Hurricane Sandy

[Tadman]

This can't be good - check this photo from Jalopnik, taken in the financial district. The subway has to be nearly totally flooded, right?

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 2155_n.jpg

[ctclark1]

This one has been floating around, no pun intended...
http://sun-gazing.com/wp-content/upload ... 8206_n.png

And I don't think we'll be seeing subway service for at least a few more days... In addition to the 6 tunnels in my blurb, the article states at least one other tunnel, multiple yards, and a bridge.
From WSJ:

Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials said six under-river subway tunnels had been penetrated by floods on Monday night, with water in all five tunnels connecting Lower Manhattan to Brooklyn as well as the Steinway Tube between Midtown and Queens.

http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2012/10 ... -stations/

[Disney Guy]

Ca. 1996 one of the Boston subway stations, Kenmore, filled with water nearly to the ceiling. But portions of the system not affected remained in operation.

Surely the NYCTA should be able to resume service over most of the routings, after clearing trees and debris, and then short turning the trains near or at the flooded areas where signals and other equipment were damaged.

[Kamen Rider]

Kenmore flooded by itself when a river reached floodstage. This is the entire New York Bay rising up into the heart of the system. It's more like if boston harbor found it's way into Park Place and Government Center.

[chuchubob]

[quote="ctclark1"]This one has been floating around, no pun intended...
http://sun-gazing.com/wp-content/upload ... 8206_n.png
...

That's the Hoboken PATH station.

[Jeff Smith]

http://secondavenuesagas.com/2012/10/30 ... ing-storm/

As of last night, seven subway tunnels under the East River flooded. Metro-North Railroad lost power from 59th Street to Croton-Harmon on the Hudson Line and to New Haven on the New Haven Line. The Long Island Rail Road evacuated its West Side Yards and suffered flooding in one East River tunnel. The [Brooklyn-Battery] Tunnel is flooded from end to end and the Queens Midtown Tunnel also took on water and was closed. Six bus garages were disabled by high water.

[Arborwayfan]

I agree that this is nothing like the Green Line flood in Boston. That was one line, with catenarary rather than a third rail, and not connected by rail to any of the other lines. The city was intact around it, with no other major disaster damage or power outages etc to occupy repair crews.

Is the water mostly in the low parts of hte tunnels under the east river, or are stations flooded, too?

My big question for the New Yorkers on the board is this: What do the city the state and the transit agencies do if they can't restore service in the tunnels for a week or two or more, but the city is ready to go back to work in just a few days? Do they rent all the buses they can and run massive shuttles? Does the city ban driving on arterial streets into Manhattan to allow fast continuous bus replacement service?

I've heard the suggestion of floodgates for the future. I'm inclined to think that they would cost more than repairing the system every fifty or one hundred years, and so should be put off unless we get a substantial rise in sea level from globabl warming, but what do you who know the system better think?

[jbvb]

When the Muddy River flooded a mile of the MBTA's Green Line between Arlington, Kenmore and Symphony, the water got pumped out in a day or two and service was restored that week. But it was 6 months before the signals were restored. The MBTA was willing to run Green Line light rail without signals, in part because the line has never had Automatic Train Stop, and in part because the B, C and E branches have no signals above ground anyway. The NYC subway has always had ATS and operates at higher speeds.

[JasW]

Mayor Bloomberg just said that the subway system will be closed "a good 4 or 5 days." He's hoping for a full restoration of bus service by tomorrow. No word on whether they will expand bus service.

[MelroseMatt]

MTA is stating that 7 subway tunnels are flooded. I count 10 east river tunnels, from Joralemon Street to 63rd street. Any word on which tunnels may have avoided flooding? Does this mean the lines utilizing the Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges are likely to resume operation sooner?

[octr202]

Here's one update I've seen recently:

http://transportationnation.org/2012/10 ... y-service/

Earlier I saw one report that said it was all the tunnels to Brooklyn plus the Steinway tunnels (7). I'm also assuming that they mean South Ferry station and not "South Street" in the article above, but don't know for sure.

[farecard]

In another thread

At this point NYCTA is likely moving the pump trains to positions near the lowest points of the system,
as long there's 3rd rail power to run the pumps.....

So I wonder.. how many pumpers does NYCTA own, how potent are they, and are the third rail or {ugh} Diesel powered?
(I can envision a pumper car with a spool of cable and clamp; fasten to third rail on a dry segment, and coast down to the water's end....)

[Kamen Rider]

you're ughing diesel power? when using third rail in these conditions is downright dangerious?

[Backshophoss]

Possible reference to the South St "Seaport" area near Fulton st(aka "fulton fish market")

[farecard]

you're ughing diesel power? when using third rail in these conditions is downright dangerious?

The better solution would be segmentation of the third rail so that only the dry sections are powered up. (The low-lying parts of the system are surely well-documented by now.)

Then if not too far from the suction location, lay hose to the low point. If a ways off, lower a suction pump & power down to there...