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It is definitely NOT one of the better subway systems in the USA. It is a joke even compared with the LA subway. But in fairness there are good reasons. You pay $2.50 to get anywhere regardless of distance and it runs 24/7, thus the lousier service and reliability. It is far cheaper than most other subway and light rail systems anywhere else, and it's cheaper than paying tolls in the freeway. Imagine, $3.50 will get you only a one-way ride from Alexandria to Smithsonian. The point is that you get what you pay for and if you want more, then pay more by taking the MNR, LIRR, Coach or express bus.
There is a solution -- ditch the subway and ride a bike to work. If you can't do that, then live with the MTA, the worst of the worst.
The solution would be to car pool to work. I see a lot of people with cars that can carry 4 people+ riding alone.
I carpool in the AM. I live in Washington Heights and i carpool to SoHo. I always get a seat and i arrive at SoHo within 25 to 30 mins depending on traffic. The person who runs the carpool lives in NJ and picks up two people in NJ, crosses the GWB picks me up at 177 Ft. Washington then takes the West side highway. Drops one person at 72nd st, drops me off Canal, and drops the other lady near city hall. I pay $25.00 weekly.
My ride on the 6 from Pelham Bay to 59th St is great about 98% of the time. I stopped switching for the 4/5 express at 125th years ago. There's no such thing as an express train anymore. Going home sometimes can be a bit of a problem. I have seen recently that the uptown 6 Express can at times switch to a local in the Bronx for no apparent reason, which is extremely annoying. Usually when it rains. My uptown ride is probably good about 75% of the time. Now, if they can only make the express train go from Parkchester straight to PBay station, that would make up for all the BS I deal with going uptown.
The person who runs the carpool lives in NJ and picks up two people in NJ, crosses the GWB picks me up at 177 Ft. Washington then takes the West side highway. Drops one person at 72nd st, drops me off Canal, and drops the other lady near city hall. I pay $25.00 weekly.
this probably doesn't apply to you. this triggered an article how some NJ people were picking up people at bus stops to cross over the GW to get the carpool prices. Then the cops got involve to minimize people doing that
better? NO
elaborate system compared to other cities in the usa? yes
value? maybe..there seem to be no other great alternative although there is another giant discussion in another thread how we should bike around nyc.
MTA as a company is a vortex money pit. Say there are even 20 work days a month. In my experience....in the past few yrs, the subway is delayed or craps out about 3x a month. so its almost once a week for the daily rush hr commuter like myself.
Better? Yes. No other system in the world has the sheer amount of service flexibility that the NYC subway has. You can make a small book out of each possible service change. There are hundreds.
Elaborate as compared to systems in the US AND around the world? Yes. The fact that we have express service doubles the capacity the system could offer
Value? For 2.50, you can cross the city. People think the fare is expensive but it's actually the opposite. We're lucky we don't have a distance based fare.
Delays are mostly caused by passengers themselves, not the MTA. The MTA doesn't hold the doors, causing them to possibly get stuck. Delaying the train further. The MTA doesn't jump in front of trains or push others in front. The MTA doesn't litter leading to track fires. The MTA doesn't leave the house sick knowing that it may be worse than the symptoms are letting on. The MTA doesn't commit crimes leading to police involvement, delaying you and a million others for hours because of the rippling effect.
The car reliability has gone up exponentially since the introduction of the R142/A, R143, R160A/B between 1998 and 2010 that replaced the older cars R26, R29, R33ML and WF, R36WF, Most of the R32s and 42s as well as all of the R38s, R40M and Slants as well as the premature retirement of the R44. Reliability will improve again between 2014 and 2020 with the introduction of R179s to the C, J, and Q as well as R211s to possibly go to the A, R, Rockaway Shuttle. After 2020, the only lines that may be prone to delays, if theree are no major car swaps, will be the B,D, G, Franklin Shuttle, 1, 3, and 6 (Swapping cars with the 7 beginning this year).
P.S: A common misconception is that Express Service is supposed to be faster. This is a subway. Not a railroad. Express service is meant to balance out service and double capacity. Express is only a good choice in certain sections. The East and West Side IRT lines (123456). Queens Boulevard (EF) and Central Park west (AD). Fulton Street only if the A didn't just pass. Express Service is completely reliable if you are going between boroughs.
def not better. if you consider world class cities, nyc subways is not tops. Almost everyone I know who visits nyc from out of town is impressive how elaborate our system is.....BUT they are disgusted how nasty it is.
London is older and its not awful. Yes, 24/7 in nyc is the only advantage. When I was in Tokyo, I was very impressive what a great system they have. Hong Kong which has a far smaller system of course is also very impressive. Even 10 yrs ago in southern china, the local subway was brand new & great. Flat panel screens everywhere. Cost me a whopping 50-75 cents usd a ride to get around each way
nyc subways are old & dated. There are tons of different old systems like IRT, BMT, & IND all mish moshed into one giant system. The tunnels cross over everywhere which makes it very complex. This infrastructure does NOT help the on time schedule at all.
Yes, I agree that delays are caused by passengers a good # of times. But how often do i hear of "signal" problems? or trains crossing in front of them? It seems to happen more times than I can count. The fact is our subway system can use a massive upgrade.....probably would cost us tens of billions to get it where it should be. The mta also waste a LOT of money currently and is probably too incompetant to run it the way it should be run. Things like metrocard is a piece of garbage technology which I can't fathom why anyone would sign off as a great thing to use.
def not better. if you consider world class cities, nyc subways is not tops. Almost everyone I know who visits nyc from out of town is impressive how elaborate our system is.....BUT they are disgusted how nasty it is.
London is older and its not awful. Yes, 24/7 in nyc is the only advantage. When I was in Tokyo, I was very impressive what a great system they have. Hong Kong which has a far smaller system of course is also very impressive. Even 10 yrs ago in southern china, the local subway was brand new & great. Flat panel screens everywhere. Cost me a whopping 50-75 cents usd a ride to get around each way
nyc subways are old & dated. There are tons of different old systems like IRT, BMT, & IND all mish moshed into one giant system. The tunnels cross over everywhere which makes it very complex. This infrastructure does NOT help the on time schedule at all.
Yes, I agree that delays are caused by passengers a good # of times. But how often do i hear of "signal" problems? or trains crossing in front of them? It seems to happen more times than I can count. The fact is our subway system can use a massive upgrade.....probably would cost us tens of billions to get it where it should be. The mta also waste a LOT of money currently and is probably too incompetant to run it the way it should be run. Things like metrocard is a piece of garbage technology which I can't fathom why anyone would sign off as a great thing to use.
Not often at all. The only time I ever got caught right at a signal problem was after Sandy hit. But that's because the repairs aren't done yet. If a train is getting in front of you, it's because that train has higher priority over yours. For example, at 59th Street-Columbus Circle, the D will almost always be allowed to cross in front of the A because it's of higher priority.
The signal system on the number lines have been completely updated. The most recent being the 7 line because of it using CBTC beginning in the next couple years. Most of the lettered line signals have been upgraded, but not at the level of the numbered lines because that system was paid off in 2001. Those countdown clocks owe their existence to that. It only took so long to implement because of legal issues with the company installing them. I can't give you details right now as it's been a couple years since I read about it. The Queens Boulevard line (E, F, M, R) has just begun getting the CBTC upgrade the 7 and L lines got. This process will take a few years as well. The MTA wastes no money and the system is run extremely well. As compared to years past anyway. And MetroCard is a good system for now. Can you give me a good reason to why you think the MTA is incompetent in the way it runs its system?
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