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Benjamin Kabak

An Irene-inspired unlimited MetroCard conundrum

by Benjamin Kabak August 29, 2011

written by Benjamin Kabak on August 29, 2011

By the time the subways return to service at 6 a.m. today, New York City will have suffered through approximately 42 hours without our trains. The MTA announced a system-wide shutdown for noon on Saturday, and by 2:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, stations were roped off. The great Irene-inspired isolation had begun.

As with all things MTA, the system shutdown was not without controversy, and over the next few days, as our commutes slowly return to something resembling normalcy, we’ll hear a lot about the appropriateness of the response in light of the forecast. No one will ever be happy with the state’s and MTA’s reactions, but after December’s blizzard left trains stranded in snow drifts, the authority, by and large, made the right call this weekend.

Still, one thing gave me pause. Amidst the hoopla over the planned shutdown on Saturday morning, The New York Times found out that the MTA was not going to extend unlimited ride MetroCards. In a vacuum, this isn’t the biggest of deals. After all, the system was out for 42 hours during a period of generally less usage. August tends to see lower ridership than most months as people vacate New York, and the weekends aren’t popular for subway travel either.

On the other hand, though, the unlimited MetroCard calculus is not one to take lightly. When many — but not all — straphangers purchase their 7- or 30-day cards, they know how many rides they plan to take during the week and guess to the number of trips they need during the weekend to break even of come out ahead. Without travel for a day and a half or two days, the savings start to slip away. With knowledge of time away from the subway — a weekend out of town or lighter travel plans — many opt to eschew the unlimited ride card until the timing makes sense. The state’s decision to freeze the city cost unlimited ride users some dollars.

Of course, I’m nitpicking a bit. After all, the MTA provided free bus rides on Sunday when limited bus service was restored and offered free rides throughout the system on Friday and Saturday as evacuation plans went into effect. Furthermore, even though New Yorkers tend to spit in the face of natural disasters and extreme weather, no one was really going far on Saturday night as winds and rain descended upon New York. While the MTA shutdown brought the city to a halt, so to did dire warnings urging city residents to stay inside.

Yet, I can’t help but think that those of us with unlimited ride cards should get a bonus. We should get that extra day and a half back. We paid for it, and we couldn’t enjoy the benefits of subway service because, well, there wasn’t any. We’re all safe; the system is gearing up to launch in five hours from now; and all we need is our lost time back. After all, that’s the New York way.

August 29, 2011 19 comments

New York City Transit Service Advisories

Subways, LIRR set for 6 a.m. return; Metro-North still out

by Benjamin Kabak August 28, 2011

written by Benjamin Kabak on August 28, 2011

Tracks at 145th St.and Lenox Ave under water. Photo by Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Leonard Wiggins

While The Post promised subway service by noon tomorrow, the MTA had other plans. Governor Andrew Cuomo and MTA head Jay Walder announced that subway service will begin to return at 6 a.m. on Monday, in time for the morning rush. Full service won’t come back right away, and trains will run less frequently. Meanwhile, Metro-North service will remain suspended throughout Monday while the LIRR will run trains on some routes tomorrow.

“Today government worked,” Gov. Cuomo said. “Days of preparation and coordination prevented much injury and loss. The MTA will begin resumption of subway service Monday morning. I applaud the good work of the thousands of MTA professionals, National Guard and first responders for their advanced planning. Suspending service allowed the MTA to secure equipment, thus expediting the return to service. None of us should underestimate the damage caused by Hurricane Irene. One thing we can all be proud of is how New Yorkers came together as one. In the darkest hours New Yorkers shine the brightest. They did once again.”

While subway service should allow for a mostly normal Monday morning, Metro-North, which suffered the brunt of the damage, remains down, and the LIRR does as well. “We still have a lot of work to do in parts of our 5,000-mile territory that were hit extremely hard by the storm, but we can now see very visible progress,” Walder said tonight.

