The MTA has restored limited service on the G train between Brooklyn and Queens, reconnecting a vital link between the boroughs that was severed by Sandy.
G trains resumed service shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday along their full route from Church Avenue in Brooklyn to Court Square in Queens.
MTA crews had to pump water from the Greenpoint tube under Newtown Creek, which flooded during the storm. The tube suffered severe damage to its signaling and communications systems and requires extensive repairs, the MTA said.
While work continues to repair those systems, the agency said G trains will operate at no more than 10 mph through the tube, requiring trains to operate every 12 minutes instead of every eight minutes.
To provide additional capacity, G trains will operate with eight cars instead of the usual four. Customers should expect delays and possible crowding.
In addition to service north Brooklyn straphangers who rely on the G, the limited service restoration provides a new alternative for those who rely on the L train, which remains suspended. Those traveling to Manhattan on the J and M trains will be able to take the G to Court Square, then transfer to the EM or 7 to Manhattan.
The MTA said the L train's 14th Street tube under the East River, which was one of eight subway tunnels to flood during the storm, is now dry and being assessed for damage. The agency recommends using the B60 bus as an alternative to closed L stations in Brooklyn, connecting with the J train at Marcy Avenue for Manhattan service.
MTA Chairman and CEO Joseph Lhota said the agency was working around the clock to give straphangers added travel options as the city recovers from Sandy, and urged riders to have patience as the process continues.
"We will continue to add service incrementally, only when it is absolutely safe to do so and doesn’t overcharge the system," Lhota said. "Given the strain on the system, we still encourage our customers to allow extra time for their commutes.”
