"Interestingly enough, track 12 does not only contain information pertaining to the last use, but also to the use before that."<p>This might explain why the system sometimes asks you to "Swipe again" when going through the turnstiles. maybe the write failed?<p>In the 90s the system had tokens. Someone figured out a cheap way to game the system using inexpensive South American coins..<p><a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19951206&id=XVwxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hKYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2338,4467511&hl=en" rel="nofollow">https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19951206&id=...</a>
MTA cards are terrible. So is MTA's customer service. I lost $60 (2 7-Day Unlimited cards) because the two cards were demagnetized. They weren't next to each other, but both were kept close to cellphones. I went to the MTA booth and they staff said to mail the cards so I can get a refund. This may work for NYC residents, but foreign tourists will never see that money again. The card and system is so bad, that one may actually think they want this to be bad so they can profit more.
What would happen if you used your own blank plastic magnetic card? Would it be more durable? Would the vending machines refuse to load your fare onto them?<p>(I imagine the MTA doesn't have enough money for upkeep, let alone upgrading the turnstiles with NFC readers.)