7 Train Question

[Guest MTA Bus]

Does anyone know why the is the only train in the system to have 11 cars ? I've always wondered why.

[peacemak3r]

I believe it's because all of the platforms on the can accommodate the length of 11 cars.

[pjbr40]

The Flushing Line (originally called the Woodside and Corona Line) was one of two lines of the NYC subway to have been operated jointly by two different divisions: the IRT and BMT. The line, built by the City of New York, began April 21st, 1917 with IRT trains running between 42nd St / Grand Central and Alburtis Avenue (now 103rd St.), and joint operation with the BMT began in 1923. The line reached Main St, Flushing, on January 21st, 1928. Elevated BMT rolling stock had to be used on this line because platform clearances were built to IRT specifications east of Queensborough Plaza, and the 67' BMT Standards, as a result, would not fit. BMT wooden cars and IRT steel cars terminated at the underground Main St terminal, but IRT 2nd Ave wooden cars terminated at Willets Point Blvd.

This statement may lead to why it 11 cars long.

[pjbr40]

go to nycsubway.org they should tell why or what lead to it.

 

 

in past i often wonder why no other train can touch the Nassau line is because of the tunnel and curves length. The J/Z/M can go into other letters lines around the city. Those three lines have specific size cars for the BMT and IND, but that different story

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Roadcruiser1]

If I remember reading correctly the Flushing Line was built to be able to be converted into IND/BMT standard. Now if this is correct the would run 11 car trains, because it would be close to the length of a BMT/IND train. Since an R62A would be 51 feet long, an 11 car train would be 561 feet long. There isn't enough room to run a 12 car train because it would be 612 feet long. Since the Flushing Line has platforms that could be converted into BMT/IND standards 600 feet would be the longest length of all Flushing Line platforms, and that is why the Flushing Line runs 11 car trains.

[DJ MC]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[MikeGerald]

The #7 line carries a very high ridership - it is just that simple. In a transit situation where there is a very high ridership, but a "limit" on the number of trains that can be carried one solution is to lengthen the trains.

 

The #7 line at various times in its history had already operated 28 to 33 trains per hour, a situation already near and past the design limits of 30 trains per hour. At such rates the Times Square terminal becomes maxed out. This was at a time when "keying by" signals was allowed, but that is no longer the case today.

 

In Queens, the Flushing Terminal, Willets Point, and 111th Street were all used as terminals and entry points for trains headed to Times Square. The Times Square terminal with its layup tracks allowed trains to enter and exit rapidly - a very helpful feature when there is heavy ridership.

 

The situation with the BMT Astoria branch simply had nothing to do with the 11-car Flushing trains. The past history of having E and F trains with 11-car trains is indicative of the need to provide additional tunnel pathways between Manhattan and Queens for the Queens Blvd subway line - hence the 11th Street cut now used by the R-train, and the later building of the 63rd Street tunnel as a part of the whole new Second Avenue subway project. The E and F trains are and were just that crowded - so placing already crowded trains traveling to crowded stations has never been a good solution - hence the later V-train.

 

There are only so many "solutions" when the trains are packed to the gills.

 

Mike