New York City Change Subway Train to Articulated Train - Research Paper Example

New York change subway train to articulated train. Transport is a very crucial aspect in the life of human beings. People have to travel from one place to another. This aspect, therefore, call for the governments to invest in the transport industry by providing standard transport networks that will enhance efficiency and convenience. The transport networks need to be undergoing a consistent review so as to meet the demand of the commuters. New York City has been using the subway system for approximately a century and very little transitions that have been achieved in the design of cars and trains that are being used. The system has currently been characterized by overcrowding and some other aspects of inconveniences. This has been partly caused by the fact that New York City is very overcrowded. The New York’s metropolitan transport authority has however initiated a policy that is aiming at replacing the subway trains in existence with the articulated train cars. This will improve the transport sector in New York City. Introduction The New York City’s transportation system is a cooperation characterized by complex systems of infrastructure. New York is the most populous city in USA. It is also among the busiest cities in the United States. In every twenty-four seconds, a flight comes and leaves from one of the major airports in New York City. It has a transportation system that encompasses one of the biggest subway systems across the globe, an aerial tramway and the first vehicular tunnel that has been ventilated in the world. However, the transportation system is not meeting the demand of the commuters since the cars are characterized by overcrowding while the conditions of these trains are not up to standards (Flegenheimer 2). The city’s transportation authority has developed a policy that aims at replacing the subway trains with articulated trains. This scenario simply means that instead of the individuated cars making a large train the train is transformed into a single long train. This aspect is likely to bring numerous changes in the New York City’s transport sector as a result of advantages linked to it as the document below analyzes. Discussion The articulated trains have been in operation in cities such as Paris and Shanghai. New York will not hence be the trendsetter, but the system will greatly improve the transport system in the city. The subway system in New York has a history of approximately one hundred and ten years (Salazar 1). It has been indicated, however, the design of cars and trains in this subway system has undergone very little changes. They are still rectangular-shaped boxes possessing chairs, doors and windows. James Greller, a subway historian, noted that the subway trains are a frigging bore. He also noted that the city’s car design has failed to mature as it has to other nations in the world. Efforts to attain radical changes have been flopped, derided or never advanced from the prototype stage to the mass use. Several conveniences that are aimed at making the ride more bearable air conditioning amongst them have been introduced. The evolution that enhanced the existence of trains made of stainless steel made trains less expensive. The first underground line of subway in New York City was opened in the year 1904 (Kabak 3). This was approximately 35 years the first after the first elevated line was opened in New York City. When the first subway was being opened, lines had become consolidated to privately owned systems. The lines that were constructed for IRT and most of other lines improved or built for BRT were built by the city and also got leased to companies after the year 1913. The first line that was city owned and operated independent subway system (IND) was initiated in the year 1932. This system’s intention was to compete with private systems that were in existence and also allow some elevated railways to get torn down. The system was kept within the city’s core because of the low amount of the start capital that was being provided the municipal board of transport the latter New York’s MTA (Newman 5). In the year 1940 two of the private systems got bought by the city. Some of the elevated lines immediately closed while others got closed sometime after. The integration was very slow. However, a number of connections got built between IND and BMT. They now function as one division termed as B division. In the year 1953, the New York Transit Authority which was a public authority was created. New York City presided it. It was meant to take over the bus, street car and subway operations from the city. It was also placed under the control of the state-level metropolitan transportation authority in the year 1968. It is worth noting that the subway means of transport has been the most convenient means of transport in New York State since its establishment. It is termed as the fastest means of travelling within New York City (Flegenheimer 2). It serves millions of visitors as well as ordinary people on daily basis. However, the security of the commuters at the stop points as well as when transiting is questionable. Similarly, the conduciveness of the environment when travelling using the subway trains is also under question. It has been reported that the New York subway trains are always overcrowded an aspect that makes it vulnerable to thieves as well as making the environment unbearable for the commuters. This is in terms of the air circulation and temperature in the train when commuting. It has also been indicated that these trains welcome many preachers and performers who tend to make much noise to the commuters. However, people have to bear with the situation since the demand for transport is higher compared with the transport services supplied (Salazar 6). Irrespective, of the available challenges, the subway trains turns out to be the most efficient and convenient means of transport in New York. This means that the system needs just to be evolved in a way that will address these challenges and hence raise the standards of this means of transport. New York is in a somewhat stable economic status. Although it faced adverse effects as a result of the economic crisis, it is recovering well. However, the financial markets in New York have not been very stable since the crisis. This situation is attributable to the less innovation being made. However, New York has undergone sustainable developments (Newman 7). It has improved road networks as well as efficient transport means. New York has also been electrified, and the rate of unemployment is not badly of. The leading aspects that fuel development in New York include agriculture, manufacturing, mining and services. All these economic activities heavily depend on transport means especially the land ways. The labor as a resource is very crucial in the development of any given economy. They need, therefore, a very efficient means of transport that will guarantee them of getting to their workplace at the right time without failing them. The New York’s MTA is currently busy pushing for the policy to improve subway system of transportation so as to become more cost effective, safe, efficient, capacity holding among others. They have thus come up with a new design that is being pushed heavily by planners. Its maturity is projected to take the duration of 30 to 40 years. This is the idea of replacing the current subway trains with the articulated ones. The maturity of this strategy will give room for increased capacity, as well as mobility while the train is travelling (Kabak 4). This is contrary to the trains that are in existence in New York. The mobility in the train, when it is in motion, is a crucial aspect in terms of safety especially in the world today when terrorism has become a current trend. According to the policy facilitators, beyond maximizing the carrying capacity, the passengers will gain an opportunity of travelling when they are less crowded. The articulated trains will also balance the unloading and loading times at all the doors. Commuters will also be given refuge from the preachers, performers as well as mariachi bands that are available in the New York subway system. Although the cost aspect has not been pre-addressed, the transport fees are likely to be fairer since the train will be managing to carry more passengers (Walton 5). This will be of great relief to the commuters, and it is likely to improve the economic stability of New York to a great margin. Conclusion The overcrowding aspect, as well as the efficiency in the transport sector in New York, calls for the review of its transport system. The main target should be a most prominent system which is the subway system. If the subway system is improved, in New York, the entire transport system will be improved. Since many commuters use it as their preferred means of transport, the economy of New York will automatically improve. This is because business will improve with the improvement in the transport network. All services in the entire New York will improve with the improvement in the transport network. The transport network can be termed as the backbone of the development of any given economy. Works Cited Flegenheimer, Matt. A Subway Car with Fewer Doors, but More Ways Out. New York: The New York Times, 2013. Print Kabak, Benjamin. A look at the 20 Year Needs: Articulated trains. Washington, D.C.: Wiley, 2013. Print Newman, Lily. Trains In The NYC Subway Might Become One Continuous Car. Boston, M.A: John Wiley and Sons, 2013. Print Salazar, Cristian. 110 years of subway car design in New York City. New York: Oxford University Press, 2014. Print Walton, C. The Practicality of Articulated Subway Trains in New York. San Francisco: McMillan, 2015. Print Read More