42nd Street Shuttle Update

[Union Tpke]

A35302 / A37116
STATION RECONSTRUCTION: TIMES SQUARE, PHASE 3 - SHUTTLE**
MORE THAN $100M

Provide modifications at Times Square and Grand Central shuttle stations. At Times Square, conversion from a three-track to a two-track shuttle operation with a six-car train on each track. The existing platforms will be reconfigured into one twenty-eight foot wide platform which shall also be extended 360-feet easterly along the existing track alignment. Provide a second means of egress at the east end of the extended platform. Work will include:

Provide vertical accessibility by installing a new twenty-foot (20') wide stairway from the shuttle mezzanine to street level. Provide a canopy over the new stairway and a new Control Area on the shuttle mezzanine.

Remove approximately five existing columns that fall within the footprint of the new Control Area and approximately sixteen (16) existing columns from the shuttle mezzanine.

Modify structural system (underpinning of roof beams) at all column thinning locations to redistribute the loads.

Remove existing Control Area R-153 in its entirety, stairs P-9 and S-12, and slab over.

Relocate a total of 142 columns at the concourse area for proper alignment of car doors and to permit proper passenger flow.

New communication rooms at Times Square and Grand Central Terminal Shuttle Stations.

GCT scrubber room to be relocated from Shuttle passageway to Lex. Line GCT employee area.

Removal of stair P-4 at GCT Shuttle Station and enlarge stair P-3.

Restoration of condemned women's locker room and restroom at Times Square.

Duration of Contract 46 Months

[Lawrence St]

I would just discontinue the shuttle, it's useless when we have the (7).

[Union Tpke]

2 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

I would just discontinue the shuttle, it's useless when we have the (7).

Do you realize how heavily used it is?

[Jemorie]

1 hour ago, Lawrence St said:

I would just discontinue the shuttle, it's useless when we have the (7).

This is honestly the most ignorant statement I've ever read from you. Just proves you don't use neither the shuttle nor the  train at Times Square/Grand Central on a daily basis.

[Deucey]

1 hour ago, Lawrence St said:

I would just discontinue the shuttle, it's useless when we have the (7).

Why? It's pretty much the only reliable train in the system.

[trainfan22]

1 hour ago, Lawrence St said:

I would just discontinue the shuttle, it's useless when we have the (7).

That would be an disaster, especially during rush hour. Shuttle gets packed to capacity at both stops during rush hour. 

 

 

 

[MysteriousBtrain]

2 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

I would just discontinue the shuttle, it's useless when we have the (7).

No. Otherwise it would have went a long time ago.

[Lawrence St]

I hope you guys realized I was joking and being sarcastic...

[MysteriousBtrain]

9 minutes ago, Lawrence St said:

I hope you guys realized I was joking and being "sarcastic"...

Yeah ok.

[Eric B]

3 hours ago, Union Tpke said:

Provide a second means of egress at the east end of the extended platform. Work will include:

Provide vertical accessibility by installing a new twenty-foot (20') wide stairway from the shuttle mezzanine to street level. Provide a canopy over the new stairway and a new Control Area on the shuttle mezzanine.

Is one of these the connection to the 6th avenue passageway?

Quote

Remove existing Control Area R-153 in its entirety, stairs P-9 and S-12, and slab over.

Removal of stair P-4 at GCT Shuttle Station and enlarge stair P-3.

Which ones are these?

[kosciusko]

6 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

I would just discontinue the shuttle, it's useless when we have the (7).

Please cool it with this. The  is way better than the  for going between the two stations. 

Edit: nvm you were joking.

[Union Tpke]

17 hours ago, Eric B said:

Is one of these the connection to the 6th avenue passageway?

Which ones are these?

I have been trying to find out. It might be the 43rd Street entrance but I don't know.

[Italianstallion]

Will these modifications connect the remaining 2 tracks so there could be a through route between the East Suide and West Side lines, which is not possible now?

[R68OnBroadway]

12 minutes ago, Italianstallion said:

Will these modifications connect the remaining 2 tracks so there could be a through route between the East Suide and West Side lines, which is not possible now?

That might not be that bad of an idea in case there is meltdown on one of the lines.

[officiallyliam]

1 hour ago, Italianstallion said:

Will these modifications connect the remaining 2 tracks so there could be a through route between the East Suide and West Side lines, which is not possible now?

It won’t do that; in fact it will sever the connection between the shuttle and the West Side IRT in order to straighten the platform at Times Square.

