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Currently, the first phase of the [[Second Avenue Subway]] in the [[Upper East Side of Manhattan]] is being built to provide relief to the overcrowded [[IRT Lexington Avenue Line]].
Currently, the first phase of the [[Second Avenue Subway]] in the [[Upper East Side of Manhattan]] is being built to provide relief to the overcrowded [[IRT Lexington Avenue Line]].


== Overview ==


[[Image:South ferry.jpg|250px|thumb|right|[[South Ferry (New York City Subway)|South Ferry]] station and a {{NYCS service|9}} train. (Route number later discontinued in May 2005.)]]
[[Image:Subway elevated2.jpg|250px|thumb|[[125th Street (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)|125th Street]] station on the [[IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line]]]]

Subway stations are located throughout [[Manhattan]], [[Brooklyn]], [[Queens]], and [[the Bronx]]. All services pass through Manhattan, except for the Brooklyn–Queens Crosstown Local ({{NYCS Crosstown}}), which connects Brooklyn and Queens directly without entering Manhattan; the [[Franklin Avenue Shuttle]]; and the [[Rockaway Park Shuttle]]. Although four of the subway system's stations close late at night and/or on weekends, the New York City subway is among the few rapid transit systems in the world that operate 24 hours a day, along with [[Port Authority Trans-Hudson|PATH]] (connecting [[New Jersey]] with Manhattan) and [[Port Authority Transit Corporation|PATCO]] (linking [[Philadelphia]] with southern New Jersey). (Two individual lines of the [[Chicago 'L']] also run at all times.)<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/20/nyregion/nyregionspecial3/20security.html With Terrorism Concerns in Mind, Police Prepare to Guard a Shuttered System - New York Times<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

In 2005, the New York City Subway hit a 50-year record in usage, with ridership of 1.45 billion.<ref>TRACK RECORD: 1.5B RODE SUBWAY" by Pete Donohue, New York Daily News, February 11, 2006</ref> In the fourth quarter of 2007, average weekday ridership was 6,432,700 making it the highest figure since such numbers were first recorded in 1970.<ref>[http://www.apta.com/research/stats/ridership/riderep/documents/07q4hr.pdf American Public Transportation Association]</ref> The trend toward higher ridership has continued into 2008; MTA has released figures that subway use was up 6.8 percent for January and February as energy prices have encouraged riders to use mass transit over automobiles .<ref>{{cite news | last = Krauss
| first = Clifford | title = Gas Prices Send Surge of Riders to Mass Transit | publisher = [[The New York Times]] | date = [[2008-05-10]] | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/10/business/10transit.html | accessdate =2008-05-10}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Department of Energy]], energy expenditure on the New York City Subway rail service was 3492 [[British thermal unit|BTU]]/passenger mile (2289 kJ/passenger km) in 1995. This compares to 3702 [[British thermal unit|BTU]]/passenger mile <!-- (2427 (this figure is wrong - if its 3702 in miles, it must be about 5000 in km) kJ/passenger km) --> for automobile travel.<ref>[http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/facts/favorites/fcvt_fotw67.html Vehicle Technologies Program: Fact #67: September 4, 1998 BTU per Passenger Mile for U.S. Transit in 1995<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> One should note as well that the figure for automobiles is averaged over the entire United States. Driving a car in New York City is probably on the whole significantly less efficient.

Many lines and stations have both express and local service. These lines have three or four tracks: normally, the outer two are used for local trains, and the inner one or two are used for express trains. Stations served by express trains are typically major transfer points or destinations. The [[BMT Jamaica Line]] uses [[skip-stop]] service on portions, in which two services operate over the line during rush hours, and minor stations are only served by one of the two. The [[IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line]] used skip-stop until [[May 27]], [[2005]].


== History ==
== History ==

Revision as of 17:22, 21 May 2008

New York City Subway
File:MTASubwaylogo.png
Overview
LocaleNew York City
Transit typeRapid transit
Number of lines26
Number of stations468
Daily ridership5,076,000 (avg. weekday, 2006, including Staten Island Railway)[1]
Operation
Began operationfirst section of subway: October 27, 1904

first elevated operation: July 3, 1868

first railroad operation: October 9, 1863[2]
Operator(s)New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA)
Technical
System length229 mi (368 km) route length
656 mi (1056 km) track length (revenue)
842 mi (1355 km) track length (total)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) (standard gauge)
Times Square–42nd Street station entrance

The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority[3], a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit. It is one of the most extensive public transportation systems in the world, with 468 reported passenger stations,[4] (or 422 if stations connected by transfers are counted as one),[5][6] 229 miles (369 km) of routes[7] translating into 656 miles (1056 km) of revenue track, and a total of 842 miles (1355 km) including non-revenue trackage.[8] The subway is also notable for being among the few rapid transit systems in the world to run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.[9] It is the only system to hold that distinction among the ten busiest systems in the world in terms of annual passenger traffic. The system itself has more annual boardings than those in cities such as London, Paris, and Mexico City.[10] It has nearly twice as many daily riders as every other rapid transit system in the United States combined.

