January 14, 2005
L Train To Do The Robot This Summer
The L train will get the city's first computer-controlled trains this summer. And as with any new technology not with the words "iPod" or "Mac" attached to it, there's a bit of controversy. It turns out the computerized trains ("Communication-Based Train Control") will only have one MTA employee manning them, not two as previously discussed. This employee will be in charge of monitoring the controls, opening and closing doors, and "tending to passengers' issues," which freaks people out. The transit union says that the MTA eliminated the conductors' jobs (the sole employee will be an engineer) to cover up the cost of the project (over $280 million), and City Council had a debate about it yesterday, as many think the "robo-trains" are unsafe and untested. The L train was chosen because it's just 10 miles long and doesn't share its tracks with any other lines. One L train rider told the Daily News, "The trains are already messed up. This will make it worse." Yeah, good luck with that.
Gothamist has an idea: In July, we should plan a trip on the computerized train - we'll do the Robot Dance! And check out the City Council's PDF on the matter: Man Or Machine? Transportation Committee Considers "Robo-Trains" On The Canarsi Line.
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Havent they watched any SciFi movies Lately? This is bound to go horribly horribly wrong.
In a way I dont think this will speed things up at all. Maybe they should hire train operators who CARE instead of the people that are there now.
Agreed. At first, the robot operators will work harder and with more care than any human operator.
But eventually, they will become disgruntled with the way we humans treat them and when they acquire the gift of independent thought, tragedy will become inevitable.
The climax will forever be etched in our collective memory as the Union Square Tragedy of 2006 and will become the inspiration for The Warriors 2: Electric Bugaloo.
The Robot Revolution has started...
Robots are people, too. :'-(
its a cover for the city's new hipster population control plan.
A birdie told me that during a test run on a section closed and replaced with shuttle bus service that two trains that had CBTC enabled on them were routed onto an unused/storage track giving a head-on collision route (did not happen though). the computer gave a very false distance between the two trains. time to do some work i guess?
IMO: It's Too Complicated and likely prone to breakdowns...
In case of emergency, do not put the emergency brake, shout Klaatu Barada Nikto.
I rely on the L every day and night. We've been getting screwed on a regular basis for over a year and a half now by the testing and installation of this new system. Delays, shut-downs, single-tracking, en-route transfers, shuttle buses -- some weekends there has been NO service to Manhattan at all!
And for what...
A flawed robot system which will not only screw the riders, but take jobs away from MTA workers.
Does anyone know if there will be a single human in-charge aboard any train? One of the most important duties of a train conductor is to make sure everyone is on the train before he/she shuts the doors.
I can only imagine the nightmares we'll have during rush hour when the doors need to remain open for an indefinite period of time to allow the unpredictable crowds to get off & on the train. If there's an unusually large crowd and everyone knows that the doors are going to close regardless if everyone is on or not, people will be trampled. This is going to be a disaster.
Otto, the piece above does suggest that the trains will be manned by at least one person: "...the computerized trains... will only have one MTA employee manning them, not two as previously discussed. This employee will be in charge of... opening and closing doors..."
Still, I wouldn't be too upset if they closed the doors on people who hold them open. What's a few broken bones? That'll teach them to delay the train for everyone else next time their buddy's too slow swiping the Metrocard. Why do people do that? That's such a dick thing to do.
Personally, I'd like to see blades installed on train doors, but I imagine retrofitting the trains would cost a fortune and they'd have to hire people to keep the blades sharp.
Seems sensible. Here in London, UK we got rid of guards (conductors) on London Underground some ten years ago. The transit unions sounds like the whining we had from the unions here, keen to protect their members jobs.
Things aren't any more dangerous.
MTA is being conservative. Line 14 in Paris is totally automated and Line 1 is following the same route.
God I love the international perspectives!
Thank you, Internets!