Signs placed in stations on the B and C line like the one above at 86th Street are now broadcasting arrival time, finally catching up with the numbered lines, which have had them for years.
Thanks to Gregg.
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Finally, this will make the B and C so much more usable, now that you can plan your trip so much better!
Who cares about this? We all have phones that can view the times on an app. The money of the MTA should be spent towards the awful infrastructure and old subway stations. Another project of money spent without any thought.
Sigh! Our phones just tell us the timetable time. No relation to reality. If these clocks reflect the actual expected arrival times of the trains, they are definitely what we needed. And correct information is tied into signal updates, we assume.
Which app does this for subways? I have one for buses but not for trains;.
I`m using an app called “Transit”-Icon is green with white line on it. it`s useless for trains on the weekends and somewhat accurate on weekdays.
In fairness, your phone can view the times on an app only because the MTA installed 4G service in all of the stations. Agree the MTA needs to spend money on infrastructure, but significant improvements in rider experience are not a waste. Also, by the way, I think the apps just tell you the scheduled times… how often do the trains run on schedule?
Sean, you’d be surprise, not everyone owns a smart phone. Additionally, no app existed for the B/C Lines, as the MTA didn’t have these lines on line.
I stopped using the official MTA subway app a few weeks ago because they upgraded and left off half of the helpful features that were previously available. I now use NYC Subway (red icon with a white subway car) and it’s amazing because it shows all of the lines on the arrival boards, the time a train is due, plus where the train is actually located. If you’re on 72nd and B’way it shows ‘train approaching,’ OR ‘at Penn Station, 4 minutes, on time,’ etc. Haven’t had any problems with it yet.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the next downtown train is two stations away” Twenty minutes later: “Ladies and gentlemen, the next downtown train is two stations away”.
I find it amusing when you get a “Ladies and Gentlemen, there is a Brooklyn bound train one station away,” followed a minute later by a “Ladies and Gentlemen, there is a Brooklyn bound train two stations away.” Obviously a different train, but it makes it sound like there is a train moving backwards.
…and, I believe, it is only operational for the C line.
It works for the B and D trains…They also installed them at the express station in Harlem at 125th.
on the 1,2,3 also
Countdown clocks on the numbered lines have existed for years. The numbered lines are finally catching up.
Happy it will be there but based on the usual frequency of those trains, the information might frequently be depressing numbers like “9 minutes”
Waiting 9 minutes for a train depresses you?
Gotta admit when I first read this headline, I was like, “Wait – why are C and B train riders so concerned about getting nuked?”
Just goes to show that some people are never happy.
This is a welcome development. It’s nice to know when the next train is arriving. I ride the 1, 2, 3, and 7 trains regularly and find the clocks to be very accurate.
Hooray! – Long overdue, but better late than never. They would be better applied prior to paying for a fare, but one miracle at a time.
Hooray! Even a long wait becomes more palatable when you know how long it will be.
Now the MTA just needs to cut pension and health care benefits for retirees and use the savings for needed system upgrades.
Are you joking? 😮
It is a bit of a non-sequitor but I agree with him 100%. The ridiculous, way above market benefits that MTA (as well as city) employees get are the main reason why their finances are in such bad shape.
As much as I love the countdown clocks, nothing is as gratifying as seeing the reflection of the train headlights in the tunnel.
A terrific addition!
I saw these also on the R/N lines in Brooklyn last week.
It was definitely a nice surprise when I saw they had been installed. The announcements never make any sense. As mentioned by others, an announcement that a train is 1 station away and then all of a sudden its 2 stations away. Its like the original train was lost in the Bermuda Triangle
This is fantastic news and so far thumbs up all around. I have two completely useless apps that give two very different times (as much as 10 minutes) for the next train.
The new clocks take the guess work (and stress) out of the equation!