According to the MTA,
there is no Roosevelt Island F Train service to and from Roosevelt Island this
weekend.
According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):
Dear Roosevelt Island Community:
We received word from Tram operator Leitner-POMA that they have completed
their repair work on the North Tram Cabin as of this afternoon. However, the
cabin must now undergo inspection by the New York State Department of Labor,
scheduled for tomorrow morning, before returning to service.
We hope to have the North Tram back in service as quickly as possible
tomorrow and will alert the community when full service is restored. We
apologize for any inconvenience you may incur during your weekend travels.
-Team RIOC
Hopefully, both North and South Tram cabins will be in service this weekend.
The Roosevelt Island Tram has been operating with only one cabin since last
Tuesday.
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) announced on
February 16:
Dear Roosevelt Island Community:
We have been informed by Tram operator Leitner-POMA that the North Tram
cabin needs to be taken out of service for a scheduled four-day period to
perform emergency repair work on a hydraulic tension cylinder at the
Manhattan Tram Station. We have scheduled the repair work to take place from
Tuesday, February 20th through Friday, February 23rd so as not to interfere
with weekend Tram service while the F-train is offline.
Please be advised that the South Tram cabin will remain in service during
this four-day work period (2/20-2/23). Travelers should consider utilizing
other modes of transportation, including the F-train, Ferry, and Q102 bus
for off-island travel while the work takes place.
We apologize for the inconvenience and will work to ensure full service is
restored as quickly as possible.
Yesterday I asked RIOC Communications Director Bryant Daniels:
I received reports about overcrowding, pushing and shoving at the Manhattan
Tram Station yesterday with only one cabin in operation. Do you anticipate
both cabins operating this weekend when there will be no subway service at
all?
Any comment from RIOC about the status of Tram repair and these comments
below from residents about problems with overcrowding yesterday at the Tram?
"My husband told me that a fight almost broke out, so crowded, lots of
tourists and pushing and someone almost fell. He couldn’t see much of what
happened, a lot of people inside. This was around 6 pm"
“I am a senior and my husband walks with a walker. First, after waiting
about 5 minutes for a Tram we couldn’t get on it. We were then about the
third row of people from the front of the platform. We waited 15 minutes
for the next Tram. When it arrived people stampeded for it, pushing me and
knocking over my husband. I grabbed for him and saved him from hitting the
floor. I screamed 2 or 3 times STOP, put my arms out to shield him from
more pushes and I pushed back the stampeding people near us. This is a
very unsafe situation. We need Public Safety staff at the front of this
crowd. Instead, a Public Safety man was in the booth eating an ice cream
cone. Warn your neighbors of this unsafe situation which happened to us at
about 5:50pm tonight”
It was around 4:30. Manhattan side of the Tram. Platform was full of both
residents and tourists. As the Tram approached the station, someone
violently pushed several rows of people (of all ages, both residents and
tourists) to get closer to the Tram. A young man stopped him and called
him out for it, and the offender started saying something about "these
tourists" but he was called out for his rudeness. As folks started to
board the Tram, he actually walked *away* from the Tram as I countered his
complaints, and another person called him out saying "I'm also an Island
resident and you just pushed me." At the end, it looked like he did not
even board the Tram! Not sure if it was because he was embarrassed and/or
he did not want to be confronted by the several islanders he had just
offended and who started calling him out. I understand we're all
frustrated with the situation of not enough train service and now reduced
Tram service. We are all upset and frustrated and annoyed, but this is
absolutely not the right way to go about it. Shoving, pushing, stampeding,
knocking people over, etc. are unacceptable."
Yesterday about 7:20 PM, PSD was having people line up at tramway plaza in
manhattan, we waited in line and then they switched tactics and decided to
let everybody up the stairs then stood outside the turnstyle and started
shouting at us to move in more, even though the platform was packed.
Luckily nobody listened to them and nobody was pushing. I believe PSD
could be better used doing actual crowd management instead of whatever
they are doing now.
There was a long line around 7:30pm today and the tram was packed, but
that’s to be expected I guess.
Mr Daniels replied yesterday:
We were also made aware of some of these reports via our online Tikkit system
and Deputy Chief Amoroso will be on site personally this evening to monitor
rush hour service at the Manhattan station. We understand how frustrating the
changes to the F-Train service have been for island residents, and this week’s
repair work on the north tram cabin has only compounded those frustrations.