Though it is known as "the subway", implying underground operations, about 40% of the system runs on above-ground right-of-way (the system is almost entirely underground in Manhattan, as well as portions in the other boroughs), including steel or cast iron elevated structures, concrete viaducts, embankments, open cuts and surface routes. All of these construction methods are completely grade-separated from road and pedestrian crossings, and most crossings of two subway tracks are grade-separated with flying junctions.

Currently, the first phase of the Second Avenue Subway in the Upper East Side of Manhattan is being built to provide relief to the overcrowded IRT Lexington Avenue Line.


History

Main article: History of the New York City Subway
Map of the 1906 IRT system

An underground transit system in New York City was first built by Alfred Ely Beach in 1869. His Beach Pneumatic Transit only extended 312 feet (95 m) under Broadway and exhibited his idea for a subway. The tunnel was never extended, although extensions had been planned to take the tunnel southward to The Battery and northwards towards the Harlem River[11]. It was demolished when the BMT Broadway Line was built in the 1910s.

The first underground line of the subway opened on October 27, 1904, almost 35 years after the opening of the first elevated line in New York City, which became the IRT Ninth Avenue Line. The oldest structure still in use today opened in 1885 as part of the Lexington Avenue Line, and is now part of the BMT Jamaica Line in Brooklyn. The oldest right-of-way, that of the BMT West End Line, was in use in 1863 as a steam railroad called the Brooklyn, Bath and Coney Island Rail Road. The Staten Island Railway, which opened in 1860, currently utilizes R44 subway cars, but it has no links to the rest of the system and is not usually considered part of the subway proper.

By the time the first subway closed, the lines had been consolidated into two privately owned systems, Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT, later Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation, BMT) and Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT). The city was closely involved: all lines built for the IRT and most other lines built or improved for the BRT after 1913 were built by the city and leased to the companies. The first line of the city-owned and operated Independent Subway System (IND) opened in 1932; this system was intended to compete with the private systems and allow some of the elevated railways to be torn down, but was kept within the core of the City due to the low amount of startup capital provided to the Board Of Transportation by the state[12], which required it to be run 'at cost', necessitating fares up to double the five cent fare popular at the time.[13] In 1940, the two private systems were bought by the city; some elevated lines closed immediately, and others closed soon after. Integration was slow, but several connections were built between the IND and BMT, and they now operate as one division called the B Division. Since the IRT tunnel segments and stations are too narrow to accommodate B Division cars, as well as curves too sharp for B Division cars, the IRT remains its own division, A Division. C Division consists of non-revenue maintenance cars, built to IRT specs in order to provide maintenance to all of the subway system.[citation needed]

The New York City Transit Authority was created in 1953 to take over subway, bus, and streetcar operations from the city, and was placed under control of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 1968.

In 1934, the BRT, IRT, and IND transit workers unionized into Local 100 of the Transport Workers Union. Since then, there have been three union strikes. In 1966, transit workers went on strike for 12 days, and again in 1980 for 11 days. On December 20, 2005, transit workers again went on strike over disputes with MTA regarding salary, pensions, retirement age, and health insurance costs. That strike lasted just under three days.

Construction methods

When the IRT subway debuted in 1904, typical tunnel construction was the cut-and cover method. The street was torn up to dig the tunnel below, then the street was rebuilt above. This method worked well for digging soft dirt and gravel near the street surface. However, tunnel boring machines were required for thicker sections made of bedrock, such as the Harlem and East River tunnels, which used cast-iron tube, and the segments between 33rd and 42nd streets under Park Avenue, between 116th Street and 120th Street under Broadway, and between 157th Street and Fort George under Broadway and Eleventh Avenue, all of which used either rock or concrete-lined tunnels[14].

Lines and routes

Main articles: New York City Subway nomenclature and List of New York City Subway lines
A 2004 map of the system

Many rapid transit systems run relatively static routings, so that a train "line" is more or less synonymous with a train "route". In New York, routings change often as new connections are opened or service patterns change. The "line" describes the physical railroad line or series of lines that a train "route" uses on its way from one terminal to another.

"Routes" (also called "services") are distinguished by a letter or a number. "Lines" have names.

There are 26 train services in the subway system, including three short shuttles. Each route has a color, representing the Manhattan trunk line of the particular service and is labeled as local or express. A different color is assigned to the Crosstown Line (G) route, since it does not operate in Manhattan, and shuttles are all colored dark gray. Each service is also named after its Manhattan (or crosstown) trunk line.

Though all but a few subway stations are served on a 24-hour basis, some of the designated routes do not run during the late night hours or use a different routing during those hours. In addition to these regularly scheduled changes, because there is no nightly shutdown for maintenance, tracks and stations must be maintained while the system is operating. In order to accommodate such work, services are sometimes re-routed during the overnight hours or on weekends.

