With the station rehab work along the Brighton Line wrapped up, Brooklyn B and Q train riders are in for a treat. For the first time in three years, B express service will return to the trench on October 3. The sign from Transit says it all.
With the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks upon us, the MTA has a few special service changes for Sunday only. As the ceremony at the World Trade Center site is schedule from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the R train will bypass Cortlandt St. in both directions from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. that day. Furthermore all subway staircases on Church Street at Park Place, Barclay Street and Vesey Street will be closed as well.
On to the weekend changes. Feel free to use the comments in this thread to discuss anything.
From 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, September 10, 3 trains operate in two sections due to conduit installation (for new fiber optic cable) between Nostrand Avenue and Sutter Avenue-Rutland Road:
- Between 148th Street and Utica Avenue and
- Between Utica Avenue and New Lots Avenue (service begins at 12:01 a.m. Saturday and operates every 24 minutes
From 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, September 10, Brooklyn-bound 3 trains skip Bergen Street, Grand Army Plaza, Eastern Parkway, Nostrand Avenue and Kingston Avenue due to conduit installation (for new fiber optic cable) between Nostrand Avenue and Sutter Avenue-Rutland Road.
From 12:01 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. Saturday, September 10, Brooklyn-bound 4 trains skip Bergen Street, Grand Army Plaza, Eastern Parkway, Nostrand Avenue and Kingston Avenue due to conduit installation (for new fiber optic cable) between Nostrand Avenue and Sutter Avenue-Rutland Road.
From 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, September 10, there are no 4 trains between Atlantic Avenue and Utica Avenue due to conduit installation (for new fiber optic cable) between Nostrand Avenue and Sutter Avenue-Rutland Road. Customers may take the 2 or 3 instead.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, September 10 to 5 a.m. Monday, September 12, Manhattan-bound D trains run on the N line from Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue to 36th Street (Brooklyn) due to structural repair and station rehabilitation from 71st Street to Bay 50th Street and ADA work at Bay Parkway. Note: At all times until Friday, October 28, the southbound D is bypassing 71st Street due to stair reconstruction. So, there is no D service at 71st Street this weekend.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, September 10 to 5 a.m. Monday, September 12, Brooklyn-bound F trains run on the M line from Roosevelt Avenue to 47th-50th Sts due to station reconstruction at Lexington Avenue-63rd Street.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, September 10 to 5 a.m. Monday, September 12, there are no L trains between 8th Avenue and Broadway Junction due to CBTC track and signal work between Bedford Avenue and 3rd Avenue. The M train, M14 and free shuttle buses provide alternate service. M train service is extended to 57th Street-6th Avenue. The M14 bus replaces L service between 1st and 8th Avenues. Free shuttle buses operate:
- Between Broadway Junction and Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs.
- Between Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs and Lorimer Street-Metropolitan Ave G station
- Between Lorimer Street-Metropolitan Ave G station and the Marcy Avenue J, M station
From 6 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, September 10 and from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, September 11, M service is extended to 57th Street-6th Avenue F station due to CBTC track and signal work between Bedford Avenue and 3rd Avenue on the L line.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, September 10 to 5 a.m. Monday, September 12, Coney Island-bound N trains run on the D line from 36th Street (Brooklyn) to Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue due to track panel installation on the Sea Beach Line between 59th Street and 86th Street.
From 4 a.m. Saturday, September 10 to 10 p.m. Sunday, September 11, southbound N trains run express from Astoria Boulevard to Queensboro Plaza, skipping 30th Avenue, Broadway, 36th Avenue and 39th Avenue due to track panel installation between Astoria Boulevard and 36th Avenue.
From 10 p.m. Friday, September 9 to 5 a.m. Monday, September 12, there are no Q trains between Prospect Park and Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue due to track and signal work, removal of temporary platform and bridge and Brighton line overcoat painting. – Sounds like we’re geting awfully close to the restoration of express service on the Brighton line.
From 10 p.m. Friday, September 9 to 5 a.m. Monday, September 12, uptown Q trains run local from Canal Street to 34th Street-Herald Square due to platform edge rehabilitation at 34th Street.
Let’s try a new thing this weekend. For the service advisories, I’m also going to make this an open thread. Feel free to talk about anything. I have a few more notes to go over too.
- The Boardwalk Empire Nostalgia Train is going to net the MTA “north of $150,000,” according to an MTA spokesman. That’s not a bad haul for something that’s going to attract a crowd.
- The downtown platform at Cortlandt Street on the R train is going to open on Tuesday. The ribbon cutting is scheduled for 3 p.m., and the station will enter revenue service shortly thereafter. I’ll have photos following the photo op.
- The Village Voice’s Runnin’ Scared blog offers a primer on subway etiquette.
