Since our last post about NYC Subway maps (back in 2006), there’s been a lot of new ones, and some improvements to the old ones.

• Gypsy Maps - A Google Maps mashup of the subway lines.  Nicely color coded and information about each station.
• On NY Turf - Similar to Gypsy Maps, but is actually the original Google Map mashup.  Also includes the PATH trains.  Available in many languages because the people that need the maps most are often from outside the US.
• MTA Trip Planner - The MTA finally got off their butts and put together a route planner.  They also teamed up with Google to get it done.  They also offer a widget for you to put the planner on your own website.
• Public Routes - A Hop Stop like site that offers routes and maps for transit systems all over the country, including NYC.
• Hop Stop - One of the more commercialized subway and transit mapping systems on the web.  Put in your location and destination, and Hop Stop gives you the detailed directions of how to get their including subways, buses, and good old walking.
• iPhone Map - One of a couple iPhone subway maps.  This is one of the better ones, and it is free.
• iSubway - Another iPhone subway maps.  A bit more simple.  Just an image you can download and save to your phone.
• DadNab - An SMS based subway direction service.  Text your location and destination to get directions txt to your phone.
• Trips123 - Subway and transit maps from around the country, including NYC.  Also has up to date information about on going construction and incidents for each subway line.

Do you have one to add to the list? Let us know!

These plans are not official, but they seem like they’ll have to be put into place.

Additionally, as many as 1,500 jobs could be cut, overnight waiting times up to 30 minutes, and a fare hike making a single ride $3.00 seems to be right around the corner.

Here lies the problem.  The MTA is a bureaucracy controlled by the State up in Albany that really only impacts the lives of people in New York City.  (Yes, I know the MTA runs services in the burbs such as buses, etc.  But I’m concentrating in the bulk of the issues which are here in the city.)

So there really isn’t enough outrage on behalf of the citizens of New York.  For example, people living in Utica, NY could give a crap if the subway runs on time, or if the W and Z lines continue to be around.  So they aren’t going to say anything.  Actually, they’re probably against financial support of the MTA because it has nothing do do with them really.

Mark my words, major sh*t is about to go down.

So a fat woman and a gay guy walk into a bar.  (Just kidding)

Instead, a skinny gay guy sits down next to a biiiiiiig hunk of woman on the subway.  She’s easily a seat-and-a-halfer.  Her thighs are just spilling over into the seat next to her.

She was all the way at the end of the row, so her other side was oozing out under the bar into the doorway.  I’m not even kidding when I say that people had to be careful walking through the door on that side.  One guy’s leg rubbed up against her and scared the crap out of him.  It startled him as he got off the train.

Anyway, big momma is reading the paper.  The New York Times I believe, surprisingly not the Food section.

So skinny gay guy is just minding his own business.  He’s a little squished in his seat, but doesn’t seem to mind.  He’s reading a book and listening to an iPod.

Then, big momma goes to turn the page.  She nearly smacks him in the face.  She’s so round, she can hardly get her hands around in front of her.  The bottom of the paper keeps getting hung up on her breasts as she tries to fold the page back.  So with each page turn, she’s flapping her flippers arms out and getting all in the gay guy’s business.

To his credit, he didn’t say anything the first two times she did it.  He just made a face and rolled his eyes.  People around us were smiling, trying not to laugh because she made a big deal about every turn of the page.

On the third turn, she bumped his book.  The pages of her newspaper were covering his book as she was turning the page.

Finally, he had enough. 

He turns to her and says, “Excuse me.”

She looks at him (hardly able to turn her head) and says, “Yes?”

“You keep hitting me every time you turn the page.”

“Well I’m sorry, what do you want me to do?  This is a crowded train.”

I lean forward a little because I know it is about to get nasty.

“Oh no.  You see, the problem is you’re behind is too big to sit and turn the pages without disturbing people.  So you should just take both seats.”

With that, he stands up and does a runway model walk down to the other side of the train car amid a small roar of laughter.

(The photo above is not of the actual person described here.  It’s just here for illustration purposes.)

Your readers have already read all about MTA’s budget meltdown and the possibility of drastic fare hikes accompanied by severe cuts to bus and train service.  But have they heard what they can do about it?

