Countdown clocks at all stations on the  and  lines will go live starting Friday, September 29.  MTA New York City Transit’s use of beacon technology is a new, innovative way to bring real time train arrival information to customers at stations that still lack countdown clocks.  With the addition of the  and  lines, there will be countdown clocks at 326 stations of the system’s 472 stations. Countdown clocks will be installed at all lettered line stations by the end of this year.  

This accelerated effort to bring real time train arrival information to the rest of the system is part the MTA’s Subway Action Plan to stabilize and improve the system and lay the foundation for modernizing the New York City Subway. A key component of the Action Plan calls for improved customer communications and providing train arrival information system-wide allows customers to be kept fully informed of regular service, delays or emergency situations, should they arise.

MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota said, “We continue to make great progress to bring real-time train arrival information to all stations.  It is a vital part of our aggressive and immediate efforts to improve the customer experience through increased reliability and capacity, enhanced stations and safety, and clear and accurate communication.”

MTA Managing Director Ronnie Hakim said, “Beacon technology and our Subway Action Plan puts our customers first by expediting improvements in the system that improve how we provide information to our customers and overall reliability.”

The stations with added countdown clocks are:

Queensboro Plaza
39 Av
36 Av
Broadway
30 Ave
Astoria Blvd.
Astoria-Ditmars Blvd
47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center
42 St
34 St
23 St
14 St
B’way-Lafayette St
Essex St
Marcy Av
Hewes St
Lorimer St
Flushing Av
Myrtle Av
Kosciusko St                      ( service rerouted due to Myrtle Viaduct Reconstruction)
Gates Av                           ( service rerouted due to Myrtle Viaduct Reconstruction)
Halsey St                          ( service rerouted due to Myrtle Viaduct Reconstruction)
Chauncey St                      ( service rerouted due to Myrtle Viaduct Reconstruction)
Broadway Junction           ( service rerouted due to Myrtle Viaduct Reconstruction)
Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs
Seneca Av
Forest Av
Fresh Pond Rd
Middle Village-Metropolitan Av

The beacon technology has already been deployed on the  and  lines and involves placing 4 low energy Bluetooth beacons on each train set and two receivers on each platform.    LCD display screens at each station provide customers with real time train arrival information.  Stations with countdown clocks also show real-time arrival information for connecting lines as well.

The 326 stations with countdown clocks includes 156 stations on the numbered lines and 24  line stations with countdown clocks, connected to the line’s Communications Based Train Control (CBTC) signal system.  The  line will also get countdown clocks after the installation of CBTC is completed later this year.