rr503 wrote:They are. W is to replace Q in queens.
From 2004 to 2010, there were 4 trains that ran on the Broadway Line in Manhattan, N, Q, R, and W. The Q ran from 57th Street to Coney Island, express in Manhattan and local in Brooklyn at all times. The N operated as it does now, except it was express in Manhattan on weekends. The R also operated exactly as it does now. The W ran fully local from Astoria to South Ferry on weekdays.
When they cut the W, the Q started running to Astoria on weekdays (to maintain same level of Queens service) and the N started running local on Broadway at all times (to maintain same level of local service).
Once Second Avenue opens, the Q will be relocated to that line. The W is needed to keep the same level of service to Astoria. The N will be switched to express in Manhattan so that weekday riders have both local and express trains running on that line. Previously the Q was the express train from Astoria and the N was the local. The W will be the new local and the N will be the express. The N will still be local when it is the only train serving Astoria.
The late night extension of the R to South Ferry will alloq people at stops only served by the R to access any trunk line in Manhattan via one transfer. Lexington and 7th Ave can transfer at Barclay's Center, 6th and 8th Ave can transfer at Jay Street/Metro Tech, Broadway can transfer at South Ferry. Previously, getting from anywhere but Broadway or 6th required transferring twice.
