Comments on: New York City Transit testing innovations on the tracks http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/10/15/new-york-city-transit-testing-innovations-on-the-tracks/ A New York City Subway Blog Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:41:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: theloosh http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/10/15/new-york-city-transit-testing-innovations-on-the-tracks/#comment-55723 theloosh Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:08:07 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=1502#comment-55723 Chicago just added seatless cars because the train system is at capacity, and they were a big hit despite a lot of negative press before hand. Only thing is, during the engineering to take out the seats, they found that the chassis of the old cars couldn't handle the weight of 40 more passengers, so they only ended up taking out half the seats in each car. However, if NYCT is buying whole new seatless cars, then I guess that wouldn't be a problem. Chicago just added seatless cars because the train system is at capacity, and they were a big hit despite a lot of negative press before hand. Only thing is, during the engineering to take out the seats, they found that the chassis of the old cars couldn’t handle the weight of 40 more passengers, so they only ended up taking out half the seats in each car. However, if NYCT is buying whole new seatless cars, then I guess that wouldn’t be a problem.

]]> By: Scott E http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/10/15/new-york-city-transit-testing-innovations-on-the-tracks/#comment-55224 Scott E Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:55:14 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=1502#comment-55224 Question is -- how many of these are "pilot" projects and how many are "pet projects"? We rarely get a measure of the success of them, nor do we see pilots rolled out. On the number 7 line, we had those neon "EXP" and "LCL indicators. Then we had the electronic circle and diamond to indicate express or local. I don't know if they will be installed on the entire fleet, but seeing that R142s will make their way to the line shortly (as I understand), it's kind of a pointless project. We had the #9 line. Then we didn't. Then we did. Then we didn't. Many people think we still do. Sometimes the #2 trains announce transfers to the 9. Is the line running better with or without it? Were the subway rider report cards really such a success? How about the bus ones? I doubt the next round of them will produce much difference in results, only this time we'll get less feedback, and we'll all know there is no money to fund improvements. How about the "paypass" system that's been a pilot on the Lexington Ave line for the last few years? Does it work? Will it be expanded? I'm all for implementing pilot programs and trials, but they seem to be experiments that never get evaluated, or followed through, at the end. Question is — how many of these are “pilot” projects and how many are “pet projects”? We rarely get a measure of the success of them, nor do we see pilots rolled out.

On the number 7 line, we had those neon “EXP” and “LCL indicators. Then we had the electronic circle and diamond to indicate express or local. I don’t know if they will be installed on the entire fleet, but seeing that R142s will make their way to the line shortly (as I understand), it’s kind of a pointless project.

We had the #9 line. Then we didn’t. Then we did. Then we didn’t. Many people think we still do. Sometimes the #2 trains announce transfers to the 9. Is the line running better with or without it?

Were the subway rider report cards really such a success? How about the bus ones? I doubt the next round of them will produce much difference in results, only this time we’ll get less feedback, and we’ll all know there is no money to fund improvements.

How about the “paypass” system that’s been a pilot on the Lexington Ave line for the last few years? Does it work? Will it be expanded?

I’m all for implementing pilot programs and trials, but they seem to be experiments that never get evaluated, or followed through, at the end.

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