[R68OnBroadway]

52 minutes ago, officiallyliam said:

 deleted post

[Lance]

18 hours ago, Italianstallion said:

Will these modifications connect the remaining 2 tracks so there could be a through route between the East Suide and West Side lines, which is not possible now?

No. In order to permit through operation between 7th Avenue and the shuttle tracks, a section of 7th Avenue north of Times Square would have to be rebuilt to facilitate such a connection.

Courtesy: Andrew Lynch

That connection would require a complete rebuild of the Times Square shuttle platform as both it and the 7th Avenue tracks are at the exact same level. That is unless you're trying to emulate the track layout at Myrtle Av-Broadway. The east end would be relatively easier as most of the infrastructure still exists as illustrated in the map above. The grey line just south of the Grand Central Lexington Ave station is the original track alignment (track since removed) for the subway before the 1918 H-system was implemented with full Lexington Ave and 7th Avenue service. This reconstruction would likely require destroying a section of the shuttle platform at Grand Central though and that's a lot of work for the rare time such a service reroute would be necessary.

[Deucey]

2 hours ago, Lance said:

No. In order to permit through operation between 7th Avenue and the shuttle tracks, a section of 7th Avenue north of Times Square would have to be rebuilt to facilitate such a connection.

Courtesy: Andrew Lynch

That connection would require a complete rebuild of the Times Square shuttle platform as both it and the 7th Avenue tracks are at the exact same level. That is unless you're trying to emulate the track layout at Myrtle Av-Broadway. The east end would be relatively easier as most of the infrastructure still exists as illustrated in the map above. The grey line just south of the Grand Central Lexington Ave station is the original track alignment (track since removed) for the subway before the 1918 H-system was implemented with full Lexington Ave and 7th Avenue service. This reconstruction would likely require destroying a section of the shuttle platform at Grand Central though and that's a lot of work for the rare time such a service reroute would be necessary.

That loop track from SB Lex Express to WB Flushing actually exists??

[officiallyliam]

38 minutes ago, Deucey said:

That loop track from SB Lex Express to WB Flushing actually exists??

Although it looks like it's leading from the Flushing Line to Lexington (which would be really cool), the loop is actually just from the westbound to eastbound Flushing track. It's a vestige from when the Steinway Tunnel was used for streetcars and extended only as far as Grand Central.

[QM1to6Ave]

On 3/16/2018 at 10:20 PM, officiallyliam said:

It won’t do that; in fact it will sever the connection between the shuttle and the West Side IRT in order to straighten the platform at Times Square.

So how will they get the shuttle train to and from the yard without that connection to the 1/2/3 tracks?

[Trainmaster5]

4 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

So how will they get the shuttle train to and from the yard without that connection to the 1/2/3 tracks?

S/B local track at Grand Central. Proceed south of the station. Reverse move at the switch and proceed N/B against traffic onto GC shuttle track 1. I’ve done shuttle swaps back in the day 👍🏾. Bring in the new consist and take away the old one. Piece of cake. It’s only the shuttle train on track 4 that uses the west side track to swap equipment. The proposed alignment eliminates the need for that move if I’m reading it correctly. Carry on.

[Lawrence St]

I still think removing Track 4 would be a really bad idea if it's going to sever the connection to 7th Avenue, especially in today's mess of both 7th Avenue and Lex Avenue. If they were really smart, they would reconfigure the tracks to allow trains on both 7th Av and Lex Av to cross over, eliminating the need for the  to run over the  and bypass 7th Av completely, and vice versa. 

[Trainmaster5]

5 hours ago, Lawrence St said:

I still think removing Track 4 would be a really bad idea if it's going to sever the connection to 7th Avenue, especially in today's mess of both 7th Avenue and Lex Avenue. If they were really smart, they would reconfigure the tracks to allow trains on both 7th Av and Lex Av to cross over, eliminating the need for the  to run over the  and bypass 7th Av completely, and vice versa. 

Are you really suggesting that it’s a good idea for s/b  ,  or  trains to cross the n/b  7th Avenue tracks and enter the shuttle ROW ? Does the proposal mention that the present shuttle tracks be extended to platform ten cars ? If it doesn’t where are these rerouted trains supposed to stop ? If you reverse your suggestion the same thing applies. Leaving your idea to just the  and the  lines the NTT equipment has programs for each specific reroute which , IMO, makes more sense than your hybrid reroute idea. One of the basic rules in RTO is to isolate your problem. Your solution creates a problem and delay on the west and east sides.  Carry on 

[LGA Link N Train]

@Union Tpke Didn't you mention in another thread that the Shuttle was having one of it's tracks removed and the trains were going to be lengthen to 6 cars?

[Union Tpke]

Yes.