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| LION sends note to MTA: Some Subways Found Packed Past Capacity (452019) | |||
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LION sends note to MTA: Some Subways Found Packed Past Capacity |
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Posted by Broadway Lion on Tue Jun 26 12:22:03 2007, in response to Some Subways Found Packed Past Capacity, posted by Hoghead on Tue Jun 26 00:49:01 2007. We have had some extensive debate on "SubChat.com" on the New York Times piece on subway congestion. It was very interesting, and some thought about the impact on the Mayor's plans for congestion pricing of automobiles.As the LION sees it, the problem is NOT with the signal system, but with the equipment. Trains are heavier, and now use composite brake shoes, and so the stopping distances are greater than optimum for this signal system. Yet this signal system used to work at a much higher tph capacity. The equipment *should* have been spec'd for the signal system, but even now, improving the braking characteristics of the equipment is much to be preferred over extending the train lengths which would require major capital construction AND construction delays to an already stressed system. The LION, therefore suggests improvements to existing rail equipment. That is the installation of track brakes one each truck. This is a packaged job that can be done in the shops and need not delay on line service. Yes track brakes cause wear to the rails, but the LION would suggest that this system only be tied to the BIE brakes, and not necessarily to the service brakes. Thus trains will be able to run faster and closer together, and still be safely protected by the existing signal system. Now in furtherance of the Mayor's plans for congestion pricing, the LION would suggest larger multi-unit buses on Broadway and on 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Avenues. That Broadway should be converted to a pedestrian only mall (with buses), and that bus routes on the avenues be bi-directional, usurping the parking lanes on both sides of the street. Further these buses should not collect fares in the CBD, this permits faster boarding at all doorways. Let us assume that the passenger will transfer to a subway train and pay the fare there. Or else it is just the city's contribution to more car-free Manhattan. Perhaps this open fare could be subsidized by the the congestion pricing fees. We also read that the east side subways seem to be more crowded than the west, and that their appears to be some spare passenger capacity on the west side IND. That capacity can be tapped by riders from the Bronx being bussed to the 207th and 181st Street stations. Cross Bronx buses on Fordham Road and on Tremont Avenue could very nicely distribute passengers to places where more capacity exists. This free "big-bus" solution could be implemented as soon as the equipment could be obtained, certainly within a year. Of course us rail-fans would extend the Second Avenue subway north along Third Avenue in the Bronx as far as Fordham University, for if this is not done, then nothing is really accomplished to relive crowding that originates in the Bronx. Sincerely, Elias Thienpont aka The Broadway LION Richardton, North Dakota |
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