No more Conductors on "L" Line

This was bound to happen eventually, we are in the 21st century already. I think MTA should invest in automatic train operation with only an operator responsible for opening and closing doors and responsible to operate the train in the event that the computer system fails for some reason similar to what they do in Washington, DC. It works well there and I don't see any reason why it couldn't work here.

I think that if the MTA really invests in this system and everyone stops hasseling them, then we could see an entirely new signal system capable of running the trains closer together. This would enable the MTA to operate many more trains, especially during rush hours and would allow many of the displaced crew members to work on these extra trains that didn't exist before.

You really can't compare the NYC subways to the Wash. D.C. Metro. WMATA is fairly new and built right from the start to modern standards for automatic operation. Trying to convert NYC's mostly old physical plant to whole new system like that will be a long process; that's why it's being done one line at a time. And we're talking about an agency thats always short of funding to begin with, so a total conversion is not going to happen anytime soon.

I completely agree that it will take time. Converting one or two lines at a time is the way to go but there will always be someone who tries to put a stop to whatever project they are working on.

Short of funding so they say Maybe some new top-level directors would help. Their current chair(wo)man seems very ignorant. I think the other government agencies will have to try very hard to become more corrupt than the MTA is right now!