3 train question

[alekr]

Why the lights in the train cars always flickers on and off? Is that normal for all of the service? The doesn't have the lights flickering on and off maybe it the new cars

[Threxx]

Why the lights in the train cars always flickers on and off? Is that normal for all of the service? The doesn't have the lights flickering on and off maybe it the new cars

 

The R62 batteries have issues due to Livonia's poor maintenance. The batteries help keep the lights on when passing over switches for example.

 

(also, random thoughts thread...)

[Trainmaster5]

The R62 batteries have issues due to Livonia's poor maintenance. The batteries help keep the lights on when passing over switches for example.

 

(also, random thoughts thread...)

Who said Livonia Yard's barn does poor maintenance work?? I've never heard that statement made by an employee before.

[SubwayGuy]

I believe (I'm not 100% sure on this) that in some cases the R62 lights are fed directly, or near directly, from the third rail, and the emergency lights (the ones over the doors) are fed from battery, so the train passing over a third rail gap would cause many of the main carbody lights to go out. However I don't believe the issue is consistent across the fleet, so I don't have a definitive answer.

 

I've also seen the same thing happen on an R62A with a defective converter.

[B35 via Church]

Why the lights in the train cars always flickers on and off? Is that normal for all of the service? The doesn't have the lights flickering on and off maybe it the new cars

 

I don't know why it does that; between the flickering & the lights going completely off for like 5-10 seconds or so..... I have had a woman clench on to me (who apparently had nyctophobia) whilst on a 7 train back when I was in college..... I will say though that it is not so much the line as much as it is the car type..... Happens on the 1 & the 7 I've long noticed as well.....

 

Aside from the seating arrangement, It's the one thing I never liked about the R62/a's; even when they had em regularly running on the & the .....

[Around the Horn]

I believe (I'm not 100% sure on this) that in some cases the R62 lights are fed directly, or near directly, from the third rail, and the emergency lights (the ones over the doors) are fed from battery, so the train passing over a third rail gap would cause many of the main carbody lights to go out. However I don't believe the issue is consistent across the fleet, so I don't have a definitive answer.

 

I've also seen the same thing happen on an R62A with a defective converter.

Subway Guy hit the nail on the head...

[TripleRTO]

Who said Livonia Yard's barn does poor maintenance work?? I've never heard that statement made by an employee before.

I wouldn't exactly call it "poor" but livonia isn't on the same level as say ENY or Corona when it comes to maintaining their trains 

 

Why the lights in the train cars always flickers on and off? Is that normal for all of the service? The doesn't have the lights flickering on and off maybe it the new cars

Pretty much what Subwayguy says dead motors can cause this too...

[SubwayGuy]

I wouldn't exactly call it "poor" but livonia isn't on the same level as say ENY or Corona when it comes to maintaining their trains 

 

 

Pretty much what Subwayguy says dead motors can cause this too...

???

 

That's not what I said. Dead motors have nothing to do with lights.

[Trainmaster5]

I wouldn't exactly call it "poor" but livonia isn't on the same level as say ENY or Corona when it comes to maintaining their trains 

Perhaps you don't realize that it's the same employees in the Car Equipment Department no matter the location. Just as subway cars can be transferred to different barns the workers can also pick different locations. A transit fan sometimes fails to realize that the age of the fleet and the barns and the maintenance equpment on hand has a lot to do with their perception of a fleet's performance. Livonia's R62s and the barn are the smallest and oldest in the IRT while Corona has a new barn and ENY maintains a newer fleet of cars. IMO your comparison, while understandable, is misguided. BTW I was at Livonia and ENY yards about 2 weeks ago visiting some former co-workers and some have moved from one location to another since I left active service a few years ago. Carry on.

[RTOMan]

If you Dont Know dont say anything!

 

Moral of this thread!     

[Guest MTA Bus]

IIRC, the R62A was built so that the light used power from the batteries.

[favbusbx13]

happens all the time while 148 St leaves 42-TS.

[LTA1992]

Why the lights in the train cars always flickers on and off? Is that normal for all of the service? The doesn't have the lights flickering on and off maybe it the new cars

Another reason could be age. Under the hood, the 62s are exactly like Redbirds. Which we all know, had a lifespan of 35 years. The oldest 62s turn 30 this year. Just a guess, don't chop my head off people.

[Grand Concourse]

But the redbirds were carbon steel unlike the stainless steel R62s. There's no reason to expect after 35 yrs they will be gone.

[LTA1992]

But UNDER THE HOOD, they are exactly the same. And I didn't say they would be gone.

