R188 Discussion Thread

[40MntVrn]

It seems the countdown clocks at Time Square are now functional. Was this coordinated with the arrival of the 188?

[MTA Bus]

They just tell you what train is next to leave.

[realizm]

I find it a little ridiculous that you're trying to argue that Manhattan residents need to find the 'patience to wait' on the SAS. It's been planned for 84 years, under construction for 46 years...there is admittedly a Manhattan-centric bias with MTA projects, but this is not the example to make your case on that...

 

Point noted however I had a different take on this -  the fault for all of these delays really comes down to two things historically which I can go into more detail later:

 

The second world war which meant the demise of the IND second system plans, the 1970's and 1980's fiscal crisis's in NYC, which put a dead stop to the MTA plan for action.

 

Sure the 63rd Street tube/connector to the QBL and the Archer Ave extension was built later but that was because in reality the FTA gave a federal mandate forcing the MTA to complete those projects from unfinished construction. The MTA officially stated that the QBL is heavily congested and the connector needed. Of course yes indeed, absolutely that is 100% correct. But I don't think it was really the MTA that made that determination. It was the federal government through the FTA.

Edited November 12, 2013 by realizm

[40MntVrn]

They just tell you what train is next to leave.

 

That's a new level of functionality.

[Mtatransit]

Ok its the first time a local beats an express in a race btw 40-46 street, but still somehow it runs behind schedule. It started to skip stop at 61 street, then 74 street, junction and all EXP stops but what makes it confusing is  that it still says at 74 street " This is a Flushing-Main street bound Local train the next stop is Junction Blvd" I think thats the reason why it switches to the express track after 74 street but still says its a local until Main street. Why? They should have change it aleast at 61 street

[R32 3838]

I think the MTA should expand the R188 order for the mainline IRT, 7937-8037 would be the numbers 100 cars is good enough these would be in 5 car sets 8038-8046 would be in 3 car sets, 8047-60 would be in 4 car sets for the shuttle only, I would displace most of the R62A singles to the C division, the R62A's from the shuttle could be converted to rail adhesion cars for the dyre line replacing those Redbirds

 

All these extra R188's would be CBTC ready and the shutlle could be CBTC/ATO in no time this would save the MTA alot of money

[Lance]

Why? The 62s are doing just fine. Is there really a need for that many maintenance cars?

[Fresh Pond]

Why? The 62s are doing just fine. Is there really a need for that many maintenance cars?

Of course there isn't

[R32 3838]

You have Redbirds that will eventually need to be replaced in the A divison that does garbage pick ups and the rail adhesion train also the signal dolly

 

Its more like a 60% fleet expansion for the IRT and 40% replacement

 

Theres no plans to link up the R62As that are singles you mind as well have em for work service

[MHV9218]

...or just leave them as they are and use them in service. Corona has run 11 singles coupled up before, they can do it again and so can every other yard with 10 cars. This is a classic case of It's Fine Now.

[AndrewJC]

Agreed, but couldn't something similar have been done atleast for the itself? It doesn't share tracks with the other Irt lines except for late nights or the for that matter.

Then no 4 or 5 train could ever run on the local track.

 

Also to throw this in, isn't almost every signal outside of the A div and the aging? Maybe its based on the demand first.

No, I believe all of the BMT has been resignaled by now. Much of the IND has not.

 

In the grand scheme of things, what is three to five years on a timeline of a century?

Three to five years? Optimistically, signal replacements systemwide take at least half a century. The IND still has 80 year old signals! Several IND lines will be getting new signals (i.e., CBTC) before the mainline IRT is touched. 

 

With a capacity for 2400 people per train, at the Q's current frequency of 7tph, that is 16800 people per hour. Since the Q will no longer be constrained by the 60th St tubes, its biggest constraint will be shared track with the N (7 TPH). With B-Division signalling capacity topping out at 30 TPH, there is scope to significantly increase capacity once the Q is taken out of 60th St. Assuming a peak-hour capacity of 25 TPH (similar to what runs on the Lex Express today, with the complexities of the flat junction at Nostrand), the Q has the potential for 18 TPH capacity; 43200 people per hour. An additional 43200 people per hour on the East Side would be the biggest capacity improvement seen in a long time. In addition, a new line has other benefits; it decreases platform overcrowding on the Lex, increases property values and rents in the surrounding areas, and brings ADA accessibility to the East Side. And this is just phase 1. CBTC on the does none of this.

It is physically impossible to fit 240 people on a 60 foot car. The guideline capacity (which is very crowded) is 145.The demand for SAS requires nowhere near 18 tph, nor could 28 tph (including the B) realistically fit through DeKalb/Gold interlocking coming off the Brighton line.

