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Bunch of Questions regarding NYC Subway


overclocked

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A have collected whole load of random questions about the system, that I just can't get out of my head.

 

1. Why there are so many problems regarding White Plains line (2)(5), every now and then there is an alert or something? I personally never was on any of the Bronx IRT, so I don't know what's happening there. My guess would be a rehab.

2. After leaving 145th, all southbound express trains travel at slow pace until reaching 135th, where it finally picks up some speed. Why does it happen? Also trains swing a lot there.

3. What causes trains to swing from one side to another? Is it bad?

4. On Manhattan Bridge, trains seem to travel faster on Southern side(N)(Q), then on Northern side(:P(D). Is it just me or there is an explanation for that?

5. What causes "Signal Malfunctions" and "Rail Conditions"

6. Travelling south, on (;)(Q), it feels like they are entering King's Highway slower then they used before the rehab. Is it again, just my imagination?

7. On the (D) the other day I spotted a completely cracked window. It only stayed together because of that scratch resistant plastic. Ideally, shouldn't that train be taken out of service?

 

 

That is all for now, I can't ask too many stupid questions, my conscience won't let me.

Thank You.

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To answer #2, they travel slowly because the (A) has to make way for the (D)'s tracks to come from the lower level of 145th Street....

Of course, now it makes perfect sense, since i'm always in the first car, the train fully passes the switches by the time first car is in the middle of 135th.

 

Also don't forget the Flushing Line. I think has most signal problem to me.

Ohh, good ol' Flushing, at least it's going to get CBTC to address the problems.

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A have collected whole load of random questions about the system, that I just can't get out of my head.

 

1. Why there are so many problems regarding White Plains line (2)(5), every now and then there is an alert or something? I personally never was on any of the Bronx IRT, so I don't know what's happening there. My guess would be a rehab.

3. What causes trains to swing from one side to another? Is it bad?

6. Travelling south, on (:)(Q), it feels like they are entering King's Highway slower then they used before the rehab. Is it again, just my imagination?

 

That is all for now, I can't ask too many stupid questions, my conscience won't let me.

Thank You.

 

1) The (2) and (5) share both northern and southern terminals with interlocking and a complex (5) service pattern in the Bronx. If any incident happens anywhere on the 7th or Lexington Avenue Lines, or really anywhere on their respective routes, it'll have a snowball effect.

 

3) It has to do with a number of factors, but as long as the train doesn't swing too much it's safe. After turns when cars straighten out it's a matter of regaining equilibrium.

 

6) Brighton Line rehabilitation temporary restrictions (?)

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A have collected whole load of random questions about the system, that I just can't get out of my head.

 

1. Why there are so many problems regarding White Plains line (2)(5), every now and then there is an alert or something? I personally never was on any of the Bronx IRT, so I don't know what's happening there. My guess would be a rehab.

2. After leaving 145th, all southbound express trains travel at slow pace until reaching 135th, where it finally picks up some speed. Why does it happen? Also trains swing a lot there.

3. What causes trains to swing from one side to another? Is it bad?

4. On Manhattan Bridge, trains seem to travel faster on Southern side(N)(Q), then on Northern side(:)(D). Is it just me or there is an explanation for that?

5. What causes "Signal Malfunctions" and "Rail Conditions"

6. Travelling south, on (:)(Q), it feels like they are entering King's Highway slower then they used before the rehab. Is it again, just my imagination?

7. On the (D) the other day I spotted a completely cracked window. It only stayed together because of that scratch resistant plastic. Ideally, shouldn't that train be taken out of service?

 

 

That is all for now, I can't ask too many stupid questions, my conscience won't let me.

Thank You.

 

The first one I can say is that probably there are temporary tracks placed there. I mean they were doing construction at the Tremont Avenue station causing buses to detour.

 

The fifth probably could be old signals getting damaged by water or whatever. Rail conditions probably are old rails that need to be replaced including roadbeds. That causes derailments. I remember like a month ago that there was a damaged rail at the 9th Avenue station, causing (D) trains to be rerouted over the (F) or (N) lines to Stillwell.

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To answer question number 4 the R160's has a much faster acceleration rate then the R68's. Although both trains run at 65 MPH at full speed the R160 can accelerate faster and therefore it can race across the bridge at a faster rate. I don't know if this affects the trains, but the Manhattan Bridge is tilted to the northbound side, because of how long the southbound side had been closed to subway service. Since the (:)(D) (Q6Av) used that side for far longer the bridge's span is tilted toward the northbound side. Don't worry the Bridge is still doing fine, and it only has something to do with the tracks being placed on the side. When a train crosses the Manhattan Bridge the trains cause the bridge span to sway by as much as 4 feet so the bridge suffers damage from this as well, but it's holding up great and would last another 200-300 years with train service crossing the bridge.

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Answers in red:

 

A have collected whole load of random questions about the system, that I just can't get out of my head.

 

1. Why there are so many problems regarding White Plains line (2)(5), every now and then there is an alert or something? I personally never was on any of the Bronx IRT, so I don't know what's happening there. My guess would be a rehab.

