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Re: The 1968 "Program For Action": A Summary (Re: Original MTA Plan) (50905)

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Posted by Larry Littlefield on Wed Aug 18 23:07:29 1999, in response to The 1968 "Program For Action": A Summary (Re: Original MTA Plan),
posted by Mark S. Feinman on Wed Aug 18 22:27:33 1999.

SOME NOTES ON WHAT WAS FINISHED AND WHAT WASN'T, BASED IN PART ON THE "HALF WAY" POINT REPORT IN 1973

FOR THE CITY:

A summary of phase I:

· Aggressive completion of the 63rd Street tunnel. BEING FINISHED NOW

· A super-express bypass for the IND Queens Blvd line.

KILLED IN LIEU OF A CONNECTION TO THE QUEENS LINE

· A new subway line serving Northeastern Queens.

PUSHED BACK TO PHASE II BY 1973, THEN FORGOTTEN

· A new subway line servings outheast Queens.
(This line was actually built as far as Parsons Blvd and Archer Ave).

· The Second Avenue subway from 34th St to the Bronx, with a connection to the 63rd St tunnel. NOT EVEN PROPOSED S. OF 63RD ST

· Nostrand Avenue line extended along Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn to Avenue U. PUSHED BACK TO PHASE II BY 1973, THEN FORGOTTON

· The IRT New Lots Ave line extended to Flatlands Ave and Linwood PUSHED BACK TO PHASE II BY 1973, THEN FORGOTTEN

· The purchase of 500 high-speed subway cars equipped with air conditioning. WE GOT THE R44/46

· Expansion of yards and shops to accommodate the increase in the size of the fleet.

· Rehabilitating SIRT and obtaining new equipment for the line.
IT WAS BOUGHT AND REHABBED

· Constructing an LIRR spur to JFK to allow a one seat ride from Manhattan. Also provide the ability to "change at Jamaica".
ONE SEAT RIDE DROPPED, BUT IT MIGHT GET BUILT.

For the city -- not much, and everything we get is in Queens or on Staten Island.

FOR THE SUBURBS

· 350 new MU cars for the LIRR. BY 1973 THEY BOUGHT 850 AND REPLACED THE ENTIRE FLEET

· Commencement of a high-platform project on the LIRR

ALL DONE BY 1973

Modernizing Jamaica Station. Improvements at Penn Station and Flatbush Avenue. PENN MODERNIZED. NOT THE OTHERS

Electrifying the Port Jefferson branch to Northport. Electrifying the Main Line to Pinelawn. NOT DONE AS FAR AS I KNOW

· A new Metropolitan Transportation Center (MTC) in the vicinity of 48th St and 3rd Ave.
NOW PROPOSED LIRR TO GCT

· 144 new MUs for the New Haven Line. Construction of high level platforms. Rehabbing 100 of the 4400 series cars. ALL DONE OR UNDERWAY BY 1973; NEW HAVEN LINE PURCHASED TO STATE LINE

· 130 new electric cars for the Penn Central, constructing high level platforms and extending electrification on the Harlem Division from North White Plains to Brewster (28 miles). ALL DONE

Building a 3rd track to serve as an express between Mount Vernon and North White Plains. THEY BROUGHT IT UP AGAIN A FEW YEARS AGO: LOCAL OPPOSITION

· New equipment for the NY portion of the Erie-Lackawanna (Port Jervis Line); study the feasibility of direct service to Penn Station with the use of dual-powered locomotives. STILL STUDYING

· Airport development at Republic (Long Island) and Spring Valley in Rockland County. A new airport for northwest Westchester. The airport at Republic would reduce congestion at LGA and JFK by diverting private aircraft to this location. DO THEY STILL OWN REPUBLIC AND STEWART? NOTHING MUCH HAPPENED OUT THERE.

· Transportation Centers (I don't know what this means) at Pearl River and Orangeburg (Rockland County) and Tarrytown and White Plains (Westchester).

SUMMARY: LOOKS LIKE THE SUBURBS GOT MOST OF THIS. FOR TWENTY YEARS, THEY HAD ALL THE NEW CARS. BUT SINCE NONE HAVE BEEN BOUGHT SINCE...

A summary of phase II:

· Completion of the Second Avenue subway from 34th Street south to the Financial District along Water Street to Whitehall Street.
THIS WAS MOVED TO PHASE ONE BY 1973; THEN IT DIED

· A midtown distribution system along 57th, 48th, 42nd and 33rd Sts.
48TH ST WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN FIRST. NOTHING HAPPENED

· Extension of the subway east of Jamaica and razing the El along Jamaica Avenue. WELL, THEY TORE IT DOWN

· Replacing the 3rd Ave El in the Bronx with a new subway line.
THIS HAS DISAPPEARED, ALONG WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD

· Extending the Pelham Bay Line to Co-op City in the Bronx.
NO ONE TALKS ABOUT THAT ONE ANYMORE

· Extending the IND Concourse Line to White Plains Road.
GONE AND FORGOTTEN

· 500 more new subway cars, air conditioned.
NOT UNTIL THE 1980S

· More shop and yard improvements.

· Continue the rehab project on SIRT.

FOR THE SUBURBS

· Electrifying the LIRR Port Jefferson and Ronkonkoma branches to their terminals. Additional station and signal improvements.
THEY DID RONKONKOMA, NOT PORT JEF

More MU cars and dual-powered locomotives.

· Extending LIRR service from Flatbush Ave to a lower Manhattan terminal in the vicinity of Broad St.
THEY ARE STUDYING THIS ONE. PERHAPS THEY WILL CONCLUDE THAT THEY NEED TO BUILD ANOTHER 2-LEVEL TUNNEL TO REPLACE THE MANAHATTAN BRIDGE. OR PERHAPS THEY'LL JUST DO SUBURBAN SERVICE

· Electrifying the Hudson Line to Peekskill.
DIDN'T DO IT

· A new station at 149th St (Bronx) to provide easy iunterchanges between the Penn Central, the New Haven and the subway.
THEY TALK ABOUT THIS EVERY NOW AND THEN

· Another Long island airport and an airport in southwest Dutchess County.
GONE

NOTE: IN 1973, THEY ALSO PROPOSED A LOWER EAST SIDE LOOP SUBWAY FROM EAST BROADWAY (THE F) TO 14TH ST (THE L) THAT RESURFACED AS PART OF THE RPA PROPOSAL.

IN PHASE II, ONCE AGAIN THE SUBURBS GOT SOMETHING (ONE ELECTRIFICIATION). THE CITY GOT A RESTORATION OF THE SYSTEM AFTER IT WAS ALLOWED TO FALL APART. LOOKS LIKE THE LIRR TO GCT AND THE 2ND AVENUE SUBWAY WERE BOTH IN PHASE I. I SAY THEY GO TOGETHER.


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