Trains.com

Subway Tips and Anniversary

27546 views
95 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Subway Tips and Anniversary
Posted by daveklepper on Monday, October 14, 2019 12:47 PM

A Forum reader asked for advice, and rather than reply just on my own thread, I thought the advice would be useful generally.

The No. 7 remains the top railfsn subway experience.  Ride ir both ways during late afternoon or early morning, when you can ride an express in on e direction.   From downtown, Canal Street or Chambers street ride the J or Z to Eqstern Parkway B'Way Junction, switch to the upper level to Canarsie, the L, then return on the L train as far as Myrtle Avenue, go upstairs and ride the M up to Metropolitan Avenue, and use it to return to Manhattan or get off at Wycoff and return on the L
 
Ferry to Statin Island and ride the SIRT to Totttenville and back.
 
The northern end of the No. 5 is on old NY Westchester and Boston with only two of the former four tracks and with third rail instead of New Haven style catenary.
 
And the A train to Far Rockaway across Jamaica Bay on a former LIRR alignment is also topnoch..
 
 
  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Monday, October 21, 2019 10:07 PM

https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/subwayday/

The Interborough Rapid Transit subway opened on October 27, 1904 with 28 stations along a 9.1-mile line extending from City Hall to 145th Street. Since it first opened in 1904, New York’s subway has been the fastest and most popular mode of personal transportation in the city.  Today, it is the largest 24-hour operating subway system in the world, with 472 stations, over 800 track miles and a fleet of more than 6,000 passenger cars. 

Founded in 1976, the New York Transit Museum is dedicated to telling and preserving the stories of mass transportation – extraordinary engineering feats, workers who labored in the tunnels over 100 years ago, communities that were drastically transformed, and the ever-evolving technology, design, and ridership of a system that runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Celebrate Subway Day With Us On Sunday, October 27th: 

Family on vintage R1/9 train car at the New York Transit Museum

Extended Hours!

The New York Transit Museum in Downtown Brooklyn and our Grand Central Gallery & Store will open at 10am on October 27th! Plan your visit now.

Conductor in costume with vintage 1930s train car

Vintage Train Rides!

Ride the New York Transit Museum’s 1917 Lo-V train cars on the 2/3 line between Times Square and 96th Street from 12:30pm to 4pm.

Subway Takeover!

View historic New York Transit Museum Collection photos of our system and city before, during, and after the construction of the subway on screens throughout the subway. Stop by the stations along the original IRT route to see what each station looked like when the subway opened in 1904!

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Monday, October 21, 2019 10:11 PM

City Hall station, on loop still used for reversal by No. 6 A-Division (IRT) trains, but closed except for special tours and inspections and railfan trips.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 11:03 AM

Why does the Transit Museum use what appears to me to be an IND R car to illustrate an invitation to ride Lo-V equipment?

  • Member since
    February 2011
  • 117 posts
Posted by sandyhookken on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 11:30 AM

Just a few more comments that might be helpful:

Senior citizens can ride the subway for 1/2 price. Go to an agent booth, show proof of age (65 and up), pay $2.75. The agent will sell you a metrocard good for two rides. Agents will only sell one reduced card per person.

The Staten Island Ferry is FREE! There are scammers at the Terminal who try to sell tourists "reduced fare" tickets. The SIRT is part of the subway system and uses the same Metrocards.

Coney Island is worth a ride. Four lines (D.F.N.Q) go to Stillwell Avenue (right across the street from Nathan's) and the B ends at Brighton Beach, two stops from Stillwell Ave. I recommend taking the N to Stillwell Ave., it runs through the yards at the Coney Island shops, which are huge.

If you take the A train to the Rockaways as Dave suggested, be aware that there are two branches of the A train in Queens: the Rockaways (which you want), and Lefferts Blvd. (which you don't want). If you go, look at the top of the subway cars. At certain times of the day, the local seagulls "commute" between Howard Beach and Broad Channel stations by riding on the tops of the cars.

Not all of the subway lines cross the East River in tunnels. The J and M lines cross on the Williamsburg Bridge, the B,D,N, and Q cross on the Manhattan Bridge (B&D on the north side, N&Q on the south). These offer great views of the East River that you can't see from anywhere else.

I'll add more if I think of anything else.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Saturday, October 26, 2019 1:12 PM

It's interesting to ride the original 1 line (ex-IRT) to the viaduct over Manhattan Valley (between the 116th and 137th St. stations) and then up to the stations deep in the rock around 168th St which I think still preserve much of their turn-of-the-twentieth-century character.  (Shrimp salad sandwich at the old University Food Market around 114th is still one of the best, too...)

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Saturday, October 26, 2019 1:28 PM

Here is an improved version of the City Hall Station photo posted earlier:

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Monday, December 16, 2019 10:12 PM
News about the remaining 222 R-32’s and 50 R-42’s.  
 
The R-42’s will be retired by the end of this year, and the R-32’s at the end of the first quarter of 2020, depending absence of problems with the existing fleet including the new R-179’s.



  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Monday, December 16, 2019 10:17 PM


December 16, 2019
New Data Showing Trips Taking Less Time on Every Line as Subway Performance & Ridership Continue

Months-Long Improvement Trends

Time it Takes for Trains to Go from Terminal to Terminal Has Improved on Every Line from November 2018

to November 2019 – Data Available Thanks to Recent Tech Advancements at NYC Transit

 
Weekday On-Time Performance in November Reached 81.8%, up 17% from November 2018 – the Sixth

Straight Month Over 80%
 
Subway Ridership on Upswing, by One Measure Breaking a Three-Year Record
 
MTA New York City Transit today announced new subway statistics showing continued performance

improvements thanks to the sustained success of the Subway Action Plan and the Save Safe Seconds

campaign, including preliminary November 2019 numbers for on-time performance and a newly discussed

metric called ‘running times,’ which are the time it takes for trains to travel from terminal to terminal.

Running times are faster on every line in November 2019 compared to a year ago, meaning trains are

getting through the system more quickly, shaving minutes off of many trips.  The ‘running times’ metric

uses new technology to better track the locations of trains in large parts of the subway system.
 
“The data doesn’t lie: subway service is demonstrably better, more customers are taking the subways,

and the service continues to improve each month thanks to the hard work of our employees and smarter

operations,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick J. Foye. “I am proud of everyone at New York City Transit

for their dedication and laser focus in improvements that have yielded these results that prove our

subway service has truly turned around.”
 
“This new metric we’re talking about today, running times, is yet another meaningful way to quantify

what the 50,000 employees of New York City Transit have been working so hard to achieve: months of

sustained improvement in service,” said MTA NYC Transit President Andy Byford. “We have much more

work to do to deliver the service that New Yorkers need and deserve; the consistency that we have

achieved shows the Subway Action Plan and the Save Safe Seconds campaign laying a strong foundation

for the major improvements we expect from upgrades that are part of the next MTA Capital Plan.”
 
“I am hugely encouraged by the consistent and sustained improvements we are seeing across all subway

performance metrics, reflecting significantly improved service for our customers,” said Sally Librera, MTA

NYC Transit Senior Vice President for Subways. “By improving our ability to measure service in different

ways, we are now able to better pinpoint areas for improvement, as well as identify gains being made,

such as the improving run times through the system meaning customers are getting where they need

to go faster.”
 
Overall subway performance continued its steady improvement last month, with preliminary data for

the month of November 2019 and for the average of the past 12 months showing every weekday metric

better than it was in November 2018.
 
Compared to 2018 and 2017, trains are taking less time to go from terminal to terminal on every line of

the subway system today, shaving minutes off of many trips.  Overall, ‘A’ Division trains (the numbered

lines) are running close to 4%, or about two and a half minutes, faster than last year, and close to 6%,

or about three and a half minutes, faster than in 2017. On the ‘B’ Division (lettered lines), trains are

running about 2%, or about one and a half minutes, faster than 2018, and close to 3%, or about two

minutes, faster than in 2017.
 
