Getting To Work From Roosevelt Island During Yesterday Morning's F Train Subway Service Disruption - A Reader's Commute

How was your Roosevelt Island commute yesterday morning? As reported yesterday, there was no F Train service from Roosevelt Island to Manhattan and limited Queens bound service for almost 2 hours due to a Police investigation at the 21 street Queensbridge Station.

Reader Trevre Andrews shares his commuting experience caused by the F train service disruption and wonders about the little green tags on bicycles at the Subway bike rack:

If you wanted to go to manhattan this morning around 845 you would have had to go back to Queen's, although it wasn't clear where you could go from there. It was noted as an ongoing police investigation causing the delay. No signs, just an audio warning when I got to the bottom of the train (Isn't this what the station attendant should do, make a sign?). If I had a pen and paper I would have made one myself.

I also found the Queen's bound trains were taking their sweet time as I waited on one for about 15 minutes before I gave up on the RI public transit all together which leads me to my second story.

Upon exiting the subway I decided to grab my recently locked bike from the rack outside the station, only to notice little green tags on a lot of the bikes. The tags contained four digit numbers but no notifications were to be found.

Image From Trevre Andrews

My imagination ran wild thinking of the psd down there with a plasma torch cutting through hundreds of dollars of perfectly good locks, but it could just be my imagination. Anyone know what's up with the little green tags?

My other options were the red bus service...i didnt want to even start to figure that shirade out, or a taxi, none of which are on the island at that hour. Given my options I hoofed it over to Queen's and grabbed the Vernon blvd 7 train (not wanting to mess with queensboro or leave my bike there).

Image From Trevre Andrews

On my way over to Queen's I also got to see the gridlocked 36th ave bridge, with both lanes stalled maybe due to a broken vehicle.

Image From Trevre Andrews

There is also a water taxi at Hunters Point, which I haven't tried yet. Despite all this I made it to manhattan in under an hour. All in all the frustration is sort of what makes New York so much fun.

RIOC VP Of Operations Fernando Martinez provides some additional information:

At approximately 9:30 AM, RIOC received notice of an F train service disruption on Manhattan-bound trains. To accommodate passenger needs, the following red shuttle bus service was provided:

Manhattan Bound [9:45 AM]: Filled to capacity*
Manhattan Bound [9:50 AM]: Filled to capacity*

Queens Plaza Bound [9:45 AM]: Filled to capacity*
Queens Plaza Bound [10:00 AM]: Filled to capacity*

Manhattan Bound [10:20 AM]: Approximately 40 passengers.
Manhattan Bound [10:25 AM]: Approximately 35 passengers.

Queens Plaza Bound [10:30 AM]: Approximately 50 passengers.

The departure times are from the Riverwalk bus stop.

At approximately 10:30 AM, RIOC received notice that F train service had resumed with residual delays. No additional red shuttle buses were dispatched, and normal Manhattan-bound shuttle service resumed.

*Capacity - 34 seating, 20 standing or a total of 54 passengers

and a reader of yesterday's post adds, though unconfirmed:

What really happened was that is yet unknown wheather or not a man committed suicide.

Also: NYC Transit Forum reported yesterday:

Have no further details at this time but the Medical Examiner is in route and responding to 21st queens bridge. At this time, Due to a police investigation at the 21st Street-Queensbridge Station, F trains are running on the V line in both directions between the 36th Street Station and the 47-50th Street-Rockefeller Center Station.

Round Trip Red Bus Usage Statistics to Manhattan and Queens Plaza During Tram Shutdown

Roosevelt Island Red Bus Statistics - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: Roosevelt Island Red Bus Statistics

RIOC President Steve Shane forwards the following information regarding round trip use of the Red Bus to Queens Plaza and Manhattan at 2nd Avenue & 60th Street during the recent Roosevelt Island Tram Shutdown.

During the 9 days the Tram was out of service from June 10-18, a total of 633 passengers used the Red Bus to Queens Plaza/Manhattan and 406 passengers from Manhattan back to Roosevelt Island. The average daily passenger use to Queens Plaza/Manhattan was 70 and from Manhattan/Queens Plaza 45.

