Since you were just going to Jamaica off-peak, you could've purchased a CityTicket! CityTickets, as the name explains, is for journeys within NYC and costs just five bucks but it's only for off-peak hours (shown as an option at 4:20). And you accidentally purchased a peak ticket (as shown at the top at 4:21)! The reason both the LIRR and MNR use third rail is because when it was built the technology for DC third rail was more heavily used, and better understood. AC overhead lines were a newer technology. Plus third rail is cheaper to build, since it doesn’t require supports for the lines. LIRR was once owned by the Penn RR and they used third rail for the tunnels entering Manhattan. The Penn RR wouldn't do catenary lines until the 1930s. The map you posted at 2:19 is super weird since it's not the official LIRR map that I'm used to as a LIRR rider. The lines except Port Washington and the Ronkonkoma Branch have a different color scheme than the official map, and this map implies Ronkonkoma trains go to Speonk when they don't. Some Montauk Branch trains (which on the map are supposed to be aqua) just use the Central Branch to connect to the Main Line instead of going along the Babylon Branch (which is supposed to be dark green). Also, it's not the Queens, just Queens! I think you're confusing it with The Bronx! The reason we call it The Bronx is because of the Bronx River! While Queens is named after the Portuguese Catherine of Braganza, who was Queen of England in 1683.
How LIRR came to be: The LIRR was chartered back in 1834 to provide a daily service between New York and Boston via a ferry connection between its Greenport terminal on Long Island's North Fork and Stonington, CT. This service was superseded in 1849 by the land route through Connecticut that became part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The LIRR refocused its attentions towards serving Long Island. In the 1870s, railroad president Conrad Poppenhusen and his successor, Austin Corbin acquired all the railroads and consolidated them into the LIRR. Electric operation on the LIRR began in 1905. Most of the LIRR's branches are electrified except for Montauk (between Babylon and Montauk), Port Jeff (between Huntington and Port Jefferson), Oyster Bay (between East Williston and Oyster Bay), and Greenport (between Ronkonkoma and Greenport). For these non-electrified branches, as you briefly brought up, the LIRR currently uses DE30AC and DM30AC locomotives made by Electro-Motive Diesel which haul C3 bi-levels made by Kawasaki. Only the DM30ACs can enter Penn as they have the ability to use the third rail. But these will be replaced by a design based on Siemens Chargers.
I rode the LIRR for 12 years in the 2000's and 2010's. You were actually on the line I used to ride. I hope I never have to do it again. But I will say that you learn the little tricks when you do it every day, just little things to make it more livable (and cheaper). For one thing, I don't think I ever used an LIRR ticket machine after about 2008. If you're a regular rider, they would just mail you a monthly ticket and automatically charge your credit card. (I don't know what they do now; even that seems a little old fashioned, but it was better than buying a ticket at the machine.) I always disliked the M7's, though. I found them noisy and unstable; they sway quite a lot. The old Budd-built M3's were actually quieter and smoother. I am curious to try the new M8's but I doubt they're much different than the M7's.
I would like to point out if you take a look at the screen on the ticket machine, he actually bought a peak ticket by accident. The off peak price (with CityTicket, mind you) is only $5 between any two points within NYC limits
There is no direct connection to the British rail system, but the reason LIRR chose to electrify with third rail was because at that time (early 1900s) third-rail DC power was more common. When Penn Station was opened in 1910, the route from Manhattan Transfer (in New Jersey) to Penn Station as well as to Long Island was electrified with third rail. It wasn't until the early 1930s when the Pennsylvania Railroad electrified its mainline with overhead wire and abandoned third rail. The LIRR however continued to use third rail.
Sir Henry Thornton was an American who became president of the Long Island Rail Road from 1911 to 1914, then became president of the UK Great Eastern Railway and finally president of Canadian National. At the time, there was a great deal of cross-fertilization among UK, US, Canadian, and German rail managers.
for off peak routes within NYC (not going into New Jersey, Long Island, or Upstate NY outside of the Bronx) on metro north or LIRR you can get a city ticket which is only $5 for anywhere in the city.
