Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Say goodbye to the W and Z trains...

According to sources, the [MTA] cuts include:

- Elimination of at least a handful of bus and subway routes, including the W and Z subway train lines.

- Fewer transit workers in the subways because 600 or so station agent positions will be axed and about 350 administrative posts.

- Longer gaps between scheduled trains at midday and between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.

- Expanded subway loading guidelines to allow for more crowding of trains.

- Eliminating bus service during late nights and weekends on dozens of routes that have low ridership.

"It's a nightmare on weekends if trying to go to Queens as it is," groaned Zack Frank, 26, an actor from Queens. "The MTA should worry about strengthening what it's got, not cutting it."

Two subway lines - the G and M - would essentially be halved, with trains making far fewer stops.


MTA's planned cuts include everything from station agents to entire train lines

All the subway lines being cut run through Queens. Yet our borough is expected to shoulder the largest percentage of the million more people by 2030. Figure that one out.

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

More people in Queens, but less train lines.Sounds great.Theres plenty of empty apartments in Astoria,Sunnyside and Woodside but they keep on building condos all over.Maybe some useful laws need to be in place about population caps during these bad economic times.
And why are all subway system's in European countries cleaning and more effecient from what ive heard and seen?

Anonymous said...

This is because in Astoria you are not permitted to say anything that the leadership of that community does not want.

They will pause in ripping out the pipes only to silence you.

The Gazette, the community board, the civics, even astorians.com is severly controlled in what you can say or what you should think.

You given the public forum only if they are confident you will say the right thing - praise of developers and more development, more bike lanes, etc.

So don't worry. They can shut down the entire subway line and the community will manage at best a murmer.

Anonymous said...

Service throughout northeast Queens
(the borough's premiere neighborhood) doesn't seem to be getting cut.

Hey, that's only natural.

Paul Vallone fled to
that posh zone years ago, so the rest of La Familglia will, no doubt, be following soon.

Gloria D'Amico's son lives there too.

Charlie "the judge", Don Pietro Sr. and now "junior" Pete have squeezed the last drop of milk from Astoria's utters and left them bleeding.

So to hell with public transportation in western Queens as far as these brigands are concerned.

And then there's CB#1...
the community board from hell!

Anonymous said...

Ah...
it looks like those "bustling, vibrant" neighborhoods
are soon to become economically poorer ghettos with all of those unsold condo units still on the market!

Now all of you sales agents can try pushing "luxury" real estate in an increasingly cramped ill served area in the midst of a recession.

That should be quite a challenge
to you "supermen"
(that is if you still have a job)!

Anonymous said...

That should be quite a challenge
to you "supermen"
(that is if you still have a job)!
-------


hey no problemo buster

compared to the cooontry where more and more of the locals come from even a celler is a step up.

they changed a middle class working class community into an immigrant slum in 20 years.

Anonymous said...

This is really going to pose a problem for all the realtors and developers who rave about the "up and coming" Western Queens neighborhoods being "just minutes from Midtown" by train.

Anonymous said...

The MTA should make some job cuts..not raise the fares or cut service.

Too many do nothings.

Anonymous said...

Seriously, figuring out the mess that is the Queens Blvd. subway lines (especially past rush hour) would probably fix most of the budget problems (lol). I love that the G is the only reliable train out these ways (even though there are about 75 million trees used to post signs stating there will be no G trains out these parts until further notice).

Anonymous said...

Because the MTA consider Queens as part of Long Island.

Anonymous said...

"Service throughout northeast Queens
(the borough's premiere neighborhood) doesn't seem to be getting cut."

And what service would that be? We dont have any subways out in North Eastern Queens....just the LIRR, and we pay DEARLY for those tickets. Start charging close to $200 for a monthly ticket for the subway, and trains wont be taken out of service.

Anonymous said...

"even astorians.com is severly controlled in what you can say or what you should think."

I've been on that site a few times and even posted on it....the only time things were censored was when two or more people started personally attacking each other. There are several boards and posts on there where arguments were head and everyone got to express their opinions, and dislikes about the neighborhood and how things are run.

Anonymous said...

Bailout money for the rich tax cheat CEOs and for junkets to Aruba and bonuses for the AIG a-holes who ran the company into the ground, but not ONE PENNY of relief for the working folks who have to ride the lousy trains to their ill paying jobs.

And a lot of the idiots in central queens will still vote republican and still vote for a third term of Migelitto.

Anonymous said...

the only time things were censored was when two or more people started personally attacking each other.
(((((((((((((()))))))))))
not true

If a person says something attacking the political leadership in Astoria or the distruction from development on astorians.com the are made fun of.

If they persist, they are cut off.

The mods have purposely mislead the community on many issues (take a look at the human shit thread).

One of the mods all but gushes inviting everyone to the Tanement Meetings. No one responds but he persists week in and week out.

If they have balls, they would let people on and debate them toe to toe like real men instaed of weasely little clubhouse hacks sneaking around and disconnecting people's voice.

