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| Re: IRT train length (910194) | |||
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Re: IRT train length |
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Posted by randyo on Thu Mar 11 00:55:14 2010, in response to IRT train length, posted by Spider-Pig on Wed Mar 10 17:55:39 2010. Back in the days of the Hi-Vs and Lo-Vs, IRT mainline expresses ran 10 cars M-F during "normal" hours. Midnights the expresses ran 5 cars as the 10 car consists were cut 5 X 5 for midnight service and added up again for AM service. Locals ran in 5 car and later 6 car consists with the exception of the Pelham Line which I am not sure of since I never rode that line very much at all. Weekend express services ran 7 cars and that included Fri late PM into Sat Mid and Sun PM into Mon Midnight. Since the cutting and adding pattern on Fri PM and Mon Midnight was different from the rest of the week, additional switchmen had to be on staff on those nights to lay up and put in the additional 3 car butts and solid trains. When the R types first started to appear on the various lines, mainline train lengths changed. The Pelham Line went to 8 Car trains of R-17s which were cut to 4 cars on midnights. In the late 1960s to mid 1970, Pelham went to 10 car trains with the arrival of more new cars. Since originally IRT platforms could not accommodate a full 10 car train due to the end doors extending past the platform ends, West Side services ( ! & 2) used 9 car trains until the platforms were lengthened in the late 1960s. Since Lex Av services needed full length trains, Lo-Vs had to remain there until the platforms were appropriately lengthened. In 1959, when West Side services were extensively modified, the Bway Lcl (#1) ran 8 car trains until the mid 1970s when train lengths were increased to 10 cars. The Lenox ( #3)retained 9 car trains the longest due to space restrictions in 148 St Yd caused by overhead building construction preventing 10 car trains from being laid up on most tracks. By utilizing yard space in 137 St Yd an Bway, the #3 has been able to be increased to 10 cars in recent years. |
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