Author: subwayblogger

Guess what. The subway is over crowded.

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Howard Roberts Jr, President of Obvious Information and City Transit President, tells the Post that subway ridership is already at an insane 50 year high of 1.5 BILLION riders a year. 

In even more obvious news, that means that riding the train is going to be more crowded and slower.  Shocker.

So what does he plan to do about it?  Well, he proposes that subway platforms get lengthened to allow 2 extra cars per train.  Also, he proposes that technology be improved to allow the trains to run faster than 18mph (average) and run closer together.  If the trains can run closer together, they could run more trains, more frequently. 

Also, if Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan happens, it will result in an immediate 2% increase in ridership.  Joy.

Long story short, the MTA needs to finally get rid of all the 1930’s technology and step up their game.

Last but not least, here’s the holiday weekend transit changes: (includes MONDAY)

1 train: No trains between 14th Street and South Ferry.

2, 3 trains: Trains run local between 96th and Chambers streets.

7 train:Flushing-bound trains run express between Woodside-61st Street and Willets Point until 10 p.m. Sunday.

A, C trains Starting tonight at 11:30 p.m. uptown trains run express between 59th and 125th streets.

E, R trains: Queens-bound trains run express from Queens Plaza to Roosevelt Avenue until 5 a.m. Monday.

F train:Queens-bound trains run on the V line between 47th-50th Street Rockefeller Center and Roosevelt Avenue. Coney Island-bound trains run express from Smith-9th Streets to Church Avenue.

G train: No trains between 71st-Continental Avenue and Court Square until 5 a.m. Monday.

N train:Manhattan-bound trains run express between Stillwell Avenue and 59th Streets. rerouted over the Manhattan Bridge from Canal Street to De Kalb Avenue.

Hide your daughters: It’s Fleet Week

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Fleet Week Sailors

No, there isn’t a “Village People” convention in town. It’s fleet week. Sailors and Navy staffers are all over midtown this week.

Usually, as the week goes on, the crew begins to spread out more and more. You’ll end up finding them in the subway headed for the far most reaches of the island.

One nice thing is that it is Memorial Day Weekend. Already, the morning and afternoon commutes are getting easier as people have already left the city for the weekend.

This morning, the train was not at all crowded. There were even seats. So I guess there will be even fewer 9 to 5ers on the train tomorrow (Friday).

Live from the subway, back to you in studio… .

Subway Report Card = Bad News Bears

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f.gifLast week, the MTA President, Howard Roberts Jr., announced that one of his first initiatives is to develop a subway and bus report card system.  Basically, the system would allow line riders to grade the system.  Everything from reliability and service to cleanliness and security is up for evaluation.
Sounds like a good plan.  Why?  Because it’s a clear rip off of the Straphangers Campaign concept.  They’ve been grading for a while now, so that’s probably why it sounds familiar.

He envisions cards that would be handed out to riders as they exit stations, and which they could fill out and mail in at no cost.

Does anyone else smell the government job backwards logic with that idea?  Why hand out the cards as people are leaving the subway?  It’s going get tossed in the trash with all the takeout menus you get handed on the way to work. 

Instead, why not hand out the cards as people ENTER the subway.  Also, hand them one of those little golf pencils with the card.  Then, people can fill out the cards as they wait for the train or while riding it in the first place!  After people get to their destination, they will already have filled the card out, and they can deposit them at the station booth (or a mailbox on street level).

That would probably generate waaay more responses.  It would also save lots of money in postage costs because most of the cards could be collected right at the station versus having them dropped into USPS mailboxes. 

The grading system is first going to start on the 7 line.  Hopefully, the wounds won’t still be raw from the recent 7 line construction closures.  That might cause some “colorful” responses on those cards.

The MTA should also look into an online system.  Clearly, all riders don’t have access to the Internet, so the card system is probably the most inclusive method.  However, an online system might also be good.

Best Subway Ad Campaign

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Winner…Jameson whiskey. Have you seen this campaign? It is by far my favorite in a long time.

