extending g/r/v trains to union tpke.

I'm a student @ St. John's University and I use the Union Turnpike station about 4 times a week( 2 round trips). Frequently I take the subway to go to queens center mall(only served by g/r/v). It is a pain for me to take the e/f from union and then transfer at 71st. It seems to me that the trackage is in place to extend the g/r/v to union.

hi55us wrote:I'm a student @ St. John's University and I use the Union Turnpike station about 4 times a week( 2 round trips). Frequently I take the subway to go to queens center mall(only served by g/r/v). It is a pain for me to take the e/f from union and then transfer at 71st. It seems to me that the trackage is in place to extend the g/r/v to union.

It may be there to extend trains but there is no sufficent terminal capacity east of 71st. the QB locals terminate a 71st and drop down onto the yard acces leads (tracks D5 and D6) under the main line to reverse direction via a small layup area. the Union Trunpike station is located at the point where the yard tracks swing north towards Jamacia Yard. east of Union Turnpike, two tracks rise between the express and locals (D9 and D10) but are facing the other direction. this means they would be required to take the switch before making the station stop going westbound and would require a reverse move eastbound. there is not ability to turn around at Union without requireding a long list of tasks.

there are only three places a QB train could be turned around on a normal day. Queens Plaza via a layuptrack between the expresses. the aformentioned track plan at 71st, and at 179th street, the lines last stop. Archer ave is always got it's hands full with the E train so it doesn't count. a train could be relayed in a few locations along the line, but the current serice pattern des not allow then to be used for such. a train could be turned at union, but it would required it to renter service at on the manhattan bound express track and that the Jamacia bound express track be held open for relaying trains.

what's going on now is what the line was desinged for. 71st has just about always been a terminal since that's where the route to the yard is.


just to give some perspective; you're complaing about a one to two station hop, then a 3 stop local ride. some of us spend over a hour on a oneway trip. how is it a head ach to get on what ever pulls in frist?

I realize that some people have longer rides and this is a short ride(heck I worked @ New York Presbyterian last year (8th&168)) It took me about 1 1/2 hours to get all the way up there.