Excellent trip report the way you tell apart Long Island Railroad from Metro-North version is the roof top Vent LIRR standard HVAC vent Metro-North has the curved Vents in addition to standard HVAC vent.
As pointed out elsewhere, the cheapest way to get from Manhattan to JFK is to take the subway to the Sutphin Blvd station which is directly under Jamaica, then take the AirTrain to JFK. But it takes considerably longer. The proposed AirTrain to La Guardia Airport has been scrapped, probably to be replaced eventually by an extension of the Astoria subway line.
@@NickyD LIRR doesn't go anywhere near LGA and a subway expansion would be so much better than a bus route it sucks that the NIMBY's in queens stopped it from happening.
@@NickyDthat’s actually a lie, subway extension is the only possible option, there’s three bus lines that all serve it already. The subway is not shady. Just because you’re scared to ride it, doesn’t make it shady. Millions ride the subway, there’s cops in all stations, the station clerks are walking around now. There is literally no reason to be against subway extensions. Everyone complains about traffic and travel times, well how else do you fix those issues???
i'd take the lirr because it's fastest and pay the premium but for the subway, take the A train to aqueduct north, then walk from there to lefferts where you catch the aitrain. $2.75
As a former New Yorker and a regular rider of both the LIRR and National Rail in the UK, I think the similarities are due less to any commonality between the UK and LIRR system but the limited number of manufacturers. Siemens and Bombardier produce cars used in both nations. The similarity between the third rail systems may have much to do with the early adoption of electric traction, which appeared on both systems at roughly the same time. Another connection may be that the London Underground we know today came with the consolidation under Charles Yerkes an American who had seen London as a ripe opportunity and took many ideas from the states with him.
It’s really called the Long Island Rail Road. Two words, because it was formed before the word “railroad” existed (note the single word form). They take it as a point of pride - they are only 12 years away from their bicentennial!
Thanks! There was a time in 2019 that I could have used this info to JFK but maybe another time I can. Is there a AirTrain from Jamaica Station to LaGuardia? If not, how do you get from LaGuardia to Manhattan other than by car (taxi or uber which I'm sure are too expensive).
Just for info, if you want to take LIRR from grand central, the tracks are quite far down from the Grand Central entrances, so leave yourself at least 15 extra minutes to navigate the journey down!
Language note - It's not "The Queens", it's just "Queens", or if you like "Queens County". Each village in Queens has it's own name, like "Flushing Meadows". Jamaica station is located in Queens Village.
Looks like you were the first to make the correction. I’m surprised there weren’t many more. But I knew after twelve hours I couldn’t possibly be the first!
@@ChrisCebelenski Don't feel bad, a lot has changed in 40 years! Indeed, a lot has changed in the 2-1/2 years since I moved away from LIRR territory. Time to go back to ride new equipment into Grand Central from the third track between Hicksville and Floral Park. Maybe stop at the new Elmont-UBS station for a game or the races.
Bro, I hate it when the TVM (Ticket Vending Machines) give you "no cards accepted" message, or the other one that drives me up the wall, "Only single-ride MetroCards". That's always been a problem, even before COVID or OMNY, and now that OMNY is picking up steam, the TVMs, the MetroCard readers on buses, and even the cards themselves are failing more. I've lost a couple of transfers on buses because of that.
The bus OMNY readers are out-of-service far more often than the Metrocard fareboxes. While I'm used to tap-and-go, having used the systems in Washington DC and Atlanta, this drawback is why I stick with a Metrocard (outside of isolated instances where I've forgotten to renew its unlimited-ride pass, or rushed out the door without it, and had to use OMNY via a debit card)
If off peak fare is $7.75 and off peak fares were valid at all times, or so said the screen, how'd you end up with a $10.75 ticket? I'd have just gone to the ticket counter. Or was it closed? Classic change at Jamaica, where trains to from Penn Station, Brooklyn (subway to lower Manhattan) and Hunterspoint Ave/Long Island City line up across the platform to exchange passengers.