The current color system depicted on official subway maps was proposed by R. Raleigh D'Adamo, a lawyer who entered a contest sponsored by the Transit Authority in 1964. D'Adamo proposed replacing a map that used only three colors (representing the three operating entities of the subway network) with a map that used a different color for each line. D'Adamo's contest entry shared first place with two others and led the Transit Authority to adopt a multi-colored scheme. (D'Adamo subsequently earned a master's degree in transportation planning and engineering from Polytechnic University and worked for transit authorities, including a stint at the MTA, and was responsible for organizing and building what today is the Westchester County Bee-Line bus system.)[15] However, the lines are not referred to by color (e.g., Blue line or Green line), although the colors are often assigned through their groups (A, C, and E are blue whereas the 4, 5, and 6 are green).

A Division (IRT) consists of:
Route Line
Template:NYCS-bull-small Broadway-Seventh Avenue Local
Template:NYCS-bull-small Broadway-Seventh Avenue Express
Template:NYCS-bull-small Broadway-Seventh Avenue Express
Template:NYCS-bull-small Lexington Avenue Express
Template:NYCS-bull-small Lexington Avenue Express
Template:NYCS-bull-small Template:NYCS-bull-small Lexington Avenue Local/Express
Template:NYCS-bull-small Template:NYCS-bull-small Flushing Local/Express
Template:NYCS-bull-small 42nd Street Shuttle

B Division (BMT/IND) consists of:

Route Line Route Line
Template:NYCS-bull-small Eighth Avenue Express Template:NYCS-bull-small Nassau Street Local
Template:NYCS-bull-small Sixth Avenue Express Template:NYCS-bull-small Broadway Express
Template:NYCS-bull-small Eighth Avenue Local Template:NYCS-bull-small Broadway Express
Template:NYCS-bull-small Sixth Avenue Express Template:NYCS-bull-small Broadway Local
Template:NYCS-bull-small Eighth Avenue Local Template:NYCS-bull-small Franklin Avenue Shuttle
Template:NYCS-bull-small Sixth Avenue Local Template:NYCS-bull-small Rockaway Park Shuttle
Template:NYCS-bull-small Crosstown Local Template:NYCS-bull-small Sixth Avenue Local
Template:NYCS-bull-small Nassau Street Express Template:NYCS-bull-small Broadway Local
Template:NYCS-bull-small Canarsie Local Template:NYCS-bull-small Nassau Street Express

Projected B Division service:

Route Line
Template:NYCS-bull-small Second Avenue Subway (under construction as of 2008; will not be used until the line opens south of 72nd Street)

C Division consists of non-revenue operations, including track maintenance and yard operations.[citation needed]

Stations facilities and amenities

Entrance to Broad Street station with its red lamps
An entrance to the elevated IRT Flushing Line in Jackson Heights, Queens
The station at Columbus Circle

General

Station and concourse

A typical subway station has waiting platforms ranging from 500 to 600 feet (150 to 180 m) long to accommodate large numbers of people. Passengers enter a subway station through stairs towards station booths and vending machines to buy their fare, which is currently stored in a MetroCard. After swiping the card at a turnstile, customers continue to the platforms. Some subway lines in the outer boroughs and northern Manhattan have elevated tracks with stations to which passengers climb up via stairs, escalator, or elevator.

Globe Lamps

At the top of most of the system's subway stations sits a lamp post or two bearing a colored spherical lamp. Before the introduction of the MetroCard in 1994, these lights indicated the station's availability. A green lamp meant that the station was open and running 24 hours a day, a yellow lamp meant that it was either open only during the day, while a red lamp meant that it was an exit only. The yellow lamp was eventually phased out, being replaced by red lamps. Today, this color system means: Green=24 hour entrance, Red = non 24-hour entrance.[16]

Platforms

Due to the large number of transit lines, one platform or set of platforms often serves more than one line (unlike other rapid transit systems, including the Paris Metro). A passenger needs to look at the signs hung at the platform entrance steps and over each track to see which trains stop there and when, and at the arriving train to see which train it is. There are a number of platform configurations possible. On a 2-track line, a station may have one center platform used for trains in both directions, or 2 side platforms, one for a train each direction. For a 3-track or 4-track line, local stops will have side platforms and the middle one or two tracks will not stop at the station. For most 3- or 4-track express stops, there will be two island platforms, one for the local and express in one direction, and another for the local and express in the other direction. In a 3-track configuration, the center track can be used toward the center of the city in the morning and away from the center in the evening, though not every 3-track line has that express service.

