GojiMet86

The MBB coaches leased from MBTA are on the way out, eventually the Mafersa coaches will be as well. There are still diesel services, it's not 100% electric yet. Reading the M8s and Shore Line East thread on railroad.net, there are four dedicated M8 sets that are running on the SLE. They have their third-rail shoes removed because of a reoccuring problem on a bridge; it kept ripping the shoes off. So they are just pantograph only for the moment.

Over in London, the Elizabeth Line has finally opened!

I had the pleasure of visiting Montreal last month, first time visiting. Very cool to have a Francophone experience only 7 hours away from New York. The STM runs the open-gangway Azur MPM-10 and the older MR-73, and the bus fleet is almost 100% Nova Bus, with the exception of some New Flyer electrics. Most stations are side platforms with some exceptions, and the platforms all have screens that show the next arriving train. The only line I didn't visit was the Blue Line. Trains were frequent and timely, and I did see heavy patronage. Also got to see the Nova Plattsburgh plant, former MTA X3-45 0023 now running for STC Pierre de Saurel as 7721, and Adirondack Trailway's own X3-45. IMG_6958 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_6969 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_6970 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_6996 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7000 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7002 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7019 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7023 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7029 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7050 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7082 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7084 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7088 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7090 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7093 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7097 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7098 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7103 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7109 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7120 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7127 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7138 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7139 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7143 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7145 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7146 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7149 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7151 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7152 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7153 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7156 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7166 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7178 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7198 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7205 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7208 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7211 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7239 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7248 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7279 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7288 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7291 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7302 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7314 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7315 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7323 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7411 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7413 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7414 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7431 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7450 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7457 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7467 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7468 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7471 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7477 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7495 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7515 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7531 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7534 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7544 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7545 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7549 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7559 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7568 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7571 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7574 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7578 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7581 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_7583 by GojiMet86, on Flickr

"In one potential headache for commuters, the construction will snarl nighttime weekend service along the station's three subway lines starting next year. The station will close entirely between 4 a.m. Saturday and 10 p.m. Sunday for 10 weekends in 2023 and 2024, with 7 trains limited to eastern Queens and N trains running along the R line. Another series of weekend closures will suspend N service within Astoria, and between Queens and Manhattan."

IMG_6356 by GojiMet86, on Flickr

I've seen a new structure being built on the sidewalk on Queens Plaza North and 27th Street. I thought that was going to be the elevator, but the article implies that's just a temporary staircase. EDIT: I take it back. A new apartment tower on the north side will be building the elevator on Queens Plaza North. Also, for 10 weekends, the is going to run to Forest Hills, while another is running between Ditmars and 39th Avenue, and the will run between Flushing and 74th Street. For another 4 weekends, the is replaced by shuttle buses to Ditmars, and the between QBP and Vernon, Times Square and Hudson Yards.

https://news.yahoo.com/subway-buff-former-nyc-transit-221200799.html ......So that's how he gets those photos on nycsubway.org. I had whispers here and there that he wasn't an employee but was still sneaking into the system. This clears things up.

https://abc7ny.com/nj-transit-bus-fire-north-bergen-new-jersey/11773944 NORTH BERGEN, New Jersey (WABC) -- Several NJ Transit buses were engulfed in flames while sitting in a parking lot in North Bergen Wednesday afternoon. A total of seven buses were sitting in the parking lot on 18th Street and Tonnelle Avenue. News Coper 7 was live over the scene which showed at least six of the buses engulfed in flames. North Bergen Police said the fire and rescue department is on the scene and working to put out the fire. So far, no injuries have been reported. Officials say to expect heavy traffic delays in the area.

Great, the last thing the subway needs is to become a high school......

Again with this guy?......

Local Bus map: https://new.mta.info/document/79621 Express Bus map: https://new.mta.info/document/79626

Q39 - Good idea to have this line (or maybe another line) cover Vernon with connections to both Queensbridge and Court Square. Almost all riders north and south of Queensbridge were using the Q103 for the station. Q68 - Can't speak much about the Brooklyn portion of it, don't know enought of the B24. The Steinway portion is fine; I will miss the one-seat ride to 2nd Avenue, it's been very useful over the years. Q69 - The extension to Hunters Point has been growing on me for a while. It has heavier ridership at Queensbridge than at Queens Plaza, and it still manages to serve Court Square while also serving a growing neighborhood. Q105 - It manages to combine two lower ridership corridors/bases (the Q102 on 31st Street and the Q101 on Upper Steinway). If Rikers is indeed planned to closed, it'll probably be cut back to 19th Avenue. OR maybe have it (or the Q68) turn left on 20th Avenue and towards the river. The 20/30 minute frequencies do seem in line. I do wonder if it should be extended to Manhattan as a replacement for the Q101, I would think ridership would be the same. B62 - A service running from Hallets Cove on 21st Street is a good idea, but the B62 is getting really stretched out at this point, might as well have the B32, Q39 via 21st instead, or a new line instead.