The biggest improvement on any line in 2019 is on the 7 and 7 Express, whose running times were,

respectively, 9.2% (three and a half minutes) and 10.5% (more than four and a half minutes) faster

last month than in November 2018.  At the end of 2018, the 7 line was upgraded to modern

Communications Based Train Control signaling.  See the attached table for a line-by-line breakdown of

running time improvements.
 
This systemwide analysis of running times was performed for the first time during the past year using

new technology that enables officials to better track the locations of trains on the lettered lines, and the

analysis of massive amounts of new data by NYC Transit personnel.  A Division trains have long been

able to be tracked using a computerized train location system. The B Division, largely built by different

builders up to a century or more ago, has long had far less data due to the lack of automatic, computerized

recording of exact train locations at all times.  Over the past two years, NYC Transit has been working in an

effort to acquire better data about the movements of B Division trains using various innovations, including

wireless sensors and transmitters on tracks and trains.  The technology is undergoing an ongoing

refinement process for greater and greater accuracy.  Even more precise information about train movements

is expected with each line that is newly outfitted with modern computer-based signaling systems – a major

component of the current and next MTA Capital Plan.
 
On-time performance (OTP) has registered above 80% for the sixth straight month – the last time this

happened was in 2013. November’s weekday OTP was 81.8%, a 17% improvement from a year ago when

it was 69.9%.
 
Weekday Major Incidents decreased 49.3% from November 2018, dropping from 67 to 34 in November 2019.

Furthermore, weekday train delays decreased 42.5% from last November, from 51,964 to 29,863.
 
Positive numbers were also realized in NYC Transit’s other customer-focused metrics, including Service

Delivered, Additional Platform Time, Additional Train Time, and Customer Journey Time Performance, as all

metrics were better than one year ago and better than their average performance over the past 12 months.

Highlights for November included:
Additional platform time, which measures the average added time customers wait for trains compared to the

schedule: Time savings of 8 seconds, or a 10.3% drop from last year


Additional train time, which measures the average added time customers spend on a train compared to the

schedule: Time savings of 21 seconds, or a drop of 27.3% from last year

Customer journey time: More than 83% of customers completed their journeys within five minutes of the

scheduled time, compared to 79.2% last year.
 
A contributing factor to the reduction in delays has been the significant progress made in reducing track

debris fires, which are significantly down since NYC Transit started attacking this problem with new equipment

in 2017. This has included clearing debris at an unprecedented rate using new platform-based mobile vacs,

and vacuum trains that move around the system picking up trash. Year to date, track debris fires are down 83,

from 321 to 238, and they are down 119 for the previous 12 months, from 377 to 258.
 
There are signs that the recent trend in improving performance is attracting customers back to the subway

system.  October 2019 – the most recent month with confirmed data – had six days with more than 6,000,000

customers on the subway, the first time that has happened since December 2016. October was the fifth

consecutive month of year-over-year weekday ridership increases, which also occurred in eight of the past10

months.  October was also the third consecutive month of year-over-year weekend ridership increases, which

also occurred in five of the past six months.
 
In terms of customer satisfaction, NYC Transit’s Customers Count survey saw a 13.1 percentage point

improvement in satisfaction for the 3rd quarter of 2019 compared to the same period last year, with the

greatest improvements in waiting time, travel time, and unexpected delays.
 
ABOUT THE SUBWAY ACTION PLAN


The Subway Action Plan launched at the direction of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo in July 2017, and was funded

by the Governor, Legislature and the City. With the goal of stabilizing and improving the 115-year old subway

system, the plan’s extraordinary measures have been critical to recent performance improvements. Since the

Subway Action Plan launched, MTA workers and contractors have:


Cleared more than 80,000 street grates to prevent ingress of litter and leaves that build up on the tracks,

causing fires and clogging drains.


Sealed more than 7,900 leaks to prevent water ingress that causes power and signal problems,

deterioration

of track and other equipment resulting in unplanned service changes, delays and track fires.
Installed 54 miles of Continuous Welded Rail (CWR) across the system, replacing jointed rail, which is more prone to rail defects that delay trains.
Repaired more than 27,000 minor track defects that if not repaired can cause delays.
Performed more than 180 miles of track rail grinding to improve ride quality and reduce defects
Completed more than 1,500 priority maintenance and repair tasks to improve reliability of signal and switch equipment.
Rebuilt and modernized more than 430 signal stops to be moisture proof and avoid service interruption
Repaired door control units on over 1,000 cars in our oldest fleets to improve reliability of this critical component that cause 40 percent of car breakdowns
Completed a deep cleaning initiative of more than 100 subway stations.
Enhanced 217 stations via a focused cleaning and repair campaign led by Group Station Managers
 
ABOUT THE SAVE SAFE SECONDS CAMPAIGN
The Save Safe Seconds Campaign was launched in 2018 as part of NYC Transit President Andy Byford’s Fast Forward Plan directive to improve subway service, particularly by focusing on the root causes of delays.  Personnel have been engaged to help come up with ways to immediately improve subway performance and reduce delays, simply and affordably (or even at no cost) through better operating and service practices.  The campaign has led to the intelligent and focused management of day to day train operations, including the repair of faulty speed-regulating signals, increase of speed limits and new instructions to train operators, in such a manner that allows for the safe increase of train speeds and, in turn, safely making subway trips take less time for customers.  The campaign is led by NYC Transit’s Department of Subways Senior VP Sally Librera, in a partnership with NYC Transit’s labor partners, with the efforts of thousands train crew members and other front-line NYC Transit employees.
 
Charts-subwayperformance-12.16.19.pdf <https://apps.cio.ny.gov/apps/mediaContact/public/download.cfm?attachment_uuid=98B4FC75-EFDC-4612-8C3259DB9D713129>

 
  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, December 24, 2019 5:46 AM

Apologize for being late on this:

December 19, 2019
MTA Announces 20 Additional Subway Stations to Receive Accessibility Improvements Under Proposed 2020-2024 Capital Plan
New Stations Identified as Part of 70 Subway Stations Receiving Unprecedented $5.2 Billion Investment in Capital Plan – Largest Investment in Accessibility in New York City Transit History
 
Additional Stations Combine with 48 Previously Announced to Exceed MTA Goal of Ensuring Customers No More than 2 Stops from an Accessible Station
 
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced an additional 20 subway stations that will be fully ADA accessible under the proposed $51.5 billion 2020-2024 Capital Plan, expanding mobility options for millions of customers across the city. The new stations build on 48 additional accessible stations previously announced and are part of a total of 70 subway stations that will receive an unprecedented $5.2 billion investment in accessibility.
 
“The announcement of these additional 20 ADA stations is a major step forward for MTA systemwide accessibility,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick J. Foye. “New Yorkers deserve a subway system that works for everyone. This historic investment of $5.2 billion for accessibility in the next Capital Program will be life-changing for our customers.”
 
“We’ve developed an innovative plan to bundle stations so construction can move much faster than in the past,” said MTA Chief Development Officer Janno Lieber. “We have the procurement packages ready to go. Today’s MTA leadership is determined to give New Yorker’s a lot more accessible stations and do it better, faster, and cheaper.  
 
“We are very serious about the subways being accessible to as many people as possible, which is why accessibility is a top priority for me since day one,” said MTA NYC Transit President Andy Byford. “Investing in accessibility at 70 subway stations will open up significant portions of the subway map for people who rely on elevators or ramps for access to the system.”
 
“With this list of stations, we are going beyond our commitment to put customers no more than two stations away from an accessible station within five years, filling coverage gaps and increasing access to key transfer points, terminals, and high-ridership stations,” said Alex Elegudin, NYC Transit’s Senior Advisor for Systemwide Accessibility. “We will continue to work closely with advocates and communities to prioritize future accessibility investments, and work internally to accelerate these projects while endeavoring to limit any disruption to service.”
 
