AMNY Subway Tracker

WTC Work Halts: Just when things seemed to get rolling, work stops at the trade center site as a strike looms of  heavy equipment operators. Among the projects halted is the much-vaunted Santiago Calatrava transportation hub. [AP via amNY]

Tunnel TiVo Buster: A closer look at moving ads in subway tunnels -- in testing in NYC Transit and now a fact of life on PATH -- which are rapidly spreading around the world. [Reuters via Epoch Times]

Think Small: Is the Smart car the answer to finding parking anywhere, anytime in Gotham? Take it away, Dan Barry. [The New York Times]

Subway Smackdown: Shanghai vs. New York: Guess whose system  is cleaner (and guess whose will "actually get us where we wanted to go." [Shanghaiist]

-- Rolando Pujol

Train strikes man: Police say a possibly suicidal man walked into the path of a No. 2 train Sunday in Manhattan. He lost much of his left leg. [amNY]

Sure beats game traffic: Work has begun on a $150 million commuter rail extension that will one day zip football fans to the Meadowlands. [AP via amNY] 

Two cultures, one problem: After the arrests of more than a dozen men for alleged lewd behavior in the subways, a Georgetown professor examines how very differently women in New York and Athens, Greece, handle and experience public misbehavior like groping and flashing. One significant difference: Women in Athens do not report feeling helpless, and tend to take immediate action against the violator.  [The New York Times]

-- Rolando Pujol

The Daily News catches up with Crystal Rosario, who as a pregnant 18-year-old  became a cause celebre in May 2003 when she was fined $50 for sitting on subway station stairs in Brooklyn.  Rosario, whose daughter is now 3,  says she is still recognized as the "pregnant lady."  She's now focused on raising her daughter, is engaged and hopes to become a teacher one day. One thing she won't do is sit on station stairs or anywhere else other than a clean subway bench. "I don't even jaywalk anymore," she explains.

-- Rolando Pujol

One of our regular features on Tracker is explaining why commuters were late to work on a given day. As these recent posts illustrate, Amtrak's problems with power have become a real headache, especially for NJ Transit commuters who rely on Amtrak's infrastructure. The Bergen Record has a thorough piece on the problem, and the outlook doesn't look good unless major money is coughed up to upgrade equipment, some of which dates to 1915.  The crux of the issue: Just about everyone, "including Governor Corzine, blamed an aging system that has been plagued by changing priorities and funding wars."

-- Rolando Pujol

After a weekend of suspended service between Queensboro Plaza and Times Square, No. 7 users are today contending with five-minute delays (and local service only) because of trouble at the Queensboro Plaza station.

-- Rolando Pujol

If you were anywhere near a TV set in New York in the late 1970s and early 1980s, then you remember (and perhaps recoil at the sound of) this jingle: Take the train to the plane!

That train was the JFK Express, the repurposed A train which ran from 1978 to 1990 and was a dud almost from the start. The big but hardly only fault: It didn't provide a one-seat ride to the airport. (You had to endure an arduous transfer to a free Port Authority bus at Howard Beach.) It did offer several perks, such as a comfortable ride, police on the train, and even on-board ticketing. But  by May 1989,  daily ridership was down to just 3,700 (each express used four cars), while an average A train could accommodate 2,000 passengers, Jim Dwyer pointed out that year.

So all these years later, here's a look at the commercials that tried and failed to sell New York on the merits of the JFK Express, but left NYC with --  love it or hate it -- a classic campaign. The first spot introducing the service is from 1978; the second is from 1980, and has a commuter taking a stab at singing the jingle. They surfaced on YouTube, from a poster called tvnewsman.

-- Rolando Pujol

Image from Wikipedia

Lost in the epic Kobayashi-Chestnut battle is the performance of Eric "Badlands" Booker, the No. 7 train conductor who wolfed down 24 1/2 hot dogs Tuesday at Nathan's Famous. Sure, that's fewer than half of Kobayashi's 53 3/4, but Badlands is no competitive-eating slouch. For instance, he's tops when it comes to downing burritos and matzoh balls.  And just last month, he came in No. 2 at a ham-biscuit eating contest in Lynchburg, Va. Downing 42, he was bested by Sonya "Black Widow" Thomas, who also shared the stage with Badlands yesterday at Nathan's.

Badlands by the numbers: 

Height: 6’ 4”

Weight: 420 pounds

Hot dogs eaten: 24 1/2

Hometown: Copiague, on Long Island

Web site:  www.badlandsbooker.com

Badlands preps himself for the eating contest Tuesday. (AP Photo)

-- Rolando Pujol

Rain delays: As expected, this morning showers made a tough morning commute. As of 10 a.m.  the F train is suspended in both directions between Jamaica-179th Street and Forest Hills-71st Avenue. Remember, some of the water pumps in the subway date back to the digging of the Panama Canal. [MTA] and [amNY]

No strike today: Kids got to summer schools via regular private bus operators today as negotiations between management and ATU Local 1181 continue. The strike threat is on for tomorrow. [NY1] Update: No strike as a tentative deal is reached.

It’s not just the tourists who are baffled: Steve Cuozzo, executive editor of the New York Post, uses his position at the paper to bash the MTA over seemingly illogical patchwork of repairs and indecipherable instructions on how to navigate around them.  “I've ridden the subway all my life, but I'm as stumped as an Iowa corn farmer by the MTA's current blizzard of stunts (supposedly needed to facilitate track work and station reconstruction),” he writes. [NY Post]

Bus lawsuit: The family of Amber Sadiq, the 8-year-old girl tragically killed by a school bus in May after a troubled classmate fiddled with the brake, said they are suing the city for millions in a wrongful death suit. [Daily News]

Last night, we revisited the "train to the plane" campaign. Tonight, it's "the train to the game," the ongoing effort by the MTA and the Mets to get us to hop on mass transit for trips to Shea. To drive home the message, the MTA is releasing more than 1,000,000 Mets-themed MetroCards this week. Here's the release; among the goodies the promotion touts are Pedro Martinez mouse pads and a "Ride Home on Us" prize pack.

-- Rolando Pujol 

Meet Mr. Met(troCard). (AP Photo)

The Wall Street Journal (subscription only) has a good feature  today on the $450 million project to rebuild the South Ferry Station in lower Manhattan. It tells the story through the eyes of Krunal and Jolly Patel, recent immigrants from India who fell for that longtime South Ferry trap: They were stuck  in one of the five cars that do not board at the station. Soon, they saw the station zoom right past them, and back uptown they went. But that pint-sized platform will grow, allowing entire trains to finally fit.  That and other modifications will cut the trip from midtown by 5 minutes, the article says.  In the meantime, there's still the matter of the tiny platform. The MTA says signs are everywhere, and heck, out-of-towners should be able to figure it out. But the Patels aren't buying that.  All this will be a nonissue come April 2008, when the New South Ferry station opens.

-- Rolando Pujol

AP Photo

Uptown buzzsaw subway massacre: Early this morning some psycho grabs two electric saws from MTA construction workers or contractors, chases passengers around 110th St. / Broadway station on the No. 1 line and stabs some poor 64-year-old man in the back. The victim is in serious condition. Worst, the man hasn’t been caught yet. [amNY]

More problems on the LIRR: A train carry electrical equipment derails in Penn Station this morning causing big headaches during the morning commute. Meanwhile, out in Smithtown a train hit a person. No info on the condition of the victim but there were delays up to 90 minutes. [Newsday via amNY]

Problem on the LIRR: Train stalls in tunnel under East River standing 1,200 passengers yesterday for an hour yesterday afternoon. [Daily News]

Counterterrorism dollars for transit: Sure, New York is getting screwed out of Homeland Security dollars -- just ask the mayor. But, the Bush Administration is expected to announce today plans to give the city an additional $10 million for transit security. [Newsday via amNY]

Summer school for all: ATU Local 1181 didn’t strike after all. And 37,000 happy kids don’t need emergency taxi trips or MetroCards to get to summer school. [Newsday via amNY]

No work on downtown transit hub: Crane operator strike halts work on downtown transit hub. [amNY]

Not a bad buy: Fitch rates the latest $475 million in MTA bonds for use in the capital plan “stable.” But, those analysts are still a little concerned:

“The MTA ended 2005 with a $1.2 billion cash surplus and is expected to have a $625 million ending balance in 2006. While better than expected real estate tax collections so far this year may indicate the 2006 surplus could come in higher than estimated, the authority reports that fare revenues, operating expenses and certain subsidy sources are tracking slightly worse than budget. In addition, there remains some uncertainty in the MTA's expense profile until a settlement is reached with the Transport Workers Union.” [BusinessWire]

-- Chuck Bennett

Joe Campbell, the Roger Toussaint ally and vice chair of car equipment division of the Transport Workers Union Local 100, e-mails over some pics of the growing protests against MTA management over the contract impasse, now moving into the seventh month.

