Why does MTA re-route so many trains and routes on the weekends? Is it for maitenence or just because they want to mess with the poor touists? Appreciate your help, thanks!
Railroad Forums
Why weekend re-routing?
- Discussion relating to the past and present operations of the NYC Subway, PATH, and Staten Island Railway (SIRT).
Moderator: GirlOnTheTrain
It's so that they can perform whatever maintenance is scheduled and they don't have to change things during rush hours when ridership is highest.
"Please do not attempt to board the train until it has arrived in the station. Thank you."
"Use Track 5 for the 5:17 local train to Raritan which has just departed."
"Use Track 5 for the 5:17 local train to Raritan which has just departed."
Oh brother! I got caught up in that lunacy yesterday (Sunday 7/9). I was enroute to my annual Staten Island Ferry ride and I took LIRR to Woodside. Thinking I would take the "subway scenic route" I then got the #7 to GCT, thinking I would take the Lex Exp to Bowling Green. Wrong! Only local service was running on the Lex and only to Brooklyn Bridge! Then I had to walk thru the corridors to that ratty old BMT Station there (Chambers St) and there was some hassle with the J train too; I couldn't understand the announcements. They had a shuttle train running south from there and I took it to Broad St. and walked to the ferry terminal. Confusion was rampant in all the stations. There were orange vested employees giving directions but it was still a mad scene. City dwellers and tourists alike totally confused...........And the ride took forever for what is normally 10 or 15 minutes. 
So after I took a good round trip on the S.I. Ferry I figured I'd take the trusty old #1 train from the ferry terminal and change at Chambers St. for the 2-3 Exp to Penn Station. Wrong again ! Service suspended from South Ferry to Chambers. Take a special shuttle bus to Chambers. Well heck, I can walk faster so I took a healthy walk up Broadway to the Park Place Sta. opp. City Hall. Thought I'd catch the 2-3 there. Right except there was no express service from Chambers St. to Penn Sta. We ran local from Chambers to 34th St. Again a normally 10 minute ride took forever. If I'd known, I would have taken the A-train from Fulton St. to 34th. Or was that line screwed up too?
Never again will I do this on friggin' weekend without checking MTA's website first!! Maybe I should take all future subway trips on weekdays when service is relatively normal. What a friggin' fiasco!
So after I took a good round trip on the S.I. Ferry I figured I'd take the trusty old #1 train from the ferry terminal and change at Chambers St. for the 2-3 Exp to Penn Station. Wrong again ! Service suspended from South Ferry to Chambers. Take a special shuttle bus to Chambers. Well heck, I can walk faster so I took a healthy walk up Broadway to the Park Place Sta. opp. City Hall. Thought I'd catch the 2-3 there. Right except there was no express service from Chambers St. to Penn Sta. We ran local from Chambers to 34th St. Again a normally 10 minute ride took forever. If I'd known, I would have taken the A-train from Fulton St. to 34th. Or was that line screwed up too?
Never again will I do this on friggin' weekend without checking MTA's website first!! Maybe I should take all future subway trips on weekdays when service is relatively normal. What a friggin' fiasco!
Ouch, but yeah, check the site so you can plan accordingly. In fact, sign up for email notification so there's a reminder in your inbox.