It’s important for us to continue to encourage tram travelers to be courteous
to their fellow riders and to the PSD officers on site who are doing their
best to keep things safe and orderly. Should any issues arise while waiting in
line for the next tram, please speak with one of those officers or one of the
POMA station attendants so it can be addressed immediately.
Regarding the repair work, POMA has informed us that they remain on
schedule, so we still expect service to be fully restored by the weekend.
Last evening at about 7 PM, as I was exiting the Tram Cabin at the Manhattan
station I noticed an elderly couple being assisted to a bench seat by
Public Safety Department
Deputy Chief Amoroso on the next departing Tram. Deputy Chief Amoroso led the
couple to a seat
before allowing the Tram sliding door on the middle platform to open for the
large crowd about to rush inside the cabin.
Between 7 PM and 8 PM, the Tram platform was very crowded with riders waiting
patiently between the turnstyle entrance and the end of the platform. There
was no line in front of the turnstyle or down the stairs.
It appeared that most of the waiting Tram riders were residents at the time.
There were 4 Public Safety Officers, including Deputy Chief Amoroso,
doing a good job managing the crowd of riders keeping the platform area safe
and orderly.
Deputy Chief Amoroso said that if you are a senior or disabled person needing
assistance to board the Tram, tell the PSD officer and they will make sure you
get on safely.
About 100 people were able to enter the cabin before the door closed leaving
about 10-12 riders waiting another 15 minutes for the next cabin to arrive.
They were first on line to enter the newly arrived cabin. This cycle repeated
itself for the hour I was there.
The Tram platform was jam packed this afternoon between 4:30 PM and 6 PM
with a line by the staircase entrance too.
The vast majority were tourists. I spoke to a group of very nice French
student tourists in a group of 12. They told me they were very excited to see
the "sightseeing views" from the Tram that they learned about on "the
internet". The few residents at the time were not very happy describing the
situation as "Insane!"
As I got off the Tram this afternoon on the Roosevelt Island side, I saw
many of the same tourists on the platform waiting to take the Tram back to
the Manhattan station without leaving the Roosevelt Island station.
Here's a Roosevelt Islander
Instagram
post from yesterday. Take a look at some of the comments.
According to the MTA, there is no Roosevelt Island F Train service to and from Roosevelt Island this
weekend.
As reported January 12, according to MTA Assistant Director, Government & Community Relations Katerina Patouri:
Dear Community Stakeholder,
Please be advised of the following service changes as part of the ongoing 63rd St Direct Fixation Project, upcoming in February 2024:...
... Feb 10-12th, 17-19th, 24-26th:
In support of the ongoing 63rd St track replacement project, the F shuttle train will be suspended for the weekends of Feb 10-12, 17-19, and 24-26:
F shuttle train service will be suspended starting on Saturday at 5AM through Monday at 5AM on the weekends of Feb 10-12, Feb 17-19, and Feb 24-26.
Starting at 11:00 PM on Friday 2/10, 2/17, and 2/24 and for the remainder of each weekend, a free shuttle bus will replace the Q95 and Q94 and will extend to connect Roosevelt Island, 21 St- Queensbridge, and Queens Plaza, following the current Q94 overnight shuttle route.
This shuttle bus will run during daytime and overnight hours for the duration of the weekend and is scheduled to operate approximately every 5-10 minutes.
Project completion is still slated for Q1, 2024, subject to change....
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) reported today:
Dear Roosevelt Island Community:
The MTA recently announced that in addition to this Saturday and Sunday, there also will be no F-train shuttle service on Roosevelt Island this coming Monday, February 19th. Here is the information shared with us from the MTA detailing the changes in service for this weekend:
Feb 17-20th: No F Train service on Roosevelt Island
F shuttle train service will be suspended starting on Saturday at 5AM. Over the Feb 17-20th holiday weekend, F shuttle service will resume on Tuesday 2/20 at 5AM.
Starting at 11:00 PM on Friday 2/17, and 2/24 and for the remainder of each weekend, a free shuttle bus will replace the Q95 and Q94 and will extend to connect Roosevelt Island, 21 St- Queensbridge, and Queens Plaza, following the current Q94 overnight shuttle route.
This shuttle bus will run during daytime and overnight hours for the duration of the weekend, including all day Monday, and is scheduled to operate approximately every 5-10 minutes.