[RTOPRO]

The problem Kawasaki has is the subcontract NYCT chose for them in the building of the R62s and the same problem repeated itself with the R142A. Due to anti-monopoly laws the MTA is required to bid subway contracts of a particular size to two bidders. Same goes for the subcontract. The subcontract for the R62 is all General Electric and it's E-Cam system. The subcontract for the R62A is Westinghouse and Adtranz for the E-Cam system. This was a much better combination for what is built as a heavier train.

 

The electronics on the R62s are built to really shoddy specifications. The problem with the car body losing main lights over the switches is do to the fact that there is no transition for the lights to rely on the battery prior to load shedding. Westinghouse however built the R62A's electronic system to transition the lights to the battery for 30 seconds to 1 minutes before they load shed and go out leaving only the emergency lights using the battery. That's why the cars on the 1 & 7 line rarely experience a loss of lights when gaped unless it's for an extended period of time.

 

I won't comment on the maintenance much other than to say for anyone here working for transit. If you've been to Livonia Yard.....you know what's going on over there. I'll leave it at that. If you don't....don't ask me. Pick a job over there and come up with your own determination.

[Grand Concourse]

Ok, and noted.

[VIP]

why does the Manhattan bound sit at Crown Hts - Utica av, when there is no train ahead? there are even times where the leaves before the !! I really want to know whats the purpose of holding the train there. 

[RollOver]

why does the Manhattan bound sit at Crown Hts - Utica av, when there is no train ahead? there are even times where the leaves before the !! I really want to know whats the purpose of holding the train there. 

 

Perhaps because of the junction between Franklin and Nostrand where the and come to/from. There can be a or even worst a crossing in front so the gets held at either Utica or Nostrand for that purpose. Heck, there are even timers before Nostrand N/B. They really don't want trains being gaped and bunched. With the in Brooklyn on weekdays, these type of delays result, not to mention that the IRT Nostrand Avenue Line is only connected to and from the local tracks and the has to cross over to and from the local to and from the express tracks in both directions.

[elantra06]

Perhaps because of the junction between Franklin and Nostrand where the and come to/from. There can be a or even worst a crossing in front so the gets held at either Utica or Nostrand for that purpose. Heck, there are even timers before Nostrand N/B. They really don't want trains being gaped and bunched. With the in Brooklyn on weekdays, these type of delays result, not to mention that the IRT Nostrand Avenue Line is only connected to and from the local tracks and the has to cross over to and from the local to and from the express tracks in both directions.

He's right. I was working on the yesterday and the traffic at the junction at south of Franklin can get pretty tied up.

[S78 via Hylan]

That and sometimes they are held if they are a few minutes early.

[SubwayGuy]

Perhaps because of the junction between Franklin and Nostrand where the and come to/from. There can be a or even worst a crossing in front so the gets held at either Utica or Nostrand for that purpose. Heck, there are even timers before Nostrand N/B. They really don't want trains being gaped and bunched. With the in Brooklyn on weekdays, these type of delays result, not to mention that the IRT Nostrand Avenue Line is only connected to and from the local tracks and the has to cross over to and from the local to and from the express tracks in both directions.

 

There are no grade timers entering Nostrand Northbound, unless a 2 or 5 is being crossed in front of the 3, in which case station time will be active and require the train to slow to about 12 MPH to comfortably enter the station without challenging the signals. This is so an overspeeding train will be stopped before the home signal that protects the junction so as to avoid locking out the plant.

 

If a 2 or 5 is not being crossed in front of the 3, the signals will all go green and there is no restriction (and no timers) entering Nostrand.

 

Sitting at Utica will be because the train is early and is being gapped. This can especially happen during the mid days and weekends where extra running time is given for the possibility of track gangs. If there are none, the train will be "early" and be held to time at Utica.

[RollOver]

S78 via Hylan and SubwayGuy are right about the being early at certain times during rush hours and off-peak.

 

Perhaps this is one of the many reasons why some of the trains go to Utica (with some other trains and some trains going to New Lots) because of the double switching east of Franklin going from the express to the local track then finally the IRT Nostrand Avenue Line and not just the capacity issues at the two-tracked Flatbush terminal that ends at bumper blocks to the south.

[R32sdabest]

I love the train!

[Fresh Pond]

S78 via Hylan and SubwayGuy are right about the being early at certain times during rush hours and off-peak.

 

Perhaps this is one of the many reasons why some of the trains go to Utica (with some other trains and some trains going to New Lots) because of the double switching east of Franklin going from the express to the local track then finally the IRT Nostrand Avenue Line and not just the capacity issues at the two-tracked Flatbush terminal that ends at bumper blocks to the south.

Its only because of capacity issues...