Late on Friday, the MTA sent out a press release announcing that Virgil Conway, the MTA Chairman from 1995-2001, passed away earlier this week at the age of 85. At some point soon, we should assess Conway’s tenure. He was a Pataki man through and through and ushered in an era of political pressure to cut costs in the wrong way. He was a big proponent of the early planning for the East Side Access project, and he played a big role in securing funding for the Second Ave. Subway. His legacy reverberates today.
“Virgil was a hugely influential and effective chairman, and many of the successes and accomplishments the MTA celebrates today are the result of his hard work and his heartfelt service to the region,” current MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas Prendergast said. “He remains a beloved member of the MTA family, and he will be sorely missed.”
Thoughts are with his family right now.
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Click through the jump for this weekend’s service changes.
From 11:30 p.m. Friday, October 23 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, October 26, 1 trains are suspended in both directions between 14 St and South Ferry, and between 137 St and Van Cortlandt Park-242 St. Take the 45ACR trains and the M3, M100 and free shuttle buses instead.
· 23 trains run local in both directions between 34 St-Penn Station and Chambers St. Free shuttle buses provide alternate service between Chambers St and South Ferry.
- For service between 137 St and 168 St, use free shuttle buses or the AC at nearby stations.
- For service between 168 St and 191 St, use M3 or free shuttle buses. Or, use the AC at nearby stations.
- For Dyckman St, use M100 (free shuttle buses overnight) to/from the Dyckman St A station. For Inwood-207 St, use the nearby A station; transfer between 1 and A trains at 59 St.
- For service between Inwood-207 St and Van Cortlandt Park-242 St, take free shuttle buses to/from A trains at Inwood-207 St. Transfer between 1 and AC trains at 59 St.
From 11:30 p.m. Friday, October 23 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, October 26, 2 trains run local in both directions between Chambers St and 34 St-Penn Station.
From 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Saturday, October, 24 and Sunday, October 25, 3 trains are suspended in both directions between Crown Hts-Utica Av and New Lots Av. Free shuttle buses operate all weekend between Crown Hts-Utica Av and New Lots Av, making all station stops. Transfer between trains and free shuttle buses at Crown Hts-Utica Av.
From 6:30 a.m. to 12 Midnight Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, 3 trains run local in both directions between Chambers St and 34 St-Penn Station.
From 11:30 p.m. Friday, October 23 to 7:30 a.m. Sunday, October 25 and from 11:30 p.m. Sunday, October 25 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, October 26, 4 trains are suspended in both directions between Crown Hts-Utica Av and New Lots Av. Free shuttle buses operate all weekend between Crown Hts-Utica Av and New Lots Av making all station stops. Transfer between trains and free shuttle buses at Crown Hts-Utica Av.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, October 24 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, October 26, Woodlawn-bound 4 trains run local from Grand Central-42 St to 125 St.
From 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday, October 24 and from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Sunday, October 25, 5 trains run every 20 minutes. Uptown 5 trains run local from Grand Central-42 St to 125 St.
From 3:45 a.m. Saturday, October 24 to 10:00 p.m. Sunday, October 25, Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall bound 6 trains run express from Pelham Bay Park to Hunts Point Av.
From 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Saturday, October 24 and from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday, October 25, 6 trains run every 16 minutes between 3 Av-138 St and Pelham Bay Park. The last stop for some trains headed towards Pelham Bay Park is 3 Av-138 St. To continue your trip, transfer at 3 Av-138 St.
From 6:45 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, 34 St-Hudson Yards-bound 7 trains run express from Mets-Willets Point to 74 St-Broadway.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, October 24 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, October 24, A trains are suspended in both directions between Euclid Av and Lefferts Blvd. A service operate between Rockaway Blvd and Far Rockaway every 20 minutes. Free shuttle buses provide alternate service between Euclid Av and Lefferts Blvd, stopping at Grant Av, 80 St, 88 St, Rockaway Blvd, 104 St, and 111 St. Transfer between A trains and free shuttle buses at Euclid Av and/or Rockaway Blvd.
From 11:45 p.m. Friday, October 23 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, October 26, E trains are rerouted via the F in both directions between Roosevelt Av and W4 St-Wash Sq. Free shuttle buses run between Court Sq-23 St and 21 St-Queensbridge, stopping at Queens Plaza.
From 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday, October 24 and from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday, October 25, World Trade Center-bound E trains skip Briarwood and 75 Av.
From 11:30 pm, Friday, October 23 to 5:00 a.m. Monday, October 26, F trains are suspended in both directions between Coney Island-Stillwell Av and Kings Hwy. Free shuttle buses operate between Kings Hwy and Coney Island-Stillwell Av, stopping at Avenue U, Avenue X, Neptune Av, and West 8 St. Transfer between F trains and free shuttle buses at Kings Hwy. Consider using the DNQ between Coney Island-Stillwell Av and Downtown Brooklyn or Manhattan.
From 6:30 a.m. to 12 Midnight, Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, R service is extended to the Jamaica-179 St F station.
42nd Street
From 6:30 a.m. to 12 Midnight, Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, the 42 Street Shuttle is suspended. Take the 7 instead.
2 comments
When someone passes, you supposed to say something nice. But I have nothing nice to say about Conway. During the early nineties, I had to attend the Board and committee meetings each month when Conway was on the MTA Board. He struck me as the least qualified MTA board member to become chairman because of the comments he made at those meetings. The one incident I remember to this day were his comments to a group of twelve year olds who came to the meeting to speak out against the MTA’s plans to close the Franklin Shuttle.
I am sure their teacher thought this would be a great civics lesson for them. They were all disappointed. Each student gave their heartfelt comments before the microphone expressing hteir own personal heartship if the shuttle were to be discontinued. Conway cold heartedly responded that when he was in elementary school, he had to walk two miles everyday to get to school school, and it he could do it, so could they because it would build character. It just showed how out of touch he was comparing conditions during the Great Depression to the 1990s.
It was just an incredibly mean and stupid comment to make. But I guess his qualifications of leading Seamens Bank into bankcruptcy qualified him to become MTA Chairman.
Conway made things better then — including a big cut in the real subway fare — by making things much worse now. We are left with the consequences. He is not.
His choice was the same as so many others at the same time, up to the present day.