Last week, according to Campbell, all 80 car inspectors and car cleaners at the Corona shop protested a visit by NYCT president Larry Reuter, by wearing shirts that said, “There's no $$$ for a contract but there's $$$ for rodeos” with the back reading “MTA. 100 years of Mismanagement, Tyranny, and Abuse.”

Last week, at the MTA board meeting an unusually talkative Gary Dellaverson, the MTA’s chief negotiator, briefed reporters on the arbitration process. It is slowly moving along and the arbitrator could decide as early as September.

-- Chuck Bennett

Long Island Rail Road is warning of big delays this evening leaving out of Penn. That derailment this morning is the culprit.

The following evening rush hour trains will be canceled and combined:

• The 4:12 PM train from Penn Station to Massapequa Park (5:05 PM) will be combined with the 4:21 PM train from Penn Station to Freeport (5:03 PM) and make Jamaica, Rockville Centre then all stops to Massapequa Park.
• The 4:34 PM train from Penn Station to Babylon (5:39 PM) will be combined with the 4:37 PM train from Penn Station to Wantagh (5:28 PM) and make Rockville Centre and all stops to Babylon.
• The 4:57 PM train from Penn Station to Wantagh (5:42 PM) will be combined with the 5:01 PM train from Penn Station to Freeport (5:46 PM) and make Woodside, Jamaica, Rockville Centre then all stops to Wantagh.
• The 5:11 PM train from Penn Station to Port Washington (5:47 PM) will be combined with the 5:14 PM train from Penn Station to Great Neck (5:45 PM) and make all stops to Port Washington.
• The 5:20 PM from Penn Station to Long Beach (6:11 PM) will be combined with the 5:23 PM train from Penn Station to Long Beach, stopping at Jamaica, Locust Manor and then all stops to Long Beach.
• The 5:40 PM train from Penn Station to Seaford (6:30 PM) will be combined with the 5:47 PM train from Penn Station to Freeport and make Rockville Centre, then all stops to Seaford.
• The 5:50 PM train from Penn Station to Great Neck (6:19 PM) will be combined with the 5:56 PM train from Penn Station to Great Neck (6:31 PM), stopping at Woodside, then all stops to Great Neck.
• The 6:05 PM train from Penn Station to Wantagh (6:51 PM) will be combined with the 6:10 PM train from Penn Station to Freeport (6:54 PM) and make Rockville Centre, then all stops to Wantagh.

-- Chuck Bennett

Photo of derailment from AP

One of the power saws used in the attack. (Charles Eckert)

Police have the alleged mad buzzsaw attacker in custody.   

-- Chuck Bennett

The victim of the subway attack says no workers at the Morningside Heights No. 1 station came to his aid as his chest was cut open by a man wielding power saws.

NYC Transit, however, says only one transit worker was at the station -- in a booth -- and that it is assumed the worker called for help. Workers are instructed not to leave the booth during such emergencies, and instead call for aid. The policy came under fire  last June after a woman was raped at a Queens subway station while a worker stayed in a booth.

It's worth noting that the workers from whom the power saws were stolen are contract employees. They were helping to install screens that will give commuters real-time information about a train's location.

-- Rolando Pujol

It's not just LIRR riders in for a slow road home. Metro-North has got its own problems.

-- Chuck Bennett

A well-placed source says there is a tentative agreement between the General Contractors Association of Greater New York and the International Union of Operating Engineers Locals 14 and 15. Which means work on World Trade Center transit hub can resume. Its still unclear if any MTA projects, like signal work, was affected by the work stoppage.

-- Chuck Bennett

The city today formally offered the MTA $500 million for the MTA's John D. Caemmerer West Side Yard -- best remembered for the whole Jets stadium fight. It sure beats the Jets initial offer for the just the West Side Yards. And expect lot of long, dense stories about air rights, floor to air rations, and the like.

MTA chairman Peter Kalkow already put out a statement, "Naturally the MTA’s principal interest in the yards has been the conversion of its property rights to support our ongoing enormous capital needs. In that light, the MTA will give serious consideration to the City’s proposal."

-- Chuck Bennett

For the record, here' s the rail yard offer: Download mtarail_yards.pdf

Today is the first anniversary of the London transit bombings, which killed 52 people. While the city has long since regained its footing, this line in the AP dispatch encapsulates that eerie feeling which New Yorkers know all too well:

"A sense of mourning descended on the city -- as well as apprehension at the knowledge that any repeat attacks had the potential to devastate the precarious security that the affluent, cosmopolitan city has regained. "

Here's coverage from The Guardian, and a chilling look at how the news unfolded a year ago today on the blog Londonist.

-- Rolando Pujol

As Londoners silently paid tribute this morning to the 52 commuters who died a year ago today, New Yorkers awoke to the news of a transit terror plot that was foiled at an early stage. Despite the Daily News' screaming front page today, the plot apparently did not focus exclusively on destroying the Holland Tunnel  -- and thus swamping lower Manhattan Katrina-style.

The latest from Newsday's Washington bureau:

"FBI officials in New York said the plot centered on the PATH tunnels. A federal official with knowledge of the plot said it was not limited to the Holland Tunnel as reported Friday by the New York Daily News. "There is no agreement on where the exact location of the target was."

Rep. Peter King says he had been aware of the plot "to attack the New York transit system and lower Manhattan"  since shortly after becoming chairman of the House's  Homeland Security Committee in September.

What's also interesting about this plot -- and what has some saying it does not bear the fingerprints of al-Qaida -- is that it was openly discussed in Internet chat rooms!

And the notion of flooding the Financial District prompted this observation from Gothamist: 

"Well, given government response to floods, it's not surprising that terrorists would want to emulate disasters from nature."

-- Rolando Pujol

o and behold! Ridership on the L train has become so crushing that the TA has to supplement those 4-year-old R143s with trains of an earlier vintage to help carry the load, the Daily News reports. (Anyone care to guess which cars will return?) The questions are, what took so long to acknowledge the overcrowding, and why wasn't it clear back when the new trains were brought online that 212 cars, however swanky, simply wouldn't be enough to handle the obviously rapidly growing load? Indeed, ridership has almost doubled since 1995, back when Williamsburg was just waiting to be discovered. And of course, there will likely be more pain before help arrives in the way of signal work (read: service suspensions) that will be needed to upgrade (or is it downgrade?) the tracks to accommodate the older trains.

Here's discussion on the Straphangers Campaign's Rider Diaries on the L train decision. And just to make matters worse, the computerization of the L is behind schedule and over budget, reports NY1. Here's an amNY update on plans to offer screens with real-time information on lines other than the L. (Work for that project was under way at the Cathedral Parkway station when Thursday's power-saw attack happened.)

-- Rolando Pujol

If you've been looking for an excuse to visit the Transit Museum, here's a good one: On Saturday,  the museum will be celebrating its 30th anniversary, with lots of festivities planned. It'll be a good chance to check out the Triborough Bridge/Robert Moses show.  And while there, mull becoming a member, because it'll entitle you to such perks as a chance to see the 1904 IRT City Hall station. The next members-only tour of this underground palace is Sunday. Their Web site warns that capacity is always limited for these events, and advance reservations are a must. So even if you don't go this time, the promise of access to such a gem alone makes membership worthwhile.

-- Rolando Pujol

2004 photo by Scout Tufankjian

A rare sight in midtown, or anywhere really in the subway system: A corridor without ads. Spotted near the 34th Street and Seventh Avenue exit last week.

And at the same station, a sign signals the TA's effort to beat back the surge in graffiti. 

Just one stop uptown, ads for Jews for Jesus are causing a stir.

-- Rolando Pujol

Checking in: Bag checks in the city subways, begun after the London bombings, are now a year old. The program is now a largely accepted, if someone stealth, fact of life. (I for one have never run into a checking station.) The NYCLU has not given up the fight against the policy. [AP via amNY]

Tubes terror plot:  The alleged master plotter of the plan to blow up Hudson tunnels had visited the U.S. at least once. [AP via amNY]

Subway saw update: The power-saw attack suspect is arraigned and is undergoing mental tests. The victim says: "If he can use that as a defense, more power to him. He tried to kill me."   [Newsday via amNY]

Another subway slashing: It happens just a day after the Morningside Heights attack. [NY Times]

Chertoff's Beantown tour:  The Homeland Security chief, who once told cities they were on their own protecting their transit systems, makes nice, takes heat in Boston. [Boston Herald] 

And even farther afield in China: The Chinese government bans construction of a subway station under a historic palace site. Goodness knows what they might have turned up in the dig. In New York, expanding the South Ferry station has turned up remarkable bits of Nieuw Amsterdam. [Xinhua]

-- Rolando Pujol

Photo: AP

The Upper East Side building explosion is snarling bus service. Commuters are urged to take the Lexington line subway instead. Here's the latest advisory.

