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Empty (6) trains are a lot easier to find from the Bronx than from Manhattan. Specifically on weekends, if you hope on the front of a train from Pelham Bay Park at around 5-6 PM there won't be a soul there. There's always somebody getting on at Brooklyn Bridge. Same thing getting an empty (4)(5) : look for it in the Bronx, not in Brooklyn or Bowling Green.

 

I saw it on the Pueto Rican parade and it was near 33rd Street. Southbound on an AM Sunday.

To answer #1, it's because there are different speed limits for each direction.  I don't know why it is like that.

 

It kind of looked less sharp on the westbound (M) switch. It looked a bit sharper on the (R) express. Weird.

Edited by MTA Dude
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I'm going in a completely direction so please bear with me. There was/is an old saying in RTO that oldtimers can remember, "when the trains were made of wood and the men were made of iron" IDK if that saying is still around but after reading threads about R32's, and R142A/R188 equipment and fans or AC problems, propulsion miscues and the like I really wonder if the "out with the old in, with the new" idea is bogus. It's a fact that I've ridden or operated many types of equipment that some have only seen in the museum fleet. Heck, I was a teenager when the R32 Brightliners hit the BMT. I remember when there were no air conditioned cars in the system. Men wore suits and ties and women wore dresses on the subways and els. There was no such thing as dressing casually on Fridays. My question to the fans of the newer equipment is were those oldtimers( riders and crews) made of sturdier stock than the present generation or what? When I went to M/M and primarily worked the (3) line we sure didn't have A/C equipped cars in our fleet but I don't recall riders or crew crying about it. I do understand the heat problems the A/C equipped cars have brought with them. These cars exhaust heat into the system The older SMEE cars like the redbirds had windows that opened to some degree which the NTT lack. I find it funny to see cars transferred from fleet to fleet because of A/C problems today when those same lines ran okay with no air conditioned cars at all. As for the NTT equipment it's my personal belief that the more electrical components in this equipment means that that they will always be more prone to breakdowns compared to the older, simpler equipment. The newer trains may be more comfortable to ride and operate but each component failure affects the overall reliability in the long run. Someone mentioned the bucking problems in the R142A equipment and that person took the time to explain why the problem exists. Funny thing is that same bucking problem existed on the R62's from Kawasaki way back then. I'm thinking that the R62's will do better than the R142A's as far as reliabilty in due time. Just my opinion. Carry on.

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I think the main thing is that times have changed dramatically in the intervening years. As you said, when you were young, the trains didn't have A/Cs period. The first cars equipped with air conditioning were the last R38s built as part of a pilot program. When the R40s and later cars arrived onto TA property, they were scattered about to give some kind of relief to the other hotboxes that were in service. At least, that's what the historical car assignments I've been digging up have led me to believe. Today, with all cars being A/C-equipped, the R32s are the only car class to have this chronic A/C issue in the summer, unlike the dark days of the '70s, when you were lucky if your train showed up at all, much less had any working A/C. I guess what I'm saying is that people have come to expect certain things nowadays that they wouldn't years ago, air conditioned cars being one of them.

 

As for whether the newer fleet will outlast the older cars, I certainly hope they do because there really is no going back to the days when you could order, build and run a bare-bones train (or anything for that matter with all the electronics built into virtually everything) if you will. Passengers just won't go for it. We also don't have much in terms of a contingency plan if the new trains don't last as long as the older ones. The youngest of the older fleet is just over 25 years, well past half of its nominal lifespan.

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I'm going in a completely direction so please bear with me. There was/is an old saying in RTO that oldtimers can remember, "when the trains were made of wood and the men were made of iron" IDK if that saying is still around but after reading threads about R32's, and R142A/R188 equipment and fans or AC problems, propulsion miscues and the like I really wonder if the "out with the old in, with the new" idea is bogus. It's a fact that I've ridden or operated many types of equipment that some have only seen in the museum fleet. Heck, I was a teenager when the R32 Brightliners hit the BMT. I remember when there were no air conditioned cars in the system. Men wore suits and ties and women wore dresses on the subways and els. There was no such thing as dressing casually on Fridays. My question to the fans of the newer equipment is were those oldtimers( riders and crews) made of sturdier stock than the present generation or what? When I went to M/M and primarily worked the (3) line we sure didn't have A/C equipped cars in our fleet but I don't recall riders or crew crying about it. I do understand the heat problems the A/C equipped cars have brought with them. These cars exhaust heat into the system The older SMEE cars like the redbirds had windows that opened to some degree which the NTT lack. I find it funny to see cars transferred from fleet to fleet because of A/C problems today when those same lines ran okay with no air conditioned cars at all. As for the NTT equipment it's my personal belief that the more electrical components in this equipment means that that they will always be more prone to breakdowns compared to the older, simpler equipment. The newer trains may be more comfortable to ride and operate but each component failure affects the overall reliability in the long run. Someone mentioned the bucking problems in the R142A equipment and that person took the time to explain why the problem exists. Funny thing is that same bucking problem existed on the R62's from Kawasaki way back then. I'm thinking that the R62's will do better than the R142A's as far as reliabilty in due time. Just my opinion. Carry on.

