SUBWAY - Random Thoughts Topic

[jon2305]

The  have a ying & yang scenario equipment wise these days with the R46's and R160s.

[darkstar8983]

32 minutes ago, jon2305 said:

The  have a ying & yang scenario equipment wise these days with the R46's and R160s.

Yeah out of the 9 Coney Island R160 trains, 8 run on on the  /  daily and one is a spare, but their distribution between the two routes changes even within a rush hour.  The idea is to keep them in service as much as they can so that the 86 St trips and the trains that drop out outside rush hours are not R160s.

[Calvin]

Queens Blvd has yet again communication problems on the corridor. and  

[darkstar8983]

1 minute ago, Calvin said:

Queens Blvd has yet again communication problems on the corridor. and  

This is what happens when the bandaid is ripped off and the extent of decades of deferred maintenance leads to. You fix one thing only to find that everything else is broken

[trainfan22]

1 hour ago, Calvin said:

Queens Blvd has yet again communication problems on the corridor. and  

A train was stuck on the S/B Express track at 59th street CC on the A/D lines at the same time so everything had to run local. They even sent a down the 8th Ave local track for whatever reason. Broadway lost power too. The B div was a mess during the PM rush today.  , and were the only lines that ran normal during this period.

Edited July 14, 2021 by trainfan22

[Calvin]

https://nypost.com/2021/07/14/nyc-morning-rush-still-plagued-by-mtas-archaic-faulty-signal-system/amp/?fbclid=IwAR3oPVM9nC6hLiFQQt-FMqw2KHc3vjCsW91upfRIpGyNqIYsNg2ysK6VCcU

Mentioned that the month of June is the worst for Queens Blvd

[Lex]

Okay, seriously, can we get away from diesel? Those fumes are awful.

[trainfan22]

Looks like NYPD is enforcing the fare again as they tazed someone who opened the gate for another rider at a station in Harlem. Also I personally seen cops giving farebeaters tickets recently.

 

 

Surprised they started enforcing the fare again while DeBiasio is still in office. I thought they would wait until Eric Adams term to start to end the work slowdown. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

18 hours ago, trainfan22 said:

Looks like NYPD is enforcing the fare again as they tazed someone who opened the gate for another rider at a station in Harlem. Also I personally seen cops giving farebeaters tickets recently.

 

 

Surprised they started enforcing the fare again while DeBiasio is still in office. I thought they would wait until Eric Adams term to start to end the work slowdown. 

Subway ridership is still down considerably, and the perception is that part of that is attributed to the ongoing crime issues. De Blasio is still in office until December 31st of this year.  The City is already facing budget issues and can ill afford to let crime go unchecked for the next roughly 5 - 6 months, as it tries to lure back tourists who are still slow to return, meaning less tax dollars for the City, which is one of its biggest tax revenues aside from Wall Street, the tech industry, etc. We've had several shootings in the Times Square area in broad daylight, which is not only putting tourists on guard, but it also has the business community on guard as well.  If office workers are concerned about coming back en masse in September, that could spell even more issues for the City.  As it stands, office workers like myself continue to work from home, and that may very well persist into next year, esp. if there's a perception that crime is out of control in Midtown and in the subway system.  The de Blasio administration is facing increasing criticism from the business community to address crime, both above ground and below.  By the time the next mayor comes in in 2022, the City may be even more of a mess if we wait.

Just yesterday a mother and her son were randomly attacked coming out of the subway.  The mother is in critical condition, after being thrown down the stairs.  These incidents are not "a few" and they are alarming, as they can happen to anyone, and people are rightfully concerned, so with fewer tourists and office workers using mass transit and spending money buying food and less taxes for the City, Adams or Sliwa will step into a true mess, created by none other than de Blasio. Can't blame Bloomberg or Giuliani. He's been in office two terms. This is squarely on him.

Quote

A mother and son were thrown down a staircase at a busy Manhattan subway station Saturday morning, leaving the 58-year-old woman in critical condition.

Police say the pair were exiting the Canal Street Station before 11 a.m. when an unidentified male walking behind them assaulted the mother and son.

According to police, the suspect made a complaint about the 22-year-old victim's backpack before pulling him down the stairs. Then, police say, the suspect turned his attention to the victim's mother and caused her to fall down the stairs.

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/woman-critically-injured-after-man-throws-her-and-son-down-subway-stairs/3159842/

 A lot of the issues underground are being caused by people that aren't paying the fare, so yes they should be cracking down on the fare beating, not to mention that every year, the  loses more and more monies to farebeating.  That money has to come from somewhere, either via fare hikes and/or funding from the Feds, the State or the City and/or via service cuts.