According to Mr. Shane:

See the stats on daily red bus usage during the Tram outage. First day,
there was no service to Manhattan. Queens Plaza seemed underutilized.
Obvious spike on weekends. Was ridership gaining as it became better
known? Was one week too short an anecdotal period as people could
rearrange their lives for an outage of such short duration? Last day
(6/18), Tram was back in service, for free, at 5PM.

Let's all think about these questions as next spring approaches and we
have to fashion some system. We will again be flexible, but availability
of vehicles, scheduling drivers, budget issues (wildly escalating fuel
costs), and other such will have to be considered.

The question of what, if anything, a public agency should do with
respect to transportation of school children to off Island schools needs
to be discussed in the context of New York City policy. The confluence
of rush hours and school hours makes it very difficult.

I look forward to your input.Next March or April will be here all too
soon.

Any suggestions?

Roosevelt Island Tramway Is Back In Service And Free - Until 2 AM Tomorrow

RIOC has announced that:

Work on the Tramway has completed
The Tramway will reopen for regular service starting at 5PM, Wed. 6/18/08
Free service will be provided to all riders through Thursday 2 AM
Queens/Manhattan Express Bus Service will no longer be provided

UPDATE: 6:45 PM - One of the first Roosevelt Islanders to use the back in service Tram kindly sends in this photo of free Roosevelt Island Tram. A brave soul.

If Shutdown of Roosevelt Island Tram Causing Heartache For Romance - Try The Gun Club Instead

The shutdown of the Roosevelt Island Tram may even be causing problems for a group of people besides Roosevelt Island residents commuting to and from Manhattan. As readers of this Valentine's day post may recall, the Roosevelt Island Tram was named the second most romantic spot in New York City by Travel Lady Magazine and has also become a popular part of a date. But now, in the Trams absence, what is a couple to do instead?

It is obvious that descending the long climb down the stairs into the bowels of the 63rd and Lex subway station to catch the F train to Roosevelt Island hardly compares to the magnificent views experienced while gliding high over the East River in the Tram and would make a pretty awful date. So now, as a temporary alternative, why not try a visit to the West Side Rifle and Pistol Range in Chelsea as did this reporter from SlateV.com. One women described the experience as the best date she's ever been on. Others saw it as a girls night out with a Charlie' Angels theme.



But don't forget to come back to the Tram once it is back in service. The trip is marvelous. Here's a nightime Roosevelt Island Tram ride with Hellogoodbye's "Oh it is love" and a daytime tram ride with U2.

MTA's Solution To Roosevelt Island Transit Woes - Not More Trains But More Staff On Platform To Cram Us Into Subway Cars!

Image of Roosevelt Island Subway Commuters from NY Times

A front page article in Saturday's NY Times Metro section described the transportation headaches on Roosevelt Island caused by the current Tram shutdown as well as potential, no likely, major transit problems next year when the Tram will be out of service for at least 6 months undergoing major repairs and upgrades (Here is 2007 Roosevelt Island Tramway Modernization Cost Benefit Analysis). According to the article:

They waited at the island’s single subway stop as jam-packed cars — two, three, four of them — clacked by without a seat to spare. Then the grumbling began. “The tram is always on time,” said Sally Jenkyn Jones as she forced herself aboard an already brimming F train. “This is always too packed.”

And:

“I don’t see how the island is going to function next year,” said Ms. Shea, who works in finance. “It’s already a nightmare.”

Assmeblymember Micah Kellner expresses Roosevelt Islanders fear of the perfect transportation storm:

Mr. Kellner said residents live in fear of the “trifecta”— losing the use of the tram, the subway and the Roosevelt Island Bridge at the same time.

“When you’re in an area as isolated as Roosevelt Island, you always want to have another means to get out,” he said.

