How heavy is the average train?

For how long does an average NYC subway stop delay a train?

• I'm trying to figure out how much time is added to a route by numerous local stops vs. fewer stops on an express train. Obviously there are variables like time of day, which train, etc, but just something on average would be awesome. If it was something like 45 seconds for each stop, you could multiply that by the number of additional stops to determine how much longer the local train would take than the express. If you're getting really detailed, I imagine it would be a comparison of the time a train would take just traveling by a station vs the time it takes to decelerate, unload and load passengers, and accelerate back up to full speed.

• Answer:

  These goodly people [http://niquette.com/puzzles/exp-locs.htm%5D already computed all this, using parameters typical for NYC subways. Below is their article, summarized, clarified and condensed: (They even computed the overall expected time for a journey, taking express+local, for all values of parameter n (the number of local stations bypassed between successive express stations). Don't forget that n * more people would then need to load/unload at express stops. But that doesn't imply the load/unload time is n * more.) To your original question, absolutely the acceleration/deceleration time to/from zero is also significant. Anyway here is their answer for the incremental time incurred by a station-stop (tSS) vs bypassing it (tBYPASS): Cruise Velocity: vC = 50 mph (73.3 fpsps) Platform Velocity: vP = 30 mph (44.0 fps) Normal Acceleration: aS = 2.5 mphps (3.7 fpsps) Service Braking Deceleration: dS = 3.0 mphps (4.4 fpsps) Feathered Stop Decleration: dF = 1.5 mphps (2.2 fpsps) Dwell Time: tD = 20 seconds Using the values indicated above, puzzle solvers calculated that the time a train spends executing a station-stop tSS = 96 seconds, over a distance of xSS = 2,639 feet. It's not clear that that includes actual load/unload time too. The time required for an express train traveling at vC = 50 mph (73.3 fpsps) to cover that same distance without stopping is tBYPASS = 36 seconds. Thus, the difference in Trip Time tDELTA enjoyed by an express train in bypassing a local station tDELTA = tSS - tBYPASS = 1 minute (+ load/unload time?)