news No. 7 subway train riders demand better service from MTA at Queens rally

[Harry]

 

Fed up train passengers on Tuesday called on the MTA to give Queens commuters a smoother ride. At a rally underneath the elevated 40th St.-Lowery St. station, riders and Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Queens) called on the agency to give the line a top-to-bottom review — the kind of audit that led to improved service on the , and lines in the past. "What we have witnessed nearly every single day are significant delays, significant problems with trains bypassing stations, crowded platforms," Van Bramer said.  train riders have been waiting for better service for years as crews repair equipment and install a modern signal system that would let the MTA squeeze more trains on the tracks — work that requires weekend disruptions.

 

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[Via Garibaldi 8]

train riders really don't have too many alternatives in some areas, and that's the real problem.  The is at fault because they are stingy with express bus service and don't want to improve the LIRR in areas that could take some strain off of the train. 

[RailRunRob]

Isn't   helping by adding CBTC? shouldn't help be coming after all is up and operational? Is this is just a case of calling for people be little patient? This line had similar disruptions back in the Mid 80's with construction some times you take a step back to take two steps forward.

[mediccjh]

Isn't   helping by adding CBTC? shouldn't help be coming after all is up and operational? Is this is just a case of calling for people be little patient? This line had similar disruptions back in the Mid 80's with construction some times you take a step back to take two steps forward.

 

Exactly. People want instant gratification. CBTC takes a long time because the system runs 24-7, and there is A LOT of tedious work that goes into getting it done.

[46Dover]

You guys beat me to it. There's legitimate work that is going on with the , but try explaining CBTC to the average New Yorker....

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Isn't   helping by adding CBTC? shouldn't help be coming after all is up and operational? Is this is just a case of calling for people be little patient? This line had similar disruptions back in the Mid 80's with construction some times you take a step back to take two steps forward.

It's hard for people to just be patient when their livelihoods depend on that train.  I had a few co-workers at my old job that lived in Queens and relied on the and had horror stories to tell about not being able to get on a train or having trains bypass their stop.  If it's all about being patient, then the should provide alternatives for these people, which they are not doing.

[Javier]

I don't even think they know what CBTC is. Did I tell you guys that I saw the CBTC set testing around 103 St - Corona and when it opened its doors on the wrong side, everybody got into a frenzy and demanded it to be put into service. The worker was trying to explain that he can't because of CBTC but everybody shut him down and I'm like guys...can't you wait 2 minutes for the next one...

[checkmatechamp13]

train riders really don't have too many alternatives in some areas, and that's the real problem.  The is at fault because they are stingy with express bus service and don't want to improve the LIRR in areas that could take some strain off of the train. 

 

They're adding a station in Elmhurst. And increased LIRR service will probably come once ESA is open. Until then, the LIRR Port Washington Branch actually sees pretty decent service by LIRR standards. 

[bobtehpanda]

They're adding a station in Elmhurst. And increased LIRR service will probably come once ESA is open. Until then, the LIRR Port Washington Branch actually sees pretty decent service by LIRR standards. 

 

Well until Elmhurst opens, the only places the PW serves are Hunterspoint Av, Woodside, and Main St. The former two might actually be a slower option depending on where you're trying to go in Manhattan, and Main St is such a train wreck of a station that it's not surprising no one uses it.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Well until Elmhurst opens, the only places the PW serves are Hunterspoint Av, Woodside, and Main St. The former two might actually be a slower option depending on where you're trying to go in Manhattan, and Main St is such a train wreck of a station that it's not surprising no one uses it.

Yeah well instead of b*tching about the train, the riders should be contacting elected officials about improving that LIRR station.  I don't get you Queens people at all.  You move to remote areas in some cases and then b*tch about the subway this and that.  I mean if I lived in say Forest Hills, I would be using that LIRR station or the express buses.  In some cases, you folks have options, but are just too CHEAP to use anything else.  The reason Queens get the short end of the stick is because you aren't vocal enough and you don't use the services that you have (outside of the subway and the local buses of course), so that's what you get.  I commute to Queens here and there and I'm just amazed at how everyone is so subway centric.  If you're in an area with good subway access that is walkable then I understand, but the far out places with the LIRR and the express bus... Smh...  And before you go talking about how inaccessible the LIRR stations are well, they're there.  It's up to the people to make them accessible.  My Metro-North stations were made accessible by shuttle buses.

