in December 1986, and it was determined that having the E and R run during late nights provided the best service. Archer Avenue changes Originally, the G and N local trains were planned to serve the upper level of the new Archer Avenue Line extension, while the E and F express trains would have remained on the Queens Boulevard mainline towards 179th Street. The N train was to have been extended from 71st Avenue to Jamaica Center during weekdays, and, when it terminated at 57th Street or 71st Avenue, during evenings and weekends, the G would have been extended to Jamaica Center, and during late nights, a G train shuttle would have run between Jamaica Center and Van Wyck Boulevard. On December 11, 1988, the Archer Avenue Lines opened, utilizing existing provisions east of the Briarwood station. The E was rerouted to its current terminus at Jamaica Center. Its opening was expected to reroute 17,500 riders from Hillside Avenue to Archer Avenue. Two service plans were identified prior to the February 25, 1988 public hearing. The first would have split rush-hour E service between the two branches, with late night service to 179th Street provided by the R, while the second would have had all E trains run via Archer Avenue and would have extended R locals to 179th Street. A modified version of the second plan was decided upon. When the Archer Avenue Line opened, the E ran to Jamaica Center via the Queens Boulevard Line's express tracks. The R was extended to 179th Street to serve local stations east of Continental Avenue, replacing local E service to 179th Street, allowing F trains to continue running express to 179th Street. F trains no longer stopped at 169th Street between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. During the morning rush hour, some R trains went into service at Continental Avenue, because local ridership from 179th Street during rush hours did not warrant it. All R trains went to 179th Street during the afternoon rush to avoid taking loaded R trains out of service at Continental. The change in the plan was the operation of some E trains from 179th Street as expresses during the morning rush hour to provide an appropriate level of E service to Archer during the morning rush, to maintain the same level of service to 179th Street while providing express service, and to provide greater choice for