R188 7857

6877 repainted

All the CNG depots are getting loaners because the C40s are being taken out of service for the recall.

What's this recall about? 

There were a few Orion Vs out today, I saw some on the Q12 (I think that was the only route I saw them on). 

Orion Vs are slowly disappearing from CS.. I don't think they are running at all this weekend. 

7378 delivered and in service at CS. 

Yesterday's Q28 was real messed up during the rush. 7369 was packed above the white line (think that was a rush hour put-in), and the (dispatcher?) told that bus to go before it was crowded to the point where it was unsafe, and there was a bus right behind it, which was 4195. The bus operator always does the Q28 and I do see him quite often. I got on that one, and before that was even half full, the guy told us to leave as there was yet another bus right behind. Two more buses just arrived at Flushing, and one of them deadheaded straight to Bay Terrace without picking anyone up. As I got off my bus, 6880 was NIS right behind a Q31 and our bus. Soon, on BusTime, before 7369 and 4195 (the two buses that left together) even reached Bay Terrace, 6880 was doing the run to Flushing. And of course, behind the three buses (2 in service, one NIS) was 6068. It was a disaster. There was at huge service gap between Bay Terrace and Flushing to the point where there were pretty much no buses between 23 av and Union Street going to Bay Terrace.

Many of the R188 conversion sets in the 72xx today were mixed with a 73xx set. Just waiting on them to mix a conversion with a new set. 

They're starting to un-abbreviate some destination signs. Some that I've noticed is that on the Q44, it used to say "W. Farms Sq", now it says "West Farms Sq". On the XD40s (not sure about other buses), it says "FORT TOTTEN" on the Q16 instead of "FT TOTTEN."

7832 has this ugly white graffiti tag on it (it actually looks like a tag that would be on a train from the 80's). They used this thick white marker, and it's very noticeable from a distance. I think you should wipe that up for the . If you don't see it, then Corona might have beaten you to it. Being honest though, it's probably the biggest and worst graffiti tag I've seen on trains in awhile. Pretty sure it's gonna be cleaned up quite fast, because of how noticeable it is. 

4678 to CS.

So 7370 is in service in the Q28, however it is not showing up on BusTime. Guess there is either no GPS, or is it just not on?

Are all new arrivals equipped with bus time? 

I did see 7369 on the Q76 thru Bus Time, so I assume yes. 

Hasn't that set (7860-7870) not been in service for months? Like, the last time I remember that being in service was last year.. I did get a ride on that set when it was brand new, then I really never saw it again running in service. That set does have CBTC installed, and by the looks of it (the advertisements), I think this set is going to return to service after a long hiatus. It's going to be just like new - unlike all other R188 sets that have been running for well over a year now. 

I decided to pass up a Q12 at Morgan Street and take the N20 today. Oh boy, was I not impressed. I was forced to sit in the dreaded back area of the NG (a 17xx). Lets just say, that water was leaking onto the seats, and that there were graffiti tags EVERYWHERE. On the window, on the seats, on the walls, and the back of the bus was literally just a big mess. It reminds me of how SF Muni had those buses where there would be tags everywhere. The driver wasn't any better, the ride was the opposite of smooth, the way he operated that bus was terrible.

Saw Orion V #6329 on the Q28 today, man that thing is not looking too hot....

Just a synopsis of my commute:

Got a ride on R62A lead car #2091, which has a Manhattan-bound RFW. Took that to Grand Central, enjoyed my (potentially last) RFW on the . At Mets-Willets Point, there was an R62A on the opposite direction towards Main Street that had the 6 singles, which meant that it also had an RFW. 

Coming back, I managed to get on the first to Main Street of the day. It was a nice and fast ride, nobody got on at Queensboro (one of the stations that I know of that fills up trains in an instant) because as we entered the station, the local train just left the station. I guess people thought there was no express service and they all got on the local, because barely anyone got on the train. As we fly into the Woodside station, the local train closes it's doors before most people noticed there was an express train on the opposite track. Using a speedometer on my phone, the train reached a max speed of 50 mph, the fast speed I've recorded yet on the . It was a nice and quick ride, one of the best rides I've had on the in a long time. 

Anyways, get them RFW's while you can. 

Today's commute...

 

Had to meet a friend in Court Sq so I was gonna take the to the and call it a day. Completely forgot about the midday G.O where trains are split in two sections and you had to change over at Broadway Junction. What they did different this time (compared to the weekends) was they had the Canarsie segment dump/pick up from the Manhattan platform. We go down the ramp and at the same time, a Manhattan-bound (R42) is coming on the middle track. We get into the station and the opens the door on both sides. I walk through the train to the other side (less crowded), and there's an R143 heading to Jamaica. Laughed to myself since everyone else spending their time looking for it and I just so happen to run into it.

 

Fast forward to Court Sq, and as I'm walking up the stairs to the street, I see that new wrap that's on the . Again another chuckle since I just so happen to run into something everyone was looking for. Then I see the older wrapped train going the opposite way.

 

Fast forward again to Harlem (went to Highbridge park to walk across the aqueduct, ended up catching an RTS on the Bx11 back to the city lol), and I'm on the M60 to go to another friend house in Astoria. We cross the bridge to get to Queens, and I see the R68 on the going to Astoria. At this point I was just laughing because I caught everything everyone was looking for without looking.

 

Some day lol

Kinda reminds me of how the R188 just came into Main Street as I swiped my MetroCard on the 3rd day they were running.. 

Decent amount of 64xx loaners on CS routes today. 

Add 6456 to one of the loaners. That's also on the Q28 in addition to 5169. 

5169 on the Q28, looks like it's staying there for the rest of the day. 

I think your route is also too long. If there was ever traffic expect that ride to be long. So I would get rid of service from one of the boroughs.

I would get rid of service from the Bronx and expand a bit into Northeastern Queens. 

Saw the ad-wrapped train on the local today, looks pretty nice. There is also one train with an RFW, and one where there are only 4 cars (2067-2070 I think) with an AT&T (if I recall correctly) ad-wrap on the outside, but nothing on the inside. Wonder what they're up to.. 

7366 was running again on the Q26 but it left before I got the chance to take pics.....

I missed it by a few minutes, by the time I was at Roosevelt/Main, it was at Bowne..

What I also missed today was JA RTS #5161 on the Q28.. by 30 seconds.

Also saw a flipdot O7 on the Q16, most likely from QV. 

There has been RTS on the Q20A/B every day now... They really need those XD40s. 

Out of all the routes they pick the Q26. I guess because it is the quickest and easiest route at the depot. I was expecting it to debut on the Q44/Q20 or even the Q32.

That route is short and barely runs. I think they have like 2, at most 3 buses during rush hour... During mid-day, I don't even think it runs. I think why they put it on the Q26 is because they wanted to test it out for a few runs during the rush before the Q26 stops.