Roosevelt Island’s Need

For Temporary Subway

Service During Tram Outage

Frank Farance, President

Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA)
2009-12-09
 Modes of Transportation
• Bus: 120-300 pax/hr
• Water Ferry (no present service): 120-350 pax/hr
• Tram: 1000 pax/hr
• Subway: ~20,000 pax/hr
– Improving subway service has biggest benefit

• Morning Rush: 06:30-09:30

 Tram Shutdown
• Lose 1000 pax/hr capacity

• We propose increasing morning capacity

by providing 4-5 “specials” that extend the
Q service to Roosevelt Island
 Details of Proposal
• 4-5 trains, one every half hour, in the
morning rush between 6:30-9:00
– For example, the schedule might be 6:50,
7:20, 7:50, 8:20, 8:50
– The exact times are to be refined later.
• Special-Q service will take an uptown Q
train from the 57St-7Ave terminus and
send it outbound via 63St tracks to 21St-
Queenbridge.
 Details of Proposal
• Once there, the train will "turnaround" on the
Queens-bound track (motorman switches to
West end of train) and await a Manhattan-bound
F train to pass on the Manhattan-bound tracks.
• After the F train passes, the Q train will switch
tracks and follow to the F train. Once the Q train
arrives at Roosevelt Island, the doors will open
on the empty train and passengers will board
quickly.
• The Q train will continue on 63St tracks
(stopping at 63St-Lex) and continue down 7Av
and Bway on the normal Q train service.
 Details of Proposal
• Additional Q trains will *NOT* add load to
the 63St connector interlock (in Long
Island City) nor the Rockefeller Center
interlock, i.e., we are avoiding two
congestion points.
• For Roosevelt Island commuters, they can
transfer at 63St-Lex, continue on 7Av-
Bway (a block away from the F train
route), or transfer at Herald Square to the
F train.
 Details of Proposal
• Extra service is only for the morning rush
– No additional evening trains are requested.
• Has this kind of cross-track routing been
done before?
– Yes, the MTA did this in Herald Square on the
6Ave lines while providing several temporary
train services over the years.
– The 21St-Queensbridge station was the old
terminus of the Q train, so it has the signaling
to support the turnaround and track changes.
• RIOC will collaborate and coordinate the
Island's red bus schedule with the MTA's
additional trains