But they are afraid of the community whose name they seized. They are fearful that discussion will get out of hand and ideas detrimental to the local mafia becomes public.

Note some of the posts linking the power grid to overdevelopment and not Con Ed. Horrors!!

Or poking fun at Pistilli and the laughingstock his garbage is making of the community.

Or the declining shopping area that reflects a place once comprable to Hoboken is now looking like a future Corona.

They are served public notice that they will be accussed of this repeatedly until they let free speech and open discussion in their community.

Did they note that they are not even listed at a community blog here beacuse they lack credibility for these reasons?

Anonymous said...

CB1 the community board from hell.

Anonymous said...

No, CB1, the laughing stock of NYC!

Anonymous said...

"Did they note that they are not even listed at a community blog here beacuse they lack credibility for these reasons?"

Thats a shame. They are not listed on this site, because no everyone shares your views and complains about EVERY politician. I am not saying that you guys are wrongs...but saying they are not a trusted site because they dont bash every ethnicity, politician, and person living in NYC that wasnt born in NYC, is a little rediculous.

Anonymous said...

"If they have balls, they would let people on and debate them toe to toe like real men instaed of weasely little clubhouse hacks sneaking around and disconnecting people's voice."

And we all see how real men of this website, standing up to the clubhouse has saved your neighborhoods of Middle Village and Ridgewood. You guys are just as bad as Astoria....Every place in queens is faced with the same problems, and nothing is being done in any of the communities. Almost every day there is a story on this site about overdevelopment and the bad things happening in middle village / ridgewood and the other white trash neighborhoods, and I dont see your complaints to the club house and your massive balls stopping anything.

Anonymous said...

I am not saying that you guys are wrongs...

so what are you saying?!?!?

Anonymous said...

Almost every day there is a story on this site about overdevelopment and the bad things happening in middle village / ridgewood and the other white trash neighborhoods, and I dont see your complaints to the club house and your massive balls stopping anything.
-----

Ummm, I guess they dont serve Latin in Greek School. Let me lay a little Ovid on you Trojan

"Add little to little and soon you have a great pile"

At least people are starting to talk as opposed to Astoria where you doormats get it up the ....

freaken jokes the whole city is laughing at you and you are too stupid to know it.

Anonymous said...

Im glad I know how sad astorians "blog"is.Its easy to see theres no debate at all on there.Also Middle Village and Ridgewood is nothing to be proud of against Astoria.Its just pissing wars.Everyone will get screwed with bloomie and the dead dollar that depends on borrowing from China. We(the usda takes the plastic chemical by choice)take their industrial melamine to shove in our candies and processed cookies.
Its time to take a serious look
at the European model of there train systems because there clean,well run and miles ahead of this falling ship called the U.S.
The city dumped it 60 years ago and doesnt pay there 12 % and the MTA is run like crap.

Anonymous said...

These cuts on your shoulders, congestion pricing-haters. Thanks! Good work!

Anonymous said...

As you experience the painful effects of these drastic cuts, remember that, at the same time, $400 million of your taxpayer dollars are being squandered on the needless Willets Point redevelopment. Money is taken from the trains and used to purchase private property so it can be handed to a billionnaire mystery developer.

Anonymous said...

Are you a closet racist
anonymous #5?

Your spelling of "cooontry"
smacks (perhaps) of a variation on the forbidden "N" word!

But I do admire your bravado...
in whistling past the graveyard!

As "Chicken Little" said,
"The Dow Jones is falling"!

Yeah...you just buck up now fella.

Things will work out for you
in the big city.

But if not...your ticket back to Nebraska is waiting for you at
Penn Station, ON ME, if you post your real name.

I can't leave it for "anonymous".

Anonymous said...

There are numerous city bus lines
which offer excellent service
schedules to the subway in northeast Queens.

There are also express bus lines
serving the area.

And my ride on the LIRR
(just two blocks from where I live)
is well worth the price, despite any proposed fare increases.

It offers me a seamless 23 minute civilized commute to Penn Station (a block from where I work).

It sure beats riding subway/coach
with the riff-raff through those "vibrant and bustling" neighborhoods.

Fella you haven't traveled east past your nose if you think there's no public transport way out east!

You insular, parochial, isolated doofus!

Anonymous said...

A webside opened at www.astorialogues where the public can talk about the community without censorship:

http://www.astorialogues.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=117

I understand a few other local blogs opened also in response being muzzled by the the moderators at astorians.com.

They threw a lot of good people off that site.

Thanks for bringing that problem in the open. The only way they will change is with public presssure.

Anonymous said...

"Fella you haven't traveled east past your nose if you think there's no public transport way out east!

You insular, parochial, isolated doofus!"

If you look at a subway map, there is no subway service, but how would you know that.

