Fastest IND Express runs of the 1980s/early 90s

[Andrew]

Before the trains were modified and before 1,000,000,000,000 new timers were added,the IND used to have many great express runs that reached speeds of 55MPH.Back in the 1980s and 1990s,here is a list of my favorites.

 

1.Pacific Street-36th street-You used to be able to go on the post all the way right to the top of the station a 36th street.A fantastic run.

 

2.59th street-36th street-The R-32s on the N would come screaming down the hilll towards 36th street at 55MPH,that was a truly great run.

 

3.Brighton Express Both Ways-50+ MPH was the rule both ways.

 

4.34th street-W4th street-it was a good 10-15MPH faster than it is today.

 

5.Union Turnpike-Parsons Blvd-Once you passed Van Wyck Blvd,you would go down the grade and curve to the left and when you were passing Sutphin Blvd,you were easily doing 55MPH+,one of the fastest runs in the entire system.

 

6.59th Street Columbus Circle-42nd Street 8th Ave-The Slant R40s would be screaming coming into 42nd street.What a rush that was.

 

7.59th-125th both Ways-Once upon a time,there were few timers on this incredible run.

 

8.Roosevelt Ave-Queens Plaza-Still a great run,especially down the grade after 65th street into the left turn.

 

9.36th to Pacific-Not bad now,just wish there was no timers coming into Pacific street.

 

10-60th Street Tunnel-When a TO knows how to go through the timers as fast as he is allowed to go,this is the BEST run in the entire system today IMO.

[SubwayGuy]

The IRT used to have many faster runs as well. The entire Lexington Avenue Express used to fly (particularly between 42 and 14, and 14 and Brooklyn Bridge). Trains would also fly through the Joralemon tube and move quicker through Steinway than now. CPW used to be faster as well.

 

Also trains used to move much more quickly over the Manny-B when travelling down grade. You used to be able to hear them several blocks away they'd be moving at such a good rate. Now you can barely hear them until your practically standing underneath the bridge. Turns out all the vibration caused by the trains was causing the bridge to bend, and so it was slowed down.

 

There were many great express runs thankfully a few of which I was around to experience before they were slowed down but hence we live in the era of mass transit and not rapid transit anymore.

[KTrainExp]

In my opinion, ruined the 8th Avenue Express in terms of speed.

 

There are so many timers between 42nd and 59th, that the train can go only 15 miles tops northbound. You can see the run past the before it is slowed down due to the timers outside 59th. However, when the arrives, you see the pull away which really defeats the purpose of an express.

 

6th Avenue Express between 34th and West 4th is still great today moving southbound. The trains really do go as fast as they can, but the R68 may be the reason why it's a bit slower today. SMEEs on the ( ran their full potential on that line. Northbound is a bit slower, but that's because of the grade before 34th.

 

59th to 125th is still a great run. However, there are timers starting at 86 if you're moving southbound, and 110th starting northbound. Plus, that derailment over the summer on the also would add a few more slow areas along that line.

[fordhamkid7721]

Didn't they add like a 30mph timer(or somewhere in the area of 30) before 81st after the Derailment?

plus the Lex from 125 to 86, 86 to 59, 14 to the Bridge, and Joralemon with a epic T/O is still a great run

[KTrainExp]

Didn't they add like a 30mph timer(or somewhere in the area of 30) before 81st after the Derailment?

 

I'm not too sure, but seeing the trains pass through everyday, you can see that ALL and trains start slowing down at 86 and by 72nd, you can see the local pass up to it making a connection at 59th.

 

Lexington Avenue from 125th to 86th is the best express run in upper Manhattan. West Side doesn't compare with it and it leaves CPW in the dust. Lexington Avenue in general is great up to 14th street where all the trains start slowing down.

[fordhamkid7721]

I'm not too sure, but seeing the trains pass through everyday, you can see that ALL and trains start slowing down at 86 and by 72nd, you can see the local pass up to it making a connection at 59th.

 

Lexington Avenue from 125th to 86th is the best express run in upper Manhattan. West Side doesn't compare with it and it leaves CPW in the dust. Lexington Avenue in general is great up to 14th street where all the trains start slowing down.

True on the Lex part...although IMO the West Side does come close at some spots...Chambers to 14 could pwn but they have the timers at Christopher Street which kill the speed...and 72 to 42 is the same thing because of the timers before 42....so yeah East Side IRT FTW!

 

For the CPW thing I'd have to look out the front because from the looks of it, they put a timer there that was not there before. I remember they used to fly through 81st.

[R44 5278]

Wasn't that derailment on the D caused by bad maintenance, which resulted in a broken rail? I just didn't see how speed was a factor in this incident.

[INDman]

Wasn't that derailment on the D caused by bad maintenance, which resulted in a broken rail? I just didn't see how speed was a factor in this incident.

 

That does not matter, they just used that accident and a reason to add a timer.

[Concourse Express]

As a regular rider, I can tell you that no timers were added to the exp after the derailment. (If trains are slowing down well before then, it's due to congestion, not new timers.)

 

First timer S/B is past 86 St; 45 mph restriction, then sea of timers with 35 mph restrictions, followed by one more outside of 59 St at 25 mph, IIRC.

 

Northbound, timers start right after 86 St - 40 mph restrictions on most.

(The last timer, past 116 St after the first curve, is within a few carlengths of the next signal, so plenty of slowdown here; not sure if it has the same restriction as I see no other GT signs other than GT/40 in that stretch.)