This isn't just a mental health or a crime thing. People do sometimes collapse near the edge for health reasons. There would be significantly less garbage in the tracks, reducing the risk of fires. No shopping carts to screw up sevice. Restricted access to prevent people from entering places they aren't supposed to be in. People would be breathing less rail shavings, which is still a thing. And if overcrowding ever returns, that would dramatically reduce 12-9s. It's not a coincidence that for years the Lexington line saw higher 12-9s than other lines. This is the same MTA that said a Rockaway revival would be $10 billion, only for someone to dig a little deeper and say it could cost $3B. It's the same MTA that refuses to open closed exits for fear of activating ADA requirements. It's the same MTA that said no to gangways, now the R211s will have them. It takes political pressure (or bullying) to force it to do something. I take the report with a pinch of salt. It was supposed to try PSDs on the shuttle in 2016 at Times Square, then it was stopped. Then there was supposed to be that pilot on the back in 2017, but it was postponed. This is the classic MTA M.O. It says it can't be done, until something forces its hand. Then viola, it's there and they get to celebrate their "innovation". If NYC is ever able to build a completely new subway line, then it really should have PSDs. There wouldn't be an excuse then.

How many ways are there of twisting "idiot-proofing"? For starters, maybe don't exaggerate and write "idiot-proofing" when not all people winding up on the tracks are idiots. This technology is used in dozens upon dozens of transit systems, foreign and domestic, yet you seem to think fire safety just, whoops, slipped hundreds of thousands of people's minds? Do you really think people are that daft about this issue? You don't think people around the world have come up with fire codes, regulations, and enforcements for this? Getting hung up on why one specific station hasn't gotten one does not mean it doesn't happen. All signs point to the contrary. Station rehabs have been prioritized over the years, well-done or half-assed, with platform doors being dismissed time and time again until now. That should come out of the city's or state's pocket, not the MTA. It's not the transit authority's responsibility for treating mental illness.

90+ years of people ending up in the tracks, intentional or not, delaying trains, traumatizing workers, etc. If the MTA does wind up doing it, it's fine. More like transit fans getting upset they may not get their photos. As a guy with a big Flickr collection, I'm okay with that. If it doesn't do it, then it doesn't do it. But any legit reason not to do it should be due to actual physical limitations, not some exaggerated NIMBY-esque libertarian complaint. About LV, the bridges are really there because the intersections are too busy, wide, and complicated. It's an unfortunate failure of urban planning that cars are over-prioritized over transit, biking, and walking.

No mention of the mental health of the train operators who have to live with the trauma of having run over a person, excuse me, an "idiot" in your terms, who was shoved into the tracks?

I don't know if you've learned this, but not everything in life is a binary decision. You can have both infrastructure repairs and platform screen doors. Life is never Black and White. You can have both. Also, preventing people from getting shoved off platforms or killing themselves throughout the years is not just bells and whistles. Nor is that "idiot" proofing. Or are you really implying that all these victims are complete buffons? Because it sounds like that to me...

People and things (perhaps deliberately some times) end up in our subway tracks on the open platforms we have! Platform doors work fine in dozens upon dozens of other systems in the world. China has a ton of them, and all of those systems are overcrowded. Yet those incidents are very rare. Same in Japan. Same in Paris, which managed to retrofit its oldest line. Deaths due to screen doors occur much less than what we have had in NY. How many people have died or gotten injured in American airport shuttles? I can't ever recall hearing about such an incident at JFK. It can work.

I was on 3929 earlier today. Basically all buses have the OMNY pads. But I saw there was an extra device near the driver as well. It has a picture of a walking man (exactly like sidewalk crossing signs). What is that supposed to be? It looks like a black box with this on it:

I noticed that in Sunset Park, over on 39th Street between 9th and New Utretch Avenues, the westbound B35 stop is physically there (lollipop and shelter), but the eastbound B35 stop doesn't physically exist. There were still people waiting at that location and it shows up on Tracker. Anyone know what the deal is?

I just updated it now, and that did the trick as well.

Anyboy having trouble with the Hillman Transit Tracker? I haven't been able to check routes or vehicles.

There's also the issue of how the train is going to run under the Hell Gate approach around 42nd Street. Amtrak gets lower the further away it gets from the river, so by the time it runs over the GCP, it's only some 20 feet above Astoria Boulevard proper, and barely some 40 feet above the GCP. The Steinway Street overpass is 2 blocks west and the 43rd Street one is the next block. The line is going to have to rollercoaster its way through. Either that, or it will have to climb up and over Amtrak (nope). It's why extending the line north of Ditmars is the better rail option.

Well, he predicted the and the split ......

IMG_8930 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_8962 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_8967 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_8977 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_8979 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_8986 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9004 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9009 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9014 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9024 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9026 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9028 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9036 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9044 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9055 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9071 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9073 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9145 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9301 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9309 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9313 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9322 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9348 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9408 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9418 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9752 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9918 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_9963 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_0203 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_0256 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_0437 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_0440 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_0624 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_0847 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_0923 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_0954 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_0960 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4540 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4565 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4567 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4593 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4599 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4611 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4615 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4618 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4623 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4633 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4637 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4654 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4655 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4676 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4681 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4684 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4686 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4701 by GojiMet86, on Flickr IMG_4706 by GojiMet86, on Flickr