The 6 a.m. launch is right now just a general guideline. The Staten Island Railway will resume normal service at midnight, and there a a few exceptions for the Monday commute. The MTA is warning that trains will be more crowded and waits longer than usual. The other important changes include the following:

3 trains will operate between 137th Street/City College and New Lots Avenue; Substitute bus service will be provided between Harlem 148th Street and 135th Street connecting with the 2 train.
C trains suspended; A trains will make all local stops from 207th St. to Lefferts Blvd.?
No service in the Rockaways. (Rockaway Blvd. to Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park)
6 trains runs local in the Bronx
7 trains run local
S Franklin Avenue Shuttle (FAS) suspended
N trains terminate at Kings Highway. Shuttle bus service between Kings Highway and Stillwell Terminal.

For those coming in from outside of the city, though, the story is a different one. The Long Island Rail Road plans to operate regular rush hour service to and from Babylon, Huntingon, Ronkonkoma, Hempstead, West Hempstead and Port Washington while service to and from Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson, Long Beach, Far Rockaway and Montauk remains suspended.

There will be no Metro-North service at all on Monday. According to the MTA, the problems plaguing the commuter rail are numerous. They include:

The signal system is not fully functioning on any of the three lines.
Various sections of track along Hudson line have been damaged by mudslides and washouts. One mudslide in the area of Spuyten Duyvil has also undermined a home that is up a steep hill from the track. Another mudslide in the area of Scarborough has damaged 300-feet of third rail.
There is no signal or third-rail power on the Upper Harlem Line because of downed transmission poles and water-damaged substations.
The tracks through Tuckahoe station are flooded with up to 4 feet of water as the Bronx River continues to overflow its banks.
There is significant flooding at stations and parking lots. The underpass at Beacon Station is completely under water as is the North White Plains station parking lot.
Trees have fallen on the tracks on all three Metro-North lines.
West of Hudson, the Port Jervis Line has a dozen severe washouts and both the Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines have numerous trees on the tracks.

New Jersey Transit to operate ‘light’ rail schedule on Monday

For those coming in from New Jersey, rail service is nearly non-existent. NJ Transit says rail service is suspended “until further notice,” but the Atlantic City Rail Line will operate. Trains will not run to the Meadowlands for Monday night’s Jets/Giants game, but buses will run from Port Authority. NJ Transit will run bus service on a modified weekday schedule. The Hudson-Bergen Light and Rail and River Line will operate on a weekend schedule while the Newark Light Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule. All area airports are expected to be open as well.

August 28, 2011 16 comments

Asides New York City Transit Service Advisories

MTA: Post report on subway restoration ‘not accurate’

by Benjamin Kabak August 28, 2011

written by Benjamin Kabak on August 28, 2011

Updated (5:10 p.m.): According to a New York Post report, the city’s subway system will start springing to life tomorrow “probably” around noon, but an MTA spokesman tells me that the report is “not accurate.” The paper’s transit reporter Jennifer Fermino originally claimed that the numbered IRT routes will likely be back in service by around noon on Monday while the D train, “with a truncated route to avoid flooded areas around Coney Island,” will start then as well. The B Division routes — the lettered BMT and IND lines — may be running by 3 p.m., but stations and perhaps some lines that were damaged in the storm will not be open. The areas in south Brooklyn that flooded may not see service restored that quickly.

Despite these assurances from The Post, MTA sources tell me Fermino’s story is premature. The Wall Street Journal says that the shutdown could extend beyond Monday morning, and an agency spokesperson told them that a Tuesday restoration is “possible.” “I’m not going to put a time-frame on this because it’s too involved in the process,” Charles Seaton told The Journal.

August 28, 2011 7 comments

Asides Buses

Some bus service – with no fares – to start at 4:30 p.m.

by Benjamin Kabak August 28, 2011

written by Benjamin Kabak on August 28, 2011

4:00 p.m., Sunday – Limited bus service will resume in Manhattan and the Bronx beginning at 4:30 p.m. this afternoon, the MTA has announced. Queens and Brooklyn will see some service come back on line later while, as the authority said, “conditions in Staten Island continue to prevent restoration of service at this time.” The MTA will not be charging anyone for bus service today.

