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I'd thought PATH pretty much did this. Is it not as useful as it seemed?
by 46Bit 9y ago
I'd thought PATH pretty much did this. Is it not as useful as it seemed?
- greglindahl 9y agoPATH is at peak ridership. In 2010 it had a signals upgrade so that train spacing could be reduced, allowing more trains/hour at peak. The single tunnel shared by Amtrak and NJ Transit trains is 100% full of trains which are over 100% full at peak. So yes, PATH and other trains are extremely useful.
- prions 9y agoThe issue with PATH is that the tunnels are extremely old - older than the Manhattan subway tunnels. Whereas Manhattan subways have two tracks per tube, the PATH has only one. Service is not only slower, but you usually wait significantly longer just sitting on the PATH before it even leaves the station. Hurricane Sandy also did irreparable damage to the tunnels crossing the Hudson.
- JBReefer 9y agoCan you cite that? I thought that the PATH ran on the local tracks of the IND 6th Avenue tubes for most of it's Manhattan haul. I believe you are correct about the tracks through the cross river tubes, but less traffic makes it easier to incorporate in NYCTA, not harder. They talked about running PATH trains up the rest of the 6th Ave trunk in the early Aughts, but it fell apart due to political dysfunction (shocking).
- epc 9y agoPATH runs on its own tracks, between the IND local tracks on 6th. The cross-harbor tunnels are cast iron, and are not straight. The PATH and NYCT systems are incompatible. I think they use the same track gauges, but NYCT cars (either division) are too long to navigate some of the curves on PATH.
- prions 9y agoThe other comment answers your question. PATH trains going along 6th ave share stations with NYCT, but run in their own tunnels. The effects political dysfunction are really starting to materialize now. Penn Station, North River Tunnels, PATH tunnels are all in really critical states now.