As you were filming at the height of the pandemic (in the UK we were in such strict lockdown we could not celebrate Christmas with our families that year), it's probable that the " bathroom", as you call it, was locked out of use rather than occupied.
Loved this short video...I used to travel to NYC regularly and this video brings back many happy memories of using the MTA to get almost anywhere quickly. Not so nice now though.
I used the LIRR at times when I lived up that way; at that time they were using the older M1 and M3 railcars; some of the latter are still used. Very efficient at getting people to NYC; not too useful if traveling between certain L.I. destinations. Jamaica is probably the busiest rail staion in the U.S.; Clapham Junction in London is the only one busier that I know of. All LIRR trains go thru Jamaica except the Port Washington branch, which departs the main line east of Woodside. Highway traffic on L.I. is bad, but it would be far worse without the LIRR!
@@robertgambling502 Have barrier lines at the station entrances? Or gate most of the station except those entrances which can easily reach a ticket office, and such office and machines?
I go to the US and in particular the NY(C) train network often to visit family. The lack of information and travel routes is the worst I have ever seen. It's very obvious that it's made for people who know their way. I travel a lot by train, but I had big trouble finding the right routes and platforms. Worst of all, this is very unclear on their website and app (which is a thing on its own). There are screens on every platform, but they only show information about the train, when the train is just arriving! How extremely silly is that!!! Going upstate is even worse. Very poor information again where to go, lack of any major stations, directions, terminal stations or time tables. Those can sometimes only be found in the main hall. Which doesn't help if you're already on the (wrong) platform. After all those years, I finally kinda know my way.
Love your videos ! They are amazing and let’s me focus on the content instead of being interrupted by the narration. Look forward to every new release. Thank you for all the trouble in creating them. Best wishes.
The 3rd rail system comes from the original 19th century NYC Elevated trains and the Subways of the early 20th century. Built at the same time as a lot of the London Underground (and the Boston Subway). That is probably why the connection.
That's a peak fare. Every single time I see trip report youtubers do the LIRR to/from Jamaica they always screw up the tickets. While this is clearly a sign that the MTA needs to work on making the ticketing easier to understand, the real price for his ride should have only been $5 dollars with the (valid at all off-peak times) City Ticket.
Since you were just going to Jamaica off-peak, you could've purchased a CityTicket! CityTickets, as the name explains, is for journeys within NYC and costs just five bucks but it's only for off-peak hours (shown as an option at 4:20). And you accidentally purchased a peak ticket (as shown at the top at 4:21)! The reason both the LIRR and MNR use third rail is because when it was built the technology for DC third rail was more heavily used, and better understood. AC overhead lines were a newer technology. Plus third rail is cheaper to build, since it doesn’t require supports for the lines. LIRR was once owned by the Penn RR and they used third rail for the tunnels entering Manhattan. The Penn RR wouldn't do catenary lines until the 1930s.
The map you posted at 2:19 is super weird since it's not the official LIRR map that I'm used to as a LIRR rider. The lines except Port Washington and the Ronkonkoma Branch have a different color scheme than the official map, and this map implies Ronkonkoma trains go to Speonk when they don't. Some Montauk Branch trains (which on the map are supposed to be aqua) just use the Central Branch to connect to the Main Line instead of going along the Babylon Branch (which is supposed to be dark green). Also, it's not the Queens, just Queens! I think you're confusing it with The Bronx! The reason we call it The Bronx is because of the Bronx River! While Queens is named after the Portuguese Catherine of Braganza, who was Queen of England in 1683.
How LIRR came to be: The LIRR was chartered back in 1834 to provide a daily service between New York and Boston via a ferry connection between its Greenport terminal on Long Island's North Fork and Stonington, CT. This service was superseded in 1849 by the land route through Connecticut that became part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The LIRR refocused its attentions towards serving Long Island. In the 1870s, railroad president Conrad Poppenhusen and his successor, Austin Corbin acquired all the railroads and consolidated them into the LIRR. Electric operation on the LIRR began in 1905.
