The A/C Cranberry tunnels reconstuction - - same old wrong information.

Last weekend was the first of 40 non-consecutive weekends where A and C trains were rerouted on the F line in both directions between Jay Street-Metrotech in Brooklyn and West 4th Street in Manhattan.  The repairs are directed at the Cranberry Street tubes - - the portion where A and C trains travel under the East River between Fulton Street in Manhattan and High Street in Brooklyn.  Cranberry Tube is not named after a delicious fruit which is good for your urinary tract system but rather it's named after a street on the Brooklyn side of the tubes which A and C trains run underneath.  These tunnels were heavily damaged by Superstorm Sandy and were in the third worst condition after the R Montague Street and G Greenpoint-LIC tunnels.

As usual, MTA New York City Transit knows how to screw up information a well as their lack of proofreading skills.  This MTA-NYCT Press Release, dated August 6th, shows travel alternatives for weekday services even though the page clearly shows the words "WEEKEND(S)(ER)" a total of eleven times.  Noted alternate services include the M at Broadway-Lafayette, the Z at Delancey/Essex, and the 5 at Borough Hall station.  If NYC Transit really knows how to proofread and check their own services, they would realize and correct these mistakes - - the Z runs weekday rush hours only, the 5 does not normally travel to Brooklyn on weekends and M service does not travel north/west of Delancey Street or Myrtle Ave on weekends as well.    These mistakes were carried over to a least one news story from WABC-TV which is not really their fault since MTA screwed up this information. 


So how were the train announcements related to the A/C closure on the first weekend?  To be honest, I surveyed only the 2/3 lines for about 45 minutes by traveling back and forth while listening to the car announcements at the Fulton Street and Park Place stations, both are transfer points to the A/C lines - - all but one failed the test.  All but one had the "Transfer to the A/C ..." announcement.  One conductor said he didn't know about the A/C closure - - two conductors thought there was no J service at Fulton Street on weekends.  This sample was taken on Saturday (8/8) evening

Time	Line	Direction	Car #	Result
8:50	2	SB	6425	Fail/Fail "No J"
8:55	3	NB	1411	Pass/Pass "No J"
9:01	2	SB	6415	Fail/Fail
9:15	2	NB	6316	Fail/Fail  "I didn't know (no A/C)" when asked
9:30	2	SB	6386	Fail/Fail
9:35	2	NB	6486	Fail/Fail

If this is going to be the norm of 40 weekends of misinformation and incorrect announcements - - just as I stated the miscommunication during the L line shutdowns  or when the R Montague tunnels were shut down for repairs , nothing appears to change about how the way MTA New York City Transit informs their customers - - not even after a so-called Pledge to Customers  which I stated it's funnier to read than watching Airplane. when they post wrong information or make wrong announcements.  NYCT President Carmen Bianco is retiring on August 21 and is being replaced by interim President James Ferrera  who has zero public transportation experience - - Mr. Bianco, don't hit your head on your way out.