In a few cases, a 4-track station has an island platform for the center express tracks and two side platforms for the outside local tracks. This occurs only at three stations near major railway stations where the next station along the line is also an express station with the more common platform configuration. The purpose of splitting the platforms is to prevent through riders from adding to the station's crowding by transferring from local to express or from express to local. This occurs at Atlantic Avenue on the 2/3/4/5 Lines with adjacent express station Nevins Street, and 34th St.-Penn Station on both the 1/2/3 Lines and A/C/E Lines, with adjacent express stations at 42nd Street. This does not occur at Grand Central on the 4/5/6 Lines, which has no adjacent express station. Almost everywhere expresses run, they run on the inner one (of 3) or two (of 4) tracks, and locals run on the outer two tracks. There is one notable 6-track station, DeKalb Avenue, where trains to or from the Manhattan Bridge either stop at the outer tracks of one of the island platforms, or pass through the station on the middle tracks. Trains to or from the Montague Street Tunnel stop across the platform from the respective outer track.

Artwork

Many stations are decorated with intricate ceramic tile work, some of it dating back to 1904 when the subway first opened for business. The subway tile artwork tradition continues today. The Arts for Transit program oversees art in the subway system. Permanent installations, such as sculpture, mosaics, and murals; photographs displayed in lightboxes, and musicians performing in stations encourage people to use mass transit. In addition, commissioned posters are displayed in stations and "art cards", some displaying poetry, are in many of the trains themselves in unused advertisement fixture slots. Some of the art is by internationally-known artists such as David Hockney.[17]

Accessibility

Most stations are not handicapped accessible. The exceptions are newly constructed or extensively renovated stations called "key stations", as required by the ADA. See New York City Subway accessibility for more details.

Entertainment

Since 1987, MTA has sponsored the Music Under New York program in which street musicians enter a competitive contest to be be assigned the preferred high traffic locations, example - 42nd Street station. Each year applications are reviewed and approximately 70 eligible performers are selected and contacted to participate in live auditions, held for one day.

At present, more than 100 soloists and groups participate in MUNY providing over 150 weekly performances at 25 locations throughout the transit system

Link to current roster: [5]

Link to current locations: [6]

Note: "Any" performer may use the Subway terminals and platforms to perform under the First Amendment Right of Free Speech, although they are not necessarily in the preferred high traffic locations.[18]

Restrooms

Restrooms are rare in the subway system. Any establishments built in the past have since been closed to the public and have been converted to storage spaces or for employee use only. However, there are a few major stations that have operating restrooms, including on the concourse of the A, C, and E lines of Times Square, Chambers St., Jamaica-179 St., Roosevelt Avenue, Lexington Avenue-59th St., Atlantic Ave and Kings Highway in Brooklyn station and the Flushing Main Street Station.[19] The Dekalb Avenue station in Brooklyn has a public restroom and so does the 36th Street station in Brooklyn.

Retail

Occasionally on some platforms are found newspaper stands, selling all manner of items including newspapers and food. The MTA has also been installing retail spaces within paid areas in selected stations, including Times Square and at 42nd St.-Bryant Park, on the concourse of the B, D, F, and V lines.

Connections

Connections are available at designated stations to Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road, AirTrain JFK, Metro-North Railroad, New Jersey Transit and PATH.

Car types and details

A digital sign on the side of a R142 4 train

The NYC subway uses two sizes of cars - the A division, listed above, uses narrower cars that have three sets of doors on each side, used in consists of up to 11; the B division, listed above, uses wider cars that have four sets of doors on each side, in consists of up to 10.

Trains are marked by the service label in either black or white (for appropriate contrast) on a field in the color of its mainline. The field is enclosed in a circle for most services, or a diamond for special services, such as rush-hour only expresses on a route that ordinarily runs local. Rollsigns also typically include the service names and terminals. When the R44 and R46 cars were rebuilt the rollsigns on the side of the cars were replaced with electronic LCD signs while the front service sign remained as a rollsign, while the rebuilt R32 cars retained rollsigns on the sides, a digital light display was placed in the front. All cars built since 1992, including the R110A, R110B, R142, R142A, R143, R160A, and R160B are equipped with digital signs on the front, sides, and interior (except for the R110B, which has rollsigns on the front).

These newer cars also feature recorded announcements for door closings, stations, and other general messages in lieu of conductor announcements, although live conductor announcements can still be made. The recordings began in the late 1990s and featured Bloomberg Radio on-air speakers, who volunteered at the request of their employer and future city mayor Michael Bloomberg. Voices include Jessica Gottesman (now at 1010 WINS radio), Charlie Pellett, and Catherine Cowdery. With regards to why certain messages are voiced by males and others by females, MTA spokesperson Gene Sansone said in 2006 that, "Most of the orders are given by a male voice, while informational messages come from females. Even though this happened by accident, it is a lucky thing because a lot of psychologists agree that people are more receptive to orders from men and information from women".[20]

Rolling stock

Main article: New York City Subway rolling stock
The interior of an F train during morning rush hour
A R142A series car on the 4 service

The New York City subway has the world's largest fleet of subway cars. Over 6,400 cars (as of 2002) are on the NYCT roster[citation needed]. A typical New York City Subway train consists of 8 to 10 cars, although shuttles can have as few as two, and the train can range from 150 to 600 feet (46 to 183 m) long. As a general rule, trains on the A Division lines inherited from the IRT (designated with numbers, plus the 42nd Street Shuttle) are shorter and narrower than the trains that operate on the B Division lines inherited from BMT/IND (designated with letters). The A Division and B Division trains operate only in their own division; operating in the other division is not allowed. This is mainly because the IRT sections have narrower tunnel segments, tighter curves, and tighter platform clearances than the BMT/IND sections. A Division trains would have an unacceptably large gap between the platform and train if they were allowed in the B Division, while B Division trains would not fit in the A Division tunnels and stations. The safety train stop mechanism between divisions is also incompatible, it being located on opposite sides of the track and train in each division. Service and maintenance trains, however, are comprised of A Division cars and do not carry passengers, and these can operate on either division.

