The L Train is facing an imminent, extensive shutdown in the wake of lingering Hurricane Sandy damage, and North Brooklyn hasn’t taken the news very well.
And why would it, given the amount of daily riders who travel through the Canarsie Tube every day — around 350,000 — not to mention the huge impact ridership has on local businesses?
Currently, the MTA is considering two options to implement as early as 2017:…
3
Free to read, funded by readers. Join as a member and get a free gift.
Greenpointers has covered Greenpoint & Williamsburg since 2007 — community boards, rezoning fights, local businesses, and the people whose lives and work give the neighborhood its character. Local news is collapsing across the country, but we're still here: independently owned, no corporate backing, no paywall. 18+ years, 280k+ monthly readers and followers, funded by the community we serve.
Why your support matters
“What’s more, it’s also currently impossible to increase the frequency of G train service during rush hour because it shares track space with the F Train at the Bergen Street and Church Avenue stops, and there’s simply no more capacity in this area.”
We wouldn’t want them to keep going that far anyway. Turn half of them around at Hoyt, where there is all of that extra track for it.
Doing some math – The G train currently needs 52 cars for the AM rush, good for 13 trains. The L train currently runs with 24 trains in the AM rush. I would imagine that the L train wouldn’t need that many cars if it won’t be running for a third of it’s distance. (The L train is about 10 miles in total length. From Lorimer street to 8th Ave is about 3.3 miles) So let’s say that the L train can give 1/3 of it’s cars, or 8 trains, to the G during the construction period, and then you double up the existing G trains – that would give 14.5 full-length trains for the G. (Maybe the B or D could lend 4 cars to the G?) I’m relying on a few assumptions here, but it seems like it would work. You’d also have the issue of the G running with both 480 and 600 foot trains, but that’s been done before – the C train did it a few summers back.
I’m guessing there may be a few train yard accommodation issues (it’s complicated effort to get trains from the L to the G due to limited junctions), but in general, yes, you’re absolutely right that some L-Train sets should become available.