[LRG]

This may sound silly but what is the purpose of timers? If anything, it seems to add on time to a run that can be considerably saved.

[INDman]

This may sound silly but what is the purpose of timers? If anything, it seems to add on time to a run that can be considerably saved.

 

The idea is that they keep trains from going to fast. If you look, they are usually placed near interlockings, on down grades, and near curves. If a train goes too fast, the timer does not clear and the train is tripped. This is the short version of how they work.

[KTrainExp]

True on the Lex part...although IMO the West Side does come close at some spots...Chambers to 14 could pwn but they have the timers at Christopher Street which kill the speed...and 72 to 42 is the same thing because of the timers before 42....so yeah East Side IRT FTW!

 

 

Chambers to 14 is a good ride, but it doesn't compare to the 35+ along the Lex line. The closest part in my opinion is that short stub between the end of 59th street to 50th street before it starts to slow down heading into Times Square. The train seems to be heading around 40 before there's a picky timer which leaves it moving at 10 miles per hour and it runs like that until it reaches Times Square.

 

@ Concourse Express I ride the express along CPW frequently as well and I can tell you that no trains move higher than 30 along the 86th to 59th corridor.

[CenSin]

The idea is that they keep trains from going to fast. If you look, they are usually placed near interlockings, on down grades, and near curves. If a train goes too fast, the timer does not clear and the train is tripped. This is the short version of how they work.

They should take out some timers at least. Slowing down a train 2 stations away seems kind of ridiculous to me. I look out the window and I can attest that many timers are placed too far (2 stations away) from the actual location where the train needs to slow down.

[mark1447]

The idea is that they keep trains from going to fast. If you look, they are usually placed near interlockings, on down grades, and near curves. If a train goes too fast, the timer does not clear and the train is tripped. This is the short version of how they work.

 

i heard you can "beat" the timer, is that true? I think going fast and not getting the EM breaks pulled

[INDman]

i heard you can "beat" the timer, is that true? I think going fast and not getting the EM breaks pulled

 

You can't "beat" a timer. If you go too fast you will get tripped. A 1 shot timer (red aspect over a lunar white aspect) is usually placed near sharp curves and are set to enforce very low speed restrictions like 10 or 15 MPH. Many times they clear at lower speeds then what they are marked for. A 1 shot GT signed for 10 MPH may actually clear slower, say 8 MPH so T/Os will creep up on them until they clear. There is no reason to try and "beat" a timer since you will lose a hell of alot of time if you get tripped by one and you risk getting in trouble for it.

 

Now a 2 shot GT (Amber signal with an illuminated "S" followed by a red signal (the red signal is the actual timer)) are usually placed on down grades or curves where speed restrictions are around 30 or 40 MPH. These are the ones that you can kinda get around but you gotta have balls to do it. Usually the T/Os who charge up to these timers "know" how they are set up and what the max speed is before you can get tripped. I say "know" because timers can be changed at anytime by signal maintainers. PATH seems to have a well maintained timer system since many times I have been on train where the red signal has cleared when it is only a few (3 or 4) feet from the cab. Being an NYCTA guy, this has made me cringe many times.

 

Also, it is important to know that there is a big difference between a train getting "tripped" and the EB being pulled. On all the equipment that is running now, if the "train borne tripping device" is activated, the train can recharged with out the T/O leaving the cab (after a 20 second penalty to make sure the train has come to a stop). On older equipment like the Arnines and Low-Vs, if you get tripped, you have to go down to the roadbed and manually reset the tripping device.

Now if the EB valve is activated weather it's by a passenger or C/R, the T/O must investigate and reset the valve. To check for this, the T/O attempts to recharge. If the train does not recharge and blows air, the EB has been pulled. Then the T/O will go and reset the valve. Also, the T/O should be able from the cab, to determine which car the valve was pulled in. Of course, there could be many other problems that would trip the brakes and couse the train not to recharge.

 

Hope this helps and if any T/O sees something that is incorrect, please correct it. I'm just going off what I have been told by some old timers so it could be out of date.

[SubwayGuy]

Also, it is important to know that there is a big difference between a train getting "tripped" and the EB being pulled. On all the equipment that is running now, if the "train borne tripping device" is activated, the train can recharged with out the T/O leaving the cab (after a 20 second penalty to make sure the train has come to a stop). On older equipment like the Arnines and Low-Vs, if you get tripped, you have to go down to the roadbed and manually reset the tripping device.

 

Part of that is the reason for putting snow blocks on the "car borne tripping device" because the thinking is if you hit a red and the device strikes the stop arm, the snow block will be knocked off the "cbtd" and the TO will be unable to find it, meaning that when the car is inspected, it will be obvious that a red signal has been hit vs. say someone pulling the cord. Of course I'd imagine that opens itself up to problems if the train were to get tripped by say, debris on the roadbed.

[KTrainExp]

They should take out some timers at least. Slowing down a train 2 stations away seems kind of ridiculous to me. I look out the window and I can attest that many timers are placed too far (2 stations away) from the actual location where the train needs to slow down.

 

I agree. Some timers are absolutely necessary, but some timers are not. There's one on the Nassau El which requires to train to completely stop before it before it clears. Same goes with the right before the (3)'s tracks switch onto it before 135th street. I believe that timer limit is 2-5 miles per hour.