-- Rolando Pujol

(Getty Images)

Workers this morning equip a 42nd Street turnstile with signs for the "contactless payment" fare initiative that will last six months on the Lexington line. Participants who prepay $20 will get 12 trips for the price of 10, and will be eligible for up to six free rides. But you won't be able to get typical MetroCard discounts, or use the bus during the trial phase. Those who want to be pioneers can get information here.

UPDATE: The big announcement of the program is Tuesday at Grand Central Terminal. On board for the fun will be Giants running back Tiki Barber.

-- Rolando Pujol

Tiki photo by Howard Schnapp

When it rains, it floods: The Sun has a good look at the MTA's efforts to pump flood waters from the system. The problem never goes away, as these frazzled people at your left found out as they tried to squeeze into a packed F train at Roosevelt Avenue during an epic September 2004 flood.  [New York Sun via Gothamist]

Playing with fire (and water): He allegedly wanted to flood lower Manhattan by destroying tunnels below the Hudson. Now we learn the suspected tunnel bomb plotter also wanted to set California wildfires, according to federal officials. [AP via amNewYork]

Despair and delusion: Curbed has funny photos of signs from the future site of the Fulton Street transit hub. One tenant warns of the pending MTA doomsday, and the other, well, just take a look. [Curbed.com]

The blogging-tagging link: New York magazine's awesome graffiti article prompts thoughts on how blogging and graffiti cultures are similar. [ohword.com]  And more on the Brooklyn Museum graffiti show here and here.

-- Rolando Pujol

Photo: Jason DeCrow for Newsday

You'll be seeing more bag checks, and more police in general, during your travels down below today as the NYPD steps up security after the deadly train bombings in India -- coming just days after the anniversary of the London bombings.

-- Rolando Pujol

Photo of India blast: AP

A couple observations from today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony from the new “smart card” trial program at the Shuttle entrance in Grand Central Station:

1. The official name, according to corporate spokeswoman Jennifer Knoeppel, is the “contactless payment technology, powered by MasterCard PayPass.”  It isn’t “contactless.” One has to hold the card or tag directly on the bulls eye for it to ready. And, who can really utter that mouthful? "Tap & Go" is much nicer.

2. I counted -- no exaggeration -- fifty (50) corporate flacks and hacks from Citibank, MasterCard, and Alan Taylor Communications, at the event. Isn’t that a bit ridiculous? By comparison, the MTA seems like an lean operation. In fact, all the suits present prompted me to apologize to MTA executive director Katie Lapp for quoting people in past articles calling the MTA a “bloated bureaucracy.”

3. Some may remember when gadfly mayoral candidate Christopher Brodeur (now serving time in Rikers for threatening to kill a reporter) suggested the MTA install big industrial fans to cool subway stations during the summer. An event planner took his advice and brought out big window sized fans for the ceremony. Still, everyone shvitzed.

4. New York Giants running back Tiki Barber is the corporate pitchman for the “Tap & Go” program.  Barber initially quipped with reporters that he hadn’t taken the subway since he became famous. But later at the Grand Central Station ribbon-cutting ceremony, the All-star who lives on the Upper East Side said he sometimes takes the No. 6 train incognito to beat the morning grab for cabs. “It’s so early in the morning people are in a fog, they don’t recognize me,” he said.

5. Executives from MasterCard and Citibank refused to say how much money they invested in the program. The MTA is paying nothing but it is unclear who would pay for it if the program was implemented citywide.

6. It appears rank-and-file transit workers were pulled from the station and replaced by supervisors. Why?

-- Chuck Bennett 

Kaikow today answered the transit union’s charge that the “Tap & Go” program will lead to less workers in the subway.

“All of the things we put in, technological advances, we never replace personnel. We never use it for that. And in fact, some personnel can be redirected and there will be more customer service representatives,” the chairman said.

But, to be clear that no workers will taken out, New York City Transit spokesman Paul Fleuranges just sent this statement:

“This trial has absolutely nothing to do with staff reductions. Since when is providing alternatives to customers, and exploring the latest in technology aimed at reducing employees? This is just a trial of new technology, to determine if it is adaptable in the transit environment. Remember this is technology we haven't committed to deploying – that decision will be made after the trial is over. This has absolutely nothing to do with getting rid of people. The Union leadership needs to come up with another line, this one is getting real tired.”

When the 158 token booths were closed in 2004 all of the 600 clerks stayed in the system, many of them
as customer service agents.

-- Chuck Bennett

Our intern Ben Schanback (he starts his freshman year at Brown this fall) spoke to straphangers outside Penn Station this evening about their thoughts on the India train bombings and whether a similar happen could happen here. And he found, people are a bit nervous.

Cliff Chang, 25, Queens, consultant
“It’s going to happen.”

Ryan Walls, 25, Manhattan, New York Cares
“They do make you nervous, it just reminds us of our vulnerability.”

Tatiana, 29, Manhattan, architect
“I try not to be nervous, you have no clue when and where it is going to happen.”

-- Chuck Bennett

Today Mayor Bloomberg said New Yorkers don't mind getting their bags searched entering the subway. In fact, they smile.

"I think what you’ve seen is that people don’t object to having their bag search, quite the contrary. I think it is something that most straphangers look at as providing a level of protection for them, which is exactly what it’s designed to do. We’ve all learned how to go through magnetometers in buildings and have people look at our IDs in a variety of places. We just live in a different world, and when it’s a dangerous world, you have to realize that those police officers or firefighters or whomever, they are working for you. And so it may be an inconvenience, but it’s an awful lot better than if they weren’t there. And I’ve not heard anybody complain. And when I’ve watched, you know, when I happen to be at a subway stop where there are bag searches, people have a smile on their face. ‘Here, sure, take a look. I want to make sure that you look. I’m never carrying it, but I want to make sure that the next guy. So be sure that you do a good job, officer.’ And that’s what they’ve been doing – the kind of job you expect."

How many people actually smile? Surely, Donna Lieberman isn't one of them. And what's he mean, he hasn't heard people complain? What about the lawsuit?

-- Chuck Bennett

In Wednesday's amNewYork opinion page, Roundtable, transit expert Joe Rappaport frames questions he would pose the next governor on handling the MTA.  Here are some of the salient points:

* How will you fix the bad blood between the MTA and its workers?

* How will you improve security on the subways?

* What kind of MTA chairman will you appoint? 

* How will you pay for the big projects, the keep-the-system-going
projects and enough service for all those extra riders — without
borrowing billions more?

Visit our opinion page for the full column.

-- Rolando Pujol

Photo: State capitol building, Albany

Our blog server was down yesterday.  Today it is working again. We apologize for the unavoidable delay.

-- Chuck Bennett

The TWU Local 100 blasted this message out to their e-mail list the other day.

“We have been informed by our affiliate, Communication Workers of America, that in a few days all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies, and you will start to receive sales calls. 

YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS.

To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222. It is the national DO NOT CALL list. It will take one a minute of your time.

It blocks your number for five (5) years.

HELP COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS BY PASSING THIS ON: OR GO TO http://www.donotcall.gov”

The CWA, however, doesn’t know what the transit union is talking about. And a little digging shows someone at the transit union fell for a hoax e-mail that is making the rounds of in-boxes nationwide. Snopes found it to another false urban e-legend. The Wireless 411 directory shouldn't be getting in the hands of telemarketers anytime soon.

No immediate response from the TWU.

UPDATE 2:45 p.m: From TWU's spokesman, "Chuck, please find some news to
report."

-- Chuck Bennett

Yesterday morning at the Lexington Ave/53rd St station on the E line, a wheelchair user bravely took the escalator down to the platform. He popped a wheelie and held on two both sides of railing while riding down. His companion held on to the back of his chair but the man was clearly comfortable and in control.

Fellow commuters started yelling from above to step aside so they could walk down the elevators (typical commom courtesy is the left side is for walking and right side for standing) but were quickly embarrassed when they saw the situation.

As the man from Kingsbridge, the Bronx explained to me the station’s elevator is unbearably stinky and riding the escalator is the only way to go.

No word yet from the Transit Authority if this violates any rules. The only mention of escalators in the TA rule book (Section 1050.6), says:

“In no event will an activity be permitted in a location which interferes with the access onto or off of an escalator, stairway or elevator, or otherwise interferes with or impedes transit services or the movement of passengers.”

