The F Shuttle on the New York Subway

[@Qboro66]

Hi Thom... This weekend the F line is resuming northbound through service on the 63rd Street tube. Southbound is still under construction. It's the first time since the extensive track work began. However, because of the new roadbed, the CBTC transponders were not in place therefore causing slight operational issues... Nonetheless it was a good work day today...

[@Thom-TRA]

Sounds like I uploaded this video right in the nick of time! Or should I say Knick of time…

[@douglas__w]

I wasn't aware that CBTC had been implemented on the IND 63rd St line or F trains

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

A permanent shuttle on the NYC Subway is the Rockaway Park Shuttle, which typically goes between Broad Channel (during summers, they've extended it to Rockaway Blvd) and Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Street. The shuttle has been in operation since 1956, and has gone by different bullets like HH, an aqua blue E, and the blue H (internally, NYCT operations still designate it as the H). The H bullet was revived after Hurricane Sandy when it operated between Far Rockaway-Mott Ave and Beach 90th Street via the Hammels Wye. Broad Channel is a unique station because of its location on a very small island of the Big Egg Marsh in the middle of Jamaica Bay within a wildlife refuge. The Dutch first established a community on the island in the 17th century and it became a community reliant on harvesting for shrimp, oysters, clams, and fish. It wasn't inhabited again until after the American Civil War. The LIRR built its Rockaway Beach Branch across the bay in 1880, cutting through Broad Channel, leading to fishing villages to be created and Broad Channel station opened in 1881. The railroad trestle across Jamaica Bay experienced around 30 fires between 1942 and 1950. In 1950 the LIRR was bankrupt and couldn't afford to repair, so NYC purchased it in 1952 and the line reopened as part of the subway in 1956.

[@Thom-TRA]

I’ve heard that shuttle might get the R211Ts eventually

[@MirzaAhmed89]

I used to live in the Rockaways.

[@kyronliu5190]

small correction at 6:20, the F shuttle runs three person train operation with an operator at both ends so they don’t have to delay trains to walk to the other end. the reason why the train continues west is because the train needs to clear a signal block and reset the signals to be able to reverse directions!

[@Thom-TRA]

Ah, good to know

[@patmeaden]

I know someone who lives on that island. Because of the shuttle, they’ve been commuting regularly on the “tram”

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

Definitely an interesting temporary shuttle! Of the permanent NYC shuttles, my favorite is the Franklin Ave Shuttle. So the Franklin Ave Shuttle is probably the most unique of the NYC shuttles. The original purpose of the BMT Franklin Ave Line was as part of a line to Coney Island, but an extension of the D to Coney Island via the Culver Line in 1954 put a dent to this service. It became a full-time shuttle in 1963. The line has Park Place, the only station that is served by just a Shuttle service AND the only station to have a single-track that is NOT a terminal station. It used to have another station only served by it called Dean Street but it closed in 1995 due to low ridership (which they said the fare evasion there didn't help with), it was dilapidated, and close proximity to Franklin Ave. The BMT Franklin Ave Line is single-tracked today, but it used to be double-tracked and they opted to single-track as part of completely rehabilitating the line. In the 1990s, service almost ended altogether because the stations were severely dilapidated but thanks to community opposition which pushed the NY State Assembly to force the MTA to fix the line, it was completely rehabilitated for 18 months and reopened in October 1999. The section of the line between Botanic Garden and Prospect Park was home to the deadliest crash in NYC subway history, as over 90 people lost their lives because a speeding train derailed in that sharply curved tunnel. There was a labor strike against the BRT and the BRT tried to keep service running with non-striking personnel, and decided to use Antonio Edward Luciano, a crew dispatcher who had NO experience operating the line. To prevent another, the BRT phased out wooden cars.

[@Thom-TRA]

I will have to check that one out next time! Maybe you can show me around…

[@00177454419]

A lot of mistakes here. You are confusing the now-defunct Culver shuttle with the Franklin avenue shuttle. In 1954, as you said the D line, or more specifically the IND subway was extended to the BMT Culver line at Ditmas Ave which allowed the D and later the F to run to Coney island. The remaining stub of the Culver line between Ditmas Avenue and the 4th avenue BMT subway became a single track shuttle known as the Culver shuttle. It was discontinued in the mid 70's. What is now the Frankiin avenue shuttle allowed trains to run from the now defunct Fulton Avenue elevated to the Brighton line down to Coney Island. The BMT subway from Prospect Park to Dekalb avenue and the Manahttan Bridge was built around the 1930's combined with the closing of the Fulton avenue elevated resulted in what is now the Franklin Avenue shuttle. When it was reconstructed in the late 90's only a single track exists at the Northern Franklin avenue terminal, but the rest is double tracked down to Prospect Park.