On November 19th, the Campaign for New York’s Future is organizing Keep New York Moving Day. We’ll have volunteers at subway stations throughout the city, asking commuters to sign giant postcards to local leaders, telling them that now’s the time to invest in transit.

We need your help getting everyone’s attention, so our decision makers take action and save New York from our transportation crisis. Unless our leaders take immediate action, the MTA’s severe budget shortfall could soon lead to fewer trains, cuts to bus service, and double-digit fare hikes.

You and your readers can click here to find out what they can do to help Keep New York Moving and send a message urging our leaders to take action at www.keepnewyorkmoving.org. We’ll deliver the signatures on November 20th, when the MTA is holding a decisive meeting about the transit system’s desperate financial crisis.

Please feel free to also write with any questions or concerns,

Matt Derby,

On behalf of The Campaign for New York’s Future

At Columbus Circle, they had a bunch of them printed up and set up at the main entrance.

In case you don’t know already, the MTA has set up a Metrocard that automatically refills itself when the balance gets low.  It’s kind of like an EasyPass for your car.  Once your MetroCard balance gets down to $30, it will aautomatically refill itself with $40 more.

For the pay-as-you-go crowd, this is probably a great idea.  It will certainly save you time, and you’ll never really have to worry about refilling your card again.  I only wish they did the same thing for the monthly unlimited cards.  They should have one that automatically renews itself each month.

Anyway, this is the first time I’ve seen the MTA set up these little sign boards to promote a new program.  Wonder if it will make a difference.

This transitional period is always tough when it comes to planning your outfits for the day.

The cold has finally started to come.  Yeah we had a quick cold snap earlier in the fall, but then it warmed back up again.  Now it seems to be finally settling in.

So when you are walking to the train, you’re all bundled up because it can get pretty nippy out.  Then as soon as you get underground you realize it is hot as b*lls.  You’ll just be standing still on the platform and break out in a sweat.

It all has to do with that two to three day turnaround SUBWAYblogger always talks about.  Once it is finally cold once and for all above ground, it takes about three days for it to cool down underground.  The opposite is also true in the spring.

So it’s SUBWAYblogger’s advice to wear things that you can easily peel off once you get to the subway, then put back on when you get to your stop.  Complicated coats with lots of buttons and fancy scarfs might need to wait a few more weeks.

Of course, if you’re over 65 years old, and have more than two grand children you’ve probably had your winter parka on for about 6 weeks already.  So these tips are not really for you.

Hat season?  We’re going with no.  Not yet.  Scarfs?  Ehhh maybe.  Gloves?  Suck it up you wuss.  Hat’s with ear flaps? Never ok.

I guess the same goes for the Internet.  Found this video on Scuzzy TV.  Never heard of this site before, but I like it.

This is the stuff that drives us all insane.  Swipe your damn card, then walk through.  No green light, no go.  That simple.

If you’re too slow to figure it out, then you’re a hazard and shouldn’t be on the train.

So, here’s some of the grosses subway related photos.  I highly advise not looking at this while you are eating lunch.  Just take our word for it.

Click a each photo for the description…unless you can already tell what’s wrong.

Photo Credits:  Uno, Dos, Tres, Quatro

In a recent trip around the web looking for interesting subway tidbits, I found some great pictures on NYC the Blog of a parade of subway cars rolling down 125th Street.

According to the blog, the train cars were being delivered by flatbed truck on Election night around the time of the Obama win!

NYC the Blog has a lot more pictures to check out.

I wanted to let you know about my blog - MTA Please Fix Jay.

It’s dedicated to the conditions at the Jay Street-Borough Hall subway station in Brooklyn.

There are a few issues to deal with at the station:

1. the interior condition is a disaster.  Riders deserve to commute in a clean station.  Jay Street epitomizes neglect and disrespect.

2. the condition of the MTA owned building above the station is a disaster and a waste of money.  There is a sidewalk shed that has been there for a decade.  In the midst of a budget crisis the MTA has a valuable asset that they have left vacant for a decade.

