Using Countdown Clock Data to Understand the New York City Subway
toddwschneider.com
Using Countdown Clock Data to Understand the New York City Subway
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Re: Using Countdown Clock Data to Understand the New York City Subway
#2>The L train is also the only line that uses modern >communications-based train control (CBTC), which allows >trains to operate in a more automated fashion.
It's not "more automated fashion", it's fully automated, LIDAR and all - they are fully autonomous. L trains have operators because of unions throwing a fit and most of the times they sit there twiddling their thumbs.
Re: Using Countdown Clock Data to Understand the New York City Subway
#3>The L train is also the only line that uses modern >communications-based train control (CBTC), which allows >trains to operate in a more automated fashion. It's not "more automated fashion", it's fully automated, LIDAR and all - they are fully autonomous. L trains have operators because of unions throwing a fit and most of the times they sit there twiddling their thumbs.
I don't mind paying a man to sit at the head of the train even if they're autonomous. I also don't believe making all the lines CBTC are going to solve the core issues of breakdowns outside of an ancient signaling system.
Some of the lines in NYC are still using R32 cars[1]. They were built in 1965 that is ludicrous. Granted, they were refurbished in the late 80s but that's still 30 years ago.
That said most of the lines are running "newer" stock (either from the late 80s[2] or mid-2000s[3]) but the focus on signaling, while at the core of many delays, is a band-aid on a system that is fundamentally broken by way of funding EVERYTHING appropriately. While I do appreciate the wifi in stations I completely don't care about it if the train doesn't arrive. While I do appreciate the "wait time" clocks they're meaningless when they say "5 minutes" for 15 minutes then switch to DELAY. You might as well not have a sign at all.
There are fundamental bureaucratic issues going on causing many of these problems and technology is not a root solution. It's a patch. You won't be able to argue with me that one of the busiest transport system in one of the richest cities on the planet cannot manage to fund serious upgrades.
Also wary of politicians blaming the unions like they're the cause of everything. This is an ongoing tactic that makes sure that nothing continues to happen. They aren't the problem directly even if there's a lot of dead weight. They're, again, a symptom of higher level management problems.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R32/A_(New_York_City_Subway_ca...
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R62A_(New_York_City_Subway_car...
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R160_(New_York_City_Subway_car...
Re: Using Countdown Clock Data to Understand the New York City Subway
#4>The L train is also the only line that uses modern >communications-based train control (CBTC), which allows >trains to operate in a more automated fashion. It's not "more automated fashion", it's fully automated, LIDAR and all - they are fully autonomous. L trains have operators because of unions throwing a fit and most of the times they sit there twiddling their thumbs.
We have this system on a few lines in London now. The only job now for the train 'drivers' is to open and close the doors and the platform.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automation_of_the_London_Under...
Re: Using Countdown Clock Data to Understand the New York City Subway
#5Bless Todd W. Schneider and his in depth mathematical analyses of travel times in NYC. See also his epic Uber/Taxi post: http://toddwschneider.com/posts/analyzing-1-1-billion-nyc-ta...
Re: Using Countdown Clock Data to Understand the New York City Subway
#6>The L train is also the only line that uses modern >communications-based train control (CBTC), which allows >trains to operate in a more automated fashion. It's not "more automated fashion", it's fully automated, LIDAR and all - they are fully autonomous. L trains have operators because of unions throwing a fit and most of the times they sit there twiddling their thumbs.
I feel it's worth reminding that there's a difference between autonomous trains, driverless trains and unattended trains.
The L train is considered Grade of Automation 2 - it starts and stops itself, though it has someone in the driver's seat who controls the doors and gives control to the ATO system. Driverless (GoA3) trains move that role to a train attendant who controls the doors from within the train. Unattended (GoA4) trains function without needing an on-board operator at all.
The driver probably is just sitting with a hand near the emergency stop button most of the time, but they're still required to pay attention. I imagine it's harder work now that they don't have to necessarily concentrate to operate the train.
I live in London, where a lot of tube lines are already (or soon to be) GoA2, with the introduction of a part-GoA2 mainline service this year (Thameslink). I don't think we'll see a GoA 4 tube for many years; aside from the obvious union rows, you've got safety concerns (primarily platform-edge-doors, which can't be retrofitted to cramped stations), and there's mixed public opinion on the idea of being stuck on a broken down train in a tunnel without on-train staff. Then again, people don't seem to acknowledge that the airport terminal transfers are unattended GoA4.
Re: Using Countdown Clock Data to Understand the New York City Subway
#7He's completely right that the data is messy and sometimes makes no sense at all. Even a passenger waiting for a train, if paying attention, will notice trains appear, disappear and "jump around" on the countdown clocks.
Re: Using Countdown Clock Data to Understand the New York City Subway
#8I notice the numbered trains are all coming out ahead of the lettered trains. Is this taking into account the bug in the MTA data where the countdown clocks for the lettered trains weren't accurate at the terminal stations until a week or so ago?
Re: Using Countdown Clock Data to Understand the New York City Subway
#9>The L train is also the only line that uses modern >communications-based train control (CBTC), which allows >trains to operate in a more automated fashion. It's not "more automated fashion", it's fully automated, LIDAR and all - they are fully autonomous. L trains have operators because of unions throwing a fit and most of the times they sit there twiddling their thumbs.
I feel it's worth reminding that there's a difference between autonomous trains, driverless trains and unattended trains. The L train is considered Grade of Automation 2 - it starts and stops itself, though it has someone in the driver's seat who controls the doors and gives control to the ATO system. Driverless (GoA3) trains move that role to a train attendant who controls the doors from within the train. Unattended…
The DLR is GoA 4. It wasn't exactly smooth sailing at first: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwruoagYq0U
Re: Using Countdown Clock Data to Understand the New York City Subway
#10The author does briefly mention this, but the countdown clocks are not every accurate. I often see a wait time of "3 min" and then it's there in the next 10 seconds. Or you can see the opposite where it just hangs on "3 min" for a minute or two and was really 5 minutes away. In reality it should just report at its accuracy, e.g., "PS, why do people stick their necks over the tracks to look if a train is coming?