Wallyhorse

And this is a by-product of the en masse retirements we saw in general during the pandemic, either because of fear of getting COVID or being forced to retire due to the effects of long COVID. Not to mention those who died from COVIC. It's going to take at least a full decade before things return to where they were pre-covid even if some people have since come out of retirement.

I'm wondering if the knows there are going to be serious crew shortages that weekend, preventing them from having the run and having the "scrape the wall" all the way.

And especially with the "Yellow ," those SPECIFICALLY looking for Whitehall and the other Manhattan stations south of Canal Street as well as Prince, 8th, 23rd and 28th Street can make a same-platform transfer anywhere between 36th and Court Street from this and the "Yellow " (and late nights, the would still operate via the tunnel so it would only affect those specifically looking for Whitehall on the current late-night (this would be 24/7 between 95th and Canal and late nights and weekends be extended to Metropolitan Avenue to absorb the late night and weekend shuttles that would no longer be needed while also having in-service yard runs that end and begin at Broadway Junction on the ).

The idea was essentially splitting the into the and , with the running Whitehall-71st/Continental and the shortened to 95th-Canal Street (extended late nights and weekends as previously noted upthread) so the provides better service in Brooklyn with a "Yellow " running from 9th Avenue or Bay Parkway on the -Astoria via the tunnel to supplement the (and since some trains in rush hours would end and begin at Canal due to not enough space to turn trains at Whitehall) and keep the connection between downtown Brooklyn and lower Manhattan on the Broadway line. This was not really about Nassau, which happens to be the best way to do an - split in this case . It was about shortening the so it isn't the "rarely" in Brooklyn since in this version, it would only interline with a few "Yellow " trains in Brooklyn (as this would max at 5-6 TPH) and a handful of rush hour trains that would begin at Broad instead of Chambers (and timed according to keep its schedule with the that would end and begin at Chambers).

I meant the "Yellow " not the via the tunnel. My bad.

Adding to what I wrote above, I would also have to supplement the a new "Yellow " that would run from 9th Avenue or Bay Parkway on the to Astoria with the , running via the tunnel and covering those who need lower Manhattan and certain local stops in Manhattan north of Canal from Brooklyn.

That you can't even think of doing with the for some time since as noted, the connection between 21st on the and Queens Plaza on the is NOT CBTC nor is I believe the rest of the line itself. This is one reason why in the current G.O., the running via QBL and extended to 71-Continental isn't happening. Also, the does get ridership. I have myself liked the idea of the to Lefferts but it's been well noted residents and elected officials would make it tough politically for the to run to Lefferts since it is local and people want their one-seat express ride. This to me only can happen if eventually the is extended into Brooklyn via a new connection between the south end of Phase 4 of the SAS and a new tunnel that likely runs under Schermerhorn Street and the Transit Museum with the first Brooklyn stop at Hoyt-Schermerhorn on the as-present unused track/platform at Hoyt. I would actually be looking to build that part now and connect it to the SAS if and when the gets that far (with in that scenario, the running to Euclid but extended late nights to Lefferts to replace the , which would be express with the on Fulton at other times). You almost have to have a Broadway or Nassau service run as the 4th Avenue Local because of the way the tracks are set up. Given all the problems the has had in Brooklyn to the point a few years ago that elected officials wanted the split in Brooklyn, this was why I came up effectively splitting the by having the effectively become the current in Manhattan and Queens, running from Whitehall to 71st-Continental (with trains that are too many during peak hours than Whitehall can turn terminating and beginning on the tunnel level of Canal Street) while the turns brown and runs via Nassau Street in Manhattan via a much shorter route to a rebuilt Canal Street on the with the abandoned Northbound side reopened at Canal and Bowery and the and northbound going on a re-activated track while this uses what currently is the northbound track at Canal to turn (and during peak hours, a reactivated "northbound express" track terminates overflow trains using the area north of Canal to reverse (with this based out of East New York and having in-service yard runs ending and beginning at Broadway Junction on the while late nights and weekends, this would be extended to Metropolitan Avenue to absorb the shuttles and also be extended if the gets knocked out of using 6th Avenue). It would be difficult to have a 6th Avenue train run to 95th-Bay Ridge because of the way the tracks are set up (and I have suggested that myself in the past).