Other Methods of Travel
In addition to the MTA’s free shuttle bus, island residents may utilize the following methods of off-island transportation during all February weekends:
Red Bus Manhattan Shuttle: During all weekends in February RIOC will once again run a Red Bus Shuttle to Manhattan every Saturday and Sunday from 3:00pm – 7:30pm. The shuttle leaves from the Tram Station at the top of every hour and picks up returning riders from the Southwest side of 2nd Avenue, between 58th Street and 59th Street, on the half hour.
Tram: RIOC is running the Tram on a rush hour schedule every Saturday and Sunday from 7:00am – 10:00pm during the ongoing MTA trackwork. Please be advised that we expect longer than average wait times for the Tram while this emergency MTA work takes place, so you should plan your travel accordingly.
NYC Ferry: The NYC Ferry Astoria line serves Roosevelt Island and can provide off-island transportation to Queens and Manhattan. You can check its schedule here.
We have been informed byTramoperator Leitner-POMA that the NorthTramcabinneeds to be taken out of service for a scheduled four-day periodto perform emergency repair workon a hydraulic tension cylinder at the ManhattanTramStation.We have scheduled the repair work to take place from Tuesday, February 20th through Friday, February 23rd so as not to interfere with weekend Tram service while the F-train is offline.
Please be advised that the South Tram cabin will remain in service during this four-day work period (2/20-2/23). Travelers should consider utilizing other modes of transportation, including the F-train, Ferry, and Q102 bus for off-island travel while the work takes place.
We apologize for the inconvenience and will work to ensure full service is restored as quickly as possible.
Thank you.
-Team RIOC
WHAT: North Tram Cabin out of service for 4-day period to accommodate repair work
WHEN: Tuesday, February 20th through Friday, February 23rd
WHERE: Work will take place on the Manhattan side Tram Station
**South Cabin will remain in service during the work**
During last weekend's subway service outage, the lines at the Tram were not that bad for most of the time though there were several reports of a long line at times. Hopefully, this weekend will be the same.
The
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp
(RIOC) announced yesterday, June 10, that the Roosevelt Island Tram South
Cabin will be out of service starting Sunday June 12 thru approximately June
26 due to:
... critical and necessary tram work...
Workers were seen yesterday preparing the site. Among the site preparations is
the temporary removal of the
Giant RI Rhode Island or Roosevelt Island sign
on the Tram Plaza. Several observers were heard expressing the hope that the
Giant Sign used by tourists for Instagram moments would somehow be dropped
during its removal and not return.
Please be advised that due to critical and necessary tram work beginning
Sunday, June 12th, 2022, until approximately Sunday, June
26th, 2022, the South Tram Cabin will be out of service.
The North Cabin will remain in service.
To accommodate this disruption, RIOC will be running a shuttle bus Mondays
through Fridays from 3PM to 8PM, between the Roosevelt Island Tramway and
the Tram Station at 60th St and 2nd Ave in Manhattan.
Boarding Locations/Routes:
Roosevelt Island to Manhattan: board at the R.I. Tram Station. Shuttle
will make all northbound local stops to Capobianco Field (Opposite PS/IS
217)
Manhattan to R.I.: board at the southwest side of 2nd Avenue, between 58th
& 59th Street. Shuttle will make all southbound local stops (beginning
at 591 Main Street) to the Tram station.
Frequency: departing on the half hour, traffic depending.
Last Trip- Manhattan to R.I.: 8:30 PM Roosevelt Island to Manhattan: 8:00
PM
We encourage riders to plan accordingly and anticipate increased wait times
for both the Tram and Red Bus shuttle. Please also consider alternate
transportation options such as the F-train subway, ferry or Q102 bus.
We’re operating subway service for essential trips only. If you must travel, be sure to:
1⃣ Check https://t.co/tyvPdlXfha or MYmta to see how often your line is running.
2⃣ Wear a face covering.
3⃣ Allow extra time to get where you’re going.
Red Buses will continue to run on a Weekend Schedule until further notice.
The Roosevelt Island Tramway will be closed from 1:00 AM until 6:00 AM to ensure that disinfecting measures can be performed. Regular tram service will resume at 6:00 AM each day and continue until 1:00 AM the following morning. These early morning closures will continue each day until further notice.
A resident asked:
How will essential workers get off and to the Island with both Tram and subway closed half of the night?
14 years ago today, the Roosevelt Island Tram got stuck over the East River stranding 69 people for over 7 hours.