The system maintains two separate fleets of cars, one for the IRT lines, another for the BMT/IND lines. All BMT/IND equipment is about 10 feet (~3.0 meters) wide and either 60 feet 6 inches (18.4 m) or 75 feet (~22.8 meters) long whereas IRT equipment is approximately 8 feet 9 inches (~2.67 m) wide and 51 feet 4 inches (~15.5 m) long. There is also a special fleet of BMT/IND cars that is used for operation in the BMT Eastern Division, which is the J, L, M and Z trains. The BMT Eastern Division has sharper curves and shorter platforms, so these trains can only use eight 60-foot (18 m) long cars. As of December 2007, R42 married pairs, R143 4-car sets and R160A 4-car sets are assigned to the BMT Eastern Division. 75-foot (23 m) long cars, like the R44, R46, R68 and R68A are not permitted on BMT Eastern Division trackage.

Cars purchased by the City of New York since the inception of the IND and for the other divisions beginning in 1948 are identified by the letter "R" followed by a number; e.g.: R32. This number is the contract number under which the cars were purchased. Cars with nearby contract numbers (e.g.: R1 through R9) may be virtually identical, simply being purchased under different contracts. Subway car models begin with the letter "R" and are followed by the last 2 or 3 digits of the contract number under which they were purchased. The "R" stands for Revenue service as originally used by the IND, however, it can also stand for Rolling Stock, or Rapid Transit, since the "R" is used on contracts for the purchase of anything that deals with subway and work cars (e.g. cars, wheels, other parts).

When the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company entered into agreements to operate some of the new subway lines, they made the decision to design a new type of car, 10 feet (3.0 m) wide and 67 feet (20 m) long, the subject of several patents, whose larger profile was more similar to that of steam railroad coaches, permitting greater passenger capacity, more comfortable seating and other advantages. The BRT unveiled its design to the public in 1913 and received such wide acceptance that all future subway lines, whether built for the BRT, the IRT or eventually, the IND, were built to handle the wider cars.

As a result, while most of the IRT lines could accommodate the larger BMT/IND equipment with modifications to the station platforms and trackside furniture, this is not deemed feasible, because the original, narrower, subway includes portions of both IRT Manhattan mainlines, as well as a critical part of the Brooklyn lines. This could be remedied, but at very great expense. On the other hand, it would be relatively easy to convert many of the Bronx lines for BMT/IND operation; some of the plans for the Second Avenue Subway have included a conversion of the IRT Pelham Line.

The MTA has also been incorporating newer subway cars into its stock in the past decade. Since 1999, the R142, R142A, R142S, R143, R160A, and R160B have been added into service.[21][22]

Fares

7 train arriving at Vernon Blvd. and Jackson Ave. station (43s)
An NYCTA token from the mid-20th century

Token and change

Main article: New York City transit fares

From the inauguration of IRT subway services in 1904[23] until the unified system of 1948 (including predecessor BMT and IND subway services), the fare for a ride on the subway of any length was 5 cents. On July 1, 1948, the fare was increased to 10 cents, and since then has steadily risen. When the New York City Transit Authority was created in July 1953, the fare was raised to 15 cents and a token issued. Until April 13, 2003, riders paid the fare with tokens purchased from a station attendant. The tokens were changed periodically as prices changed. For the 75th anniversary of the subway in 1979 (also called the Diamond Jubilee), a special token with a small off-center diamond cutout and engraved images of a 1904 subway car and kiosk were issued. Many were purchased for keepsakes and were not used for rides. The last iteration of tokens featured a hole in the middle, and after they were phased out, many became featured in home made jewelry.

