Packed Trains - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Fred314X · 05-27-2009, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zdg

How about Herald Sq? As bad as Times?

For sheer numbers of people, they're close. I suspect there are probably more people at Times Square than Herald, simply because more subway lines cross there. (Herald Square is also accessible to PATH, and Times Square to Port Authority--neither of which does anything to decrease the numbers of people at the subway stations!)

Actually (and I tell you this as a former conductor) what I would recommend is that you base your transfers on the lines you need, and forget about the crowds. So long as you're talking about either midtown or downtown Manhattan, you're not going to avoid them.

cotb16 · 05-27-2009, 01:58 PM

You're better off taking the (B) to 34th St since the transfer is much easier than that at 42nd St-Port Authority (where you must walk a full block to the (R) line).

Blackbeauty212 · 05-27-2009, 08:14 PM

Taking the B to 34th and transfering to the R/W is really the Quickest way....

You'll just have to learn to deal with the crowds...NYC is a very Crowded City.. .

zdg · 05-27-2009, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

Taking the B to 34th and transfering to the R/W is really the Quickest way....

You'll just have to learn to deal with the crowds...NYC is a very Crowded City.. .

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too.

Oh, I don't mind the crowds at all; I'm just trying to plan for the shortest trip.

Fred314X · 05-28-2009, 03:50 PM

If your trip is from 86 Street down to 28, how about this: the #1 train would take you from 86 and Broadway to 28 and 7 Avenue. And you wouldn't have to make any transfers at all.

Blackbeauty212 · 05-29-2009, 12:16 AM

That's probably still slower then the B/R/W combo....because he have to walk to b'way and then walk from 7th back to bway that's along trek....Then the 1 is local the whole trip. The B is atleast Exp from 59th to 34th.

To the OP learn the subways....

from 86th Take the B/C whatever comes 1st - B take it all the way to 34...If the C comes 1st take it to 59 and then wait for the B/D on the same platform then take either one of those to 34th for the R/W....This is how you maximize your time in the subway and its the quickest because your always moving.

Fred314X · 05-29-2009, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

To the OP learn the subways....

I'm glad that you made this remark. When I was a conductor, I always wondered why people didn't take more time to learn the system they use on a daily basis. And I confess in writing: I got awfully tired of answering questions such as, "Does this train stop at 23rd Street?" (If the map says it doesn't, then I wasn't likely to give a different answer!)

What you do is, get a map (they're free!) and study the various lines. I know, I know--people are allergic to maps. But let's be fair: if you can trace the colored lines, you can get around New York by subway. And don't be afraid to make transfers, either. The key is to be on a train that's moving (as opposed to standing on a platform and waiting for one single train, to the exclusion of the rest of the system).

cotb16 · 05-30-2009, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred314X

If your trip is from 86 Street down to 28, how about this: the #1 train would take you from 86 and Broadway to 28 and 7 Avenue. And you wouldn't have to make any transfers at all.

That's actually better. Although you have to do some walking, you're taking a very frequent line that goes near your destination. Remember, the B and R lines aren't too frequent or consistent.

Fred314X · 05-30-2009, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cotb16

That's actually better. Although you have to do some walking, you're taking a very frequent line that goes near your destination. Remember, the B and R lines aren't too frequent or consistent.

Actually, it's not even all that much walking; just a couple of avenue blocks from Central Park West to Broadway, and then from 7 to 6 Avenue once the train gets to 28 Street.

I'm not going to comment on the frequency or consistency parts of your comment--although I will say that the #1 line does run trains more frequently. Before I took the promotion to tower operator, the last line I worked as a conductor was the B, which runs pretty well. (I never liked the R, but only because it's local all the way from Forest Hills to Bay Ridge. If you're only taking it for a small portion of the whole run, it's not so awful).

MotormanMike · 06-01-2009, 06:35 PM

I hate working the R too. I live right by 95th street and when I work the R I can walk to work , but I'd still take any line out of Stillwell even with the time involved to drive over there and finding parking to avoid working that line. Local all the way and no daylight. Those 46's aren't being maintained all that well either.