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MTA opens new $530M South Ferry station, easing commuters' hassle

Trainspotter

By Trainspotter,
in New York City Subway

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Trainspotter

Trainspotter

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The "South Ferry Shuffle," a forced migration of subway riders to the front of No. 1 trains, ended Monday with the opening of a long-awaited new station.

 

In shuttering the early 20th-century South Ferry station, the MTA shifted operations to a new, $530 million replacement at the southern tip of Manhattan.

 

The South Ferry station has a longer, straighter platform that allows conductors to open doors in all 10 train cars.

 

For decades, conductors had to tell riders to move forward at the Rector St. station to be positioned for a South Ferry exit. The antiquated curved station allowed only the doors on the first five cars to open.

 

"You no longer have to make the mad dash to the front of the train," a conductor told riders heading to the new hub.

 

The announcement puzzled tourists in one train car but a few locals appreciated the news. One even burst into applause.

 

The new South Ferry has tracks on either side of a shared platform, replacing a loop system used by trains to make slow U-turns to head back north.

 

Transit officials said they expected a more efficient flow of trains with fewer delays and shorter trips for riders.

 

"You always had to wait for the train in front of you," said Jose Morales, 22, a vocational school student from Staten Island.

 

NYC Transit, the subway-bus division, now has the capacity to run more trains per hour if ridership grows, officials said.

 

Gov. Paterson headlined a large contingent of elected officials for a station-opening ceremony Monday morning.

 

The completion of the project illustrated the city's resiliency after the 9/11 terror attacks, Paterson said. Federal recovery funds paid for most of the project.

 

For about three hours Monday, however, trains were halted south of 14th St. because of a water main break in the city's distribution system.

 

The water main break flooded tracks, forcing NYC Transit to cut the power.

 

BY Pete Donohue

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

March 17th 2009

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MTR Admiralty

MTR Admiralty

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Nice stuff, and well... The new station sure is delayed for 2 years already... Sure, it is good to still have the Old Station at heart... I still prefer the Old over New for some friggin reason! I guess it is because the Old is the station that seems to be just a perfect looking subway station... The new one just looks more of commuter rail station than a subway station, :(... Sorry new one, :)!

 

I prefer the new, at least wheelchair users have access to the station now.

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MTR Admiralty

MTR Admiralty

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Well, that station can be extended if the New One isn't build... And I am pretty sure it can...

 

 

 

Well, I prefer a hot station with an interesing curve and platform than have a modern commuter rail like plastic looking thingy, :)!

No it cannot, there are constraints.

You mean a canopy? That's modern architecture, this station is sort of a prototype of what you will expect from the SAS.

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7LineFan

7LineFan

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No it cannot, there are constraints.

You mean a canopy? That's modern architecture, this station is sort of a prototype of what you will expect from the SAS.

 

You mean that bland look? I see the functionality in the station, but please, liven up those walls a little! It looks boring!

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7LineFan

7LineFan

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Yeah I know, I'm pretty sure these guys were doing a hasty job. I would prefer a model of the original terra cotta.

 

Something like what they did at the 96th (1)(2)(3) station? Except modeled after the loop station of course.

 

It would be nice if they transplanted the tile from the loop station into the new station... but that's asking too much and would cost too much.

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MTR Admiralty

MTR Admiralty

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Something like what they did at the 96th (1)(2)(3) station? Except modeled after the loop station of course.

 

It would be nice if they transplanted the tile from the loop station into the new station... but that's asking too much and would cost too much.

 

Yeah, I'd probably go with the former. Transplanting tiles would really be too much. And remember it would only cover a small section of the station.

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INDman Train Operator

INDman

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Pretty nice.

Though it had been reported that the tail ends would be long (far back) enough that trains could enter faster, they still crawl in below 10 just like any other block terminal (including the old loop).

 

I thought so too, you would think that it would be pushed back as far as possible to allow trains to enter faster. I do think that the cross over north of the station was moved up. Trains can leave alot faster then that joke of a terminal at Parsons/Archer.

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MTR Admiralty

MTR Admiralty

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I thought so too, you would think that it would be pushed back as far as possible to allow trains to enter faster. I do think that the cross over north of the station was moved up. Trains can leave alot faster then that joke of a terminal at Parsons/Archer.

 

Hmmm, in that case, that would mean more frequency right? Although the new station could handle additional capacity, you have to consider its northern terminal.

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INDman Train Operator

INDman

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As has been debated on subchat for a while, the new terminal only allows for 1 more train I think. And yes the northern terminal effects this too. Imagine if South Ferry was built like an island version of Second Ave. on the (V). When the (V) comes in, its speed is only limited by the speed going through the interlocking (15-20 mph, I think). There are no timers on either track and when leaving, they can get some speed. The on thing I do find odd in a way is that when the (1) returns to its original tracks, you can see the tunnels going off to the loop. For some reason they seemed very dark today and almost erie.

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Urbanfortitude

Urbanfortitude

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Well, that station can be extended if the New One isn't build... And I am pretty sure it can...

 

 

I totally couldn't stand the old station. Too small and then once you got off the train, if you didn't want your ear drums split in half you needed to get outta there before the train pulled off. Besides could you imagine the frustration it would cause shutting (1) service off during the construction there? The new station is much better suited for the (1) and it is an amazing design, probably the only station with its particular design in the entire system.

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MTR Admiralty

MTR Admiralty

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I totally couldn't stand the old station. Too small and then once you got off the train, if you didn't want your ear drums split in half you needed to get outta there before the train pulled off. Besides could you imagine the frustration it would cause shutting (1) service off during the construction there? The new station is much better suited for the (1) and it is an amazing design, probably the only station with its particular design in the entire system.

 

Probably the only faults I see now, are the aesthetics.

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metsfan

metsfan

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They couldn't push the ends back any farther. Would end up in the water. You need a healthy dose of ground (even if it is fill) to support the ferry terminal and adjacent structures. Also remember that it has to support the old loop above in addition to everything else. If it were bedrock and more space, they would make it longer, but it's more like the (E) at chambers vs (7) at tsq.

 

- A

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