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I'm disappointed, that it's only two tracks. There should at least have been a third, probably a fourth, track. I hope that the eventual combination of the Q & T does not cause switching congestion. I had always thought that the smartest plan, would have been to run the 5 train down Second Ave., connecting Second Avenue to the Bronx.
The original plan actually called for six tracks in some sections.
In any case, they have two divisions: The A Division (numbered lines) and B Division (lettered lines). The cars in the A Division are narrower than those in the B Division, and the train lengths are usually shorter (they have 10 51-foot cars rather than 8 75-foot cars or 10 60-foot cars. The Eastern Division, which is the (J)(M)(Z) and (L) is the exception, with 8 60-foot cars).
So basically, sending the (5) down would give you less capacity than sending a B Division line down there. Plus, you're taking a line off Lexington Avenue, which still needs a good amount of service (Then again, you could beef up (4) service, and it might make things easier, since you have one fewer line to cause switching problems)
It is possible for the (Q) or (T) to go up to The Bronx if they find the money. I believe they put bellmouths at 125th Street/2nd Avenue in case they choose to extend the trains north. They could go up along 3rd Avenue or possibly serve the West Bronx (High Bridge/Morris Heights/University Heights). There have even been plans to use Amtrak's ROW to go up to Co-Op City.
So phase ONE...selfishly the only one that concerns me and probably the only one I'll see (assuming a 30 year time span for the whole shebang)...will go fom the F-train station at 63rd and Lex across to Second Ave and up to 125th and turn West to join the East Side IRT,4,5, 6 trains. It will have two tracks and will run the Q-train. So I guess Astoria will have only the N.
With only two tracks what do they do with a disabled Q train ? Everybody into the M15 BUS?
But if 2 tracks gets the job done a decade earlier, I'm all for it.
So phase ONE...selfishly the only one that concerns me and probably the only one I'll see (assuming a 30 year time span for the whole shebang)...will go fom the F-train station at 63rd and Lex across to Second Ave and up to 125th and turn West to join the East Side IRT,4,5, 6 trains. It will have two tracks and will run the Q-train. So I guess Astoria will have only the N.
With only two tracks what do they do with a disabled Q train ? Everybody into the M15 BUS?
But if 2 tracks gets the job done a decade earlier, I'm all for it.
I remember this past summer, there was a problem where there were heavy delays on the Lexington Avenue Line (I think both express tracks were down or something), and they recommended everybody take the M101/102/103 buses. I'm surprised they didn't mention the M15 +SBS+, since it's faster than the 3rd/Lexington Avenue buses.
In any case, yes, they'd tell everybody to take the M15 +SBS+ or take the Lexington Avenue Line. If you think about it, it's no worse than the situation now.
As for Astoria, there is the possibility they'll be left with the (N), or they might find a way to add service (maybe bring back the (W) or something). We discussed various ways they might do it on another forum. One way would be to route both the (N) and (Q) up Second Avenue (to provide frequent service on the SAS so it encourages people to switch from the Lexington Avenue Line), and then bring back the (W) and send it to Astoria. Since the Whitehall Street station has limited capacity as a terminal, some trains may terminate elsewhere (maybe Canal Street and then turn around using the second level of City Hall, or maybe 9th Avenue in Brooklyn)
The original plan actually called for six tracks in some sections.
In any case, they have two divisions: The A Division (numbered lines) and B Division (lettered lines). The cars in the A Division are narrower than those in the B Division, and the train lengths are usually shorter (they have 10 51-foot cars rather than 8 75-foot cars or 10 60-foot cars. The Eastern Division, which is the (J)(M)(Z) and (L) is the exception, with 8 60-foot cars).
So basically, sending the (5) down would give you less capacity than sending a B Division line down there. Plus, you're taking a line off Lexington Avenue, which still needs a good amount of service (Then again, you could beef up (4) service, and it might make things easier, since you have one fewer line to cause switching problems)
It is possible for the (Q) or (T) to go up to The Bronx if they find the money. I believe they put bellmouths at 125th Street/2nd Avenue in case they choose to extend the trains north. They could go up along 3rd Avenue or possibly serve the West Bronx (High Bridge/Morris Heights/University Heights). There have even been plans to use Amtrak's ROW to go up to Co-Op City.
Not even that, but the R142s that run on the 5 aren't allowed on the B Division, so that kind of kills the plan. The bigger plan from what I understand is to send the T up into the Bronx and actually replace the 6 by adjusting platforms and such. That would be interesting to see happen.
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