new-york – Mitchell's thoughts, photos, etc.

AI and NYC Transit

Do They Mix? Which is Smarter?

Most of us use AI. We find it helpful. We might find it confusing. But we need it, and it makes things easier and helps our lives in countless ways. Now it’s time to discuss how AI interacts with public transportation. In my case, it is the NYC subway system. I am sure all of you can take your city’s public transit system and write your own dialogue. Do it and let’s compare notes.

A few days ago, a buddy I haven’t seen in a decade texted me to ask if I wanted to go to the next day’s Yankees game, v Houston. I immediately asked how much and where the seats were. He texted back images of seats in Field Level Section 110 right between first base and right field. We all know Judge has been out for too long. So, I wouldn’t get a close-up view of his plays.

Nevertheless, I jumped at the opportunity and was thankful. For the record, I miss Paul O’Neill in RF. I trust him more than Judge.

My real worry was the rain. I have been to a few games where Mother Nature was not my friend. The rain delayed the start of the game for only ten minutes. I am sure by the end of the night the Yankees wished the game had been delayed forever or forgotten.

I rarely go to night games. Getting home is not easy. Lately, day games, with all the subway changes, have turned into a trip from hell. I need to take the 4 line from 161 Street – Yankee Stadium and transfer to the Queens-bound R at 59^thStreet and Lexington Avenue.

What to do? The LIRR usually works decently. Yes, I could write an essay about it, too. I could transfer to it. But those trains run hourly. Sometimes late at night the subways run hourly. No, they are not supposed to, but they do. So, I used AI to check my options and checked the respective MTA service change sites and the individual line maps and schedules. Hell, the game was a disaster. I needed something to keep me entertained.

AI told me the R would be running its regular route in Queens. At night, the R doesn’t usually run all the way into Queens. It makes one stop, and you need to transfer to the E. That line is known as the hobo or public restroom train.

AI claimed it pulled this from various MTA sites. I checked myself and the information was mixed. Mixed up, that is.

With my head down after our loss, my friend and I exited the Stadium and walked to our respective subway lines. I took the 4 and decided to transfer to the Queens-bound R. AI told me it was gonna go to my stop. I boarded the R, and it ran it’s one stop, and I transferred to the E. I do have to say, the trains ran on time and didn’t have their usual delays. So, I was better off doing this v. transferring to the LIRR. Sure, I would have rather taken two trains than three. I wish I’d gotten better advice.

I do not blame AI. I blame NYC Transit. AI is getting there. NYC Transit is still trying to get us there.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 161^st. He told us to get off two stops later and take the Manhattan-bound train to the 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 72^nd 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.

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.

I Prefer My Own Characters

By Mitchell Slepian

I am a New Yorker and take advantage of all we have to offer – great concerts at the Garden, Radio City Music Hall, and other venues. Of course, there’s one of the world’s holiest places, Yankee Stadium (the old one was holier). Our great parks, theater – be it at Lincoln Center or the Theater District- and of course, our great restaurants and dive bars.

Getting to these places usually requires a subway ride. In some instances, a trip on the Staten Island Ferry. Yes, Staten Island has a lot to offer. That means I often take trains to Grand Central, the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and Penn Station.

A few months ago, I took Amtrak to the Philadelphia Flower Show. Amtrak pulled into the William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, and then I took the SEPTA to the show. I have traveled via Amtrak many times to Union Station DC and then boarded DC’s Metrorail. I have taken the trains in Berlin, Barcelona, London, Moscow, Milan, St. Petersburg and San Francisco. I don’t do well on buses. But have taken them in Jerusalem, London (double-decker), NYC, Safed, and Tel Aviv.

What do all these places have in common? They are usually filthy and full of grime. They all have their characters. Some of the characters are quite entertaining and part of our culture. As I walk through Times Square Station, I remember the spots where I saw “The Jackson 5” performing. I have seen “Michael” performing solo at the Whitehall Street Staten Island Ferry Terminal.

You have the religious leaders from all religions and the dancers. Each city has its own set of characters. Some people are bothered by it. Not me. I don’t pay attention; it is part of our city’s culture. But I prefer my own city to the others. Most of the people are harmless. Some beg for money, food, and other things. Yes, some are publicly battling or dealing with their own problems. This is why I prefer my own characters. When I was in Milan or Philly, I knew they were no different than Penn Station’s. But in venues outside my locale, I walk through more quickly to reach my destination.

Why? In NYC, I know where I am and where I am going. I know that when things get dicey, I can walk in a certain direction, get away from it all, and reach a safer area. When I am traveling, I have no clue where to turn. I think about what I’d do at home. It sets me straight.

New York, New York, or the Middle of the Desert

You can be Isolated and in the Midst of It All – Get the Balance Right

By Mitchell Slepian

World’s Fair Globe, Flushing Meadows–Corona Park

No, I am not writing about Ol’ Blue Eyes. Or quoting from Depeche Mode. (But I do want to hear his version of “New York, New York” played after every game at Yankee Stadium during 2026). The Big Apple is one of the world’s most photogenic cities. Yes, there are plenty of others, for example, Belfast, Jerusalem, Moscow, Milan, Reykjavik and Tel Aviv. What I love about New York City is that nowhere else can you find Broadway, the Brooklyn Bridge, Coney Island, the East and Hudson Rivers, the Staten Island Ferry, Yankee Stadium, and the World’s Fair Globe. And more. Much more.

Cell Tower Outside Brooklyn Botanic Garden

New York offers places where you can feel the big-city madness. Or areas where you can feel the quiet and almost feel isolation. When I say isolation, I do not mean the Joy Division tune. I am thinking about being at the Brooklyn (BBG) or New York Botanic Gardens, William H. Pouch Scout Camp, or just being in your own world while cruising along Museum Mile. NYC offers isolation and madness.

The joy of being in the “isolation”(Joy Division was running through my head) of NYC, or let’s be honest, any other major city, is the things that pop up on your travels. As I was walking through the Fall Harbor Fest at BBG, I looked up and saw a cell tower. A few feet away, I watched a squirrel around some dying flowers. It’s that time of year. Next to the flowers was a trash can. I remember seeing cell towers driving through Death Valley and along the Italian lakes.

Let’s face they are everywhere. We cannot survive without our Wi-Fi. In many ways, seeing them and the trash cans keeps it in perspective. You can enjoy your isolation or privacy. But know you are when you are in the middle of beautiful gardens or national parks and communing with nature, you can easily text your friends, check the baseball scores, or listen to Depeche Mode on Apple Music on your iPhone. And toss out your trash. NYC provides the perfect place to do it all. It’s just important to remember to stay balanced in your adventures and take it all in.