For more information on the Hudson Tubes with a history, sightseeing
tour and three picture galleries, go to:
http://www.hudsoncity.net/tubes/gatewaytubepage.html
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"Stephen Furley" wrote in message .."Annabel Smyth" wrote in message

It's a pity that the Metrocards are not valid on the other rail systems in
the area. The Subway is operated by the MTA, I think the suburban rail
lines in New York are too, but cross the Hudson, and you're in New Jersey.
Linking the two are the old Hudson Tubes, now known as PATH, operated by the
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, this links the World Trade Centre
and 33rd Street in New York with Newark and Hoboken in New Jersey. This
charges $1.50, but you can buy a card with 11 rides for the price of 10.
You cannot however use Metrocards, though there has been talk of it for the
future. It shouldn't be difficult, fit Metrocard readers to the gates,
record the number of triips made with them, and allocate the apppropriate
revenue to the Port Authority.

Once in New Jersey the suburban rail lines are operated by NJ Transit, as
are two light rail lines, the newly-built Hudson-Bergen, and the Newark city
Subway, which has recently received new vehicles, and been extended. All of
these systems have their own tickets. It's rather like needing one
Travelcard type ticket South of the Thames, another one on the Waterloo and
City, and different tickets on each underground line in the North.

The Hudson-Bergen line is impressive, the stops, stations or whatever
they're called, are better those on British tram/light rail systems, and
there seems to be almost no vandalism.

I seem to have said a lot about what's bad with these systems, but there's a
great deal which is good, A lot of money is clearly being spent on the
railways over there, to the fury of many of the local people, but they do
seem to be getting something to show for the investment. With certain
notable exemptions, we seem to be pouring large amounts of money in, but
getting little improvement out.

One thing I didn't say in my previous post was how marvellous the
commuter trains seemed to be compared to SouthCentral and Thameslink! We
took the commuter train to Trenton, New Jersey, and changed there to
another commuter train to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it was
wonderful. Really comfortable, for local trains, with staff on the
trains to check your ticket and reduce vandalism, clean lavatories that
worked...... enough said! Left SC and TL absolutely standing!

I've only been one stop, from the new station serving Newark International
Airport Station to Newark Penn to change to PATH. I will be over there in
three weeks, probably for the last time, and will be going to Trenton to see
the new New Diesel powered light rail line, the 'River Line', which NJ
Transit opened from there to Camden three weeks ago