Home Service Advisories The G train workout and service changes on 13 subway lines

The G train workout and service changes on 13 subway lines

by Benjamin Kabak

As part of its G train improvement campaign, the Riders Alliance — of which I am a board member — released this video detailing the infamous G train workout. With short trains that run infrequently (but still regularly) and weekends like this one where truncated service operates sparsely, riders are often engaged in a battle against the train which involves long walks, sprints down the platform or even avoiding it all together. According to the Riders Alliance, four out of five G train riders have admitted to resorting to strenuous exercise or a cab to avoid the train at one point or another.

The video comes out as the MTA continues to work on its full line review of the G train. At the request of Daniel Squadron, the agency is assessing improvements it may be able to make to the IND Crosstown route that would encourage more riders. To bolster its own case, the Alliance released some stats. They found that 26 percent of those surveyed have walked more than 20 minutes to their destination instead of using the G train and that 60 percent have resorted to the infamous “G train sprint” to catch a four-car train. Supposedly, 70 percent of riders would use a free transfer at either the Broadway stop to the J/M or to anything at Atlantic Ave. from the Fulton St. station.

Meanwhile, the G train workout is in full effect this weekend as we have yet another Saturday and Sunday with a service change. The details follow:


From 3:45 a.m. Saturday, June 1 to 10 p.m. Sunday, June 2, 2 service operates in two sections due to track panel installation north of Gun Hill Road:

  • Between Flatbush Avenue and East 180th Street
  • Between East 180th Street and 241st Street

2 trains from Flatbush Avenue are rerouted to Dyre Avenue at East 180th Street during this time.


From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 1 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 3, 4 trains run local in both directions between 125th Street and Grand Central-42nd Street due to signal work at Grand Central-42nd Street.


From 3:45 a.m. Saturday, June 1 to 10 p.m. Sunday, June 2, 5 service is suspended due to
track panel installation north of Gun Hill Road. Customers may take the 2 and/or 4 instead. For service between:

  • Dyre Avenue and 149th Street-Grand Concourse, take the 2 instead (the 2 operates between Dyre Avenue ad Flatbush Avenue during this time.)
  • 149th Street-Grand Concourse and Bowling Green, take the 4 instead.


From 11:45 p.m. Friday, May 31 to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 2, Flushing/Main Street-bound 7 trains run express from Queensboro Plaza to Mets-Willets Point due to signal cable and track tie installation for Flushing CBTC and track panel installation between 52nd Street and 61st Street-Woodside.


From 11:45 p.m. Friday, May 31 to 6:30 a.m. Saturday, June 1, from 11:45 p.m. Saturday, June 1 to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, June 2, and from 11:45 p.m. Sunday, June 2 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 3, downtown (Queens-bound) A trains run express from 59th Street-Columbus Circle to Canal Street due to track tie block renewal north of Spring Street and fan plant rehabilitation south of 14th Street.


From 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2, downtown (Brooklyn-bound) C trains run express from 59th Street-Columbus Circle to Canal Street due to track tie block renewal north of Spring Street and fan plant rehabilitation south of 14th Street.


From 11:45 p.m. Friday, May 31 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 3, 205th Street-bound D trains run express from 145th Street to Tremont Avenue due to prep work on the Concourse line for upcoming Fastrack maintenance.


From 11:30 p.m. Friday, May 31 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 3, World Trade Center-bound E trains are rerouted via the F line after 36th Street, Queens to 2nd Avenue due to track tie renewal in the 53rd Street tube. In addition, there are no E trains between World Trade Center and West 4th Street due to track tie block renewal north of Spring Street. Customers may take the A or C instead. E trains originate and terminate at the 2nd Avenue F station.


From 9:45 p.m. Friday, May 31 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 3, Jamaica-bound F trains are rerouted via the M line from 47th-50th Sts to Queens Plaza due to station work at Lexington Avenue-63rd Street for Second Avenue Subway project.


From 11:15 p.m. Friday, May 31 to 5 a.m., Monday, June 3, Coney Island-bound F trains run express from Jay Street-MetroTech to Church Avenue due to tie and plate renewal south of Ft. Hamilton Parkway.


From 9:45 p.m. Saturday, June 1 to 6 a.m. Sunday, June 2, there is no F service at Lexington Avenue-63rd Street due to shut down of elevators and escalators for electrical testing.

  • Coney Island-bound F trains skip this station
  • Jamaica-bound F trains are rerouted via the M from 47th-50th Sts to Queens Plaza.
  • Customers may use nearby Lexington Avenue-59th Street 4, 6, N and R stations.


From 11 p.m. Friday, May 31 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 3, there is no G train service between Church Avenue and Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts due to work on the Church Avenue Interlocking. Customers should take the F instead. For F service, take the A or C between Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts and Jay Street-MetroTech. G service operates in two sections:

  • Between Court Square and Bedford-Nostrand Avs
  • Between Bedford-Nostrand Avs and Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts, every 20 minutes


From 5:30 a.m. Saturday, June 1 to 10 p.m. Sunday, June 2, there are no J trains between Crescent Street and Jamaica Center due to structural steel repair and painting north of Cypress Hills. J service operates between Chambers Street and Crescent Street. Free shuttle buses operate between Crescent Street and 121st Street, and connect with the E at Jamaica-Van Wyck, where service to and from Sutphin Blvd and Jamaica Center is available.