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

@@00177454419Nope, you're confused! Never said it was the Culver Line itself! I said how the D using the Culver Line INSTEAD of this line to Brighton put a dent to the Franklin Ave Line. It also didn't help that the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn in 1958, as many took the BMT Franklin Ave Line to get to Ebbets Field.

[@transitcaptain]

Being a New York Transit Fan, I never realized others found quirks like this to be strange or confusing. It’s so normal

[@Thom-TRA]

This is not normal perse, even for a NYCT detour it’s pretty different.

[@transitcaptain]

@@Thom-TRAI get that, but with so many different types of service changes, I was practically prepared for this

[@Thom-TRA]

@@transitcaptain good for you

[@Journal_Squareee]

A few shuttle routes are also different in intervals like the 42 St Shuttle, which is the 0. And the Rockaway Park Shuttle in which is the H

[@SleepTrain456]

I've heard of the F shuttle, but I didn't know it was temporary! I'm glad you got to ride it, while it is still around. Thanks for the video!

[@Thom-TRA]

You’re welcome!

[@geosophik9369]

I find it amazing that the train cars and announcement voices remain the same after more than 20 years in the case of the F and M line. Or nearly 40 years in the case of the Q line and others (they look the same as they did in the 1990s). They held up pretty well, and/or were renovated with the same style.

[@Thom-TRA]

The announcements remain one of my favorite features of the subway

[@trien30]

My father drove from Queens to Roosevelt Island when my grandmother was in the nursing home. Then after they finished the F train, I took it to visit my grandma during my college years. I later took the tram to Roosevelt Island with some family members visiting NYC from Texas.

[@Thom-TRA]

Glad this brought up memories!

[@Zzznorch]

My elderly mother still refers to Roosevelt Island by its former name: Welfare Island 😂

[@MirzaAhmed89]

Why not Blackwell Island?

[@NovaVortex193]

It's weird how they keep renaming it. I bet if something heinous comes out about FDR they'll rename it for the 80th time

[@joermnyc]

Odd thing, last weekend the F to Queens did use the 63rd Street tunnel route, as did the E to Queens. Guess the 53rd Street tunnel needed emergency repairs on the Queens bound side.

[@jeesmith99]

It’s a good day when TRA drops a new video.

[@Thom-TRA]

Have a great day!

[@Patrickair4444]

Just sound very interesting train line a shuttle in New York City. Sounds very fun to ride an interesting.

[@michaelb9629]

I’ve never heard of a train shuttle that’s part of this subway system. It’s nice that they provide them when part of a line is closed or has to be rerouted just like they’d do with pretty much any train system.

[@Thom-TRA]

There are actually three permanent shuttles on the New York Subway!

[@GobbiExists]

@@Thom-TRAthere are also a few more shuttles that are in the MTA’s night schedule!

[@ayindestevens6152]

Ayyy Thom in my neck of the woods NYC. The aerial tram is definitely one of the coolest gems of the city. I took a college professor from the UK last year and he loved it. It’s also somewhat nostalgic for the F to run on 53rd again.

[@Thom-TRA]

I will definitely be coming back!

[@ayindestevens6152]

@@Thom-TRA neat. Also I love the phone case idea any chance of you expanding the design so include USA rolling stock from the NYC Subway, CTA etc…

[@Thom-TRA]

@@ayindestevens6152 eventually when I have time! CTA is next in line

[@ayindestevens6152]

@@Thom-TRA ok I’ll wait patiently for that one but I’ll definitely look at getting a shirt in the near future!

[@alk61695]

I ride the Queens Boulevard line often for and for many years. The rerouted F train actually takes the F on it's original route before they rerouted it to run through the 63rd street tunnel. I still remember the old days when the F ran under 53rd street. When they rerouted the F to 63rd, the MTA introduced the V line. That was discontinued in 2010 and replaced with the current M line.