April 18, 2006: Roosevelt Island Tram suffers mechanical problems, trapping 69 people in two tram cars in the air for seven hours 🚡 Learn more: https://t.co/ncHfcBtqf5pic.twitter.com/bBvdsWTiAH
A four-minute trip on the Roosevelt Island Tramway yesterday turned into a harrowing ordeal that lasted hours as a series of power failures left about 70 people suspended hundreds of feet in the air, forcing a daring late-night rescue...
As reported last Tuesday afternoon, April 9, the Roosevelt Island Tram had an emergency stop in mid air. A Tipster on the Tram at the time reported:
The tram just had a bad malfunction where it rocked sideways to extreme angles. I was on it. They had to stop it for 20 minutes mid air until they figured out how to bring it down.
What happened exactly is that the tram did stop suddenly, the driver immediately exclaimed "everyone hold on" while he was moving around his control I guess in attempt to check or activate something underneath the main screen.
A young girl on board said this exact thing happened before in the past (a few years back).
After the sudden stop the main issue is that they couldn't get it going again. They tried to start the movement but it wasn't starting smooth, kind of like a car anti-brake system feels when you break suddenly. They stopped again, tried again. For 3 or more times....
Here's video from inside the stuck rocking and swaying Roosevelt Island Tram after the emergency mid-air stop.(Click on full screen icon at bottom right of video for better view.)
Roosevelt Island Tramway Emergency Stoppage Update
At 3:27 PM on Tuesday, April 9th the south cabin of the Roosevelt Island Tramway was halted mid-trip above the East River, for approximately 10 minutes due to the emergency stop button being activated by a passenger on the Manhattan Tramway station platform.
According to the Tramway operator, Leitner-POMA, the emergency button was manually released 3 ½ minutes after being activated. Before completing the trip to the station, it was necessary for the cabin to stop swaying (caused by the force stop), allowing the Tramway’s wireless receptor to re-synch...
The next day, Wednesday, another Roosevelt Island Tipster reported two more incidents of the Tram stalling in mid-air:
Just came off the tram and it stalled for a few minutes midway. Also, as luck would have it, was on the 8am-ish tram this morning and it also stalled. This evening the tram conductor announced that someone at the station pushed the buttons again. I’m starting to question this excuse. Two time in a row that someone pushed this said button? Who’s watching the button at the tram station?
A third Roosevelt Island Tipster added another incident:
It was Monday night, April 1, last week. I was coming back from dinner in the city and grabbed the tram. The time was about 10:30-ish to 11pm. We left the Manhattan side of the tram, and just past 1st Ave, the tram suddenly jerked to a stop and started swinging back & forth.
The Tram operator immediately said, "Everyone please remain in your places and remain still until we continue." Then, I heard him call the station, and he said, "Hey, did anyone over there hit the emergency stop button?" The guy at one of the stations (not sure if it was on the city side or the Island side) responded, "No, why?" The tram operator said, "Cause we stopped for no reason."
The station guy said, "Really? No, no one one that I know of." After about 5 minutes, the tram started again and we continued to the island without incident. That's all I know.
Received these additional comments:
It happened again yesterday {Wednesday}! My daughter said the tram stopped midair and was shaking with a packed cabin and resumed after a few minutes.
swaying is half the fun...you can see tourists scream.
I think the greater question is why is a passenger tripping the emergency stop button from the ground. That person needs to be found and given a citation and fine, or worse. Not cool.
I asked RIOC President Susan Rosenthal
... Why is there an emergency stop button at Manhattan Tram Station that can be pushed by passengers?
According to Ms Rosenthal:
Explanation from POMA
Per ANSI B77.1-2011, section 2.2.9, “All automatic and manual stop and shutdown devices shall be of the manually reset type”, and, “manual control devices shall be installed at all conductor and operator work positions, control rooms, machine rooms, and out-of-doors in proximity to all loading and unloading areas.” The reference to “out-of-doors” is the requirement to have these switched located outside of the doors in the public areas. If the switches were to be removed, the State of NY would consider this a violation of the code and would shut the tram down.
I followed up?
Is there any way to cover or protect the button so unauthorized persons are not able to activate the emergency stop?
A Cornell Tech Masters student Tipster reported a malfunction and emergency stop in mid-air on the Roosevelt Island Tram earlier this afternoon.
According to the Tipster:
The tram just had a bad malfunction where it rocked sideways to extreme angles. I was on it. They had to stop it for 20 minutes mid air until they figured out how to bring it down
What happened exactly is that the tram did stop suddenly, the driver immediately exclaimed "everyone hold on" while he was moving around his control I guess in attempt to check or activate something underneath the main screen.
