No Manhattan Bound F Train Subway Service From Roosevelt Island To Manhattan This Weekend - RIOC To Run Tram 24 Hours and 2 Tram Cabins From 12 PM to 7 PM

As reported in post earlier this week, there will be no Manhattan Bound F Train Subway Service from Roosevelt Island this weekend

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) announced that they will be running two of the Tram Cabins at certain times during the weekend.

This weekend (12:01 AM Sat to 5 AM Mon, May 14 - 16), Manhattan-bound F trains will run via the M line from Roosevelt Ave to 47-50 Sts. The Manhattan-bound F train will not stop at the Roosevelt Island Station.

RIOC will provide 24-hour Tram and Red Bus service during the weekend to minimize the inconvenience to Island residents.

There will be 2 Trams running during the hours of 12 PM and 7 PM on Saturday and Sunday. At all other times that weekend, both Trams will run at 15 minute intervals.

UPDATE 5/15 - Roosevelt Island Resident Carol Elbaz was on a crowded Tram Saturday morning before both Tram Cabins were in service, took this picture

and asks: 

Tram packed over capacity. Is this legal.

UPDATE 7:10 PM - A reader commented:

Love this blog, but leaving that comment with the photo is misleading, and potentially upsetting to people who don't know any better...

There is a digital readout on the tram operator panel, in large red numerals, of the tram passenger weight, given in percent. Even on mornings when the tram is _packed_ with people (ie no strollers and no bikes) the readout is rarely above 50% capacity.

So, chill out. The tram is not being overloaded!!! :)

Another reader adds:

The tram has weight sensors and would not run if it was overloaded. How did the poster of the picture know it was over capacity?

I don't think the photo or the comment is misleading. It may be factually wrong in terms of the crowded Tram being over capacity but overcrowding is certainly an impression of some Roosevelt Island Tram riders.

I have heard similar comments regarding Tram overcrowding during certain times from many other people. The way to counter these claims is for RIOC to provide additional information explaining to the riders of the Roosevelt Island Tram what procedures are being maintained to insure the proper operation and safety of the Tram such as the weight sensors mentioned by the two readers above.

I took the Tram over to Manhattan earlier this afternoon. Here's the crowd waiting at the Roosevelt Island Tram Station

and inside the Tram Cabin on the way to Manhattan

this afternoon with both Tram Cabins operating. The Tram operator did leave several people at the Tram Station on this particular trip explaining that the Cabin was at full capacity. I don't know if the weight sensors were used by the Tram Cabin Operator to determine the Cabin was full or if it was just because nobody else could fit in.

On another Tram topic, has anyone else noticed that the Tram appears to be making the Trip back and forth at a slower speed recently?