Michael Harris of the Disabled Riders Coalition called the practice "unsafe."

“It is more common than you'd think. I don't condone it but I understand it. Subway elevators really do have a tremendous stench. It's an ongoing problem," he said.

-- Chuck Bennett

Check out Public Routes. It now weaves buses into its multi-transit regional transit directions. Commuter rails to the subway to buses and back.

-- Chuck Bennett

Will James over at onnyturf  e-mails over his cool new “hacked” Google subway maps. With these cool maps — every street name surrounding the subway station —you’ll never again have to consult your Hagstrom along with your subway map.

Will’s favorite map:

-- Chuck Bennett

The assistant managing editor for photography of  The New York Times made a curious comment in a Q&A published online recently that has set off a kerfuffle among some photographers.

In response to a query posed by a student photographer on handling overzealous security guards, she advised that it's best to shoot from public places, and then added: "You are prohibited from shooting bridges and tunnels, less so the subway."

Now, in offering these tips, she was probably erring on the side of caution, since it's much easier to get out of a scrape with an officious security guard who misunderstands your motives if you carry a Times press card. And indeed, reports still emerge from time to time of photographers being hassled when legally taking pictures on the subway. But her advice has raised eyebrows.

Firstly, regarding the legality of subway photography, no less an authority than The New York Times itself wrote on May 23, 2005:  "A proposed ban on taking photographs in the subway, meant to thwart potential terrorists, has been rejected as too broad to be enforceable, the police said yesterday."

Now, it's true that around the city's tunnels, there are a barrage of signs prohibiting photography.  And a little Nexis research supports the idea that laws do prohibit photography of MTA bridges, too, but who is really going to stop that student photographer (or those countless tourists) from snapping away? (Well, this did happen shortly after 9/11 and may remain an issue today.)

To be sure, it seems the key questions are vantage point of the photo, and whether "sensitive" areas were being photographed. Still, the editor's comments, however well intentioned, seem to cry for amplification.

Here's reaction over at the Chezlark blog, who says the advice was "entirely incorrect or badly misleading".  And there's more commentary at The Online Photographer.

-- Rolando Pujol

Have you been hassled taking pictures in the subways or around bridges? Let us know in the comments section.  And the Chezlark blog pointed us to this interesting subway photography blog, Express Train.

Photo: Woman boards A train, by Newsday's Julia Gaines

Have a gripe for Peter Kalikow, the man recently reappointed to run the MTA for six more years? Well, the Daily News is giving you a chance to reach out to him directly. (This is the same paper whose editorial board blasted his reappointment.)

Email: AskKalikow@nydailynews.com

Fax: 212-643-7831

-- Rolando Pujol

Photo: Audrey C. Tiernan, Newsday

Four terror-related stories: In New York, river tunnels are being hardened, and the WTC bathtub was among the places targeted in the PATH terror plot.  In D.C.: New York senators fail in their effort to get back some of the money that D.C. dispatched to places that will likely never see a terror attack. And in New Jersey, much of that Homeland Security money will go to protect the rail system.

Death on the E tracks: Train strikes and kills a woman, a postal employee, who was on the tracks in Penn Station. In a similar case, a man lost part of a leg when he apparently wandered into a train's path earlier this month. 

Fun with subway signs: It used to say, "Do not lean on door," but a little magic and ... [Metroblogging NYC]

-- Rolando Pujol

Photo: WTC site, by AP

In two weeks, breakdancing icons Rock Steady Crew will be holding their 29th anniversary party with a celebrity basketball tournament, concerts, and old-school “crew battle” dance competitions. throughout the weekend of July 27 to July 30.

Back in 2003, Mayor Bloomberg declared July 26, Rock Steady Crew Day. And back in 1980 the Bronx-bred crew performed at Ronald Reagan’s inauguration.

So in a little old school spirit, check out these great subway performances courtesy of You Tube. Without a doubt the subway is the past backdrop from their performances. Speaking of which, anyone ever check out their artistic heirs cartwheeling through the A train?

Photo courtesy of Rock Steady Crew

-- Chuck Bennett

With Citibank-issued tag in hand, I tried to make my first high-tech foray into the system on the inaugural night of the EZ-Tap trial. But the test tag was a dud from the get go. I turned to a station-booth worker at Grand Central's Lexington stop, who politely told me to call Citibank. It was frustrating that no one would help, but indeed, transit workers have been told to refer problems with the tags, which are part of a six-month trial, to the bank.  (In other words, don't give them a hard time if they can't help you with it.) Anyhow, a replacement test tag is on its way, and we'll try again.

Tracker would love to hear about your experiences thus far with the tags. Drop us a line in the comments section.

-- Rolando Pujol

Earlier Tracker coverage of Tap and Go:

Contactless payment technology, powered by MasterCard PayPass

Not One Less

Future on tap

Spotted in the wild ...

AP Photo

Next stop 34th Street: Access to the Region’s Core, a $6 billion plan to dig a two-track train tunnel between New Jersey and 34th Street is moving forward with federal transit officials expected to throw support behind the project. The feds could give as much as $3 billion. The Port Authority already committed $2 billion, New Jersey $500,000, New York $0. So, it seems pretty close. [AP via amNewYork, NY Post]

Who me? Alleged mad power saw attacker claims he doesn’t remember nearly killing a man at the W. 110th St. subway station. His victim was discharged last week but has said he is too shaken up to take the subway again anytime soon. [Daily News]

E-navigating underground: The Times compares and contrasts all the knew mass transit interactive guides found online. The big danger is none take into account the frequent service changes -- especially on weekends.  HopStop,   Trips123, and PublicRoutes are all examined. [NY Times]

MTA and MTA: The Manhattan Institute warns that the “unaccountable” Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, is now different than New York’s own Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Last week, a portion of Big Dig’s tunnel collapsed on 38-year-old Milena Del Valle crushing her to death.

“Of course, Kalikow hasn’t presided over an incident of spectacular negligence like the one that resulted in Del Valle’s death. But the MTA’s institutional structure is an invitation to trouble. At public authorities, “political independence” is just a synonym for a lack of accountability that’s awfully convenient for elected officials,” writes Nicole Gelinas.

She urges the governor and the mayor to be more hands-on. Remember, MTA Chair Peter Kalikow is telling everyone who will listen that he is sticking around for a while, no matter who the next gov is. (Although there is plenty of speculation that he’s just saying that so he doesn’t appear as a lame duck).  [City Journal]

From Brazil to Albany to Hornell to Coney Island Rail Yards: The Albany Times-Union reports that unfinished Kawasaki-Alstom-made subway cars are manufactured in Brazil to be shipped to Albany then on to an assembly plant in Hornell, Steuben Count in Western New York before going back to Brooklyn. They could be in service as early as October. [Times-Union]

MTA attracting real rats: Downtown Express reports that MTA construction sites likes the Fulton Street Transit hub are attacking rodents and a lot of complaints. And we thought the only rats the MTA attracted were mobbed-up contractors. [Downtown Express]

-- Chuck Bennett

Save the G coalition takes MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow up on his offer to answer rider questions. They e-mail these suggested questions:

“Want to know why the G train is 4 cars, with no extra cars on order? Want to know why G trains come 12 minutes apart - at best -- during rush hours? Want to know why the G never goes through Queens on weekends any more? Want to know why the G's schedule is always changing?”

Again, here’s where you send them: AskKalikow@nydailynews.com or fax them to (212) 643-7831

-- Chuck Bennett

Overlooked last Friday, Mayor Bloomberg gave a little more detail into why the city wants to pay $500 million for the West Side Yards during his weekly WABC radio show.

“What we want is the city to be in control of what goes there and not somebody from outside this city or a private developer who is just trying to maximize his or her bottom line. This is just too important. The city should be in control.”

So, basically Bloomberg is afraid a private developer’s plan for the site wouldn’t be best for the city. I bet some of the old Jets stadium foes would fine that ironic. And with the city in control, Bloomberg could reject a plan he doesn’t like, no matter how much the developer ultimately bid. He also spoke about brining the no. 7 train to West Side.

But still no hints on what Bloomberg wants, “I think we don’t have any one list of projects but we know that good development in this city requires mixed-use, it requires open spaces, it requires good transportation, it requires schools, it requires a lot of things.”

Another interesting nugget from last week’s radio show: “And the subway system – New York City owns that. The MTA doesn’t own it. We lease it to the MTA and they are the operating authority. But this is really buying something from ourselves, and it will give us the opportunity to then go out and to let people compete for the rights to develop various things, but it will leave the city in charge of what is built there.”

Can anyone explain this arrangement? I had no idea that the city technically owns the subway. I always assumed it was all MTA property.