From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 1 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 3, N trains are rerouted via the R line in both directions between Canal Street and Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center due to NYC DOT work on the Manhattan Bridge. N trains stop at City Hall, Cortlandt Street, Rector Street, Whitehall Street, Court Street, Jay Street-MetroTech and DeKalb Avenue.


From 11:45 p.m. Friday, May 31 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 3, Ditmars Blvd-bound N trains skip 39th Avenue, 36th Avenue, Broadway and 30th Avenue due to station painting at 30th Avenue.


From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 1 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 3, Q trains are rerouted via the R in both directions between Canal Street and DeKalb Avenue due to NYC DOT work on the Manhattan Bridge. Q trains stop at City Hall, Cortlandt Street, Rector Street, Whitehall Street, Court Street and Jay Street-MetroTech.


From 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m., Saturday, June 1, Sunday, June 2 and Monday, June 3, 57th Street/7th Avenue-bound Q trains stop at 49th Street due to station painting at 30th Avenue.

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10 comments

John-2 May 31, 2013 - 11:18 pm

There does seem to be a Manhattan-centric bias towards not allowing a Metrocard transfer at Broadway to the J/M/Z while allowing it between the F and the 4/5/6/N/Q/R at Lex and 59th-63rd (The G Metrocard transfer request between Fulton and Atlantic Ave./Barclay’s Center’s only been on the table for a few months, so there’s less indication the MTA is overtly opposing such a request).

Reply
Kai B June 1, 2013 - 3:57 pm

Well, the technical argument is that out of system transfers are only put in place when a service pattern change removes a transfer that used to be either unnecessary or free.

In the case of the Lex transfer you mention, the F used to use the 53rd Street Tunnel, allowing for a transfer to the 6 at Lexington Avenue/53rd St. When it started using the 63rd Street tunnel, with no such transfer, the out of system transfer was put in as a compromise.

Since the G never had a regular transfer to the J/M/Z or the trains at Atlantic Ave, the MTA would be adding one as a bonus, which currently it refuses to do.

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Bolwerk June 2, 2013 - 9:38 am

I think Kai is right, though I do wish they’d just dump the whole concept of special out-of-system transfers and just let people transfer as much as they need within 2 hours or something. Going a mile on the J and a mile on the G doesn’t cost anymore than going two miles on the J.

Reply
BoerumHillScott June 3, 2013 - 8:10 am

If you allow 2 hour transfers, many short two way trips would become half price.
Would you support a fare increase or service cuts to make up for this?

Reply
Bolwerk June 3, 2013 - 10:56 am

I suspect this is such an incredibly limited problem that it almost doesn’t make a difference. What cases are we talking about here? It’s only ones where people have two redundant services to choose from, and then only when you need to make a <2hr trip. For all I know, it would be better to encourage this behavior because it means capturing some incremental revenue on trips that might not otherwise be made and cost little or nothing on top of what it already costs to run the service.

It’s not like the current system can’t be exploited. A few years ago, I lived in Brooklyn and had regular 45m appointments near 59th Street. I usually just got a free swipe back at 59th Street. I wasn’t even trying to exploit it.

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Kai B June 1, 2013 - 4:07 pm

Aside from the “sprint”, this video over-exaggerates problems with the G-Train, as has often been mentioned on this blog.

* Pretty identical service frequencies to the other lettered lines (aside from the L)
* Weekend service disruptions like every other line
* Crowding like every other line
* No evidence of worse-performing turnstiles versus other lines

And, technically, that Greenpoint Ave/India St entrance was just closed off because all G-Trains were operating on the opposite track 🙂

In other news, I’m happy to see the exit signs at Greenpoint Ave have been updated to not read “Indian Street”

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Bolwerk June 2, 2013 - 11:39 am

Finally watched it, and I agree. This could be almost any line, and even then the problems are exaggerated.

Seriously: bus-dependent, transit-starved areas of the city ought to wish they had service as good as the G Train.

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Asar June 1, 2013 - 11:15 pm

This video was pretty funny! The g train workout is something i should try, although i take the2/5 and sometimes u never know which one gets and leaves 1st to flatbush av. But the g train is a wholenother story. Ur better off taking the full -delayed f train instead

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hangging platformrajkot June 8, 2013 - 12:46 am

You really make it appear really easy with your presentation but I in finding this topic to be really one thing that I believe I’d never understand. It kind of feels too complex and very huge for me. I am taking a look forward for your subsequent put up, I’ll attempt to get the cling of it!

Reply
Denny April 27, 2023 - 3:41 am

Meanwhile, the G train workout is in full effect this weekend as we have yet another Saturday and Sunday with a service change.

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