As a storm that could dump 15 inches of snow on New York City heads our way, New York City Transit has implemented its inclement winter weather plan as of the end of rush hour tonight. For straphangers, this means longer commutes and fewer trains as the agency will shut down some lines within the next 90 minutes and run others local for the duration of the storm.

For riders relying on the B, V and W trains, get thee to a subway. The last B trains will leave Brighton Beach and 145th St. tonight at 7:10 p.m. and 7:35 p.m. respectively. The last V trains will leave 2nd Ave. and 71-Continental Aves. at 9:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. respectively. The last W trains will leave Whitehall St. at 7:28 p.m. and Ditmars Boulevard at 7 p.m. Additionally, the 6 will run local in the Bronx.

For now, Transit offers up the following weather service changes. As snow drifts build up, more lines could see service scaled back or delayed.

• trains may run local for portions of their route.
• The will end service earlier than normal. Customers can take the instead.
• 42nd St. runs all night.
• Rockaway Park extends to Euclid Ave.
• service between Court Sq and 71-Continental Aves. will be suspended.
• All service in the Bronx may be local.

The MTA has published a special Winter Weather edition of their homepage and are urging travelers to check the web before heading underground. Their site will have real-time info on service delays and changes as the snow storm unfolds. The snow-fighting equipment is ready to go; now, all we need is some snow.

I’ll get to the service alerts in a minute, but I wanted to take a second to thank those who help bring Second Ave. Sagas to the masses. I run this site mainly as a labor of love and as an outlet for my writing. One day, I’d love to make a living off it, but for now, I do what I can with those interested in advertising. Three of my top site sponsors recently re-upped their ads and deserve a big “thank you.” They are:

• Station Stops: Metro-North Schedules for iPhone
• iTrans NYC: The ultimate subway app
• The Next Train: LIRR schedules in your pocket

I’m always looking for more site sponsors too. So if you’re interested in advertising on Second Ave. Sagas, drop me a line.

Anyway, on to the weekend service changes. All of Transit’s planned weekend work — except for one change — has been canceled due to the snow that, as of nearly 1 a.m. on Friday night, still hasn’t started to fall. For the MTA, the decision to call off the various maintenance projects is a costly one, and if the snow does not, it will have been a losing gamble. The work on the 7 line, though, continues because this project must wrap before baseball season. If it does snow, some lines will run different service patterns. So it’s a good idea to listen to on-board announcements this weekend.

From 11:30 p.m. Friday, February 5 to 5 a.m. Monday, February 8, there are no 7 trains between Times Square-42nd Street and Queensboro Plaza due to track panel installation on the Davis Street curve. The N/Q and free shuttle buses provide alternate service. Note: 42nd Street Shuttle S runs overnight. Q trains are extended to/from Ditmars Blvd.

I’m not going to mince words: This weekend’s slate of service advisories is a tough one. Again, nearly every train route is altered. As always, these come to me from the MTA and are subject to change. Pay attention to announcements and read the signs. Subway Weekender is back up and running, and you can find the map right here.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 30 to 5 a.m. Monday, February 1, downtown 12 trains skip 86th, 79th, 66th, 59th and 50th Streets due to switch renewal north of 72nd Street.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 30 to 5 a.m. Monday, February 1, Manhattan-bound 2 trains skip Burke Avenue, Allerton Avenue, Pelham Parkway, and Bronx Park East due to track work leading into East 180th Street Yard.

From 12:01 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. Saturday, January 30 and Sunday, January 31 and from 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, February 1, 3 train service is extended to/from 34th Street-Penn Station due to switch renewal north of 72nd Street.

From 1 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, January 31, downtown 4 trains run local from 125th Street to Grand Central-42nd Street due to a cable pull.

From 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, January 31, downtown 5 trains run local from 125th Street to Grand Central-42nd Street due to a cable pull.

From 11:30 p.m. Friday, January 29, to 5 a.m. Monday, February 1, there are no 5 trains between Dyre Avenue and 149th Street-Grand Concourse due to track work leading into East 180th Street Yard. Free shuttle buses replace 5 trains between Dyre Avenue and East 180th Street. 2 trains replace the 5 between East 180th Street and 149th Street-Grand Concourse.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 30 to 5 a.m. Monday, February 1, Manhattan-bound 6 trains run express from Parkchester to Hunts Point Avenue due to asbestos abatement for station rehabilitation at Whitlock Avenue, Elder Avenue, Morrison-Sound View Avenues, St. Lawrence Avenue, and Parkchester.

