bulk88

Extend every other  or to bay ridge 95 and be done with it. Other choice is rerate all MOW trains to 30 mph or 40 mph from 20 mph so they can travel from CI to Concourse without slowing down service. Why are MOW trains stored 10 miles from their GO sites anyways? Something is wrong when it takes longer for a MOW train to go from its Yard to its GO site every night, than PABT to Philly by Highway.

https://stevemunro.ca/2015/03/30/the-evolution-of-ttc-signaling-contracts/

Reading this article, and knowing TTC and NYCT share the exact same fixed block system and operating rules. The "SCS" overlay for TTC, NYCT never tried it, why? SCS would eliminate all grade timers with an "alerter".

It sounds to me like TTC installed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punktförmige_Zugbeeinflussung for permanent speed restrictions/psuedo-cab signals but the transponders have no anti-collision function, only overspeed derailment or preventing suicidal notch 8 a train after an ST clears or notch 8 into bumper blocks after last GT clears.

If there are questions about are R142As CBTC-ready? Answer is no. R142A has 1 operator screen, R188s have 2 screens. Consoles were completely replaced on R188s.

But what I'm wondering, will Lex have the same Thales Seltrac as Flushing, or Thales equipment is blacklisted after Flushing Line and all future CBTC installs are Siemens? Did Mitsubishi ever create 3rd party CBTC equipment under the "I2S" contract?

3 hours ago, Around the Horn said:

Why does this thread even exist? We already have a thread for the swaps...

I have it on good authority that CAF was awarded the contract to refurbish the R38 fleet which is currently stored off the coast of NJ.

On 1/6/2019 at 6:11 PM, RR503 said:

All of this comes back to the inefficiency of MTA work practices. Flagging is over-complicated, productivity is low, and contractor coordination is a bit of a joke. If we just could get our act together, we'd save time and money -- it isn't like these GOs are free/cost-positive...

QBL CBTC has only 1 work train and 1 work site per weekend. That work train has only 3, max 4 employees from Five Star on it. Easy to say all 11 miles of QBL is being resignaled by 1 person. That is why it will take years. Some weekends the CBTC train is parked all weekend at 71 ave and I never saw it leave. Five star never showed up.

On 12/30/2018 at 12:56 AM, RR503 said:

I've noticed that on Canarsie the flashing green aspect only appears when the train gets within a certain distance of the signal. Not sure of the cause/reasoning behind it, but I'd think this is associated. 

Auxiliary Wayside (legacy block with very long blocks) is primary signalling system, CBTC simply turns off block signals (green->flashing green) if a CBTC aware train tries to enter an empty legacy block, thus converting it to a CBTC block, or a CBTC aware train tries to enter a CBTC block (red->flashing green). A legacy train would get red until the last CBTC train leaves the next block, and then a legacy train may enter the block. The legacy block track circuits also need exercise sometimes. If its outside of peak, and the last CBTC train claims to have left the block, the block better not be occupied, if it is, it is a track circuit failure, but I wonder what NYCT's specs say happens if an AWS track circuit fails, CBTC trains run full speed through the block? legacy key by procedure/Form D, 1 train in the block? lock the trip cock down and stop on sight?

10 hours ago, Bosco said:

The 5-car sets needed (and possibly still need) extensive modifications.  Even the original spec for 3050-3057 was different from the newest spec, which is why 3058-3065 was the first set to enter service.

What are the modifications? A B car is a B car right?

6 hours ago, LTA1992 said:

I see no reason that OGs will fail. 

So I expect the option orders to be all open gangway.

Urine corrodes a mating surface. Daily News article reporting a wave of bum turds left on linoleum because of OGs. Car Inspectors file a grievance that the cars are unsafe to de/couple. Extreme tunnel noise. Very small MTBF when assigned to R train. Knee jerk reaction to someone in a wheelchair being injured at City Hall or 5th ave riding in the coupler. Todler amputates fingers on OG car, mom sues. Knee jerk reaction. Skel nods out flat on floor in OG for whole trip from 207 to FR, gets injured. Operations throws a tantrum that an OG set cant have isolated cars. Vetos any attempts to order them again.

Bum smells up whole set is too basic of a reason. I tried to come up with less obvious ones. 

