experience in europe). But alas i realize that will be a difficult change contrary to lots of past development ...

I think in Connecticut it would be simple to have a rule: bikes are allowed, if there is space, on all trains say east of Stamford. (For those knowledgeable of other Metro North lines, I'm sure there are equivalent stations). This would allow New Haven to Bridgeport commuters to go to work by bike -- or those going from Stamford to New Haven at rush hour (currently totally empty train but bikes not allowed).

It's true that some trains are already crowded with GCT-bound commuters by Stamford, but many of those don't even stop in Stamford and I think there would not be much of a problem as bike-commuters would quickly figure out which trains are crowded and which aren't and not take the former.

Actually NJ TRANSIT needs a good reminder.

The RiverLINE in south Jersey is a DBOM operation (Design, Build, Operate, Maintain). It is cooperation between Bechtel and Bombardier which DBOMs the RiverLINE for NJ TRANSIT. The trains were designed and built by Stadler Rail AG in Switzerland where the idea of accommodating bicycles on trains is as second nature as ADA requirements are (supposed to be) here. Naturally the trains came equipped with easy to use vertical bicycle racks that only displace two seats when fully occupied with 3 bicycles.

Several years later NJ TRANSIT orders 279 (now 329) Multi-level vehicles (MLV) at a rough cost of $1.4 million each. There is absolutely no equipment in these brand new cars specifically to accommodate bicycles. There aren't even stickers on the outside of the doors to indicate where bicycles should board as is the western international standard elsewhere (the RiverLINE cars have these). When I ride these otherwise wonderful MLV cars with my bicycle, I must flip up 5 jump seats! People have had to stand because my bike was taking up those seats. With vertical storage like that pictured in this blog entry, there is no reason why my one bike shouldn't displace no more than one seat.

So yes, NJ TRANSIT needs to pay attention and wake up.

If one holds the bike correctly, by the headset and the front wheel, it only has to be lifted three or four inches from the floor. This is far easier than getting luggage up in those overhead racks, and odds are better that a cyclist knows how to use a hook.

JP

DingDong, as it stands now, I am pretty sure that rush-hour travel for the stations you mentioned, and even to or from Grand Central Terminal and 125th Street, is allowed in the off-peak direction. Only the peak-direction trains have the restriction, unless I'm wrong. Even so, I'm not sure I'd like to take a bike into Grand Central Terminal at the height of morning rush hour, or out of it in the evening rush hour, even if it is allowed. You would be going against a flood tide of humanity.

Imagine the confusion, anger and non-compliance that would arise from the following conductor's announcement: "Now arriving at Stamford. After Stamford, this train runs express to Harlem-125th Street & Grand Central Terminal only. For all local stops between Stamford and New York, change for the local train across the platform. Anyone going to Grand Central or 125th, stay on this train, unless you have a bike with you. All bicyclists must exit the train at Stamford. If you wish to continue on your trip with you bike, you can wait for four hours for the off-peak train."

I have been riding Metro North/NJ transit for 17 years. I have only seen a wheelchair user board once, at Harriman Station on the Main/Port Jervis Line about four years ago.

As for needing to vacate the this area with you bike if a customer in a wheelchair needs it; well I've probably taken my bike on NJ TRANSIT trains close to 100 times now and I've never had to move to accommodate a wheelchair user. In fact I've never even seen a wheelchair user even use NJ TRANSIT. I have seen visually impaired rider several times.

I have moved my bike on one or two occasions for passengers with baby strollers but I never had to exit the train.

PS - How much do these hooks cost?? $100 each installed? When a single train car cost way north of one million, this is pocket change!

Regarding rush hour, it might be useful that they would change to a more flexible policy like on the subway (e.g., room if space). However, expecting MTA to provide enough rolling stock/space that you could reasonably expect to take your bike (regularly) on rush hour trains sounds to me a bit utopian (or rather misplaced priorities). And i say that as somebody who takes my (folding) bicycle every day on a train ...

In any case, i laud MTA for the hooks which seems a flexible and cost-effective solution. I'm surprised, though, that they manage only two of them in that space.