page_title: 42nd Street Shuttle
section_title: 1980s–2000s
hierarchical_section_title: 42nd Street Shuttle / History / 1980s–2000s
caption_attribution_description: English: Looking at track 1 of the 42nd Street Shuttle station, the former downtown/eastbound local platform, at the Times Square–42nd Street subway station in Times Square, Manhattan.
context_page_description: The 42nd Street Shuttle is a New York City Subway shuttle train service that operates in Manhattan. The shuttle is sometimes referred to as the Grand Central/Times Square Shuttle, since these are the only two stations it serves. The shuttle runs at all times except late nights, with trains running on three tracks underneath 42nd Street between Times Square and Grand Central. With two stations, it is the shortest regular service in the system by number of stops, running about 2,402 feet in 90 seconds. The shuttle is used by over 100,000 passengers every day, and by up to 10,200 passengers per hour during rush hours.
  The 42nd Street Shuttle was constructed and operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, and is currently part of the A Division of New York City Transit. The shuttle tracks opened in 1904 as part of the city's first subway. The original subway line ran north from City Hall on what is now the IRT Lexington Avenue Line to 42nd Street, from where it turned west to run across 42nd Street. At Broadway, the line turned north, proceeding to 145th Street on what is now the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line.
context_section_description: In 1978 the United States Department of Transportation undertook a study to analyze and determine the feasibility of installing an Accelerating Walkway System in an urban environment. The study used the 42nd Street Shuttle as a case study. The two options the study analyzed were a one-directional reversible linear walkway and a bi-directional loop. The study found that the walkways would provide a better level of service during off-peak hours and a similar level of service during peak hours. It was estimated that it would cost between $5.4 and $13 million to install the system.
  On October 3, 1987, ten R62s made their debut on the shuttle, replacing the R17s that previously ran on the shuttle. Later, these were replaced by R62As.
  On November 17, 1988, the NYCTA announced plans to drop $343 million of projects from its Capital Program, including $23 million allocated for the reconfiguration of the Shuttle. The shuttle would have been rebuilt with two tracks and the platforms at Times Square would have been moved closer to other subway lines. Work was to begin in 1991, but was deferred so it could be done in conjunction with other rehabilitation work at Times Square, which was delayed.
  The shuttle ran at all times until September 10, 1995, when night service was discontinued in order to avoid raising fares, meaning that late-night passengers had to use the 7 train. New York City Transit had been expecting a $160 million surplus in 1995, but due to reductions in state and Federal contributions, it was left with a deficit expected to reach $172 million. The elimination of late night service was part of a larger plan to reduce spending in order to avert a fare increase, which Governor George Pataki and Mayor Rudy Giuliani had pressured the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to avoid. Eliminating night service on the shuttle was done to avoid the need to reduce service on corridors without alternate service. Shuttle service had been running every ten minutes overnight, and was used by 275 passengers per hour.
  On February 28, 2005, a shuttle train crashed into the bumper block of Track 3 at Grand Central, injuring the train operator and hospitalizing two passengers. The crash caused $100,000 in damage to the 4-car train. The New York State Public Transportation Safety Board's investigation into the collision concluded that the most likely cause of the accident was the train operator falling asleep while operating the train, which led to his overrunning the stop sign and colliding into the bumper block.
caption: A R62A consist (one car pictured) in service on the 42nd Street Shuttle.
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