For the first time, I noticed that the MTA finally installed new fluorescent light bulbs in the track tunnels of my subway line.  

My train was stopped midtunnel because of train traffic, and one of those single, white bulbs was just outside the window.  They even replaced the blue marker bulbs (that indicate power cutoff points).

Compact fluorescent bulbs replaced conventional incandescent light in tunnels because the compact bulb design fit the same sockets. Compact bulbs offer the same benefits as longer fluorescent light tubes and have increased tunnel lighting 500 percent with just a modest power increase of 11 percent. What’s more, since each compact fluorescent bulb consumes four-to-six times less energy than an incandescent bulb, the compact bulb yields 1,300 fewer pounds of carbon dioxide emissions over its lifetime of 7,500 to 10,000 hours. Overall, station and tunnel lighting upgrades have made stations and tunnels brighter, safer, more secure, and more comfortable, and save NYC Transit $4.8 million a year.

Wow…$4.8 million is pretty insane considering all they did was replace lightbulbs.  Think of the efficiencies that could be found elsewhere.

And when you think about it, the old bulbs lasted 750 hours before they burned out (31 days).  The new bulbs last up to 10,000 hours.  That’s over a year!  

So there’s a big savings just in the cost of paying a person to go around and replace the tunnel bulbs.

The new ones fit right into the regular screw in sockets. The tunnels are noticeably brighter too.

Ok, so yeah I know I just wrote an entire post about lightbulbs.  It was a slow day. But hey…you just read it.