'1' Line Suspension
Updated: Tuesday, 18 Aug 2009, 7:37 AM EDT
Published : Monday, 17 Aug 2009, 4:39 PM EDT
MYFOXNY.COM - A brick façade from the ceiling above subway tracks at the 181st Street station in upper Manhattan has caused some service suspension and changes, the MTA said.
A downtown 1 train was in the station, but did not sustain any major damage. No subway riders were hurt.
Because of debris on the track at the 181st Street Station, there is no 1 train service between the 168th Street Station and the Dyckman Street Station in both directions. MTA officials said that 1 train service will remain suspended in this area until further notice.
The MTA has called in a contractor to clear away any remaining loose brick and make temporary repairs, but those repairs may take several days to complete. That means that 1 service will not resume until it is safe to operate trains through the area, the MTA said.
Van Cortlandt Park-bound 1 train service will terminate at 168th Street Station.
Customers in Upper Manhattan who can use the A Line at stations between 207th Street and 168th Street are strongly urged to do so to in order to avoid overcrowding on the 1 Line during both the morning and evening rush hour periods.
1 train service will continue to operate in two sections, with a
FREE shuttle bus in operation between affected stations in Upper
Manhattan:
• 1 train service will operate in both directions
between South Ferry and 168th St
• FREE Shuttle buses will operate between 168th St and Dyckman St
• 1 train service will operate in both directions between Van Cortlandt Park - 242nd St and Dyckman St, skipping 207th street. Customers at 207th Street should use the A for downtown instead.
• The M3 bus, which operates along St. Nicholas Avenue, will be FARE FREE for northbound customers 168th Street; in both directions at 181st Street, and; southbound at 191st Street.
This suspension in service will continue to have an impact on wheelchair customers who rely on the 1 train. Those customers are advised to do the following:
• Customers who use wheelchairs seeking Manhattan bound service at 231st Street should call 1-800-834-1173 and make arrangements for a shuttle bus to take them to 207th Street, where they can transfer to the A for downtown service
• Customers who use wheelchairs heading northbound on the 1 should transfer at 72nd Street to the M5 bus to 168th Street. At 168th Street they can transfer to a free shuttle bus that will take them to stops heading northbound. Another option for these customers would be to take the A train to 168th Street where they can transfer to a FREE shuttle bus that will make all 1 station stops heading northbound