MTA warns pauses to 24/7 subway service needed to modernize subways

[west point]

If you study the "L" line shutdowns you an get an idea of how the work will progress. The replacement of stick rail with CWR ( continuous welded rail ) that will have joints about every 800 (?) feet will make a much smoother ride. As over the many years there has been locations that have bumps and dips that can be mitigated as well. But-------- make no bones the new signal system will make the most profound changes. Can you imagine just doing one block at a time and all the interfaces needed to integrate the old with the new. Those interfaces each will be very expensive and just needed for the transition. Instead if NYT only has to interface ever 1 - 2 miles much less expensive. 2 interfaces rather than 10 - 20 interfaces over 2 miles of track. Each interface probably will be unique and then trashed once next segment is added!

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Some of the tube lines now do run overnight, even if on a limited schedule.

 

[trainman74]

(Redacted - already answered.)

 

[neroden]

You very well may be correct...it is just my memory of riding the system in the '50's...I can't recall massive shutdowns, but of course my memory is not the best...

Yeah, by the 50s much of the redundancy had been removed. This was when deferred maintenance became a big issue, too. I was talking 1890s to 1930s. They could and did shut down a line for maintenance because, hey, take the El a block away. Ripping out the Els messed that up.