Second Ave. Sagas » Self Promotion

Event Tonight: ‘Problem Solvers’ at the Transit Museum

Benjamin Kabak — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:52:55 +0000

I’m heading back to the Transit Museum this evening for the second in my Problem Solvers series. After interviewing Sarah Kaufman in February, I’ll be sitting down with Michael Frumin for an hour-long discussion on the ins and outs of MTA BusTime. The session, which will include an audience Q-and-A, starts at 6:30 p.m. in Brooklyn Heights. Doors are at 6. So come early, say hi, and wander through the museum.

Frumin is a systems engineering manager at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority where his focus is developing real-time bus tracking and customer information systems using open technology. His prior work in open source software, open data, web applications, and data analysis span the public transportation, finance, and online media industries. We’ll be focusing on how the MTA is delivering real-time bus location to passengers after years of stops and starts and what the future holds for such initiatives. To RSVP, mosey on over to this link. The event is free, but the February one filled up. I hope to see you tonight.

Reminder: FASTRACK on 8th Ave; ‘Problem Solvers’ at the Transit Museum

Benjamin Kabak — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:00:06 +0000

The Eighth Avenue FASTRACK removes subway service from western Manhattan.

A pair of reminders on this Monday afternoon: Everyone’s favorite weeknight maintenance program returns to the 8th Ave. line tonight. Running from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night this week, FASTRACK will result in the following service changes.

No service between 59 St-Columbus Circle and Jay St-MetroTech. A trains run via the D and F between 59 St-Columbus Circle and Jay St-MetroTech:

Via the D line icon between 59 St-Columbus Circle and 47-50 Sts.
Via the F line icon between 47-50 Sts and Jay St-MetroTech.

C service to Manhattan runs until 9:30 PM. Brooklyn-bound service runs until 10 PM.

No service between 7 Av/53 St and World Trade Center. E line icon trains are rerouted to the F line icon in Manhattan:

Trains run via the F line icon between 5 Av/53 St and 2 Av.
The 2 Av F line icon station is the Manhattan terminal for E line icon trains to/from Queens.
No trains between World Trade Center and W 4 St.

In other news, I’m heading back to the Transit Museum on Wednesday for the second in my Problem Solvers series. After interviewing Sarah Kaufman in February, I’ll be sitting down with Michael Frumin for an hour-long discussion on the ins and outs of MTA BusTime. The hour-long session, which will include an audience Q-and-A, starts at 6:30 p.m. in Brooklyn Heights. Doors are at 6.

Frumin is a systems engineering manager at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority where his focus is developing real-time bus tracking and customer information systems using open technology. His prior work in open source software, open data, web applications, and data analysis span the public transportation, finance, and online media industries. We’ll be focusing on how the MTA is finally delivering real-time bus location to passengers after years of stops and starts. To RSVP, mosey on over to this link. The event is free, but the February one filled up. I hope to see you there.

Problem Solvers returns and so too does weekend work

Benjamin Kabak — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 04:21:12 +0000

I’m heading back to the Transit Museum next week for the second in my Problem Solvers series. After interviewing Sarah Kaufman in February, I’ll be sitting down on Wednesday with Michael Frumin for an hour-long discussion on the ins and outs of MTA BusTime. The hour-long session, which will include an audience Q-and-A, starts at 6:30 p.m. in Brooklyn Heights. Doors are at 6.

Frumin is a systems engineering manager at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority where his focus is developing real-time bus tracking and customer information systems using open technology. His prior work in open source software, open data, web applications, and data analysis span the public transportation, finance, and online media industries. We’ll be focusing on how the MTA is finally delivering real-time bus location to passengers after years of stops and starts. To RSVP, mosey on over to this link. The event is free, but the February one filled up. I hope to see you there.

Meanwhile, as part of my effort to get the service advisories out earlier in the day on Friday, the rest of this post contains this weekend’s changes. Click through for more. I’ll have regular content later on this morning.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, April 21 to 5 a.m. Monday, April 23, 3 service is extended to New Lots Avenue due to platform edge, mechanical and electrical work at Fulton Street and renewal of switches north of Borough Hall.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, April 21 to 5 a.m. Monday, April 23, there are no 4 trains between Brooklyn Bridge and New Lots Avenue due to platform edge, mechanical and electrical work at Fulton Street and renewal of switches north of Borough Hall. Customers should take the 3, N, Q or R instead. Note: 4 trains operate local in both directions between 125th Street and Brooklyn Bridge.

From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, April 21, downtown 4 trains skip 176th Street, Mt. Eden Avenue, 170th Street, 167th Street and 161st Street due to signal work.