 

I think the MTA should expand the R188 order for the mainline IRT, 7937-8037 would be the numbers 100 cars is good enough these would be in 5 car sets 8038-8046 would be in 3 car sets, 8047-60 would be in 4 car sets for the shuttle only, I would displace most of the R62A singles to the C division, the R62A's from the shuttle could be converted to rail adhesion cars for the dyre line replacing those RedbirdsAll these extra R188's would be CBTC ready and the shutlle could be CBTC/ATO in no time this would save the MTA alot of money

Yeah, because ordering 121 or 122 (your numbers don't match) excess cars is a great way to save money. Great idea!

[4P3607]

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

[R62AR33]

...or just leave them as they are and use them in service. Corona has run 11 singles coupled up before, they can do it again and so can every other yard with 10 cars. This is a classic case of It's Fine Now.

I agree everything is fine as it is now , there's no need to come up with crazy idea's just because someone wants to see R188s on the mainline... , the mainline will have enough R62As and R142/As for regular service.

Edited November 14, 2013 by R62AR33

[realizm]

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

 

*ding * *ding* I think we have a winner here...

[R42N]

Wow, The R188s run well the announcments to mets wilites point go ever are strange

[realizm]

Ok I have a question: Currently I know the last train goes OOS at around 7:30PM each night at Main Street weekdays and weeknights according to this T/O and a track worker. Question is when does it go into service? I've heard 7AM and 10:30AM (weekends). Can anyone here clarify this for me? 

 

I understand that this weekend GO's calls for a shutdown between Main Street and Willets Point but generally speaking what is the current pattern? 

Edited November 16, 2013 by realizm

[Orion VII 4 Life]

Believe it actually goes OOS at around 8. I had it around 7:30 tonight going to Times Square.

[R32 3838]

When I rode it on my way home it went OOS at 8:30

[Lance]

As we wait for 7211 and company to reenter service as converted 188s, let's look back at their first rail tests way back in 2000

 

Courtesy: Transitviews

[realizm]

Man I can still remember the 30 Day in revenue tests on the . That was something else, for its time it was really cool seeing NTT's on the IRT for the first time. 

[Turbo19]

^{R188s Being Tested on the Flushing Line}

 

An 11-car train of new Kawasaki R-188 subway cars recently began 30-day performance testing along the Flushing Line.  The new-technology cars are part of an order for new and retrofitted cars and are the first A-division (numbered line) cars to be outfitted for Communications Based Train Control (CBTC) operation.

 

The 30-day test for R-188 cars began on November 9 and is the final test to observe the performance of the train set in customer service.  This test is the culmination of an extensive battery of engineering tests conducted since the beginning of 2013 to verify the R-188 design and train performance.  Following the successful completion of testing, NYC Transit will begin the process of accepting new cars from Kawasaki to support CBTC and the opening of the Line extension.

 

Read More: Source

 

MTA as usual late with their own news press release, as nearly everyone already knew..

[Fan Railer]

R188s Being Tested on the Flushing Line

 

An 11-car train of new Kawasaki R-188 subway cars recently began 30-day performance testing along the Flushing Line.  The new-technology cars are part of an order for new and retrofitted cars and are the first A-division (numbered line) cars to be outfitted for Communications Based Train Control (CBTC) operation.

 

The 30-day test for R-188 cars began on November 9 and is the final test to observe the performance of the train set in customer service.  This test is the culmination of an extensive battery of engineering tests conducted since the beginning of 2013 to verify the R-188 design and train performance.  Following the successful completion of testing, NYC Transit will begin the process of accepting new cars from Kawasaki to support CBTC and the opening of the Line extension.

 

Read More: Source

 

MTA as usual late with their own news press release, as nearly everyone already knew..

Honestly, I think the MTA waits on the press releases for stuff like this so that the line is not overflowing with foamers AND press (foamers are hard enough to deal with, but add the press in, and someone might fall on the tracks and die or something)...

[Turbo19]

Honestly, I think the MTA waits on the press releases for stuff like this so that the line is not overflowing with foamers AND press (foamers are hard enough to deal with, but add the press in, and someone might fall on the tracks and die or something)...

True. All true.

[realizm]

Honestly, I think the MTA waits on the press releases for stuff like this so that the line is not overflowing with foamers AND press (foamers are hard enough to deal with, but add the press in, and someone might fall on the tracks and die or something)...

 

My impression was that the MTA didn't not want to make a press release until they can get a confirm that the R188 set is running without any impeding mechanical difficulties, before making an official announcement. However you got me on the fact that we can be sure the MTA Executive Committee have to had chucked among themselves over the amount of straphangers in the know just waiting to ride this train these past weekends, all good. But yeah.

[alejr88]

Finally caught it, had a nice ride to QBP.