In September, the MTA released the proposed 2020-2024 Capital Plan, a historic plan that invests $51.5 billion across the region’s subways, buses, commuter rail systems and bridges and tunnels over the next five years. The plan is the largest in MTA history and includes $40 billion devoted to NYC Transit’s subway system and bus network, with top priority given to accelerating accessibility. NYC Transit’s Fast Forward plan to modernize the subway system established the goal of making at least 50 more subway stations accessible in five years so that customers would not have to travel farther than two stops to reach an accessible station. The proposed 2020-2024 Capital Plan not only meets that goal but goes beyond it with a total of 70 stations.
 
The first 48 stations identified in September met the “two-station away” coverage goal, and went even further by including several important transfer points and complexes, and other community priority stations. The 20 additional stations identified today further increase citywide geographic coverage and were chosen based on factors including demographics, transfers and intermodal connections, constructability, ridership and synergy with other work planned for the 2020-2024 Capital Plan in order to maximize resources and minimize impact on customers and communities.
 
The 20 additional stations announced today serve various subway lines and diverse communities, with a focus on increasing accessibility in some of the city’s fastest-growing neighborhoods and major corridors. The entire station selection process was driven by extensive community input, including public engagement events, outreach to advocates and community groups, as well as feedback from thousands of elected officials, advocates and customers with disabilities.
 
The remaining two stations of the 70 proposed in the 2020-2024 Capital Plan will be announced at a later date.
 
“All New Yorkers deserve equal access to their city and we must do everything in our power to accelerate the implementation of ADA accessibility in the transit system,” said New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson. “I want to thank the MTA for taking another important step in that direction and the Council looks forward to continuing to work with the MTA and the Department of City Planning to ensure that we develop new policy strategies to help deliver the ADA station improvements like elevators that we so desperately need.”
 
The 20 additional stations and the previously identified 48 stations are listed below. The asterisk (*) denotes a newly identified station:
 
Manhattan
 
Harlem-148 St 3*
 
110 St 6*
 
181 St a*
 
7 Av bde*
 
Lexington Av-59 St nrw*
 
59 St 456*
 
Essex St jmz
 
Delancey St f
 
42 St-Bryant Park bdfm/5 Av 7
 
6 Av l
 
14 St fm
 
14 St 123
 
96 St bc
 
81 St-Museum of Natural History bc
 
Dyckman St 1
 
168 St 1
 
137 St 1
 
86 St 456
 
 
Brooklyn
 
18 Av d*
 
Jefferson St l*
 
Nostrand Av ac*
 
Broadway Junction ac*
 
Broadway Junction jz
 
Broadway Junction l
 
Lorimer St l
 
Metropolitan Av g
 
36 St dnr
 
Church Av bq
 
Avenue H q
 
Sheepshead Bay bq
 
Kings Hwy n
 
Norwood Av jz
 
Myrtle Av jmz
 
Grand St l
 
Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts acg
 
7 Av fg
 
Avenue I f
 
Kings Hwy f
 
Neptune Av f
 
Classon Av g
 
Junius St 3
 
New Lots Av 3
 
Borough Hall 45
 
 
The Bronx
 
Wakefield-241 St 2*
 
Kingsbridge Rd 4*
 
167 St bd*
 
Burnside Av 4*
 
3 Av-138 St 6*
 
Van Cortlandt Park-242 St 1
 
Tremont Av bd
 
Parkchester 6
 
E 149 St 6
 
Brook Av 6
 
Mosholu Pkwy 4
 
 
Queens
 
Court Sq-23 St em*
 
Northern Blvd mr*
 
33 St-Rawson St 7*
 
46 St-Bliss Av 7*
 
Parsons Blvd f*
 
Beach 67 St a
 
Briarwood ef
 
Broadway nw
 
Woodhaven Blvd mr
 
Steinway St mr
 
Rockaway Blvd a
 
 
Staten Island Railway
 
Clifton
 
New Dorp
 
Huguenot
 
 
In addition to accessibility improvements, the proposed 2020-2024 Capital Plan includes $7.1 billion to modernize signals, $6.1 billion to acquire 1,900 new subway cars, and $4.1 billion for repairs at 175 stations and replacements of 78 elevators and 65 escalators. Details are available here: https://New.mta.info/2020CapitalProgram. Members of the public who are interested in providing feedback on the proposed capital plan are encouraged to submit comments at new.mta.info/customer-feedback.
 
“The greatest city in the world deserves the greatest transit system – one that is accessible to all,” said Lisa Daglian, Executive Director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA. “Today’s announcement brings us 20 stations closer to that goal.  Getting riders where they need to go safely and reliably is job No. 1, and we look forward to seeing all 70 – if not more – stations made accessible in the coming years. Andy Byford and the Fast Forward plan he is bringing to life will make a real difference in the lives of subway riders with differing levels of ability.”
 
The proposed Capital Plan was unanimously approved by the MTA Board on September 25 and is currently under consideration for approval by the MTA Capital Program Review Board, which is composed of representatives from the Governor, the New York State Senate and Assembly, and the Mayor of New York City.
 
 
PRAISE FROM ADVOCATES:
 
“New Yorkers rely on mass transit to get to jobs, school, family and friends – and for too long New Yorkers with disabilities have not been able to rely on our subway system in the same way as our able-bodied neighbors,” said James Weisman, President & CEO, United Spinal Association. “Making an additional 70 subway stations accessible, and ensuring the system is accessible across the five boroughs, will open up so many new options for the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and daily visitors who need accessible service. We are excited to stand with the MTA in making this historic commitment to accessibility, and will continue to urge the MTA to keep going down the path to full accessibility, as we have for decades.”
 
"The ability to use the subway is fundamental to life in New York. Access to these twenty stations will mean more travel opportunity for hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities, parents, and older New Yorkers,” said Colin Wright, Senior Advocacy Associate, TransitCenter.  “Notably, this list is focused on stations in the Bronx and Queens, providing new access to residents of large swaths of the city. We appreciate President Andy Byford’s and Senior Accessibility Advisor Alex Elegudin’s efforts to create a fully accessible subway system."
 
"CUNY has campuses across New York City that serve more than 11,000 students with disabilities. It is essential that they have flexibility to be able to travel throughout the city for classes, job opportunities, recreation, and so much more,” said Leonard Blades, Chairman, CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities and member of NYCT ACTA Committee . When this 70 station plan is realized, CUNY students with disabilities such as myself will have greater access than before to the subway system, and with it the ability to think about opportunities that we wouldn't have been able to pursue before. I am excited to see this vision realized and work with the MTA to build the accessible system of the future, that will serve those of us who will drive the City in the decades to come.” 
 
“This historic investment in accessibility represents a big step forward in the MTA’s commitment to accessibility, and also sets the stage for future investments toward accessibility,” said Jennifer R. Muthig, Director of Advocacy & Policy - National Multiple Sclerosis Society. “Such a commitment has long been called for by the disability commitment and, now we can finally say we applaud the MTA for answering the call. Public transit should be a basic right that all New Yorkers have access to and accessibility should remain a main priority for the MTA until the system is accessible for all.” 
 
“Like all New Yorkers, people with disabilities rely on affordable accessible transportation to live their lives,” said Regina Estela, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President - Independence Care System. “We applaud the MTA for their recent commitment to accessibility. $5.2 billion will go a long way towards improving accessibility and greatly contribute to the ability of people with disabilities to live independently in their communities.”
 

“The list of stations being announced today will ensure that New Yorkers with disabilities across our entire City will have greatly improved access to the subway system in the coming years,” said Sharifa Abu-hamda, President Civics League for Disability Rights. “While we remain committed to having the MTA meet the goal of full system accessibility, this is a big step forward when it comes to making our subway system more accessible to all of us. We will continue to work with the MTA to ensure that this goal is realized.

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • 2,515 posts
Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Thursday, December 26, 2019 11:04 PM

Do they still anounce "MIND THE GAP" at the battery station?