[RailRunRob]

Yeah well instead of b*tching about the train, the riders should be contacting elected officials about improving that LIRR station.  I don't get you Queens people at all.  You move to remote areas in some cases and then b*tch about the subway this and that.  I mean if I lived in say Forest Hills, I would be using that LIRR station or the express buses.  In some cases, you folks have options, but are just too CHEAP to use anything else.  The reason Queens get the short end of the stick is because you aren't vocal enough and you don't use the services that you have (outside of the subway and the local buses of course), so that's what you get.  I commute to Queens here and there and I'm just amazed at how everyone is so subway centric.  If you're in an area with good subway access that is walkable then I understand, but the far out places with the LIRR and the express bus... Smh...  And before you go talking about how inaccessible the LIRR stations are well, they're there.  It's up to the people to make them accessible.  My Metro-North stations were made accessible by shuttle buses.

Umm. Remote area's? Jimmy Van Bramer Represents Sunnyside,Woodside areas. 17m to Grand Central from Woodside via Lcl 13 from 40th street which btw is where the rally was held! What's your point of view on this again?    Here's a link for you. 26th District.

 

http://jimmyvanbramer.com/contact

[Fresh Pond]

It's hard for people to just be patient when their livelihoods depend on that train. I had a few co-workers at my old job that lived in Queens and relied on the and had horror stories to tell about not being able to get on a train or having trains bypass their stop. If it's all about being patient, then the should provide alternatives for these people, which they are not doing.

There is alternatives

 

...the bus

[RailRunRob]

It's hard for people to just be patient when their livelihoods depend on that train.  I had a few co-workers at my old job that lived in Queens and relied on the and had horror stories to tell about not being able to get on a train or having trains bypass their stop.  If it's all about being patient, then the should provide alternatives for these people, which they are not doing

It's hard any agency to keep up with the type of demand that New York requires. There adding populations of small cities to the ridership over a one or two year period. They realized that as many of us stated before that why CBTC is being added. The population of New York City currently at levels they projected for 2021 The city overall got caught with their pants down they got a hell of a catch up game. What people don't understand it takes time to lay infrastructure. MTA could maybe do a better job at public relations and explaining this to people.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

There is alternatives

 

...the bus

What bus?? Local bus? That's the alternative to the subway to get into Manhattan??

 

Umm. Remote area's? Jimmy Van Bramer Represents Sunnyside,Woodside areas. 17m to Grand Central from Woodside via Lcl 13 from 40th street which btw is where the rally was held! What's your point of view on this again?    Here's a link for you. 26th District.

 

http://jimmyvanbramer.com/contact

The train doesn't just serve the areas you mentioned above. You have people piling on the line from Northeast Queens too, which is part of the problem, and why the line suffers from overcrowding.  The long term solution is being worked on, but there needs to be short term fixes as well to address the overcrowding, and the only way to do that is to market the alternatives in areas where they exist.    

 

 

It's hard any agency to keep up with the type of demand that New York requires. There adding populations of small cities to the ridership over a one or two year period. They realized that as many of us stated before that why CBTC is being added. The population of New York City currently at levels they projected for 2021 The city overall got caught with their pants down they got a hell of a catch up game. What people don't understand it takes time to lay infrastructure. MTA could maybe do a better job at public relations and explaining this to people.

Blah blah blah... The LIRR is underutilized in Queens and that's one avenue that could be explored.  Same deal with the express buses.  Quite frankly those folks on the line are so subway centric that I'm not sure any sort of marketing would even work in areas where alternatives exist.  That's the real problem.

[RailRunRob]

What bus?? Local bus? That's the alternative to the subway to get into Manhattan??

 

The train doesn't just serve the areas you mentioned above. You have people piling on the line from Northeast Queens too, which is part of the problem, and why the line suffers from overcrowding.  The long term solution is being worked on, but there needs to be short term fixes as well to address the overcrowding, and the only way to do that is to market the alternatives in areas where they exist.    

Wait so the Train doesn't serve Sunnyside? I was just over there 2 weeks ago for a friends gallery opening the was visible from her space. 33,40 and 46 are all in Sunnyside.. and umm 61st- Woodside wonder where they got that name from?... Oh Woodside yeah would work maybe with that city freedom ticket for the LIRR and MN. What are some of your solutions im curious?

[RailRunRob]

 

What bus?? Local bus? That's the alternative to the subway to get into Manhattan??

