itmaybeokay

It's worth noting that the train GO in queens (express southbound 71 to Queens Plaza) is no longer listed on the website, yet - turnstiles are very much roped off and there's a work train parked at steinway street. 

Meanwhile on twitter: 

https://twitter.com/hanjonford/status/567037543724896256

https://twitter.com/NYCTSubway/status/567042055881244673

They deny that service is changed.  

Today I saw an R68 NIS on the QBL on the D5 Layup track. I was about to take a video of it, but my camera died. Then it took 15-20 mins to get to Roosevelt and I saw a work train at 71

There were a couple big issues on the QBL yesterday - maybe they're still cleaning up from them, re the work train. 

I've got no insight on the R68 - maybe just schoolcar. 

Yeah, hes right. So I guess it was built for a future expanison to the west of the Yard, but was never completed. 

 

BTW, is that the field in the 1921 picture? It looks so...greeny.

I don't think it was yet an athletic field in 1921 - it was just, well. A field. 

I highly recommend taking some time to poke around the old aerial photos on maps.nyc.gov

You can turn on the subway layer to see the modern transit lines to use as guideposts. 

Many of them, of course, weren't built yet when these photos were taken.

And several current stations sit where, in 1921, there was nothing but farms and dirt roads. 

But most fascinating, to me, is exploring the now-demolished elevated lines of manhattan, and other infrastructure that no longer exists - sprawling rail yards on the west side of manhattan, old penn station, etc etc. Quite fun to compare to the 1951 aerial and the modern satellite views. 

Hmm, so what was it used for?

If you look at google maps:

https://goo.gl/maps/0FuPs

It just looks like the yard leads used to be four+ tracks. The deck there is surely wide enough for 4, maybe more. 

Although, looking at the 1951 Aerial photo i don't see any evidence of that.

The 1921 aerial doesn't have much detail, but it looks almost like what's currently an elevated structure used to be at ground level.

http://maps.nyc.gov/doitt/nycitymap/?z=10&p=1011459,262727&c=GIS1924&f=SUBWAY 

Either way, still no spur. 

The whole system is a mess. 

What happened earlier on the QBL?

What DIDN'T happen? 

Switch problems at roosevelt, signal problems at continental, pretty much just a bad time all around. 

Yeah that might be inka. My friend thinks Inka literally touched the 3rd Rail at City Hall Loop to get to the platform. How did he not get electrocuted? Is the 3rd Rail covered by a cover that can be stepped on?

Common sense says that the non-shiny bits covering the metal rail underneath may not be conductive. And with my two eyes, I've seen track workers sit on the third-rail cover with feet resting on the running rails. I'm sure they're still alive. They seemed fine sitting there.

So that means the cover under and above the 3rd Rail aren't conductive? Because if you go to YouTube and search Urban Exploration New York City Underground you see the guy clearly is able to climb on it without getting the life zapped out of him.

Yes, the cover on top of the 3rd rail is not conductive. But you probably shouldn't sit or stand on it. In fact you shouldn't even go near the 3rd rail. Actually, stay off the roadbed entirely. 

Do you mind posting the vine?

[vine]ODH6MPu7MJd[/vine]

(oops that doesnt work here)

https://vine.co/v/ODH6MPu7MJ/

not much to see...

Is there a video on that madness? I am actually THANKFUL I missed my bus or else I would have gotten stuck on that train. Luckily I chose to go on the the last minute.

Apparently another friend of mine was on that train and has a vine of the evacuation. Also, apparently the issue was brake failure. 

Hold up, since when was the connection to the SouthBound lower level at 42 Street severed?

I believe when the aqueduct special stoped running in the 1980's.

The last service was run in 1981 but the connection wasn't severed until later. The entrances were sealed in 1998 and 1999 and as per my reference " A report in the September, 1999 Bulletin of the New York Division ERA reports that the lower level track D-3 from north of 42nd St. all the way to 34th St. is now permanently out of service."