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, December 29, 2019 3:01 PM

Although the tracks and platform are intact, the South Ferry loop station is no longer used.   The station in uee is a stub-end terminal.  The platforms and tracks a straight within the station.  I can be corrected, but I think there are two tracks with three platforms.  The outer platforms are for exiting the trains and system, the center one for boarding.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, January 2, 2020 1:04 AM

MTA Releases Final Train and Speed Safety Task Force Report to Safely Increase Speeds up to 50% on Certain Track Segments
MTA Chairman Accepts Recommendations to Safely Increase Speeds and Capacity While Decreasing Running Times Across New York City Transit
 
View the Final “MTA NYCT Subway Speed and Capacity Review” Here
 
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced the final recommendations of the Train Speed and Safety Task Force to safely increase subway train speeds up to 50 percent in certain sections of track. The final “MTA NYCT Subway Speed and Capacity Review” includes a series of recommendations, including safely increasing speeds on curves from V4 up to V6 on select sections of track, increasing operator confidence and addressing bottlenecks, with the potential to further decrease travel times for customers and ultimately increase capacity by increasing the number of trains operating per hour.
 
MTA Chairman Pat Foye has accepted the recommendations after the members of the Train Speed and Safety Task Force endorsed the findings and advanced them for approval.
 
The Task Force was created in July 2019 and charged with addressing longstanding train slowdowns across the subway system. The Task Force hired STV Inc. to conduct an independent and thorough review of existing NYC Transit infrastructure, fleet, operational and engineering standards. The final report found that NYC Transit’s standards were aligned with current industry standards and practices but found areas for improvement that could result in increased train speeds and capacity, improved operations, greater operator confidence and a more reliable and modernized signal system.
 
“I thank the task force for their work and accept their recommendations that will help us safely speed up trains, decrease travel times for millions of daily subway customers, and continue the service improvements achieved so far by our hard-working Subways team and thousands of employees,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick J. Foye.
 
“The task force unanimously endorses the report’s recommendations, which will safely increase speeds and deliver benefits for millions of MTA customers,” said Jane Garvey, Task Force chair and former U.S. Federal Aviation Administrator. “Safety is the top priority and these recommendations keep that at the forefront of all of Transit’s work while helping to improve commuting times for millions of customers who rely on the system to get where they need to go.”
 
STV’s extensive review examined five key areas and delivered a set of six recommendations to achieve potential speed gains under the existing system in parallel with ongoing signal modernization efforts.
 
STV Review
Recommendations
Curve Speeds
 
The report analyzed current train speeds at curved sections of track, which are raised on the outside of a curve to increase passenger comfort and vehicle stability. NYC Transit currently operates trains at speeds based on tests performed more than 25 years ago, even though it has since put into service more modernized car fleets with better technology, passenger comfort and reliability. Using analyses of train operation on the Seventh Avenue 123 and Flushing 7 lines, the report found that NYC Transit can safely increase speeds from V4 up to V6 on some curved tracks with a radius between 750 and 2,000 feet.
 
Safely Increase Speeds on Curves from V4 to V6
 
STV recommends a case-by-case engineering review and operational testing to confirm each potential speed increase for implementation with priority on the Seventh Avenue 123 and Flushing 7 lines. Potential speed increases on certain curves would be analyzed to ensure passenger comfort.
 
Operator Confidence
 
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100 has formally stated that train operators operate trains at speeds lower than those posted. Train operators frequently cited lack of confidence in the signal system’s timed signals, suspected signal timer mis-calibrations and poor visibility of posted signs for operating trains at speeds lower than posted to avoid potential disciplinary action.
 
Get Trains Running at Posted Speeds and Continue to Recalibrate and Replace Mechanical Timer Relays
 
The report recommends the continuation of operator education and collaboration with labor partner TWU on improvements and recalibrations of the slow clearing signal timers through NYC Transit’s ongoing Save Safe Seconds program, as well as targeted improvements to speed limit signage visibility and readability, frequent verification of speedometers with train operators and improvements to an electronic timer design, calibration equipment and testing methodology.
Infrastructure Bottlenecks
 
The report studied three locations prioritized by NYC Transit as bottlenecks due to limited track infrastructure and signaling system – the Nostrand Junction interlocking in Brooklyn, 142nd Street interlocking in Manhattan and the track area encompassing 149 St-Grand Concourse in the Bronx. The analysis reviewed operating schedules, track and signal layouts and previous studies, and found that schedules are fundamentally constrained by the infrastructure in place today.
Address Bottlenecks
 
149th St.-Grand Concourse was identified as a good candidate for the implementation of modern axle counter technologies. NYC Transit and STV have collaborated, developed and continue to work on a detailed design using axle counters at 149th St.-Grand Concourse. The report recommends NYC Transit examine the potential use of axle counter technologies in additional bottleneck areas. The report also recommends a comprehensive, systemwide network simulation analysis to determine all bottleneck locations and their interrelationships.
Subway Cars and Signals
 
STV analyzed the existing Transit car fleet to find opportunities for performance improvements and found that the fleet aligned with industry standards. It recommended that NYC Transit continue its plans to upgrade the existing fixed block signal system to a modern system and that speed gains can be pursued in parallel with this effort.
 
Determine, Via Cost-Benefit Analysis, Any Viable Fixed Block Signaling System Modifications Required to Accommodate Increased Speeds and Simulate Impacts on the System on a Line-by-Line Basis
Fixed block lines should be modeled in parallel with corresponding curve analysis efforts, using an industry standard signaling system software block design package. STV recommends this work start with the Seventh Avenue 123 line, with prioritization of subsequent choices determined by congestion levels and planned modernization efforts.
Dwell Time
 
The report did not study the effect of dwell times on train speeds, but recommended NYC Transit continue to evaluate and reduce dwell times under the Save Safe Seconds program to further decrease running times.
Continue Reducing and Evaluating Dwell Time
 
The report recommends NYC Transit continue to evaluate and reduce dwell times to further decrease running times. This Save Safe Seconds focus has led to decreases in terminal-to-terminal running times of about 3½ minutes on the numbered lines and about 2 minutes on the lettered lines compared to 2017.
Other Applications
Determine How Analysis Set Forth in Report Could Be Applicable for Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road
 
“The task force’s recommendations will help improve systemwide performance speeds while ensuring safety continues to be our first and foremost priority as we move millions of people a day,” said Pat Warren, MTA Chief Safety Officer. “We look forward to implementing the recommendations as quickly as possible so that our customers can look forward to faster rides and less time commuting.”
 
“The task force’s recommendations reinforce my team’s hard work achieved over the past year and show that we are headed in the right direction as we seek both quick wins and long-term solutions to improve subway service and reduce travel times safely,” said Andy Byford, President of New York City Transit. “ We now look forward to continued improvement as they are implemented along with our existing Save Safe Seconds initiative.”
 
ABOUT THE NEW YORK SUBWAY SYSTEM:
 
The New York subway system was built more than 100 years ago, and to provide for safe operations, various measures were implemented to ensure that trains did not go faster than the conditions they could handle. Two fatal incidents at 14 St-Union Square in 1991 and on the Williamsburg Bridge in 1995 cumulatively led to subway train speeds being adjusted and operating at slower speeds in the system. At the same time, speed limits for operational curves were established 25 years ago by testing and older car classes that were in operation at that time were used in these tests. Over the decades, improvements in car design and track geometry have allowed cars to maintain stability and safe operation at higher speeds yet limits have remained unchanged. The slowdown was further compounded by the practice of train operators, some of whom believed that the signal system was not properly calibrated, to operate at speeds lower than posted limits due to the perception they would be unfairly penalized.
 