 

Electrocaloric air conditioning should help solve the heat exhaust issue. GE and a bunch of other firms are working on commercializing the technology as I type (however, for simple commercial A/C and refrigerators, not sure when it'll make it to heavy-duty stuff like buses and trains). There's a chance the R212 might be late enough to take advantage.

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Caught an R32 (A) at Euclid this morning. This was actually my first time since September 28 back in 2012. It was crowded and the T/O (for some strange reason) stop at the 8 car marker, most likely because either the last car was out of passenger service or the entire train was 8-cars in sets of four, whatever may be the case. I was looking so forward to enjoying the ride all the way uptown to 207th and reverse back to Lefferts. My joy was short lived as soon as the train pulled into Broadway Junction, had a mechanical problem at the last car and was pulled from service, sent back to 207th shop for repair. Priceless.  <_<  <_<  <_<

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Caught an R32 (A) at Euclid this morning. This was actually my first time since September 28 back in 2012. It was crowded and the T/O (for some strange reason) stop at the 8 car marker, most likely because either the last car was out of passenger service or the entire train was 8-cars in sets of four, whatever may be the case. I was looking so forward to enjoying the ride all the way uptown to 207th and reverse back to Lefferts. My joy was short lived as soon as the train pulled into Broadway Junction, had a mechanical problem at the last car and was pulled from service, sent back to 207th shop for repair. Priceless.  <_<  <_<  <_<

What time did you catch it?

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Caught an R32 (A) at Euclid this morning. This was actually my first time since September 28 back in 2012. It was crowded and the T/O (for some strange reason) stop at the 8 car marker, most likely because either the last car was out of passenger service or the entire train was 8-cars in sets of four, whatever may be the case. I was looking so forward to enjoying the ride all the way uptown to 207th and reverse back to Lefferts. My joy was short lived as soon as the train pulled into Broadway Junction, had a mechanical problem at the last car and was pulled from service, sent back to 207th shop for repair. Priceless. <_<<_<<_<

If the last car was OOS in a 10 car train the train would still stop at the 10 car marker, they would just cut the problem car out. I ridden a 40 Slant on the B years ago where the first car was "closed" but the other nine cars opened up. Stopped at the 10 car marker too.
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I live closer to 207th, so I was wondering if it would run in the morning every day and if it starts in Brooklyn, what time would it get to 207th? Around 10am-10:30am, I assume.

 

It came from Lefferts. At first, I was going to RFW on the (C) northbound but while waiting for the R160s to go first, the R32 (A) surprising showed up and I had decided to board it at the first car to look out the window. I'm not sure what time it starts in the AM Rush. It probably was most likely a put-in. After the PM Rush, some (A) trains lay up on the middle track on the Liberty Avenue elevated corridor. Perhaps you should ask one of the (A) crews and that'll help.

 

If the last car was OOS in a 10 car train the train would still stop at the 10 car marker, they would just cut the problem car out. I ridden a 40 Slant on the B years ago where the first car was "closed" but the other nine cars opened up. Stopped at the 10 car marker too.

 

Okay. Though after they removed all the passengers at the junction, the T/O closed down and moved the train 60 feet up. As I was leaving the junction to go on the (J), I actually counted the entire R32 (A) set and it was surprising 10-cars, or maybe I overlook something. But the T/O really did stop at the 8-car marker while the train was still in service until the junction.

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I was on an R62A without any AC and it sure wasn't pleasant.

Also, I was taking a picture of an R32 C train relaying at 168 St in the tunnel and some of the station clean up crew told me that you are allowed to take pictures of the trains but not the tunnels.

