New York City Transit Culver F Line Brooklyn signal modernization has many potential benefits

Between 1968 and 1976, New York City Transit (NYC Transit) routinely used the middle track during rush hours south of the Church Avenue Station for Manhattan-bound INDF Culver Line trains between Kings Highway to Jay Street Borough Hall (today known as Jay Street-Metro Tech) for Manhattan-bound express service.

During the evening peak, it was used in reverse for Brooklyn bound express service. The Queens Brooklyn Crosstown G Line provided local service between Church Avenue and Jay Street Borough Hall during rush hours. On Monday, Sept. 16, 2019 NYC Transit reintroduced on a very limited basis two morning and two evening express F trains using this long forgotten middle track.

Riders boarding stations between the Church Avenue and Jay Street-MetroTech stations could save several minutes during their rush hour commutes. Upon completion of Positive Train Control, NYC Transit could decide to extend rush hour express service by operating more trains to stations south of Church Avenue using the middle track. This could save thousands of commuters even more time.

Assignment of additional subway cars to the F Line fleet requiring a minimum of additional operating costs might make for a great Metropolitan Transportation Authority investment for improvement of service. Why not take advantage of this underutilized asset upon completion of  Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) on this subway line?

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Larry Penner is a transportation historian and advocate who previously worked 31 years for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 NY Office. This included the development, review, approval and oversight for grants supporting billions in capital projects and programs on behalf of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York City Transit bus and subway, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad, MTA Bus and NYC Department of Transportation.