 

Track and signal work at East 180th Street area affects weekend and night service sometimes. Ongoing project.

 

2. After leaving 145th, all southbound express trains travel at slow pace until reaching 135th, where it finally picks up some speed. Why does it happen? Also trains swing a lot there.

 

What line? You've got to be specific...(A)(D) or (2)(3)?

 

3. What causes trains to swing from one side to another? Is it bad?

 

Track conditions. Not bad.

 

4. On Manhattan Bridge, trains seem to travel faster on Southern side(N)(Q), then on Northern side(:)(D). Is it just me or there is an explanation for that?

 

Trains on both sides travel faster climbing the bridge than descending it. Not worth analyzing in any detail.

 

5. What causes "Signal Malfunctions" and "Rail Conditions"

 

Any number of things. Signals are built to be fail safe meaning if something goes wrong they are supposed to go red. Sometimes they can go dark. Signal malfunction usually means a signal is red for no reason, so it causes delays to allow trains to safely pass the red signal, while also working to fix the signal problem.

 

Rail conditions can be any number of things. Could be a broken rail (wear and tear), slippery rail (happens a lot in the fall on certain lines), or just a section of track that is undergoing rehabilitation and has been chipped out which requires slow operating speeds over it.

 

6. Travelling south, on (:)(Q), it feels like they are entering King's Highway slower then they used before the rehab. Is it again, just my imagination?

 

Haven't been out there in a minute...can't answer that one.

 

7. On the (D) the other day I spotted a completely cracked window. It only stayed together because of that scratch resistant plastic. Ideally, shouldn't that train be taken out of service?

 

No, but the next time you see something like that, bring it to the attention of the train crew and it is likely that 1 car would be isolated (no customers allowed inside, but the rest of the train is in service). The train crew may not have known it was there because it may have happened recently, after the train was inspected in the yard.

 

That is all for now, I can't ask too many stupid questions, my conscience won't let me.

Thank You.

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What line? You've got to be specific... A/D or 2/3 ?

yeh, he should've defined which line he meant....

 

I'm gonna go ahead & use the process of elimination..... can't be talkin about the 2/3.... he said southbound express trains... I'd think the guy would have some bit of sense....

 

^^^

2. After leaving 145th, all southbound express trains travel at slow pace until reaching 135th, where it finally picks up some speed. Why does it happen? Also trains swing a lot there.

 

there are timers all over the place along the CPW express..... I don't bother w/ the CPW whenever I have to go to upper manhattan...

 

I think Jashawn answered your question regarding this one (sans the swinging thing you're talking about)....

 

4. On Manhattan Bridge, trains seem to travel faster on Southern side, then on Northern side. Is it just me or there is an explanation for that?

Not sure if there's a specific reason for it, but I also notice that.... I take the (B) to work everyday goin over the bridge, and regardless of w/e train is on the broadway line side, we always get beat by it... lol....

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Of course, now it makes perfect sense, since i'm always in the first car, the train fully passes the switches by the time first car is in the middle of 135th.

 

 

Ohh, good ol' Flushing, at least it's going to get CBTC to address the problems.

 

Oh, "Catch Bus to Corona," you mean, after CBTC turns out to be a massive waste. I don't care if trains come every 50 seconds (or so I hear), it's obscene to think that they'd try it with the (7).

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Guest lance25

It makes perfect sense to test CBTC on the Flushing line since it's isolated from the rest of the system like the (L), so if something happens, it would affect other lines.

 

Whether it's effective at adding more trains to the line is another story.

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Oh, "Catch Bus to Corona," you mean, after CBTC turns out to be a massive waste. I don't care if trains come every 50 seconds (or so I hear), it's obscene to think that they'd try it with the (7).

 

It'll be good to test it on the (7) for a limited local/express setup, the one thing the Canarsie automation lacked.

 

It makes perfect sense to test CBTC on the Flushing line since it's isolated from the rest of the system like the (L), so if something happens, it would affect other lines.

 

Whether it's effective at adding more trains to the line is another story.

 

I think it indirectly is. The point of CBTC, if I'm not mistaken, is that by controlling train locations and spacing with computers, headways can come down and travel speeds increase. This will reduce and hopefully replace the need, not like there really was any, for timers, because the computer is more efficient and can constantly calculate and update adjustments in real time.

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yeh, he should've defined which line he meant....

Yes, my mistake, but you are correct, I was indeed talking about IND 8 Ave.

Why do you call it "CPW"?

New Question 8. What route is the most efficient in terms of time, to get to City College from Brighton Beach?

BTW now it takes a little more than an hour (1 hour 10 minutes average) to get there if I take (B) to 59th and Transfer to (A) or (D) to 145th.

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Yes, my mistake, but you are correct, I was indeed talking about IND 8 Ave.

Why do you call it "CPW"?

New Question 8. What route is the most efficient in terms of time, to get to City College from Brighton Beach?

BTW now it takes a little more than an hour (1 hour 10 minutes average) to get there if I take (B) to 59th and Transfer to (A) or (D) to 145th.

 

CPW = Central Park West, the specific section of Eighth Avenue under which the subway is two levels.

