While we know FASTRACK as a Manhattan-based project that halts overnight subway service during the week, a few subway segments a bit of a ways away from the core of the city know it as a two-week long shutdown. This time around, at the height of Coney Island’s peak, the D train will suffer a 16-day outage as Transit engages in a “major switch and track reconstruction project.” The timing is not ideal.
As far as the details go, the service change is a simple one. Starting a few hours ago at 10 p.m. on Friday and running through 5 a.m. on Monday, July 23, D trains will not operate between Bay Parkway and Coney Island. Instead, the ever-popular shuttle buses will run from Bay Parkway to Stillwell Ave. with stops at 25th Avenue and Bay 50th Street.
According to Transit, over the next two weeks, workers will be installing track and switches from Bay 50th Street to Stillwell Ave., and various other routine maintenance and end-of-life replacement work will continue. Transit calls it “necessary,” but I have to wonder if doing it in the middle of summer when many New Yorkers just want to reach the beach is the best of timing.
While you stew over that one, ponder the rest of the weekend service changes.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 7 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 9, uptown 4 trains run local from Grand Central-42nd Street to 125th Street due to track replacement and maintenance north of 125th Street.
From 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday, July 7 and from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Sunday, July 8, there are no 5 trains between Brooklyn Bridge and Bowling Green due to track replacement and maintenance north of 125th Street. Customers should take the 4 instead. 5 trains run local every 20 minutes between Dyre Avenue and Brooklyn Bridge.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 7 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 9, 6 service operates in two sections due to track replacement and maintenance north of 125th Street:
- Between Pelham Bay Park and 125th Street
- Between 125th Street and Brooklyn Bridge
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 7 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 9, Manhattan-bound 6 trains run express from Parkchester to 3rd Avenue-138th Street due to ADA work at Hunts Point Avenue station and track replacement and maintenance north of 125th Street.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 7 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 9, Inwood/207th Street-bound (uptown) A trains are rerouted via the F line from Jay Street-MetroTech to West 4th Street, then run local to 59th Street due to electrical and substation work at Jay Street-MetroTech.
From 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, July 7 and Sunday, July 8, 168th Street-bound (uptown) C trains are rerouted via the F line from Jay Street-MetroTech to West 4th Street due to electrical and substation work at Jay Street-MetroTech.
At all times, from 10 p.m. Friday, July 6 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 23 there is no D service between Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue and Bay Parkway. Additionally, on the weekends of July 7-8, 14-15 and 21-22, there is no D service between Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue and the 62nd Street DN station.
- Shuttle bus service will operate between Bay Parkway and Stillwell Terminal serving 25th Avenue and Bay 50th Street at all times including rush hours.
- During the weekends, service is suspended between 62nd Street and Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Free shuttle buses will be available making all station stops. Customers may transfer between the shuttle bus and D or N trains at 62nd Street.
These changes are due to switch renewal south of Bay 50th Street and track maintenance.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 7 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 9, Bronx-bound D trains are express from 145th Street to 161st Street-Yankee Stadium, skipping 155th Street due to a tunnel survey.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 7 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 9, E trains run local in both directions between Queens Plaza and Roosevelt Avenue due to track maintenance.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 7 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 9, downtown F trains skip 23rd and 14th Sts. due to track roadbed construction north of 14th and 23rd Streets.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 7 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 9, F trains run local in both directions between 21st Street-Queensbridge and Roosevelt Avenue due to track maintenance.
From 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m., Saturday, July 7, from 10 p.m. Saturday, July 6 to 6 a.m. Sunday, July 8 and from 10 p.m. Sunday, July 8 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 9, Queens-bound N trains run via the Manhattan Bridge from DeKalb Avenue to Canal Street due to cable replacement north of Court Street.
From 11:30 p.m. Friday, July 6 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 9, Coney Island-bound Q trains run express from Prospect Park to Sheepshead Bay due to track panel installation south of Kings Highway.
From 10 p.m. to 12 midnight, Saturday, July 7 and Sunday, July 8, Queens-bound R trains are rerouted via the N from DeKalb Avenue to Canal Street due to cable replacement north of Court Street.
15 comments
This is work that must be done in the summer. Rail cannot be changed in the winter because it contracts, and since switches must be precise, they have to be changed when it is hottest.
Why it’s going to take two and a half weeks, I don’t know, but they must be doing to very intensive work, and the weather means they can work 24/7 should they want to.
It looks extremely intensive, enormous sections of track just lifted out and replacements dropped in. Just look at the photos!
The subwayweekender guy is retiring from making maps. It stated on the site. Need someone who can take over. Sunwayweekender is really good site
For some reason as I read this, I’m thinking of the old NX line in the late 60’s that was discontinued quickly, I wonder if a line that on the weekends would be popular.
I remember it well.
It ran from Brighton Beach to Coney Island, and then nonstop via the middle tracks on the Sea Beach Line to 59th St./4th Ave., then on to Manhattan as an express.
People must have found it confusing at first, having to go up to the Coney Island-bound platform to go to Manhattan.
I forgot to include that ran weekdays only (rush hours only if I recall correctly).
Running the B on summer weekends would be nice. There’s always a lot of tourists along CPW at that time, while summer weekend ridership to beach destinations should be high enough to support the other leg of that service to Brighton. If the B could be extended to Coney on Saturdays and Sundays in the summer along the Q, even better.
Ben, do you mind posting this on the page related to subwayweekender’s “retirement?” this was from the site
I’m retiring SubwayWeekender
Posted on July 7, 2012 by shawn
After many years helping people get around NYC on weekends, I will no longer be updating the SubwayWeekender. I’m not a programmer and I have not been able to repair the faulty SubwayWeekender app and I can’t keep up with the pace of changing technology for riding the subways, plus I’m moving on to other projects. The good news for riders is that there are lots of great mobile apps and the MTA’s website to help everyone find their way. It’s been fun and I will see you all on the rails.
Re: (D) line FasTrack
It is really not that bad for those who want Coney Island considering the fact that they can also use the (F)(N)(Q). They can just transfer to the (N) at Pacific or 36 St.
The students of John Dewey High School fill up the northbound platform at Bay 50th every afternoon of the school year. Summer is the only time of year that this sort of shutdown is feasible.
There are three other subway lines that serve Coney Island – two an easy cross-platform connection from the D.
Tonight is the 8th ave fastrack. But what doesnt make sense is the M service ending early since it not affected. I know that the E have to be local for the 6th ave fastrack.
If I had to guess, the M trains need to be clear of 6th Ave before FASTRACK starts, because the A and E run local on 6th Ave during 8th Ave FASTRACK.
Exactly. The 6 Av local tracks cannot support four trains. Even running three is stretching capacity.
How is the D work considered “FASTRACK”? It sound like your average weekend service change for construction purposes.
…And I totally read that wrong. Includes weekdays. Wow, OK.