[@rikkichunn8856]

I have figured out why the F shuttle carries the S route sign. Most people think that the S is short for shuttle. Actually, because the train runs so slowly, the S is short for snail. That way, people can stand on the platform and watch the escargot. 😉

[@rikkichunn8856]

Awwww, nobody got the joke. Escargot is French for snail, and it's a pun on "S car go".

[@portcybertryx222]

I hope you get to ride the new R 211Ts soon!

[@Thom-TRA]

I really want to. As a European, I’m actually a big fan of open gangways. I’m wondering what the best way to catch them would be.

[@Qboro66]

​@Thom-TRA Hi Thom... Last week Friday and Saturday, I qualified on the R211A and R211T and learned how to isolate a car on the T with the built-in isolation curtains... The T's debuted on the C local recently due to lack of fire suppression equipment, and therefore are forbidden to run express in passenger service. Rumor has it they'll ultimately run all 20 cars on the Rockaway Park shuttle which is outdoors.

[@Thom-TRA]

@@Qboro66 congrats on the certification! That’s great! And thanks for the info

[@MarioFanGamer659]

Temporary lines are weird; I remember when I went to Berlin at Sep 2022, there was some maintenance on the east-west U2 viaduct so a temporary service named U12 which basically ran as the U2 west of Nollendorfplatz and U1 east of it.

[@Thom-TRA]

A naming system like that makes more sense to me.

[@MarkBustos2]

As right now the F Train is using it's original route prior to 2001 when 63rd street tunnel finally connected to Queens Bulevard Lines. Once the F Train used the 63 st tunnel the MTA created the V Train to serve the stations that serve F Train and more service prior to 2010 when M Train took over.

[@Thom-TRA]

Would love for them to run some nostalgia trains with discontinued letters someday. Just for some cool pics.

[@ayindestevens6152]

@@Thom-TRAonce the R46’s and 68’s retire you’ll have your wish. However for the older units I think they’ll need to make them by hand.

[@richardsantiago429]

i took this june go to tram. i remember they first opened in 2001.

[@tjtreinen7381]

In the 1980's, I used to work on 59th and lex, and lived on the west side. I used to take a shuttle from the east side to the west side, and west side to east side. it was a very short ride. I remember the platform sloping at an angle going up/down. Do you know what train this was? was this the "S" train. I just remember it going down, then up on the other side, where I'd catch the #1-2-3 trains up to w 72nd.

[@Thom-TRA]

Perhaps the 42nd street shuttle from Grand Central to Times Square?

[@kevanhubbard9673]

A detached part of the F Line for now!A bit like a country with an exclave like Alaska or Russia and Kalingrad or the very interesting Dutch/Belgian Baarle Nassau/Hertog!

[@a81517]

Bro what the F

[@ozgirl45]

I love the Roosevelt Island tramway! Looking forward to seeing your video.

[@Thom-TRA]

It quickly became one of my favorites!

[@brmnyc]

I don't think you need to "worry" about running out of time to take this shuttle. They only just finished the westbound/downtown track, after how many months? And now they've moved the construction to the Queensbound track. I wonder if after all of this work if the trains will be able to run under the East River at a quicker speed.

[@darkgalaxyi_o_l_o_i7831]

I heard that the current service change where the F is running on 53rd St was originally supposed to happen in 2020, before the pandemic occurred. I find it interesting that on the stations on the 53rd Street line, the F bullets are black and not white. This could mean that this service change would remain permanent with the M becoming the new service on 63rd St. This reconstruction effort could be seen as a way for the MTA to test if this service change would be beneficial. I think so since the service prior to reconstruction involved the E (Queens Boulevard Express) to merge with the M (Queens Boulevard Local), which caused multiple delays on these routes that ripple across different routes.

[@Thom-TRA]

That would be really interesting. I think they’d probably want to keep F on whatever is fastest, seeing as it’s an express in Queens. But I don’t know which line is faster. We shall see!

[@MrCrazycook8]

When are you going to start a touring company? You know your way around many cities, you are a terrific tour guide.

[@Thom-TRA]

Could be a good gig to get me through grad school!

