To Brooklyn (again) for a new 2nd R section to 34th Street, N train to 59th Street, 1 to Chambers Street, and C to 145th Street plus passengers waiting for non-existant L trains

On Monday I was debating going out on the subway yet again but one service change caught my eye. Getting the new Manhattan to Queens section of the R terminating at 34th Street, Brooklyn-bound N trains terminating at 59th Street and the 1 train turning at Chambers Street. Here is today’s subway map made me realize I needed to leave the house again. I called up my same friend from Thursday who lives in Brooklyn to meet up for lunch and an excuse to go down there.

The day started with another walk down the hill to 181 Street on the 1 train since the A still has not been restored to 181 Street and is turning at 168 Street. The countdown clocks made the 1 train look normal, all saying South Ferry. The destination signs were even correct saying Chambers Street as the southern terminus. I take the 1 train down to 96th Street where I hop on a crowded 2 Express train. I take this to 42nd Street where I head over to the Broadway Line. An R train immedately comes in, destination sign saying ‘To 34 St/BWAY.’ I take this to Herald Square where we switch over and terminate on the Downtown Express track like the N was doing yesterday except now with downtown N and Q trains stopping in the station.

An N train then comes in, correctly displaying ’59 St-BKLYN.’ I then leave the platform and fare control briefly to get photos of the closed PATH corridor:

Next I take the F train to Booklyn, getting off at Bergen Street. I have lunch with my friend. Together, we get back on at Carroll Street–(11 Photos, including a few from early September in my archive), including its new entrance.

We just missed the F train and the next one finally come about ten minutes later. We take it one stop, passed Smith-9th Street where construction is back in progress, and get off at 4th Avenue. We hop on the Brooklyn half of the R train and ride down to 59 Street–(2 Photos) to see how the N train is terminating. Trains are turning using the express tracks beyond the station platforms. There is a Not In Service R train idling on the Manhattan-bound Express track.

We just miss the next N train and wait a good ten minutes for one to finally enter on the local track, after an R train is stopped in the station. The switches mean we stop at 53 and 45 Streets before taking the express tracks. I get off at 14 St-Union Square–(1 Photos) and notice that the one entrance to the L train is still closed, and the corridor to the L taped off. I say goodbye to my friend and walk across 14th Street to 6th Avenue–(5 Photos) where the corridor to PATH is closed off (along with a few of the entrances).

The L platform at 6 Avenue–(5 Photos) is open and there people on it looking like there waiting for non-existant trains, there is some tape on the edges of the platform but not much else. The countdown clocks have gone to their default time and date settings. The V and 9 trains both exists on signs at the entrance to the transfer corridor to 7th Avenue, and the reason the L platform is open in the first place.

I continue to the 1 train at 14 Street-7th Avenue–(3 Photos). By this time the countdown clocks are correctly displaying Chambers Street not South Ferry.

The 3 comes first and I take it down to Chambers Street–(5 Photos) where a 1 train is just terminating.

There is a crowd of employees on the platform to check each car until the train continues south into the South Ferry loop. One employee has a bullhorn and is screaming at people that this is the last stop and to take the 2,3 trains to continue south to Wall Street.

I leave Chambers Street and walk over to the closed World Trade Center PATH station. There are barricades and what looks like a pipe going down into the station and down into a manhole. Water is clearly being pumped out of the station down below.

I then walk over to Chambers Street for a ride on the now restored (only between Lefferts Blvd and 168 Street A train). An A Express comes in almost immediately. At 125th I hop off because there is an R32 C train across the platform. Were held in 125th for a bit before proceeding up to 135th, where we also get holding lights for a bit of time. There is a train already in the single track terminus on the lower level at 145th Street that the C is using since the A is using its turning tracks at 168th Street. (The B train during middays when it is running to 145th is held at 135th quite often). Eventually we come into 145th on the middle track and I get some photos plus the required destination sign.

I head upstairs and take a crowded A train that stops at 155th Street and 163 Street before we pull into 168th Street the last stop. I head upstairs and notice that the crowd of people (mostly transferring from the A) trying to get on the elevators down to the 1 train’s deep tunnel is nearly at the A train’s mezzanine.

I head out the main staffed exit that leads up to 168th Street and St. Nicholas, with the street elevator. The one staircase up to the street I realize is so crowded and not moving that I re-swipe into the system and walk down the mezzanine to the high exit turnstiles but larger (with 4 street stairs) 169 Street exit that is also closer to home and walk home. The walk has definitely gotten old, I want my A train back at 181 Street!