Editing IND Queens Boulevard Line (section)

==== Communications-based train control ====
Congestion on the line during peak hours has existed for much of the line's history,<ref name="NYTimes-NYCS-BigChanges-1988" /><ref name="MTA-FGLineReviews" /><ref name="NYTimes-63St-QBLRevSig-1987" /> and in 2015, the stations along the line had a combined 467,779 entries, making it among the system's busiest.<ref name="ridership" /> As a result of overcrowding, the MTA is [[Signaling of the New York City Subway#Queens Boulevard Line|automating]] the line. Because the line hosts several services, installation of CBTC on the line is more complex than on the [[IRT Flushing Line]] and [[BMT Canarsie Line]], which had also received CBTC and which each hosted only one service.<ref name="nextcity">{{Cite web |title=Advanced Signaling Makes the Most Out of Old Subways, But Can New York Handle It? |url=http://nextcity.org/daily/entry/new-york-advanced-signaling-subway |access-date=August 6, 2016 |archive-date=October 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221007135210/https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/new-york-advanced-signaling-subway |url-status=live }}</ref> The total cost for the entire Queens Boulevard Line is estimated at over $900 million.<ref name="page11">{{Cite web |url=http://web.mta.info/mta/pdf/2010-14questions_and_answers_v2.pdf |title=Pages 11–12 |access-date=August 6, 2016 |archive-date=August 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816180722/http://web.mta.info/mta/pdf/2010-14questions_and_answers_v2.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The automation of the Queens Boulevard Line means that the {{NYCS trains|Queens express|type=service}} will be able to run three more trains during peak hours, up from 30 tph, and the local tracks' capacity would also be increased.<ref name="page11" />

Phase one equipped the tracks from [[50th Street (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|50th Street/8th Avenue]] and [[47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center (IND Sixth Avenue Line)|47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center]] to [[Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike]] with [[communications-based train control]].<ref name="MTA-CapitalOversight-July2015">{{cite web|url=http://web.mta.info/mta/news/books/pdf/150720_1345_CPOC.pdf|title=Capital Program Oversight Committee Meeting: July 2015|date=July 2015|publisher=[[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]]|location=[[New York City]]|pages=37–39|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906021415/http://web.mta.info/mta/news/books/pdf/150720_1345_CPOC.pdf|archive-date=September 6, 2015|url-status=dead|access-date=August 11, 2015}}</ref><ref name="MTA-FGLineReviews" /> The $205.8 million contract for the installment of phase one was awarded in 2015 to [[Siemens]] and [[Thales Group|Thales]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mta.info/news-cbtc-new-york-city-transit-subway-l-7/2015/07/20/2058m-contracts-approved-install|title=MTA {{!}} news {{!}} $205.8M in Contracts Approved to Install Communications-Based Train Control System|website=www.mta.info|access-date=August 6, 2016|archive-date=July 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160728222048/http://www.mta.info/news-cbtc-new-york-city-transit-subway-l-7/2015/07/20/2058m-contracts-approved-install|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2017, L.K. Comstock & Company Inc. was selected to fulfill a $223.3-million contract to upgrade existing signals and install communications, fiber-optic, and CBTC infrastructure for the new signal system.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.rtands.com/index.php/cs/mta-awards-lk-comstock-with-queens-boulevard-line-signaling-contract.html?channel=|title=MTA awards L.K. Comstock Queens Boulevard Line signaling contract|last=Wanek-Libman|first=Mischa|date=January 5, 2017|language=en-gb|access-date=January 31, 2017}}</ref> The project also included the conversion of 309 sets of [[R160 (New York City Subway car)|R160]] subway cars for CBTC compatibility,<ref name="MTA-CPOC-Jun2019">{{Cite web|date=June 2019|title=Capital Program Oversight Committee Meeting June 2019|url=http://web.mta.info/mta/news/books/pdf/190624_1430_CPOC.pdf|access-date=June 23, 2019|website=mta.info|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|archive-date=June 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623232344/http://web.mta.info/mta/news/books/pdf/190624_1430_CPOC.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Rp|14}} which {{As of|April 2022|lc=y}} had been increased to 335 sets.<ref name="MTA-CPOC-Apr2022">{{Cite web |date=April 25, 2022 |title=Capital Program Oversight Committee Meeting April 2022 |url=https://new.mta.info/document/85841 |access-date=April 20, 2018 |publisher=[[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]] |archive-date=April 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428013751/https://new.mta.info/document/85841 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp||page=15}} The final section of phase one was activated in February 2022.<ref name="MTA-CPOC-Apr2022" />{{rp||page=15}}

