I was lucky enough to see an R160 (F) train in service today. Actually, I was lucky enough to see 2 of them today! One was Manhattan bound at 21st Street-Queensbridge around 10:30PM tonight.

The other was Queens bound from Rockefeller Center around 230AM. I was actually able to catch this one. The FIND system was stuck as a late-night (E) train. At one point, the announcement said "W 8th Street-NY Aquarium" but we were somewhere near Steinway Street (running express on the local track - I think it was just the conductor trying to get the routing straight). It did get "This is a Queens-Bound (F) train via the (E) line" right though from 5th Ave to Queens Plaza. Train number 9333.

Here are some videos (they are really bad quality - sorry)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcSIAJBOsHY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbQjMcBcmWs

It's been running since earlier this week, apparently (Wednesday, at the latest).

i rode too in brookyn at jay street.i missed the 1st one but another came right after. it was really cool. i think they used a different lady for the announcments casue she sounded different. she was louder and more clear. and she said 'this is a coney island stillwell ave bound f train' instead of jus 'this is a coney island bound'

I've seen it every day, northbound at 42nd St at around 7:30a

On the videos I watched, she said "This is a Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue-bound F local train."

Interesting that she says "Stillwell Avenue" on the (F) when she no longer says those words on the (N) or (Q). Also interesting that she says "F local" in Manhattan and Brooklyn when the she does NOT say "local" in Manhttan on the (E).

SEE? I knew I wasn't tripping on my hearing. lol. She sounds more older and stuff =]

The R160 on the (F) is good. I rode on it this morning from 71 Avenue to East Broadway.

All the R160 announcements are all the same. She just says
"The Next Stop Is" and "This Is" differently

I saw it twice in the last three days, both times at Delancy St.

The first time, I was coming down the stairs and I heard R160 noises (thinking to myself, "Dammit! I missed the J M Z."), then realized that it was actually the (F) that was departing with R160s.

Then this morning, I saw it again.

i rode it.

the R160 on the F is sweet. But i have a question .. when the W and Z are eliminated , where will their displaced R160s go?

Welcome quuensblvd, the (W) R160 will go to the (Q) to replace it's R68's. I'm not sure about the (Z), but probably between the (J) and (M).

When the (W) is eliminated, the (N) and (Q) will need extra cars since the (N) will be local above Canal St and the (Q) will take over for the (W) above 57 St and in Astoria.

question for the group... with the F now getting R160's, as well as the Q well on its way to being all R160, where will the extra R46 and R68 stock be placed? will the F ever be all R160, or are they just placing a few trains on the line to mix with the R46's?

does anyone have a schematic for the train line assignments of the different types of cars once all the R160 option orders are in? it seems like there are very few lines left running any R32/R40/R42 stock (just A/C/E as far as i know, i've seen an R40M train on the R and F once or twice lately, and J/M may have a few?)

thanks for any info

R46's are going over to Pitkin [A line] to retire the slants. When more R160's comes to the F, the R40M/R42's will likely be retired.
The G could get R68's if moved to Coney Island yard.

G.C. any numbers on how many slants in service,r68's on Q and any r42's on the J lines?

Not sure, I think you could check up R32_3348's car roster list.

Thx G.C. nice stats from R32_3348!

nice, that list was what i was looking for!

i remember there was a list somewhere about the number of trainsets assigned to each line... can't find it now... but the thing i am confused about is, once the Q/N/W are all R160 (of course the W is probably being discontinued), it seems like there will be a lot of extra R68's. i mean, the Q used to be entirely R68 and the N was at least 1/3 to 1/2 R68, the G doesn't have enough need for all those cars. so what will happen to them? will they go to the A line?

the R32_3348 list also shows R46 from the R and V going to Pitkin... what will they be replaced with in the long run? or once equilibrium is reached, will it just be the F that has extra R160's to make up for the R46 on the A?

Please reread my posts about the R46 above, I pretty much summed most of it up.

And yes, the G doesn't need all the seats, but it can take off a few more R68's.
The W being cut will mean some of the W's trains will just go to the N and Q to cover for loss of the W.

i'm not even talking about the seats, even at full length the G doesn't need that many train sets. like i said, i can't find the data about how many train sets run on each line, but given the N is a long line, and the Q has very frequent service, that is probably many more train sets than are needed on the G (a short line with infrequent service).

maybe the R68's will start knocking off R44's at some point...

Very interesting stuff. This is going to be a very interesting year where Jamaica is concerned. I got to ride the R160's on the F on March 27th and I thought it was great. They look great on the F and ride real good too. I will miss the R46 on the F but the R160's are a great replacement.

As it stands now, the F will not be all R160s once the R32/R40M/R42 trains are retired. That is subject to change. The F may be anywhere from 50 to 70 percent R160s. The F at peak hour runs 45 trains. The E will be all R160s and runs 26 trains at peak (serves half the stations as the F). The G runs 10 trains at peak. The Q runs 18, the N 23, these numbers may go up a bit if and when the W is eliminated. These figures are from Joe Korner's site.

Also, not sure if Q is going all R160s. The rider reports favored the R68 because it has more seats and you'll notice if you ride the Q that it seems to be half R68s. The N is almost 100 percent R160 (interesting that the ride is a bit longer on the N but rider reports did not favor R68s).

Well, at least the (F) will have a few sets of R160 right?

The F, if plans stay as they are, will have a good amount of both R46s and R160s. If you like R46s, you'll get them, if you like R160s, you'll get them, if you like both, you'll get both. If you don't like either of them, well, you'll get both anyway.