The MTA expects service on the A and C lines to be restored in six to nine months

Despite extensive damages caused by a fire that tore through a section of Lower Manhattan's Chambers Street subway station on Sunday, January 23, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has restored service on two of downtown's main subway lines -- the A and C -- to almost full capacity. Thanks to round-the-clock work by MTA's repair staff, non-rush hour service on both the A and C lines returned to normal operations beginning at 5 a.m. on Wednesday, February 2, with service during peak hours returning to between 70 and 80 percent capacity.

Although the MTA's quick repairs exceeded its earlier six- to nine-month estimate for restoration, the updated service announcements are sure to cause some confusion to those traveling to or through Lower Manhattan. The following provides information about current train schedules and routes, and more information about how to navigate the system can also be found on the MTA website.

A Line

• A service is running at near full capacity.
• Rockaway Park A Express remains suspended.
• Normal service to and from the Upper West Side, Harlem, and Washington Heights has been restored on weekdays in Manhattan.
• Delays and crowding are expected to continue during rush hours on weekend trains from Brooklyn to Manhattan until full service is restored.
• Weekend service will be normal, but be sure to check planned service advisories for weeknight and weekend work.

• Service on the C line, which usually carries 110,000 weekday riders, has been restored to near full capacity.
• Normal service to and from the Upper West Side, Harlem, and Washington Heights has been restored on weekdays in Manhattan.
• Delays and crowding are expected to continue during rush hours on weekend trains from Brooklyn to Manhattan until full service is restored.
• Weekend service will be normal, but be sure to check planned service advisories for weeknight and weekend work.

• The V line, which temporarily replaced service on C line, is now running on its normal route from Forest Hills to 2^nd Avenue.

J, L and Z Lines

• During weekdays, travelers should avoid transfers to the A or C at Broadway Junction (East New York) to prevent overcrowding during morning rush hours. Alternatively, passengers are advised to stay on the J, L, or Z trains to Manhattan.

Thought to be caused by a small fire in a tunnel near the Chambers Street Station, flames eventually spread to the station's underground central control center and destroyed a signal relay system before firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze. The signal equipment, which dates back to the 1930s, is responsible for detecting train locations and signaling the authorization of train movements to train operators through a series of traffic light-like communications.

According to the MTA, 4,000 linear feet of equipment along the track and 600 relay signals were damaged in the weekend blaze. Each signal will have to be replaced and completely reprogrammed before the control center is fully functional -- which could take several years.

By operating a temporary system to control train signals on the A line, the MTA has been able to restore regular service on both the A and C much sooner than initial estimates suggested would be possible, welcome news for downtown subway riders.

For additional information about the best ways to travel to and throughout Lower Manhattan, check out LowerManhattan.info's "Get There & Get Around" section, where you will find a detailed, interactive map of every downtown transportation mode -- including subways, buses, ferries, and the PATH train. And don't forget to check out the "Alerts" section of the page for the most up-to-date information about traffic and transit interruptions.