16 hours ago, Railfan 007 said:

That would be not be a reason at all to why MTA would test the cars on the F. I do not have an idea why they would test on the F, but your reason does not make sense. Run a full train from Coney to 179th and back because  trains are occasionally rerouted? That is a definite no. Most likely it was testing on the F to make sure the cars can pass on any line they are placed on.

R179 clearance tests were done in 2016. R179 already visited all Div B trackage. I saw the R179s on 63rd street line and at 179th in 2016. These tests must be announcement testing as someone said or CBTC on culver or reliability testing of some sort. J has no high speed sections. All local, all timered. Even crossing the east river is slow on Willy B.

19 hours ago, Deucey said:

So CBTC is coming to QBL. All QBL services will be NTTs in order for CBTC to work.

Okay.

CBTC will allow more trains to run on QBL by eliminating fixed block signalling.

Great.

But QBL branches to the following non-CBTC lines: 8th Av, 6th Av, Broadway, and Crosstown.

So if you have more trains running closer together because of CBTC, what happens when those trains that are 700ft apart on QBL meet the 1000ft fixed blocks on the aforementioned lines?

How do you not have severe congestion or uneven service gaps on 6th Av, for example?

Eastbound Exp to Lcl switch at 75th avenue is the largest cause PM E/F delays. Its BRAND NEW as of 2017 timer clears at 3-5 mph. Most T/Os just stop and wait. CBTC won't fix 5 mph timers on mainline, that was a policy decision. Timers on CBTC are FAR WORSE than block timers, since a CBTC timer won't clear till the front axle leaves the "zone", while when block GTs clear, the T/O can notch 3 it. The L train is a a mixed result. There are no timers on death curves in ATO.  But L has very low TPH that never pushes the capacity of CBTC system.

On 7's CBTC, which is still ATPM mode, not ATO. CBTC allow for "ST 5" ANYWHERE. 5-6PM West bound looks like LIE of R188s. I counted every train door close to door close, is 1:40-1:50 or 2:10 to 2:25. Sometimes 2-3 1:40 headways pull in right after another. CBTC lets trains pull upto 100 feet/2 car lengths from coupler of next train, anywhere on the 7 elevated. There is a capacity restriction policy by the MTA, that no train can pull into a station at all unless it has the whole platform vacated by next train, unlike LIRR/MNRR. So 7 trains will often be waiting 1-2 train cars apart, right before the station platform starts, even if the next train is 50% pulled out, the previous 7 will not move until next train is 75% or 100% gone from the platform. CBTC's movement authorities are calculated 100 feet at a time I think.  So really quickly 200 or 300 feet to "red" can accumulate as next train pulls out, but rear T/O wont move till he has whole platform empty. Its a policy to never have a half pulled in train at a platform, but it kills capacity.

2 minutes ago, N6 Limited said:

I assume that Crosstown Between Ct Square and Queens Plaza will be CBTC as well, and they'll be able to extend the  to 71st Ave effortlessly when necessary?

Will never happen. Crew requirements/pick. No LEO for tresspass arrest at 71 avenue for fast fumigation.

WB lcl and the express has been cut over to new signals from woodside to 33.  CBTC in ATPM mode during rush hour with flashing green. EB local is still legacy signals. CBTC ends at https://www.google.com/maps/place/40°44'50.9"N+73°56'09.0"W/@40.7474732,-73.9363819,186m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x89c25ed539cdd9b9:0x5171b310b50fa0b6!2s32+Queens+Blvd,+Long+Island+City,+NY+11101!3b1!8m2!3d40.7468898!4d-73.9352119!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d40.7474811!4d-73.9358394  with very rough transition from CBTC to block signals at the 2 homeballs. "stop and sit for 5 seconds" problem at the 2 homeballs. ATPM seems slower than block since the WB timer between 52 and 46, with block, the TO usually accelerated into 46 after the timer clears. With CBTC the "timer" lasts all the way to the end of the 46th street platform and "lifts" at 1 car length before 11 car plate.

LIght rail if it is its not a tourist attraction in the CBD is only built in america in 2 situations. Legacy railroad dedicated ROW or steal a lane (no sharing, not even for left turns, LE & EMS are only vehicles allowed to drive down the LRV lane) from a 45 mph vehicle speeds and 1/8 to 1/4 mile between lights arterial road.

