The MTA formally opened its new rail-car acceptance facility in Sundown Park on Friday, turning the Third Avenue Yard into a contemporary, indoor facility for inspecting, becoming a member of collectively and testing newly bought rolling inventory.
“It’s going to be the first stop for every subway car that we purchase going forward,” MTA Chairman Janno Lieber informed reporters Friday. “There are a lot of them coming.”
The MTA’s capital plan budgets for buying some 1,500 new subway automobiles within the subsequent 5 years: extra new R211 trains and their R268 variants for the lettered traces, and a slew of R262s anticipated to carry the identical expertise to the numbered traces.
“This is where they get a top-to-bottom inspection and their last adjustments made before they safely enter service,” Lieber mentioned, talking in entrance of two giant R211 automobiles — automobile Nos. 3655 and 3656 — that have been slated to enter the system quickly.
Evan Simko-Bednarski / New York Day by day Information
MTA Chairman Janno Lieber, flanked by his building chief Jamie Torres-Springer and NYCT President Demetrius Crichlow, proclaims the opening of the Sundown Park Rail Acceptance Facility on Friday. (Evan Simko-Bednarski / New York Day by day Information)
The brightly lit, two-track facility connects to the Fourth Ave. line of the D, N and R trains — and Sundown Park’s bigger Thirty sixth-Thirty eighth Avenue Yard simply past. It additionally connects through rail to the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, the place rail automobiles may be delivered by barge.
NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow mentioned he expects the power to course of 30 automobiles a month.
Practice automobiles shall be inspected, examined and linked into four- or five-car consists on the facility — a course of that takes a couple of week — earlier than heading into the required 30-day rail-testing interval and getting into income service.
Presently, these steps happen at numerous yards all through the system. And, as Crichlow famous, the method sometimes takes place exterior.
“This facility will make a world of difference to our employees,” Crichlow mentioned.
“The fact that we can do this under a covered roof? Man, it’s fantastic,” he mentioned. “No more having to do it out in the rain, freezing temperatures [or] sun beating down on you.”
“The consistency and efficiency this will afford employees translates to faster and more reliable trips for our riders,” he added.
Evan Simko-Bednarski / New York Day by day Information
The MTA formally opened its new rail-car acceptance facility in Sundown Park on Friday. (Evan Simko-Bednarski / New York Day by day Information)
In the back of the power, a R255 hybrid diesel-and-battery-powered work-train locomotive sat on the tracks.
Along with the 1,500 new subway automobiles anticipated within the coming years, the MTA can be anticipated to buy 45 new work-train locomotives, meant to switch the various ageing Nineteen Seventies-era diesels that carry cargo and personnel across the system.
Requested concerning the new work-train fleet Friday, Crichlow mentioned the majority of the restore work budgeted within the capital plan is reliant on work trains.
“Most folks don’t see it — it happens in the night, it happens on off-tours, but the reality is it’s an important portion of what we do,” he mentioned.
“These trains,” Crichlow mentioned pointing to the R255, “are more efficient, they’re hybrids so they have lower emissions.”
Evan Simko-Bednarski / New York Day by day Information
The MTA formally opened its new rail-car acceptance facility in Sundown Park on Friday. (Evan Simko-Bednarski / New York Day by day Information)
The NYCT president additionally pointed to air scrubbers put in on the facility’s home windows. “This shop is one of a kind in that you’re able to run a diesel in this location without an issue,” he added.
A piece-train slowdown snarled visitors on the Broadway and 4th Avenue traces Friday morning after a 70s-era R52 diesel stalled out close to the sixtieth St. Tunnel whereas assigned to trace work, and needed to be towed again to the Coney Island Yard by one other work practice.