“Conditions vary greatly across our system, but we’re working hard to assess storm damage and will begin to restore service wherever we can do it safely, starting with limited bus service this afternoon,” MTA Chairman and CEO Jay Walder said in a statement. “The actions we took to protect the system have helped limit damage, but there were still storm impacts across our system and we will keep customers informed as we work to restore service across our 5,000 mile territory. I can’t say enough about the hard work of our employees first in evacuating New Yorkers and now in bringing service back.”

The MTA has not yet said which routes will be serviced. They are urging customers to check MTA.info for the latest. I’ll update as information becomes available.

August 28, 2011 3 comments

Asides Service Advisories

MTA: Bus service to return at 5 p.m. but rail service restoration is ‘going to take some time’

by Benjamin Kabak August 28, 2011

written by Benjamin Kabak on August 28, 2011

Updated (2:30 p.m.): As the MTA readies a plan to reactivate the area’s transit network in the wake of Hurricane Irene, city and authority officials warned that full subway and commuter rail service will not return any time soon, but New York City Transit will begin restoring bus service at 5 p.m. today. To get the subways and commuter rail up and running, the MTA must first make a full assessment of its system. “This is a difficult process. There is damage,” MTA CEO and Chair Jay Walder said. “It’s going to take some time.”

During the Mayor’s press conference the year, Walder explained the challenges that await the MTA. While the East River tunnels did not flood, the three Metro-North lines all experienced severe flood damage and potential erosion, and the MTA must assess every part of its system including tracks, signals and tunnels. They cannot restore service until non-revenue trains pass through the system, and the MTA will also have to get its employees to work without the benefit of a subway system. “The actions we took yesterday were right,” Walder said.

While bus service will begin to return this afternoon, the subways remain a challenge. For instance, there are, according to Walder, “virtually no trains” located in Brooklyn right now, and returning trains to their rail yards will be a timely process. With no timetable in place yet, the MTA hopes to reactivate the bus network first as that equipment is “fine.” Getting drivers to work remains a challenge, and city officials anticipate a slow ride on Monday. “Tough commute tomorrow,” the Mayor said, “but we have tough commutes all the time.”

August 28, 2011 22 comments

Service Advisories

Irene in Photos: No timeline for transit service

by Benjamin Kabak August 28, 2011

written by Benjamin Kabak on August 28, 2011

Floodwaters covered the tracks of Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line at Ossining. Photo by Metropolitan Transportation Authority

The rains have passed, the winds have died down and now we wait. We wait for subway and bus service to be restored. We wait for our ability to get anywhere to return. We wait for a return to normalcy.

As Irene, hurricane or tropical storm, sweeps out of the New York area, the MTA is assessing the damage, and already signs of a normal commute anytime soon are not promising. Rail yards and trackbeds within New York City are flooded, and the upper reaches of the Metro-North system seem to be in worse shape. Various at-grade subway routes in Brooklyn and the Coney Island yards are under water, and the Lenox Subway Yard is pumping out flood waters as well. For the commuter rail, the Ossining station remains flooded, and a mudslide at Spuyten Duyvil has blocked the Hudson Line. MTA sources say that service will be very limited tomorrow if there is any at all in the morning hours.

Floodwaters covered the subway train storage yard at Coney Island. Photo by Metropolitan Transportation Authority, David Knights

MTA officials have told The Times that they expect a “lengthy and protracted recovery.” Per Michael Grynbaum, “It remains unlikely that the city’s mass transit system will be back to full-speed for the Monday morning commute, officials said, although they said the damage might have been far worse if the agency had not taken the highly unusual action of preemptively shutting down the entire system.”