Most of the LIRR's branches are electrified except for Montauk (between Babylon and Montauk), Port Jeff (between Huntington and Port Jefferson), Oyster Bay (between East Williston and Oyster Bay), and Greenport (between Ronkonkoma and Greenport). For these non-electrified branches, as you briefly brought up, the LIRR currently uses DE30AC and DM30AC locomotives made by Electro-Motive Diesel which haul C3 bi-levels made by Kawasaki. Only the DM30ACs can enter Penn as they have the ability to use the third rail. But these will be replaced by a design based on Siemens Chargers.
I grew up in Jamaica; five blocks from the Jamaica LIRR station. Sutphin Blvd was my subway stop.
It's simply Queens. Unlike the Bronx.
You tell jimmy
Nice video! I just took the LIRR to Jamaica out of grand central madison yesterday 😁
Silver Slug! Everything on the Island is that!
I rode the LIRR for 12 years in the 2000's and 2010's. You were actually on the line I used to ride. I hope I never have to do it again. But I will say that you learn the little tricks when you do it every day, just little things to make it more livable (and cheaper). For one thing, I don't think I ever used an LIRR ticket machine after about 2008. If you're a regular rider, they would just mail you a monthly ticket and automatically charge your credit card. (I don't know what they do now; even that seems a little old fashioned, but it was better than buying a ticket at the machine.) I always disliked the M7's, though. I found them noisy and unstable; they sway quite a lot. The old Budd-built M3's were actually quieter and smoother. I am curious to try the new M8's but I doubt they're much different than the M7's.
Thanks for the video and hope to see more exciting videos from you thank you
Very expensive ride for a couple visiting the city. Nice video as always.
I would like to point out if you take a look at the screen on the ticket machine, he actually bought a peak ticket by accident. The off peak price (with CityTicket, mind you) is only $5 between any two points within NYC limits
LIRR is the busiest railroad in the United States. It runs mostly on third rail power, but farther east it's diesel.
Great trip report
I am very familiar with LIRR service to/from Penn Station. The station is kinda dreary and crowded. Thanks Thibault😀💚
Yeah it's sadly a shell of its former self. I still can't get over those low ceilings
There is no direct connection to the British rail system, but the reason LIRR chose to electrify with third rail was because at that time (early 1900s) third-rail DC power was more common. When Penn Station was opened in 1910, the route from Manhattan Transfer (in New Jersey) to Penn Station as well as to Long Island was electrified with third rail. It wasn't until the early 1930s when the Pennsylvania Railroad electrified its mainline with overhead wire and abandoned third rail. The LIRR however continued to use third rail.
Sir Henry Thornton was an American who became president of the Long Island Rail Road from 1911 to 1914, then became president of the UK Great Eastern Railway and finally president of Canadian National. At the time, there was a great deal of cross-fertilization among UK, US, Canadian, and German rail managers.
Love this route in Train Sim World
for off peak routes within NYC (not going into New Jersey, Long Island, or Upstate NY outside of the Bronx) on metro north or LIRR you can get a city ticket which is only $5 for anywhere in the city.
Great video! FYI, the trip only costs $5 off peak when you buy a “City Ticket” 😊
Is it just me or did he accidentally purchase a Peak ticket? At the confirmation screen at the top it states, "One way Peak."
Thanks for the ride !!! 🇺🇾
You should do from Grand Central Madison to Jamaica too.
That's a brand new route.
You should do Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Shin-Aomori in Japan.
Excellent trip report the way you tell apart Long Island Railroad from Metro-North version is the roof top Vent LIRR standard HVAC vent Metro-North has the curved Vents in addition to standard HVAC vent.
As pointed out elsewhere, the cheapest way to get from Manhattan to JFK is to take the subway to the Sutphin Blvd station which is directly under Jamaica, then take the AirTrain to JFK. But it takes considerably longer. The proposed AirTrain to La Guardia Airport has been scrapped, probably to be replaced eventually by an extension of the Astoria subway line.
nope will be a bus subways will not be expedned two subways are shady right now lirr is much safter
@@NickyD LIRR doesn't go anywhere near LGA and a subway expansion would be so much better than a bus route it sucks that the NIMBY's in queens stopped it from happening.
@@NickyDthat’s actually a lie, subway extension is the only possible option, there’s three bus lines that all serve it already. The subway is not shady. Just because you’re scared to ride it, doesn’t make it shady. Millions ride the subway, there’s cops in all stations, the station clerks are walking around now. There is literally no reason to be against subway extensions. Everyone complains about traffic and travel times, well how else do you fix those issues???
i'd take the lirr because it's fastest and pay the premium but for the subway, take the A train to aqueduct north, then walk from there to lefferts where you catch the aitrain. $2.75
As a former New Yorker and a regular rider of both the LIRR and National Rail in the UK, I think the similarities are due less to any commonality between the UK and LIRR system but the limited number of manufacturers. Siemens and Bombardier produce cars used in both nations. The similarity between the third rail systems may have much to do with the early adoption of electric traction, which appeared on both systems at roughly the same time. Another connection may be that the London Underground we know today came with the consolidation under Charles Yerkes an American who had seen London as a ripe opportunity and took many ideas from the states with him.
also MTA no longer does work with bombardier after the R179 choas
Cool i have the same route in Train simulator
The Train 🚊 looks good
It’s really called the Long Island Rail Road. Two words, because it was formed before the word “railroad” existed (note the single word form). They take it as a point of pride - they are only 12 years away from their bicentennial!
Actually since you were traveling within the 5 boroughs, as long as it’s not peak time (rush hour) there’s the “City Ticket” for only $5.
i was kinda hoping to also get the airtrain in 1 video but i wont complain, great as always.
Just a heads up: there are no playlists showing up at the end of the video.
Thanks! There was a time in 2019 that I could have used this info to JFK but maybe another time I can. Is there a AirTrain from Jamaica Station to LaGuardia? If not, how do you get from LaGuardia to Manhattan other than by car (taxi or uber which I'm sure are too expensive).
Great trip. Ah yes 2020 vibes. Can't wait for your next week video.
Muito lindo metro de Nova York simplys
amazing video
beau train londonien merci simpli railways
Just for info, if you want to take LIRR from grand central, the tracks are quite far down from the Grand Central entrances, so leave yourself at least 15 extra minutes to navigate the journey down!
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Language note - It's not "The Queens", it's just "Queens", or if you like "Queens County". Each village in Queens has it's own name, like "Flushing Meadows". Jamaica station is located in Queens Village.
Looks like you were the first to make the correction. I’m surprised there weren’t many more. But I knew after twelve hours I couldn’t possibly be the first!
Queens Village is further east, nearer the city line, and it has its own station. Jamaica Station is in, well, Jamaica.
@@charlesbaran1106 Yeah, I was misremembering - it's Hollis then QV IIRC. It's been literally 40 years so my memory is fried.
@@ChrisCebelenski Don't feel bad, a lot has changed in 40 years! Indeed, a lot has changed in the 2-1/2 years since I moved away from LIRR territory. Time to go back to ride new equipment into Grand Central from the third track between Hicksville and Floral Park. Maybe stop at the new Elmont-UBS station for a game or the races.
And than the 7train at Woodside go to the m9 to Grand center
Bro, I hate it when the TVM (Ticket Vending Machines) give you "no cards accepted" message, or the other one that drives me up the wall, "Only single-ride MetroCards". That's always been a problem, even before COVID or OMNY, and now that OMNY is picking up steam, the TVMs, the MetroCard readers on buses, and even the cards themselves are failing more. I've lost a couple of transfers on buses because of that.
The locals use mobile app, not TVM.
The bus OMNY readers are out-of-service far more often than the Metrocard fareboxes. While I'm used to tap-and-go, having used the systems in Washington DC and Atlanta, this drawback is why I stick with a Metrocard (outside of isolated instances where I've forgotten to renew its unlimited-ride pass, or rushed out the door without it, and had to use OMNY via a debit card)
Is their any power outlets on LIRR
Train Sim World reference
Bro said 'Penn Station 🤢' 💀
If off peak fare is $7.75 and off peak fares were valid at all times, or so said the screen, how'd you end up with a $10.75 ticket? I'd have just gone to the ticket counter. Or was it closed?
Classic change at Jamaica, where trains to from Penn Station, Brooklyn (subway to lower Manhattan) and Hunterspoint Ave/Long Island City line up across the platform to exchange passengers.
He selected peak fare 4:14
He didn't even need an off-peak ticket. A $5 City Ticket would have sufficed.
@@thelorax4236 when are city tickets available? Off peak? Weekends?
@@centredoorplugsthornton4112 City Tickets are available at all off-peak times every day for travel within New York City.
@@thelorax4236 better explain that to our wonderful RUclipsr.
As you were filming at the height of the pandemic (in the UK we were in such strict lockdown we could not celebrate Christmas with our families that year), it's probable that the " bathroom", as you call it, was locked out of use rather than occupied.
Take this every day gahh
Bro called it the queens 😭
4:32 You accidentally put peak hours when you were buying the ticket. that's why it costed $10.75
Very expensive quick hop😮
Loved this short video...I used to travel to NYC regularly and this video brings back many happy memories of using the MTA to get almost anywhere quickly. Not so nice now though.
Ride on the m3 seen It be take out from port Washington yo penn st
Alright when do we get the 🤮Music city star
I used the LIRR at times when I lived up that way; at that time they were using the older M1 and M3 railcars; some of the latter are still used. Very efficient at getting people to NYC; not too useful if traveling between certain L.I. destinations. Jamaica is probably the busiest rail staion in the U.S.; Clapham Junction in London is the only one busier that I know of. All LIRR trains go thru Jamaica except the Port Washington branch, which departs the main line east of Woodside. Highway traffic on L.I. is bad, but it would be far worse without the LIRR!
NY Penn Station is the busiest rail station in North America! But Jamaica is fourth!
Seems odd for the LIRR to STILL use old-fashioned seat checks, not automatic barriers and not random ticket inspections.
New York terminals are too cramped and crowded for barriers to work.
@@robertgambling502 Have barrier lines at the station entrances? Or gate most of the station except those entrances which can easily reach a ticket office, and such office and machines?
Lirr
I go to the US and in particular the NY(C) train network often to visit family. The lack of information and travel routes is the worst I have ever seen. It's very obvious that it's made for people who know their way. I travel a lot by train, but I had big trouble finding the right routes and platforms. Worst of all, this is very unclear on their website and app (which is a thing on its own). There are screens on every platform, but they only show information about the train, when the train is just arriving! How extremely silly is that!!! Going upstate is even worse. Very poor information again where to go, lack of any major stations, directions, terminal stations or time tables. Those can sometimes only be found in the main hall. Which doesn't help if you're already on the (wrong) platform.
After all those years, I finally kinda know my way.
Love your videos ! They are amazing and let’s me focus on the content instead of being interrupted by the narration. Look forward to every new release. Thank you for all the trouble in creating them. Best wishes.
The 3rd rail system comes from the original 19th century NYC Elevated trains and the Subways of the early 20th century. Built at the same time as a lot of the London Underground (and the Boston Subway). That is probably why the connection.
We need a narrator
Penn Station is in the process of being rebuilt too the new section along 33rd ST is really nice.
The food places aren't open yet.
The ads in the video is not necessary
I love to go to New York City. Such a incredible city. 😍
12 miles for $10.75? And I thought DC's METRO is a rip-off.
That's a peak fare. Every single time I see trip report youtubers do the LIRR to/from Jamaica they always screw up the tickets. While this is clearly a sign that the MTA needs to work on making the ticketing easier to understand, the real price for his ride should have only been $5 dollars with the (valid at all off-peak times) City Ticket.
You could have bought a city ticket for 5 dollars
I use to love taking this to work- took it for 15 years. Recently moved to NC. Reminds me of good old days!
Too many "lol"s. People don't use that anymore.
What's so LOL about it????????
lol?