A young girl on board said this exact thing happened before in the past (a few years back).
After the sudden stop the main issue is that they couldn't get it going again. They tried to start the movement but it wasn't starting smooth, kind of like a car anti-brake system feels when you break suddenly. They stopped again, tried again. For 3 or more times.
I asked the driver when we got off "Did this thing ever happened before?" He mumbled something about "The computer" and pointed to the Roosevelt island station. As if he was thinking the computer on the ground was causing the issue.
I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal:
I’m told there was a problem on tram this afternoon.
It was stuck in mid air for over 20 minutes before docking at station and cabin was shaking.
Is that true.
What happened?
Any statement from Rioc.
Ms Rosenthal replied:
A passenger hit a safety switch on the Manhattan side, causing the tram to stop----the ride across took about 7-8 minutes longer as a result. No one was hurt.
The Tipster added:
It definitely didn't feel like there was a "one time" issue that caused the stop.There was a technical challenge to get it to move again. It didn't feel like they had it under control. I am surprised they didn't ground it longer.
A RIOC spokesperson had this fuller explanation:
Roosevelt Island Tramway Emergency Stoppage Update
At 3:27 PM on Tuesday, April 9th the south cabin of the Roosevelt Island Tramway was halted mid-trip above the East River, for approximately 10 minutes due to the emergency stop button being activated by a passenger on the Manhattan Tramway station platform.
According to the Tramway operator, Leitner-POMA, the emergency button was manually released 3 ½ minutes after being activated. Before completing the trip to the station, it was necessary for the cabin to stop swaying (caused by the force stop), allowing the Tramway’s wireless receptor to re-sync. The receptor is the communication mechanism that enables the cabins to travel to and from the stations. After approximately five minutes, the Tram was re-started and the south cabin docked into the Roosevelt Island station at 3:39 PM. No injuries were reported.
The Tram is back in service.
UPDATE 7:50 PM - Another Tram rider reported:
This EXACT thing happened last Monday (April 1) at about 10:30pm. Stopped mid-air. And heard the tram operator call & say “Hey, did anyone push the emergency stop button?” Station responded: “No, not that I know of.”
Please be advised that starting Monday, March 25th, the Tram will be operating with only one cabin in service. This work is expected to last up to four weeks, alternating between the North and South cabins. The Tram entry/exit patterns, elevator service, and MetroCard machine availability will not be affected.
How will my commute be affected?
During this phase of the required maintenance project, only one Tram will be in operation. Please plan for additional travel time when commuting during this period.
What are my travel alternatives?
Red Bus Shuttle service will be available to and from the Manhattan Tram Station every weekday from 4 PM to 8:30 PM, beginning from the R.I. Tram Station.
Red Bus Shuttle pick-up locations:
Manhattan: Southwest corner of 58th St. and 2nd Ave.
Roosevelt Island: Tram Station Plaza
MTA subway F line (mta.info) and the NYC Ferry service (ferry.nyc) are available to and from Manhattan. Please check websites regularly for service changes and disruptions during this construction period.
Q102 MTA bus service is also an option to connect to Midtown Manhattan-bound trains at Queensboro Plaza.
Why is this work happening?
The Roosevelt Island Tram project consisted of two major maintenance updates: rope relocations and gearbox overhauls. The project is now entering into its final phase with the gearbox overhauls, which is expected to last four weeks. This required work is to ensure the safest transportation system possible and to extend its service life into the future.
We thank the community for your patience throughout this project.
RIOC President Susan Rosenthal described the Tram Overhaul Project during her March 7 Community Report to the RIOC Board of Directors.
Bad news, as previously reported, due to a major Roosevelt Island Tram Overhaul project, only a single Cabin will be operating each day for at least 12 weeks starting last February 14.
More bad news - no Roosevelt Island Tram service at all on Sunday March 3. According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):
Please be advised that the Tram will be closed on Sunday, March 3rd to facilitate required maintenance work. Service will resume with one cabin in operation on Monday, March 4th at 6 AM.
What are my travel alternatives?
Red Bus Shuttle service will be available to and from the Manhattan Tram Station on Sunday, March 3rd from 11:00 AM to 8:30 PM, beginning from the R.I. Tram Station.
Red Bus Shuttle pick-up locations:
Manhattan: Southwest corner of 58th St. and 2nd Ave.