[@GILLIGFAN]

I liken the oddities of NYC Using “S” for tons of things and replacing letters to how our Light Rail uses “Subway Local” for several things yet countless folks still ask “What’s a Subway Local” ?

[@rikkichunn8856]

Great video, Thom! It was fascinating to see this historical anomaly which you covered so beautifully. The 64 cent question: If the shuttle doesn't actually run under 6th Avenue, why are its signs colored orange? When I was staying in Park Slope, Brooklyn, I rode the F train into Manhattan. I got on under ground somewhere on the IND Culver Line. And I noticed something curious. There were express tracks, but no express service. Is it true they've restored it during rush hour?

[@Thom-TRA]

Ah, now that’s a great question! Time to bring out a new color. (In all honesty I really don’t think I would have picked this solution, but then again, I don’t work at MTA)

[@kennythedragon47]

toronto could learn from this. instead of closing a whole service for a weekend they can single track between two stations.

[@Thom-TRA]

I used to live in Japan and they would always do projects in a way that service could just run all the way. Especially grade separation projects would always happen next to the existing tracks and in phases, so it wouldn’t disrupt service.

[@star80doessdastuff]

Awesome video, but can we talk about the lopsided American flag ok the r160??

[@ck4426]

Glad you got to ride this awesome shuttle and I’m looking forward to the awesome tramway experience soon!!!

[@DesertTony92264]

Looks like CBTC signal installation in progress

[@ArtisticHH57]

my father rode the F train everyday when he was living in New York. Thanks, Thom! This is Harrison by the way.

[@Thom-TRA]

Hey Harrison! Good to hear from you again, hope you’ve been well!

[@ArtisticHH57]

I have! Thanks for checking in! If you like sports, I’m gonna be uploading some videos from a hockey game I’m going to tonight onto Double H Productions (currently Double H), My KZbin Channel.

[@AlexandraZacharias-y9f]

I think the F train should have permanently been shifted to 53 St on Weekdays because the delays caused by F trains merging with E trains slows the entire QBL down. The M train should conduct service on 63 St on Weekdays, with the F running on 63 St all other times. Also, the train doing the F shuttle was actually 8 cars long instead of 10 like usually F trains because it was taken from the M line.

[@UncommonElevators]

Why was the 63rd st tunnel built in the first place, since it is a redundant route?

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s called a bottleneck

[@AshmewStudios]

Is there a reason why they couldn't do this over a few weekends?

[@BDavinci06]

You made a video about the F train Shuttle from Lexington-63rd to 21st Street-Queensbridge. Yours truly worked here too on New Year's Eve as a standby train operator on that day. It was when they was working on the northbound track. For this line, there are two train operators on both ends of the train with the conductor in the middle. So the one operator on the Lex- 63rd will pull it into spot past the station where they can turn back. And the one thats on the northbound side to 21st Street side will pull it back into the Station and operate to 21st Street. Then the Southbound Train Operator will operate it again from 21st Street back to Lexington-63rd. I'll take the completion of this project with a tiny grain of salt because sometimes things can happen to push it back later, but we'll see in by the end of March. I speak from experience of as a train operator of working through this extensive trackwork on the Subway. Great video as always Thom!!

[@Thom-TRA]

I filmed this video two days later!

[@ser010267]

Amazing how the F Shuttle is running out of ENY yard and not Jamaica

[@holdenleeb2312]

Awesome transition with the door opening!

[@Thom-TRA]

I’m so glad someone saw it. It kind of happened accidentally and I knew I had to keep it.

[@douzef_hottel]

Hey there, just a quick question. Is this still ongoing or is it over now?

[@Thom-TRA]

It just ended this week!

[@Tafazy_Channel]

Amazing America! Ciao Ciao! Like

[@Thom-TRA]

Grazie!

[@youtubeuser5424]

So if you missed the train, you can yell AH F!

[@Thom-TRA]

And then another F because it’s a 20 minute wait…

[@sammymarrco47]

Did you record this when you were on your day trip with the Dutch friends?

[@Thom-TRA]

No, I recorded this in January

[@londonwhaley8690]

I enjoyed that video👍👍

[@Thom-TRA]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Patrickair4444]

7:39 do you have the iPhone 14?

[@Thom-TRA]

15!

