R Train Extended To Whitehall Street
Although Hurricane Sandy was over a month ago, the effects are still being felt throughout the region. One of the many transportation victims was the R train which has had its route split into two sections due to the damage of the Montague Tube. The first part of service saw it run from Forest Hills to 34th St-Herald Square leaving customers without vital service to Lower Manhattan.
However that is about to change in a little over 30 minutes from now as the MTA will be extended the 
down to Whitehall Street. Here is more via the press release I received earlier this morning:
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that Broadway R service will be extended to Whitehall Street beginning at 6 a.m. Monday, December 3, operating south of 34th Street for the first time since Superstorm Sandy left millions of gallons of corrosive salt water in several subway stations and under river tubes.
“The resumption of service to the Whitehall Street station will restore a vital link to midtown’s west side for Staten Islanders and also ease crowding along the Lexington Avenue Line,� said Governor Cuomo.
Transit workers accomplished the herculean task of repairing and replacing track, third rail, communications systems, pumping equipment, electrical feeds and controls in order to bring the Whitehall Street R station back on line. This will allow MTA New York City Transit to extend R train service from 34th Street to Whitehall Street in lower Manhattan easing the burden on the Lexington Avenue Line.
MTA Chairman and CEO Joseph Lhota stated, “Transit workers continue to work around the clock to bring the Montague Tube back online, which will complete the R Line link from lower Manhattan to Downtown Brooklyn.
Customers should be aware that only one escalator at this deep station is in operation. The escalator at the north end of the station (Stone Street entrance) had previously been removed from service for replacement and remains out. The two escalators at the southern end sustained extensive damage in the wake of the storm but one has been restored to service. Customers who have difficulty climbing stairs are urged to consider using the Rector Street R station instead.
Much work remains in order to restore the Montague Tube which carries R trains between lower Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn. Workers are repairing and replacing hundreds of signal relays, track switches, stop motors and electrical wiring. Service to Brooklyn is expected by late December.
xoxo Transit Blogger
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment