nytraveler

The governor has just announced that JFK airport will be opened tomorrow - Wednesday - but it is not expected that all scheduled flights will arrive/depart, based on equipment being misplaced.

LGA will NOT reopen Wednesday - since some of the runways are actually below sea level. Reopening date is not fixed yet.

It is anticipated that buses will start running, on a Sunday schedule, and only where there are no floods, this evening. They will try for a work day schedule tomorrow, again not including flooded areas.

Subway service is expected to take 3 or 4 days at least to return - and some sections much longer, since tunnels - esp those under the east river - are full of water which must be pumped out.

MetroNorth commuter train timing is not yet determined based on water in many of the tunnels and also a 40' boat on the tracks of the Hudson line, as well as many downed trees that must be removed. LIRR is anyone's guess.

Until the transit system is up and running cabs and car services (TL license sedans) are being encouraged to pick up multiple passengers going in the same direction.

Power is being returned as quickly as possible - with repair crews being flown in from Texas, CA, etc. About 300 generators are being brought in - but they will be assigned to hospitals, nursing homes, and other high priority venues. For individual homeowners power may take 7 to 10 days to restore based on the number of transformers that must be repaired or replaced.

Hannah_reads_for_fun

For those of you driving to/from NJ:
(as per my information)

The George Washington Bridge has been re-opened, as has the Lincoln Tunnel;the Holland Tunnel is still closed.

The entire Garden State Parkway is reopened, but key parts of the Jersey Turnpike remain closed.

nycguy10002

As of 11/1/12, there will be limited subway service. Service from the Bronx will terminate at either Times Square 1 & 2 lines), Grand Central (4 & 6 lines). Service from Queens will terminate at 34th St (F and N trains).
The M train will operate between Metropolitan Av (Queens) to Myrtle Av-Broadway (Brooklyn)

Only a few lines in Brooklyn will be operating and will be within Brooklyn (see detail link below).

Service between Brooklyn and Manhattan will be done via buses to/from 57th St/Lexington Av from the following stations: Atlantic Av/Barclay's Center, Jay St/MetroTech, & Hewes St.

There will be no service from/to JFK (via the AirTrain) on the E train (Sutphin Blvd) at Jamaica station or on the A train at Howard Beach station.


For full details on subway service:

http://www.mta.info/sites/default/fi...iceA103112.pdf

For complete up-to-date information on the subways, buses, MetroNorth & LIRR: http://www.mta.info/

nycguy10002

UPDATE 11/2/12

Additional subway service has been added:

http://www.mta.info/sites/default/fi...NALA110212.pdf

This is a listing of the Manhattan bus stops for the shuttle buses between Brooklyn & Manhattan
http://alert.mta.info/sites/default/...ps103111_0.pdf

Please note that there is no local bus service in Manhattan below 23rd St after dark until the power is restored to that area. The shuttle buses will not stop at the 3 stops below 23rd St during this time as well.

nycguy10002

UPDATE 11/3/2012

Additional service has been added:

Service on the Lexington Av line 4, 5 & 6 trains has been restored with a modification - the 4 train will make all local stops in Brooklyn from Atlantic Av to New Lots Av, the 5 train will make all local stops from Atlantic Av to Flatbush Av. The 6 train is running normal to Brooklyn Bridge.

Modified service on the E train is being handled by the M train running from Jamaica/Suthphin Blvd/JFK (JFK via AirTrain) making all local stops to 34th St & 6th Av. For the Times Square area take the M to Roosevelt Av and go upstairs for the 7 train to Times Square.

Shuttle bus service as mentioned earlier is continuing between Manhattan and Jay St-MetroTech (A, F and R trains) and Hewes St (J train).

http://www.mta.info/

nycguy10002

UPDATE 11/5/12

Regular service on the E train has been restored so travelers from JFK (via AirTrain) can make the connection at Jamaica station.

A train service to Howard Beach will remain suspended for a while to come. Parts of that line operate on embankments along Jamaica Bay and the damage was horrendous. The A will terminate at Lefferts Blvd.

Other lines have resumed somewhat regular service except the 1 train will go only as far as Chambers St (the flooding at South Ferry was up to the station roof and went up the escalators to the mezzanine.