Edited July 18, 2021 by Via Garibaldi 8

[jammerbot]

Question: why doesn't the MTA, the state, or whoever has the authority simply cancel the MTA's outstanding debts that are older than say 20 years. I think about old loans that the MTA has by now paid the amount of the principal in interest. Obviously recent loans like the ones taken out for the East Side Access project should still be honored. It is unacceptable that a public agency is bleeding money to the banks. On that note, there should be a public bank that raises revenue for public services like the MTA and issues more favorable loans due to lower intrinsic profit motivation. Imagine if the 15-25% of each of our swipes went to capital improvements, payroll, etc. instead of servicing decades old loans. The government has all the guns anyway. Why not do something good with them? Just an idea.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

5 minutes ago, jammerbot said:

Question: why doesn't the MTA, the state, or whoever has the authority simply cancel the MTA's outstanding debts that are older than say 20 years. I think about old loans that the MTA has by now paid the amount of the principal in interest. Obviously recent loans like the ones taken out for the East Side Access project should still be honored. It is unacceptable that a public agency is bleeding money to the banks. On that note, there should be a public bank that raises revenue for public services like the MTA and issues more favorable loans due to lower intrinsic profit motivation. Imagine if the 15-25% of each of our swipes went to capital improvements, payroll, etc. instead of servicing decades old loans. The government has all the guns anyway. Why not do something good with them? Just an idea.

It is State law that the  MUST have a balanced budget every year, and it CANNOT declare bankruptcy.  This resulted in part because when NYC ran the transit system, the City was practically broke, forcing the State to step in and take over the  . People like to yell that the City should take over the  , but the fact that the State had to step in to save the agency doesn't bode well for the City.  The  balances its budget via funding and also via loans, and any sort of bankruptcy or anything would destroy their rating and ability to receive more loans. 

At the same time, the ongoing borrowing is hampering the  's ability to run, as it looks to cut growing costs. Congestion pricing would help to provide a steady revenue source, but even with those projections, they are still facing a hole long-term. Costs are simply too high and the amount they borrow too great.

Edited July 18, 2021 by Via Garibaldi 8

[jammerbot]

3 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

 The  balances its budget via funding and also via loans, and any sort of bankruptcy or anything would destroy their rating and ability to receive more loans. 

At the same time, the ongoing borrowing is hampering the  's ability to run, as it looks to cut growing costs.

See, I'd say to hell with the ratings. Establish a public bank and forget ever getting a private loan again. It seems like a runaway train (no pun intended) to me to continue borrowing from private banks that bleed the agency dry.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Just now, jammerbot said:

See, I'd say to hell with the ratings. Establish a public bank and forget ever getting a private loan again. It seems like a runaway train (no pun intended) to me to continue borrowing from private banks that bleed the agency dry.

Yeah well that's one of the reasons elected officials pushed for congestion pricing because the  for years has been basically forced to borrow because its funding revenues are so uncertain.  It is very difficult to project revenues even from month to month, let alone from quarter to quarter or year to year. I say this as someone that has to make projections for my own department in terms of revenue every year. Something else to note... Some of these loans come from wealthy investors, and they expect ROI (return on investment)... No way are they going to give the a pass on those loans. 

Their revenues come in part from fares collected, real estate holdings/taxes, bridge and tunnel revenues, Federal, State and City funding, and a host of other things that many of us pay via surcharges on our utility bills and so on.  That is why it's so important for people to use the system, because the less revenues that come in, the more the  has to borrow.  I've also said that they need to address their fare beating problem, which is now in the hundreds of millions of dollars EVERY year.  Sure, when you look at their overall budget it seems small, but add that up for say five years or so, and that is a one plus billion in revenues they could use for something else.  All of this is eating into their operating budget too.  With fewer people riding, they may be forced to cut service if they don't get more funding down the line.  They've been borrowing and kicking the can down the line. Well all of that is coming home to roost.  

[jammerbot]

3 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Yeah well that's one of the reasons elected officials pushed for congestion pricing because the  for years has been basically forced to borrow because its funding revenues are so uncertain.  It is very difficult to project revenues even from month to month, let alone from quarter to quarter or year to year. I say this as someone that has to make projections for my own department in terms of revenue every year. Something else to note... Some of these loans come from wealthy investors, and they expect ROI (return on investment)... No way are they going to give the a pass on those loans. 

Their revenues come in part from fares collected, real estate holdings/taxes, bridge and tunnel revenues, Federal, State and City funding, and a host of other things that many of us pay via surcharges on our utility bills and so on.  That is why it's so important for people to use the system, because the less revenues that come in, the more the  has to borrow.  I've also said that they need to address their fare beating problem, which is now in the hundreds of millions of dollars EVERY year.  Sure, when you look at their overall budget it seems small, but add that up for say five years or so, and that is a one plus billion in revenues they could use for something else.  All of this is eating into their operating budget too.  With fewer people riding, they may be forced to cut service if they don't get more funding down the line.  They've been borrowing and kicking the can down the line. Well all of that is coming home to roost.  