The 2015–2019 Capital Program was revised in April 2018 to fund to the design for the expedited installation of the Queens Boulevard Line east of Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike, the second phase.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 16, 2018 |title=T7080341 Install Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC): Lexington Ave Line and Interlockings |url=http://web.mta.info/capitaldashboard/allframenew_pi.php?PROJNUM=t7080341&PLTYPE=1 |access-date=November 26, 2018 |website=web.mta.info |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority |archive-date=November 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126221545/http://web.mta.info/capitaldashboard/allframenew_pi.php?PROJNUM=t7080341&PLTYPE=1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 16, 2018 |title=T7080340 Install Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC): Queens Blvd East and Interlockings |url=http://web.mta.info/capitaldashboard/allframenew_pi.php?PROJNUM=t7080340&PLTYPE=1 |access-date=November 26, 2018 |website=web.mta.info |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority |archive-date=October 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221007135208/http://web.mta.info/capitaldashboard/allframenew_pi.php?PROJNUM=t7080340&PLTYPE=1 |url-status=live }}</ref> In December 2021, the MTA Board approved the first of three contracts to install CBTC on the eastern portion of the Queens Boulevard Line.<ref name=":20">{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2021 |title=MTA Announces Extension of Signal Modernization on the Queens Boulevard Line |url=https://new.mta.info/press-release/mta-announces-extension-of-signal-modernization-queens-boulevard-line |url-status=live |access-date=December 16, 2021 |website=mta.info |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority |language=en |archive-date=December 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211215214456/https://new.mta.info/press-release/mta-announces-extension-of-signal-modernization-queens-boulevard-line }}</ref>

On March 17, 2023, New York City Transit made adjustments to evening and late night E, F and R service to accommodate long-term CBTC installation on the Queens Boulevard Line between [[Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Union Turnpike]] and [[Jamaica–179th Street (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|179th Street]], which requires using the express tracks west of Forest Hills to be used for overnight train storage.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 13, 2023 |title=Heads up, E/F/R riders: Starting Friday, evening service is changing as we begin the next phase of our CBTC signal modernization project along Queens Blvd. |url=https://twitter.com/NYCTSubway/status/1635379215901007873 |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref> After 9:30&nbsp;p.m., Queens-bound R trains terminate at Queens Plaza, and Queens-bound E and F trains make local stops in Queens to fill in for R service. Brooklyn-bound F trains run local in Queens after 10:45&nbsp;p.m.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 26, 2023 |title=MTA to Perform CBTC Signal Installation Work on E, F and R Lines in Queens Starting March 17 |url=https://new.mta.info/press-release/mta-perform-cbtc-signal-installation-work-e-f-and-r-lines-queens-starting-march-17 |access-date=February 27, 2023 |website=mta.info |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Murray 2023">{{cite web | last=Murray | first=Christian | title=MTA announces service disruptions to E, F and R lines starting next month | website=amNewYork | date=February 24, 2023 | url=https://www.amny.com/news/mta-announces-service-disruptions-to-e-f-and-r-lines-starting-next-month/ | access-date=February 27, 2023}}</ref> The MTA did not specify how long these changes would last.<ref name="Murray 2023"/>