What does the MTA plan to do about the horrible transportation infrastructure on Roosevelt Island, which will only get much worse with the two new Riverwalk residential buildings coming on line early next year and three more planned soon thereafter? Will the MTA add additional F trains to the morning rush hour commute, express buses to Manhattan, extend the Q line to Roosevelt Island? No, of course not. According to the NY Times, this is what they plan to do:

Peter G. Cafiero, chief of operations planning for New York City Transit, said the authority had received several complaints from island residents about service at the station.

Mr. Cafiero said the authority could not add more trains, but he said additional staff members would be at platforms next spring to assist riders.

Incredible! The MTA's solution is to add more staff members to the overcrowded Roosevelt Island platforms to somehow assist riders. How exactly are they going to assist us? By stuffing us into packed subway cans like they do in Japan with "Subway Pushers"?

You Tube Video of Japanese Subway Pushers During Rush Hour

Tramless Roosevelt Island Weekend But Regular F Train Subway Service and the Red Bus Will Go To and From Manhattan

Image of Roosevelt Island Tram Gear from itofoto

This will be the first Tramless weekend for Roosevelt Islanders during these current repairs. The MTA reports that there will be regular F train subway service to and from Roosevelt Island this weekend. In addition, RIOC will be providing weekend Red Bus service to and from Manhattan. From RIOC:

Weekend Manhattan-Bound Bus Service:
From 7am to 11pm. Departing on the hour from Gristedes on Roosevelt Island.
Drop-off at Second Avenue and 60th Street.
Departing on the half hour from Second Avenue and 60th Street.

Be aware that the Red Bus service to Manhattan is an experiment. If it is not used, the service may be discontinued.

The reason for the Tram shutdown is that the track rope must be slipped. Let's hope that we do not get a repeat of this incident as reported in the January 2002 Main Street WIRE:

The Tram has been shut down since November 24, when American Tramways began a major repair and maintenance project. The work was nearly finished during the week of December 16 when the company’s technicians committed one of the nightmarish mistakes of the aerial Tramway and ski-lift industry: In connecting a new haul rope to the Tram cabin assemblies, they trimmed the excess cable too much, leaving it a little over eight feet short of the length necessary to allow both cabins to dock in their proper places.

The mistake, a “human error,” as Blomer called it, wasn’t noticed until the workers tried to dock the cabins.

Image of downed Roosevelt Island Tram from Main Street WIRE

Tramless Roosevelt Islanders Not Taking Red Bus to Manhattan - At Least on First Day of Availability

Roosevelt Island Red Bus Image from RIOC

RIOC President Steve Shane forwards the following statistics on first day Red Bus Ridership to Manhattan and Queens Plaza for Tramless Roosevelt Islanders.

Stats for 6/11/08:

From RI to Queens Plaza (6AM-9:30AM):

16 passengers 8 trips
From QP to RI (returns):
0 passengers 8 trips

From RI to Manhattan (10AM-2PM):
9 Passengers 5 trips

From Manhattan to RI (returns at 10:30 AM-2:30PM);\:
8 Passengers 5 trips

From RI to Manhattan (7PM-11PM)
9 Passengers 5 trips

From Manhattan to RI (returns at 7:30PM-11:30PM):
9 Passengers 5 trips

We shall see as the word spreads and/or sinks in. Hard to justify at
this level! An experiment.

These numbers reflect only the first day of service. Remember that many people did not know that the Red bus service to Manhattan existed because it was not part of RIOC's original transportation plan for the period of time that the Tram was out of service. It would be helpful to learn what the ridership numbers for the Red Bus were during previous Tramless occurrences.

Second Day of Roosevelt Island Tramless Commute Not As Smooth As Yesterday

You Tube video of Japanese Subway Pushers

Dick Lutz of the Main Street WIRE reports that there were some problems with this morning's Tramless subway commute. Maybe the Japanese subway "Pushers" will become necessary.

Subway Jam Near 8:30 This Morning

Roosevelt Island's second tramless day produced the kind of jam that had been expected yesterday but didn't materialize then, possibly because it was a Monday, or possibly because the day was a Jewish holiday.