The and if necessary could have terminated at Chambers on that platform as using a pocket track they could switch that way between the express tracks. They also could have had the terminate at Jay Street using the track and used the lower level of Bergen on the to turn.

What a way to start this off! I'm sure the switches there had not been used in some time before today unless there was an emergency.

That is what I thought. GC would be easier to terminate at anyway, and if not there, 86th Street (with the using the express tracks regardless of where such would terminate). It's too bad they didn't put switches north of 59th Street or the could have terminated there much like the can on the upper level in an emergency. And I would have it Dyre Avenue-Grand Central anyway with in late nights the express while the and stay local.

Perhaps that is a solution similar to the on the west side, having the operate Dyer Avenue-at least 125th Street or 86th Street if not Grand Central, running express between GC and 125 (if running that portion of the route).

The idea is the via Nassau is a far shorter route, running as I would do it (with Canal Street rebuilt into the terminal it once was) to from 95th Street-Canal Street and effectively splitting it with the with the latter moving to CTL full-time. The "Yellow " I would have starting at 9th Avenue on the also would be full-time and would at most times serve as a bridge for those who specially need Downtown Brooklyn and lower Manhattan OR Prince, 23rd and 28th Street on the current and that would be a same-platform transfer anywhere between 36th and Court Street (this would include yard runs from and to Broadway Junction at scheduled points during the day while late nights and weekend, this would be extended to Metropolitan to absorb the late-night and weekend shuttles). The in this would be shortened to Chambers with transfers done (except when the is going to or coming from Broadway Junction or Metropolitan) would be southbound at Canal Street (this would terminate on what currently is the northbound track while the would run on a re-activated old northbound track/platform at Canal and Bowery) while the would use the "express" tracks at Chambers to terminate with the transfer northbound at Chambers, in both cases simply walking across the platform to a waiting train). The idea came from several Bay Ridge pols wanting the split because of it being the "rarely" in Brooklyn and this eliminates that problem. It does eliminate the one-seat ride for SOME but makes for trains coming more frequently overall in Brooklyn.

As has been noted, I think they would have to do additional work. That is something I'd be looking at doing anyway because of some of the things I posted elsewhere about changes I would make (moving the to Nassau and have it based out of East New York with the replacing it on CTL and becoming 19/7 or 24/7 with a new "Yellow " to supplement the that would begin at 9th Avenue on the and run with the to Astoria and preserve some Broadway service via Montague and lower Manhattan since with the a full line, some trains would have to terminate on the tunnel level of Canal Street and reverse there via City Hall LL) would then be able to happen more easily, especially this new "Yellow " that could actually run 24/7 that can be based out of 38th Street that way and be able to start at all times at 9th Avenue.

This I agree with. Some compromise needs to be done there.

Rough. At least they have the pocket track on Lex north of 59th to turn trains.

That makes sense. They likely have to fix the CBTC issues there before they can have anything resembling a full-time line there.

That and I also suspect they have concerns if they put the back on QBL, loudmouth pols would demand it remain on QBL after service returns to normal even if it would only be feasible for this particular instance.

At this point, nine cars would be more realistic, though longer-term I would be looking to extended ALL Eastern Division platforms and do where possible rebuilds of the yards so such can handle at least nine and if not 10-car trains.

Couldn't most of the yards, if not all, handle nine-car trains? As I remember reading previously, many of the stations (except the rebuilt Metropolitan Avenue) in the Eastern Division were built to handle eight-car trains of 67' BMT Standards that were 536 feet, only four feet shorter than what a nine-car train would be (540 feet). If you make those trains nine cars, a lot of this can work since most of the stations if at all would only need to be extended a few feet at most.

Ah! The reports I previously had was only the part between 57th and 6th and 63rd and Lex was being worked on.