The tracks on the N line were flooded at 86th Street. Photo by Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Many will question the MTA’s reactions over the next few days as we await the return to normalcy, but the authority says it did what it had to do to prevent more damage to the system and protect its employees. “The actions that we took were the right ones,” Jeremy Soffin, agency spokesman, said. “The decision on the MTA was the right one,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

The authority elaborated on the process in front of them. With a 5000-square-mile territory that bore the brunt of the winds and rain, MTA personnel have to inspect signals, tracks, stations, under-river tunnels, catenary wires and “other” infrastructure. This will take a while. “Restoration of service will be implemented as quickly as possible without compromising the safety of our customers, employees or equipment,” the authority said in a statement, “but it is expected to be a lengthy process that will begin with damage assessment and could include significant repairs.”

After the jump, more scenes from the storm. I’ll continue to update the site with news throughout the weekend.

August 28, 2011 36 comments

View from Underground

Photo of the Day: Closing a 24-hour system

by Benjamin Kabak August 27, 2011

written by Benjamin Kabak on August 27, 2011

The 7th Ave. subway stop along the BMT Brighton Line has been roped off. (Photo by Benjamin Kabak)

Around 30 minutes ago in between bursts of rain, I ventured out to the 7th Ave. subway stop along the B/Q at Flatbush Ave., and it’s shut. Since the MTA’s system wasn’t built with doors — why would you want to block stations that are never supposed to close? — the low-tech pink warning tape is all that’s stopping anyone from getting into the subway system. It’s quiet out there as people are gearing up to stay home for the storm.

The MTA this afternoon has posted a bunch of great photos from their storm prep. Earlier this morning, Jay Walder greeted Rockaway residents as they evacuated the area. Crews installed AquaDams to prevent flooding in the LIRR tubes into Penn Station, and Grand Central is a ghost town. The MTA doesn’t yet know when full service will be restored, but I’ll update the site as news develops. Stay safe.

After the jump, a look into Grand Central with no one in it. This isn’t a still from Vanilla Sky.

August 27, 2011 37 comments

Service Advisories

Some fares, tolls slashed to aid evacuation

by Benjamin Kabak August 26, 2011

written by Benjamin Kabak on August 26, 2011

Some subway and bus fares and bridge tolls along evacuation routes will be reduced as the city works to evacuate residents in the Zone A areas, the MTA and Governor Cuomo announced this evening.

“The only approach to a storm of this magnitude is to act preemptively. Waiving fares may be the factor that convinces some people to leave promptly when they might otherwise be tempted to stay and confront this hurricane,” Governor Cuomo said.

Already, tolls have been suspended at the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge and the Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge. At 8 p.m., tolls will be suspended on the Verrazano Bridge while city bus fares will be suspended as well. Those leaving the evacuation areas and the Rockaways via subway will not have to pay either.

August 26, 2011 9 comments

Service Advisories

MTA to begin system shut down at noon Saturday

by Benjamin Kabak August 26, 2011

written by Benjamin Kabak on August 26, 2011

With Hurricane Irene taking aim at New York City, the MTA will begin shutting down the entire bus and subway system as well as Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road at noon on Saturday, the governor and MTA officials said this afternoon. New Jersey Transit will also be shutting down its network on Saturday at noon.

Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered this MTA shutdown today after discussing it on Thursday, and it is likely that services may not be restored by the Monday morning rush. “Please do not wait for the last train,” MTA Chair and CEO Jay Walder said during a press conference this afternoon. Walder said the MTA “will be running regular service today” and will try to run extra trains tomorrow until the shutdown begins.

For the MTA and New York state, this is an unprecedented move that is designed to protect the MTA’s equipments and its employees. It will also impact evacuation plans. By halting service on Saturday, the state is effectively cutting off evacuation routes early. However, the city and MTA will be running some evacuation buses throughout the day.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he would have kept the subways running longer to allow for a smoother evacuation process, but as Walder said, the authority is concerned about its flooding in its under-water tunnels, the safety and security of its rolling stock and any routes that use catenary wires.

