New York City - Transit News

[Busy Bee]

Insane something like this costs so much.

[k1052]

I'm curious how many more TPH they think they can get out of the E with CBTC, given the line's terminal constraints.

Hopefully this 5 year install contract doesn't turn into 10.

[mrnyc]

pat foye's op -ed:


Op-ed: MTA remains committed to further progress in 2020

https://www.amny.com/transit/op-ed-m...gress-in-2020/

Originally Posted by hallelujah

buy headphones

so, you sign up to participate on ssp and this is your very first post?

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by k1052

AOC is tearing into the LGA AirTrain project.

https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2020/01/...-lga-airtrain/



Some points were made.

so is 2nd ave sagas blog:


HOW THE PORT AUTHORITY RIGGED ITS ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS IN FAVOR OF CUOMO’S AIRTRAIN

written by Benjamin Kabak
January 8, 2020


http://secondavenuesagas.com/2020/01...rain/#comments

[k1052]

Originally Posted by mrnyc

so is 2nd ave sagas blog:


HOW THE PORT AUTHORITY RIGGED ITS ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS IN FAVOR OF CUOMO’S AIRTRAIN

written by Benjamin Kabak
January 8, 2020


http://secondavenuesagas.com/2020/01...rain/#comments

Yeah, its pretty clear that the AA was preordained to turn out Cuomo's preferred result.

A number of better or cheaper options seem to have been discarded for arbitrary and nebulous reasons. Like bus lanes? Hello. They tossed this one because the PA didn't want to consider dedicated lanes inside the terminal area. This is virtually free.

I mean if you're going to insist on building an entirely new train send it to Roosevelt-Jackson Heights where you hit 5 subway services and 4 of those are B division with larger rolling stock. Also incidentally the MTA is spending a fortune to equip the Queens Blvd line with CBTC which would boost capacity in the time horizon for this thing to be finished.

[Busy Bee]

The most sensible plan is and will continue to be extending the Astoria line through a cut and cover subway east through underserved Steinway and a straight shot tunnel under LGA property with a station under the main terminal. The TBM could continue under Flushing Bay to College Point terminating at the old Flushing Airport land with a new yard and the potential for a huge TOD project.

[k1052]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

The most sensible plan is and will continue to be extending the Astoria line through a cut and cover subway east through underserved Steinway and a straight shot tunnel under LGA property with a station under the main terminal. The TBM could continue under Flushing Bay to College Point terminating at the old Flushing Airport land with a new yard and the potential for a huge TOD project.

Some version of an N extension was always the most logical choice. It also would have afforded the opportunity to build a more efficient terminal for the N so TPH could be increased and alleviate crowding on the line. The current setup at Ditmars isn't great.

[Busy Bee]

For even more value capture the extension could turn southwest after a College Point station in the vicinity of 28th Ave running under Willets Point and terminating at a new Willets Point super station with an expanded yard to maximize existing assets. An LGA N train shuttle could operate at a higher frequency to accomodate Long Island customers transferring from the LIRR station. This elimates the stand alone Airtrain scam and kills two birds with one stone while adding tens of thousands of riders with new subway access and unlocking enormous investment potential.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by mrnyc

oh great, everyone's worst nightmare is on the way. people blabbing on the phone underground. as if its not bad enough when they try to.

Originally Posted by k1052

Chicago has had service in the subways for 15 years and this doesn't happen.

Originally Posted by mrnyc

well if you can somehow use internet and not be able to yak on a phone then fine.

otherwise, bupkis.

It's generally too loud to talk on the phone while on the train. I've seen, maybe, a half-dozen phone calls (and answered exactly one myself) while on the train in the 15 years Chicago has had the capability and it's not an issue. On train runs that are nearly all commuters, it's actually eerily quiet and everyone has their nose in their phone using the web or other internet service, without fail.

And don't forget that the elevated part of the system has always had cell service and it hasn't been a problem there, either.

[Barney Greengrass]

Originally Posted by k1052

I'm curious how many more TPH they think they can get out of the E with CBTC, given the line's terminal constraints.

Hopefully this 5 year install contract doesn't turn into 10.

