7 Train Delays protest

Well it was bound to happen sooner or later...

Because of poor reliability, sever overcrowding, and outdated systems, commuters have spoken out by organizing a protest. Personally, I've found the 7 train to be a C+ kind of train service, but it has always done the job for me. I'd like to see a huge reduction in overcrowding and delays though.

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Do you have any suggestions. As it is, the #7 runs with headways less than two minutes during rush hour. There's no margin for error as the Steinway Tunnel is running at capacity. If someone hiccups and a train is delayed two minutes, the delay grows because now two trainloads of people are fighting to get on to the next train, which causes longer delays, etc.

I know the 53rd street tunnel was at capacity before the 63rd street tunnel opened. How is the capacity on those tunnels? When the LIRR goes to GCT, will that help? What are the plans for the LIRR routes to GCT? Express service from Main Street to GCT would greatly benefit #7.

Yellowspoon wrote:Do you have any suggestions. As it is, the #7 runs with headways less than two minutes during rush hour. There's no margin for error as the Steinway Tunnel is running at capacity. If someone hiccups and a train is delayed two minutes, the delay grows because now two trainloads of people are fighting to get on to the next train, which causes longer delays, etc.

I'm perfectly fine with a delay that is 1-5 minutes late. A difference of 5 minutes is not much unless you check the timetable (And who checks the timetable anymore -AFAIK it's hard to get a timetable without doing some digging).

I have no suggestions currently. The selfish pax issue is impossible to fix. I would upgrade the signal system but that is in progress. CBTC sounds like a great way to speed up the trains and keep them safer.

Yellowspoon wrote:I know the 53rd street tunnel was at capacity before the 63rd street tunnel opened. How is the capacity on those tunnels?

I cannot speak for the capacity on the 53 and 63 Street Tunnnels with certainty. I can however speculate on the capacity of the 63 St. Tunnels. Knowing how the F train shares the tracks on the Queens Blvd. Line and 6 Ave. Line, they can't possibly be running every 2 minutes . Matter of fact, during the morning and evening rush, F trains should be running every 6 minutes (According to the online timetable). 63 Street Tunnels shouldn't be so crowded-Cozy, but not crowded (And maybe cozy is an overstatement).

Yellowspoon wrote:When the LIRR goes to GCT, will that help? What are the plans for the LIRR routes to GCT?

Will the LIRR help with GCT: Likely-The 7 train meets the LIRR at 3 points: Willets Point (Port Wash.), 61 Woodside (All lines), HPA/LIC (The diesels and select electrics). Of those, only 2 are relevant to GCT and 1 is redundant.

1. Though this is unlikely, this may happen: There may be some people that prefer the LIRR to the 7 line and for that reason may board an LIRR train @ Woodside, bypassing the stations to GCT. I would expect MNRR commuters to use this

2. What I'd expect is people who want to ride the LIRR but live nearer/prefer to go through GCT would bypass the 7 line transfer @ 61 Street and instead would board an LIRR train.

Here is a brief and straightforward explanation of ESA: http://web.mta.info/capital/esa_alt.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; . The folks in the LIRR thread can help you more on the specifics.

Yellowspoon wrote:Express service from Main Street to GCT would greatly benefit #7.

There already is express service (Peak direction and times) and what I call "super-express" service (Events at Citi Field). If you mean express service extended from QNS Plaza to GCT, that would be nice but I'd hold my breath on having express service extended to GCT with the current infrastructure. Running express trains on a local track would be completely unviable: An express would just be a local train that instead stops in between stations.