Dinky move would burden Princeton community

Jim Manganaro of Princeton
    While relocating the Dinky train station is an integral part of the University’s future development plan, it must be acknowledged, and not withstanding added transloading features like the bus service, that it can only place an added burden on members of the community. Moving the train station more than a quarter mile further from the population center means, simply, collectively longer commute times and expense.
   NJ Transit says that 1,150 people use the dinky to and from Princeton Junction during weekdays. If we assume a car is used, a rough calculation shows that this translates to and extra 180,000 miles/yr or an added carbon footprint of 10,000 gallons of gasoline during the year — and an automobile expense of $90,000 per year. On a time basis, however, if we assume an extra 6 minutes (walking) for the trip and valuing time at a modest $10 per hour (time, of course, is priceless) this amounts in the aggregate to $700,000 per year. These figures will only grow annually.
   You don’t suppose that George Steinbrenner will take it into his head to propose moving Grand Central Station to the Bronx as an integral part of the new sport complex development?
Jim Manganaro
Princeton