[@Thom-TRA]

But yes it is available in all sizes

[@yellowcar423]

Its a bit sad to see r160's running on the F shuttle, thanks to the fact that SMEE trains have orange S bullets (such as the r46's and r68's)

[@Thom-TRA]

That would be epic

[@terryb0241]

Who has the better subway system New York or Chicago

[@Thom-TRA]

New York easily. There are quite a few US systems better than Chicago at this moment.

[@scoe6728]

Is this still going on ?

[@Thom-TRA]

No not anymore

[@amiranore1707]

The opening scene of the tram and skyline is so beautiful

[@SlytherinFan-jd3ne]

There should have been the F train going via BMT Broadway.

[@keitho.sylvan1137]

They also have F shuttle programs however sometimes they will use this S program instead. you got lucky

[@Thom-TRA]

I guess I did!

[@void2258]

Roosevelt island is technicality part of Manhattan, but the only car bridge goes to queens, and students are considered queens for the purposes of bussing (there are no schools on the island).

[@masongamerr]

now the f train via 53 line 😂

[@Daisy_does_Stuff]

Sometimes the train will say F on it, but sometimes not

[@Thom-TRA]

A true mystery

[@jadenmuniz8817]

@@Thom-TRASo in my opinion, the setup is controversial. What should’ve happened in the beginning was that MTA advertise the shuttle as an S train, with the S bullet on maps and posters saying: “F train rerouted via 53rd Street; shuttle service provided between Lexington Avenue-63rd Street and 21st Street-Queensbridge. On shuttles that displayed F, a passenger might’ve assumed it will continue instead of stopping. It also began by saying “Brooklyn-bound F local train” at Roosevelt Island, when the next stop is Lex-63. And then it gets worse. While the S program was created, the F program wasn’t deleted. But when MTA realized about “Brooklyn-bound”, it was replaced by Velina announcing the train to Lex-63rd, while calling it the “F shuttle”. In the end, trains using both programs made the whole experience overall very confusing.

[@qolspony]

They've been doing this for years.

[@Thom-TRA]

That’s not true

[@tukaidas1272]

Bro you have big potential go to asia and tour different cities with rail metro bullet train maghlev monorail tram light rail all the systems you will grow significant amount of subscribers Bro come to asia i love your japan series

[@Thom-TRA]

I’d love to go back to Japan. I lived there for 10 years.

[@x2Mizu]

why is this video so bright omg, hdr is overkill

[@Thom-TRA]

Fun fact, you can adjust the brightness on your screen.

[@tokugawa12able]

FANTASTIC!!! Only a New Yorker can truly understand! Now others can. If they try. THANK YOU , Thom. You are very technically and doctrinally correct with your Lines - Services distinction. BUT, don’t forget: colloquially, New Yorkers don’t refer to the Services as such. We use the term “Lines.” “Which line takes you to the Brooklyn Bridge?”

[@Thom-TRA]

I love the transit in New York, happy to explain it to everyone!

[@tokugawa12able]

@@Thom-TRA Thanks, I grew up with it!!!

[@Thom-TRA]

@@tokugawa12able I would probably say “train” if I meant a service. Like what train do I take? The 6 train. Like that.

[@tokugawa12able]

@Thom-TRA And you'd be right, too...most of the time.

[@ayindestevens6152]

@@tokugawa12ableI’ve used both interchangeably

[@norifromreallife-di7hi120]

So, does this mean that the ORANGE S IS BACK!? WOOOO! oh only for a few months? Ok

[@Thom-TRA]

Yep just for a little bit!

[@norifromreallife-di7hi120]

@@Thom-TRA ye

[@thomasucc]

I got mugged there

[@Thom-TRA]

Sorry to hear that

[@Gosox449]

NYC subways are so confusing, way too many trains, letters, and stations

[@Thom-TRA]

Big cities just have a lot of lines and stations.

[@robertewalt7789]

Look at the map of the Tokyo subway and trains.

[@Gosox449]

@@robertewalt7789 it’s insane ik

[@spaceandtrains-1441]

i rode this in nyc creative solution

[@teecefamilykent]

Great video ya daft pair, in the uk there is a KZbin channel called "Nick Bately" he does train videos too, maybe you should do a team up?

[@Thom-TRA]

If I make my way to the UK I’ll reach out!