Service Diversions 01-09

Normally I would be updating the service diversions page today with the latest changes for the weekend & beyond. However due to the major snowstorm that is expected, just about all work for this weekend is canceled. The MTA issued a press release with the latest information:

Due to the weather forecast of 3-8 inches of snow for tomorrow, January 10, MTA New York City Transit has canceled most of the scheduled maintenance work for this weekend. At this time, this cancellation includes work on the 1 2 3 4 6 A C D G J L N Q R S and W lines, as stated in Press Release #3 dated January 8, 2009. Work on the 7 is, however, likely to proceed, but from Times Square-42nd Street to Grand Central-42nd Street instead of from Times Square-42nd Street to Queensboro Plaza as originally planned.

While the subway portions of the system remain unaffected during snowstorms, there are nearly 220 miles of outdoor track throughout the four boroughs, and NYC Transit has heavy-duty equipment designed to move snow, melt ice and do anything else that must be done to maintain service during inclement weather. Subway lines such as the Rockaway, Sea Beach, Brighton and the Dyre Avenue segments, are particularly vulnerable to snow and freezing precipitation.

During a heavy snowstorm, tracks on outdoor subway lines must be cleared often, the third rails kept free of ice and outdoor steps at all 468 subway stations shoveled and salted. Elevated lines do not have the problem of snow build up as the flakes fall between the ties, but platforms and staircases still must be kept clear of snow and salted to melt ice, and it takes a small army of employees to accomplish this task.

To prevent subway trains from being blocked in yards, they are moved and stored underground in anticipation of heavy snow or ice. This may have some impact on regular subway service, including the inability to run express train service on some lines. A cold weather service poster is available at www.mta.info/nyct/service/advisory.html for your information.

Customers may call our Travel Information Center at 718-330-1234 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, or log onto www.tripplanner.mta.info to use Trip Planner to plan their trips. Customers with web enabled phones or PDAs can use our Trip Planner On-the-Go! by going to www.tripplanner.mta.info/mobile; in addition to planning their trips, Blackberry users can download the free icon for one touch access to the service.

I will be updating the pages later tonight or tomorrow with next week’s changes if any are available.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Comments

Transitblogger- thanks for all your updates. Was wondering if I could interview you in a week or so for a project that I’m working on. If you could email me at rovingstorm@gmail.com with your contact info I’d appreciate it. Thanks, Janos

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