World Class: Metro-North Wins the International Brunel Award

Transcription

1 The News Publication for MTA Metro-North Railroad Employees Special Brunel Edition 2012 World Class: Metro-North Wins the International Brunel Award A Message From President Howard Permut MTA Chairman & CEO Joseph J. Lhota (left) congratulates the presidents of Metro-North Railroad (l.-r.) Peter Cannito, Peter Stangl, Howard Permut and Don Nelson whose three decades of leadership brought this agency from a decrepit railroad inherited in 1983 to one that, not even 30 years later, epitomizes excellence, winning the International Brunel Jury Prize for Overall Design Excellence. See highlights in this special issue. INSIDE THIS ISSUE We re on display Everything you ve ever wanted to know about the Brunel Award is contained in Vanderbilt Hall. See page 2 for snapshots of the Brunel traveling exhibit & presentation. Through the years See how Metro North developed into the railroad we are today through this special timeline. Read highlights of each year on pages 3-6. The nominations please We submitted five strong project nominations for various Brunel Award category trophies. Read about these projects on pages decades of leadership See what the greats have to say about you. Comments on page 12. Read us at home at G rand Central Terminal, the marvel of Beaux-Arts Architecture that also serves as home to Metro-North, celebrates its Centennial next year. Even a century later, the Terminal s design is a model of efficiency, as well as beauty. We at Metro-North have always strived to emulate that same creativity in everything we do. And I am proud to say that our efforts were recently recognized when we were presented the prestigious 2011 International Brunel Jury Prize for Overall Design Excellence. This award recognizes our continuing work to provide a more efficient operation, our commitment to sustainability, and our focus on providing excellent customer service. And we recently celebrated our accomplishments in all of these areas with a special exhibition in Grand Central Terminal. In this special edition of On Track, we present some of the informational highlights from the show. Metro-North was the first American railroad to win the coveted Brunel Award in its 26-year history. The competition is open to all passenger and freight railroads in the world. Forty-three railways from 15 countries on three continents entered 150 projects for consideration. Considering the caliber of the competition, winning this award was certainly a thrilling and rewarding experience. n

2 The Brunel Award for Excellence 2 The international Brunel Award is named after the famous railway inventor Isambard Brunel, founder and builder of the UK s Great Western Railway, and is given every three years by The Watford Group and The Center for Industrial Design in Transportation. Metro-North is the first American railroad to win this coveted award in its 26-year history. At a special presentation in Vanderbilt Hall, Joseph Rago, Vice President of The Center for Industrial Design in Transportation commented about Metro-North s win: Last year was the first time in 17 years a U.S. company qualified for the Jury Prize, and more importantly, Metro North won the prize. The Jury in deliberating the selection acknowledged that Metro North had made a sustained effort over many years to improve its transportation product to the public. These efforts encompassed creative and innovative design of facilities, stations, infrastructure, and rolling stock to provide the best transportation experience possible. Equally important, it designed with an eye on the aesthetic quality of all components, thus improving not only the service and the system, but the communities being served as well. Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, the CEO of the International Union of Railways, summed up the importance of the Brunel Awards: Engineers, architects, and designers have a leading responsibility in developing the image of rail as a modern, attractive and sustainable transport mode, well accepted by people, and cost efficient for its owners. This year s Brunel Award winners, and specifically Metro-North Railroad, exemplify excellence and dedication to that responsibility, Rago noted. n

3 Metro-North Hitting the ground running 1983 Metro-North Commuter Railroad is formed when MTA assumed control of Conrail operations on the brink of disaster Strike shuts the railroad down for 42 days! On-Time Performance at 80.5%, with equipment in disrepair Annual ridership at 41.2 million system-wide and falling Grand Central Terminal served as a de facto shelter for homeless 1984 M3 electric railcars are delivered The Upper Harlem Line is electrified Leaky copper roof is replaced in Grand Central Terminal 1985 New Fiber Optic Signal System replaces 80-year-old wire signals Electric propulsion power upgraded on the New Haven Line Madison Avenue Yard blaze sparks the birth of Grand Central Terminal s Fire Brigade 1986 On-Time Performance climbs to 92.1% Cos Cob Power Plant Closes following the conversion of the New Haven Line power system Signal Control Tower Fire in Grand Central Terminal knocks out a third of the terminal, full service resumes the next day Annual ridership climbs to 52.8 million system-wide 1987 New Railcar Repair Shop opens in Brewster, first new shop in 75 years Restoration of the century-old Park Avenue Tunnel begins th Anniversary of Grand Central Terminal celebrated M4 electric railcars roll out on the New Haven Line First customer satisfaction survey taken 1989 On-Time Performance reaches 92.6% Annual ridership reaches 57 million, the highest since the 1940s The last outlying power substation goes from being locally manned to a fully automated system 1990 Centralized rail traffic control now covers 96% of New York State territory A National Landmark: restoration and revitalization plan unveiled for Grand Central Terminal Concrete ties replace wooden ties in hard-to-maintain locations