ABOUT THE TASK FORCE:
 
The Train Speed and Safety Task Force was created in July 2019 by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to address whether trains were moving slower than in previous years and if so whether they could be safely sped up, and how NYC Transit’s train speeds compare to peer systems. The task force released a preliminary report in September finding that the train speeds were indeed slower than 20 years ago, and speeds could be safely increased. The task force is chaired by former U.S. Federal Aviation Administrator Jane Garvey and members include:
 
·        Andy Byford, President, New York City Transit
·        Veronique Hakim, former Managing Director, MTA
·        Robert Lauby, former Chief Safety Officer, Federal Railroad Administration
·        Thomas Quigley, General Counsel, MTA
·        Dominick M. Servedio, Executive Chairman, STV
·        Tony Utano, President, TWU Local 100
·        Patrick Warren, Chief Safety Officer, M
 
  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Monday, January 13, 2020 2:35 PM

$246M Contract Awarded to Install Communications-Based Train Control System and Other Significant Upgrades on Major Corridor Between Manhattan & Brooklyn

NYCT to Deploy Modern Axle-Counter Technology for First Time to Replace Track Circuits & Further Improve Signal System Reliability
 

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that a $245.8 million contract has been awarded to install a modern computer-based signaling system and a multitude of other significant upgrades on the Eighth Avenue ACE line, which serves hundreds of thousands of customers and connects Manhattan’s West side with Brooklyn and various subway lines that interface with nearly every subway line throughout the system. The corridor includes some of the busiest station complexes and transfer points in New York City, including Columbus Circle, Times Square and the Port Authority Bus Terminal, Penn Station and West 4th Street. The project corridor serves more than 700,000 riders each weekday, however because problems in one area can affect an entire line, all users of the ACE lines across New York City will benefit from this work. “A modern signaling system will help transform commutes for our millions of customers and bring our transit system into the 21st century by providing modern, reliable, safe service that can carry more riders than ever,” said MTA NYC Transit President Andy Byford. “This progress in our Eighth Avenue line resignaling project is a major milestone and a sign of what’s coming as we push forward to modernize the system as quickly as possible.”

The MTA’s new approach to “bundling” work in order to minimize disruptions to customers will be heavily employed in this project.  In addition to performing a wide variety of upgrades in the contract simultaneously, the MTA’s new Construction and Development Company (C&D) will accelerate and coordinate millions of dollars of additional improvement work planned for the corridor so that it happens at the same time, thereby minimizing the amount of service disruption experienced by customers. “The new MTA is customer-centric and delivering projects better, faster and cheaper,” said Chief Development Officer Janno Lieber, head of MTA C&D.  “We are bundling projects in order to minimize impacts on customers and this project will be our biggest effort yet.” Modern signaling allows more trains per hour to operate, increasing passenger capacity; provide improved and more reliable service; and make more efficient use of its track and car fleet.

Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) is more flexible than the current block signaling system because CBTC continuously updates train positions, distances and travel speeds, allowing for faster and more efficient operations. Continuous updates allow the subway system to recover quickly from delays and restore consistent wait times at subway stations.  NYC Transit has successfully installed and implemented CBTC on the Canarsie L and Flushing 7 lines, where the new signaling system has boosted performance improvements to more than 90 percent and helped to attract new ridership as those lines grow in reliability, capacity and performance.

In November 2019, the on-time performance of the Flushing 7 line was more than 92 percent, and the on-time performance of the Canarsie L line was more than 95 percent. In comparison, the combined average on-time performance of the ACE lines was 73.5 percent.

The project also enhances safety for customers and employees alike, since NYC Transit using CBTC can program a “work zone” so trains cannot exceed a set speed, adding an extra layer of safety for workers on the tracks. The modern signaling system also provides precise real-time train arrival information that can be shared with customers on public address systems and electronic screens such as countdown clocks or data-driven mobile apps.

CBTC will be installed on local and express tracks serving the ACE lines from 59 St-Columbus Circle to High Street AC in Brooklyn. This project will connect with the CBTC project underway on the portion of the CE lines as part of the Queens Boulevard signal modernization project, which spans the entire Queens Boulevard Line to midtown Manhattan north of the 47-50 Sts/Rockefeller Ctr station on the FM Lines and south of the 50 St CE station.

After the successful implementation of both CBTC systems on the Eighth Avenue ACE and Queens Boulevard EF MR lines, the entire length of the E line will use the modern signaling system, enabling NYC Transit to increase capacity on one of the most popular subway lines in the city and one of two subway lines that provides access to John F. Kennedy Airport via the JFK AirTrain at Jamaica.

The scope of this comprehensive Eighth Avenue line modernization project includes the complete installation of the new signaling system from south of the 59th Street Interlocking in Manhattan to the High St AC station in Brooklyn, as well as two interlockings at 30th and 42nd Streets in Manhattan, power supply, zone controllers, cables, fire suppression, HVAC, lighting, and construction of facilities to house infrastructure such as relays and power.

This project also represents the first time NYC Transit will use axle counters in the place of traditional track circuits, which will help reduce delays and reduce installation and maintenance costs.  Axle counters, compared to track circuits, use less equipment and more resilient components than traditional track circuits, which are more susceptible to water and debris-related problems.  Track repairs and replacements can also happen more quickly on tracks using axle counters rather than continuous track circuits.

The MTA awarded the contract to L.K. Comstock & Company. It includes penalties for delays and was the outcome of a procurement method called “A+B bidding,” which uses both price and impact on customers as criteria in order to be as customer-friendly as possible.

As part of the contract, Siemens Mobility Inc. will provide the CBTC system and equipment. Once the contract is awarded, design work will start immediately with construction beginning as early as the end of this year.

This project represents the first corridor in the NYC subway system receiving modern signaling designed to coincide with the delivery of new CBTC-enabled train cars built from the ground up – the R211 model.

NYC Transit previously announced plans to bring CBTC to the Culver F line in Brooklyn, and the historic MTA 2020-2024 Capital Plan also includes $7.1 billion to resignal six additional subway line segments, including the system’s busiest, the Lexington Avenue 456 line. By the end of the 2020-2024 program, more than 50 percent of the system’s total ridership will benefit from modernized signals and new power substations to support advanced signaling on a total of 11 lines.

In September 2019, the MTA and the Transit Innovation Partnership announced a new collaborative effort designed to leverage private sector expertise and innovation in an effort to achieve signal modernization more quickly |

  • Member since
    September 2017
  • 5,636 posts
Posted by charlie hebdo on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 11:30 AM

Dave: This is more a history question,  but what are the modern equivalents of the old BMT,  IRT and IND lines? 

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 12:02 PM

The numbered routes are the former IRT and the lettered routes are the now combined BMT and IND.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    September 2017
  • 5,636 posts
Posted by charlie hebdo on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 4:43 PM

CSSHEGEWISCH

The numbered routes are the former IRT and the lettered routes are the now combined BMT and IND.

 

Thanks!! 

  • Member since
    December 2019
  • 292 posts
Posted by divebardave on Thursday, January 16, 2020 7:39 PM

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, January 16, 2020 10:39 PM

Note that the BMT and IND are thoroughly integrated.  The A, B, D, F, M (part-time), and V operate on routes that are partly old BMT and partly IND, plus new connecting tracks and in some cases a new service sompletely (Far Rockaway, former LIRR for the A, for example).

Also the 7 is serviced and overhauled at the B Division, former BMT Coney Island Shop, rather than 207th St. with 1 - 6, because of much less miloeage.  207th is ex-IND.  The A Div. does not have its own main overhaul shop, since 149th and Lenox was closed about 40 years ago.  207th has a direct ramp to the 1 adjacent to it as well as the A as original.

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Saturday, January 18, 2020 11:44 AM

January 17, 2020
MTA Unveils Integrated 42 St Connection Project Along 42 St Corridor

Eight Separate Rehabilitation Projects Merged into One Comprehensive Plan Under New MTA Construction & Development, Cutting Costs and Expediting Timelines In The Process  

Holistic Approach Includes Accessibility Improvements and Wide-Ranging Capacity and Reliability Initiatives, Including Overhaul of the 42 St. Shuttle  

In Just Five Months Since Implementing New Project Management Approach, MTA Already Cut Cost By $10M; Continuous Shuttle Service Remains in Effect for Customers 

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today unveiled the integrated 42nd Street Connection project along 42 St Corridor. As a result of the MTA’s new approach to project management under MTA Construction and Development, several rehabilitation projects between Times Sq-42 St and Grand Central-42 St – including the redesign and rebuild of the 42 St Shuttle – have now been unified under one project CEO. In just five months since implementation, the new project management approach has cut costs by $10 million without interruption to subway service at one of the busiest station complexes in the nation. 