 

The train doesn't just serve the areas you mentioned above. You have people piling on the line from Northeast Queens too, which is part of the problem, and why the line suffers from overcrowding.  The long term solution is being worked on, but there needs to be short term fixes as well to address the overcrowding, and the only way to do that is to market the alternatives in areas where they exist.    

 

 

Blah blah blah... The LIRR is underutilized in Queens and that's one avenue that could be explored.  Same deal with the express buses.  Quite frankly those folks on the line are so subway centric that I'm not sure any sort of marketing would even work in areas where alternatives exist.  That's the real problem.

 

Queens is a big place. Were are we talking? Population boom is happening areas closer to Manhattan. plus the 1st stop for the route that parallels the is like Citi Field then Flushing. Somebody said reopening  Elmhurst cool but what about Sunnyside and Long Island City those areas bursting at the seams and rallying for more service! What are your plans for alternatives there?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Wait so the Train doesn't serve Sunnyside? I was just over there 2 weeks ago for a friends gallery opening the was visible from her space. 33,40 and 46 are all in Sunnyside.. and umm 61st- Woodside wonder where they got that name from?... Oh Woodside yeah would work maybe with that city freedom ticket for the LIRR and MN. What are some of your solutions im curious?

LOL!  Boy you have a hard time reading don't you?  What I was referring to is stops being skipped due to overcrowding.  Yes the trains serves all of those stops. It doesn't mean people can get on those trains though since there often times isn't room to do so.  

 

 

Queens is a big place. Were are we talking? Population boom is happening areas closer to Manhattan. plus the 1st stop for the route that parallels the   is like Citi Field then Flushing. Somebody said reopening  Elmhurst cool but what about Sunnyside and Long Island City those areas bursting at the seams and rallying for more service! What are your plans for alternatives there?

Well let's see... The city has Ferry service planned for some areas, and is considering light rail as well.  Additionally, shifting some riders to the LIRR and express buses would help as well.  

[RailRunRob]

LOL!  Boy you have a hard time reading don't you?  What I was referring to is stops being skipped due to overcrowding.  Yes the trains serves all of those stops. It doesn't mean people can get on those trains though since there often times isn't room to do so.  

There's overcrowding everywhere sometime I have to wait for a train or two to pass at Rush. That's what happens when you add a half million people to the Subway system in record time. The MTA is on it you're the one always crying about taxpayers money and at the speed New York is gaining population your getting to the point where some of these needed infrastructure upgrading at the speeds people are expecting it may not even humanly possible even with all the funding.. The real estate market also has to bear some responsibility people are moving to these areas because they want to be transit centric it's just too many people wanting the samething. You keep speaking about the express bus these areas wouldnt attract nearly the same amount people if that was the only option for travel. Look at all the new Blding's in LIC,Downtown BK and Williamsburg you think these developers worked out how people are going to get from A to B they just keep on building. So I don't have a problem reading I'm just adjusting you to the higher level of questioning. What do you know that the MTA's engineers don't already? What's your plan Captain Obvious?

[NY1635]

Isn't the MTA already trying to improve the ? When I took the , it was undergoing track repairs, had those new R188 cars in service, fully audible announcements at each station telling people when next train will arrive, and renovated stations in some parts. Aside from a few signal problems causing delays, it's a smooth ride from Main St to Manhattan. What more do these people want? Full day express service?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

There's overcrowding everywhere sometime I have to wait for a train or two to pass at Rush. That's what happens when you add a half million people to the Subway system in record time. The MTA is on it you're the one always crying about taxpayers money and at the speed New York is gaining population your getting to the point where some of these needed infrastructure upgrading at the speeds people are expecting it may not even humanly possible even with all the funding.. The real estate market also has to bear some responsibility people are moving to these areas because they want to be transit centric it's just too many people wanting the samething. You keep speaking about the express bus these areas wouldnt attract nearly the same amount people if that was the only option for travel. Look at all the new Blding's in LIC,Downtown BK and Williamsburg you think these developers worked out how people are going to get from A to B they just keep on building. So I don't have a problem reading I'm just adjusting you to the higher level of questioning. What do you know that the MTA's engineers don't already? What's your plan Captain Obvious?

