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Transport Workers Union members were on the Upper East Side this morning, protesting MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow and his and the MTA board's "inaction" on the contract. Now, Gothamist understands why they went, but we doubt Kalikow will listen. The Daily News printed Kalikow's answers to reader questions, and we have to doubt whether or not Kalikow actually rides the system from time to time. Take this question:
Q: The temperature in the subways is absolutely atrocious and dangerously hot in the summertime. Can't something be done to make the temps more tolerable?Uh, customers do tend to spend a lot of time waiting for subways when July and August are so hot that tracks warp and power outages occur. And trying to make subway platforms just slightly more comfortable would probably prevent other incidents. But we shouldn't be surprised that Kalikow can't really answer things well - there was the time he tried to make a point by launching into a story about his grandfather peeing in his pants as a young boy.
Pamela Tully, Forest Hills, QueensA: Most of the time our customers spend in the system is usually spent on moving trains, which are air-conditioned. I'm not sure there is an absolute way to solve the problem (in stations). ... It's an open system. I think July and August in New York is going to be July and August in New York.
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Hopefully Gov. Spitzer will get him out.
I'm tired of seeing his white collared shirt and cufflinks.
Ferrari driver Chairman Peter Kalikow does speak the truth by saying "Most of the time our customers spend in the system is usually spent on trains" - something that can be proven with that special form of lie, known as the statistic. If the MTA big-wigs had to take the subway it would be a lot different than it is now because they would actually experience the special hell that is waiting for the subway in the summer.
Obviously this man has a chauffeur.
Stop bitching and come up with a reasonable plan to cool down the underground platforms throughout the system that is technologically feasible, capable of being installed given space constraints, will be reasonably resistant to vandalism/theft, is capable of running for long periods of time with little maintenance, and will be cheap enough to install and operate that it will not result in a fare hike.
In your case Mister Cufflinks, just wait a little while until Spitzer gets elected and then magically changes the weather so that it isn't hot and humid in the summers.
The heat in the subway sucks but so would the $20 fare they would institute if the MTA had to pay for AC equipment for every station.
I forgot to mention that I was in Chicago during 95+ degree heat last week and NYC definitely has much better AC on the subway.
In order to have air conditioned stations, you can't do it Grand Central style... its too expenisve and wasteful. You have to enclose the stations. Trains pulling in have to line up with the doors of the station. Then they both open. When the train leaves, the doors to the station close and the temperature is maintained.
This means literally thousands (prolly like 20,000) automatic doors would have to be installed.
In addition to the A/C equipment, such a project would undoubtedly cost $100+ million.
Would cutting out a place to put 2-3 large fans on the back of each platform be cheaper than A/C? I think it would be. Just getting a little bit of air circulation would go a long way.
I have always wondered exactly how much the on-train A/C contributes to the heat in the stations.
Why would you have to enclose the stations? DC's system is airconditioned, or at the very least ventilated, or SOMETHING, and it is far from emclosed. Because at the very least, it's not -hotter- in the stations than it is outside. AC in NYC is not impossible, and I don't expect it to be frigid in the stations like it is in a dept store... therefore closed stations are not a necessity. However, it is not unreasonable to want for a cooler breeze underground. Fans, at least, are not an impossiblity, and the smaller non-transfer stations could do with one cooling unit in the middle of the platform to help maintain a reasonable temp. If I'm not mistaken, most stations have vents that lead up to the sidewalk.. with some clever engineering, the smaller stations could sacrifice one to install some kind of unit.
I've always wondered if it was just as hot back in the day when the A/C exhaust wasn't blowing out onto the platforms.
When is the last time Kalikow waited on a platform for a train?
Seems he has a limo and a driver.
Is A/C on platforms really needed though? Most of the time it's cold in NY.
The hottest months are only between June - Sept really.
exactly, wouldn't want to dirty his suit.
Thank god we have Governor Spitzer.
If I remember correctly, the PATH platform at 14th St has one or two fans. I've never understood why the NYC Subways don't have some ceiling fans or something, just to circulate air. I don't expect AC on the platform, but a fan would be nice.
All you need is an f-n fan! You won't believe the relief it is to feel the fetid breeze of an oncoming train when you are waiting on the R-idiculously hot Pacific Street platform. One fan. A big one.
all you dicks need are bikes. When you ride a bike you create your own wind which cools you down. You get even cooler wind if you ride on the west side highway near the cool river waters.
No offense, Jesus, but I'm not interested in riding a bike from well into Brooklyn to my Midtown office job and back every day.
Three cheers for fans! The ones in the 14th St/Union Square station kick ass.
I as well think that fans would be a solution, cheap and better than de facto. Especially it sucks when u live near last stops all around the boroughs and u got long time top go and wait. Or if you are a triathlon athlete like Jesus here, u ain't got nothin to worry bout, 15 miles a day one way is only difficult for all dicks that need bikes.
I don't mind hot platforms, and basically fans are all that’s needed in the hottest stations, But the smell of piss and funk when its 100+ degrees underground waiting for a train can be overpowering. Especially when the train pulls in and pushes all that funk into the station in a stank breeze.
It’s enough to make anyone pass out.
We need more trains outside of rush hour. We need cooler stations during the summer. We need MTA employees who understand customer service.
One thing that might go a long way is to have MTA management that depends on the subway for their own transportation.