When the Long Island Rail Road’s Hall signal tower suffered a crippling fire in August, the great irony of the story was one we know well. The MTA was supposed to bring a modernized switching system online three years ago, and the replacement project was 167 percent over budget. Had the project been on time, the fire wouldn’t have knocked out most LIRR service for a week.
This weekend, the authority is beginning the switchover to the modernized system, and LIRR service is severely limited because of it. In essence, this project is replacing 1910’s-era electro-mechanical Model 14 Interlocking Machines at the three towers with a modern microprocessor based system. As the MTA says in a press release, “The new more reliable system will increase operational flexibility for the large volume of trains that pass through this area, helping to reduce customer delays. The new system also will provide redundant signal control systems and will allow for quicker recovery time in the event of a power surge, or lightning storm or fire-related service disruption like the one experienced in August 2010 when high voltage power entered the signal system and damaged the wiring to the signal control board in Jamaica’s Hall Tower.”
For Saturday and Sunday, though, and again in November, bringing the new system online means severely reduced service. Only three trains per hour are operating between Jamaica and Penn Station, and the MTA is urging customers to allow for up 70 minutes of added travel time. For the line-by-line breakdown of the service changes, check out the Jamaica Cutover Modernization site. The video above explains the new system.
Meanwhile, New York City Transit has a full slate of changes in store for us as well. All lines except the 5 and L are suffering through weekend changes. As always, these come to me via Transit and are subject to change without notice. Check out the signs in your local station and listen to on-board announcements. Subway Weekender has the map.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, October 23 to 5 a.m. Monday, October 25, uptown 1 trains run express from 72nd Street to 96th Street due to track work at 72nd Street.
From 11:30 p.m. Saturday, October 23 to 5 a.m. Monday, October 25, 1 service is suspended between 242nd Street and 168th Street due to rehab work between 242nd Street and Dyckman Street stations. The A trains, free shuttle buses and the M3 bus provide alternate service. Free shuttle buses run in two sections:
- On Broadway between 242nd Street and 215th Street stations, then connecting to the 207th Street A station.
- On St. Nicholas Avenue between 191st and 168th Street stations.
1 trains run local between 168th Street and 34th Street then express between 34th Street and 14th Street where it terminates. (2 and 3 trains run local between 96th Street and Chambers Street.)
From 11:30 p.m. Friday, October 22 to 5 a.m. Monday, October 25, there is no 1 service between 14th Street and South Ferry due to Port Authority work at the WTC site. The 2, 3, and free shuttle buses provide alternate service. During the daytime hours, 1 train service runs express between 34th Street and 14th Street where it terminates. The 2 and 3 trains replace the 1 between 34th Street and Chambers Street. Free shuttle buses replace the 1 between Chambers Street and South Ferry. Note: During the overnight hours, downtown 1 trains will run local between 34th Street and 14th Street. The 3 trains run express between 148th Street and 42nd Street.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, October 23 to 5 a.m. Monday, October 25, Manhattan-bound 2 and 4 trains skip Eastern Parkway, Grand Army Plaza and Bergen Street due to tunnel ceiling inspection.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, October 23 to 5 a.m. Monday, October 25, downtown 2 trains run local from 96th Street to Chambers Street and uptown 2 trains run local from Chambers Street to 72nd Street, then express to 96th Street. These changes are due to Port Authority work at the WTC site and track work at 72nd Street.
From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, October 23, Bronx-bound 2 trains skip 219th, 225th, 233rd, and Nereid Avenue due to the painting of the elevated steel structure.
From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, October 23 and Sunday, October 24, downtown 3 trains run local from 96th Street to Chambers Street and uptown 3 trains run local from Chambers Street to 72nd Street, then express to 96th Street. These changes are due to Port Authority work at the WTC site and track work at 72nd Street.
From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, October 23 and Sunday, October 24, Manhattan-bound 3 trains skip Eastern Parkway, Grand Army Plaza and Bergen Street due to tunnel ceiling inspections.
