New York MTA announced a new multi-pronged plan to dramatically reduce the amount of trash on subway tracks, and in the process, improve the station environment, reduce track fires and train delays.

“Operation Track Sweep is a critically important part of our overall effort to create a transit system that’s faster, more efficient, and more customer-friendly,” commented MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast. “There’s no question that a concerted and sustained effort to limit trash on subway tracks will have a significant impact on the efficiency of subway service – getting rid of trash on the tracks helps us decrease the number of track fires, and that means fewer delays."

Operation Track Sweep Program will be rolled out in four phases:

Phase 1 The MTA has implemented a new cleaning schedule that re-prioritizes stations based on the amounts of trash usually removed, and increases the frequency of station track cleaning from 34 station tracks every two weeks, to 94 station tracks every two weeks. This new, more aggressive, cleaning schedule commenced in June.

Phase 2 Starting on Monday, Sept. 12th, the MTA will launch an intensive two-week, system-wide cleaning during which more than 500 workers will remove trash and debris from the tracks at all of the system’s 469 stations — more than 10 miles of subway station track. The clean-up work on underground stations will be done at night, when ridership is at its lightest. During the day workers will clean tracks at outdoor and elevated stations. During this phase of Operation Track Sweep, signs will be posted at each station noting the date and time that the tracks were cleaned.

Phase 3 The MTA is also working with two manufacturers on the development of a powerful – but portable — track vacuum system that can be quickly deployed, operated from platforms, and moved easily from one station to the next. Prototypes of the new vacuums are slated to arrive in the November/December timeframe.

Phase 4 In addition, the MTA has ordered a trio of powerful new track vacuum trains, with the first two trains arriving in 2017, and a third in 2018. Vacuum trains can remove up to 14 cubic yards of trash every day.

The MTA is also purchasing 27 new refuse cars to move debris out of the system more quickly and support the new expanded cleaning effort. The cars are equipped with special railings to secure and transport wheeled garbage containers that are collected at subway stations.