The L is not Future Proof

Published on: November 11th, 2015 | Written by: Bad Guy Joe

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The L train was not designed for the future.

Many years ago, a guy was talking about buying a home along the L train. I gave him straight talk: The L line is a 2 track route that, despite the CBTC installation, will always be handicapped by being a 2 track route. The L is one of the only subway routes in NYC that is almost entirely 2 tracks for its entire length. If a train or signals breaks down or a passenger gets sick or jumps in front of a train at rush hour, or work needs to be done, service will be suspended. You will then be land locked in neighborhoods with few other viable, weatherproof, speedy transportation alternatives.

Our potential home buyer saw the obvious wisdom in these words, and bought his house in a neighborhood with more robust transit infrastructure.

Adventure
There are only 2 segments of the L train that contain 3 tracks – and in both cases, the extra track is only used for ‘laying up’ (parking) a train. Most of the time these tracks are kept clear, so they can be used in case of emergency (moving a disabled train off active track at rush hour).

Deck

For us, it provided a nice place to take a less dangerous stroll along this route. 2 track tunnels don’t provide many places to hide, while a 3 or 4 track line are far safer.

You get plenty of space to get artsy with your photos.

And surprisingly, the emergency exit has a decent amount of space to play with.

There’s plenty of graffiti down here.

Though I’m not going to show you all of it – tunnel graffiti is best read in person.

Enjoy your stroll. Just don’t buy property here thinking you’ll be able to commute to work reliably. As more and more buildings are upsized along this route, and entire neighborhoods gentrified, ridership numbers are only going up. And there’s nowhere to add more track.

Comments

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One response to “The L is not Future Proof”

1. Andrea Meyers says:

   March 12, 2019 at 12:43 PM

   This is one place (of many..if not all) that I really would love to get to.
   I read that you do guided tours. – I hope you would go here-
   and a couple other spots I would love to see in person.
   Not sure where to contact you… but until I am ready to make a plan..and set a date w/ your schedule..(if you still do this) I really hope to visit places I have been wanting to get to for …so so many years now.
   Thanks for the amazing photos and history and etc.

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