From 11 p.m. Friday, October 22 to 5 a.m. Monday, October 25, downtown 4 and 6 trains skip 33rd, 28th, and 23rd Streets, Astor Place, Bleecker, Spring and Canal Streets due to track work south of 33rd Street and work on the Broadway-Lafayette to Bleecker Street transfer.
From 4 a.m. Saturday, October 23 to 10 p.m. Sunday, October 24, the last stop for some Bronx-bound 6 trains is 3rd Avenue due to track panel installation between Middletown Road and Westchester Square.
From 4 a.m. Saturday, October 23 to 11 p.m. Sunday, October 24, Flushing-bound 7 trains skip 82nd, 90th, 103rd, and 111th Streets due to switch renewal work at 111th Street.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, October 23 to 5 a.m. Monday, October 25, Manhattan-bound A trains run on the F line from Jay Street to West 4th Street, then local to 59th Street/Columbus Circle due to work on the Fulton Street Transit Center.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, October 23 to 5 a.m. Monday, October 25, there is no A train service at Broadway-Nassau/Fulton Street in either direction due to work on the Fulton Street Transit Center.
From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, October 23 and Sunday, October 24, Manhattan-bound C trains run on the F line from Jay Street to West 4th Street due to work on the Fulton Street Transit Center.
From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, October 23 and Sunday, October 24, there is no C train service at Broadway-Nassau/Fulton Street in either direction due to work on the Fulton Street Transit Center.
From 11:30 p.m. Friday, October 22 to 5 a.m. Monday, October 25, free shuttle buses replace D service in Brooklyn between 36th Street and Coney Island/Stillwell Avenue due to structural repair and station rehabilitation from 71st Street to Bay 50th Street and ADA work at Bay Parkway. (Note: D trains run on the N line between 36th Street and Coney Island/Stillwell Avenue.)
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, October 23 to 5 a.m. Monday, October 25, Queens-bound E trains skip Spring Street and 23rd Street due to work on the Fulton Street Transit Center.
From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, October 23, Coney Island-bound F trains skip Avenue U due to signal maintenance.
From 6 a.m. to 12 noon, Sunday, October 24, free shuttle buses replace F trains between Church Avenue and Kings Highway due to switch replacement south of Ditmas Avenue.
From 10:30 p.m. Friday, October 22 to 5 a.m. Monday, October 25, free shuttle buses replace G trains between Court Square and Bedford-Nostrand Avs. due to track work north of Metropolitan Avenue.
From 6 a.m. Saturday, October 23 to 6 p.m. Sunday, October 24, Manhattan-bound J trains skip Flushing Avenue, Lorimer Street and Hewes Street due to switch work north of Myrtle Avenue.
From 11:30 p.m. Friday, October 22 to 5 a.m. Monday, October 25, free shuttle buses between Metropolitan Avenue and Myrtle Avenue-Broadway replace M service due to platform edge rehabilitation.
From 11 p.m. Friday, October 22 to 5 a.m. Monday, October 25, uptown N trains skip Prince, 8th, 23rd, and 28th Streets due to track work north of Prince Street.
On Monday, October 25, the Manhattan-bound platforms at Neck Road and Avenue U will reopen following closure due to station rehabilitation.
From 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, October 23 and Sunday, October 24, uptown R trains skip Prince, 8th, 23rd, and 28th Streets due to track work north of Prince Street.
3 comments
LIRR has some interesting notes on the “cutover modernization site” linked above:
* During these two weekends, there will be no LIRR train service between Jamaica and Atlantic Terminal. Customers traveling for recreational purposes during this period should consider alternate transportation.. (What about people traveling in and out of Brooklyn for non-recreational purposes?)
* NYC Marathoners should use Babylon, Long Beach and Port Washington Branches for direct service to and from Penn Station (It’s a shame that these dates have to overlap. More of a shame if the runners arrive at the starting-line 70 minutes late as a result).
* Usually, when LIRR riders are forced to take subways, they implement free transfers. No such provision appears to have been made here to and from Jamaica.
Scott, NYCT is cross-honoring fares this time as well.
Yes, this is a particularly boneheaded and insensitive service outage.