From 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, April 21, there are no 5 trains between E. 180th and Bowling Green due to work on the E. 180th Street Interlocking. Customers should take the 2 or 4 (operating between Woodlawn and Brooklyn Bridge) instead. Shuttle trains run every 30 minutes between E. 180th Street and Dyre Avenue. For service between:

E. 180th Street and 149th Street-Grand Concourse, take the 2
149th Street-Grand Concourse and Brooklyn Bridge, take the 4
Brooklyn Bridge and Bowling Green, use nearby R stations

From 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., Sunday, April 22, there are no 5 trains between Grand Central-42nd Street and Bowling Green due to platform edge, mechanical and electrical work at Fulton Street and renewal of switches north of Borough Hall. Customers should take the 4 (operating between Woodlawn and Brooklyn Bridge.) or R instead. 5 trains run every 20 minutes between Dyre Avenue and Grand Central-42nd Street.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, April 21 to 5 a.m. Monday, April 23, Brooklyn-bound A trains run local from 59th Street-Columbus Circle to West 4th Street, then via the F Line to Jay Street-MetroTech due to electrical and substation work at Jay Street MetroTech.

From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22, Brooklyn-bound C trains run via the F line from West 4 Street to Jay Street-MetroTech due to electrical and substation work at Jay Street MetroTech.

From 11 p.m. Friday, April 20 to 5 a.m. Monday, April 23, Brooklyn-bound D trains skip 182nd-183rd Sts. due to track maintenance.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, April 21, to 5 a.m. Monday, April 23, E trains operate via the F in both directions after 36th Street in Queens to West 4th Street in Manhattan due to work on the 5th Avenue Interlocking Signal System Modernization project. E trains travel via the 63rd Street tunnel and 6th Avenue corridors, stopping at F stations. Downtown trains resume the E route at West 4th Street.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, April 21 to 5 a.m. Monday, April 23, Queens-bound F trains run via the A line from Jay Street-MetroTech to West 4th Street due to work on the Broadway/Lafayette-to-Bleecker Street transfer connection.

From 11 p.m. Friday, April 20 to 11:59 p.m. Saturday, April, 21, there are no G trains between Court Square and Bedford-Nostrand Avs due to the installation of fiber optic, communication and control cables from Bedford-Nostrand to Flushing Avenue. Free shuttle buses make all G station stops between Bedford-Nostrand Avs and Court Square, and then connect with the R at Queens Plaza and the E, F at 21st Street-Queensbridge.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, April 21. to 5 a.m. Monday, April 23, Coney Island-bound N trains run via the D line from 36th Street to Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue due to track panel installation south of 59th Street. Trains stop at New Utrecht Avenue-62nd Street; out-of-system transfer is available with MetroCard.

From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22, Q trains operate in two sections due to rail replacement south of Ocean Parkway:

Between 57th Street-7th Avenue and Brighton Beach
Between Brighton Beach and Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue every 16 minutes.

From 11:30 p.m. Friday, April 20 to 5 a.m. Monday, April 23, Coney Island-bound Q trains run express from Prospect Park to Brighton Beach due to track panel installation at Kings Highway.

Saturday service on a holiday Monday

Benjamin Kabak — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:51:39 +0000

As I’m sure you’ve figured out by now, as today is a federal holiday, I’m not posting any new content. Subway service is running on a Saturday schedule, and some of the service advisories leftover from the weekend are in place through 5 a.m. tomorrow. I did however want to take a minute to remind you of all the great places you can find more Second Ave. Sagas. I’m active on Twitter and maintain a Facebook page as well. So give me a follow and get more subway commentary all across the Internet.

Event Tonight: SAS presents ‘Problem Solvers’ the Transit Museum

Benjamin Kabak — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:14:00 +0000

A final reminder: Tonight is the first event of my “Problem Solvers” discussion series at the Transit Museum. The event starts at 6:30 p.m., and you can find directions to the Museum right here. If you’ve never been, it’s a great spot in the decommissioned Court St. subway stop. The event series will take an intimate look at the people who are working behind the scenes to change the face of our transit system as the subway approaches its 110th birthday. My first guest will be Sarah Kaufman, currently with NYU Wagner’s Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management and formerly the MTA’s open-data guru.

While with the MTA, Kaufman created a conference and online exchange between the MTA and software developers and assisted in developing the agency’s social media program. She specializes in the use of cutting-edge technologies in transportation, particularly mass transit, and the opportunities for community involvement in transportation management through interactive technologies.

Sarah and I will talk for a bit about her work and the problem of access to transit-related information she has worked to solve before we open the floor to audience questions. The program kicks off at 6:30 p.m., and doors to the museum will open at 6. Guests are invited to walk through the museum and to explore the collection of old trains as well. Light refreshments will be available as well. Hope to see you there.