The northern terminal for the A train will be 168th St instead of 207th St and the C train will terminate at 145th St instead of 168th St (a lot of flooding in the tunnels near 207th St)

J trains are terminating at Essex St on Manhattan rather than Broad St in Manhattan.

L trains are operating in Brooklyn only between Broadway Junction & Rockaway Parkway/Canarsie. For service into Manhattan from Broadway Junction transfer to a Manhattan bound A or C train (on lower level).

R train service has split service - from 71st St in Queens to 34th St/Broadway in Manhattan and in Brooklyn from Jay St-MetroTech to 95th St. To connect to the R from Manhattan take the N train to Atlantic Av-Barclay's Center. The R will be across the platform.

There is no service to Coney Island. The lines that go to Coney Island are terminating at stations before it in Brooklyn:

D trains terminate at Bay Parkway
F trains terminate at Avenue X
N terminates at 59th St (Brooklyn)
Q terminates at Kings Highway

B trains and G trains and the Rockaway Park Shuttle remain suspended.

nytraveler

Service to Coney Island and the Rockaways may well be limited to bus for some time due to damage to bridges the trains use. Hopefully repaired before next summer - but awful for people who live there.

nycguy10002

UPDATE 11/6/12 8:52 AM

B trains are back up and running from Bedford Park Blvd to Kings Highway. Q trains have been extended to Brighton Beach.

The Northern terminal for the A train has been extended to 207th St and the C trains have been extended to 168th St.

The R train remains as split service and the 1 train remains terminating at Chambers St.

The G train tunnel has been pumped out but because the water from the Newtown Creek which flooded the tunnel is salt water (and from what I hear a bit on the toxic side as well), all components have to be examined and repaired or replaced. This may take some time.

The L train tunnel is being pumped out and depending on the condition of the components in that tunnel service may be fully restored (Brooklyn to Manhattan) within a few days.

nycguy10002

UPDATE 11/7/12 8:15 AM

The subway is getting close to being 100% back.

The G train is back up and running but will be operatintg at slow sppeds under Newtown Creek (between Brooklyn & Queens) as repairs are being done to shorted out signals.

The B trains have been extended to Brighton Beach and the Q extended to Coney Island.

The D train has also been extended to Coney Island.

At this point the only work remaining is:

1 train - drying out of the South Ferry station and the tunnel approach to the station, repairs to the signals and switches as needed. Until that is completed the 1 will terminal at Chambers St.

L train - the pumping out of the tunnel between Brooklyn and Manhattan is nearing completion. Once done, the whole tunnel will be inspected and repairs made as needed and then tested.

N train - the flooding in the lower section in Brooklyn has been alleviated and now the whole area has to be inspected and repairs made and then tested. Until that is done N trains are terminating at 59th St/4th Av in Brooklyn.

R trains are still running n 2 sections. Work on the tunnel under the East River is ongoing.

The MTA is working to get the A train back to at least the Howard Beach-JFK station. Beyond that (the section over Jamaica Bay) will take much longer as some of the embankments/man-made islands the train travels over have been washed away, so that all has to be rebuilt. Service within the Rockaways is being done by a shuttle train connecting to a bus (they actually had to truck subway cars on flatbeds over to the Rockaways in order to provide this service.

nycguy10002

UPDATE 11/9/12

L train service between Brooklyn and Manhattan has resumed.

As of Sunday 11/11/12, the A train will resume service to/From the Howard Beach-JFK station. Anyone wishing to go to the Rockaways can get a free shuttle bus to the Far Rockaway/Mott Av station where there will be a shuttle train between Mott Av and Rockaway Park.

It will take months of rebuilding to reconnect the Rockaways to the A line.

http://www.mta.info/nyct/service/Reb...ricanSandy.htm

N train service in Brooklyn between 59th St/4th Av and Coney Island will be out for a while as that section of the line is in an open cut (below street level but not covered over) and in some places the water has been up to platfrom level. The MTA has not announced yet what substitute bus service will be put in place for this service. Anyone wishing to go to Coney Island shoudl take the D, F or Q trains.

R trains still remain in split service. Hopefully the pumping out of the Montague tunnel between Manhattan and Brooklyn can be completed by this weekend.

1 train service still terminates at Chambers St as the repairs to South Ferry station continue.

