Trains of Astoria: Is the W returning to Queens?

It’s no secret that the NQ has been a hot mess this year. But why?  It’s safe to say that the delays are in some capacity a result of the building of the 2nd Avenue Line. According to the MTA, the new line is “New York City’s first major expansion of the subway system in over 50 years” and “will stretch 8.5 miles along the length of Manhattan’s East side.”

So why does this matter to Astoria? The Q train is jumping ship. The first phase of the 2nd Avenue Line to open—slated for December 2016—is basically an expansion of the Q train. The Q will run from 63rd St. all the way up to 96th street in Manhattan.  Essentially, Astoria can kiss the Q train goodbye.  Though this will decrease the crowding problems of the 456 trains (as much as a 13% crowd decrease is expected), it will only increase the train traffic in Astoria. With many Astorians already disgruntled with the various and ongoing delays of the NQ line, the MTA needs a solution stat. So what is it?

The W train is the rumored resolution to this problem. Although it is only a suggestion on behalf of a few MTA officials, according to AM New York, it seems to be the answer that would make the most sense. This solution would not only provide a train that travelers from Astoria might already be acquainted with, but would also be easy to reintegrate. All the infrastructure and programming is still mostly intact, making the W a quick fix. It remains to be seen whether the W train would run on one of its old paths or whether a new path would be introduced. However, the addition of an extra train would certainly make up for the loss of the Q.

So what do you think Astoria? Could the W be the answer to our Q?

3 Comments

Fiona July 22nd, 2015

Just curious, why do you say that the N/Q delays this year are a result of the building of the 2nd Avenue Line? I don’t see the connection. And why would the 2nd Avenue Line opening increase the train traffic in Astoria? If we were left with only the N then train traffic would decrease, but trains would become more crowded.

Anyway, bring back the W. The one-seat ride to City Hall was perfect for me. And that’s all that matters in internet commenting.

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Lauren July 22nd, 2015

I seriously can’t believe they’re cutting service without a definite plan to add another line. The crowding between Queensboro Plaza and Ditmars is already outrageous, and the gargantuan apartment building off the Broadway stop hasn’t even been filled with tenants yet. That’ll add hundreds more commuters to that one stop. It kind of blows my mind.

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Ilena July 17th, 2015

Bringing back the W would help but doesn’t address the loss of the express. Maybe with the W they could make the N express. Before they got rid of the W did the N stop at 28, 23, 8th and prince streets?

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