Hurricane Irene: PLANNED SAT NOON SHUTDOWN

[Launcher]

The hurricane may cause the entire MTA transit system to shut down if sustained winds reach 40 MPH or more during the storm.


http://thehill.com/blogs/transportation ... e-of-irene


I believe LIRR area will get the brunt of the storm but the MTA is preparing for the worst in case it does happen.

[Jeff Smith]

Latest from the MTA web-site:

MTA Statement on Hurricane Irene
Hurricane Warning
August 26, 2011
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo this morning directed MTA officials to begin immediately implementing a hurricane plan designed to protect the safety of New Yorkers before, during and after the expected impacts of Hurricane Irene, with latest forecasts showing dangerous conditions reaching the area as early as Saturday evening. Customers are advised to leave plenty of time for travel. Don't take unnecessary chances and don't wait until the last minute to make sure that your family is safe and secure.

The MTA will begin an incremental suspension of its subway, bus, and rail Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad service beginning approximately eight hours prior to sustained 39 mph winds reaching the area. Subway and bus lines will begin shutting down after 12 noon.
There will be no scheduled pickups after 12 noon on Saturday but Access-A-Ride will be working with OEM providing vehicles for the evacuation for disabled residents. There will be no Access-A-Ride service on Sunday, August 28 or Monday morning, August 29.

[The EGE]

When is the last time that no NYC Subway trains were running? Did they even shut down completely on 9/11?

[farecard]

They must have shut down for various strikes over the past century+.

[Patrick Boylan]

that's not a wink+. Now this is a wink
Edit:
http://old.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110827 ... e_us/irene

New York City ordered the nation's biggest subway system shut down for the first time because of a natural disaster...
It has been shut down several times before, including during a transit workers' strike in 2005 and after the Sept. 11 attacks a decade ago, but never for weather.

[LIengineerBob]

I think the shutdown has more to do with just protecting the equipment (although that is a big part).

If people knew the system was running in some form of capacity at all, some clown would have to go out for a mundane reason like little Johnny is bored inside and wants a new Playstation game and NOT AND EMERGENCY REASON, but why use public transit if you have an emergency.....that is why there are ambulances, jeopardizing their own life, as well as those who will come to rescue or help the numb-skull.

So, in an effort to protect equipment, they are also protecting lives, should the storm turn out to be the "end of the world" scenario that is being hyped.

[peter kelly]

[farecard]

No escalator needed! Just surf down the stairs....