The regular MTA home page has been put back at http://www.mta.info/.

january89

Thanks for all the updates. Husband is arriving LGA Sunday morning going to Javits Center. We've been told cabs will be iffy. Is this true? Should he plan alternative transportation? Thanks.

nytraveler

If it were me I would arrange for a car service - schedule it now and call when he gets to the airport. Dial 7 and Carmel are the biggest and usually have cars available within a few minutes.

doug_stallings

I don't know who gave you this dire warning, but I see no reason why cabs might be "iffy" on Sunday. You might well wait longer for a car service to arrive than by standing in line for a regular taxi. Or you may not.

I had a little traffic when I arrived at JFK early last Sunday evening, but I still got home to the Upper East Side in a bit over 30 minutes. The taxi line at Terminal 4 was long but moved quickly, and all the people in the taxi line had already gotten cabs before my pre-reserved car arrived. It's a little harder to meet up with a car service at LGA unless you are coming into the USAirways terminal, which isn't nearly as busy as other terminals.

The only advantage to a regular taxi is that a car service costs the same wherever you go in Manhattan, and it can cost a bit more to go across town, but it can often cost considerably more than a regular taxi if you don't hit traffic. But on a Sunday morning traffic is usually light, though the Javits Center is all the way on the far west side. With the Midtown tunnel reopening, it should be a straight shot there. I can't foresee any problems.

Again, I just can't imagine why this would not be a breeze regardless of which mode of transport you choose.

maxima

why cabs would be iffy? If you haven't heard there is a gas shortage in nyc and long island in NYC odd/even days just started today. So cabs may be on long lines getting gas, the lines stretch for blocks and blocks in Queens,it can take hours to reach the pumps. So yes there may be fewer cabs available.

In addition, who knows how many cabs have been damaged by water, or fallen trees in the past two weeks.

Things are not exactly back to normal in many parts of the city.

nytraveler

I usually take cabs from airports into the city - unless it's a business trip - for which the company provides limo meet and greet.

However, due to the gas shortage there are fewer cabs on the street (some cabs a reno longer being driven 24 hours and others are caught on long lines at the gas pumps - my B waited almost 3 hours yesterday to fill up - and was afraid the tank would go dry before he got to the pumps). Under those conditions I would use a car service - at least for the next several days until the gas situation is resolved.

nycguy10002

Subway UPDATE 11/10/12

N train service has returned to "normal". That is, it is running between Ditmars Blvd all the way to Coney Island

R train service remains as 2 separate services. Although the pumping out of the tunnel between Brooklyn & Manhattan is completed, a section of the concrete lining inside a portion of the tunnel separated from the ceiling/sides of the tunnel and fell to the tracks. This has to be inspected & repaired before they can resume using the tunnel. My sources have not been able to find out just how big the affected section is so it is unknown how ling it will take to get things back in order.

easytraveler

Thanks loads for posting these! Invaluable information for travelers.

I've just forwarded all this info to my BIL who is already on the East Coast and due to arrive NYC - soon (not sure exactly which date).

TC

I arrived LGA on Sunday, November 4...more than a week ago...and had absolutely no problem getting a taxi to midtown. In fact, it might have been the quickest ride I've every had into the city. I was in NY for 3 days and again in midtown, it was as though nothing had happened. There were lines of taxis and limos on every street. There were never fewer than 3 taxis in front of my hotel (46th St) every time I stepped out. Departing on Tuesday, November 6th, again no problem getting to LGA.

I did not use the subway system, so can't speak to that, but taxis didn't seem to be a problem. I asked each taxi driver if getting petro was an issue for them and they all said no.

doug_stallings

Taxi drivers aren't subject to the gas rationing system, and I have also seen no evidence that there are fewer taxis on the streets or that they are having trouble keeping in business because of lack of gas. I haven't even heard that anecdotally (I don't take many cab rides, though I did on Saturday and had no problems).

There was a rather famous photo after Sandy of some waterlogged taxis. Those were in Hoboken, not NYC.

nytraveler

The taxis are not subject to the odd/even restrictions - and in the last few days have not had trouble getting fuel. About a week ago there were issues and fewer taxis and car service sedans on the street but that problem has been solved.

There was a photo of a flooded taxi lot - but in terms of the 13,000 cabs - and the huge number of car service cars - it was immaterial.