learned today

There's a set of train tracks called the West Shore line. It's owned by CSX. It's how freight is moved across the Hudson - -it travels up the West Shore line almost to Albany and then crosses the river. It's a very busy freight line.

People have been calling for commuter rail on at least part of the West Shore line for decades. It could carry people through eastern Bergen and Rockland counties up and down the Hudson. Actually, it used to be used for that. Originally, passengers rode the West Shore line down the west side of the Hudson to a ferry that dropped them off at 42nd Street. That service was discontinued in 1959.

CSX has the rights to run freight on the line. CSX insists that passenger trains should be on separate tracks. No agency has any funding or inclination to build those separate tracks.

MTA won't do it because it involves New Jersey. MTA wants a commuter rail line across that would take passenger from Rockland - but not Bergen - into midtwon. They're looking at stupid ideas like putting commuter rail over the Tappan Zee bridge.

There's another set of tracks called the Northern Branch. It goes through the same area but further east, and it's only in Bergen County, not Rockland. There's some chance that passenger rail could run on the Northern Branch, because it doesn't involve New Jersey.

I guess the lesson for me is that i need to stop being one of these shortsighted snobs who ignores New Jersey. Or i need to get out of the "where should the train go" business.

Also, i probably need to use this space for something other than taking notes.