When completed, the 42 St Connection Project will more seamlessly connect the transit corridor underneath 42 Street to make transferring easier, reduce the overall commute time for customers, and expand system access for customers with disabilities by making the 42 St Shuttle line accessible. Renderings of the project are available here <https://www.flickr.com/photos/mtaphotos/49397221547/in/dateposted/>. 

The ongoing work continues to serve as an example of how the MTA’s new agency-wide capital project group, MTA Construction & Development, is achieving both cost and schedule savings by bundling projects together, leveraging design-build and modern construction techniques and putting them under the leadership of a single, more accountable Project CEO.

“The newly integrated 42 St Connection Project demonstrates the real customer benefits that come from rethinking how we manage projects and deliver better, faster and cheaper,” said Janno Lieber, MTA Chief Development Officer. “By bundling this work and bringing on one dedicated CEO to lead the effort, we’re cutting costs and reducing timelines—all without sacrificing service to our customers. The 42 St Connection Project will connect more of New York for more New Yorkers, and serve as a model for how to build other projects.” 

Making the 42 St shuttle accessible was originally scheduled to take 49 months, but MTA Construction & Development has managed to reduce that time frame by over a year and the work is now set to be completed in just 36 months. Work to improve access to the Lexington and Flushing subway lines at Grand Central is now set to take place in just 20 months, a 13 month reduction from the originally forecast estimate of 33 months.

More than 1.1 million people pass through the 42 St corridor every day—a figure higher than the ridership of the entire subway and bus system of Boston in a full day. Pieces of the work will wrap up as soon as next month, with the entire project expected to be completed in 2025 for an expected $750 million.

Specific improvements that will now be overseen by Lieber, Soliman and MTA Construction & Development include:

42 St Shuttle <https://www.flickr.com/photos/mtaphotos/49397221547/in/dateposted/>
Expanded capacity on the train by 20% during peak times
ADA-compliant by reconfiguring and straightening the tracks to remove the gaps between the platform and the trains
New signaling system, which is configurable to the latest signaling technology
New project management approach has reduced the construction schedule by 25% from 49 months to 36 months and improved subway service during construction
Work will ultimately bring greater reliability and accessibility
Free transfer to Bryant Park Station Complex
New street elevator, wider street stairs and larger fare control areas. 
42nd Street Passageway Subway Entrance <https://www.flickr.com/photos/mtaphotos/49397022026/in/dateposted/>
Re-phase Project to Improve Customer Experience and Reduce Duration of Closures during Escalator and Elevator Replacements
Reduced Construction Schedule from 26 Months to 19 Months
Re-built Stairs in 7 Weeks instead of 8 Months and Re-opened for Customer Use Sooner
Reduced Escalator Outage from 14 Months to 8 Months
Grand Central Station (Lexington and Flushing lines) <https://www.flickr.com/photos/mtaphotos/49397236482/in/dateposted/>
Fully ADA-compliant facility
Already reduced schedule by two months on capacity and accessibility improvements
Already begun column, floor and wall finishing work earlier to improve the customer experience.
Work will bring 12 widened platform stairwells and five brand new stairs.
Work will bring new and redesigned escalators and elevators
22,000 sq-ft. Shuttle platform—the widest platform in the entire New York City Transit subway system
Reduced schedule on elevator replacement for Lexington and Flushing lines from 33 months to 20 months
Bryant Park Station Complex

New in-system transfer between 42 St-Times Sq and Bryant Park, providing access there to the 6 Av BDFM lines
Work expected to begin next year
Times Square <https://www.flickr.com/photos/mtaphotos/49397022026/in/dateposted/>
Fully ADA-compliant facility
New turnstiles
Digital information screens
Energy-efficient LED lighting
Rebuilt Shuttle station, including a centralized platform serving two tracks

To help customers get to the know the 42 St Connection Project, new signage and tools to keep customers informed was unveiled at the event:

Customers will find blue and gold-themed signage throughout the Grand Central, Bryant Park and Times Square stations for information and navigation advice
At the station booths or from an MTA employee, dedicated brochure with travel tips and information are available
A website about the 42 St Connection Project, which will be kept up to date with information about construction progress and changes is here:  <http://new.mta.info/42ndStreet>
Customers can also subscribe to email updates about the project here: <http://bit.ly/42-St-Subscribe>



  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 7:45 AM

OMNY SURPASSES 5 MILLION TAPS AHEAD OF EXPANSION TO 60 MORE STATIONS


BY THE END OF JANUARY: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
announced today that its new OMNY contactless fare payment system will
be installed at 60 more subway stations during the month of January,
including major station complexes such as Herald Square and 47-50
Sts-Rockefeller Center in Manhattan and Jay St-MetroTech in Brooklyn.
The MTA also celebrated the OMNY system's system's 5 millionth tap,
which took place last Friday, mere months after OMNY launched at a
handful of stations. To mark the expansion of OMNY, the MTA also
announced today a new public information campaign including station
announcements by NYC Transit President Andy Byford and MTA
advertisements coming to more than 1,100 subway cars. The ads, some of
which can be seen here, feature slogans such as "Save the swiping
for your dating app" and graphics showing the evolution of fare
payment in New York City. Click here for the audio of Byford greeting
customers at OMNY-enabled stations. Adoption rates continue to exceed
the MTA's most ambitious internal estimates, and work to bring OMNY
to the entire subway and bus system by the end of the year remains on
pace. “The rate at which New Yorkers and visitors are using OMNY has
surpassed our most ambitious estimates, and that's a testament to
the system's popularity" said MTA NYC Transit President Andy
Byford. "Five million taps this quickly is outstanding, and that
pace will grow even faster as we add more stations. By the end of this
year, this quick, easy and seamless way to pay will be available at
every subway station and every MTA bus to help everyone move
faster." (MTA - posted 1/07)

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Monday, February 3, 2020 8:44 AM

The Cuomo - Byford flap:

= Mon, Feb 3, 2020 at 3:36 PM
 
  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, February 13, 2020 10:46 AM

R-42 Subway Cars Make Their Final Trip, Ending 51 Years of Service

Photos of the Final Run are Available at This Link
<https://flic.kr/s/aHsmLmzxNt>
MTA New York City Transit retired the last remaining R-42 subway cars from
service today, ending a 51-year run. The cars have been used on two dozen
lines, each traveling more than seven million miles. They had a memorable
role in an iconic car-vs.-train chase in the classic 1971 film French
Connection.

The final run followed a send-off ceremony at the New York Transit Museum,
and was scheduled to proceed through a final trip on the  line from Euclid
Av to Far Rockaway to 207 St, before returning to Euclid Av to close its
doors for the last time. Subway enthusiasts joined MTA Chairman and CEO
Patrick J. Foye and NYC Transit President Andy Byford riding the last R-42
in passenger service.

“These cars have served the MTA well as a reliable fleet over the last 50
years,” said Sally Librera, Senior Vice President, Department of Subways for
New York City Transit. “As technology advances, we’re looking to modernize
our fleet of subway cars to best serve New Yorkers.”

“Two of the R-42 cars will continue to live here at the Transit Museum,
where they will be used to educate the public about the city’s mass
transportation history, and visitors will get the chance to come aboard and
travel back in time," said Transit Museum Director Concetta Bencivenga.

R-42s were built by the St. Louis Car Company, and were the first cars
received by the newly branded MTA in 1969, eventually totaling 400 cars in

the NYC Transit fleet. The first cars were used on the BMT Broadway Line,
known today as the N-train. Along with the R-32, the R-42 is the only
post-war car to reach the 50-year service mark. The R-32 still runs on the
and .

These were the first cars in the New York City Subway to arrive in service
completely air-conditioned. The R-42 was the last car type to be designed as
married pairs,” which means every two cars are semi-permanently linked
together in order to reduce the amount of components that are required to
operate a train. The cars that are retiring today traveled an average of 400
miles a day. They were kept in good repair by senior mechanics with longtime
experience maintaining R-42s.