4 Metro-North Rolling along 1991 New Operations Control Center construction progresses New Railcar Repair Shop and maintenance facilities open in North White Plains Replacement of century-old catenary wires begins on New Haven Line Appalachian Trail Station, the only stop along the 2,186 mile trail, opens Hudson Rail Link, Metro-North s first connecting service, premieres 1992 Grand Central Terminal waiting room is revitalized Park Avenue Tunnel restoration is completed 1993 Named The Best In The U.S. by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Catenary wire replacement completed in New York State Annual ridership grows to 58.9 million system-wide Last tower is retired as Centralized Traffic Control is fully in place 1994 Safety is Priority One campaign begins Metro-North drops Commuter from its name to reflect the growth of the railroad New employee facilities open in North White Plains New M6 railcars roll out on the New Haven Line 1995 Park Avenue Viaduct reconstruction begins The Genesis Locomotive arrives Unions win right to strike; shutting down portions of service for limited periods of time 1996 Grand Central Terminal renovation begins Blizzard brings the season s snowfall to 41.3 Largest One-Year Increase 1,700 new parking spaces built 1997 Customer Service Department is established Wassaic Extension construction begins, first expansion in 100 years extending the Harlem Line 1998 Named The Best In The U.S. by APTA for the 2nd time On-Time Performance reaches a record 96.6% Grand Central Terminal restored to its former grandeur Peck movable bridge replaced on the New Haven Line

5 Metro-North Keeping a good thing going 1999 Named The Best In The U.S. by APTA for the 3rd time Grand Central North opens following 4 years of construction with new entrances and passageways north of Grand Central, reducing customer travel time Park Avenue Viaduct and Harlem-125th Street renovations are completed 2000 Wassaic Extension opens with two new stations: Wassaic and Tenmile River The Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry launches connecting to the Hudson Line Rebuilding Harmon Shop, the railroad s oldest and largest maintenance facility, begins 2001 WebTicket Launches, first MTA agency to sell tickets online Ridership climbs for the 9th year in a row to 73.1 million system-wide Mid-Harlem Third Track construction to improve capacity begins On 9/11, dedicated employees continue operations and provide essential services during tragedy 2002 Ticket Machines introduced to speed passengers on their way On-Time Performance reaches a record 97.3% M2 railcars get critical systems replaced to extend use on New Haven Line Grand Central Terminal s Retail net revenues top $10 million Cab signal system installed between Brewster and Wassaic 2003 Black Out in the Northeast US and Canada. Nearly 2,000 customers safely evacuated within 90 minutes from trains stranded system wide Highbridge Yard opens in the Bronx following elimination of Grand Central Terminal s Madison Avenue Yard for East Side Access Alerts! First MTA agency to provide electronic service updates Port Jervis Line is acquired through long-term lease New Secaucus Junction speeds West-of-Hudson commuters travel 2004 M7 railcars roll out on Hudson and Harlem lines M1s are retired 65 new Comet Vs delivered, West-of-Hudson customers travel on an entirely new railcar fleet Mid-Harlem Third Track completed ahead of schedule 2005 Newburgh Beacon Ferry Begins, expanding connecting services On-Time Performance reaches a record 97.5%

6 Metro-North Improving, Non-Stop M8s, Metro-North and Connecticut DOT jointly purchase new railcars Record Customer Satisfaction rating of 92% 2007 Annual ridership exceeds 80 million passengers On-Time Performance reaches 97.7% Reverse, off-peak & intermediate riders outnumber traditional commuters to New York City Pascack Valley Line runs off-peak/weekend service for the first time since before WWII 2008 E.H. Harriman Award received for reduction of employee injuries Injuries reach an all-time low, down over 89% since 1984 Annual ridership record of 83.6 million Metro-North s Train Time provides real-time train info Record 94% of customers satisfied and 98% record satisfaction with overall employee courtesy and responsiveness Saving Over $100,000 Annually by installing eco friendly compact fluorescent light bulbs in Grand Central 2009 New Yankees-E.153rd Street Station opens New Harmon Coach & Locomotive Shops open, our largest capital and engineering project Meadowlands Game Day Service begins New Operations Control Center opens to improve rail traffic control On-Time Performance reaches a record 97.84% 2010 Website re-launched with improved customer features On-Time Performance over 97% for the 6th year in a row West-of-Hudson On-Time Performance reaches a record 96.5% 2011 Prestigious International Brunel Jury Prize for Overall Design Excellence reflecting a culture of customer service plus an individual award won by Harmon Coach & Locomotive Shops Biggest In The Nation: annual ridership tops 82 million system-wide, up 98.7% since 1983 M8 railcars begin arriving on New Haven Line Port Jervis Line reconstructed ahead of schedule and under budget following devastation from Tropical Storm Irene 2012 Planning underway for Grand Central Terminal s Centennial Celebration in 2013

