POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. — The number of riders on the Metro-North Railroad leveled off somewhat this year after years of growth, but the Hudson and Harlem lines which serve Dutchess County continue to see increases in off-peak use and at the Poughkeepsie station, according to the Poughkeepsie Journal.
The numbers for the Upper Hudson line, considered to be north of Croton-Harmon, show a 6.8 percent increase in November compared with the same month in 2001 and a 2.6 percent hike for the year through Dec. 11.
Highland resident Rolf Oelgeschlager uses the Poughkeepsie station to take the train to his job in Manhattan five days a week.
“It’s reliable and basically on time, especially on the Hudson line,” Oel-geschlager said of Metro-North’s service. ”And it’s easy to reach for me from here in Highland.”
Railroad officials said the growth in this area reflects the number of people moving to the region in search of cheaper housing that also offers proximity to jobs in Westchester County and New York City.
“It’s definitely based on real estate value and the quality of our service,” Metro-North spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said. ”The people actually think the commute is do-able.”
Population increasing
Dutchess County’s population grew by 8 percent between 1990 and 2000, the 2000 Census said. Much of that growth was in southern Dutchess where towns such as East Fishkill saw a 16 percent population increase and neighboring Fishkill had an increase of 15 percent.
Pleasant Valley’s population grew 12 percent, while the Town of Poughkeepsie grew 7 percent.
Despite the recent downturn in the economy, and the after-effects of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that changed the work destinations of many commuters, Metro-North expects 71.7 million rides in 2002, an all-time high, Anders said.
That number is expected to rise again next year to 72.4 million rides. That figure could be lower if there is a fare increase, although that has not been determined.
One local resident said the railroad offers the best way to reach his job in Manhattan.
”It still beats driving or taking the bus by any stretch,” Highland resident Charles Patterson said. He has commuted for seven years from the Poughkeepsie station.
The somewhat smaller growth in peak travel on the Upper Hudson line could be because the recent downturn in the economy means fewer people are commuting to jobs in the city.
”We are very much tied in with the economy — how many people are employed and where they are employed,” Metro-North spokesman Dan Brucker said.
But while peak-hour growth has leveled off, the off-peak numbers are growing. There has been an 11 percent jump in off-peak rides on the Upper Hudson line.
Brucker said that could be caused by more people taking day trips to the city or traveling far less afield for vacations.
Ridership on the Dover Plains and Wassaic stretch of the Harlem line is also up considerably.
Railroad officials noted an 11 percent increase in rides this November compared with the same time last year, and there has been a 10.5 percent increase in total rides in the last 12 months.
Poughkeepsie use jumps
The Poughkeepsie station, fresh off a massive renovation project, has also seen dramatic increases in use over the past year.
Anders said there was a 12 percent increase in rides in November compared with the same month last year and the station overall has seen a 9 percent increase compared with 2001.
Patterson said he has noticed a difference over the past year when he hits the station each morning.
”On the 6:17 a.m. (train) there is usually someone sitting in every seat,” Patterson said.
Patterson said returning from Grand Central Terminal to Poughkeepsie is no better. ”It’s a mob scene,” he said.
Patterson said special holiday trains he has used to get out of the city in recent weeks were also filled.
Anders said Metro-North’s ridership increases may slow in the coming years but are not expected to decline.
”We definitely can predict it will continue to grow,” Anders said.