Tag: Metro North

Thank You, NYC Transit Part II

I thank those who read, “Thank You, NYC Transit.” I hope you enjoyed and thought of your own NYC Transit or other public transit stories. Every city has them. I have been lucky enough to ride the trains and buses in the following cities: Berlin, London, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Rome, St. Petersburg, Safed, San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Tiberias and Vienna. I probably I left some cities out. Feel free to add your thoughts to the chat.

Annadale Station – Staten Island Railway

Since we live in modern times, our subway system has a website. It is supposed to tell us what trains have service changes during specific hours. Service changes mean they are not running, skipping stops, or facing significant route changes. For example, trains that normally travel into Brooklyn are not. They are going to Brigadoon. If only.

Downtown R & W Station

I check the website fairly regularly. Is it helpful? Sometimes. Often, the information is inaccurate. You get to your usual station or go to a different one thinking you had proper guidance, only to find out the site was incorrect. That means you either get on the subway where you are and transfer. Or exit the station, walk to another one and pay a new fare.

I once walked to a MetroCard agent and asked him if a certain train was running. The signs on the platform made no sense. Trains the signs said weren’t running stopped in the station. The ones the signs said were running did not. 

The agent said that your best bet is to check our website. He continued to say it is never wrong. I said I just did and it was incorrect. He was dumbfounded. Then there are times when only certain train cars will open at a specific station. That is usually only relevant to the Long Island Railroad, Metro North and New Jersey Transit. But not always. You’d think the signs and website would publish this. Not.

I rarely ride public buses. I tried it many years ago from Staten Island to Grand Central Station. I used to get off feeling nauseous not far from Macy’*s and walked the rest of the way. 

Anyway, what choice do we have? You really can’t drive into the city. So, we keep riding. See ‘ya on the platform.

Thank You, NYC Transit

Most New Yorkers get around via NYC Transit. Be it our “timely” buses or our ever “timely” and “clean” subways. We should not forget the Staten Island Railway. That’s like a trolley from yesteryear. But hey, today’s subway systems seem to be on that track. What track it is on no one really knows. It is unlikely we will ever know. For the record, I know all the lines. I have friends all over the USA. They often text me when they’re coming to the Big Apple and ask for train advice. I coach them as best as I can. But ‘ya never know.

Annadale Station – Staten Island Railway

Each time you ride, you can probably write a story. You need to take in the salespeople, preachers, drunks, crazies, tourists, and the performers. Today, I will focus on the quality of the service. No need to talk about the cleanliness of the stations, the trains, and the restrooms. That’s for another time.

Downtown R & W Station

Once I was on the R going to Cortlandt Street – World Trade. After City Hall, they just ran the train right to DeKalb Avenue. They didn’t tell us. Eventually it pulled into DeKalb. The tourists asked me what they should do. They were hoping to go to Ground Zero. I said we have to go to the Manhattan-bound platform and hope it goes there. Heck, we were at DeKalb. I should have just said, go to Junior’s, get a delicious burger, and a piece of its award-winning cheesecake.

Menu at Junior’s

Once I was going to see Paul McCartney at Yankee Stadium, I got on the D train. It  is supposed to run to the Stadium when there are ballgames and other events, such as concerts. A packed train flew right by the Stadium and, unlike a cutter by Mariano, missed the strike zone. In other words, it didn’t stop. The conductor sheepishly announced that they forgot to program the train to stop at 161st. He told us to get off two stops later and take the Manhattan-bound train to the Stadium. 

Yankee Stadium

Another time at the Stadium after a Yankees-Red Sox game, the station was packed beyond belief. The NYPD let everyone know they forgot to add the extra service they usually do during games. They were trying to catch up.

NYPD Boat – I know it is not an image of an officer at the subway station. But NYC Transit would not know the difference

Another day, I wanted to take the Queens-bound R to Queens. It wasn’t running. I figured I’d get an F. I went to the station and paid. They said the F wasn’t running. But they were running the E (a train that the Board of Health should condemn) through that station. But it may not go to the stop I wanted. The F wound up running through. I asked the conductor if that train was going where I needed to go. She said, “I don’t know. They didn’t tell me. Get on my train.” I did. It worked.

For a moment, let’s jump the Long Island Railroad (LIRR). A week or so ago, I saw Joe Jackson at the Beacon. I wanted to take the 2 or 3 from 72nd to Times Square to get the E. The E was out of service. I could have walked over to the F. Or take the LIRR at Penn Station. Mind you, due to construction that has been going on for years at the Forest Hills Station, only the first four cars open when it pulls in. When will it be finished? Why ask? You know. 

Joe Jackson at the Beacom

I got into what looked like the first car. I asked the conductor if I was in the right car. He said my train is stopping at Forest Hills. I asked again whether this car would open. He didn’t know. He never scanned my ticket. That happens on all the trains that have that payment procedure. I experienced that in Berlin, too. I always buy one. I am not willing to take the risk. But it does feel like I was wasting money. Or not. Honestly needs to count for something.

Then there are the nights that after games or concerts at the Garden several of the subway lines in Penn Station aren’t running and you have to walk to Herald Square or elsewhere. I have had interesting experiences on NJ Transit, PATH – Path to where is what you should ask and Metro North.

Despite all of this, it’s our way to get around and helps make NYC what it is. Keep riding.