7 Harmon Coach & Locomotive Shops 7 The Harmon Coach & Locomotive Shops The newly built Harmon Choach and Locomotive Shops also won First place in the Brunel Awards Freight and Railway Support Buildings category. These two 21st century facilities are designed with ultra-modern equipment maintenance capability. They also provide employees with a safe, clean and productive work environment. They represent the largest capital and engineering project ever undertaken by Metro-North.

8 8 Yankees E. 153rd St. Station Before Yankees-E. 153rd Street Station This station was entered in the Passenger Station Buildings category. The station, constructed on time and within budget, was designed to provide Yankees fans as well as Bronx customers with yet another transportation gateway. Contemporary lines and high-tech features define the facility, which is a regular stop on the Hudson Line and attracts over 500,00 fans. After

9 Operations Control Center 9 After Before Operations Control Center This high-tech facility was entered in the Technical Infrastructure and Design category. The new OCC brings rail traffic control into the 21st century. A two-story-high wall display of our entire territory, and larger, easier-to-use digital monitors for rail traffic controllers help to make directing over 600 of trains daily a simpler task.

10 10 M8Passenger Rail Car M8 Rail Cars These train cars were entered in the Rolling Stock category. The sleek contemporary M8s are built exclusively for our New Haven Line. Designed with computerized software and built for better weather resistance, the M8s also provide customer amenities such as wider more comfortable seats, convenience outlets, bigger windows and better lighting.

11 Arts for Transit at Yankees - E. 153rd St. 11 The Home of the Stars An MTA Arts for Transit project gracing Yankees-E. 153rd Street Station, this was entered in the Industrial Design, Graphics and Art Branding category. This public art work is installed on the station s pedestrian overpass. The 11-panel, 200-foot-long mosaic depicts the Bronx sky at intervals from bright afternoon to starry night.

12 12 3decades of leadership A powerhouse of three decades of leadership came together at the recent Brunel Award presentation held in Vanderbilt Hall. Hosted by President Howard Permut, the event was highlighted by congratulatory remarks from MTA Chairman & CEO Joseph Lhota and featured appearances by proud past presidents Peter Cannito, Don Nelson, and Peter Stangl. Read excerpts of what each distinguished leader had to say about the transformation of Metro-North, thanks in large part to your efforts. Joseph Lhota MTA Chairman/CEO This is a huge deal But you know, the award itself is not actually what s so impressive to me. The most amazing thing is that we won this award while providing topnotch service to our customers at the same time. And that means Metro-North isn t just excelling when it comes to architectural design or technical infrastructure. We re also performing great where it matters most: service, service, service. So here s to all of you who have proven you can do it all I have a feeling we have many more Brunel Prizes in our future. Peter Cannito Metro-North Past President, This award is huge and a tribute to employ ees both past and present. This happened through your commitment to do what needed to be done to serve customers What the rail road has done over the past almost 30 years is reflected in Grand Central Terminal You know how well you are doing because cus tom ers are voting with their tickets I am proud to have participated. Don Nelson Metro-North Past President, Congratulations to Howard and the men and women at Metro-North for win ning the Brunel Award. 30 years ago we thought, what are we going to do tomorrow... well it seems we did the right thing. Congratulations I am proud to have been part of it. And I want to say I am pleased that today s leadership consists of people who 30 years ago were young and in middle and lower management level jobs back then. Executive Editor: Mark Mannix Editor/Writer: Joe Antonacci Managing Editor/Writer: Nancy Huie Creative Director: Michael Stetson Senior Graphic Designer: Barbara Sarcich Contributors: Patrick Cashin Published for the employees of MTA Metro North Railroad by Corporate & Public Affairs 345 Madison Avenue New York, NY Peter Stangl Metro-North Past President, The culture is Metro-North s success factor because today employees believe in providing good service and the fact that customers are what it is all about. It s good to see people came up through the ranks would you believe when I hired Howard Permut, he was only 11 years old? You will continue to win awards, but the biggest award is ridership that underscores that Metro-North is doing it right.