A train or two is one thing, but these people have to wait quite a while in some cases to get on a train. In other words, you are dismissing their needs because of what you experience.  Typical.  You also aren't getting my point about the people living AWAY from the line in Northeast Queens that are crowding the line.  THOSE people could take the LIRR or express buses to allow more capacity in areas like Sunnyside, Elmhurst, LIC and the like.  And yes, the isn't on it because they're supposedly doing more with less but doing so by running the bare bones in terms of service, and that's the problem.  When I say cut waste, that means cutting waste from sinking 1 billion dollars in dumps like the Fulton Street Station.  That was a waste of taxpayer dollars, especially when you look at what was achieved and what it looks like already.

 

Isn't the MTA already trying to improve the ? When I took the , it was undergoing track repairs, had those new R188 cars in service, fully audible announcements at each station telling people when next train will arrive, and renovated stations in some parts. Aside from a few signal problems causing delays, it's a smooth ride from Main St to Manhattan. What more do these people want? Full day express service?

lol... God forbid they want to get on a train and not wait 30 minutes or more due to overcrowding... 

[Union Tpke]

Well until Elmhurst opens, the only places the PW serves are Hunterspoint Av, Woodside, and Main St. The former two might actually be a slower option depending on where you're trying to go in Manhattan, and Main St is such a train wreck of a station that it's not surprising no one uses it.

 

I have to use the Main Street station every Wednesday for an appointment in Little Neck. How is it a trainwreck?

[RollOver]

I don't even think they know what CBTC is. Did I tell you guys that I saw the CBTC set testing around 103 St - Corona and when it opened its doors on the wrong side, everybody got into a frenzy and demanded it to be put into service. The worker was trying to explain that he can't because of CBTC but everybody shut him down and I'm like guys...can't you wait 2 minutes for the next one...

 

Seriously?   Wow.

[TransitJusticeForAll]

train riders really don't have too many alternatives in some areas, and that's the real problem. The is at fault because they are stingy with express bus service and don't want to improve the LIRR in areas that could take some strain off of the train.

 

Finally. You hit the key points on the wall. The line is not all that and/or #1. Ever since the X51 route was axed, the has gotten horrible and congested. At least the is conducting a comprehensive study of bus service in Northeast Queens, and is planning an express route between College Point and Midtown Manhattan, without paralleling the line.

[Gotham Bus Co.]

Isn't   helping by adding CBTC? shouldn't help be coming after all is up and operational? Is this is just a case of calling for people be little patient? This line had similar disruptions back in the Mid 80's with construction some times you take a step back to take two steps forward.

 

 brass:  "Be patient, the new signals are coming next year."

 

Riders:  "You've been saying that for several years now, and you've stopped maintaining the old signals. Meanwhile, the new signals keep not arriving and the old signals keep failing. Stop telling us about the new signals and just install them already. "

[Around the Horn]

I'm doing to defer to them in terms of using the on a daily basis, but in my 17 years on this earth I have yet to experience any of the things they are complaining about on the train. It runs like clockwork and is well patronized but even before/after Mets games its never at the point where people have to pass up several trains. Even if so, the completion of CBTC will allow for more trains to travel the line, increasing capacity and decreasing wait times.

 

I say we wait until CBTC is completed (so we can understand the needs of the line AFTER construction is complete) before proceeding with the "next step". I have a sneaking suspicion that most of these problems are the result of a line in transition both in signalling and rolling stock. With entirely R188s and entirely CBTC I'm sure we will see a definite improvement in service.

 

And a note to VG8: I'm sure you trying to help and I see what your trying to say regarding LIRR and express bus service, I just don't see it having a big effect over the train scenario. Sure people could take them instead of the bus to Main Street but that assumes three things:

1. This person is taking the to Manhattan only

2. this person can afford the express bus/LIRR fare

3. There are express buses/LIRR in their area

 

The fact of the matter is most riders do not fit this mold.

Now remember I don't live near the so my only experience during rush hours is taking the or to a night Mets game.

Most of my rides are middays or weekends. I rode the R62A set round trip, the day Hudson Yards opened. I have noticed that many riders take it within Queens especially to Jackson Heights(the neighborhood-90th, 82nd and 74th), Woodside or Court Square. The express bus doesn't help here.

Also most riders are, how shall I put it, minorities.(They don't call it the International Express for nothing) I doubt most of them can afford express bus or LIRR fare.

NOTE: I am not trying to call express bus riders or LIRR riders elitists. I am simply arguing that these services do not provide a viable alternate for the majority of the Seven's ridership.