So. There's that.

http://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/Station:_42nd_Street-Port_Authority_Bus_Terminal_(8th_Avenue)

Due to a train with mechanical problems at 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr, the following service changes are in effect:

Southbound trains are running on the line from Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av to W 4 St-Washington Sq.

Some southbound trains are running on the line from Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av to W 4 St-Washington Sq.

Metropolitan Av bound trains are running on the line from Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av to 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr.

Some Forest Hills bound trains are terminating at Chambers St.

Allow additional travel time.

 

This is a little confusing there. So the is running on the to Washington Sq? Do they mean to Brooklyn.

I'm sure they meant via the to Bergen Street. There are often errors like that in the sudden service changes. 

Does anyone know what happened at the Rock this morning to precipitate this? As per Facebook - there was an M train coming from 53rd that was stuck for over 2 hours. Here's the account that a friend of a friend posted: 

 

9:30 AM M Train halts mere feet from my stop at Rockefeller Center

AN HOUR passes. People are starting to get irritated. Guy next to me pokes me and says "Hey. I don't mean to be weird but are you the girl with the Pokemon bag?" I usually am. I decide that I am famous.

 

ANOTHER THIRTY MINUTES pass. The train is a powder keg. MTA lady is yelling at someone taking video. People are fighting. I decide that I know absolutely no one on this train so... I COME OUT OF STANDUP RETIREMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TEN YEARS.

 

TWENTY FIVE MINUTES pass. I have now done the equivalent of a special based entirely on crowd work. No one has died.

 

TWO AND A HALF HOURS in we are then evacuated from the train. We are then abandoned in the stop BEFORE the one I needed with them pretty much stating "Well.. Uh.. BAH-BYE."

This was my morning and might end up as youtube video. Just wanted to give y'all the heads up.

Yikes. Based on the timing, I was on the R that came down queens blvd right before that mikey. Had i been 45 seconds later leaving the house, I'd have been on that train. 

Update:

Service Change

Posted: 01/12/2015 6:06PM

Due to a sick customer at Court Sq-23 St,

Some northbound E trains are running on the F line from W 4 St-Washington Sq to Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av.

Some 71 Av bound M are running on the F line from 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr to 36 St (Qns).

Northbound E and F trains are running with delays.

Allow additional travel time.

Queens can't catch a break today

Service Change  Posted: 01/12/2015  4:04PM

 

 

Due to signal problems at 7 Av, the following service changes are in effect:

Some northbound  and trains are running express from Church Av to Smith-9 Sts.

Northbound and trains are running with delays. 

Allow additional travel time.

 

Service Change  Posted: 01/12/2015  4:02PM

Due to a rail condition at 57 St, the following service changes are in effect:

Northbound trains are running on the line from 47-50 Sts/Rockefeller Center to Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av.

71 Av bound trains are running on the line from Delancey St-Essex St to Chambers St then terminate.

There is no train service between Delancey St-Essex St to Forest Hills-71 Av in both directions.

Some northbound trains are running on the line from Bergen St to Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av.  

Expect delays on , and trains in both directions.

Allow additional travel time.

 

Wow the is screwed. Poor train always get knocked on the line when something happens on the QBL line.

 

Wow... It looks worse than Lex.

Everything but 57th St is cleared up - so, the rush could theoretically be okay. 

Service Change  Posted: 01/12/2015  4:04PM

 

 

Due to signal problems at 7 Av, the following service changes are in effect:

Some northbound  and trains are running express from Church Av to Smith-9 Sts.

Northbound and trains are running with delays. 

Allow additional travel time.

 

Service Change  Posted: 01/12/2015  4:02PM

Due to a rail condition at 57 St, the following service changes are in effect:

Northbound trains are running on the line from 47-50 Sts/Rockefeller Center to Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av.

71 Av bound trains are running on the line from Delancey St-Essex St to Chambers St then terminate.

There is no train service between Delancey St-Essex St to Forest Hills-71 Av in both directions.

Some northbound trains are running on the line from Bergen St to Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av.  

Expect delays on , and trains in both directions.

Allow additional travel time.

