Best Subway: 1 Train to Rule Them All

It's that time again! The Straphangers Campaign has released its annual State of the Subways report, and this year, the 1 train topped all other lines. This is amazing news for the 1 train - it was only in 2005 when the Straphangers found the 1/9 to be the schmutz-iest! The 1 train got high marks for "frequently scheduled service, arriving with more regularity, fewer dirty cars, and better announcements," but it did perform "below average on: a chance of getting a seat during rush hours, and delays caused by mechanical breakdowns."

The most awful lines at the C (Crappy!) and W (Worstest!), with below average performance on "car breakdowns, chance of getting a seat during rush hours and announcements." But what's especially weird is that the L train comes in second, and then the 7 and 6 trains are tied for third place. We suppose various factors neutralize each other - and that other subway lines are just atrocious.

The G breaks down the most, while the Q breaks down the least. The B is the cleanest train, while the F is the dirtiest. You have the best chance of getting a seat on the G, while W is the toughest seat. Some other Interesting factoids:

- Trains are cleaner: "On the plus side, the cleanliness of the interior of cars improved form 79% rated clean in the second half of 2005 to 87% for the same time period in 2006."
- Trains are breaking down more frequently: "The car fleet breakdown rate worsened from an average mechanical failure every 178,085 miles in our last report to 156,624 in this report."
- The G is the most regular: "The G line had the greatest regularity of service, arriving within two to four minutes of its scheduled interval 91% of the time. The most irregular line is the 5, which performed with regularity only 81% of the time."
- Announcement quality is the same: "Accurate and understandable announcements remained unchanged at 90% between our last and current reports" - the D and Q miss announcements 18% of the time

This year's report was conducted in 2006, with methodology includes weighting findings on amount of scheduled service (30%), dependability of service (22.5% for regularity, 12.5% on the breakdown rate), and comfort/usability (15% for getting a seat, 10% for cleanliness, 10% for announcements).

Do you agree with these findings? What do you think are the best and worst lines?

Photograph of the 1 train by Triborough on Flickr

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on July 23, 2007 2:03 PM

Comments [rss]

schmod

So if we can draw one conclusion from this article, it's that the subways are erratic and unpredictable.

But it's still arguably the best system in the world (albeit the dirtiest)

nigeltt

The 4-5-6 trains are the WORST by far. Always crowded and I often have to wait for several trains to pass before I can fit on one.

My faves are the A,C and the 2,3.

guest

How can you grade the "G" Train ? It does go the full extension of the line ! Even at nite when it's suppose to go out to Forest Hills . Another thing here would be the "L" Train experiences frequent disruptions in service during the weekends, & Sometimes during the week nites late . So how can these lines be graded when the service doesn't run full-time ? The [1] Train doesn't go past [14th street during the weekends, So how the hell can it be graded as the best line of service ? This whole testing of the lines is ludicrous to say the least . Posted by; "Still Not Amused"

Steven

the commuter trains Metro- North and LIRR defines a delay when the train arrives more then 5:59 past the schedule.

I notice on the 4/5/6 the middle cars are always the one to be JAMMED pack. It's more likely to get a seat in the back and front of the train.

guest

I must live in some parallel New York City, because every time I want the 1 train, I end up waiting 25-30 minutes.

guest

"You have the best chance of getting a seat on the G"

yeah, that's if the G ever comes!!! The G is GARBAGE!

guest

Lauren - I know what you're talking about with Chambers street - but them stops twixt 14th + 34th are only excess if you ain't going there, silly goose. When I used to work right off of 23rd street, the stop wasn't excess - it was my Grand Central. To avoid the excess, hop the express ...And That's One To Grow On.

Tim N.

Back, but still anonymous, tough guy...

jibbly

What do delays mean? I recall the commuter trains consider 10-15minutes as NOT delays (LIRR, Metro North, etc). Does the MTA use the same standards?

guest

The 1 stinks!!!!!! What are they talking about??? It used to be okay until about 3 months ago when the 1 stopped waiting at chambers for the 2 or 3 train.

Plus the excess stops between 14th and 34th st make the whole trip so slow.

That's my opinion and i'm sticking to it ;-)

~Lauren the 1 train rider.

guest

#34 - Of course, many New Yorkers move to New Jersey to be thatmuchcloser to their beloved New York/New Jersey Football Giants and their somewhat less valued New York/New Jersey Jets. I mean, what other reason could there be?

guest

Why would anyone want to move to NJ? unless....

guest

We miss you, #10, we do, come back! We'll clean up the subways just for you!!!

Umm... kidding, guest... we don't really miss you...

[21] Posted by: Tim N. | July 23, 2007 3:22 PM

Tim,

You're such a riot. I hear CAROLINE'S is looking for a stand-up comedian. Maybe you should apply, NOT.

Another a-shole...site's full of 'em today I see...

guest

#10...there's nothing worse than people who leave the city, then mock the rest of us as if you've discovered the secret to life.

And stay gone, please.

[22] Posted by: guest | July 23, 2007 3:34 PM

I'M BACK, as*hole...:)

guest

In response to #5's "When the C is down, you can usually grab an A that is running local."

I remember all too well the pain of the F train, but now live off a C train local stop in Brooklyn, and the two lines don't compare. More often than not whenever a C isn't running, the A trains continue to run express. And usually the very next C that arrives at the station declares "due to congestion" it is now running express. My wife and I have both noticed there are usually 2-3 A trains and 3-4 E trains per each C train. You know what's more fun than waiting forever for your train? Watching so many other people catch theirs.

The C train is the blue-headed step-child of the IND. I hate the C with every fiber of my being.

Side note: I wonder if real estate near express stops is worth more?

rdc

The A-train is great when it's actually running express on the weekends. Unfortunately it has run local each weekend for pretty much the entire summer with no indication that it will be express again for the near future. It wouldn't be so bad if I weren't at the 190 stop. On the plus side, it's way easier to get a cab up in WaHI when the train runs local.

guest

Sure the G is regular, it only comes once every 20 minutes.

guest

I like the subway, it gets me into manhattan fast & to other places where I can't go on bike from my house in Queens. The 4,5,6 are my favorite even though they are crowded to the brim (by that I mean 50 ft long by 9 ft wide being stuffed shoulder to shoulder then adding more people, i mean that's crazy) But it's fast, clean, reliable, & new cars, yey! I love technology. But there's nothing wrong with a Second Avenue Subway. & a Fifth Avenue LRT line. But the number lines are so crowded. Really crowded. Why is the downtown 2 crowded at 1pm?

guest

LOVE D!!!

N is the fastest!!!

6 on the weakends rules my world...

TK

The crowding on the 4-5-6 is horrendous. Often you're just happy to get on and off with no major problems... and most of us have just gotten used to the stench of our fellow passengers.