-- Chuck Bennett

Shvitz Shuttle: New Yorkers cope with steamy commutes in the subway. Temperatures in platforms can easily reach 100 degrees or higher because of the trains’ air conditioning units and breaks. Bring water and an extra shirt. [amNY]

A bomb detector in every car: Senator Schumer proposes $500 million in federal funds to be spent on developing multipurpose detection devices that could sniff out biological, chemical, nuclear and conventional bombs. He wants one device on every subway car roof and every subway station entrance. But the technology isn’t here yet. [amNY]

Retro rail: Newark’s new $207 million light rail is a throwback to the 1930s, above ground and powered by hanging power lines. Pretty cool. [NY Times]

Onward with OPTO: Editorial board of NY Post says one person strain operation is a good thing and should be part of contract negotiations scheduled to enter arbitration next month. [NY Post]

Photo by AP

-- Chuck Bennett

Today new scheduling goes into effect today on the Staten Island Railway which means faster express trains during rush hours and better coordination with the ferry.

New timetables are available at all SIR stations, the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, and at www.mta.info.

-- Chuck Bennett

The TA revised the number of riders trapped on the A train in the blistering sun from 300 to 70. Still, it’s one to many. And 70 people crowding into the four cars with open doors can’t be that pleasant, especially as it sat out on the bridge with the sun reflecting off the water. And the refreshing water was close yet so far.

The TA is also now saying the 97 degree heat may have caused the third rail to buckle causing the power loss.

What is suprising that no one got fed up and just walked off the tracks.

-- Chuck Bennett

State Sen. John Sabini (D/WFP-Jackson Heights) touted his legislation today that compels the MTA use “lung-safe cleaning agents in order to reduce the risk of asthma and other respiratory diseases for the transit system’s employees and riders.”

Basically, all those industrial strength bleach and ammonia-based cleaning solvents are bad for the lungs. The Straphangers Campaign supports the bill. Gene Russianoff’s seven-year-old daughter suffers from asthma, according to Sabini’s press release.

But the question is really about how powerful to the chemicals have to be clean up some nasty, funky stuff found in the trains. Vomit, excrement, blood, and all manners of bodily fluids are found every day, along with spilled beverages and the ever present mold and mildew. You’d think you’d want the most powerful chemicals known to man for some of that stuff.

“We are not claiming to be experts and don't want to endorse specific products, but we know from a lay perspective that there are alternatives. We understand that vinegar, for example, is an alternative to ammonia. Plain soap and water at higher pressures might also be used in lieu of more harsh chemical solutions,” a Sabini aide emails. He also suggested this list.

Tim O’Brien, an MTA  spokesman, said it is the cleaning products “have to be strong enough to get the job done. It’s a balancing act.”

Last year, Gov. Pataki signed an executive order mandating all state agencies use “green” cleaning products. The MTA had already complied with the guidelines, according to MTA spokesman Tim O’Brien.

“Every cleaning product goes through a [toxicological] screening  process before being used to ensure it is not harmful to our workers or the environment,” O’Brien said. “We do have to ensure our products are strong enough to eliminate any health threats to our riders.”

The Tracker sympathizes with asthma suffers, but firmly believes the MTA ought to use the most powerful cleaning agents known to man. Sometimes, the trains can outright gross.

Photo of Sabini, from Sabini

-- Chuck Bennett

NJ Transit emails this pic over of today’s light rail ribbon cutting for the Newark Light Rail. Pretty cool yet retro. Supposedly, the overhead wires even produce a spark every once in a while, just like the good old days.
 
From the press release:

NJ TRANSIT customers can ride Newark Light Rail at no additional charge with a valid monthly or weekly rail pass valued at $45 or greater.  Bus customers may purchase a Newark Light Rail monthly pass, which is valid for one zone of travel at no additional charge on NJ TRANSIT buses, NJ TRANSIT contract carriers and local bus routes operated by private carriers accepting an NJ TRANSIT Bus Card.

A Newark Light Rail single-trip adult ticket is $1.25, valid for 60 minutes.  Reduced fare tickets (60 cents) are available for seniors, customers with disabilities and children ages 5-11.  Discounted monthly passes are available for $45.

Photo by Michael Rosenthal / NJ TRANSIT

-- Chuck Bennett

A Gothamist reader claims to have been ticketed on the subway at 4 a.m. for just putting her feet on an empty seat. Now it is a violation but my understanding is they were meant to be enforced on busy trains when seats were scarce. Sounds like she's got a good case for the Transit Adjudication Board.

-- Chuck Bennett

Those stainless steel 1960s subway trains that ferry you on the A and C lines have a special place in NYC train history: They were the first to have air conditioning. And the robust if underappreciated R38s are among the oldest in service. So as you step from sweltering platform to cool subway car during this heat wave, tip your hat to the line of cars that started the cooling trend. 

Here are vintage R38 photos and even a YouTube video.  And we'll throw in some cool subway facts.
 

-- Rolando Pujol

Photo: Rebecca Letz for Newsday

The second day of the scorching heat wave saw a brief disruption of the 1, 2 and 3 lines in Manhattan, and evening  power problems are snarling subway service in Queens.

The cold front, such as it is, has passed through, but troubles continue in Queens. Here's the latest service advisory.

As for the big picture, amNY takes a look at problems the subways endure during the heat.

"Extreme heat has an enormous effect, we go through it every summer," said John Samuelsen, chairman of the track division of the Transport Workers Union Local 100. "The running rails expand on hot days and the possibility of rail buckling grows exponentially."

And it's not just heat. We all know how heavy downpours or melting snow can bring whole lines to their knees. Here's a look at some of the more recent problems, compiled by amNY:

Friday June 2, 2006
Extensive rain causes train delays and cancellations, especially in
Queens.
Sunday and Monday, February 12 and 13, 2006
A snow storm slowed and disrupted more than 12 subway lines throughout
the city. Central Park received 26.9 inches of snow from the weekend
storm.


January 18, 2006
High winds delayed train service from Connecticut to New York City.


September 8, 2004
Immense downpours flooded tracks and caused signals to malfunction,
which stopped subway trains.  Almost every subway line in the city was
delayed because of the rain.
 

August 4, 2003
Rain, one to two inches in certain places, caused the rerouting of the N
and R trains over the Manhattan bridge and the No. 2 train to the
Lexington Ave. line between Manhattan and Brooklyn. The No. 1. 9, 2, 3
trains were suspended as well.

-- Rolando Pujol

Photo: Getty Images

The power problems continue in northwestern Queens, with 1,100 households with no power. Subways are still hurting. The latest from transit here.

-- Rolando Pujol

That spanking news Mets stadium (what will it be called?) could have a spanking new transit hub, a relief for beleagured LIRR riders. $8 million has been allocated to examine the issue.  Reports  amNY's Chuck Bennett:

Mitch Pally, Suffolk County’s representative on the MTA board, called the current situation “totally unacceptable” and “intolerable.”

Fans now have to navigate a series of narrow passageways full of ramps, stairs and bottlenecks to get from the stations to the stadium. Arriving from Long Island, fans have to take the LIRR to Woodside then backtrack on the Port Washington line to the stadium.

And while we're showing the LIRR some love, Newsday's Sam Bruchey wants to hear from you  if you're fed up with passengers on the commuter line who misbehave. A sampling of comments he has received:

How about the ... riders who snore for the entire ride while the rest of the car MUST listen to this disgusting noise without respite?! It seriously angers all passengers within listening range. Russ

I could write a book about the disturbing behavior I've seen on the LIRR. I once had a guy sitting next to me whip out his nail clippers and
started going at it. I finally lost it when one of his nails landed in
my lap! JB

Egads! Anyway, you get the idea. Email him at samuel.bruchey@newsday.com.

-- Rolando Pujol

All the disruptions on the LIRR earlier today caused by power problems were not discussed at all today at the Long Island Rail Road Committee of the MTA board monthly meeting. Focus was on the getting $$$$ for better mass transit to Shea Stadium and possibly the new Mets stadium.

-- Chuck Bennett

Inter-agency C.Y.A. may already be brewing between Con Edison and New York City Transit over Queens Blvd. line commuter hell.

For a fully day all those lines have  been on limited service -- there just isn’t enough juice to power the signals.

“We don’t know for certain but probably heat was a contributing factor,” says Chris Olert, of Con Ed. “This was not a surprise to the TA, we told them that this was going to happen.”

But the TA’s top spokesman Paul Fleuranges puts the blame fully on Con Ed.

“If we were receiving a full complement of power from Con Ed, we would be running normal service, and those generators would be parked somewhere. Is this precautionary?, you bet. The network power grid out there has been unstable for more than a day, and we have to keep that at the forefront and provide the best service we can given the situation at hand. For Con Ed to be putting out statements suggesting we’re doing this for any [other] reason is beyond disingenuous," he said.