Reminder: ‘Problem Solvers’ at the Transit Museum on Wednesday

Benjamin Kabak — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:19:26 +0000

Just a reminder that I’ll be hosting a Q-and-A series at the Transit Museum this year, and the first event kicks off the series on Wednesday, February 1 at 6:30 p.m. The series is entitled “Problem Solvers,” and it will take an intimate look at the people who are working behind the scenes to change the face of our transit system as the subway approaches its 110th birthday. My first guest will be Sarah Kaufman, currently with NYU Wagner’s Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management and formerly the MTA’s open-data guru.

Sarah and I will talk for a bit about her work and the problems she’s trying to solve before we open the floor to audience questions. The program kicks off at 6:30 p.m., and doors to the museum will open at 6. Guests are invited to walk through the museum and to explore the collection of old trains at the former Court St. station. Light refreshments will be available as well. For the specific details, check out this post.

Event: ‘Problem Solvers’ at the Transit Museum, Feb. 1

Benjamin Kabak — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:30:51 +0000

Explore the Transit Museum before my discussion with Sarah Kaufman next Wednesday. (Photo via the New York City Transit Museum)

I have some exciting news for you subway buffs and transit policy wonks out there. I’ll be hosting a Q-and-A series at the Transit Museum this year, and the first event kicks off the series on Wednesday, February 1 at 6:30 p.m. Save the date.

The series is entitled “Problem Solvers,” and it will take an intimate look at the people who are working behind the scenes to change the face of our transit system as the subway approaches its 110th birthday. My first guest will be Sarah Kaufman, currently with NYU Wagner’s Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management and formerly the MTA’s open-data guru.

More details after the jump. Hopefully, I’ll see you there.

What: Free; Problem Solvers discussion series debut
Who: Host Ben Kabakwith guest Sarah Kaufman
When: Wednesday, February 1, 6:30 pm (doors open at 6 pm)
Where: New York Transit Museum, inside the subway station on the corner of Boerum Place & Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn Heights.

Tonight, we celebrate!

Benjamin Kabak — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:14:51 +0000

A final reminder! Second Ave. Sagas’ 5th Anniversary Soiree is tonight at 7 p.m. in the Vice Room at the 13th Step. For five years, I’ve charted the goings-on in the New York City transit scene, and tonight, I’ll toast my readers and another five years. Stop by for a drink, stop by for a few hours. All are welcome. Details and an RSVP form are right here. See you tonight.

We’ll have a cash bar at the party, but thanks to Roadify, the popular transit app, we’ll have some finger food as well. Roadify combines NYC’s best transit data with updates from real commuters, giving you the most up-to-date transit conditions for subways, buses and traffic in real-time. Roadify’s free iPhone app won Grand Prize at the city-sponsored NYC BigApps2.0 earlier this year and can be downloaded here. Roadify v2.0 is due in December and is set to change commuting for good.

Reminder: 2nd Ave. Sagas 5th Anniversary Soiree on Thursday

Benjamin Kabak — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:09:43 +0000

On November 21, 2006, I wrote a brief introduction to Second Ave. Sagas, and while I didn’t really start with daily post until Fulton St. attracted my attention a week later, thus was born this website. Five years later, it’s time to celebrate, and this Thursday, I’m hosting a party. The Second Ave. Sagas 5th Anniversary Soiree is set for 7 p.m. on December 1 in the Vice Room at the 13th Step. Details and an RSVP form are right here.

Anyway, I hope to see you all on Thursday. This site wouldn’t be nearly as fun or successful without my readers, and having the opportunity to meet everyone in person would be a joy. See you on Thursday.

Holiday Happenings: Nostalgia Trains and a SAS party sponsor

Benjamin Kabak — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:58:56 +0000

A few brief items this afternoon relating to the holidays: Transit will again be running the Holiday Special nostalgia train this year. According to the latest on Subchat, the R1/9 set will run on Saturdays this year from Nov. 26 through Dec. 24. The trains will leave Second Ave. at 9:58 a.m., 11:37 a.m., 12:57 p.m., 2:27 p.m. and 3:57 p.m. and make local stops to Queens Plaza. Planned departure times from Queens Plaza are 10:43 a.m., 12:13 p.m., 1:42 p.m., 3:13 p.m. and 4:43 p.m. Bring a camera, of course.

Meanwhile, a reminder: My Second Ave. Sagas 5th Anniversary Soiree, planned for Thursday, December 1, is fast approaching, and I’m bring aboard a sponsor. The transit app Roadify will be sponsoring a part of the party so look for them over the next few days. To RSVP, mosey on over to the Eventbrite page. You’ll find all of the details there.

Update: Due to a few circumstances, SAS has gone dark for Thanksgiving a day or so early. I’ll be back after the holidays. Have a safe Turkey Day.