LIRR Neighbors Can Rest Easy

Hush hour on LIRR as horns KOd

Long Island Rail Road officials announced a plan last week to hush the blaring horns of commuter trains traveling throughQueens and on Lo

"I have heard the complaints of our neighbors along the LIRR's right-of-way loud and clear," said LIRR President Helena Williams.

"Now, we are doing something about it."

But local activists said the plan falls short.

Prior to the rule change, which went into effect this month, engineers were told to honk every time they passed through a station, even if it was not a stop on the route. Now, they do not.

Heh I think the train itself makes the most noise but thats just me.

The Next Major Transporation Hub in Flushing?

Make downtown Flushing major transportation center

I have been a resident of Flushing for over 50 years. I watched it grow and fall and grow again. Each time it reinvents itself, I am proud to say I am from Flushing.

But our downtown needs to step up to the world plate. We are hitting singles while the rest of the world is slamming home runs. Anyone traveling outside America can see the enormous growth of cities. We need to make Flushing a showplace to compete with Shanghai, Beijing, London, Paris and Dubai, just to name a few. We need a transportation system that connects to our airports and looks like a showcase, not a hole in the ground.

I propose we take the old Master's, Alexander's, Corvette's and all the other names and convert them into a transportation hub. The building, on Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue, could have the Long Island Rail Road on one side and the 7 train underneath. The AirTrain could be brought right into the building, connecting everyone and allowing people to make their transfers.

The building could also be made into small shops similar to Penn Station. This would be the gateway to Flushing and all it has to offer. Instead of exiting the subway system onto a rain-soaked street or trying to find your friend waiting in a doorway, you could be in a large heated or air conditioned, stunning waiting room with shops and amenities.

Bob Bedrossian

Flushing

In the light of the failures of Congestion Pricing and the Willets Point Plan, I think Bob's suggestion is one that if done properly could really improve the area, not to mention making the area surrounding it much for valuable, which will bring along investors. I would much rather take mass transit to an JFK than a cab, its more convenient and its price effective.This is not only feasible, I don't think it will require to use of Eminent Domain which should make things much easier. Then again with the lack of funding it could be awhile until something like this is taken seriously.

Despite MTA funding cuts 7 Train Sees Improvements

NYC Transit To Take Steps Toward Improving Subway Announcements

Transit officials are listening to riders' complaints about garbled or inaudible subway announcements.

New York City Transit says hundreds of decades-old subway cars are getting external speakers so messages from the conductor can be heard more clearly by riders on the platform.

Transit officials are also looking to replace the conductors' microphones to improve onboard messages.

Trains on the 7 lines will be the first to get the new equipment. If the change proves successful on that line, it will likely be expanded to other lines.

About 2,500 of the system's 6,200 cars, mostly the newer ones, already have exterior speakers pointed towards the platforms.

NYPIRG will be very happy about this, as they pushed very hard for new intercom speakers to hear the Conductors better. Maybe with these upgrades the next survey of the 7 Train will be better than a C-.

What A Way to Screw up Communers!

Delay on LIRR and No. 7 subway

Per Newsday

Over the course of the past week, the railroad has had more than a half-dozen cancellations due to equipment-related problems, though a spokesperson could not confirm an exact number on Monday.

The latest cancellation was the 7:47 a.m. train from Sayville, scheduled to arrive at Hunterspoint at 9:11 a.m.

The equipment-trouble was described only as being "brake-related." No other details were available.

Rail riders could expect delays as well Monday on the Times Square-bound No. 7 subway train, Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials said those delays were caused by "someone requiring medical assistance" at the 33rd Street-Rawson Street Station.

Those Manhattan-bound No. 7 trains are running on the local track between the 74th Street-Broadway Station and the Queensboro Plaza Station, while Flushing-bound trains are running on the express track between the Queensboro Plaza Station and the 74th Street-Broadway Station.

I know if I was depending on these trains to get to work on time I certainly would not be happy, nor would my boss. I guess it is better to have delays then running trains with brake problem. Well thats the MTA for you.