Metro-North Has Lofty Goals For On-Time Performance Despite Ongoing Maintenance Projects

STAMFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork) -- Metro-North has laid out its maintenance agenda and projected on-time performance for 2015.

Because of ongoing track and bridge work, Metro-North delays will be inevitable, but Glen Hayden, Metro-North's vice president of engineering, said while most work is scheduled for nights and weekends, much will have to be done during peak hours. Thus, he notes, the projected on-time performance for this year is 93 percent -- 92 percent during off-peak hours.

"That lower off-peak goal reflects the fact that I and my folks are going to be out there working on those off-peak times," Hayden told WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau.

Hayden said it may not be until next year when proactive railroad maintenance can be replace reactive mode.

This year, Metro-North will continue to clean or fix "foul ballast" -- small stones that stabilize the tracks -- throughout the system. The railroad also will work to improve drainage to prevent standing water from damaging tracks and replace ties in areas that hard-to-reach areas, such as interlockings and locations adjacent to station platforms.

Last year, nearly 85 million riders used Metro-North -- a record.