Of course, many sought to circumvent the tokens in order to ride for free. A popular scam was to jam the token slot in an entrance gate with paper. A rider would innocently drop a token in, be frustrated when it did not open the gate, and have to spend another token to enter at another gate. The token thief would then race out from hiding, and suck the token from the jammed slot with their mouth. This could be repeated many times so long as no police officers spotted the activity. Often token booth attendants would coat the token slots with soap to discourage "token sucking".[24]

There was some controversy in the early 1980s when enterprising transit riders discovered that tokens purchased for use in the Connecticut Turnpike toll booths were of the same size and weight as New York City subway tokens. Since they cost less than one third as much, they began showing up in subway collection boxes regularly.[25] Connecticut authorities initially agreed to change the size of their tokens[26], but later reneged, and the problem went unsolved until 1985 when Connecticut discontinued the tolls on its turnpike.[27] At that time, the MTA was paid 17.5 cents for each of more than two million tokens that had been collected during the three year "token war".[27]

MetroCard

Main article: MetroCard (New York City)

In 1994, the subway system introduced a fare system called the MetroCard, which allows riders to use cards that store the value equal to the amount paid to a station booth clerk or to a vending machine. The MetroCard was enhanced in 1997 to allow passengers to make free transfers between subways and buses within two hours; several MetroCard-only transfers between subways were also added. The token was phased out in 2003. The same year, the MTA raised the basic fare to $2 amid protests from passenger and advocacy groups such as the Straphangers Campaign. In 2008, the MTA increased the prices of unlimited MetroCards, but left the base fare at $2.00.

Main article: SmartLink (card)

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, a joint transportation operation between New York and New Jersey, started distributing SmartLink cards for seniors in Fall of 2006. These RFID "smart" cards are expected to become the standard card for use in the NY-NJ area for mass transit. The card is also expected to allow for use in stores.

Future plans

Operations

Pending legislation would merge the subway operations of MTA New York City Transit with Staten Island Railway to form a single entity called MTA Subways.[28] The Staten Island Railway operates with R44 subway cars on a fully grade-separated right-of-way, but is typically not considered part of the subway, and is connected only via the free, city-operated Staten Island Ferry.

In the early 21st century, plans resurfaced for a major expansion, the Second Avenue Subway. This line had been planned as early as the 1920s but has been delayed several times since. Construction was started in the 1970s, but discontinued due to the city's fiscal crisis. Some small portions remain intact in Chinatown, the East Village, and the Upper East Side, but they are each quite short and thus remain unused.[29] A segment from 99th St to 105 St will serve as layup tracks for the first phase of the Second Avenue Subway, now under construction.

Stations

In August 2006, the MTA revealed that all future subway stations, including ones built for the Second Avenue Subway, the No. 7 line extension, and the new South Ferry station, will have platforms outfitted with air-cooling systems. Also all underground stations would have cell-phone accessibility.[citation needed]

Technology

New train arrival signs on the L train
RFID trial on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line
Train arrival times

In 2003, the MTA signed a $160 million contract with Siemens Transportation Systems to install digital next-train arrival message boards at 158 of its IRT (numbered line) stations. These signs were to be different from the current LED signs that are only capable of displaying the current date and time. However, many problems arose with the software used in Siemens programming, and the MTA stopped payment to the company in May 2006.[30] The MTA threatened to drop Siemens, but about a month later Siemens announced they had fixed the problem. The signs were scheduled to begin operation in late 2007.[31]

A different system has been developed and installed successfully on the L line and is currently under testing.[32] As of September 2007, 24 stations have this capability.[33] (p.61)

Paypass trial

The MTA also signed a deal with Mastercard in the first few months of 2006 to test out a new RFID card payment scheme.[34] Customers had to sign up at a special Mastercard website and had to use a Mastercard Paypass credit or debit card/tag to participate. Participating stations included:[35]

Originally scheduled to end in December of 2006, the MTA extended the trial due to "overwhelming positive response".[36]

Automation

In the mid-2000s, the MTA began a 20-year process of automating the subway. Beginning with the BMT Canarsie Line (L) and the IRT Flushing Line 7[37], the MTA has plans to eventually automate a much larger portion, using One Person Train Operation (OPTO) in conjunction with Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC). Siemens Transportation Systems is building the CBTC system. (A 1959 experiment in automating the 42nd Street Shuttle in New York City ended with a fire at 42nd Street–Grand Central on April 24, 1964.) In late Winter of 2008, the MTA embarked on a 5 week renovation and upgrade project on the 7 line between Flushing–Main Street and Woodside–61st Street to upgrade signaling and tracks for CBTC. On February 27, 2008, the MTA issued an Accelerated Capital Program to continue funding the completion of CBTC for the 7 line and continue onto the Queens Boulevard Line. The proposed plan is estimated to cost US $1.4 million. [38](p.15-16)

Safety & security

Photography

The police reserve the right to inspect passenger bags at any time

After the September 11th attacks in New York, the MTA was extremely wary of anyone taking photographs or recording video inside the system. The MTA proposed banning all photography and recording in a meeting around June 2004.[39] However, due to strong response from both the public and from civil rights groups, the rule of conduct was dropped. In November 2004, the MTA again put this rule up for approval, but was again denied.[40] However, some police officers and transit workers still confronted people who were not authorized personnel. [41]

Currently, the MTA Rules of Conduct, Restricted Areas and Activities section states that anyone may take pictures or record video, provided that they do not violate MTA regulations:

