"The Department Of Subways" Is Reorganizing Into A New Shape

[EE Broadway Local]

From The City Room of The New York Times Tuesday April 20,2010:

 

Subways Are A-Changin'

 

The phrase "Department Of Subways" might conjure up an unorthodox branch of academia or a bureaucracy devoted to the maintenance of fast-food sandwich shops.

 

In the lingo of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, however, the term refers to the division of New York City Transit that oversees every aspect of the city's underground railroad. On Friday officials announced an ambitious plan to overhaul it [The Department Of Subways].

 

Gone, for the most part, is a program begun in 2007 that appointed a general manager to almost every line in the system. That program, spearheaded by Mr. Harold H. Roberts, Jr. , the former transit president, empowered individual managers to respond quickly to rider complaints about cleaning and maintainence on their lines. Passengers liked some of the initiatives that arose from it, including the diamond-shaped displays on No. 7 trains that distinguish express trains from the local.

 

But, the decentralized approach had its' critics inside the agency; some workers believed it created confusion about proper roles, and its' proudest proponent, Mr. Roberts was removed soon after Mr. Jay H. Walder, the transportation authority's chairman, took office in October.

 

Mr, Roberts' replacement, Mr. Thomas F. Pendergast, has moved quickly to redesign the subway department, and the agency's staff received an overview of the changes in a memo distributed on Friday.

 

In what he described as "the biggest cultural shift" of the changes, Mr. Pendergast announced the formation of a division devoted to maintaining station appearences. "Daily cleaning will be the responsibility of almost 1,000 station cleaners, who were previously assigned to the operating groups.", Mr. Pendergrast wrote in an internal memo, which was obtained by Off The Rails.

 

Transit officials would not say on Sunday whether layoffs would be included in the reorganization.

 

"This is the framework for an organizational structure that we are confident will be successful in achieving the daily mandate of providing excellent customer service.". Mr. Pendergast wrote.

 

Under the plan, some line managers will remain, but the system will be divided into three groups, instead of five. A manager will be assigned to each of the following groups of lines: Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 trains, and the 42d Street Shuttle; the A, B, C, D, E, F and G trains, and the J, L, M, N, Q, R, S, and Z trains.

 

Other divisions will oversee maintaining subway cars; repairing tracks, rails, signals, and electronics infrastructure; and the Staten Island Railway Division. Leaders will include Mr. John W. Gaito, Mr. George Cortes, Mr. Bill Cronin, Mr. Wynton Habersham, and Mr. Steven Feil, the former chief of the Department Of Subways.

 

70(EE)'s Note: It sounds like the new subway groups have been formed into an I.R.T., B.M.T., IND. shape.

[SubwayGuy]

Yup I've seen the memo about this...surprised it made the papers so quickly...the groups in a nutshell:

 

"Service Delivery" - IRT, BMT, and IND groups + RTO

 

"Station Environment"

 

"Car Equipment"

 

"Maintenance of Way"

 

"Staten Island Railway"

 

"Ops Support/Admin"

 

"Capital Programs"

[Eric B]

This isn't going to affect our picking, is it? (which is organized according to the five groups).

[NX Express]

This isn't going to affect our picking, is it? (which is organized according to the five groups).

 

It seems to me that the five-groups system was made only for management purposes. Therefore, picks may be affected.

 

I think that this was needed long ago. The doesn't need more managers than people in operating positions.

[R32 3348]

It seems to me that the five-groups system was made only for management purposes. Therefore, picks may be affected.

 

I think that this was needed long ago. The doesn't need more managers than people in operating positions.

This is more or less the original system that was in place before the line managers.

[MTR Admiralty]

Back to the A, B1 and B2 thing again. I'm guessing is put into the "BMT" group because it does retain a part of its BMT routing.

[NX Express]

Back to the A, B1 and B2 thing again. I'm guessing is put into the "BMT" group because it does retain a part of its BMT routing.

 

IND because of the run via 6 Av trunk line.

[blkfire765]

I am a bit confused. Does this mean that train equiptment on the lines have a possiblity of being altered? just like when the got a new manager that ordered that all the line be R160 and no more R32's? im just wondering and kind of getting my hopes up that i might see older trains on the Queens Blvd line.

[MTR Admiralty]

IND because of the run via 6 Av trunk line.

No read the first post. is grouped with the and such.

[Eric B]

It pretty much reverts to the original 1960 alphabetic ordering, where IND was A-H, and BMT was J and up. V had messed up the order, as a complete IND line, but since that's being absorbed into the M, it actually works to restore the original order.

 

If they do have us pick along these lines, it would increase flexibility. I could still have the M on weekdays, and not be stuck with the J on weekends (since I don't like the other "north" lines"). If I go IRT again, I could have a mixture of East and West side lines.

[LRG]

I am a bit confused. Does this mean that train equiptment on the lines have a possiblity of being altered? just like when the got a new manager that ordered that all the line be R160 and no more R32's? im just wondering and kind of getting my hopes up that i might see older trains on the Queens Blvd line.

 

You might be in luck. The General Manager of the had the line gradually become all-160 beginning in December. With this line general manager crap being done away with, do NOT be surprised if you see an R32 pop up on the or again (as well as the ) because Jamaica may be getting more 32s, the reason being is 207th is freeing up some because R32s don't run on the anymore (the used to run two or three a day).

[R32 3348]

You might be in luck. The General Manager of the had the line gradually become all-160 beginning in December. With this line general manager crap being done away with, do NOT be surprised if you see an R32 pop up on the or again (as well as the ) because Jamaica may be getting more 32s, the reason being is 207th is freeing up some because R32s don't run on the anymore (the used to run two or three a day).

The went all R160 in early July, which was the same day the new car equipment changes went into effect the was almost all R32/R42. Also, the sets Pitkin/207th freed up are likely going to replace R44s still in service.