Comments on: Having a station renovation cake and eating it too

By: A tale of a viaduct, a sign and the need to pay attention :: Second Ave. Sagas

A tale of a viaduct, a sign and the need to pay attention :: Second Ave. Sagas — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 03:53:42 +0000

[...] the MTA has released its own video on the project; and crews have been working on the viaduct for nearly ten months. In other words, [...]

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 03:23:56 +0000

One slight clarification: the inference I make from your writeup (which I’m not sure you intended) is that one of the project goals is to make an F express possible. That’s not the case – express service was possible before the project started (although the Bergen Street interlocking was only replaced in early 2008, and until then it wasn’t really practical), and it will be possible once the project is finished, but it isn’t possible while the project is underway, since two tracks at a time are out of service for construction.

And, again, I remind you and your readers that there are numerous other express tracks that exist and are available but still aren’t used for normal service. If there isn’t demand for additional service beyond the existing local service (i.e., loads on the existing local doesn’t exceed or at least approach to NYCT’s loading guidelines), and demand at the local stations is strong enough that diverting some of the existing locals to the express track would be counterproductive, then using the express track for regular service is probably not a good idea.

Given that the M is slated to be removed from the West End and 4th Avenue lines soon, I would suggest that, if NYCT is in a position to add service in a few years, the ridership numbers might support restoring the M (or equivalent) rather than increasing Culver service beyond the 15 tph provided by the F alone (and that ignores the G) – the D and R never exceed 10 tph.

By: Sara

Sara — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:26:02 +0000

But the image depicted above appears to be the 4th Ave stop!

Do you think they’ll put real glass windows in?

By: Sara

Sara — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:21:55 +0000

Aside from that, does the photo seem like they spliced in the existing track area with the rendering of the platform? The lighting on the track area is much harsher.

By: Sara

Sara — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:20:10 +0000

Yeah, I like to complain as much as the next guy, but the shuttle buses really weren’t bad. Either the MTA was trying to suck up to us or else make up for the smaller capacity of a single bus, but they were running buses much more frequently than trains. I think people complain because it takes a bit more of a mental step to go outside your usual routine. The shuttle buses weren’t unpleasant, though. Additionally, the B75 (for now) mirrors the route of the F/G from Jay St to Prospect Park.

By: Josh

Josh — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:34:12 +0000

Maybe I’m the only one, but I didn’t think those shuttle buses were really all that bad.

By: rhywun

rhywun — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:39:17 +0000

I’ve only lived in NYC 12 years, in Brooklyn 3 years, and I still have little to no idea where any of the lettered trains that isn’t the R train (the one I live on) goes. The B, D, and Q are a complete mystery to me. The F and N less so if only because I have actually used them, in other parts of the city

By: rhywun

rhywun — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:32:45 +0000

Gee, that makes perfect sense :/

Let’s not renovate the station that has more than twice the daily ridership (10,789 vs. 4,464), a transfer, and a heart-stopping (trust me) three-story climb required to execute said transfer. Hmph.

By: Jerrold

Jerrold — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:32:25 +0000

I was wondering about the same thing.
It looks like he was probably thinking about the old Culver shuttle, which connected the Culver line to the West End line.

On a related subject, it’s interesting to reflect on how, over the years, the Transit Authority has played “musical chairs” with the subway lines. In my lifetime, the D train used to go down the Culver line, then the Brighton Line, and now it’s on the West End line.

By: AlexB

AlexB — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:38:13 +0000

I think the rendering of the renovated 4th Ave station is obsolete. When the MTA reconstructs the viaduct, I don’t think they are going to bring the stations themselves up to par, except in minimal ways, just the structure. It’s a shame because the 4th Ave station could be very beautiful.

Anon256 means (I think) that he would prefer to see F trains start from Church Ave, head south to Coney, then follow the Sea Beach (N) Express into Manhattan, becoming the normal F at Bway Lafayette. It would be a hugely roundabout detour, but might save time for people if they are coming from close to Coney to begin with.