I should have added late nights and weekends, in this scenario this would be extended to Metropolitan Avenue, absorbing the night and weekend shuttles during those times on this GO.

would be with the on 63tf from 57th Street-7th Avenue, which IS operating normally. It's specifically the area from 57th-6th Avenue and 63rd-Lex. That is closed off for work.

And it's also been noted CBTC issues would make it more difficult for the to do it anyway. I would look if possible to in this scenario have the and run express at all times (except late nights) to their respective destinations and have the also go to 179 (except late nights), eliminating the need for 71-Continental to be a terminal during this. This, however, is the scenario I would use: and run as they do now runs on 53rd as a QB local between Queens Plaza and 179 at all times moves to Nassau and ends at Essex Street on the runs as planned to 57th/6th weekdays. Nights and weekends a shuttle runs between 47-50th and 57th/6th (old late-night shuttle) runs express on Broadway and via 63rd to QBL, where it runs as an express to 179 in place of the at all times (no shuttle on 63rd) becomes full-time (at least 19/7) and runs Whitehall-Astoria with some trains ending and beginning on the Tunnel Level of Canal Street. If necessary, a new "Yellow " operates between Bay Parkway on the and Astoria as a Broadway Local. This "Yellow " can replace the late nights as well, at those hours running from 9th Avenue on the to Astoria.

And the part is a relatively easy switch, in this case, digging up the short stretch from the Chambers terminal on the current route to where the Montague Street line meets it north of Cortlandt. This is something that could have been done originally in 1966 when the whole area of "Radio Row" was cleared out and again after 9/11. This may require some minor reconstruction of the PATH station but it would be worth it. In this, the platform at Chambers likely is de-activated for the new stop at Cortlandt. As for the rest: The and becoming yellow and running via Broadway express and the SAS is an interesting idea, especially with if they then build the connection I have previously suggestion connecting on an extension of Phase 2 to 125-Broadway a connection to the 8th Avenue Line at St. Nicholas Avenue that would give both lines access to Concourse and 207th Street yards. Such a move might also prompt extending all stations in the Eastern Division to at least 540 feet (allowing for nine-car trains) if not 600 feet and 10-car trains. It could also be done where in this scenario the goes to 125-Broadway and to Bedford Park Boulevard with the (and the going with the to 168). As I would do it: All times from Brighton Beach (extended nights and weekends from Coney Island) to 145th Street (peak hours to Bedford Park Boulevard), if connections from the SAS allow those lines to run via Councourse then this runs full-time to 168. and as is run now. as is run now except extended to 95th-Bay Ridge to replace the in Brooklyn. full-time express from Coney Island to 179 via Culver local, South Brooklyn Express, otherwise as it's run now (late nights, local along South Brooklyn). (Yellow) All times from Jamaica Center-96th Street-2nd Avenue and if SAS is extended across 125 eventually to 125th-Broadway via current route in Brooklyn and Queens and after Essex Street via Broadway in Manhattan (Yellow) All times from Metropolitan Avenue-96th Street 2nd Avenue and if SAS is extended across 125 with a connection to the 8th Avenue Line at St. Nicholas eventually to Bedford Park Boulevard) via current route in Brooklyn and Queens and after Essex Street via Broadway and SAS in Manhattan and Concourse line in The Bronx runs as it does now. Work is done to make Botanic Garden on the current Franklin Shuttle route a 10-car train with in that scenario the running Coney Island-Botanic Garden as the Brighton Local at all times and the current Franklin is shortened to a single train running between Franklin Avenue and Botanic Garden (perhaps a second track is built at Franklin Avenue to store backup trains). runs all times on the same route as the except it is the South Brooklyn local (does not run late nights). runs full-time from 95th-Bay Ridge to Bowery Station (uses current abandoned platforms at Canal and Bowery as the and would use the currently-used tracks and platform at Bowery). This to me can work, however, I would find a way to connect the platforms at Prince Street on the and in this format to the Broadway-Lafayette station that would be in use for the and (Houston Street) as well as the IND platforms there.

And one reason nights and weekend, I revive the old late-night shuttle by having that run between 47-50 and 57th using the uptown track. That solves that issue for those who need 57/6th.