From 11:30 p.m. Friday, January 29 to 5 a.m. Monday, February 1, there are no 7 trains between Times Square-42nd Street and Queensboro Plaza due to track panel installation on the Davis Street curve. The NQ and free shuttle buses provide alternate service. Note: 42nd Street Shuttle runs overnight. Q trains are extended to/from Ditmars Blvd.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 30 to 5 a.m. Monday, February 1, uptown A trains run express from Canal to 125th Streets due to Chambers Street Signal Modernization and conduit installation for public address systems north of 59th Street.

Manhattan-bound A platforms at Beach 25th and Beach 67th Streets are scheduled to close for rehabilitation at 12:01 a.m. Monday, February 1 for approximately four months.

From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, January 30 and Sunday, January 31, uptown C trains run express from Canal to 125th Streets due to Chambers Street Signal Modernization and conduit installation for public address systems north of 59th Street.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 30 to 5 a.m. Monday, February 1, uptown D trains run local from West 4th Street to 34th Street-Herald Square due to a substation rehabilitation north of 14th Street.

From 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Saturday, January 30, downtown D trains skip 167th, 161st, and 155th Streets due to track cleaning.

From 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, January 31, downtown D trains skip 174th-175th and 170th Streets due to track cleaning.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 30 to 5 a.m. Monday, February 1, E trains are rerouted on the F between West 4th Street and 2nd Avenue due to Chambers Street Signal Modernization. For service to Spring Street, Canal Street, and World Trade Center/Chambers Street, customers should take the A or C. Note: Uptown A and C trains skip Spring Street.

From 10:30 p.m. Friday, January 29 to 5 a.m. Monday, February 1 (and also next weekend), there are no G trains running. For service between Forest Hills-71st Avenue and Queens Plaza, customers should take the R during the day and the E during the late night hours. Free shuttle buses run between Queens Plaza and Jay Street. For service to Church Avenue, customers should transfer between the shuttle bus and F trains at Jay Street. This is due to a switch replacement at Bedford-Nostrand Avenues, asbestos removal at Greenpoint Avenue, fan plant work at Jackson Avenue and track maintenance work at various locations.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 30 to 5 a.m. Monday, February 1, N trains are rerouted over the Manhattan Bridge between DeKalb Avenue and Canal Street due to Lawrence Street Station Rehabilitation and Construction of Underground Connector to Jay Street.

From 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Saturday, January 30, N trains skip 49th Street due to track cleaning.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 30 to 5 a.m. Monday, February 1, uptown Q trains run local from Canal Street to 34th Street-Herald Square due to a track chip-out at 14th Street-Union Square.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 30 to 5 a.m. Monday, February 1, Q train service is extended to/from Astoria-Ditmars Blvd due to track panel installation on the Davis Street curve.

From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, January 30 and Sunday, January 31, R trains are rerouted over the Manhattan Bridge between DeKalb Avenue and Canal Street due to Lawrence Street Station Rehabilitation and construction of underground connector to Jay Street.

We end a week marked by service cuts with numerous weekend service changes. In fact, only three lines this weekend are operating without changes. Unless you’re relying on only the J, L or M trains — and one of those doesn’t go too far on the weekends — plan extra travel time.

In more long-term weekend service change news, starting next weekend until nearly the Mets’ Opening Day, 7 trains will not operate between Grand Central and Queensboro Plaza. Shuttle bus service and increased N train service will supplant the 7 for the next few months worth of weekends.

For Queens-bound riders, winter service changes on the 7 are nothing new. Transit has a small window in which to work on the 7 because the spring and summer months are dominated by baseball, tennis and other Flushing Meadows events. And so as Transit upgrades the signaling system along the IRT Flushing Line, weekend travel becomes painful.

As always, these changes come to me from New York City Transit and are subject to change without notice. Remember to pay attention to signs in your local station and listen to on-board announcements for the latest. The weekend map is available at Subway Weekender. As for the specific changes, click through. Read More→

For the weekend, there’s a lot going on, but before we jump in, there are a whole slew of major advisories that deserver our attention. Here we go.

First up, the G train. For the next four weekends, there is no G train service. Instead, free shuttle buses will operate between Queens Plaza and Jay St. Transit is urging customers to take the R or E instead. The work: switch replacement at Bedford-Nostrand, asbestos removal at Greenpoint Ave., fan plant replacement at Jackson Ave. and various other track maintenance projects.

Next up, the Rockaways. The first part of the Rockaways rehab project was supposed to start wrapping up this week. But delays! The Far Rockaway-bound A platforms at Beach 67th and Beach 44th Streets are scheduled to reopen as planned on Monday, January 18, 2010, but the Manhattan-bound platforms at Beach 105th and Beach 90th Sts. and the Far Rockaway-bound platform at Beach 25th St. won’t open until Monday, January 25.

On the other side, the project is delayed a week as well. The Manhattan-bound A platforms at Beach 25th, Beach 44th and Beach 67th Sts. will close for rehabilitation on Monday, February 1, 2010. The Rockaway-bound platform at Beach 90th and Beach 105th Sts. are still on schedule to close on February 15. Despite this complicated timeline, this work affects relatively few commuters as the Beach stops on the Rockaways are among the least used stations in the system.

Finally, the Brighton Line. This work affects the Q as well. Anyway, on Monday at 5 a.m., the Brighton Beach/Coney Island-bound platforms at Ave. U and Neck Road will reopen. The Manhattan-bound platforms will close for a year. Trains will continue to bypass Aves. H and M until the Fall, and all Brighton Beach-bound B trains will make all local stops.

And now the weekly stuff. As always, these weekend changes come to me via the MTA. They are subject to change without notice. Remember to listen to on-board announcements and check the signs at your local subway station. The Subway Weekender map is available here. Click through for the full list of planned changes.

Read More→

Updated 3:15 p.m. (Saturday): Please note that Transit has canceled the work on the 7 line. The service changes below reflect that update.

* * *

With the holiday season over and the New Year in the rear view window, the MTA has started to ramp up the work again. This weekend sees a full slate of service advisories with travel to and from Brooklyn on the IRT lines the hardest hit. The 2 and 3 aren’t running in between Chambers St. and Atlantic Ave., and even though the 4 and 5 are making stops in Brooklyn, the trains are running local one way only. Welcome to 2010.

Anyway, you know the drill. All the changes are below. Don’t forget to check out our map from Subway Weekender that shows just how the subway changes impact travel. Download this week’s version right here or by clicking on the image below. Remember: These weekend service changes come to me from the MTA and are subject to change without notice. Check signs in your local station and listen for on-board announcements for up-to-the minute changes. The specific alerts follow.

From 11 p.m. Friday, January 1 to 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, 2 trains run local between 34th Street-Penn Station and South Ferry due to a track dig out at 50th Street, a cable pull at Nevins Street and track maintenance near Chambers Street and Park Place. Note: Late night, trains run local between 96th Street and South Ferry.

From 12:01 a.m. to 6:30 a.m., Saturday, January 2, Sunday, January 3 and Monday, January 4, Shuttle trains run between Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues due to a cable pull at Nevins Street and track maintenance near Chambers Street and Park Place. Note: Atlantic Avenue-bound shuttle trains skip Eastern Parkway, Grand Army Plaza, and Bergen Street.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 2 to 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, the 2 train runs between 241st Street and Chambers Street, then is rerouted to the 1 line to South Ferry due to a cable pull at Nevins Street and track maintenance near Chambers Street and Park Place. For service between Manhattan and Brooklyn, customers should take the 2 to the South Ferry 1 station; and use the free out-of-system transfer to the 4 or 5 at Bowling Green. Note: Days, 5 trains make all stops to Flatbush Avenue. Late nights, shuttle trains run between Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues.