The R-160 fleet is replacing most of the R-42s. A majority of the R-42 fleet
was retired between 2006 and 2009, and most of those cars were submerged in
the Atlantic Ocean to form artificial reefs. After the reefing program ended
in April 2010, retired R-42s were sent to Sims Metal Management to be
scrapped.

The remaining R-42s will be replaced by the newest NYCT subway cars,
including R-179s that were recently placed into service, and R-211s (when
those cars are delivered).

About the Historic R-42

Seated capacity on the R-42 is 44.

Car length: 60 feet Width: 10 feet Height: 12.08 feet

Weight: 74,388.pounds Maximum speed: 55 MPH

The cars over the years have been used on the following lines: , ,A, B, C, E, F, G, L,Q, R, M, J, L, M, N, R, Z , , , , ,
 , , ,  and .
As well as the no longer in use: AA, CC, EE, GG, K, LL, QB, RR, SS, T,. and V

The R-42 was featured in the famous car-vs.-subway chase in William
Friedkin’s 1971 thriller The French Connection. The two cars, #4572 and
#4573, are part of New York Transit Museum’s collection.

1969 was a big year: Sesame Street debuted, the New York Mets won the World
Series, Woodstock drew more than 350,000 people to a farm in upstate New
York, and Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on
the moon.

Dave:  I askws why rhese cars were retired while older R-32s continue in service, and the

answer was:  "The all stainless-steel bodies of the R-2s are in better shape."

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Wednesday, February 19, 2020 1:00 AM

February 18, 2020
MTA Posts Best January Metrics in Seven Years for NYC Subway, Eight
Years for LIRR, and Best Month on Metro-North in Almost Six Years

Gains Come as Agencies Undertake Historic Capital Renewal and
Expansion and Report Ridership Gains

Millions of New Yorkers Getting Where They Need to Go Faster and More
Predictably with Less Travel Time

Subway On-Time Performance Best January in Seven Years; Number of
Major Delay-Causing Incidents Decreased to Lowest Since Record Keeping
Began in 2015

Metro-North Posts Highest Monthly On-Time Performance in 69 Months,
14th Consecutive Month of Year-Over-Year Improvement; Railroad Set
All-Time Ridership Record in 2019 and Growth Continues in January

LIRR Posts Best January Since 2012, Building on Last Year’s Best
Annual On-Time Performance in Three Years; Posts Modern Record for
Ridership in 2019 and Growth Continues in January


Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) officials today announced
that on-time performance and other measures of service on the New York
City Subway, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad continued
to improve markedly in the month of January, reaching historically
high levels. In tandem with improving performance, subway and railroad
ridership increased in 2019, reaching 1.7 billion trips on the subway,
or 1.1% above last year, 91.1 million trips for 2019 on the LIRR, the
highest since 1949, and 86.6 million on Metro-North, an all-time
record.

“We said we were going to improve and become more customer-focused,
and we’re proving it month after month,” said MTA Chairman and CEO
Patrick J. Foye. “These numbers affirm that our programs to improve
performance at all agencies have taken root and are bringing real
results to improve the commutes of everyone on our system. The credit
for this goes to our dedicated workforce, who are putting in the time
and effort that make gains like these possible.”

“Safety and performance are everything for the MTA, and these figures
are a sign that we are continuing to build momentum,” said MTA Chief
Operating Officer Mario Péloquin. “We know that there’s still a lot of
work to do. We’re ready for it and motivated to become even better to
keep this region moving and deliver for our 8 million daily customers.
Our push to bring the system into a level of performance that
customers are satisfied with is only in its early stages.”

New York City Transit

Weekday subway on-time performance was 83.3% in January – the highest
of any January since 2013. Major incidents that cause disruptions are
declining dramatically to the lowest monthly figure since record
keeping began five years ago, and customer-based performance numbers
are also pointing higher.

January data also shows a continued trend of faster trip times in the
system. Rush hour train trips were faster this January than last on
nearly every line in the system.

“Our operating statistics continue to show significant improvement,
meaning customers’ trips are faster, more reliable, and less likely to
be delayed,” said Sally Librera, MTA NYC Transit Senior Vice President
for Subways. “We are encouraged by our progress, but know we have more
to do. Each day, thousands of subways employees are working hard to
deliver for our customers, and these vast improvements in service are
because of their dedicated efforts.”

There were just 29 major weekday incidents causing delays in January,
a 44% improvement from last year, and the fewest of any month since
record keeping began in 2015. Weekday train delays in January were
30,318, a reduction of 28% from January 2019. January was the 17th
consecutive month to meet the delay reduction target, which was
increased to 34,000 per month as of January.

Train mechanical reliability also improved significantly.  The average
number of miles subway cars travel before experiencing a mechanical
failure in January was 26.4% higher than a year ago, and was the
highest of any January in five years. This continues a trend of
improvements, with 12-month average mean distance between failures up
nearly 8% from a year ago.

Metro-North Railroad

Metro-North’s on-time performance rose to 97.4% in January, 1.5
percentage points better than the prior year. The improvement marks
the 14th consecutive month of improved on-time performance for
Metro-North and the railroad’s best performance in 69 months, since
April 2014.

Ridership on Metro-North’s trains and the connecting ferries and buses
operated by the railroad was 6,957,330 in January, or 0.3% above last
January. Last year Metro-North carried 86.6 million passengers, an
increase of 100,000 over the prior year and the highest ridership on
the railroad since it was founded in 1983. Every year for the past ten
years, Metro-North has broken or essentially tied its all-time
ridership records.

The percentage of peak-period trains operating at their full length in
January increased 2.4 percentage points over the prior year, to 99.2%.
Trains’ mechanical reliability exceeded its goal, with trains
traveling 278,297 miles between experiencing a mechanical failure,
meaning trains are traveling more than 39,000 more miles before
experiencing a service issue, a 16.3% improvement from 239,188 miles
between failures a year prior.

The improved performance measures follow tremendous progress under the
Metro-North Way Ahead plan, a roadmap that details actions to enhance
safety, service, infrastructure, communications, and transform
customers’ day-to-day commuting experience.

“Our January on-time performance results are the best in more than six
years, and this strong performance is thanks to the hard work and
dedication of the men and women of Metro-North,” said Catherine
Rinaldi, President of Metro-North Railroad.  “We are working hard to
deliver superior service to our customers, while not letting up on our
commitment to perform the work necessary to keep the Metro-North
system safe.”

Long Island Rail Road

LIRR’s on-time performance of 93.3% for the month of January is 0.6
percentage points higher than a year earlier, and the best record for
any January since 2012. The improvements build on the trend of
improvement set in 2019 when annual on-time performance rose by 2
percentage points to 92.4%, its best performance in three years.

LIRR ridership for January was 7,171,719, or 0.1% above last January.
Last year the LIRR carried 91.1 million passengers, an increase of
1.45% from 2018’s total of 89.8 million riders and the highest
ridership on the railroad since 1949.

The percentage of peak-period trains operating at their full length in
January increased 2.1 percentage points over the prior year, to 99.1%.

Trains traveled 197,551 miles between experiencing a mechanical
failure, exceeding its goal for 2019. The number of cancelled trains
fell to 42, from 65 last January.

“These numbers show the railroad’s efforts under LIRR Forward to
aggressively improve our infrastructure. We are putting ourselves in a
stronger position to provide a safe and more reliable trip for our
riders,” Long Island Railroad President Phil Eng said. “This is about
finding new ways to effectively solve longstanding problems. It’s also
about hard work of our employees who rise to the challenge every day.”

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Wednesday, February 26, 2020 3:11 AM

> MTA Appoints Sarah Feinberg as Interim President of New York City Transit
>

> The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has named MTA Transit
> Committee Chair and former Federal Railroad Administrator Sarah E. Feinberg
> as interim president of New York City Transit. As interim president,
> Feinberg will oversee the 48,000 person workforce of the NYCT, as well as
> operations for New York City subways, buses, paratransit services, and the
> Staten Island Railway.