Section 1050.9 Restricted areas and activities.
Photography, filming or video recording in any facility or conveyance is permitted except that ancillary equipment such as lights, reflectors or tripods may not be used. Members of the press holding valid identification issued by the New York City Police Department are hereby authorized to use necessary ancillary equipment. All photographic activity must be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this Part.Full section

Terrorism

On July 22, 2005, in response to bombings in London, the New York City Transit Police introduced a new policy of randomly searching passengers' bags as they approached turnstiles. The NYPD claimed that no form of racial profiling would be conducted when these searches actually took place. The NYPD has come under fire from some groups that claim purely random searches without any form of threat assessment would be ineffectual. "This NYPD bag search policy is unprecedented, unlawful and ineffective," said Donna Lieberman, Executive Director of the NYCLU. "It is essential that police be aggressive in maintaining security in public transportation. But our very real concerns about terrorism do not justify the NYPD subjecting millions of innocent people to suspicionless searches in a way that does not identify any person seeking to engage in terrorist activity and is unlikely to have any meaningful deterrent effect on terrorist activity."[42]

On April 11, 2008, MTA received a Ferrara Fire Apparatus Hazardous Materials Response Truck, which went into service on April 14. It will be used in the case of a chemical or bioterrorist attack.[43]

Passenger safety

Passenger accidents occur infrequently on the transit system.[citation needed] Platform gaps between the train and the platform typically range from 3-5 inches (7-13 centimeters). The maximum gap width on a straight platform is 6 inches (15 centimeters).[44] Slips and falls have also declined.[citation needed] However, people do get minor injuries attempting to slip through the train doors as conductors are closing them.[citation needed]

See also: New York City Transit Police

Criticisms

Capacity constraints

Several subway lines have reached their operational limits in terms of train frequency and passengers, according to data released by the Transit Authority. All but one of the "A" Division Lines, and the E and L lines are at capacity; crowding on the Lexington Avenue trains exceeds design limits.[45] Crowding on subway lines results in delays and if congestion-based pricing for automobile travel to Manhattan is implemented, subway crowding is predicted to worsen. The Second Avenue Subway will begin to relieve pressure on the Lexington Avenue line when its first segment begins operating in 2013, but no such relief is planned for other crowded lines. Because new subway construction can require years to plan and complete, the Transit Authority can only turn to increased bus service to manage demand in the short run.

Subway flooding

Service on the subway system is occasionally disrupted by flooding from both major and minor rainstorms. Rainwater can disrupt signals underground and can require the electrified "third rail" to be shut off. Since 1992, $357 million has been used to improve 269 pump rooms. As of August 2007, $115 million has been earmarked to upgrade the remaining 18 pump rooms. The project is expected to be completed in 2010.[46] Despite these improvements, the transit system continues to experience flooding problems.

File:100 1888 edited.JPG
Rain from the drainage pipes comes into the subway car

On August 8, 2007, after slightly more than 3 inches (76 mm) of rain fell within an hour, the subway system flooded, causing every line to either be disabled or seriously disrupted that effectively halted the morning rush. (An incident of similar magnitude occurred in September 2004.) This was the third incident in 2007 in which rain disrupted service. The system was disrupted on this occasion because the pumps and drainage system can handle only a rainfall rate of 1.75 inches (44 mm) per hour; the incident's severity was aggravated by the scant warning as to the severity of the storm.[33] (p.10) In late August 2007, MTA Engineer Phil Kollin announced new plans to create a system that would pump water away from the third rail. This new pumping system is scheduled to be in place by 2009.

Subway Map

The official maps of the New York Subway are based on a design by Michael Hertz Associates. The maps are relatively (though not entirely) geographically accurate, with the major exception of Staten Island, the size of which has been greatly reduced. This causes them to appear, in the eyes of some observers, as unnecessarily cluttered and unwieldy compared to the more traditional type of plan used for most urban rail and metro maps; a schematic, or diagram.

Part of the reason for the current incarnation is that earlier diagrams of NYC Subway (the first being produced in 1958), while perhaps being more aesthetically pleasing, had the public perception of being inaccurate. The most iconic design of New York Subway map by Massimo Vignelli which was published by the MTA between 1974-1979 and has since become recognised in design circles as a modern classic was deemed too difficult to use by the MTA, hence the current version.

There are now several privately produced schematics which are available online.

Public relations

The MTA has had numerous events that promote increased ridership of their transit system.

Ms. Subways

From 1941 to 1976, the transit authority sponsored the "Miss Subways" publicity campaign. It was resurrected in 2004, for one year, as "Ms. Subways". Featuring young models, entertainers and others, the monthly campaign, which included the winners' photos and biographical blurbs on placards in subway cards, numbers actress Mona Freeman, and prominent New York City restaurateur Ellen Goodman (born Ellen Hart).

Subway series

Subway series is a term attributed to any World Series contest between New York City teams, called thus as opposing teams can travel to compete merely by using the subway system. Subway series is a term long used in New York, going back to series between the Brooklyn Dodgers or New York Giants and the New York Yankees in the 1940s and '50s.

