0

MTA & NYPA Unveil New Water Heating System

Posted by
on June 7th, 2010 at 1:06 am

I originally posted this entry a few days ago. However I must have forgot to re-save the database after the post so it got lost in the server move. Anyhow, I was invited to check out an unveiling by the MTA but I unfortunately had business matters scheduled. The event was to unveil the MTA & NYPA’s team effort on a new solar powered water heating system. Here are more details courtesy of a press release the agency sent me:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and New York Power Authority (NYPA) today unveiled an advanced rooftop-mounted solar thermal array that heats hot water used to wash subway cars at New York City Transit’s Coney Island Overhaul Shop and Maintenance Facility. By lessening New York City Transit’s need for electricity, the array will lower the agency’s power bill by $94,000 and avoid 86 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per year.

“The MTA and its agencies are working hard to make sure that every dollar we receive is used wisely, and that applies to our energy bill as well,” said Thomas F. Prendergast, President of MTA New York City Transit. “I want to thank the New York Power Authority and NYSERDA, for helping MTA New York City Transit save money and go even greener.”

“It seems fitting that we’re pioneering this advanced solar-thermal technology in a community whose iconic attractions include the beach and sun,” said Richard M. Kessel, President and CEO of the New York Power Authority. “Initiatives like this contribute to reducing fossil fuel use, which is an imperative we can all agree on, with the disaster in the Gulf now giving us constant reminders every day. We need to take advantage of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, not only for reducing environmental risks like oil spills and global warming, but for capitalizing on the economic development benefits of these clean energy technologies.”

The solar thermal system consists of 48 panels that are mounted on the building’s roof. They capture the radiant heat from the sun and transfer it to water in interconnected pipes. The system functions as a water heater for domestic and other hot water use at the facility. The water is used for cleaning and washing trains during their scheduled maintenance and for domestic-use needs by staff.

Installation of the solar thermal array cost $550,000, which was financed by NYPA with the help of a $150,000 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). “NYSERDA is pleased to partner with NYPA and the MTA on a system that is notable both for reducing energy use, protecting the environment and reducing costs. We commend the leadership of these two authorities for developing an innovative solar thermal project that we hope will serve as a model for other significant energy users,” said Francis J. Murray, Jr., NYSERDA president and CEO.

The solar thermal project, which began in November, is part of a more than $1.1 million NYPA- and NYSERDA-funded energy efficiency upgrade for the Coney Island Facility, which also includes the installation of high-output fluorescent fixtures that are more efficient, last longer and provide better illumination than the light sources they replaced, saving the MTA $76,000 per year.

All together, the MTA and NYPA have partnered on 85 energy projects for a savings of nearly $5.7 million a year and annual reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of more than 34,000 tons. Among these initiatives have been:

• New subway signal lighting using light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures that are more efficient and brighter than the bulbs they replaced.

• A 200-kilowatt fuel cell at NYC Transit’s New Corona Car Maintenance Facility in Queens, providing a continuous source of non-polluting, on-site power and residual heat for the shop’s domestic hot water system.

• A 300-kilowatt roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) array at the Gun Hill Bus Depot in the Bronx

• LED necklace lighting at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, replacing less efficient conventional lights.

• Wireless equipment for the remote control of electric resistance heaters on the third-rail systems that provide power to the subways. The remote-control feature contributes to minimizing electricity use when the weather conditions don’t warrant heater use.

xoxo Transit Blogger

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
Technology
0

Service Diversions 06-04-10

Posted by
on June 5th, 2010 at 2:31 pm

I have just updated the “Service Diversions” page with the latest information for the weekend & following week (beyond in some cases). For riders going near the Broadway-Nassau & Fulton Street stations, do not forget to read this entry to see what service is affected.

I suggest you print out a copy of the diversions to carry with you or use your mobile device to access the phone friendly version of Transit Blogger. Have a safe & wonderful weekend!

P.S. Sorry these were unavailable to view. I had updated them yesterday but a server change was taking place which made the site inaccessible.

xoxo Transit Blogger

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
Service Diversions
0

Cablevision Submits Wi-Fi Proposal To The MTA

Posted by
on June 3rd, 2010 at 12:25 am

If you have spent any time on a Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) or Metro-North Railroad train, you will see how tech savvy most riders have become. If they are not messing around on the latest & greatest smartphones, others are using iPads, laptops, & such. So this news might excite them as Cablevision has officially submitted a proposal to offer Optimum Wi-Fi on both commuter railroads. Kelly Riddell of Bloomberg has more in this report:

Cablevision Systems Corp., the fifth- largest U.S. cable operator, has submitted a proposal to offer Wi-Fi on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North commuter rail trains to expand wireless coverage of New York City.

The connections will let Cablevision’s high-speed Internet subscribers access the Web on the trains for free, and provide a “reasonable access option” for non-customers, the Bethpage, New York-based company said in an e-mailed statement today.

Cablevision has been expanding its wireless coverage in New York City as it steps up competition with phone provider Verizon Communications Inc., which has been extending its fiber-optic television service in the area. Cablevision already gives its customers access to Wi-Fi hotspots in the region. Extending network access to commuter trains may help retain existing customers while luring new ones.

The company submitted the proposal to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and said the network can be running within 12 months of selection at no cost to New York City taxpayers or the MTA.

Cablevision rose 71 cents to $25.08 at 4:02 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The stock has gained 18 percent this year.