> Feinberg brings a wealth of experience to the position, having previously
> served in a number of high-ranking leadership posts under President Obama.
> Feinberg was the second woman in history to lead the Federal Railroad
> Administration, which acts as the sole safety regulator of the U.S. rail
> system. Feinberg also previously served as Chief of Staff at U.S. DOT and
> Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to White House Chief
> of Staff Rahm Emanuel. Feinberg has also spent time in the private sector,
> at Facebook and Bloomberg, LP.

> “We’re thrilled to have Chair Feinberg lead New York City Transit at this
> important time in the MTA’s history,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick J.
> Foye. “I am confident she will carry forward the progress we have achieved
> to bring performance to record levels, modernize our system for customers
> and build on the success of the Subway Action Plan.”

> “As an MTA board member Sarah has been outspoken in support of our eight
> million daily customers and I know she will bring that same passion as she
> leads the agency as interim president,” said MTA Chief Operating Officer
> Mario Peloquin. “Sarah is eminently qualified to push New York City Transit
> to new heights and she will advance New York City Transit’s commitment to
> improve customers’ commutes and get our riders where they need to go faster
> and safer.” 

> "I’m thrilled to be serving as president of New York City Transit – as a
> transportation professional there’s no greater impact on public service than
> working with the people responsible for the safe and efficient
> transportation of eight million New Yorkers every day,” said Feinberg. “I
> could not be happier and more proud to join this incredible team and look
> forward to jumping into the work right away."

> “This is fantastic news for New York City Transit and our hard working,
> dedicated employees,” said Sally Librera, NYC Transit Senior Vice President
> for Subways. “Having someone with her proven leadership abilities will be
> key in continuing to improve subway performance for our customers. Chair
> Feinberg is one of the best in the business and we’re fortunate to have
> her.”

> “I am excited to hear that Chair Feinberg will be leading the agency,” said
> Craig Cipriano, NYC Transit Senior Vice President for Buses and President of
> the MTA Bus Company. “This is a time of so much positive momentum and
> renewal for New York City Buses, and I know Chair Feinberg shares the
> enthusiasm we all do to continue our progress. She has been instrumental in
> the development of the recent achievements the bus system has made, such as
> automated bus lane enforcement and been very supportive of our redesign
> efforts. I can’t think of a person with more proven leadership ability to
> take on the challenges we face.”

> As FRA Administrator, Feinberg developed and enforced rail safety
> regulations for both freight and passenger rail and managed a multi-billion
> dollar rail investment portfolio. During her time at FRA Feinberg also
> completed and signed two of the largest loans in USDOT history, focused the
> rail industry’s attention on emerging safety threats such as the opioid
> crisis, and after many years of delay, helped force the US rail system to
> begin full implementation of Positive Train Control.

> Prior to joining FRA, Feinberg served as US DOT Chief of Staff, where she
> provided strategic advice and counsel to the Secretary of Transportation
> regarding operational and legislative initiatives across all modes of
> transportation, and helped lead and direct the agency and its more than
> 57,000 employees.

> From 2009-2010, Feinberg served in the Obama Administration as Special
> Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to White House Chief of Staff
> Rahm Emanuel. As the Chief of Staff’s liaison to the Obama economic team,
> the national security team, and the press and communications departments,
> she most notably worked on the White House’s strategic response to the
> country's fiscal and economic crisis, the H1N1 flu pandemic, and other
> significant crises that arose during the first two years of the Obama
> administration.

> Feinberg previously served on the Amtrak Board of Directors, and currently
> serves on the StoryCorps Board of Directors and the NHP Foundation Board of
> Directors. Feinberg is a native of Charleston, West Virginia, and she and
> her family reside in New York City.

> Feinberg's first day as NYCT President will be Monday, March 9. The MTA will
> conduct a search for a permanent replacement.
>
>

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, March 8, 2020 12:55 AM
March 06, 2020
MTA Moving Forward with Signal Modernization of F Line with Project in
Southern Brooklyn
 
‘Culver Line’ Signal Modernization Project Will Improve Service
Reliability and Performance Throughout Entire F Line for Decades to
Come
 
Free Shuttle Bus and Alternate Train Service Will Temporarily Replace
F Train South of Church Av Most Weekends
 
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) said that the next
phase of the Culver Line Signal Modernization project – which will
improve service reliability and performance throughout the  line for
decades after its completion – will begin on Friday, March 20. The
$253 million project will replace 70-year-old signals between Church
Av and Coney Island and provide improved and more reliable service and
more efficient operations.  An alternate service plan is in place and
the work is being done on weekends – with major holidays being avoided
– to minimize disruptions for the majority of the line’s customers.
Details have been noted in station signage and earlier notifications
to elected officials and community boards; the MTA has also launched
an informative website
attended community board meetings in Brooklyn.  A customized subway
map for users of the Culver line – particularly helpful for visitors
traveling to Coney Island – is on the website and will be available in
stations.
 
“The bottom line is that a modern signaling system will allow the MTA
to deliver better and more reliable service for F line train riders,”
said Janno Lieber, MTA Chief Development Officer.
 
The project will install a new “Communications Based Train Control”
(CBTC) system on this section of the F Line and also add three new
signal facilities at Ditmas Av, Bay Parkway and Avenue X. This will
allow personnel to respond faster and with alternative service options
when there are disruptions, providing customers a better means to
complete their trips.
 
CBTC is more flexible than the current block signaling system because
it continuously updates train positions, distances and travel speeds,
allowing for faster and more efficient operations. NYC Transit has
successfully installed and implemented CBTC on the Canarsie  and
Flushing  lines. In January 2020, the on-time performance of the
Flushing  line was more than 91 percent, and the on-time performance
of the Canarsie  line was more than 92 percent.
 
The installation of solid state interlocking (SSI) equipment will also
provide much more specific diagnostic information so problems can be
fixed more quickly. This includes: building a new relay room to house
the new signaling equipment, reconfiguring and replacing two old
interlockings at Avenue X and Ditmas Av, and adding two new
interlockings south of Church Av.
 
Beginning later this month, there will be no weekend subway service at
F-train stations south of Church Av. On most weekends from
approximately 9:45 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday from March 20 to Dec.
21, 2020, the F will run between 179 St and Church Av, where  service
will end. The F will not operate between Church Av and Coney
Island-Stillwell Av.
 
To keep customers moving during this critical, long-term upgrade
project, a free shuttle bus service, the Culver Link, will meet up
with nearby F subway stations between Church Av and Coney Island
Stillwell Av. There will also be a free express shuttle bus traveling
directly between Church Av and Coney Island Stillwell Av.  Customers
going to Coney Island from Manhattan and other parts of Brooklyn can
use alternate subway options
including the D and Q trains. Customers will also be able to take the
N train to Coney Island when it resumes normal service in April
following completion of a Superstorm Sandy recovery project.
 
Work will not happen on select weekends that encompass major holidays
to ensure customers can travel to family and friends, so  service will
be normal on:
Easter/Passover: 4/10-4/13
July 4th Weekend: 7/3-7/6
Select October Weekends: 10/9-10/11, 10/16-10/18 and 10/23-10/25
Thanksgiving Weekend: 11/27-11/30
Weekend After Christmas: 12/25-12/28
Work on the F line will continue in 2021. Right now, the construction
schedule and corresponding service change schedule are released
through 2020 so customers can plan ahead this year.


  • Member since
    July 2004
  • 2,741 posts
Posted by Paul Milenkovic on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 6:04 PM

All I can say Mr. K is that I can understand why tipping is encouraged for meal service and for services provided by on-board coach and sleeping-car attendants.

But tips on rapid transit?

If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 6:06 AM

Are you on a crusade to remove imprecision from the English Language?

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 1:28 PM

If you are in a crusade for more precise English:

A tip of my hat to you!

And this confusion is only the tip of an iceburg.

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • 2,741 posts
Posted by Paul Milenkovic on Thursday, March 12, 2020 11:40 AM

daveklepper

Are you on a crusade to remove imprecision from the English Language?

 

Just looking for the humor in the ambiguity in English-language words.

If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy