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NYC Transit Boss Unveils Sweeping 10-Year Subway Modernization Plan (nbcnewyork.com)

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Wednesday unveiled a sweeping plan to modernize the city's subway system over the next 10 years. From a report: The proposal, which new New York City Transit President Andy Byford called "Fast Forward," centers on overhauling the mass transit network's signaling system -- some of which dates back to the early 20th century -- 30 years sooner than current Subway Action Plan.

But it won't come without a good bit of pain: sources told News 4 that Byford's plan would require entire lines to be taken out of service during overnight and weekend hours for extended periods. Byford -- who took over the task of running the city's subways and buses earlier this year -- said in an MTA meeting Wednesday that the work would be split into two five-year chunks. Over the first five years parts or all of the 4,5, 6, E, F, M, R, A, C, E and G lines would receive modern signaling systems. That would include the entirety of the Lexington Avenue line, which carries the 4, 5 and 6 trains and is the most-used mass transit line in the United States.

8 of 63 comments (clear)

  1. 25Hz power? by QuietLagoon · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Does the NYC subway still use 25Hz power for lighting in some stations ? I remember when I use to take the subway to school that I could see the incandescent lights flicker due to the 25Hz power being supplied to them.

    1. Re:25Hz power? by kriston · · Score: 2

      First, on the IRT, now called the "A" Division of the NYC Subway, the feeders are 11,000 at 60 Hz which is converted to 120 volts AC and also to 600 volts DC. The lights in stations are 120 volts. The lights in the tunnels run on 600 volts DC. Near ticket booths, stairways, and other critical areas, there are lamps lit from the 600 volt DC track circuit.

      All of the Northeast Corridor south of New York Penn Station is 25 Hz. So is SEPTA, but the former Reading Railroad side of SEPTA which has its own converter. There is an ongoing project to unify both formerly separate SEPTA systems because they're slightly physically incompatible.

      Most of the NEC is now powered by static frequency converters and there is a declining number of motor-generators still in use. A large part of the southern portion uses power generated by a 25 Hz water turbine at Safe Harbor Dam.

      --

      Kriston

  2. 10 years, Yeah RIGHT by CharlieG · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The CBTC (aka the signal improvements) on the 7 train, which were supposed to take 7 years (chosen because it was the 2nd easiest line to do) has taken 10 years (aka 3 years late) and STILL not working
    The 7 train extension, started in 2007, supposed to be finished in 2013 had one station dropped, and STILL took till Sept 2015 (aka about 50% over)
    We won't talk about the fact that the Second Ave Subway took 99 YEARS from when it was first proposed till when it opened, and was "fully funded" by bond issues at least 3 times

    NOTHING gets done in 10 years by the MTA
     

    --
    -- 73 de KG2V For the Children - RKBA! "You are what you do when it counts" - the Masso
  3. Re:BACK TO THE FUTURE.... by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 2

    Cars still have four wheels just like the Model T in 1908... not like the trains are running on steam/coal power directly.

  4. Overdue and not enough by gaiageek · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Compared to Europe, Australia, and I imagine most developed countries, riding the subway in New York feels like you're in a 3rd world country. I get that "cars are king" for most of the US, but in New York City, where there's an obvious need for mass transit, and insanely expensive real estate above those tracks, it's shocking that the state of mass transit below ground seems stuck in the 20th century.

    1. Re:Overdue and not enough by fafalone · · Score: 2

      riding the subway in New York feels like you're in a 3rd world country

      If only. Even the 3rd world has nicer subways than we do.

  5. Re: How many billions? by Software · · Score: 2
    No, GP is referring to articles like this one which show why additions to the NYC subway costs so much. TLDR: people who have no reason to care about costs get to dictate staffing levels.

    Also, only a few lines of the subway was deluged, and those are being repaired over the next few years. The changes discussed in TFA are separate.

  6. Re:Extended Periods? by fafalone · · Score: 2

    Full line closures are very rare. They usually shut down small sections, or one direction, or run everything on the local or express side.