Maybe you should go back and read what I wrote. I am well aware of the LIRR because I made note of taking said train. And, who is the isolated, insular and parochial doofus? You speak of riff raff on the subways? when you dont even take one. You have no idea of the world beyond your 2 block radius to and from work, so you really shouldnt be making comments like that. I happen to take both the LIRR AND the subway to get to work and back home, its not all riff raff. You might be surprised to learn that it is filled with people trying ot get to work...many of whom are well dressed, and yes I am still talking about the Queens subway...the 7 train to be exact.
And the express busses that are offered out east, in places like Whitestone and Bayside....those riders pay a premium for those seats, much like the LIRR, It is not a $2 subway fare or bus ride. Why cut services on lines where riders pay more, and the MTA makes more? That was my point.

Anonymous said...

"At least people are starting to talk as opposed to Astoria where you doormats get it up the ....
freaken jokes the whole city is laughing at you and you are too stupid to know it."


Not greek and dont live in Astoria. Funny how you just went on a tiny rant there, without answering the question. So you people are talking now? Great... I guess we can expect over development in Ridgewood and Middle Village to come to a screeching hault. I love the way the reservoiur was preserved...oh wait...i love the fact that you saved all that land from St. Saviours....oh wait...But you guys certainly dont have your lawns paved over and monsterous multifamily housing going up where 1 family homes were like they do in Astoria/Flushing/Corona/everywhere....oh wait....gee tell me again how Astoria is the laughing stock and the doormat, and the rest of queens isnt in the same boat? Because it is.

Queens Crapper said...

MTA claims they lose money on express bus service. The times I have taken it during rush hour, the bus was half empty. Now that the economy is tanking and people have less cash, riders are taking it even less often.

Anonymous said...

The reservoir project has many allies in government and is close to being preserved, St. Saviour's land still is not built on and may become a park and downzoning of the area is supposed to get off the ground this Spring. How's Old Astoria doing?

Anonymous said...

"How's Old Astoria doing?"

Crappy, like the rest of queens and parts of Brooklyn. Open your eyes.

Anonymous said...

Once again...READ MY WORDS....
I mentioned CITY BUS ROUTES
NOT SUBWAYS ...doofus!

AND IF YOU'RE SO WELL DRESSED AND WELL BEHAVED, WHY POST SUCH A LENGTHY DIATRIBE TO ARRIVE AT THAT POINT ?

Methinks you're overcompensating!

So add BS to your ignorance.

By the way, I've been riding the #7 train for about 50 years and can assure you that the caliber of passengers has deteriorated.

But I still us it as an alternative
means of transportation....fool!

Anonymous said...

"Once again...READ MY WORDS....
I mentioned CITY BUS ROUTES
NOT SUBWAYS ...doofus!"

Who is the doofus? I made no mention of city busses. I was comparing two similar styles of transportation. the train service...DOOFUS
If you had half the brain you would like everyone to believe, then you would have seen that I was clearly talking about train service. I said there is no SUBWAY service. Obviously there is bus service...it is a given...there are busses all over the city. You would think you wouldnt have to spell that fact out. But it is easier to call names. I would suggest buying new reading glasses.

"By the way, I've been riding the #7 train for about 50 years and can assure you that the caliber of passengers has deteriorated."

I didnt mention that everyone on the 7 train is wonderfully dressed and things are perfect...I am certain things have changed, and the caliber of people has become worse, but my point was...not everyone is "riff raff" that is a little ignorant of you.

"And my ride on the LIRR
(just two blocks from where I live)
is well worth the price, despite any proposed fare increases.

It offers me a seamless 23 minute civilized commute to Penn Station (a block from where I work).

It sure beats riding subway/coach
with the riff-raff through those "vibrant and bustling" neighborhoods."

now THAT sounds like someone is overcompensating. Your post reeks of an elderly snob, someone who thinks they are better than the rest. I made no reference to being well dressed, I made reference to other people on the train being well dressed, so I was clearly not overcompensating. And why bother using the 7 train as an alternative? Use an express bus which you so politlety pointed out the existence of, so you can bypass those "vibrant" neighborhoods, and all the riff raff.

And yes I will agree with you on one point... while I have not been taking the train for 50 years, I am certain the people riding it have changed, just as I am certain the people on LIRR have changed...even in the past 10-20 years. You are the ignorant one my friend to think that everything should stay the way it was 50 years ago. And your reply to my original post was bitter and uncessary considering I made reference to subway service ONLY, and compared it with the price of the LIRR. I made no negative comments, just comapring the price we pay for the LIRR and the subway. Use your head to think a little, not just to come up with clever little names to call your neighbor. Grow up, you have been around for a while, its about time.

Anonymous said...

What is wrong with everyone on this board? Moan, gripe and piss that's all I read on here. I live in Astoria and I plan to write letters and make as much of a stink about this as I can but all of you have already given up. The people have the power and in case none of you realize it, that is how our incoming president got elected. If you don't want service to be cut --- DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Don't just whine, piss and moan. There. I've said it.