Weekend reading and service advisories

After weeks of service cuts and fare hikes, I have a few pieces on which I’ve been sitting that warrant posting. Let’s bullet-point ’em.

• Is the American iteration of BRT all it’s cracked up to be? In Cleveland, BRT’s performance has not been as effective as hoped. The city plans to try signal prioritization soon, but as Railway Age says, BRT has yet to be “just like light rail, only cheaper,” as some supporters claim. Without a full suite of options — physically separated lanes, dedicated ROW, signal prioritization and pre-board fare payment — BRT won’t be markedly better than local bus service.
• Over at Meetup’s blog, Nathan, the company’s API/Platform Engineer, wrote about working with Transit to secure more open data. The TA has been very forthcoming with its data over the last few months and recently released longitude/latitude coordinates for all station entrances. In a sense, the MTA is outsourcing its software development to people with more skills than the authority possesses.
• In Japan, a 60-year-old woman was arrested for beating a high school student who would not move from a priority seat. That’s certainly an, um, interesting take on solving a problem of subway etiquette.

And now the service advisories. As always, these changes come to me via New York City Transit and are subject to change with no notice. Listen to on-board announcement and check the signs at your local station. Subway Weekender has the map.

From 4 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 10 p.m. Sunday, July 25, downtown 1 trains run express from 137th Street to 96th Street due to track panel installation north of 125th Street.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, downtown 1 trains run express from 96th Street to 72nd Street due to the 96th Street station rehabilitation.

From 11:30 p.m. Friday, July 23 to 5 a.m. Saturday, July 24, from 11:30 p.m. Saturday, July 24 to 7 a.m. Sunday, July 25, and from 11:30 p.m. Sunday, July 25 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, free shuttle buses replace 2 trains between 96th Street and 149th Street-Grand Concourse due to track switch renewal north of 135th Street. During this time, 2 trains run in two sections:

• Between Brooklyn College-Flatbush Avenue and 96th Street, then rerouted to the 1 line to 137th Street
• Between 149th Street-Grand Concourse and Wakefield-241st Street.

Customers may transfer between the 2 and free shuttle buses at 96th Street or 149th Street-Grand Concourse.

From 12:01 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25, and from 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, downtown 2 trains run express from 96th Street to 72nd Street due to the 96th Street station rehabilitation.

From 11:30 p.m. Friday, July 23 to 5 a.m. Saturday, July 24, from 11:30 p.m. Saturday, July 24 to 7 a.m. Sunday, July 25, and from 11:30 p.m. Sunday, July 25 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, free shuttle buses replace 3 trains between 148th Street and 96th Street. 1 and 2 trains replace the 3 between 96th Street and Times Square-42nd Street due to track switch renewal north of 135th Street.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, there are no 5 trains between East 180th Street and Bowling Green due to a track chip out at Brooklyn Bridge. Customers should take the 2 4 or 6 instead.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, 6 trains service is extended to/from Bowling Green due to a track chip out at Brooklyn Bridge.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, Manhattan-bound 6 trains run express from Parkchester to Hunts Point Avenue due to station rehabilitation and structural repair at Whitlock Avenue, Morrison-Soundview Avenues and Parkchester. Note: At all times until October 2010, the Manhattan-bound 6 platform at Parkchester is closed for rehabilitation. Manhattan-bound 6 trains stopping at Parkchester will use the Pelham Bay Park-bound platform.

From 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25, Manhattan-bound 7 trains run express from Mets-Willets Point to 74th Street due to painting of elevated structure.

From 12:01 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, July 24, uptown A trains run express from Canal Street to 59th Street-Columbus Circle due to the installation of a track drain pipe at 59th Street and track work at West 4th Street.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, Brooklyn-bound A trains run local from 59th Street-Columbus Circle to West 4th Street, then on the F to Jay Street due to work at the Fulton Street Transit Center.

From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25, Brooklyn-bound C trains run on the F line from West 4th Street to Jay Street due to work on the Fulton Street Transit Center.

From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, July 24, uptown C trains run express from Canal Street to 59th Street-Columbus Circle due to the installation of a track drain pipe at 59th Street and track work at West 4th Street.

From 11 p.m. Friday, July 23 to 6 a.m. Saturday, July 24, from 11 p.m. Saturday, July 24 to 7 a.m. Sunday, July 25, and from 11 p.m. Sunday, July 25 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, Manhattan-bound D trains skip 174th-175th Sts. and 170th Street due to a track chip out north of 170th Street.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, D trains run local between West 4th Street and 34th Street-Herald Square due to work on the 5th Avenue Interlocking Signal System.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, Manhattan-bound D trains run express from 36th Street to Pacific Street, then skip DeKalb Avenue due to track work at DeKalb Avenue.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, Coney Island-bound D trains run on the N from 36th Street to Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue due to structural repair and station rehabilitations from 71st Street to Bay 50th Street and ADA work at Bay Parkway.

From 11:30 a.m. Friday, July 23 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, Manhattan-bound E trains run express from Forest Hills-71st Avenue to Roosevelt Avenue due to a concrete pour north of Elmhurst Avenue.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, there is no E service between 34th Street and World Trade Center due to work on the 5th Avenue Interlocking Signal System. E trains run on the F line between Roosevelt Avenue and 34th Street-6th Avenue.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, the platforms at 5th Avenue, Lexington Avenue-53rd Street, and 23rd Street-Ely Avenue stations are closed due to work on the 5th Avenue Interlocking Signal System. Customers should take the R 6 or free shuttle bus instead. Note: Free shuttle buses connect Court Square/23 Street-Ely Avenue, Queens Plaza, and 21st Street-Queensbridge stations.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, Manhattan-bound F trains run on the A line from Jay Street to West 4th Street due to work on the Broadway-Lafayette to Bleecker Street transfer construction.

From 10:30 p.m. Friday, July 23 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, free shuttle buses replace G trains between Court Square and Bedford-Nostrand Avenues due to a concrete pour north of Metropolitan Avenue.

From 3:30 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 10 p.m. Sunday, July 25, there are no J trains between Broadway Junction and Jamaica Center due to track panel work at Crescent Street. E trains and free shuttle buses provide alternate service.

From 11:30 p.m. Friday, July 23 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, there are no M trains running due to platform edge rehabilitation between Central Avenue and Metropolitan Avenue. Customers should use the free shuttle bus instead.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, Brooklyn-bound N trains are rerouted over the Manhattan Bridge from Canal Street to DeKalb Avenue due to grouting and track work near Cortlandt Street.

From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 24 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 26, Manhattan-bound Q trains run on the R line from DeKalb Avenue to Canal Street due to track work at DeKalb Avenue.

From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25, uptown Q trains run local from Times Square-42nd Street to 57th Street-7th Avenue due to track valve and drain inspections north of 49th Street.

From 12:01 a.m. to 6:30 a.m., Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25, and from 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m., Monday, July 26, there is no R shuttle service in Brooklyn between 59th Street and 36th Street due to track work at DeKalb Avenue. Customers should take the N instead.

From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25, Brooklyn-bound R trains are rerouted over the Manhattan Bridge from Canal Street to DeKalb Avenue due to grouting and track work near Cortlandt Street.

From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25, Manhattan-bound R trains run express from Forest Hills-71st Avenue to Roosevelt Avenue due to a concrete pour north of Elmhurst Avenue.