I doubt all the sweaty, harried Queens residents care either way.

-- Chuck Bennett

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn/Queens) says the House Transportation Committee will allow federal dollars to be used for “establishing emergency 911 cell service in subway stations and on subway platforms.”

Remember, the MTA is still weighing a big from a consortium of wireless providers to rig stations for cell phone use. But Weiner called that project a “stalemate.”

“Tragedies like the Indian subway attack and New York City subway slashings provide clear examples of why we need better communications networks in our subways,” said Weiner.

Today if people had full cell phone service in the stations, they’d all be calling the MTA customer line to ask where the hell there train is. Probably overload the system.

-- Chuck Bennett

A crowded subway train, sputtering air conditioning, a sudden stop in the middle of a tunnel, flickering lights, a hot summer day--it had all the makings of a classic subway nightmare story.

'And there I was, trapped--the crowd started to murmur, then it built to a roar; they pressed in on me, the sweat started to drip....'

But a situation that had all the hallmarks for disaster turned out surprisingly well, thanks to an efficient and crisp conductor.

She quickly let those of us crammed onto a Manhattan-bound E train this afternoon know that the stop was because of a balky signal, which was being fixed, and we'd be moving shortly.

And even if it was essentially the same upbeat message that she repeated 5 or 6 more times over the next 20 minutes--first in the dark tunnel, then later as were held at a station--it at least kept us updated, and kept people from muttering too much.

There was just something about the tone of her voice that seemed to make people feel better... and when the train got underway again, all we'd lost was some time out of a busy day. Not our sanity.

And they wanna replace conductors with robots?!

--Jamshid Mousavinezhad

Queens Blvd trains are back up and running today!

“We realize Wednesday was an extremely difficult day on the E, F, N, R, V and W lines and we apologize, but we ran the most, and more importantly the safest service on the Queens Boulevard line that we could under the circumstances,” says the MTA.

Still, some queens pols plan to give both Con Ed and the MTA an earful around 11:30 today. Assemblyman Michael N. Gianaris still doesn’t even have power in his office or home.

“This is incompetence on part of Con Edison pure and simple. they assured us at the beginning of summer they were prepared and then at the first sign of a major heat wave the entire system collapses in Western Queens,” Gianaris tells The Tracker. He promised Assembly hearings.

-- Chuck Bennett

Train troubles: Trains are running now but yesterday sure was hellish. Blame Con Ed, the MTA says. [amNY, NY Times]

Good Samaritan: Man collapes onto subway tracks at the W. 57th St./Seventh Ave station and 32-year-old Sonia Delgado of Far Rockaway pulls him out before an oncomng train strikes him. Amazing! I am getting tired of writing stories about people being hit my trains -- three already over the past three months. Hats off to Sonia. [Daily News]

G is for Gross: Something stinky -- sewage that is -- is haunting the G train. [amNY]

Kalikow wants to sell: News quotes a “source” that Chairman Kalikow likes the city’s $500 million bid for the West Side Yards. Looks like “source” is coming out of City Hall so not too surprising. [Daily News]

While on the topic, MTA vice chairman David Mack dodged questions about the yards at the committee meetings yesterday. One other board member says it isn’t expected to be on the agenda next week either.

More heat on HEETS: No friend of the high exit entry turnstile, Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. is calling on the attorney general to probe the “deathtraps.” Still unclear if they actually violate state law or not. Meanwhile about 450 “panic bar” emergency exit have been installed with another 1,000 to go. [Daily News]

Money for Mets fans: Upgrades coming to LIRR and subway station that serves Shea Stadium. And a big study will look at major improvements for the new Mets stadium expected to be built in 2009. [amNY]

-- Chuck Bennett

Sen. Schumer says the feds are going to approve $300 million for East Side Access, the project to bring the Long Island Rail Road into Grand Central. The money is likely to be included in the Fiscal Year 2007 appropriations bill. The feds are committed to funding 9% of the $6.3 billion project, with local agencies supplying 36%. It is still unclear where the remaining $3.4 billion, or 55%, will come from. Assuming the cash is all there, the project is scheduled to be completed in 2013.

-- Chuck Bennett

The subways are largely back to normal in Queens, but the suffering continues for tens of thousands of borough residents who have little or no power. Above, a remarkable scene in Astoria today as residents line up for ice provided by -- appropriately enough -- Con Edison.

-- Rolando Pujol

Photo: Alejandra Villa

From hero to victim: A strange, sad twist in the case of two firefighters hurt by a cab: One had just helped save a man who had fallen on subway tracks. [New York Post]

The L as lifeline: With all that nasty L train news recently, here's a piece that'll tug the heart strings. [Daily News via Observer's The Real Estate]  And L is, of course, also for love.

Critical showdown: Next Friday is Critical Mass, so you'll have your monthly tussle between cyclists and cops. But with the NYPD floating the idea of a rule to require groups of 20 or more cyclists to get a permit, things could get interesting. [New York Post]

Take note on the R: A nicely told tale of a subway artist, who, if you ride the R in Manhattan and have a face full of character, may just present you with your portrait. [The Village Voice] 

-- Rolando Pujol

Photo: Charles Eckert

... the weekend service roundup. At least it won't be an inferno down there, but heavy thunderstorms are expected, and we all know what that can do.

-- Rolando Pujol

Kalikow speaks: The MTA chair responds to readers questions in today’s News. No real surprises in his answers.
    On the overwhelming summer heat in subway stations:
     “I'm not sure there is an absolute way to solve the problem (in stations). ... It's an open system. I  think July and August in New York is going to be July and August in New York.”

Can you pick me up on one of these weekends in one of your fancy Italian sports cars when I need to go  grocery shopping?
As long as you don't have too many groceries. There's not much room. We'll see what we can do. (I hope the News makes sure Kalikow does indeed give that reader a ride)

    On the contract impasse:
    “For some reason, these things never work out the way you want them to work out.”  [Daily News]

HEET Guards: The TA is spending $265,000 in install guards around the new emergency exits to keep farebeaters from reaching in and pushing the door open. [Daily News]

More heat on HEETs: Inspired by the News, now the AP takes a look at the much-hated HEETS. [AP via amNY]

Dirty job: A city worker was sent crawling though the 54-inch sewer pipe that is leaking raw sewage onto the G line. Problem is still unknown. [amNY]

G is for gross: The News also takes a look on the “sewage swamped” G train. [Daily News]

Captive victim: Even though more and more riders are getting their MetroCards via vending machines, fo rthe second time this month a token-booth clerk was robbed at gunpoint. The union is putting up a $1,000 reward for the perp. [NY Post] Meanwhile, union e-board member Marvin Holland, who represents station agents, tells the Tracker that these type of robberies are not getting the attention they deserve.

If the train doesn't fit: New double decker train cars barely make it through the tunnel into Penn Station. [NY Times]

Photo by Newsday

-- Chuck Bennett

Transit union members will again protest outside of MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow’s Upper East Side house.

They’ve already picketed outside his house once before and also outside the home of MTA board member Barry Feinstein. If Roger Toussaint appears it should be his first public appearance in weeks.

In case, you forgot, they are protesting “the continued inaction by Kalikow and the MTA board on the contract that the MTA and TWU Local 100 agreed upon in December 2005.”

I don’t know how effective the protests are, but at least they’ll give people something gossip about at the board committee meetings later that morning.

-- Chuck Bennett

This isn’t subway news, but alternative transportation news is good enough. TIME’S UP!, the bicycle activist group best known for its Critical Mass protest rides and ongoing clash with the cops, may get kicked out of its 49. E. Houston Street headquarters. The group is asking the public for help, contact them at: savethetimesupspace@hotmail.com

-- Chuck Bennett

Photo courtesy TIME'S UP!

Grand Central Terminal's new security perimeter is finally taking shape.  These bollards, which will eventually be outfitted in a faux-historic style befitting their address,  will help protect the 1913 landmark from truck bombers. They are replacing the big, blocky and ugly barriers that have inelegantly eaten up sidewalk space since the 9/11 attacks. (Those who use them as a place to sit and chat, as these women did back in March, will miss them.)

Still, anyone who rushes by Grand Central knows that the installation work couldn't finish soon enough. Pedestrian traffic is chaotic as people try to squeeze through the limited sidewalk space. Invariably, speed-minded people skirt the mess by walking on the road, with taxi cabs whizzing by just inches away.  What's more, the work area, especially along Lexington Avenue, has become an unofficial garbage receptacle.

The project should be done by the fall. For more, check out this amNY article on the work.