2012 Olympics bid
See also: New York City 2012 Olympic bid

In cooperation with the City of New York, the MTA posted the NYC2012 logo on train cars in 2005 to garner support for the Olympic bid.

See also

References

  1. ^ "MTA Subway Fast Facts" Retrieved June 28, 2007.
  2. ^ The IRT main line, which is considered to be the first New York City "subway" line, opened in 1904; however, the Ninth Avenue Line, a predecessor elevated railroad line, operated its first trial run on July 3, 1868, according to Facts and Figures 1979-80, published by the New York City Transit Authority See also nycsubway.org, and the West End Line railroad opened in 1863. A small portion of the latter line's original right-of-way is still in daily use near Coney Island.[1]
  3. ^ Hood, Clifton. 722 Miles. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004.
  4. ^ MTA NYC Transit - Info
  5. ^ Jeremy Olshan, New York Post, Lone Riders of the Rockaways, August 21, 2006
  6. ^ Annie Karni, New York Sun, Surges in Ridership at Stations Reflect Neighborhood Dynamism, January 22, 2007
  7. ^ Urbanrail.net: New York City, [2]
  8. ^ A Guide for Evaluating the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Proposed Capital Program for 2000 Through 2004, [[3]]
  9. ^ http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/subwaymap.pdf
  10. ^ Metro systems by annual passenger rides
  11. ^ "The Pneumatic Tunnel Under Broadway" (1870)
  12. ^ Hood, Clifton. 722 Miles. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004.
  13. ^ History of the Independent Subway
  14. ^ Chapter 02: Types and Methods of Construction
  15. ^ Polytechnic University Cable 34:2 Winter 2007 p.7
  16. ^ http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980DE2DF113AF930A2575BC0A9649C8B63
  17. ^ [4]
  18. ^ http://www.mta.info/mta/aft/muny/
  19. ^ "Rapid Transit Challenge-restroom locations". Retrieved 2007-04-13.
  20. ^ AM New York (Sept. 25, 2006): "Voices Down Below", by Justin Rocket Silverman
  21. ^ "R160A in service on N".
  22. ^ "R160B in service on N".
  23. ^ Cudahy, Brian (2003). A Century of Subways: Celebrating 100 Years of New York's Underground Railways. Fordham University Press. ISBN 0823222926., p. 28
  24. ^ "TUNNEL VISION; The Kiss of Desperation: A Disgusting Practice Vanishes With the Token" by Randy Kennedy, The New York Times, April 8, 2003
  25. ^ "CONNECTICUT HIGHWAY TOKEN BUYS SUBWAY RIDE, TOO", The New York Times, November 18, 1982, p.1
  26. ^ "CONNECTICUT TO ALTER ITS TURNPIKE TOKENS, SOLVING SUBWAY ISSUE", The New York Times, December 15, 1982, p.1
  27. ^ a b "17 1/2 ACCORD PUTS AND END TO THE GREAT TOKEN WAR", The New York Times, November 7, 1985,
  28. ^ About MTA Capital Construction
  29. ^ Completed Portions of the 2nd Ave. Subway
  30. ^ Delay on Subway Train Arrival signs (8/06)
  31. ^ About Time for MTA(1/07)
  32. ^ MTA/Siemens sign deal
  33. ^ a b "August 8, 2007 Storm Report" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York). 2007-09-20. Retrieved 2007-10-27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  34. ^ "NYC Subway-Mastercard Trial". engadget.com. 2006-02-01. Retrieved 2007-04-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ "Mastercard Paypass NYC Subway Trial-Stations". Mastercard. Retrieved 2007-04-09.
  36. ^ "Extension of Paypass Trial". Mastercard. Retrieved 2007-04-09.
  37. ^ Arden, Patrick; Ventura, Michael P. (04-12), "Ready to roll on Second Ave MTA's chief engineer dishes the dirt on their new dig", NY Metro, pp. 1/2 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  38. ^ "2008-2013 MTA Capital Program Accelerated Program Presentation to the Board February 27, 2008" (PPT). Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York). 2008-02-27. Retrieved 2008-02-28. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 50 (help)
  39. ^ http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0423,haber,54075,15.html Proposed Photo Ban (6/04)
  40. ^ Proposed Photo Ban (11/04)
  41. ^ NYPD enforcing their own rules about photography
  42. ^ "NYCLU Sues New York City Over Subway Bag Search Policy" (Press release). American Civil Liberties Union. 2005-08-04. Retrieved 2006-06-13. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  43. ^ "MTA NYC Transit Introduces New Hazmat Response Vehicle". 2008-04-11. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
  44. ^ Pemberton v New York City Tr. Auth., 2003-04-23, retrieved 2007-08-21 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  45. ^ "Some Subways Found Packed Past Capacity".
  46. ^ Donohue, Pete (2007-08-09), "Downpour swamps subways, stranding thousands of riders", New York Daily News, retrieved 2007-08-23 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
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