MTA requires weekend busing

HARRIMAN — MTA Metro-North Railroad will provide substitute bus service between Harriman Station and Ramsey Route 17 from the evening of Friday, Dec. 14, through Sunday, Dec. 16, to allow for the installation of a new culvert at Washington Avenue in Sloatsburg.

The project

This is the final construction work to complete the restoration of the Port Jervis Line following its devastation last year by Hurricane Irene. This location is an area identified by hydrologists as one needing additional drainage improvements.

Metro-North’s Track and Structures Department will install the culvert, a 24-inch diameter, pre-cast concrete pipe of six 8-foot sections that will allow water to flow under the tracks rather than wash over them.

On one side of the tracks is Route 17 and on the other the Ramapo River. The work will require excavating a trench under the track while leaving the track in place and then installing the pipe section by section.

Interim service

From 9 p.m. Friday until early Monday morning trains will operate between Port Jervis and Harriman and between Ramsey Route 17 and Hoboken. Buses will operate between Harriman and Ramsey Route 17, the railroad said.

When eastbound (to Hoboken/Penn) buses get to Ramsey, there will be a train waiting to take customers the rest of the way, except for trains #72 & #80.

Customers on train #72, which leaves Port Jervis at 7:34 a.m. and is scheduled to arrive in Hoboken at 9:30 a.m., will board an NJTRANSIT local train at Ramsey, which arrives Hoboken at 10:24 a.m., nearly an hour later than usual.

Similarly customers on train #80, which is scheduled to arrive in Hoboken at 7:38 p.m., will board an NJT local at Ramsey, which arrives Hoboken at 8:21 p.m..

Back in service

Train service to Port Jervis will resume Sunday night with train #81, which departs Hoboken at 9:30 p.m. and arrives in Port Jervis at 11:56 p.m.

Train service to Hoboken will resume with the first regularly scheduled train out of the Port Jervis Monday morning, departing at 3:52 a.m. and arriving in Hoboken at 6:12 a.m.