-- Rolando Pujol

MTA critic and City Councilman John Liu, who chairs the council transportation committee, has again been accusing the MTA of keeping a slush fund -- unused money for the now abandoned $645 million LaGuardia Access project to bring the R train to the airport.

“The MTA is still holding on to their remaining $204 million slush fund like there's no tomorrow,” he said. “What about the twelve subway station renovations across the City scrapped by the MTA just last year for lack of funding while they kept this slush fund hidden and untouched?  Keeping $204 million hidden under the mattress indefinitely is another clear example of the lack of accountability and transparency at this behemoth authority."

The old LaGuardia money has been used for new buses and depot upgrades in Queens (more than $100 million), a new Yankee stadium Metro-North station ($40 million), and perhaps another $40 million for the new Mets stadium.

Last June, Michelle Goldstein, Director of Government Affairs for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, denied it was a slush fund at one of Liu’s hearings.

“All I can say is that it was absolutely not hidden,” she said during the sometime tense hearing.

But, Goldstein won’t be in Liu’s hot seat anymore. Today Mayor Bloomberg announced she’ll once again work for City Hall -- this time as director of the Office of State Legislative Affairs aka the mayor’s lobbyist.

So, with Goldstein out. Who’s the next MTA person with the responsibilty of denying the existence of a “slush fund?”

Newsday photo, Liu is center

-- Chuck Bennett

MTA board member John Banks was pulling a 12-hour shift at Con Edison's Irving Place headquarters today. The vice president for government relations at Con Ed and Bloomberg appointee to the MTA board dodged all questions about the West Side yards. "Right now, I'm in Con Ed mode ... nice try."

Today, he was shepherding reporters around Con Ed's crisis center. 

-- Chuck Bennett

Those MTA anti-vandalism ads prompted us at Tracker to do a double-take. Stand close to one and you see scratchitti on the big headlines. Our first thought was to savor the vandalization of an anti-vandalism ad. But on closer inspection, we saw the "vandalism" was the ad designer's very own.
And over at Gawker, there's talk about those ubiquitous ads from the School of Visual Arts that ask aspiring artists (and everyone else, really) "How bad do you want to be good?"  But just how good are the ads?

-- Rolando Pujol

Cubic Corp. and GE says testing of an “automatic public transit vending machine with integrated early warning explosive detection and supporting faregate capability:” went well in Baltimore. Basically, if you got bomb residue on your hands and use the MetroCard machine, an alarm will sound. New York’s MTA is closely watching the testing.

-- Chuck Bennett

Charged words: Mayor Bloomberg sparked a public spat with Queens lawmakers in residents after a praising Con Ed chief Kevin Burke’s handling of the blackouts which left thousands of folks in the dark and wreaked havoc on subway schedules. [amNY]

Found money: Better than expected real estate tax revenues brought in $211 million more than expected to the MTA. But how that plays out in the preliminary budget tomorrow is unclear. Anyway, the MTA’s “found” money and growing surplus is becoming a reoccurring story. [amNY]

West Side Yards: It looks like a vote on the city’s $500 million offer for the rail yards won’t be rushed through a board vote tomorrow. Too many questions and not enough time, board members say. [Newsday via amNY]

Maybe he’s no a morning person. Union protests outside MTA Chair Peter Kalikow’s home yesterday. But was Kalikow even there? Meanwhile, an analysis by the Daily News concludes that the union’s public pressure campaign failed to get its contract ratified failed. Binding arbitration begins August 4. [amNY, Daily News]

Hit on the job: Transit worker Dexter Stinson, 38, was hit early yesterday morning by a No. 2 train near the Jackson Ave. stop while inspecting something on the tracks. A cherry picker was need to haul the 300 pound man to an ambulance. Rescue workers couldn’t handle him alone? Between two people it seems manageable. Anyway, Stinson, a train operator who joined the MTA in 1998, was in intensive care last night. [NY Post]

Second Ave. subway: The MTA is moving forward with underground easements to build the first part of the Second Ave. subway from 96th Street to 63rd St. Completion date is still 2012. [Daily News]

Oooh that smell: Curbed has a lively discussion on various smells on the subway and PATH. [Curbed]

Photo by amNY

-- Chuck Bennett

The unedited words that got Bloomberg in trouble:

    I think Kevin Burke deserves a thanks from this City. He’s worked as hard as he can every single day since then, as has everybody at Con Ed. And it’s easy to go criticize but once this happened, Con Ed has been doing everything they can to bring it back and I don’t think that I could have gone in and done any better. We’ll later on take a look and see whether or not you could have done it better. But at the moment, we have to live with what Con Ed’s doing. They have been open, they’ve been responsive, they’ve been working well with the City. They’ve accepted our help every time. We can’t ask for anything else.  It’s not our network. It’s their company, their network, and they’ve got to go in and fix that and going after the CEO just because somebody wants to have somebody to blame doesn’t make a lot of sense. We want Con Ed to stay together and to work together and to continue to provide what they basically do in the City—a good level of service for our energy needs.

    I imagine plenty of subway riders were annoyed a his support for Kevin Burke, too.

UPDATE: Bloomberg said today a report on what went wrong and why will  be completed Aug. 2.

-- Chuck Bennett

During the Transit Committee meetings yesterday, board members learned that the subway system is “completely reliant on Con Ed. Fifty years ago, the subway system produced its own electricity but later turned over its generators to Consolidated Edison. “For the record, in 1958 TWU opposed the sale of the power plants to Con Ed,” said Transport Workers Union Local 100 representative to the board Ed Watt.

-- Chuck Bennett

John Liu, the Queens councilman and chairman of the transportation committee, rips the MTA again for its Lockheed Martin  contract to wire the subway with 3,000 security cameras and AI software. The TA approved another $4.9 million for Lockheed, making the original $212 million contract no worth $303 million.

“ Lockheed-Martins' no-bid contract announced last August has now grown into a monstrous $300 million behemoth.  This January, the MTA testified before the City Council that the system was delayed because the MTA suddenly decided it needed an $80 million for a command center.  Obviously, a command center for this type of system should have been included in the original procurement.  Now, the MTA wants to add another no-brainer: a $5 million antennae to communicate with first-responders.  And, this amendment doesn't even include the equipment needed to operate the antennae.  This is like building a house and forgetting to draw up plans for the roof and beams.  In the post-Madrid, London, and Mumbai world, we cannot afford the type of unfocused planning and piecemeal implementation of security in our mass transit system."

-- Chuck Bennett

MTA Capital Construction reported at it’s committee meeting again that the completion date has again been pushed back, this time to Aug. 2008. Originally, it was to be done in Dec. 2007. The late award of a necessary contract was blamed.

-- Chuck Bennett

The MTA today proposed to postpone the 5% fare increase, scheduled to kick in Jan 1, 2007, until at least September 2007. Surplus this year will exceed $700 million. More news to follow from big board meeting today.

-- Chuck Bennett, amNY.com

Photo: Alejandra Villa

Presumably before Mayor Mike learned that the fare increase was proposed, the mayor said he against any hike.

“Before my four members would vote for a fare increase, they would have to do an awful lot of work to justify anything. Last time I looked at their finances they were the beneficiaries of a real estate market that nobody had anticipated and that’s where their surplus came from,” he said.

But conventional -- or cynical -- wisdom says, the governor and mayor plan these things ahead of time, so the mayor can have his four board appointees vote down the hike knowing that there will still be enough votes for it to pass.

-- Chuck Bennett

Remember the APTA Rail Rodeo that transit workers kicked butt in but the union opposed with loud protests?

Well, buried in MTA budget documents released this week, is an interesting procurement.

The MTA spent $29,431.45 for Freeman Decorators for “rental, installation and disassembly of materials required for host display and presentations.”

-- Chuck Bennett

MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow, who inherited a real estate fortune, provided some insight into how the family runs the business today while discussing the Hudson Yards deal.

“My mom says that if a guy is giving you $2 billion dollars. You should at least offer him a cup of coffee and sponge cake,” he said.

-- Chuck Bennett

Port Authority today is expected to plunk down $2 billion for the $6 billion new rail tunnnel between Jersey and 34th St. known as Access to the Region’s Core.

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

Overlooked at during the speed “yes, no” round of the Tom Souzzi - Eliot Spitzer debate this week -- both Democrats said NO when asked if New York City should have control over its own mass transit system.

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

Also overlooked in all the news coming out of the MTA board meetings this week: Long Island Rail Road tickets are now valid for 180 days from the purchase date -- it used to be 90 days.

Now it's easier than ever to catch the last train back to Ronkonkoma

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

Despite the old arbitration ruling, the MTA is pushing ahead with One Person Train Operation (OPTO).