Roosevelt Island: Tram Station Plaza
MTA subway F line (mta.info) and the NYC Ferry service (ferry.nyc) are available to and from Manhattan.
Q102 MTA Bus service is also an option to connect to Midtown Manhattan-bound trains at Queensboro Plaza.
Why is this work happening?
The Roosevelt Island Tram is undergoing two major maintenance projects, consisting of rope relocations and gearbox overhauls. This required work is to ensure the safest transportation system possible and to extend its service life into the future.
This is not going to be fun. Be prepared for Roosevelt Island Tram service disruption starting second week of February. According to this announcement today from the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):
The Roosevelt Island Tram is scheduled to undergo two major maintenance projects that will reduce operating service to one cabin only beginning the second week of February and continuing for at least 10 weeks, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) announced Thursday.
Track cable relocation, phase 1 of the work, is a safety requirement of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for aerial tramways and gondolas operating in the United States.
As per the safety regulations (ANSI B77.1), the Tram is required to relocate its track cables after a pre-determined amount of time. RIOC’s Tram contractor Leitner-Poma, who totally rebuilt the Tram’s infrastructure nine years ago, will perform the work.
The timeline is subject to change depending on weather conditions and the conditions found within the equipment during the relocation. During that time, one cabin will be taken out of service, starting with the North cabin.
“Much like a car that has recommended maintenance at pre-determined intervals, we are that point with the Roosevelt Island Tram,” said RIOC CEO and President Susan Rosenthal.
“We apologize in advance for the inconvenience this may cause. But this effort is to create the safest transportation system possible and to extend its service life into the future,” Rosenthal said of the Tram that since 2016 has transported more than 10 million commuters. “We appreciate your patience and assistance with this important maintenance project.”
Track cables are basically the “road” that the Tram cabin runs on. Each track cable does have movement with every trip of the tram to allow for expansion and contraction, but for the most part the cables are fixed in a single location on each tower. Over time, this location is subject to more wear and bending actions than the other locations, which is the reason the cable is periodically relocated.
Each track cable also contains fiber optic lines inside the core which the Tram uses for communications and controls. This fiber optic line must be cut and re-terminated following the track relocation.
There will be periods of shutdown for both cabin systems during the actual movement of the rope, during tensioning and during the fiber optic changeover, but the plan is to conduct this work late at night and during normal overnight shutdown periods.
Leitner-Poma crews will be working seven days per week to complete the work as quickly as possible.
The second phase of work consists of four gearbox overhauls (inspecting and replacing internal parts such as the gears, bearings, seals and oil changes). This work will start as soon as Phase 1’s track cable relocation is complete. The schedule may change depending on the construction of needed parts and the impact of the federal government shutdown of the overseas import of those parts.
The duration of Phase 2 is estimated to last four to six weeks. During that repair, the Tram will be running daily on a one-cabin reduced capacity.
WHY ARE GEARBOX OVERHAULS NEEDED?
Each cabin is pulled by an assembly of two gearboxes. Due to the age of the gearboxes and following the gearbox failure on the North tram last August, Kissling AG, the original gearbox manufacturer and a leader in the industry, has recommended to proceed right away with the overhaul of all four gearboxes.
To help facilitate Island residents’ commutes during this period, RIOC will operate Red Bus shuttles between 59th-Street-and- Second-Avenue in Midtown Manhattan and Roosevelt Island during the weekday afternoon peak commute. Exact schedules will be released before the repairs begin.
In discussions this week with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates the New York City subway and bus system, RIOC officials received assurances that there will be no disruptions to the subway’s F Train line that services Roosevelt Island, including weekends through April 19.
Additional service will be provided via the E Train line, weeknights March 18 – March 22 and March 25 – March 29; and all four weekends March 23 – April 25.
RIOC has also asked NYC Ferry officials to consider expanding ferry service – to and from Roosevelt Island, Queens and Manhattan - during the weekday peak periods and weekends; and is awaiting their response.
More information about this project, updated Red Bus shuttle schedules and project timelines will be posted at rioc.ny.gov. Please forward additional questions or inquiries to RIOC’s Public Information Officer Alonza Robertson at alonza.robertson@rioc.ny.gov.
The Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Common Council discussed the Tram service disruption during its January 9 meeting. Here's the discussion initiated by new Common Council member Justin Ellis looking for ideas to improve transportation options during the Tram service outage.
