Timers under scrutiny in latest Village Voice article; Byford critical

[JeremiahC99]

When did they install that timer on the IRT Nostrand Avenue Line  in the middle of the Church Avenue station going southbound?

[Trainmaster5]

2 hours ago, JeremiahC99 said:

When did they install that timer on the IRT Nostrand Avenue Line  in the middle of the Church Avenue station going southbound?

Before the Redbird era. Probably back when the Lo-V equipment and the SMEE equipment ran together.  That timer is associated with the interlocking signal and the switches at the south end of the station.  Carry on. 

[JeremiahC99]

3 hours ago, Trainmaster5 said:

Before the Redbird era. Probably back when the Lo-V equipment and the SMEE equipment ran together.  That timer is associated with the interlocking signal and the switches at the south end of the station.  Carry on. 

So this timer was there before the 1995 Williamsburg Bridge Crash?

[Trainmaster5]

30 minutes ago, JeremiahC99 said:

So this timer was there before the 1995 Williamsburg Bridge Crash?

Before the Redbird era,  before the 1995 crash, and before 1981. It was there when I operated 9 car  trains to Flatbush before the first 62 and 62a cars arrived. Carry on 

[Daniel The Cool]

On 3/15/2018 at 10:55 AM, paulrivera said:

There’s this timer on the southbound  and  tracks pulling out of 34th Street that imo is pretty ridiculous. It’s protecting a switching point that rarely (if ever) gets used, and it’s a straight path with no curve and no grading!

That timer actually is needed. I think it had something to do with vibrations level on the street or something like that.

[kosciusko]

https://ny.curbed.com/2018/3/15/17123740/mta-subway-delay-train-speed-limit

https://www.6sqft.com/mta-considers-raising-subway-speed-limits-to-reduce-delays/

 

Seems like this issue is getting some real attention. Hopefully something is done about it.

[RR503]

10 hours ago, Daniel The Cool said:

That timer actually is needed. I think it had something to do with vibrations level on the street or something like that.

Nope it protects that crossover, and discourages overshooting 23rd, which is ridiculous given that if one wanted to, one could wrap it up and absolutely blast into 23 even with the timer. 

And FWIW, if it was protecting vibrations, there’s a much easier solution than timing. It’s called low vibration track. 

[CenSin]

Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center has got a lot of them. and trains going in don’t even have any switches in the immediate vicinity to worry about.

For 4 Avenue, those southbound signals on the express track are usually red/yellow stretching all the way to the north end of 25 Street. I have my doubts that such a huge buffer is needed to protect switches just north of 36 Street. Same for the northbound express track around 45 Street.

[m7zanr160s]

I've been noticing new switches being installed on the commuter railroads. They are unique in that they're seamless when trains run over them, I'm assuming causing way less wear and tear. I don't know what they're called, but I know the frog point moves too. I wonder if they are considering using these in the subway, too. Or, would that be too many moving points to maintain?

[Eric B]

Those are slip switches, and the subway does have them (like at Myrtle-Bway; unused now because of the viaduct construction, but still left in place), but they're harder to maintain, and so the subway isn't going to want to install more.

[RR503]

Slip switches are different. Those connect two tracks on a diamond. What he’s talking about are movable frogs, a technology which does what it’s name suggests. While they reduce equipment wear, they are indeed a lot to maintain given all their moving parts. 

I’d say a better investment would be spring frog switches for little used crossovers — obviate the need to time them.

[m7zanr160s]

2 hours ago, RR503 said:

Slip switches are different. Those connect two tracks on a diamond. What he’s talking about are movable frogs, a technology which does what it’s name suggests. While they reduce equipment wear, they are indeed a lot to maintain given all their moving parts. 

I’d say a better investment would be spring frog switches for little used crossovers — obviate the need to time them.

I just found out that it's called a swingnose crossing. In watching a few new LIRR RFW videos, I've seen that they're converting to that kind of switch heavily now. I like how they allow for smooth high-speed operation on crossovers.

[brakethrow]

Sorry to bring up an old thread thou lately I've really been questioning the necessity of these newly installed timers..

A few questions

Why do some homeballs need to be approached at slow speeds if the train won't be crossing the switch ?

What is the point of that timer approaching Franklin Ave going s/b on the ?

And what's up with the slow down of the QBE ? 10 years ago I remember trains were flying between Forest Hills and Jackson Heights. Now you only get decent speeds after Jackson Heights (trains fly past 65th St with very few train ops keeping it wrapped up throughout that light curve).

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

The curve at Northern only has timers northbound (the only timers between 36th and Roosevelt n/b) and a speed sign southbound.

The timers on the express stretch between Roosevelt and Queens Plaza/21st are before 36th s/b,  in b/d b/t 36th and Queens Plaza, and the curve between 36th and 21st on the

Cant speak to the express stretch east of Roosevelt, but the local has no timers (except implicit station timing when stations are occupied)

[CenSin]

I ride the Queens Boulevard Line west of Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue pretty frequently. I think it’s fast for the most part, or at least much less infuriating than other lines with merges on the express track.