From 11 p.m. Friday, January 1 to 7 a.m. Saturday, January 2; from 11 p.m. Saturday, January 2 to 8 a.m. Sunday, January 3 and from 11 p.m. Sunday, January 3 to 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, 3 trains run local between 96th Street and Times Square-42nd Street due to a track dig out at 50th Street. Note: 3 Trains are extended to/from 14th Street all weekend.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 2 to 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, there are no 3 trains between 14th Street and New Lots Avenue due to a cable pull at Nevins Street and track maintenance near Chambers Street and Park Place. For service between Manhattan and Brooklyn, customers should transfer between the 3 and the 2 at 14th Street, take the 2 to the South Ferry 1 station and use the free out-of-system transfer to the 4 at Bowling Green, making all stops to New Lots Avenue.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 2 to 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, Manhattan-bound 4 trains skip Eastern Parkway, Grand Army Plaza and Bergen Street due to a cable pull at Nevins Street and track maintenance near Chambers Street and Park Place.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 2 to 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, 4 trains are extended to/and from New Lots Avenue to replace the 3 in Brooklyn due to a cable pull at Nevins Street and track maintenance near Chambers Street and Park Place.

From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, January 2 and Sunday, January 3, Manhattan-bound 5 trains skip Eastern Parkway, Grand Army Plaza and Bergen Street due to a cable pull at Nevins Street and track maintenance near Chambers Street and Park Place.

From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, January 2 and Sunday, January 3, 5 trains are extended to/from and from Flatbush Avenue to replace the 2 in Brooklyn due to a cable pull at Nevins Street and track maintenance near Chambers Street and Park Place.

From 4:00 a.m. Saturday, January 2 to 10:00 p.m. Sunday, January 3, Manhattan-bound 7 trains skip 111th, 103rd, 90th, and 82nd Streets due to track panel installation.

From 11:30 p.m. Friday, January 1 to 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, free shuttle buses replace A trains between Jay Street and Utica Avenue due to Jay Street station rehabilitation and construction of an underground connector.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 2 to 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, Brooklyn-bound A trains run local from 168th Street to Jay Street and from Utica Avenue to Euclid Avenue due to Jay Street station rehabilitation and construction of an underground connector.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 2 to 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, Manhattan-bound A trains run local from Euclid Avenue to Utica Avenue and from Jay Street to 125th Street, then express to 168th Street, where trains resume normal A service due to Jay Street station rehabilitation, construction of an underground connector and a concrete pour at 163rd Street.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 2 to 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, there are no C trains running due to Jay Street station rehabilitation and construction of an underground connector. Customers should take the A instead. Note: A trains run local with exceptions. Free shuttle buses replace A trains between Jay Street and Utica Avenue.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 2 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, January 4, uptown D trains run local from 125th Street to 145th Street due to a concrete pour at 163rd Street (the D replaces the C at 135th Street.)

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, January 2 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, January 4, uptown D trains run local from 59th Street-Columbus Circle to 125th Street due to track work at 110th Street.

From 12:15 a.m. Saturday, January 2 to 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, there are no G trains between Forest Hills-71st Avenue and Court Square due to track maintenance. Customer should take the E or R instead.

From 1:15 a.m. to 5 a.m. Saturday, January 2, J trains run in two sections due to track cleaning:

• Between Jamaica Center and Essex Street and
• Between Essex Street and Chambers Street

From 12:15 a.m. Saturday, January 2 to 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, Brooklyn-bound N trains run on the R from Canal Street to DeKalb Avenue due to track maintenance.

From 11 p.m. Friday, January 1 to 7 a.m. Saturday, January 2, from 11 p.m. Saturday, January 2 to 8 a.m. Sunday, January 3 and from 11 p.m. Sunday, January 3 to 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, uptown Q trains run local from Canal Street to 34th Street-Herald Square due to track work prep at 14th Street-Union Square.

From 12:15 a.m. Saturday, January 2 to 5 a.m. Monday, January 4, Brooklyn-bound Q trains run on the R from Canal Street to DeKalb Avenue due to due to track maintenance.

From 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, January 3, 36th Street-bound R shuttle trains run local in Brooklyn from 59th Street to 36th Street due to track cleaning. (The northbound R shuttle trains usually skip 53rd and 45th Street stations.)

