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MTA runs express trains. They don't get up to 100mph, but they skip many local stops along the way. Raising their speed to 100mph would likely not meaningfully

MTA runs express trains. They don't get up to 100mph, but they skip many local stops along the way. Raising their speed to 100mph would likely not meaningfully increase transit time - you'd maybe shave off a few minutes.

bob_theslob646 2y ago
I wonder if there was a way to calculate how many more passengers they could serve if they had faster trains?
- kevin_thibedeau 2y ago
  You just have to look at the peak ridership figures from 1949. They're running well under the capacity the system could handle 75 years ago. Faster trains aren't necessary.
  - bob_theslob646 2y ago
    The population of New York City in 1949 was 14,892,000 It's definitely under capacity by that metric. https://www.wnyc.org/story/subway-ridership-hits-65-year-high/ https://www.wnyc.org/story/subway-ridership-hits-65-year-hig... The only issue is that then it arguably had a much larger tax base than it does now to fund it.
LeanderK 2y ago
it boggles my mind that a place like new york doesn't have the money to just do that. Raising the speed limit gets more important the longer you travel and connects distant parts your city better. It's a recent trend to build high-speed lines to complement an existing, dense subway network (e.g. Paris goes up to 75 mph). I mean when were these built, a 100 years ago? Surely there's room for improvement.
- rayiner 2y ago
  > it boggles my mind that a place like new york doesn't have the money to just do that Because building a subway in New York City costs $4 billion per mile.
- jazzyjackson 2y ago
  Used to be 55mph, it was lowered to 40 tops after an accident in 1995, some places the limit is 15mph "The Trains Are Slower Because They Slowed the Trains Down" https://www.villagevoice.com/the-trains-are-slower-because-they-slowed-the-trains-down/ https://www.villagevoice.com/the-trains-are-slower-because-t... Similarly there's a top speed of 79mph on the rest of the country on most passenger rail since the Naperville Train Disaster of 1946 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naperville_train_disaster https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naperville_train_disaster

bob_theslob646 2y ago

I wonder if there was a way to calculate how many more passengers they could serve if they had faster trains?

kevin_thibedeau 2y ago
You just have to look at the peak ridership figures from 1949. They're running well under the capacity the system could handle 75 years ago. Faster trains aren't necessary.
- bob_theslob646 2y ago
  The population of New York City in 1949 was 14,892,000 It's definitely under capacity by that metric. https://www.wnyc.org/story/subway-ridership-hits-65-year-high/ https://www.wnyc.org/story/subway-ridership-hits-65-year-hig... The only issue is that then it arguably had a much larger tax base than it does now to fund it.

LeanderK 2y ago

it boggles my mind that a place like new york doesn't have the money to just do that. Raising the speed limit gets more important the longer you travel and connects distant parts your city better. It's a recent trend to build high-speed lines to complement an existing, dense subway network (e.g. Paris goes up to 75 mph). I mean when were these built, a 100 years ago? Surely there's room for improvement.

rayiner 2y ago
> it boggles my mind that a place like new york doesn't have the money to just do that Because building a subway in New York City costs $4 billion per mile.
jazzyjackson 2y ago
Used to be 55mph, it was lowered to 40 tops after an accident in 1995, some places the limit is 15mph "The Trains Are Slower Because They Slowed the Trains Down" https://www.villagevoice.com/the-trains-are-slower-because-they-slowed-the-trains-down/ https://www.villagevoice.com/the-trains-are-slower-because-t... Similarly there's a top speed of 79mph on the rest of the country on most passenger rail since the Naperville Train Disaster of 1946 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naperville_train_disaster https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naperville_train_disaster