Should the MTA consider posting "special service" trips on overhead platform signs?

[Juelz4309]

Considering how often this happens system wide I think its Overdue that MTA start posting on its platform signs about short turns & special services..primarily during rush hour... few examples as follows just off the top

 

1. NB 1 trains that terminate at 137 in the AM rush. 

 

2. "E" trains to 179/Jamaica 

 

3."5" trains to Crown Heights & Nereid ave services that end run exp to gun hill after 180.Then drop out.

 

4. "4" trains to Burnside running exp after 167 

 

5. "6" trains that terminate at 3 ave/138 NB 

 

I think its passenger friendly to let people know when these services operate. Especially at the frequency at which these trains run (ie: about half out of the 12 "Nereid" 5s run exp afta 180 to Gun hill then drop out)

 

I understand why becuase im a train buff like the rest of my fellow members here (Equipment flexibility,etc) If you go to the actual PDF schedules for the lines individually on the MTA Website...It actually posts these variations in service. So why not put them on the platform signs???? #JusThinkinAloud 

 

 

Signs could read as follows...

 

White Plains Rd And Dyre Avenue      To Dyre Avenue All Times. PM Rush hours to Neried Avenue/White 

                                                            Plains rd.Some trains run Exp to the next and last stop Gun Hill/White

                                                            Plains rd. Late Nites Shuttle Stops here. (@E180 St)

 

Queens Blvd Express                          To Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer. All Times.PM Rush hours some

                                                            trains to Jamaica-179 st "F" station.Late nites Local. (@Forest Hills) 

 

 

Of course with anything else especially with MTA this would cost alotta money but I think its worth it! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[S78 via Hylan]

I believe at Union Tpke on the Jamaica bound express track, some overhead signs do indeed say "Limited rush hour service to 179 St" or something like that.

[Kamen Rider]

Yes, they do mention the Limited E runs.

 

But this still leans into information overload.

 

Trains are not tied to routes and routes are not tied to lines. Things can change, and quickly I might add. For example, the weekend M is going to be running different routes all year. When the L is out it's going to 57th/6th. when the L is running it's going to Chambers Street because the switch at Essex is broken and it can't use the middle track.

[Lance]

Short answer, no, because it confuses riders. I'll explain it in depth below, but for the most part, you want to keep the service signs general to the majority of service at that particular station and not include every minute run.

 

1) In general, you don't mention short-turns of any line unless there is significantly less service beyond the short-turn station. Last I checked, the overhead signs on the Coney Island-bound Culver platforms mention both Kings Hwy and Stillwell Av because almost every other F train terminates at Kings Hwy during the normal hours*. In this instance, it makes sense to mention both terminals because, beyond Kings Hwy, service is almost halved. On the 1-line, it's like every third train for about an hour that terminates at 137 St. There's no need for it.

 

2) As KR and S78 said, there are signs for the limited E runs to/from 179 St. Personally, I don't believe that information should be on the signs. There are too few trains that run to Jamaica-179 St in the rush hours. However, since there haven't been any reports of confusion with this, I suppose it isn't harming anyone.

 

3) Again, there is no set pattern for the 5-line trips to Utica Av. They're scattered through the schedule to maintain service on the Nostrand Ave line. Adding those runs to the signs would imply this service ran more frequently than it does. Regarding the Nereid Av dropouts, those service changes are made at the dispatcher's discretion. Some days, there may be more trains that run local to Nereid than others.

 

4) Again, sporadic short-turns that have little impact on overall service.

 

5) Those 6-line short-turns to 3 Avenue aren't even on the schedule. Right there, that should tell you why this shouldn't be mentioned on the signs.

 

Overall, the idea behind the overhead service signs to convey general service patterns throughout the day, not to rattle off every run on the line.

[Eric B]

What solve this is digital signs (which would reflect changes in real time). But aside from the messages in the countdown clocks (which themselves took decades to prepare for, install and get running), it would take a lot of time and money.

[GreatOne2k]

The has 2 reverse peak trips to 241 St, plus the has some reverse peak Bronx express runs between 9:15am and 11:30am

[Fresh Pond]

People don't read the signs as it is.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

But the train already has its destination displayed... If people don't pay attention, well too bad.  I agree that it's overkill.

[trainfanrod]

o eed for it we have trains that says on it going to utica going to jamaica 179

[B35 via Church]

Those 5's to crown heights/flatbush at times change on a whim.... My sister told me last night she was on a at franklin that (originally) was destined for Flatbush... Then an on-train announcement was made, stating that the train is going to Utica... Mad people get up off the train & wait for a 2 - Only for yet another announcement to be informed that same 5 train was infact going to Flatbush.... She (and I'm quite sure many others) lost their seat thanks to that.... I initially laughed when she told me what happened last night, b/c I told her that has happened to me so many times when I used to take the to GCT for the when I used to attend Devry LIC (when it was still in LIC anyway) - If it wasn't at nevins, it was at franklin (never happened at atlantic for some odd reason, but anyway).... There's an obvious problem when you're getting off a 5 train at church av that still has the Crown Heights - Utica av signage on each subway car.... I just smh at that..... Same deal with showing the Flatbush av signage when the train done pulled into Utica (which I have also seen)....
 

Aside from the whole overcrowding on the Lex issue, that is the #1 reason why I go out of my way to NOT take the 5 train.....

[RTOMan]

Those 5's to crown heights/flatbush at times change on a whim.... My sister told me last night she was on a at franklin that (originally) was destined for Flatbush... Then an on-train announcement was made, stating that the train is going to Utica... Mad people get up off the train & wait for a 2 - Only for yet another announcement to be informed that same 5 train was infact going to Flatbush.... She (and I'm quite sure many others) lost their seat thanks to that.... I initially laughed when she told me what happened last night, b/c I told her that has happened to me so many times when I used to take the to GCT for the when I used to attend Devry LIC (when it was still in LIC anyway) - If it wasn't at nevins, it was at franklin (never happened at atlantic for some odd reason, but anyway).... There's an obvious problem when you're getting off a 5 train at church av that still has the Crown Heights - Utica av signage on each subway car.... I just smh at that..... Same deal with showing the Flatbush av signage when the train done pulled into Utica (which I have also seen)....

 

Aside from the whole overcrowding on the Lex issue, that is the #1 reason why I go out of my way to NOT take the 5 train.....

 

 

Happens with the    to 179 as well.. If Parsons Needs Service they will send one two or three of them to Parsons...

[46Dover]

I'm surprised they still kill most s at 137. I thought they cut it out altogether after they brought in the , only because you knew, like with the to CI/Kings it was going to be available at a certain time