MTA Announces More Trains on All Lines

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has good news for its Westchester County and Connecticut riders. It is adding additional weekday service on the Harlem line, and additional weekend trains on the Harlem and New Haven lines. 

The New Haven line change is small - there will be additional half-hourly service on Sunday between STamfored and Grand Central Terminal.

Harlem Line riders—65 additional weekday and 6 additional weekend trains will be added starting April 7.

The schedule changes are part of the railroad's "most ambitious" service expansion in 30 years, officials said Monday.

“By adding off-peak and weekend trains and by adding stops at key stations, we are able to increase frequency and provide faster trip times systemwide,” said Metro-North President Howard Permut. “Coupled with Metro-North’s reputation for reliability, we expect that this extraordinary service expansion will make the railroad more attractive than ever and that it will become the travel mode of choice to millions more in New York and Connecticut.”

The improvements include providing three trains per hour during select off-peak hours at Scarsdale and Hartsdale, and four trains per hour at White Plains and North White Plains stations, all of which are the highest ridership stations on the Harlem Line, officials said in a statement.

Riders can also expect additional half-hourly service on Sunday between North White Plains and Grand Central Station.

Between Southeast and Grand Central Station, additional service includes half-hourly trains at larger stations during the key higher-ridership times of the day on weekdays and additional PM peak service.

The MTA's press release detailed additional improvements on the Hudson and New Haven Lines; together the changes represent 187 additional trains per week—combined with the 56 trains tacked on last fall, officials say the service has increased by 5.6 percent since October 2012.

Improvements to the Hudson Line include providing three trains per hour at Ossining and Tarrytown, which are two of the highest ridership stations on the Hudson Line.

Other changes to the Hudson Line include new half-hourly service at Spuyten Duyvil, Riverdale, and Irvington stations during weekday off-peak times and most of the day on weekends, a necessary increase as ridership has grown at these stations, according to the MTA. More service at most Hudson Line Bronx stations and additional Upper Hudson Line service on weekdays and weekends at key high-ridership and reverse commuting time periods is going to be added.

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