Here is the latest OPTO plan, according MTA budget docs:

Spring 2008, OPTO on the No. 7, J and M lines.
Fall 2008, OPTO on N line.
Total projected savings: $20.688 million

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

Cops busted subway vandal (or artist, depending on your perspective) SMASH aka The King of Subway Grafitti aka Abe Charon, according to the NY Post.

"He's the king of acid etching. He's done the most we've ever seen," said Capt. Elwood Selover, of the Transit Division Vandal Squad.

Scratchitti, which we’ve written extensively about, is really taking a toll on the MTA.

Yesterday, MTA executive director Katie Lapp, said she set aside $5.2 million in the 2007 budget combat the scratchitti scourge.

“Funds have been included for a Scratch-Free window program that will provide replacement of all scratched subway car window glass and installation of four-ply Mylar on the R44 through R68A fleets, and installation of four-ply Mylar on the R142, R142A, and R143 fleets. By 2009, all subway car window glass on the fleets will be scratch-free,” she said.

Photo by Thomas A. Ferrara

-- Chuck Bennett

Remember those fancy handheld bomb and chemical weapon detection devices the MTA and cops tested out last fall? The ones that looked like a DustBuster?

Well the MTA bought them.

The board approved a $430,250 contract with Smiths Detection and GE Ion Track. Smiths is providing thee HazMatID portable chemical identifiers -- a $247,500 value. GE is providing three "contraband detection and identification systems.”

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

Along with the Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three, The Warriors has got to be the greatest subway flick ever. Netflix is sponsoring an open air viewing next Wedensday. Can you dig it?

The Warriors
August 2
8:30 PM
Asser Levy Park amphitheater
between Sea Breeze and Ocean at 2nd street
Coney Island, NY

Thanks to Gothamist for pointing this out

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

It’s not just in New York digging for subways turns up artifacts and slows down construction. Heck, this find in Athens, Greece puts the little wall found in the Battery to shame.

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

The Disabled Riders Coalition is helping to organize a rally Sunday to celebrate the 16th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. At noon disabled New Yorkers and their supporters will assemble on 5th Ave. between 49th and 50th Sts and then proceed to Columbus Circle for a rally.

Expect a lot of talk about the MTA and compliance with the ADA.

As, we’ve noted before, it ain’t easy getting around the subways in a wheelchair.

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

Queens residents formed a blockade around a Jamaica bound Q25 bus to protest removal of a local bus stop, the Queens Chronicle reported. Apparently, the MTA removed a popular, convenient stop on Linden Place and 35th Ave. So to “send a message” angry residents and Councilman John Liu formed a human chain and wouldn’t allow the bus to pass for a minute. Let’s see if the MTA now brings back the bus stop.

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

The month-old mystery sewage leak haunting the G line is baffling the best of the Department of Environmental Protection. Even after a worker twice climbed through the 54 inch pipe of raw sewage the orgin of the leak remains unknown.

“We need to repeat the dye test and probably TV the line again,” DEP spokeswoman Natalie Millner tells The Tracker. By TV, she means another robotic camera goes into the line.

Meanwhile, riders and workers alike have to deal with a funky stank on the G from Flushing Avenue to Broadway.

Yes, that is a picture of the raw sewage above. Provided by the MTA. Believe me, they want DEP to fix the problem as fast as it can.

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

New Jersey Transit took some blows in the press this weekend as every paper hustled for follows to the gruesome death of young Jennifer Moore, whose booze-filled night in Manhattan ended tragically.

First, let's look at this Bergen Record piece, which paints a picture of young women boozing it up on NJ Transit trains -- just warming up for a night of binging in the big city.

Hoboken's PATH station is a conduit for young people bound for New York. Several PATH conductors complained that kids are often drunk by the time they arrive, fresh from drinking on NJ Transit's commuter trains, which permit passengers to consume alcohol. They yell at one another, and fumble to put their tickets into the turnstile's reader.

A PATH station official shook his head at the mention of kids running onto trains bound for binge drinking in the city.

"They are totally undisciplined," said the PATH official, who asked not to be named because his employer does not allow workers to be interviewed without permission. "It's nothing you can control, because New York City is the magnet."

The New York Post talks to young women who grouse about NJ Transit's schedules, the eternal transit lament of suburban youth. If you're caught in Manhattan after 1 a.m. you're stranded:

Rachel, the Columbia student, said the problem of getting home is particularly daunting for Jerseyans like Moore - New Jersey Transit buses and trains stop running at around 1 a.m.

"Having a train leave more regularly gives people more options," she says. "It would make people drink less heavily beforehand, so they wouldn't come home too late or feel tempted to drive in.

"I think it makes people drink really heavily until 1 so they feel they're not missing out. I've had friends who've slept in the station and I've also had friends that were so drunk they missed their stops."

-- Rolando Pujol

Rockland to Manhattan: The great dream for commuters from Rockland County: A one-seat ride into Manhattan. One proposal would send a train over a new Tappan Zee Bridge, but it seems a ferry ride offers the most likely solution. [The Journal News]

Pedal at your risk: A month after the death of cyclist Derek Lake, StreetsBlog checks in on the Houston Street mess (and points out that the street is part of the still-unimplemented city master bike plan). [StreetsBlog]

Talk about valuable ad space: MTA gets serious about ads on the back of MetroCards. [The New York Post]

-- Rolando Pujol

When reporting today’s amNewYork “The No. 7 Switch” a couple of choice quotes had to be cut from the story to allow it to fit on the page.

Here’s my favorite from Gene Russianoff, senior attorney with the Straphangers Campaign, talking about MTA chairman Peter Kalikow’s seemingly relectuance to demand a higher price for the West Side Yards:

“No wonder why he went bankrupt. He rules it out in his own mind before he tries it on the buyer. That’s pretty poor bargaining.”

Kalikow filed for bankruptcy in 1991.

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

To clear up some confusion about the TransitChek -- Yes, you can use the new debit cards with other transit systems as well, like LIRR, Metro-North, PATH, NJ Transit etc.

Employers will decide how to use the new debit cards.

Either, money for both a commuter rail and New York City Transit will be added to the new card OR the employer will continue giving paper vouchers for the commuter rails and then a separate TransitChek MetroCard for New York City Transit, according to Larry Filler, president of TransitCenter. So, ask your boss!

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

In something of the throwback to the 1930s, the 65th Street Rail Yards in Bay Ridge (home to the Long Island Rail Road and Atlantic Railway) apparently has a become a popular encampment site for homeless.

Tomorrow Rep. Vito Fossella and state Sen. Diane Savino will call on Mayor Bloomberg to include the area in his new progam to combat homelessness.

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

Ah, 1997, when people were still resisting the MetroCard and the MTA had to hire Mandy Patinkin to sell it. Props to the New York Observer Politicker for fishing up this MetroCard commercial on video treasure chest YouTube. Patinkin does the voiceover honors as he touts the cards against awe-inspiring city scenes. Gov. Pataki pops up at the end outside the Union Square Station. Ads in this series, the Politicker remind us, set off a political stir back in the day.

This isn't the first time YouTube delivered an MTA chestnut. Check out our post on the Train to the Plane -- and we don't mean the AirTrain.

-- Rolando Pujol

(Photo: An old-school MetroCard Blue)

An obvious typo in the AP Day Book today:

9 a.m.
Press check-in for conference to announce 2006 nominees and performers for MTA Video Music Awards; Top of the Rock, Observation Deck, 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

Just imagine the MTA Video Music Awards , too many jokes come to mind thining of MTA brass as rock stars and rappers.

We’ll leave those for the comment section.

Anyways, for the MTV Video Music Awards, click here.

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

The Daily News has a good story today on the landmark Ridgewood Saving Bank in Forest Hills, a treat from 1940 that's a welcome sight outside the 71st Street-Continental Avenue station. It turns out that a clock on the Queens Boulevard side has been stuck at 2:24 for years, perhaps as far back as the 1970s. Why not just fix it? Well, it's the landmark issue, complicating the search for a proper new motor.

The bank's very existence is tied to that subway station, the News says, since its builders wanted to take advantage of that new stop and the booming neighborhood around it. It is certainly one of the jewels among many architectural gems in Queens.

-- Rolando Pujol

Rail report card: The Straphangers Campaign released its annual state of the subway report -- the No. 6 was tops for the third time in a row, and the N and W tanked. The complete report is here. [amNY]

Just kidding: A vengeful jeweler allegedly phoned in a phony subway bomb plot, sparking a costly, global investigation -- all to mess with some former business associates. Can't make this stuff up. [amNY]

Subway songs to swoon by: A good list, from Bernstein to Petula Clark. [New York Sun]

-- Rolando Pujol