How bad is the N?

The N, the bridge-and-beach express

The N is the yellow express that runs from Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard in Queens, through Manhattan's Broadway corridor, and out to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue in Brooklyn — an express artery from Queens all the way to the beach. Together with the D it owns the Manhattan Bridge crossing, and together with the Q/R/W it owns the Broadway trunk.

The N's double life is what makes it. Its northern end runs elevated along Astoria — a trackage shared with the W that serves Queens' historic waterfront — and its southern end runs express past Barclays Center to Coney Island. In between it's a Broadway express in Manhattan, which means it's the fast way to Times Square for Queens and northern Brooklyn riders alike.

Rider well-knowns: the N is the line New Yorkers pray for on summer weekends, because on the beach run it's the only express that gets you to Coney without a transfer. Its Manhattan Bridge crossing is the same rattling joy as the D's. And its 36th Street Brooklyn choke point — where the N, R, and D all converge — is the eternal 'delays both directions' soul of the line.

The N is a hit-or-miss express with a beach-grade payoff. When it's good it's the best fun run in the system; when it's bad it's a bridge-clogged crawl. For anyone between Astoria and the boardwalk, it's the line you either love or love to complain about.