Sounds like someone should tell those wealthy investors to take the loss and shut it. Just because you put money in doesn't mean you get to leech off the public for decades. I understand that's how modern capitalism works but... I guess the point is to change it.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

37 minutes ago, jammerbot said:

Sounds like someone should tell those wealthy investors to take the loss and shut it. Just because you put money in doesn't mean you get to leech off the public for decades. I understand that's how modern capitalism works but... I guess the point is to change it.

I suppose, but I'd argue that the  needs them more than they need the  . lol

[jammerbot]

46 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I suppose, but I'd argue that the  needs them more than they need the  . lol

Right, in lieu of a public bank, public agencies that are not properly funded are beholden to the vultures. 😭

There’s so much better we could be doing with our system, and city overall, if money was going where it’s needed rather than in private coffers which are already fat as it is.

[Lawrence St]

So are the R32's perm sidelined from service now? The  still isn't at full capacity and I have no idea where they're gonna get the sets to run the expanded service without the R32's.

[Abba]

I saw a you tube video where the  skips 138th st but arrives on the local track at 149th. Video was from 2 years ago. Is this move still possible?

[Vulturious]

22 minutes ago, Abba said:

I saw a you tube video where the  skips 138th st but arrives on the local track at 149th. Video was from 2 years ago. Is this move still possible?

Probably not, too much train service already disrupting the , with select  service running along 7 Av. I personally don't see the reason for the  bypassing 138 St at that point when it isn't being hurt by the  as much anymore.

[jammerbot]

Idea for a relatively small improvement that could increase capacity on the  and :

On the West End, build a switch from each local track to the express track just north of 9 Av, 62 St, and Bay Parkway.

These would allow at least a few trains per hour to turn. My idea is maybe three new  trains can turn at 9 Av and 3  trains each at 62 St and Bay Parkway. I forget what the capacity at Astoria is exactly, but in my mind the  ought to go to 96 St-2 Av anyway 🤣

 

I assume 9 Av already can turn trains because the express track diverges to either local track, but that’s after running a considerable distance through the space that links the station with the yard.

[Vulturious]

Welp, the FAA decided approve the LGA Airtrain again after AOC and many others have been fighting against it. How are people still thinking this is the best option?

[jammerbot]

3 hours ago, Vulturious said:

Welp, the FAA decided approve the LGA Airtrain again after AOC and many others have been fighting against it. How are people still thinking this is the best option?

I'm new to this conversation-- what exactly is wrong with the LGA AirTrain other than the obvious that it's not a subway?

[Lex]

1 minute ago, jammerbot said:

I'm new to this conversation-- what exactly is wrong with the LGA AirTrain other than the obvious that it's not a subway?

It stubs in Willets Point, which is effectively the middle of nowhere.

If it went to Woodside and/or Jackson Heights, it would be oriented toward Manhattan, thereby setting it up for logical connections to reasonably-populated areas and truly competitive trips for most going to/from the airport, thus obviating the need for the Q70. (Such a connection would also make it easier to have a half-decent light metro to some other parts of Queens and even Brooklyn.) Since it skews east instead of west, it could at least be more attractive and serve as a more effective Q48 replacement to/from the airport by reaching Flushing.

[jammerbot]

2 minutes ago, Lex said:

It stubs in Willets Point, which is effectively the middle of nowhere.

If it went to Woodside and/or Jackson Heights, it would be oriented toward Manhattan, thereby setting it up for logical connections to reasonably-populated areas and truly competitive trips for most going to/from the airport, thus obviating the need for the Q70. (Such a connection would also make it easier to have a half-decent light metro to some other parts of Queens and even Brooklyn.) Since it skews east instead of west, it could at least be more attractive and serve as a more effective Q48 replacement to/from the airport by reaching Flushing.

Oh wow, that is strange. I just took a look at the map. That's not even a LIRR station that gets regular service! (Although maybe they would change that). I can now see why no one likes this.

I know that the intuitive idea is to extend Astoria. I also saw some pretty convincing arguments from the RPA to extend Astoria barely a mile to West Astoria. If there are two services on Astoria and it branches out to two extensions, each with proper yards and turning tracks, does this idea sound realistic?

[Calvin]

 trains are coming back running on the  line south between Church Av and Coney Island-Stillwell Av on the first two weeks of August weekend. 

Wonder if the consist will be a mix of 10-car R160s out of Jamaica Av. X storage and C.I's R46 as an 8 car train.