Just a heads up for my loyal readers: Based on how Jeremy Hobson, a reporter with American Public Media’s Marketplace, edits his story for Monday morning, I may be on the air. As a special Marketplace Morning Report, Hobson is looking at the progress of the Second Ave. Subway in light of the current economy. The segment airs in New York at 6:50 a.m. on 820 AM and at 8:50 a.m. on FM 93.9. Check it out, and I’ll link to the story later in the day on Monday when it hits the website.
For those of us into both the subways and Twitter, the popular microblogging platform just got a bit funnier. Earlier this week, a new Twitter account called FakeMTA debuted, and it’s quickly becoming one of the more entertaining satire feeds out there. The tone is perfect, and the message amusing. “All passengers looking for IRT, BMT or IND lines will be directed to nearby bus stops,” said one earlier this week. For more serious public transit-oriented tweets, you can also follow Second Ave. Sagas on Twitter or New York City Transit’s Subway Scoop.
Guest-blogging will continue this week at Second Avenue Sagas. Replacing Ben are Bill Boyer and myself, Jeremy Steinemann. Bill and I will be playing tag-team from Monday to Friday. Expect some excellent posts on the history and future of the subway system, as well as the usual news coverage.
I’m going to be out of the country starting on Monday, July 27 returning on Friday, August 7, and while I am away, I will limited access to the Internet. I have a guest blogger lined up for the end of next week, but I am currently looking for some guest contributors for the week of August 3. If anyone is looking to share their news and views on transportation in New York City and the subways, please contact me or leave a comment here with a valid e-mail address in the e-mail field. Anything help would be greatly appreciated.
As the weekend draws near, I thought I would take a few minutes to promote the site a bit. Tomorrow, I’ll be riding the Nostalgia Train to the Bronx, and when the train goes above ground, I’ll upload some pictures via Twitter.
To that end, you can find Second Ave. Sagas on Twitter right here. Follow me for mass transit musings and updates in 140 characters or less. My more personal, non-blog related Twitter account is here. We’re also on Facebook, but that’s far more passive.
Finally, if you’re interested in advertising on Second Ave. Sagas, please contact me. I’m always looking for more advertisers, and this site attracts a solid number of high-value eyeballs. Competitive rates, preferential placement available. You know the drill.
Now on to the service advisories. As always, these are as provided to me by New York City Transit and are subject to change. Check the fliers posted at your local station and listen for announcements on board.
From 12:01 a.m. to 7 a.m. Saturday, June 20 and from 12:01 a.m. to 8 a.m. Sunday, June 21 and from 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, June 22, Manhattan-bound 2 and 4 trains skip Eastern Parkway, Grand Army Plaza and Bergen Street due to switch renewal.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 20 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 22, 4 trains run in two sections due to cable work:
- Between Woodlawn and 125th Street and
- Between 125th Street and New Lots Avenue
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 20 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 22, Manhattan-bound 4 trains skip 138th Street due to cable work.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 20, to 5 a.m. Monday, June 22, there are no 5 trains between East 180th Street and Bowling Green due to cable work. Customers should take the 2 or 4 instead. (Transfer between the 5 and 2 at East 180th Street. Transfer between the 2 and 4 at 149th Street-Grand Concourse.)
From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21, Bronx-bound 6 trains run express from Parkchester to Pelham Bay Park due to station painting near Westchester Square.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 20 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 22, Queens-bound A trains run local from 168th Street to West 4th Street, then on the F to Jay Street, then local to Euclid Avenue due to the Chambers Street Signal Modernization project.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 20 to 5 a.m. Manhattan-bound A trains run local from Euclid Avenue to 168th Street due to the Chambers Street Signal Modernization project.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 20, to 5 a.m. Monday, June 22, there are no C trains running due to the Chambers Street Signal Modernization project. Customers should take the A instead.
From 4 a.m. Saturday, June 20 to 10 p.m. Sunday, June 21, Manhattan-bound D trains run on the N from Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue to 36th Street (Brooklyn) due to track panel installation.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 20 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 22, Bronx-bound D trains skip 170th, 174th-175th, and 182nd-183rd Streets due to track cable work.
From 11:30 p.m. Friday, June 19 to 5 a.m. Saturday, June 21, Manhattan-bound F trains run local from Forest Hills-71st Avenue to Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue to due to track and roadbed replacement at Grand Avenue.
From 12:30 a.m. to 5 a.m. Saturday, June 20 and 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, June 21 and Monday, June 22, Jamaica-bound F trains run local from Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue to Forest Hills-71st Avenue due to track and roadbed replacement at Grand Avenue.
From 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 19 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 22, there is no G train service between Forest Hills-71st Avenue and Court Square. Customers should take the E or R instead.
From 11:30 p.m. Friday, June 19 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 22, free shuttle buses replace L trains between Lorimer Street and Myrtle Avenue due to track and roadbed replacement at Jefferson Street.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 20 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 22, N and R trains are rerouted over the Manhattan Bridge between DeKalb Avenue and Canal Street due to subway tunnel rehabilitation. Customers may take the 4 at nearby stations.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 20 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 22, Manhattan-bound Q trains skip Newkirk Avenue due to station rehab work.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 20 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 22, Coney Island-bound Q trains run express from Prospect Park to Kings Highway due to Brighton Line station rehabilitation.
As the public digests the news that the MTA Finance Committee has approved recommending the Doomsday budget to the MTA Board, I’ll be on TV providing some reaction. Andrew Siff of WNBC interviewed me for a segment that will run during the 30-minute newscast at either 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. on Channel 4 in New York. I’ll also be a guest on Chuck Scarborough’s cable-only 7 p.m. news broadcast. Check here for channel information for the Nightly News broadcast.
As long-time readers of this site could guess, I’m not too happy about the news. The MTA Board has been forced into a corner, and the politicians in Albany are simply spewing excuses. If we’ve known about this impending problem for a year, well, so has Albany. It’s time for the politicians to stop playing games with transit. New York needs its transit funding, and the MTA is now on borrowed time.
Just a quick note about ways you can follow Second Ave. Sagas. I’m now posting subway-related updates on Twitter. These posts will be more than just links to blogs and will focus around things I see underground or other sundry topics relating to transit. And as always, you should become a fan of SAS on Facebook. [Twitter, Facebook]
As some of you may have noticed, the look and functionality of the comments here on Second Ave. Sagas changed early this week, and I wanted to take a second to formally introduce those changes. SAS now features threaded comments with live comment preview. The preview function means that, as you type your comment, you’ll see how it displays in a box underneath the comment box.
The threads, as you may have seen, allows readers and commenters to respond to each other. If you wish to respond to someone else’s comment, simply hit the “Reply to this comment” link underneath that comment, and, voilà, your comment will appear right below the one prior. Take a look here for an example. You all should also become fans of Second Ave. Sagas on Facebook.
Last week, I appeared on CUNY TV’s Brian Lehrer Live Show. The clip from my show is finally available online. Take a look below. I talk about the subways, gentrification and the MTA’s capital plan. The clip was recorded before the MTA’s finances went south. Anyway, enjoy!
Big news for Second Ave. Sagas: I will be appearing on the Brian Lehrer Live show tonight to discuss the MTA and gentrification. The show airs at 7:30 p.m. on CUNY TV. Check it out. [Brian Lehrer Live]