With that, here are you service advisories. As always, these come to me from the MTA and are subject to change. Trains on Monday will operate on a Sunday schedule. Enjoy the long weekend.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, September 3 to 5 a.m. Tuesday, September 6, there are no 1 trains between 242nd Street and 168th Street due to station rehab work at Dyckman Street, platform edge and canopy work from 207th to 242nd Streets, and switch renewal work at 238th Street. A train, M3 and free shuttle buses provide alternate service.
From 4 a.m. Saturday, September 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday, September 4, uptown 2 trains run express from 3rd Avenue-149th Street to East 180th Street, due to track panel installation at Freeman Street and 174th Street.
From 12:01 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, September 3, Brooklyn-bound 4 trains run local from Franklin Avenue to Utica Avenue due to conduit installation (for new fiber optic cables) at Utica Avenue.
From 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, September 3 and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday, September 4, there are no 5 trains between East 180th Street and 149th Street-Grand Concourse due to track panel installation at Freeman Street and 174th Street. Note: Shuttle trains operate between Dyre Avenue and East 180th Street. For service between East 180th Street and 149th Street-Grand Concourse, customers should take the 2 instead.
From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, September 3 and Sunday, September 4, downtown 6 trains skip Morrison Avenue-Soundview and Whitlock Avenue due to rail work at Elder Avenue. Note: At all times until October 2011, 6 trains skip Elder Avenue and St. Lawrence Avenue in both directions due to station rehabilitation.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, September 3 to 5 a.m. Monday, September 5, Manhattan-bound D trains run on the N line from Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue to 36th Street (Brooklyn) due to structural repair and station rehabilitation from 71st Street to Bay 50th Street and ADA work at Bay Parkway. Note: At all times until Friday, October 28, the southbound D is bypassing 71st Street due to stair reconstruction.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, September 3 to 5 a.m. Tuesday, September 6, E trains run on the F line in both directions between 36th Street (Queens) and West 4th Street (Manhattan) due to switch renewal north of Lexington Avenue, track panel and conduit work between Queens Plaza and Court Square-23rd Street and work on the 5th Avenue Interlocking Project.
(Nights)
From 11 p.m. Friday, September 2 to 6 a.m. Saturday, September 3, and from 11 p.m. Saturday, September 3 to 8 a.m. Sunday, September 4, and from 11 p.m. Sunday, September 4 to 8 a.m. Monday, September 5, and from 11 p.m. Monday, September 5 to 5 a.m. Tuesday, September 6, there are no G trains between Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts. and Church Avenue due to installation and final inspection of track work north of Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts. G trains operate in two sections:
- Between Court Square-23rd Street and Bedford-Nostrand Avs and
- Between Bedford-Nostrand Avs and Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts.
Note: A trains provide connecting service between Jot-Schermerhorn Sts and Jay Street-MetroTech.
From 12:01 a.m. Saturday, September 3 to 5 a.m. Monday, September 5, there are no L trains between 8th Avenue and 14th Street-Union Square due to track work between Union Square and 6th Avenue. L trains operate in two sections:
- Between 14th Street-Union Square and Bedford Avenue every 16 minutes, trains skip 3rd Avenue and
- Between Bedford Avenue and Rockaway Parkway
M14 buses and free shuttle buses (overnight) provide alternate service.
From 4 a.m. Saturday, September 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday, September 4, southbound N trains run express from Astoria Boulevard to Queensboro Plaza, skipping 30th Avenue, Broadway, 36th Avenue and 39th Avenue due to track panel installation between Astoria Boulevard and 36th Avenue.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
As New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has declared a state of emergency in advance of the approaching storm, the MTA has issued a new statement on its own preparedness for Hurricane Irene:
The MTA is actively preparing for the impact of Hurricane Irene, coordinating with the Governor’s Office, Mayor’s Office and regional OEMs consistent with our Hurricane Plan. We are making arrangements to bring in extra personnel over the weekend, preparing our facilities and infrastructure by clearing drains, securing work sites against possible high winds, checking and fueling equipment, stocking supplies, and establishing plans to move equipment and supplies away from low-lying areas as needed. Because of the severity of the wind and rain associated with a hurricane, there may be partial or full shut down of our services to ensure the safety of our customers and employees.
We are also prepared to implement evacuation plans if the Mayor and Governor decide that is necessary. We urge our customers to check mta.info frequently and to consider the impacts of this storm when making travel plans through the weekend.
Today’s statement is similar to yesterday’s, but the authority now says they could put a partial or full shut down in place to protect both customers and employees. Certain areas of the subway system in Manhattan and Queens are prone to flooding, and the authority will be closely monitoring those locations as well.
If this storm hits, your best bet is clearly to avoid the transit system. I can’t imagine travel will be at all smooth. Stay home. Be safe.