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Officially the Staten Island Rapid Transit Operating Authority (SIRTOA), the SIR is a direct subsidiary of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York) (MTA). SIRTOA operates and maintains the commuter rail line on Staten Island pursuant to a lease and operating agreement with the City of New York.
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2 FRA oversight 3 Nature of the Line 4 Fares 5 Operating Stations 6 Former stations on closed lines 7 External links |
Until 1953, the SIRT operated three lines: A main north-south line covering the island end-to-end, a North Shore Branch with connections to New Jersey, and a South Beach Branch. Today, only the north-south Main Line is in service. The South Beach Branch closed in 1953 (its right-of-way has since been de-mapped and the tracks have been removed), and the North Shore Branch saw its last freight train in 1990, having ceased passenger operations in 1953 (although the tracks still exist). The terminal station at St. George provides a direct connection to the Staten Island Ferry. In 2001, a small section of the North Shore branch was reopened to serve the new Richmond County Bank Ballpark, home of the Staten Island Yankees; plans to reopen the remainder of the branch, to both freight and passenger service, are being studied, with one plan calling for the line to resume operations between St. George and Port Ivory by 2015.
In 1971 the former Staten Island Rapid Transit Railway Company was acquired from its parent Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and became an MTA subsidiary for purposes of operation and maintenance.
In 1994, as part of a public image campaign of the MTA, the various operating agencies of the MTA were given "popular names" at which time the public face of SIRTOA became MTA Staten Island Railway, which name is used on trains, stations, timetables and other public presentments.
Unlike the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) SIRTOA is subject to rules of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) but operates under a waiver which permits it to exempt itself from certain rules of equipment and operation usually required by the FRA.
This FRA status complicates any plan for combined freight and passenger operation, since any operation of freight equipment or connection to the national railroad system would threaten its waiver.
In general appearance, the current operating line of SIR looks somewhat like a line of the New York Subway. It is completely grade-separated from highways, it uses third rail power, and its equipment is specially modified subway equipment, purchased at the same time as nearly identical cars for the NYCTA. Heavy maintenance of the equipment is performed at the Coney Island Shops of the NYCTA.
The right-of-way includes elevated, embankment and open-cut portions, and a tunnel near St. George.
The cash fare is $2. Fares are paid on entry and exit only at St. George and Ball Park (and in the case of the latter, only on trains to Tottenville, not St. George), rides not originating at St. George or Ball Park are free.
Fare is also payable by MetroCard. Since this card enables free transfers for a continuing ride on the subway and bus systems, for many more riders there is effectively no fare at all for riding SIR. Because of this, the SIRs farebox recovery ratio in 2001 was 0.16—that is, for every dollar of expense, 16 cents was recovered in fares, the lowest ratio of MTA agencies.
Stations on Main Line:
Stations on North Shore Branch (closed in 1953):
Background
FRA oversight
Nature of the Line
Fares
Operating Stations
Ball Park is only open for events at the minor league park and is served either by trains that run from St. George as a shuttle, or trains that stop at every other stop except for St. George.Former stations on closed lines
Stations on South Beach Branch (closed in 1952):External links