Wednesday, October 23, 2013

The subway of the future?


From the NY Times:

Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials are envisioning a subway car of the future that offers New Yorkers an out, ending the era of the captive car population.

This month, in a 142-page document outlining needs for the next 20 years, the authority noted the benefits of articulated trains — similar to accordion-style buses — that have no doors between cars, allowing unrestricted flow throughout the length of the subway.

“This will both maximize carrying capacity,” the authority said, and allow passengers to “move to less-crowded areas of the train, balancing loading and unloading times at all doors.”

The inclusion of articulated train cars in the report, a mild surprise to some transit advocates, does not guarantee that the cars will reach the rails anytime soon, or even at all; it was not clear how the cost of the articulated cars compares with that of nonarticulated cars. But for the first time in the subway system’s modern history, the authority appears poised to seriously consider a model adopted in cities like Berlin, Paris and Toronto.

16 comments:

Joe Moretti said...

Great, so when one or two disgusting smelly homeless people are in this, instead of stinking up one car, they can now stink up the entire line.

Deke DaSilva said...

"Vibrant youths" wearing "hoodies" are going to be a part of the subway of the future?

I want no part of it!

What happened to the future that was portrayed in the Jetsons cartoon? They never had any "vibrant" youths!

Anonymous said...

The MTA needs to ban all food and drink from public transpo - the trains are filthy!

This picture looks nice but those aren't NYers! Subway riders are pigs! No wait - pigs are very clean animals!

Anonymous said...

Moretti, you're a funny one.

Anonymous said...

Coming in the year 2095...if NYC isn't under water by then.

Anonymous said...

So I would have to hear the same mariachi band or see the same breakdancers on a loop in one ride?

Anonymous said...

How much is this going to cost? yet more fare raises?

Cav said...

Nothing new here.
Not very well known but there once these types of articulated trains were operated in the subways long ago.

BMT had an articulated car called the 'Bluebird' 5 of which were purchased in 1938. When NYC took over subway operation, they cancelled any further orders and the 5 Bluebird trains operated until they were scrapped in 1957.

See photos here: http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/showpix?JTIwbmNhcnR5cGUlMjBpbiUyMCg5MiklMjB8MHw1fDEwMHxTZWFyY2ggUmVzdWx0c3wvaW5kZXguaHRtbHxjYXN0KG5jYXJudW1iZXIlMjBhcyUyMHNpZ25lZCklMjBhc2MsbnllYXIlMjBhc2Msbm1vbiUyMGFzYyxuZGF5JTIwYXNjfDA=

Also there were the BMT Triplex, cars in articulated pairs which some readers who are old enough to remember riding the subway in the early '60's may recall.

Don Cavaioli

Anonymous said...

For the cost of this, there are million other, better ways to spend money to improve the subways.

Contactless payment is high on my list.

Anonymous said...

More waste of money by the MTA! I see another fare hike coming soon!!

Anonymous said...

If the city would go more strict on zoning laws by not allowing 4 families to live in a two family house, then maybe we can get rid of some of these people moving to this damn overcrowded city! That will get rid of extra people on the subway!

Anonymous said...

Nooo, this will end the game of bum-car roulette!!!

Anonymous said...

If the city would go more strict on zoning laws by not allowing 4 families to live in a two family house, then maybe we can get rid of some of these people moving to this damn overcrowded city! That will get rid of extra people on the subway!
--------------------------

Or stop letting developers take empty "underutilized" zoned lots and drop 50+ apartments on a place that once had 4 homes (or worse, zero if it was a comm/ind use).

Either that, or require developers to pony up to add new trains/buses themselves.

Ned said...

Its laid out like train cars in India.

All you need the bobbing trinkets, children racks & bathroom-sex stall-water Zakirs.
This city's going to the f@%#g dogs I tell you :( :(

Anonymous said...

It's also laid out like trains used in the NYC subway system 70 years ago. Nothing new to this city.

Anonymous said...

The oldest trains were wood and had sideways seats like a bus and straps