UPDATE: MTA Still Working Out Kinks in New Countdown Clocks on N, Q, R Line

CHELSEA, NY — Well, the MTA did say it was a test.

One day after the MTA installed new subway countdown clocks at eight stations in Midtown and Chelsea, at least one was already having some difficulties.

The LCD screen at the downtown N, R station at 28th Street was not working for the evening commute after working on Thursday. The sign simply read "Oops — This page doesn't exist" followed by "This is our 'error 404' page."

They've still got 88 days to work out the kinks.

ORIGINAL STORY

Long-suffering subway riders along the N, Q and R lines in Manhattan will now be able to tell exactly how long they've been suffering.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced countdown clocks would begin to be installed in eight different stations beginning on Thursday. The clocks are the first to come to the lettered lines, and though it's being called a 90-day test, the aim is to eventually install them at all 269 lettered stations. Two screens will be installed at each of the new locations.

The first stops that the testing will be rolled out at are in Midtown and Chelsea:

• 23rd Street
• 28th Street
• 34th Street
• 42nd Street
• 49th Street
• 57th Street
• 5th Avenue/59th Street
• Lexington Avenue/59th Street

One of the screens was already in place at 28th Street by the evening rush Thursday.

“These actions are the latest steps toward rebuilding and transforming the MTA into a unified, state-of-the-art transportation network that will meet the needs of current and future generations of New Yorkers,” Gov. Cuomo said in a statement. “With this new and updated technology, we’ll help ensure riders have the information they need to get where they need to go.”

The countdown clocks will look a little different than the ones currently in use at many of the numbers stations. They will feature new technology, including LCD screens which will be able to display breaking MTA service updates, weather and time.

In addition, Cuomo announced contracts had been awarded for three vendors to begin installing digital screens on 131 buses. The testing will begin with three Select Bus Service lines: M15, B46 and S79.

Renderings Courtesy of the MTA