Per a release from the authority, “MTA stations and rail terminals are not designated shelters and will be closed in the event of a service shutdown.” Clearly, all weekend work has been canceled. Sources at the authority are not optimistic that trains will be running normally once the storm passes either. Crews will have to inspect the system for damage, and any flooding will have to be cleared.

I’ll continue to update the site with news over the weekend. For now, please leave plenty of travel time, and those in the mandatory evacuation areas should leave well in advance of the MTA’s shutdown. Be safe.

After the jump, a list of the last Metro-North trains to operate tomorrow.

August 26, 2011 55 comments

MTA Economics MTA Politics

Link of the day: On the origins of the MTA’s financial crisis

by Benjamin Kabak August 26, 2011

written by Benjamin Kabak on August 26, 2011

As inveterate transit watchers know, the MTA’s current financial crisis is years in the making. The perfect storm of decreasing state and city subsidies combined with ever-increasing labor costs and spiking debt payments has led us to today’s tenuous position. That said, a few key politicians have been instrumental in overseeing the decline and fall of state support for New York City’s transit system, and they deserve special recognition of their own.

Over at WNYC’s Empire blog, friend-of-SAS Colby Hamilton published an insightful and thorough post on the origins of the MTA’s fiscal crisis. Hamilton highlights an oft-ignored part of the MTA’s history. As he writes, “Out of this pool of transit tragedy one person bears a disproportionate responsibility for the current mess the nation’s largest public transit system is in. That person is former Governor George Pataki.”

Now, Pataki wasn’t the first person to remove MTA subsidies. In fact, under the first Cuomo Administration, the MTA lost nearly $1 billion in annual state subsidies, but those were replaced with money from the failed Westway project as well as revenue-backed bonds. The funding remained the same while the sources diversified. Under Pataki, it all fell apart. “Cuomo understood the importance of the MTA and the transportation system,” Peter Derrick, a former MTA official who accused Pataki of politicizing the agency, said. “The MTA basically set the transit budget and the governor didn’t stick his finger in the pot. Pataki came in and totally brought his own people in who were not transit people.”

With the Peter Kalikow’s of the world running the show, the MTA slipped precipitously into an embrace of debt. Hamilton explains:

The crux of Pataki’s culpability was the desire to float large capital programs without finding new streams of revenue. “Pataki said, ‘Oh no, I don’t have to do that. I’m going to be the governor that doesn’t have to raise taxes or raise fares,” said Derrick.

“It’s very tempting to put stuff on the credit card,” said William Henderson, executive director of the Permanent Citizen’s Advisory Committee to the MTA. “That’s essentially what we did. The result is the kind of debt and debt service we have now.”

Peter Kalikow was Governor Pataki’s MTA chief for most of his administration. He says that, in fact, Pataki was willing to allow fare increases, but the reality is that paying for capital needs through debt is actually a good thing. “A lot of guys yell that there’s so much debt. That’s nonsense. What you have to do is keep the fares at the level that you can pay the debt service,” Kalikow said. “If the state doesn’t give you the money, you’re going to have to do bonds. I don’t think that’s a terrible thing to do.”

Debt, as Kalikow says, isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, certain projects such as the Second Ave. Subway should be funded through debt because those projects will generate enough revenue to cover bond payments. But many other projects, including system modernization, will not expand the revenue base enough to generate money for the debt payments. Today, we’re stuck with debt for everything whether appropriate or not.

Now Hamilton’s piece contains most of the story, but as a few commenters pointed out, it’s not everything. Labor costs have risen have more than labor productivity has, and the artificial depression of the fare in nominal dollars since the advent of the unlimited ride MetroCard in 1996 has hurt the MTA’s bottom line as well.

Of course, the ultimate question concerns the future: Where do we go from here? As Hamilton notes, the next MTA head will have to take a long, hard look at the way the MTA is funded, and Albany must be willing to do so as well. I’m not too optimistic.

August 26, 2011 12 comments

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