Hey everyone, sorry for the late post today, I had to run out of the house early. So I will keep it short and sweet. There are two unsurprising things this weekend. One: There are a myriad of subway changes this weekend. Two: There is no deal to fully fund the MTA and Senate Leader Malcolm Smith and the gang of four will make a schedule trip to meet with Puerto Rican leaders. Because apparently our State Senators think they have some kind of authority when it comes to Puerto Rican policies. Here is the map, Happy Tracks New York!

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SATURDAY UPDATE: A few minor changes to the map this morning, most notably a late change to the 3 and 4 line on Eastern Pkwy. No daytime 4 service beyond Atlantic Ave and transfer at Utica Ave for all 3 train service.

Welcome back New York. Well another week has gone and there is still no bailout for the MTA. They have announced more deficits, which may lead to even more cuts. The Ravitch Commission has come up with an amended plan, Governor Paterson has announced more ideas for raising revenue, yet it will not persuade the obstinate State Senators that seem to just object to the subway at this point. It is enough to make a person wonder if there are corrupt interests controlling the vote of Sens. Kruger, Diaz, and Espada. It would seem like a no-brainer way of securing goodwill amongst voters to be one of the people who fought against a 25% increase in transportation costs for 70% of one’s constituents. Whose interests are the Senators supporting? Well, this weekend is a quiet one for service changes. The most major change is the G train replacing the F between Bergen St and Coney Island and the F running on the C to Euclid Ave. Other than that, things are pretty quiet this weekend. There is news that the slow speed on Queens Blvd express trains between Jackson Heights and Forest Hills is due to new track being laid down. The express trains through that stretch may not return to normal speeds until September or longer. The MTA did similar work on the Northern Blvd section of the line 6 months ago. Happy Tacks New York!

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SATURDAY UPDATE: Well I had a big oopsie on the Whitehall corridor. Only Coney Island bound R trains are traveling via the Manhattan Bridge, with N trains in the same direction following suit late night. Otherwise, there is a late night change to D on Sunday night.

Welcome back New York. Spring appears to be on us, and that means that the New York State Government is on vacation for Passover/Easter. They will not be back until the 20th so it will be at least another week or two before anything will be decided on the MTA’s funding woes. As always, I direct my readers to Be Kabak’s SecondAvenueSagas. He has a particularly good write-up of the Drum Major Institute’s study of the MTA’s funding as well as this year’s report from the Permanent Citizen’s Advisory Committee. They both do a good job outlining the good an bad of the MTA and what should be done to fix it. At the moment, the myriad problems facing the MTA hasn’t slowed weekend construction this week. The most serious change is that Q service is cancelled between 57 St-Midtown and Prospect Park! That’s a lot of not Q trains. To compensate, the R is taking the trip over the Manhattan bridge. There are other changes to report, but you’ll want to check out the map to see them. Happy Tracks New York!

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SATURDAY UPDATE: Thanks to Sunny, Yuki, and Joe for catching my big error. F trains are running on the 8 Ave local between Jay St and Roosevelt Ave. N trains also run via Whitehall St and Uptown Q trains do the same. I think uptown Q trains will still go express after Canal St but they could go local too. The advisory doesn’t state one way or the other.

Well Doomsday creeps ever closer, and according to the indispensable Ben Kabak at SecondAvenueSagas.com, there does not seem to be any light at the end of this metaphoric and literal tunnel. I still hope that there can be a resolution passed by the Senate and that there can be some kind of change. It is amazing to me that in a state that is full of left-wing Democrats who purport to be environmentally sensitive and support mass transit use, that they can be so callous about funding it. I just hope that this immense fare increase does not send the city into a downward spiral as some have predicted it will. And while Sheldon Silver may look good berating the incompetent senate now, remember it was him who vetoed congestion pricing by not letting the vote come to the Assembly floor when it had the support of the Mayor, Governor, and Senate. Keep writing your representatives in Albany! On to the weekend changes, it is not quite a full slate this weekend. Perhaps that will be the one benefit of the MTA’s lack of cash: fewer weekend maintenance projects. But in the long run, that’s not much of a benefit is it. Stay active everyone. Happy Tracks New York!

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