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The MTA has pushed back plans to automate the L train to next year, as they work on working out the kinks and convincing the public that the line will work. In fact, when the MTA tested the automated L train over the weekend, the sole motorman made many mistakes; Newsday reports:
The failed exercise lasted less than an hour. It ended when the motorman, a train service supervisor with years on the job, mistakenly pulled an emergency alarm box in the subway tunnel, shutting off track power and stalling several other trains along the L line.Eek! But Gothamist guesses why there is a testing period. The test was a drill to see how the lone motorman would act in a smoking tunnel situation, complete with smoke simulators pumping white smoke, not real black smoke, and 100 mock riders. Newsday's account is pretty chilling, because the motorman didn't follow every single procedure, such as making sure passengers left the train cars, when the firefighters asked the mock riders, "What's your condition?" one said, "We're dead now." Gothamist is thinking it'll be many years before the other lines are automated.
Check out L train photos on Flickr. And Gothamist previously on L line automation.
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white smoke? there must have been a pope selected or something.
The article says that they may push back the automation until next year, but still says they are planning on removing conductors by June. From the perspective of an emergency, I think people are more concerned about only having one MTA employee on the train than they are about whether it's a robot or a person actually driving.
Given how many screwups the driver made, how much safer is it with another guy riding the train?
The reason the guy pulled the emergency brake was to sabotage the automation test. If automation works, which it will, motormen will be out of a job.
Sam, when a Baby Carriage gets stuck in a door, again, will the Automation Stop the train?
Maybe the conductor sabotaged the Test, but when the S___ hits the fan, do you Really want just **one** man guiding possibly hundreds out of the train?
Even two people are a stretch, but at least on could lead the way and the Other get any stranglers.
Actually, Sam, it's the conductors who are soon out of a job, whether the automation works or not-- read the article again!
Personally I think this automation thing is merely a way for the MTA to bug Albany for more money-- the same with the 2nd Ave line. If the MTA keeps pushing ahead with these crazy plans, eventually the state will need to cough up the dough. If they don't, they'll never get more than they're getting now.