Sea Beach Express service

[Eddie]

Hello and welcome.

 

About the Sea Beach express tracks... The actually used them, for an express called the .

 

From http://www.wikipedia.com/wiki/BMT Sea Beach Line Wikipedia:

 

"The light blue NX designation was used for a short-lived "super-express" service along the express tracks of the Sea Beach Line, beginning several stations east of Coney Island at Brighton Beach, and also ending at 57th Street. This service was only provided from November 27, 1967 to April 12, 1968 due to low ridership. Starting on Monday, April 15, 1968, the five NX trips instead ran as N trips."

 

Here's a picture taken on the second-to-last day of service.

 

It was the only service in history (I think) to go through Coney Island station instead of terminating there.

 

In my opinion, it would be great to have another NX in both directions, but I don't know how much success this one would have, since it would involve rebuilding the abandoned tracks north of Kings Highway and then attracting riders.

 

If You ride the Sea Beach Line today, you'll see they're rebuilding the Northbound local track. I do see new sections of track and think maybe they could rebuild the southbound track and offer express service, if they have enough money. The filer of the old express was it bypassed Kings Highway. The new service would run 59th street to Kings Highway and switch to express and bypass 6 stations.

[7LineFan]

Wait... I don't understand that last part. Can you elaborate?

[SubwayGuy]

If You ride the Sea Beach Line today, you'll see they're rebuilding the Northbound local track. I do see new sections of track and think maybe they could rebuild the southbound track and offer express service, if they have enough money. The filer of the old express was it bypassed Kings Highway. The new service would run 59th street to Kings Highway and switch to express and bypass 6 stations.

 

There are a couple problems with this: (N)ovember has to run with the (D)elta on 4th Ave, then it's got to go over the Bridge with the (Q)uincy, then it's got to go on A2 and under 60th street merging with the and . If you run some (N)ovembers express you're goign to have to make up some of the local service along Sea Beach which makes these merges tougher. Not to mention, the other problem with express service is that there aren't really express stops. An express service couldn't platform anywhere, unless you switched it back local north of Kings Highway. But then again you'd be skipping a lot of important stops on the Sea Beach. And terminating at Kings Highway would be a lot of moves, which would slow service along the line. Plus you'd have to fumigate, and not to mention MTA would have to add a switchman at that station to help relay. Most importantly, it wouldn't help anyone who lives anywhere other than the Kings Highway station because if they're closer to Manhattan their stop gets skipped by the express and they lose service. If they live further than Kings Highway it doesn't make much sense because they're going to have to transfer at Kings Highway for the Express which might save them a few minutes, not a ton, but is it worth giving up their seat on the train and getting back outside? Particularly in cold weather?

 

Just because the tracks are there for possible service doesn't mean would be worth the cost. They should focus as much as possible of what money is available on building 2nd Avenue AT LEAST as far as 96th (Phase I), and getting those service upgrades including the additional (B)ravo/(M)ikey/(W)hisky service that's supposed to go ahead when they implement the pick.

[7LineFan]

There are a couple problems with this: (N)ovember has to run with the (D)elta on 4th Ave, then it's got to go over the Bridge with the (Q)uincy, then it's got to go on A2 and under 60th street merging with the and . If you run some (N)ovembers express you're goign to have to make up some of the local service along Sea Beach which makes these merges tougher. Not to mention, the other problem with express service is that there aren't really express stops. An express service couldn't platform anywhere, unless you switched it back local north of Kings Highway. But then again you'd be skipping a lot of important stops on the Sea Beach. And terminating at Kings Highway would be a lot of moves, which would slow service along the line. Plus you'd have to fumigate, and not to mention MTA would have to add a switchman at that station to help relay. Most importantly, it wouldn't help anyone who lives anywhere other than the Kings Highway station because if they're closer to Manhattan their stop gets skipped by the express and they lose service. If they live further than Kings Highway it doesn't make much sense because they're going to have to transfer at Kings Highway for the Express which might save them a few minutes, not a ton, but is it worth giving up their seat on the train and getting back outside? Particularly in cold weather?

 

Just because the tracks are there for possible service doesn't mean would be worth the cost. They should focus as much as possible of what money is available on building 2nd Avenue AT LEAST as far as 96th (Phase I), and getting those service upgrades including the additional (B)ravo/(M)ikey/(W)hisky service that's supposed to go ahead when they implement the pick.

 

 

Yeah I was wondering why there was a chronic lack of express stations along the Sea Beach. Maybe if there were two instead of one this might work, but we can't destroy and rebuild the line now can we?

 

And yes, the SAS has to be built. If anything, to reduce crowding on the Lex. I mean you have the and there, one down Broadway and one down the East Side. If that doesn't get ridership then I don't know what does.