Well, they do say the MTA sucks ...
THE MTA is test-driving two portable vacuum trains to suck up track trash.
Instead of heavy-duty vacuum trains that roll through stations on the track, the smaller trash-removal machines can be rolled onto platforms and moved easily from station to station, MTA officials said Thursday.
The authority will take these debris-sucking devices to 35 stations in Manhattan and Queens over the next month.
“Testing these new technologies is a key part in our plan to get the tracks cleaner, and keep them cleaner, over the long haul,” NYC Transit President Ronnie Hakim said. “Once we’re sure that these units are effective, we’ll be ordering additional units to deploy across the system.”
In Manhattan, the machines will be used from Lexington Ave.-53rd St. to W. Fourth St.-Washington Square along Sixth Ave.’s B, D, F and M lines and Eighth Ave.’s A, C and E lines.
In Queens, the vacuums will be used in stations on the Queens Blvd. F, E, M and R lines from Queens Plaza to Jamaica-179th St.
The MTA has been on a trackcleaning tirade.
Over two weeks in September, 500 workers hauled trash and debris from the tracks of every subway station in the system.
The MTA has also ordered three large new track-vacuum trains, which are expected to hit stations by 2018.