This is great news as in a culture where being on top of things is vital to so many. So if the MTA can somehow help in those regards is a positive in many ways. While the agency is behind the curve in terms of technology, it is good to see them try & change that.

xoxo Transit Blogger

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
Technology
3

Fulton Transit Center June Work Schedule

Posted by
on June 2nd, 2010 at 5:57 pm

Once again work on the Fulton Transit Center will lead to service diversions at the station for 3 of the 4 weekends in June. As it did last month, MTA NYC Transit is issuing a schedule of the work in advance. Here are the complete details courtesy of the press release they sent me earlier:

Due to ongoing construction of the Fulton Street Transit Center, the following service changes will be in effect for weekends in June:

June 5-7:

• Queens-bound A Train trains skip Broadway-Nassau Street. (A Train trains run on the F Train line from West 4th Street to Jay Street)

• No C Train service.

• No 2 Train & 3 Train service at Fulton Street.

—-

June 12-14:

• Normal Service

—-

June 19-21:

• A Train trains bypass Broadway-Nassau St. in both directions.

• C Train trains run between 168th Street and World Trade Center.

• No transfers between the A Train, 2 Train, 3 Train, 4 Train, & 5 Train at Fulton Street/Broadway-Nassau St.

—-

June 26-28:

• No A Train or C Train service at Broadway-Nassau Street.

• No transfers between the A Train, 2 Train, 3 Train, 4 Train, & 5 Train at Fulton Street/Broadway-Nassau Street.

____

MTA NYC Transit apologizes for any inconvenience to our customers. Service changes at Fulton Street-Broadway Nassau station complex will continue for most weekends through October. As weekends approach, customers should:

• Pick up brochures that detail alternate travel options

• Look for signs and service change posters in stations

• Visit the website at www.mta.info and click on “Planned Service Changes” and/or “Current Service Status”

• Sign up for free email or text message alerts at www.mta.info

• Follow changes on Twitter at nyctsubwayscoop

• Call Travel Information at 718-330-1234

The Fulton Street Transit Center:

Some of the work being done at Fulton Street/Broadway-Nassau during these weekends include reinforcing girders over the AC platform. There will also be elevator work, which consists of digging the pits on the AC platform and at least partially constructing the shafts up through all levels of the station.

For more information on the construction project itself, log on to www.mta.info. Once at the home page, click on Capital Construction (under “MTA Agency Links”), then click on Fulton Street Transit Center under Programs.

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
Fulton Transit Center, Service Diversions
0

LIRR To Stop At Mets-Willets Point This Weekend

Posted by
on June 2nd, 2010 at 5:36 pm

Anyone who is involved or into the skateboarding scene knows about the big Maloof Money Cup happening this weekend. The MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) has announced that its Port Washington line trains will be stopping at the Mets-Willets Point station this weekend due to the event. Here are the complete details courtesy of a press release they sent out:

Big-time skateboarding comes to New York City the weekend of June 5-6 and the MTA Long Island Rail Road has the steel wheels to get you to where the urethane wheels are rolling. Additional train service to the Mets-Willets Point Station, just a short skate from the site of the Maloof Money Cup site at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, will be in effect all weekend long.

June 5:

Eastbound: Train service to Mets-Willets Point Station will begin with the 8:19 AM train from Penn Station and continue approximately every half hour through the 9:52 PM train from Penn Station

Westbound: Train service from Port Washington Station to Mets-Willets Point Station will begin with the 8:10 AM train and continue approximately every half hour through the 10:10 PM train from Port Washington Station.

June 6:

Eastbound: Train service to Mets-Willets Point Station will begin with the 8:19 AM train from Penn Station and continue approximately every half hour through the 7:19 PM train from Penn Station.

Westbound: Train service from Port Washington Station to Mets-Willets Point Station will begin with the 8:10 AM train and continue approximately every half hour through the 7:43 PM train from Port Washington Station.

Train service to Mets-Willets Point is available on eastbound Port Washington Branch trains from Penn Station and westbound trains from Great Neck and Port Washington. The train ride is just 19 minutes from Penn Station to Mets-Willets Point. For those traveling on the LIRR from Long Island, the ballpark is just seven minutes from Woodside, 17 minutes from Great Neck and 27 minutes from Port Washington. From Long Island, customers may travel directly to the stadium from Port Washington Branch stations. Customers from other branches should transfer at Woodside for service to Mets-Willets Point.

Skateboard fans traveling from branches other than Port Washington can reach Mets-Willets Point by taking a regularly scheduled train to Woodside Station, then changing to an eastbound Port Washington Branch train. Since Mets-Willets Point is located in Zone 1, tickets to that zone from outlying stations are valid to Mets-Willets Point. However, passengers must retain their ticket stubs and inform ticket collectors of their intention to travel to Mets-Willets Point Station. Customers must hold onto their tickets, which will be collected at Mets-Willets Point after they disembark.

The LIRR’s Mets-Willets Point Station is not handicapped accessible. The subway Flushing Line Mets-Willets Point station is accessible via the Queens-bound local platform, with an ADA ramp connecting to the sidewalk on the south side of Roosevelt Avenue. LIRR Customers with mobility impairments who are traveling to see the Mets should travel to Woodside Station. At Woodside Station, which has elevators, customers should transfer to a Flushing-bound #7 subway train to the Mets-Willets Point subway stop, and then use the ramp to reach Roosevelt Avenue, across from the ballpark.

To return to Woodside after the game, customers with mobility impairments should board the #7 subway and travel one stop east to its end point, the Flushing-Main Street Station. There, after a brief wait on the train, the train will head west to Woodside. This is necessary due to the location of the ramp, which will only permit access to the eastbound platform.

xoxo Transit Blogger

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
LIRR