Minimum safe train arrivals that the MTA shoots for is a train every 4 minutes, so 15 trains per hour.

[k1052]

Originally Posted by Boerumer

Minimum safe train arrivals that the MTA shoots for is a train every 4 minutes, so 15 trains per hour.

That's what peak service is presently supposed to be. The E is already pretty timely compared to the bulk of NYCT's services so logically the major advantage of adding CBTC would seem to be squeezing a few more trains per hour out of it.

The L went from 15 to about 20 TPH after CBTC was done and it's got similar physical terminal constraints AFAIK. The L is supposed to reach 22 TPH after more traction power is added to the line.

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by emathias

It's generally too loud to talk on the phone while on the train. I've seen, maybe, a half-dozen phone calls (and answered exactly one myself) while on the train in the 15 years Chicago has had the capability and it's not an issue. On train runs that are nearly all commuters, it's actually eerily quiet and everyone has their nose in their phone using the web or other internet service, without fail.

And don't forget that the elevated part of the system has always had cell service and it hasn't been a problem there, either.

well i would totally disagree with you about that in ny re the elevated sections.

[mrnyc]

speaking of annoyances ... awkwafina takes over 7 train announcements:

https://gothamist.com/arts-entertain...ting-awkwafina

[Nexis4Jersey]

ᴴᴰ Offical Awkwafina 7 Express Train Comedy Announcements to 34 Street - Nora From Queens Promotion

• Video Link

[mrnyc]

open gangway trains are finally on the way.



Open-gangway subway trains a ‘departure’ from traditional NYC rolling-stock
Mark Hallum


The MTA is preparing to introduce a whole new breed of subway trains the agency says will make alleviate some crowding for New Yorkers.

After awarding a $1.4 billion contract to Kawasaki Rail Car Inc., New York City Transit announced that 535 of the R211 cars will be brought into service in 2020 and 2021.

Next year, commuters will get wider doors and open-gangways on trains, which the MTA says will give people more room to get on and off the car as well as more room to stand. The open-gangways will be in service in 2021, according to the MTA.


more:
https://www.amny.com/transit/open-ga...rolling-stock/

[Busy Bee]

I thought there was only going to be like 10 open-gangway test cars with the rest of the initial order being standard but with an option to have the next phase of the order be open-gangway if tests prove successful (code for can NYers not ruin this for themselves by having some charlatain injure his toe on the turntable and trying to sue the MTA or some nonsense).

[k1052]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

I thought there was only going to be like 10 open-gangway test cars with the rest of the initial order being standard but with an option to have the next phase of the order be open-gangway if tests prove successful (code for can NYers not ruin this for themselves by having some charlatain injure his toe on the turntable and trying to sue the MTA or some nonsense).

The R211 base order included two 10 car trains with open gangways. The options on the order can either be conventional cars or open gangway but the MTA has yet to decide AFAIK.

Also the MTA is considering open gangways for the A division R262s but has postponed the procurement process until at least next month. Probably 2025 before those cars hit the number lines.

[mrnyc]

i thought there was to be an initial test of 10 too, but article makes it seem like all 535 r211's will be open gangway. i guess we wait and see.

[mrnyc]

good news for the boroughs --- the triboro rx is back in play.


MTA pushes for transit expansions from Bay Ridge to Astoria
Mark Hallum


The 16 miles of track could potentially link riders to intersecting subway lines and the LIRR; one can imagine the likelihood of this with the track crossing 19 subway lines, according to the MTA.

The Bay Ridge Branch crosses from New York Harbor waterfront to the south through Midwood, East New York, Brownsville, Bushwick, Glendale, Middle Village and Elmhurst before reaching Astoria.

The MTA has given the $1.3 million contract to engineering firm AECOM, who will work with a subcontractor referred to by the agency as WSP.


more:
https://www.amny.com/transit/mta-pus...ge-to-astoria/

triboro rx plan:
http://library.rpa.org/interactive/the-triboro/

[k1052]

Aw fuck Byford resigned.

https://www.politico.com/states/new-...s-time-1253550

There is nearly nothing this governor can't ruin.