At 8:39 this morning, over 90 people were left on the Manhattan-bound platform west of the escalators; presumably almost that many were left, as well, on the east end of the platform. The problem arose when a 14-minute gap between trains had over 128 passengers waiting (with more on the east end of the platform) and an F train pulled in with virtually no boarding space available.

Four minutes later, another jammed train pulled in and, when it left, about 70 passengers remained waiting, again only counting the west half of the platform. The platform emptied two minutes later when another train pulled in with ample available space.

Apart from that problem, which spanned 8:25 to 8:43, it appeared no passengers were left on the platform as trains pulled out.

First Day Of Tramless Subway Morning Commute On Roosevelt Island - No Need For Japanese Pushers But How Was it For You?

You Tube video of Japanese "pushers" who stuff rush hour commuters into trains via True Gotham

Fortunately, this mornings first Roosevelt Island rush hour without the Tram was not as bad an experience as this video showing Japanese "Pushers" who stuff rush hour commuters into subway cars.

I got down to the subway platform just after 8:30 AM to see an F train leaving the station with no Roosevelt Islanders remaining behind on the platform. That was good. Another train did not arrive for approximately 19 minutes during which time the platform became crowded but not unmanageable. Certainly nothing like the rush hour crowds waiting for the 4,5, or 6, trains at 86th or 59th streets but I was told by several waiting commuters that there were more than the usual number of people at the station for that time. The arriving train was crowded but there was room for everyone waiting on the station to board. The next F train arrived about 4 minutes later and was not crowded at all, plenty of standing room. All in all, not a bad first day without the tram. Let's hope it continues.

Dick Lutz of the Main Street WIRE reports that:

Manhattan-bound Roosevelt Islanders got through their first tramless rush hour this morning with no passengers left behind on the platform. Whether high temperatures kept Queens commuters at home or other factors played into the 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. period, a Main Street WIRE tally showed no passengers left behind on the platform when trains pulled out.

Roosevelt Island 360 reports:

I myself was on the platform for the short period between 745am and 750am or so. I came onto a basically empty platform except for a few riders like myself who just descended the escaltors. A train showed up within 5 minutes with room enough for the hundred or more riders that had accumulated in those few minutes.

RIOC President Steve Shane advises: Effective 6AM Wednesday June 11, 2008

To address transportation issues, RIOC has been in touch with the MTA
to try to get assurances about the weekend of June 14 & 15, and there
are no scheduled outages. RIOC will run supplemental bus service and it
will be a good opportunity to see how things will work during the longer
period in 2009 when the Tram will be down for the overhaul. The
supplemental bus service will depart from the Gristedes loop on the
following schedule:
First, to Queens Plaza during weekday morning rush hours every half
hour (6:00 AM until 9:30 AM). The trip is 15-18 minutes so pickups,
while not regularly scheduled, will be available on that schedule. There
will be neither service to nor pickup from Queens Plaza during evening
rush hours.
Second, responding to the many concerns about the elderly,
handicapped, school children, etc., weekdays non-rush hours, there will
be hourly service from the Island to Manhattan starting at 10AM until
2PM, and from 7PM until 11:00PM.
Third, weekends, there will be hourly service starting at 7:00AM
until 11:00 PM from the Island to Manhattan.
Service to Manhattan will be to the pet store opposite the
Manhattan terminal of the Tram on 60th Street, returning on the half
hour with the last pickup in Manhattan at 11:30PM. The charge for the
bus will be $.25.

UPDATE: I am glad that RIOC has decided to run the Red Bus to Second Avenue in Manhattan as it had done during prior Tram shutdowns. Initially RIOC had not planned to do this. Steve Shane from an earlier post:

Our present plan is not to run the buses to 60th street as it is very uneconomical, especially during rush hours.We would consider a night time pickup depending on demand. Putting the red buses into rush hour traffic on the Queensboro Bridge takes a lot of time in both directions.

RIOC should be commended for changing their position.

UPDATE-6/11 - Second day of Roosevelt Island Tramless commute.