Home Service Advisories Three inches of rains blamed for subway mess

Three inches of rains blamed for subway mess

by Benjamin Kabak

As New York City Transit struggles to overcome a subway deluge that virtually shut down the subways for hours this morning, New York politicians have entered everyone’s favorite part of disaster relief: the finger-pointing.

Before the trains are back up and running, before the tracks have dried, the names are flying with Eliot Spitzer, Elliot Sander, the City Comptroller and even the National Weather Center getting in on the act.

Earlier this afternoon, New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer and MTA CEO Elliot “Lee” Sander held the ever-popular press conferences about the event. amNY’s Rolando Pujol was on hand to report. Spitzer dropped the bombshell that this system-wide failure happened after a torrential storm that dropped three inches of rain in an hour. Three inches! Imagine if New York City ended up on the wrong end of a hurricane-like storm. It would be crippling.

Spitzer noted that the delays and problems constituted “a highly unusual event,” but I beg to differ. Just two weeks ago, I wrote a little-noted post on the inadequacies of the MTA’s subway drainage system. Prophecies of doom came to bear sooner than any of us expected.

Lee Sander decided to ignore the state of the MTA and instead blamed the weatherman. “The timing and intensity of this storm took us by surprise because it was not predicted by the National Weather Service,” he said. But really, Lee, you don’t need a weatherman to know which way the rains drain.

Meanwhile, City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr., used this flood to draw attention to his call for proper and adequate state funding of the MTA and NYCT. In another release from his office, Thompson called on the state to protect its infrastructure.

“I urge the MTA to take this matter seriously and consider all of the New Yorkers who were inconvenienced today,” Thompson said. “These are the same New Yorkers who are expected to dig deeper into their pockets to pay higher fares over the next few years. Time and again, the riding public has been inconvenienced because the State has not appropriately invested in New York City Transit’s infrastructure. Today’s system-wide disruption indicates that there still is much more work ahead.”

So while the Governor has ordered a commission to investigate the system-wide failure today, the finger-pointing has started before the subway system is back up and running. Meanwhile, service alerts are as follows:

Updated at 5:36 p.m.

train service is running.

and train service is running.

and train service is running.

train service is running.

trains are running local service only.

trains are running.

train service is running.

train service is running.

train service is running.

Service on the Queens Blvd corridor is not expected to return to normal for this evening’s rush hour. Currently:

trains are operating in two sections, World Trade Center – Queens Plaza and Parsons Archer – Roosevelt Ave.

Shuttle Bus service is available between Queens Plaza and Jackson Hts – Roosevelt Ave.

trains are suspended in both directions between the 21st Street – Queensbridge Station and the Jamaica – 179th Street Station.

Shuttle Bus service is available between 21st Street – Queensbridge Station and Queens Plaza Station

Shuttle Bus service is running from the 179th Street – Hillside Station to the Sutphin Blvd. – Archer Avenue Station

trains are suspended in both directions between the Long Island City – Court Square Station and the Bedford – Nostrand station.

train service is operating between Bedford – Nostrand and 4th Avenue – 9th Street Station.

Shuttle Bus service is available from Bedford – Nostrand Station to Long Island City – Court Square Station

trains are suspended in both directions between the 2nd Avenue Station and the Forest Hills-71st Avenue Station. As an alternative, Jamaica-bound customers should take the Long Island Rail Road to Jamaica Station, and transfer to buses or the train. The Long Island Rail Road is honoring MetroCard.

Franklin Avenue Shuttle is running.

42nd Street Shuttle service is running.

trains are running.

trains are running.

trains are running.

trains are running.

train service has resumed with residual delays.

trains are operating between Bay Ridge – 95th Street and Astoria – Ditmars Blvd Station.

trains are suspended in both directions between the Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard Station and the Whitehall Street Station.

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9 comments

Marc Shepherd August 8, 2007 - 4:16 pm

The problem was not merely that it was three inches of rain, but that it was three inches of rain in an extremely short period of time, and at high tide. This is a rare occurrence. According to the Times, it happens on this scale about once every five years.

Obviously we’d all prefer that this never happens. But I think I can accept that, twice a decade, there will be a total shutdown because of flooding. If the MTA is going to start spending more money on infrastructure—as I believe they should—I’d rather see them focus on things that will improve the everyday performance of the system, rather than on preventing a twice-a-decade flood.

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[…] got a post up on the current (as of 4 p.m.) state of the subway system at Second Ave. Sagas. Things are moving a bit slowly and appear headed that way for rush hour. If you’re […]

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Kim August 8, 2007 - 5:17 pm

Thanks for having a site that’s way more reliable than the good ‘ol MTA!

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Todd August 8, 2007 - 10:19 pm

Yeah, what Kim said.

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PhilWil August 9, 2007 - 6:19 pm

Nice artile. glad I found your site.

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