 

Wow the is screwed. Poor train always get knocked on the line when something happens on the QBL line.

 

You Forgot: 

Delays  Posted: 01/12/2015  4:03PM 

Due to signal problems at Forest Hills-71 Av, northbound  and  trains are running with delays.

Allow additional travel time.

The entire Queens Corridor is Screwed. The R is going to be Double-Loaded - and then further crushed by people bailing on the heavily delayed expresses. Assuming the rail condition is a broken rail, it was called at like 3pm, could theoretically be fixed by 5. Crossing my fingers. 

Due to an investigation of a customer injury at Broadway,

The following service changes are in effect:

Northbound and trains are terminating at 57 St-7 Av or Queensboro Plaza.

There is no or train service between Queensboro Plaza and Astoria-Ditmars Blvd.

Allow additional travel time.

As an alternative customers can take the Q102 or Q69 bus.

Did someone get hit by a train yesterday? From my experience that's the jargon for one something like this happens 

Yeah, I heard the 12-9 on the radio :-/

I have a plan that may seem Wallyhorse-esque but there is a good reason for it.

I plan to extend the train to 179 St between 6 AM and 9 PM.

The would run on the express track between 71 Avenue to 179 Street.

The main reason would be to relieve switching at 75th Avenue.

Every morning there are delays on the train there, waiting for trains to switch. Sometimes it takes more time to get from KG and 71 Avenue then between 71 Avenue and Roosevelt or QP.

This would relieve tons of delays!

This would provide extra service at Kew Gardens, Parsons Boulevard and 179 Street.

People may choose to divert off the train because they want a less crowded train and want a seat and prioritize it over a quicker ride.

This would reduce crowding on the .

Also if you see 71 Avenue CTL during rush hours you can see tons of people transfering from the express to local, these people if they wanted the they wouldn't have to transfer there and would have a one seat ride.

 

 

 

Nah, this isn't a Wallyhorse idea. It lacks the prerequisite off-hours diversion of an already established line or some version of a Central Park West-Jamaica route.

 

Seriously though, this idea was tried when Archer Ave opened in 1988. The F ran via Hillside express while the R ran local to 179 St. The problem is that riders bailed the R at the first opportunity for the E or F express. To minimize those transfers, R service to 179 St was gradually cut back from normal hours to rush-hours only and eventually discontinued in 1991 in favor of running the F local on Hillside Ave. While the times may have changed in the intervening years, the problems that eliminated Hillside express service still exist.

 

Oh and by the way, I don't think it would be a problem for the R to run to 179 St while the M continued to terminate at Forest Hills. The R and G did the same thing back then.

 

It's not an awful idea, but it does mean that riders on the far-out local Hillside stops lose their one-seat express ride and either have to slog it out on the local or transfer, or walk to the express stations. As someone else mentioned, most people would just walk to the express stations. Especially considering the R runs far less service than the F, so waiting for that local can add way more time. 

So it's a fair bit of customers inconveinenced to reduce a bit of switching delay. The person-minutes of time saved would probably be a wash, if not worse. 

Then there are the implications for the R train, which already has a long, wall scraping run. Adding more to it's plate would simply exacerbate the existing propensity for delays. 

CBTC if properly implemented could merge the trains with greater efficiency than manual towers - and of course this isn't without it's own issues, but when and if it works it could cut down the delays significantly there. 

The 2015 schedule is out now up to April. There isn't anything we haven't seen before. Most of the work is on the Lexington Avenue line and it's branches.

Yikes - two consecutive weeks of fasttrack on the QBL? 

That's remarkably inconvenient. I bet the service changes for the intervening weekend are equally catastrophic.

The shuttle bus service they've provided in queens during these in the past has been laughably bad. 

Is there a list of all the stations without crossovers?

the iOS map-app "KickMap" shows stations with no crossunder with a red square next to them, if that helps. If I'm really bored this afternoon I'll distill them into a list. 

Who can customers complain to about sketchy service. Theres wayyy too much bunching in the Bronx and inconsistent headways

You can write a letter or send an email to the MTA, the contact information is on the website. They do log the complaints but will it get anything done? "Meh."

