OpenBVE NYC Subway R154A (F) Train Riding and Railfanning Action (Every Day CBTC Testing)

Join us for an immersive OpenBVE ride and railfanning session aboard the R154A on the F Line! This video captures the everyday CBTC testing operations of R154A Base Order sets 6110–6114 and 6115–6119 as they run southbound from Jamaica-179th Street to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue via the 53rd Street Tunnel. This is the full F Line experience — from the Hillside Avenue local stops in Queens, through the Queens Boulevard express run, into Manhattan via the 53rd Street Tunnel, down 6th Avenue local, through the Rutgers Street Tunnel into Brooklyn, and along the Culver Line elevated to the ocean at Coney Island. All while the Alstom OptONIX three-note descending scale provides the soundtrack. ---------------------------------------------------------- Train Details: Fleet: R154A Base Order Sets: 6110–6114 + 6115–6119 (10 cars, A-B-B-B-A configuration) Traction: Alstom OptONIX IGBT-VVVF Yard: Pitkin Yard Line: F (IND Queens Boulevard / 63rd Street / 6th Avenue / Culver) Direction: Southbound Testing Type: Everyday CBTC Testing — Weekday, Weekend, and Overnight validation on the Thales CBTC system ---------------------------------------------------------- Route Details: Line: F Train — Queens Boulevard Express / 6th Avenue Local / Culver Local Northern Terminal: Jamaica–179th Street (Queens) Southern Terminal: Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue (Brooklyn) ---------------------------------------------------------- Service Pattern: Hillside Avenue Local → Queens Boulevard Express → 53rd Street Tunnel → 6th Avenue Local → Rutgers Street Tunnel → Culver Line Local Total Stations: 45 stations ---------------------------------------------------------- R154A Base Order Details: Sets: 6060–6499 (440 cars) Yard: Pitkin Yard Assigned Lines: A, C, S (Rockaway). F Line CBTC testing (6110–6119). First Revenue Service (F Line): May 18, 2026 — Sets 6110–6119 Traction Sound: Three-note descending scale — classic Alstom OptONIX CBTC Testing: Thales CBTC validation on the Queens Boulevard Line Why CBTC Testing on the F Line? The F Line uses the Thales CBTC system on Queens Boulevard — the most complex signal installation in the NYC subway. R154A sets 6110–6119 are conducting everyday CBTC testing to validate OptONIX performance on QBL. This testing is the gateway to future R154A deployments on the E and F Lines from Jamaica Yard. The F Line's mix of express (Queens Boulevard), tunnel (53rd Street), local (6th Avenue), and elevated (Culver) segments provides comprehensive validation across every operating environment. ---------------------------------------------------------- R154A Yard Assignments (as of May 2026): Pitkin Yard: 6060–6499 (A, C, S Rockaway Lines) Coney Island Yard: 5400–6039 Option Order 1 (B, D, G Lines) Jamaica Yard: 6300–6499 Base Order (E, F, R Lines — coming soon) ---------------------------------------------------------- Full Station List (Southbound via 53rd Street): Queens — Hillside Avenue Local: Jamaica–179th Street, 169th Street, Parsons Boulevard, Sutphin Boulevard, Briarwood Queens — Queens Boulevard Express: Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike, 75th Avenue, Forest Hills–71st Avenue, Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue, Queens Plaza, Court Square–23rd Street ---------------------------------------------------------- Manhattan — 53rd Street Tunnel / 6th Avenue Local: Lexington Avenue/53rd Street, 5th Avenue/53rd Street, 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center, 42nd Street–Bryant Park, 34th Street–Herald Square, 23rd Street, 14th Street, West 4th Street–Washington Square, Broadway–Lafayette Street, 2nd Avenue, Delancey Street–Essex Street, East Broadway ---------------------------------------------------------- Brooklyn — Rutgers Street Tunnel / Culver Line Local: York Street, Jay Street–MetroTech, Bergen Street, Carroll Street, Smith–9th Streets, 4th Avenue–9th Street, 7th Avenue, 15th Street–Prospect Park, Fort Hamilton Parkway, Church Avenue, Ditmas Avenue, 18th Avenue, Avenue I, Bay Parkway, Avenue N, Avenue P, Kings Highway, Avenue U, Avenue X, Neptune Avenue, West 8th Street–NY Aquarium, Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue ---------------------------------------------------------- #OpenBVE #R154A #NYCSubway #FTrain #QueensBoulevard #53rdStreet #6thAvenue #CulverLine #AlstomOptONIX #Kawasaki #PitkinYard #SubwaySimulation #Railfan #NYCT #R154 #OptONIX #CBTC #ThalesCBTC #ConeyIsland #Jamaica #TractionSound