Hopefully, the Tram tourist crowds will be less this winter than last summer.
UPDATE 4;30 PM - RIOC adds:
Why Offer the Red Bus Shuttle During the Afternoon Rush Only?
Some people has asked us about running the shuttle during the morning hours too. Our Transportation Department has found that due to morning rush-hour vehicle the free shuttle can only make two roundtrips trips (which equates to about 68 seated passengers) from Roosevelt Island to Manhattan via the 59th Street Bridge. That’s not an efficient use of resources.
As a transportation alternative, the Q102 MTA bus makes the route to Roosevelt Island every 20 minutes and takes riders directly to Queens Plaza where they are able to make transfer connections to three different train lines and two other buses headed directly to Manhattan.
In the afternoon, the shuttle can make up to five roundtrips from Midtown Manhattan. We hope that Roosevelt Island seniors, individuals with disabilities or in wheelchairs, and parents or caregivers with young children (strollers etc.) will use the service in addition to all else needing a ride.
Also, please note that though the Tram will be operating on a one-cabin basis, it will “load and go” to make as many trips as possible during peak times to decrease wait times. When we have two operational cabins, we typically wait until actual departure schedule times (no matter if we were full or had small amounts of passengers).
F Jamaica-bound trains are rerouted via the E after 47-50 Sts to Roosevelt Av
Weekends, 11:45 PM Fri to 5 AM Mon, Dec 2 - 5 • Dec 9 - 12 • Dec 16 - 19
No Jamaica-bound service at 57 St, Lexington Av/63 St, Roosevelt Island and 21 St-Queensbridge.
Now the good news. Both Roosevelt Island Tram cabins will be in service starting tomorrow. Hopefully, the long lines will be gone.
According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):
Please be aware that, on Saturday, December 3rd, the Tramway is scheduled to return to its regular service schedule, utilizing both Tram cabins.
Please note the last Red Bus shuttle from the Tram to Manhattan will be on Friday, December 2nd at 8 PM, and the last shuttle from Manhattan will be at 8:30 PM Friday.
Thank you for your patience during this necessary work.
Earlier today, I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal:
Any update on when the tram inspection will be completed and normal two cabins service restored?
The original completion date was for end of November. Is that still the case?
A RIOC Spokesperson replied:
Please be aware that, on Saturday, December 3rd, the Tramway is scheduled to return to its regular service schedule, utilizing both Tram cabins.
Please note the last Red Bus shuttle from the Tram to Manhattan will be on Friday, December 2nd at 8 PM, and the last shuttle from Manhattan will be at 8:30 PM Friday.
Thank you.
As previously reported, Roosevelt Island Tram service has been reduced to a single cabin operating
... Leitner-Poma, operator of the Roosevelt Island Tramway, has advised that, due to required inspections and maintenance on both Tram cabins (including the replacement of both cabin floors), the Tram will operate with one cabin, running on a peak schedule during the month of November....
Line waiting to Board Roosevelt Island Tram this morning with only 1 cabin in service while other is undergoing maintenance & inspection pic.twitter.com/nZEL2eoHcm
... Leitner-Poma, operator of the Roosevelt Island Tramway, has advised that, due to required inspections and maintenance on both Tram cabins (including the replacement of both cabin floors), the Tram will operate with one cabin, running on a peak schedule during the month of November....
... Leitner-Poma, operator of the Roosevelt Island Tramway, has advised that, due to required inspections and maintenance on both Tram cabins (including the replacement of both cabin floors), the Tram will operate with one cabin, running on a peak schedule during the month of November....
A resident took to twitter last night, November 7, reporting on the crowded Tram cabins caused by the service disruption.
Only one tram running. One closed for repairs. But I see no repairs. #rioc @ Roosevelt Island… https://t.co/tZlR4R2Pbf
Today, Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) issued this statement regarding the Tram Service disruption:
Unfortunately, the reduction of Tram service during the month of November will pose challenges to the regular commuter schedule of our community, but the inspections and maintenance currently in progress are required given the hours and cycles of operation of the Tram, especially with the upcoming winter season. This work will ensure the integrity of the equipment of the Tram and the longevity of its components. Part of this work requires the dismantling and reassembling of the Tram’s operational equipment and takes an extended amount of time to safely and successfully complete on both cabins. The Tram cabin in operation will depart the platform as soon as it is fully loaded to help reduce wait times as much as possible. We appreciate your patience during this necessary reduction of service.
Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.
The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.
