The R32 Brightliners on the J and too many J trains and two few Z trains during Skip-Stops

Every summer for the past few years the R32 ‘Brightliners’ by far the oldest cars nearly 50 years old that normally dwell on the C have been switched onto the A train so they can give their not all that good air conditioners a rest on the outdoor portions of the A train. This summer the MTA took this to a new extreme and have swapped some of the R32s with the J trains R160s. The J is the ‘B’ Division subway line (not including shuttles, the 7 train is close) that spends the most time above ground out of doors.

This afternoon I finally went to find the R32s on the J/Z and had a bit of an adventure with poor frequencies and trains J Z trains not properly alternating during the Skip-Stop times. First the destination sign of an R32 J train (I saw some Z trains, the reading is just a brown Z, nothing else but didn’t get a decent photo for reasons discussed below).

My day started at 190 Street–(2 Photos) where the lower portions of the columns between the tracks have been painted black, no longer white.

I end up on a R160 C train to 72 Street–(1 Photo) to run an errand.
After doing what I need to do I have a nice walk crosstown to 63 Street/Lexington Avenue and abuse the free MetroCard Transfer to take an F train to Delancy Street. There I walk upstairs and find a R42 J train arriving. I take this to Myrtle Avenue–(5 Photos) where another Manhattan-bound R42 train is stopping in the station going the other direction, I’m yet again I’m surprised so many R42s are left on the J. We also make a cross-platform transfer with an M train. Behind it is my first R32 J train.

I see a line of trains including two Manhattan-bound trains of R32s in a row that are waiting for clearance. Myrtle Avenue has a big issue that the M train’s turn onto the Myrtle Avenue el isn’t a flying junction and Metropolitan Avenue-bound M trains must cross both the Express track (used by Jamaica-bound J/Z trains running express) and the Manhattan-bound track to get up to Myrtle Avenue. I take this R32 J train one stop to Kosciuszko St–(15 Photos) and get plenty of R32 Photos
 
I take the next train, R160s to Gates Av–(7 Photos) for another R32 going Manhattan-bound

I continue on a R160 J train to Chauncey St–(5 Photos) and don’t get anything interesting except the next train is the first Jamaica-bound Z train of the day (the Skip-Stop service is only for a little over an hour each peak direction rush hour)

We stop at Alabama Avenue for some reason (its a ‘J’ stop) and I decide to try Van Siclen Av–(20 Photos). I realize the reason I have so few photos of the old island platform stations is because their equipment boxes between the tracks at each end of the narrow platforms everywhere. At Van Siclen the dispatcher (or someone) has clearly dispatched a J train when a Z train should have been sent. There is a 23 minute gap in Z train service, 3 Skip-Stop J trains bypass the station. The middle one (an R160) was definately supposed to be a Z train. I do get some photos of plenty of R42s going in the other direction.
    
I stupidly decide not to give up on the Z train yet and take it to the next Z only stop of 75^TH St-Elderts Lane–(18 Photos). At Kosciuzko Street I photographed two R32 trains in a row, one signed for the Z, this train I really want to get a picture of the destination signs on. It is the next train to pass, the side destination signs still set for Z but the front flip-dot changed to J, its clearly become a J train for its Skip-Stop run. The R32 behind it is also a J and skips us, this train also has the front flip-dot sign still set to the C (perhaps it is broken)! (Something is totally off with Skip-Stop this rush hour), finally a R160 J train making all stops is the next train to stop (just a 15 minute gap in service)
  
I finish the day on the next R160 J train out to Jamaica Center where the second R32 I photographed is on its way out of the station to run light back to the East New York Yard. I don’t get a decent picture. Much to my surprise neither R32 is getting laid-up overnight on the tail tracks beyond the platform. Their both empty.

Then I go upstairs and take the E train to 42 Street-Times Square–(2 photos), where a C train of displayed R160s stops as a I wait for my A train home.