You could try writing a letter to the Governor or other elected officials, which will certainly get you a letter back talking about how important your issue is to them, but again, will it get anything done? "Meh."

Still, I always suggest sending the complaint even if it nets zero tangible benefit because if service is bad, and enough people complain, things will sometimes get done. 

Not sure what can be done about the pehlam line. You can almost assuredly chalk up it's problems in the bronx to overcrowding in manhattan. 

Wut do you mean? 

You know, bunch of dudes get onto the train, as soon as the doors close, boom box turns on, "SHOWTIME FOLKS" and then they ask the people they just almost kicked in the face for money. That BS.

Service Change  Posted: 11/17/2014  4:04PM 

 

Due to a rail condition at Woodhaven Blvd, the following service changes are in effect:

 

Northbound  trains are running express from Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av to 71 Av-Forest Hills.

 

71 Av-bound  trains terminate at Essex St.

, ,  and  trains are running with delays in both directions.

Allow additional travel time.

I'd expect a flood to have been in the system. Apparently that's the only service change. No delays or anything.

I'm sure there will be delays come rush hour, since the is now fielding twice the traffic northbound - also, stations are being skipped - meaning that the SOUTHBOUND is now handling it's normal traffic, the s/b (M)'s normal traffic, - and the Northbound skipped-stations for both - four times it's usual load. 

Trust me - it's going to get really ugly. 

Also - seems like a broken rail. Only 1 of four tracks shutdown. 

Service Change  Posted: 11/16/2014 12:31PM 

 

Due to FDNY activity at 4 Av-9 St,  and  trains are bypassing 4 Av-9 St in both directions.

As an alternative, customers are advised to take the B63 and B103 bus service.

Allow additional travel me.

 

2 hours later, those 2 changes are still in effect.

Well, we've heard about the 12-9 tragedy at 167, which I'm sure had an ensuing criminal investigation. 

4av was a fire on the platform as per FDNY twitter. 

 

@FDNY: BKLYN ALL HANDS IND F 4 AVE, (IND F) FIRE ON PLATFORM/SOUTHBOUND - 10:03 AM - 16 Nov 2014

I'm assuming they had a fair bit of cleanup work to do even after the fire was put out, cause, damn. 

Service Change

Posted: 11/07/2014 2:51PM

Due to FDNY activity at 181 St,

Northbound A trains are terminating at 145 St.

There is no A train service between Inwood-207 St and 145 St.

As an alternative customers are advised to take the 1 train.

Allow additional travel time.

From twitter: 

@FDNY

@FDNY: MAN ALL HANDS 181 ST, (IND A) ELECTRICAL FIRE ON TRAIN,

 

Why does the from 21st St to Forest Hills have this weird steady drumming when the train runs on the track Manhattan bound?

That like, "broken gearbox" sound? It has to do with recent grinding of the rails. 

I've begun planning more extensions and new routes for the boroughs of Manhattan and Queens. The main part of the new plans being a line along Northern Boulevard in Queens to help relieve the of it's crowding as well as provide rapid transit to unserved portions of Queens, like College Point, Whitestone, and Douglaston. The would be one of the routes serving the Northern Boulevard line. I'm still working out the Manhattan connections but I'm thinking of connecting one of the routes to a planned 10th Avenue extension of the route and a new 9th Avenue Line to Greenwich Village. I do know, however, that 57th Street would be the crosstown route for the line.

I don't mean to totally poo-poo a fantasy Idea, but you do realize the QBL express tracks already run along northern blvd between queens plaza and broadway? Would you build another level underneath? Or connect to NBL past that point? 

What's been going on with the QBL at 21st St today? More than 4 hours with service changes due to "mechanical problems"

Edit: I googled it. Can't post a link cause I'm mobile but to quote:

"A massive construction drill bit pierced a tunnel serving the F train and sliced the top and side of an occupied car in Queens on Thursday — but no one was injured as a result of the terrifying blunder"