Gothamist: OPTO: The L Train Rider's Friend or Foe?

Hnt

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 17:17:58 -0500

Whats wrong with OPTO?!?! So many other metro systems in the world only use it, including London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris... True, those cities are safer than NY, but face it, a conductor lost here can be used to drive additional trains for more service elsewhere or man token booths. Also, the reason why the driver has to look out is b/c there aren't TVs in the front of the platform yet. Also, when the MTA installs the tech used in other systems that can open the door automatically after stopping at a station or closing it auto, then the driver will not hv to worry as much. CHANGE takes TIME.

j.l.

Tue, 21 Jun 2005 11:29:32 -0500

Its not fair to compare OPTO L trains to OPTO G trains.... G trains are only four cars long.

Call me crazy, but--

Mon, 20 Jun 2005 11:36:28 -0500

Erm--why do people with bikes ride the train?

scazza

Mon, 20 Jun 2005 11:23:50 -0500

I think all this fear over the robotrains is silly. One difference I did notice was that the train was slower and the doors took longer to open. That sluggishness might have been b/c train operators now have to get used to more tasks. I'm just hoping that now that the robotrains are operational, there won't be anymore shutting down of the L on nights and weekends. That was horrible.

glitch p-udding

Mon, 20 Jun 2005 10:03:07 -0500

Seriously, how often do people even seen conductors on a train? How is one guy in a closet with a noisy door going do do anything for you when you're 6 cars down? Remember the last time someone got sick on the train? Who got the train to stop? Was it the conductor? No. It was you.

S.D.

Mon, 20 Jun 2005 09:45:14 -0500

I wonder about the MTA's Timing... After that woman getting Raped at 21st street, is it really wise to put Only ONE MTA employee on the train? I know the MTA guy's safety is a 2ndary concern, but Suppose someone attacks the guy? Does the police just wait to find his/her unconscious/dead body??

peter royal

Mon, 20 Jun 2005 09:15:38 -0500

i was on one of these trains sunday night. when i got off at my stop, i saw the driver looking out the window down along the length of the train to determine when people had exited. hello?!, isn't that why the video monitors were installed with cameras at the front, middle and rear of the trains, so the driver could see when passengers had finished entering and exiting the train? isn't that why the conductor is in the middle of the train, because its hard to see all the way down the length of the train, especially with stops where the train is slightly curved?