I can't stand people who don't know the rules!

You are allowed to!

Also I have a question:

What do you think will happen first?

A) The opening of the full length second avenue subway

–––––OR–––––––––

B) The discovery of 76th ST

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Also, I was taking a picture of an R32 C train relaying at 168 St in the tunnel and some of the station clean up crew told me that you are allowed to take pictures of the trains but not the tunnels.

I can't stand people who don't know the rules!

You are allowed to!

That's good to know.

Edited by lupojohn
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Caught an R32 (A) at Euclid this morning. This was actually my first time since September 28 back in 2012. It was crowded and the T/O (for some strange reason) stop at the 8 car marker, most likely because either the last car was out of passenger service or the entire train was 8-cars in sets of four, whatever may be the case. I was looking so forward to enjoying the ride all the way uptown to 207th and reverse back to Lefferts. My joy was short lived as soon as the train pulled into Broadway Junction, had a mechanical problem at the last car and was pulled from service, sent back to 207th shop for repair. Priceless.  <_<  <_<  <_<

Umm no. That's obviously not what happened. And I bet every single RTO employee who read your post cringed when they read it.

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Yep so interesting. While I was going home, The R32 (A) Train turns out to be running overnight due to an R46 going OOS (Unknown Reason). Spotted it at 59th Street heading southbound while waiting for the local heading Uptown. 2nd time in a row, the (D) Train runs local on me due to a delay with Uptown (A) Train Service. I was like wow

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Also, I was taking a picture of an R32 C train relaying at 168 St in the tunnel and some of the station clean up crew told me that you are allowed to take pictures of the trains but not the tunnels.

I can't stand people who don't know the rules!

You are allowed to!

Also I have a question:

What do you think will happen first?

A) The opening of the full length second avenue subway

–––––OR–––––––––

B) The discovery of 76th ST

No, taking pictures of the tunnels is NOT permitted. You won't necessarily be ARRESTED for it, but you WILL be reported and questioned.

 

Also, 76 St was never built so there's nothing to discover. I hope you aren't serious about that.

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No, taking pictures of the tunnels is NOT permitted. You won't necessarily be ARRESTED for it, but you WILL be reported and questioned.

 

Well, no. While illegal to venture into the tunnel itself, photographing tunnels from a non-restricted area is absolutely permitted. While it could be seen as suspicious and lead to questioning, there is no "reporting" that could occur as it is not an offense.

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Well, no. While illegal to venture into the tunnel itself, photographing tunnels from a non-restricted area is absolutely permitted. While it could be seen as suspicious and lead to questioning, there is no "reporting" that could occur as it is not an offense.

He confused himself. The post he quoted stated that you are NOT allowed to take pictures of tunnels, yet he repeated that same fact.

Umm no. That's obviously not what happened. And I bet every single RTO employee who read your post cringed when they read it.

Unless you are there, you don't know.

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Umm no. That's obviously not what happened. And I bet every single RTO employee who read your post cringed when they read it.

 

Sorry, my mistake. So I guess I should be more careful from now on whenever I experience any incidents in the subway and report it here in the forums. I should have ask why he/she stop at the 8 car marker though, since I don't even know myself. That's my fault. I didn't know weather it was a crew issue or something.

Edited by RollOver
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He confused himself. The post he quoted stated that you are NOT allowed to take pictures of tunnels, yet he repeated that same fact.

Actually, the post Snowblock quoted indicated that an employee said that you're not allowed to take pictures of tunnels, and then said that he was wrong.

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Section 1050.9


Restricted areas and activities.



(A)

No person, except as specifically authorized by the Authority, shall enter or attempt to enter into any area not open to the public, including but not limited to train operator's cabs, conductor's cabs, bus operator's seat location, station booths, closed-off areas, mechanical or equipment rooms, concession stands, storage areas, interior rooms, catwalks, emergency stairways (except in cases of an emergency), tracks, roadbeds, tunnels, plants, shops, barns, train yards, garages, depots or any area marked with a sign restricting access or indicating a dangerous environment.

(B)

No vehicle, except as specifically authorized, may be parked on Authority property.

(C)

Photography, filming or video recording in any facility or conveyance is permitted except that ancillary equipment such as lights, reflectors or tripods may not be used. Members of the press holding valid identification issued by the New York City Police Department are hereby authorized to use necessary ancillary equipment. All photographic activity must be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this Part.
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