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Yes, my mistake, but you are correct, I was indeed talking about IND 8 Ave.

Why do you call it "CPW"?

 

New Question 8. What route is the most efficient in terms of time, to get to City College from Brighton Beach?

BTW now it takes a little more than an hour (1 hour 10 minutes average) to get there if I take (B) to 59th and Transfer to (A) or (D) to 145th.

 

- Geoking answered what the CPW stands for....

 

 

- and the latest question you asked.... from brighton beach to CCNY, I'd go for it w/ the (Q) to TSQ, (2) or (3) to 96th, (1) to 137th....

 

I hated that walk from 145th/st nick to CCNY.... When I had a summer program there, that's why I didn't take the (D) brighton (at the time) all the way from church to 145th too often.... I took the stinkin (2) all the way from church to 96th, then simply took the (1) to 137th....

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Geoking answered what the CPW stands for....

 

and the latest question you asked.... from brighton beach, I'd go for it w/ the (Q) to TSQ, (2) or (3) to 96th, (1) to 137th....

 

I will give it a try sometime, pity that semester ended already.

 

 

To CPW express, Y U No move faster?! Average ~30mph, and that's not counting in slow zone between 72nd and 59th, southbound. :tdown::tdown::tdown:

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yeh, he should've defined which line he meant....

 

I'm gonna go ahead & use the process of elimination..... can't be talkin about the 2/3.... he said southbound express trains... I'd think the guy would have some bit of sense....

 

The 2/3 are southbound express trains...broadway/7th avenue express

 

I see now he's referring to the IND station. In that case, "homeball alley" has a lot of signals and switches, which requires slow operation over.

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I will give it a try sometime, pity that semester ended already.

 

 

To CPW express, Y U No move faster?! Average ~30mph, and that's not counting in slow zone between 72nd and 59th, southbound. :tdown::tdown::tdown:

 

B35 mentioned about the timers that the CPW express lines have. Timers suck, the Fulton Street line has a lot of them, causing trains to reduce speed. There is one I believe at 81 Street, you will notice this once you are on an (A) or (D) train when it reduces velocity. There was one time an R68 D derailed near the station but I am not sure if it is the reason that is there.

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The 2/3 are southbound express trains...broadway/7th avenue express

 

I see now he's referring to the IND station. In that case, "homeball alley" has a lot of signals and switches, which requires slow operation over.

lol... really now....

 

What corresponding local segment along that part of the 2/3 line is there, though.... When folks mention "express" regarding the subway, to me, it implies an area where local service is present....

 

The point is, he was talking about the IND.

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When it comes to City College - CCNY, there are several choices.

 

The 137th Street station on the #1 line, and a short walk to the campus.

 

The 125th Street-St. Nicholas Avenue station with the A, B, C and D trains, it really worked well when/if the 127th Street exit was open and operational.

 

The 145th Street-St. Nicholas Avenue station, and that lovely walk on St. Nicholas Terrace, or along Convent Avenue.

 

And for the brave of heart - the 135th Street local station of the B and C trains, a short walk up through St. Nicholas Park, and then to the campus.

 

Or using any of the buses along Amsterdam Avenue, that also happen to travel along 125th Street for other subway connections.

 

If the Brighton Beach station was my home station and CCNY was the destination, I'd chose take the B-train to meet the D-train. Both routes together would give me plenty of time and less hassle for reading and studying on the train. I'd even take the Q-train to meet the D-train for the same reason. In both cases, getting a seat to read on both trains is helpful.

 

Using the Q-train to the #2 or #3, and then a change to the #1 - to me seems like a lot of jumping up and down just for a few stops - without much productive time - reading.

 

When I went to CCNY, Finley Hall - Student Center actually existed, Cohen Library was a separate free-standing building, the NAC was still under construction. Then I lived in the Bronx on the #6, taking the bus across 125th Street, and up to the school -- then taking the subways home. That's how I learned about the subways of NYC.

 

Mike

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If the Brighton Beach station was my home station and CCNY was the destination, I'd chose take the B-train to meet the D-train. Both routes together would give me plenty of time and less hassle for reading and studying on the train. I'd even take the Q-train to meet the D-train for the same reason. In both cases, getting a seat to read on both trains is helpful.

 

Using the Q-train to the #2 or #3, and then a change to the #1 - to me seems like a lot of jumping up and down just for a few stops - without much productive time - reading.

That's what he (overclocked) says he currently does; taking the (:) to the (D)....

 

productive time reading.... If that's the case, then he may as well stay on the (B) from brighton bch. all the way to 135th....

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MikeGerald

B35 via Church

 

Yes, I usually tend to finish my studies by West 4th St.

The reason I usually do not take (;) to 135th, mainly is because I can't stand going up the stairs to reach the Campus. Walk from 145th is much more appealing. imo.

 

I love when I arrive at Columbus Circle and (A) is there waiting or arrives at the same time.

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New questions

 

1- What was exactly wrong with R44 that caused them to be retired early?

 

2- If TA decided to fix water leaks problem at any underground station how could that be done?

 

3- If I would film a view from RFW, would it bother the Motorman? Is it normal to interract with train crew?

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