It’s Christmas time in the city, and the Big Apple will slow down for a day. Today — Friday — sees the trains run on a Sunday schedule. The rest of the weekend is pretty light. With so many tourists in town and workers at home for the holidays, the MTA isn’t running too many diversions this weekend. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Remember: These weekend service changes come to me from the MTA and are subject to change without notice. Check signs in your local station and listen for on-board announcements for up-to-the minute changes.

From 6:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 27, there are no 5 trains running between 149th Street-Grand Concourse and East 180th Street due to rail repairs between 149th Street and Jackson Avenue. Customers should use the 2 train for service to affected stations.

From 4:00 a.m. Saturday, December 26 to 10:00 p.m. Sunday, December 27, Manhattan-bound 7 trains skip 111th, 103rd, 90th, and 82nd Streets due to track panel installation.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, December 26 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, December 28, uptown-bound A trains skip 135th, 155th and 163rd Streets due to a track chip-out at 163rd Street.

From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday December 26 and Sunday, December 27, uptown-bound C trains skip 135th, 155th and 163rd Streets due to a track chip-out at 163rd Street.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, December 26 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, December 28, uptown-bound D trains run local from 125th Street to 145th Street due to a track chip-out at 163rd Street (the D replaces the C at 135th Street.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, December 26 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, December 28, uptown-bound D trains run local from 59th Street-Columbus Circle to 125th Street due to track work at 110th Street.

From 12:01 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Sunday, December 27, Brooklyn-bound F trains skip 23rd and 14th Streets due to track cleaning.

From 12:01 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Saturday, December 26 and Sunday, December 27, uptown-bound Q trains run local from Canal Street to 34th Street-Herald Square due to track work prep at 14th Street-Union Square.

New York City Transit’s winter weather fleet is ready for service. (Photo via NYCTSubwayScoop)

If the folks reading us the weather are to be believed, we have one giant winter storm heading our way. Right now, the weather service is predicting up to a foot of snow for New York City, but I’ll believe it when I see it. The MTA, on the other hand, has to prepare for the weather no matter what, and to that end, they have canceled all weekend work. Only stations along the BMT Brighton Line and the Far Rockaway line are closed due to ongoing work.

On a sad note, the weather is also shelving the Nostalgia Train for the weekend. It’s simply too cold, and there too many contingency plans in place for Transit to devote resources toward the old train cars. It will return next weekend for a final ride in 2009.

So what then can we expect this weekend? Well, due to the need to store as much rolling stock as possible underground, the agency often uses express tracks for storage during winter storms. Thus, trains that normally run express for all or parts of their routes may run local. Passengers using lines that run outdoors may experience slower train rides or longer-than-normal waits. A few weeks, Transit urged passengers who take the A, E, D, F, N, Q, 2, 3, 4, and 5 to allow extra time during snow storms.

Meanwhile, the agency has a fleet of work trains ready to combat the snow. “Our goal is to keep our services up and running so that our customers can get to where they need to be no matter what the weather,” NYC Transit President Thomas F. Prendergast said. “We have a tremendous investment in machinery, manpower and experience so that customer confidence remains high in our ability to transport them safely.”

For those waiting for trains at stations aboveground, be on the look for some anti-snow vehicles Transit sent out a release earlier this week with info:

Snow Throwers – Precise directional snow throwing equipment. Includes a two stage impeller and side mounted rotating brushes to throw snow up to 200 feet and can remove 3,000 tons of snow an hour. This is similar to a household snow blower, just a lot bigger.

Jet Blowers – This equipment uses a jet engine to remove accumulated snow from the roadbed and deposit it a distance from the tracks so that it cannot slide back. This piece of equipment is used primarily to keep the yards clear.

De-Icer Cars – Equipped with scraper shoes that scrape off ice and also uses equipment to direct a stream of deicing fluid to melt and/or prevent ice buildup on the third rail. If ice is permitted to build up, subway car power pickup equipment will not be able to draw electric current from the third rail and the train will stop.

Ballast Regulator – Uses brush/broom to evenly sweep and push up snow onto an undercab conveyer and away from the track.

The picture atop this post shows the equipment ready and waiting for the snow. Will the storm hit? Who knows. But for this weekend, we are spared the pains of weekend service changes.