2nd reason. Light rail was built for BUDGET reasons. Before LR the TA had one artic bus every 20 or 30 minutes on a route and it was standing room only, but the TA or politics say no new driverhires. An LRV is 2 or 3 artic buses. After building the LRV system, it remains at 20 minute headways. UTA Trax is my example. I almost want to say it is commuter rail but with street running to the CBD from the edge of downtown.

On 4/10/2018 at 7:01 PM, m2fwannabe said:

From what I could tell the trip cocks were working as always on all existing signals.  There are new "leaving" signals situated at many stations west of Woodside which are still blocked out.  Those appear NOT to have associated trip devices. 

Grapevine told me 33 to 61 is getting new signal heads/relays, CBTC wont be active in that section until there is a cutover to new block signals. Queensboro plaza was done mid 2000s. Main Street early 2000s. Tube early 2010s. "aslong as the signals are bagged, there wont be CBTC there".

On 4/7/2018 at 10:50 PM, m2fwannabe said:

The speed in Automatic is no faster than it was as trains are still governed by the automatic blocks and timers of yore.  The difference is that the signals are quickly cycled electronically, based on the data it receives, and not mechanically (or pneumatically).  This substantially cuts the distance between consists and permits closer, yet fluid, headways.  That's how service can be increased, assuming you have the equipment, crews and budget to do it.  In short, CBTC does not promise FASTER trains, but should support MORE trains, which can keep moving along and not create traffic jams.

So with ATPM are trip cocks are always down but light aspects and block timers work just as before? I assume electronic penalty brake if a signal is violated, not a dump?

CBTC was off friday evening rush hour. Eastbound to Main Street, screen said "Bypass" when I got on, at 74th a blinking "CBTC available" message came on and stayed on in addition to "Bypass" till Main Street. Its still not being used during Rush Hour.

So "CBTC Equipment Supplier Interoperability" contract was an utter failure and this contract mod seals the deal that Div B is owned by Siemens for next 50 years?

13 hours ago, Trainmaster5 said:

Yep. ☺. Still waiting for a response from anyone though. There seems to be some anticipation about the five car units and I can't fathom why.  Aren't they the same thing as the four cars when they're manufactured ?   I haven't seen or ridden one R179 consist so I figured I'd ask the forum members and the RTO people.

Thats what I wonder. Are all NTT B cars identical or car 2 of 4 must always be in position 2, ABA sets cant be made in the yard, cant make a 5 car unit from 2 4 car units temporarily. Cant make a ABBBBBBA or ABBBBA (OPTO) unit. My question has to do with APS/APU, compressors, motorized axles, logic boards.

The two most remarkable things I saw at 53rd Street is, they sandblasted the concrete ceiling and left it bare. No more painting of concrete for the MTA. I think that is a good choice since in 25 years it will be all peeling and snowing paint chips on passengers. They also probably did "lead abatement" but there were a couple spots near the staircases near the wall near a wire trough that the sandblast gun didnt reach and the beige flaking paint chips are still seen. Also on plat level near the south end plat to mez stairs some of the plastic wrap used for sand blasting/painting is still there wrapped around conduit.

DC Metro meanwhile is painting their concrete ceilings as a new policy.

https://twitter.com/Tracktwentynine/status/846872851969953793

https://dc.curbed.com/2017/3/31/15122600/metro-wmata-union-station-paint-brutalism

Also either MTA installed optical infrared fire detectors, or people counters on the ceilings. I can't tell. They sort of look like camera lenses but they aren't. Never seen them before.

There is also a black ribbed, "towards exit" tile band in the platform. Like an airplane floor emg evac floor light, but just ceramic tile. Not sure if it is ADA or fire code.

It could be built under the western sidewalk of Lexington Avenue, if there is space and utilities are not in the way.

Lexington Avenue – 63rd Street platform level underpinned IRT 4 by bulk1988, on Flickr

No real need for a surface level pedestrian tunnel. The express IRT tracks go through the top of the 63/Lex cavern. They were underpinned during construction of the 63rd street line. 1 or 2 flights of stairs going up and a 3 block long walk along side the tracks and you will walk out on the express platform of 59/Lex.

They should overlap whatever work they can while the line is shut down. 

I think this 75th Ave switch replacement GO is this years Hillside Ave Fasttrack. 179 street queens bound platform level ceiling got scrapped and repainted during one of the weekend GOes since previously it one of the most falling paint chips places in the system. They are doing other work, probably all Fasttrack style, during the east of 71 ave GO.