R68OnBroadway

If you added 20 mph switches at Kings Highway and 18th, could you terminate trains there?

Regardless of that, I would still want to get it renovated ASAP. I would connect the SB and NB express tracks to the current tracks north of Fulton to allow for one-platform operation at Chambers, thus closing down the outer island platforms and the eastern side platforms for other use. The tracks would be left in place in case of storage, but under this plan only the center platform would remain open.

I can name 6 things so far the MTA can do during the shutdown but is refusing to do: Elevators for all stations PSDs ESI or some other renovation for 6th A possible third track at 8th to increase train turned per hour More/wider passageways at Union Sq I think that of all the stations, Union Sq can benefit most from PSDs. It gets dangerously overcrowded every day. I agree with you on the PSD thing. The MTA is literally designing it to fail, probably because PSDs allow for more reliable OPTO, little need for vacuum trains, and a decrease of delays which will force some employees not to stand around, all things the union opposes. I really hope Byford can at least get elevators for at least 1st, 3rd and 6th.

The Archer Av station design should have been used- large enough to accommodate large crowds and also tall to allow for more air circulation. The use of brick would make the station much more pleasant- the SAS stations are so drab due the lack of art on the platforms and color contrast. Imo we should try a pilot program at 3 Av to test the effect of full size PSDs on climate, trash and suicides. If I'm correct MTA already planned one but half-assed it by making it 4 ft 5".

A big issue with the MTA overbuilding stations is that once ridership starts to drop, no matter how minimal, they immediately abandon the said giant station and you have an unnecessarily large and dilapidated station, essentially a Chambers Street. If the stations are built to be large enough to allow for growth but are small enough to not be unnecessarily large, that would help control costs. As a side note, I hope Phase 2/3/4 stations are built at a reasonable size. You can obviously tell the large, open, wide and rather drab futuristic stations were built as a publicity stunt for Cuomo and the MTA.

The stations are huge, so the might be able to handle it in terms of station capacity, but for line capacity it may not be. I still think there needs to be a station at 41st and 10th, and the MTA better do it in a setup that isn't unnecessarily big. (A station layout like that of 77th Street-Lenox Hill Hospital would be great).

Probably sometime during or before the Nixon era

I would say no, earliest is when Cuomo loses the election or steps down

Here are some stations that are actually in need of ESI (I would only accept these as part of ESI if elevators or ramps were also installed). Please note that when I mean ESI I mean a major renovation including waterproofing, structural reinforcement, etc. Chambers St Bowery Most Concourse stations minus 155th, 161st and Tremont 7th Av 15th St Fort Hamilton Parkway Broadway West 4th Street 14th Street ( ESI could be done during the shutdown) 3rd Av-138th Street 138th Street-Grand Concourse 149th Street-Grand Concourse Bedford Av Chambers St Most the stations on the Cuomo list imo just need a repaint and some scrubbing.

I mean the next gen ones (such as the ones on SAS). And by silent I do mean messages and announcements (such as the ones on the A division on Lex and 7th).

Are the B div clocks silent? If so, I don't understand why as it is an ADA violation and the clocks are half as effective if they only are visual and not audiovisual.

As for the longer lines, I would have the following service patterns: Jamaica-179th to Coney Island. Express all times west of Forest Hills, express east of Forest Hills 6 AM- 10 PM weekdays. Other times via local. Metropolitan Avenue to Jamaica 179th weekdays. Weekends and late nights to Essex. Bay Ridge-95th to Jamaica-179th 6 AM-10 PM weekdays. 10 PM-12 AM truncated to Forest Hills. Weekends to Forest Hills, late nights to Whitehall. I don't know really what to tell the T/Os and C/Rs as the extension is necessary to eliminate a source of crowding on QBL. Plus, the extension is rather short in my view (only 7 stops).

As for costs, I'm pretty sure that more money is wasted on congestion at Forest Hills. Also, under this plan I would have the run express. As for a lack of ridership, this change is to remove the congestion at Forest Hills rather than attract more riders on Hillside.

1. Hillside local residents would not face that much of an issue as they would travel 2 stops max to an express stop. 2. The runs 15TPH max and the and 10TPH max. 7 SB runs leave 179 throughout the morning and evening peak, and 4 NB ones arrive in the evening peak. Roughly 2 s arrive/depart per hour, so this puts 27TPH at 179, which is less than half of the capacity 179.

If fumigation is such an issue at Forest Hills, why do and trains terminate there? Can't they just extend them to 179th? This will allow for more services west of Forest Hills, eliminates the issue of congestion as 179 can turn 63 TPH, and also speeds up commutes for Eastern Queens riders. Even if the and get a lack of ridership, it will still be better to extend them imo as it would streamline service at Forest Hills, and with Union Turnpike now an express stop less passengers will be crowding at Forest Hills.

In order to send the to Lefferts, the merge at Hoyt-Schermerhorn would need to be eliminated. To do this, I would do the following. New track is built from the outer platforms of Hoyt to connect with the platforms at Jay Street. service will be rerouted via Rutgers and 6th until West 4th Street, which eliminates the merge. Switches by West 4th will be upgraded to be high-speed switches to help with the flow and minimize disruption. The will then be extended to Lefferts. A second option would to simply add a third track or two new tracks to Cranberry, which I would like to do with 60th to ease congestion.

I think that if they are viable, the MTA should give them a try as they have shorter turning radii than artics. It would be interesting to see these on high-use routes like the Bx12 and M15.

Just a thought: Would it make sense to use double-decker buses on high-capacity routes? You could add a third door to improve dwell times.

That would take too long

Just an idea: Would it be worthwhile to reinstate express service on Sea Beach? This would be a peak direction service using the northbound express track, and platforms will be built over the SB exp one. It would essentially function like the current version with stops and 8th and Bay Pkwy with maybe also one at New Utrecht. TPH on this line would be 5 TPH, but I would not create this until CBTC is installed and all express stops are ADA compliant.

I thought you extended it as a joke to how the MTA wastes money on pointless extensions

He probably means as a joke as in Sea Beach and Culver work is still not completed

Not sure whether to trust the PA or MTA here... both are lousy agencies that waste money on pet projects and always point fingers or claim NYC exceptionalism when confronted with issues.

Well he is being realistic

Possibly your lungs felt different due to a lack of asbestos and silica dust?