Finally, a campaign with a good sense of humor specifically targeted at subway riders. Here’s some favorite quotes…

Why people enjoy Jameson

“Maybe because ‘Next round on me’ is easier to understand than ‘stanclearclosindoor’.”

“Maybe people like Jameson because the ads give you something to stare at when you don’t know where to look.”

“Maybe because whiskey is the nectar of the gods. Right after wine and milk and maybe honey.”

There’s plenty more too. Each one gave me a little laugh. I especially like the one that says “stanclearclosindoor.” They really spelled it that way too.

Bravo.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio… .

Emergency Brake Pulled

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Ever been on a train where someone pulled the emergency brake? It SUUUUUUCKS.

My train had the brake pulled this morning. Luckily, I was up and out very early this morning, so I don’t think there will be much of an impact on the overall line.

Anyway, we were stopped at the station when it was pulled. The first order of business is that the train crew has to find out what happened. They know the brake has been pulled, but not why. I have a feeling on these older trains that they can’t tell which car without checking each one.

So they start checking car by car. Turns out it was some punk that pulled it and ran. No real emergency. However, the police still need to come. Now you can see how the time starts ticking away.

Also, other MTA workers have to come inspect the car. Apparently, it isn’t as easy as just taking off the E-brake and moving on. It’s a whole complicated process to rearm the emergency brake so that the train can keep moving.

Obviously, that train is no longer an option for now. People now are scrambling to figure out an alternative. Trains are bypassing this stop since this train is suck here. So it is time to hoof it to the nearest express stop, which is not in the same direction. Great.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Reebok wants us to be fat

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This Reebok (or Rbk as they are now going with) shoes subway campaign is starting to bug me.

They are using this “Run easy” slogan now. Seriously? Isn’t the point of running to NOT run easy? Last I heard, runners wanted to break a sweat.

One of the signs is particularly obnoxious. It says, “Stop and smell the garbage. Run easy.” Perhaps by “garbage” they mean the quality of their product. Surely they aren’t taking a jab at the home city of their customers.

Here’s another. “A 10 minute mile is just as far as a 6 minute mile. Run easy.” Why not just say screw the mile, get a cab. Cab easy.

It sounds like they are trying to promote being slow. Maybe its a ploy for a whole other shoe product. They are trying to fatten us up so that we have to buy their velcro sneakers when we are too fat to reach our shoelaces.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

MTA Tests the Protran1 Safety Equipment

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Protran1 gear 

The MTA is (and has) been testing the Protran1 safety system for its track workers.  The system allows workers to be alerted wirelessly when there is a train approaching. 

According to the Protran1 website, sensors are mounted on the trains which will set off portable warning lights/alarms.  The system can also set off portable pocket devices carried by each worker.  That way if they miss the primary alarm, there is the backup warning right in their pockets.  The system can warn workers when a train is 3000 feet away.

A few days ago, SUBWAYblogger reader Larry wrote a commenttalking about this Protran1 system saying that the MTA should look into it.  Looks like Larry was right!!

There is something that we find somewhat disturbing in this story though:

In the meantime, supervisors have been given radios to improve communication with train controllers, and maintenance workers have been retrained on track safety. – AP/NY Post

In the meantime?  You mean that they haven’t had these radios all along?  I’m no track worker or engineer, but wouldn’t you think that it only makes sense for the construction leader on site to have a radio that connects them to the train controllers?  That’s just common sense.  We’re kind of shocked that hasn’t been happening all along.

Also, the MTA has been going on and on about its commitment to worker safety.  Seems like a load of bull after the story that hit the presses this weekend.  Apparently, the alarm box at 59th Street where Daniel Boggs was killed has just now been repaired!  And that’s not even the most shocking news.

Apparently, there are 188 alarm boxes that are out of service at the this time.  That’s nearly 10%!  The broken alarm box that failed to warn Boggs had a repair ticked submitted almost a year before his death.  Yet, it still had not been repaired. 

Wouln’t you think that when you go to work in a specific area, the first thing the crews should do is check to see that all the “alarm boxes” are working?  If they discover one that is busted, they should fix that first before starting work on the rails, cleaning, or whatever they are there to do.