Well I can tell you that since they have been putting R32s on the F line it has been confusing for some commuters. I have lived in southern Queens all my life, frequently using the 179th street station and Parsons Archer stations. My Mother used to be a F train commuter until around 1998 or 1999 when she had to be removed by EMT because a bottle exploded and cut up her leg. Since then she has been taking Long island Railroad, getting her to work Faster. However, even now that I work for Metro North, I still remain faithful in riding the Queens Boulevard line. Until late 2004-2005, thats when it was once upon a time you could say a R32 meant E train, and a R46 meant it was an F. But ever since u have been seeing R32s run on the F line, it has been very hard to tell the difference since the sign above the Motorman's head says E and F virtually the same exact way, one has to trust the side signs. The way u can always tell is, the Motormans car and the Conductors car MUST BE RIGHT. A Motorinstructor taught me that. a Train Crew wont be written up for wrong signs on whole consists, but if u are an F, ur head car and ur conductors car better say 179TH STREET, CONEY ISLAND AND SO ON.
What i usually do is pay attention to the lineups at Van Wyck. BTW, most E trains run on the express track queens bound at union turnpike.....
what i mean by the lineup sign is the sign at van wyck blvd briarwood saying:
KNOW YOUR ROUTE
F-LINE ACCEPT BOTTOM GREEN TO 179TH STREET
E-LINE ACCEPT BOTTOM YELLOW TO PARSONS-ARCHER
ATTENTIVENESS!!!
TRAIN CONTROL!!!
SAFETY STOPS!!!
so if you ride to Van wyck and the lineup turns to a bottom green and u know u want to go to Parsons archer, GET OFF. Bottom Green opens up the switch to send the train to the right, making sutphin and hillside next stop. Bottom yellow sends a train straight with the switch closed, making JAMAICA VAN WYCK, JAMAICA HOSPITAL NEXT STOP. Thats the E lineup.
knowing your lineups can help you when ur in these kinds of situations! I remember once, i was on a J shuttle entering Dekalb, and it almost took a bottom yellow. I actually mentioned outloud and the Motorman was sooo glad to hear me say THATS NOT THE LINEUP! He was like are u MTA? i was like yea.... He got a Bottom Green which sent him to prospect park which is his destination. IF he took a bottom yellow he would have been going down 4th avenue!!!!