3. the lack of attention outside the station means that cars (MTA vehicles included) park in the bus stops, forcing buses to double park in bike lanes and forcing riders to board in the middle of the street.

The blog is sarcastic and a bit silly, but the points are serious ones.  The MTA must serve us better.

I can only imagine how long the lines are going to be tomorrow.  There’s going to be way more people than anyone expected voting tomorrow, so I thought this idea might be good for 2012.

Just like the report cards, have people pick up their official ballots on their way in to the subway.  You can still have it be official where you have to be registered to get a ballot.

Then you take your ballot with you on the train.  While you’re waiting on the platform or riding, you should have plenty of time to fill it out.  All you need is a No. 2 pencil, and you’re all set.  Then simply deposit your ballot when you get off the train.  Maybe that’s too open to fraud?

Ok, so instead checking in at the registration table before you get a ballot, you do it after.  So everyone who gets in the subway gets handed a blank ballot.  Then when you get to your destination, you take your completed ballot to the registration table.  If you’re on the roll and your info checks out, you can deposit your ballot in the box.

Or if all else fails, put big blue and red dots on the subway turnstiles.  Swipe through the blue turnstiles to vote for Obama.  Swipe through the red turnstiles to vote for McCain.  (Something tells me there’d be a log jam in the blue lanes.)

Well folks, we’ve survived (most of us) another Halloween in NYC.  It never ceases to amaze me how seriously New Yorkers take Halloween.

Even if you didn’t make it down to the Village for the parade, you can still see the “interesting” costumes underground.  The subway becomes it’s own parade all night long.

Most people take the subway downtown for two reasons:  1) it’s fast on a busy night like Halloween.  2) Seeing everyone else dressed up on the train is half the fun of the night.

Here’s just a very, very small sample of what you missed last night.

If you’ve got some interesting subway Halloween pictures, we’d love to see them.  Post a link in the comments or send them to submit [(at)] subwayblogger.com.

Photo Credits:  One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine

Granted, it doesn’t go everywhere like the NYC subway does.  And you have to pay based on how far you ride.  Otherwise, the Metro is beautiful.

Just look in this video at things like the platform that lights up and blinks when a train is arriving.  The clean stations.  The clean trains.

I’m just saying.  We should demand better for New York.

Feel free to link to other nice subway videos in the comments.  We’d love to see them.

We were reminded today by NYCtheBlog that the MTA regularly sells off stuff that they no longer want including your lost and found items.  Then again, I guess if you never claim your lost items, they really aren’t yours anymore but I digress.

You can buy everything from toll lane scrubbers (little Zamboni looking things), to office chairs, to subway poles, to subway lights, to your lost iPod.

Sometimes they have really high end electronics that get lost and found too.

You can buy yourself a little piece of subway history right from the source.  Check out the run down.

The Kia Motors and NBA Tip Off Celebration Event in Union Square is this week.  They’re setting up a basketball court, have a DJ, yadda yadda.  There will be current and former players there too apparently.

It’s all coming up on October 28th.

A publicist for the event says, “To say the least, it-is-going-to-be-insane.”

Perhaps.

Kia paying for this kind of publicity is definitely insane, that’s for sure.

It’s a sort of musty, sour, grandma’s basement sort of a smell.  I’m not the only on that notices it, right?

Yeah, I know, there’s an infinite amount of odd smells in the subway at any given time.  But this one is distinct.  It seems to transcend trains, lines, and stations.

Maybe it is cold activated.  Maybe it has something to do with people wearing coats and hats.  Who the hell knows, but it is definitely there.

I don’t know where it’s coming from, but it is one of those things that’s going to drive me nuts every time I smell it.  Sometimes it is really, really strong too.

Damn you mystery smell.  Damn you.

I was on my way to a second day of torture jury duty.  I made my connection to an express train and actually scored a seat.  Sweet.

It was a pretty crowded train, just as any train rolling through midtown during rush hour is. All of a sudden…

AAHHHhhhh CHOOOOOOOOO!!

Ahhhh CHHHooo

AAAAAAHHHHH choo.

(That’s a guy sneezing…FYI)

A few sneezes ring out in the crowd.  That’s just gross in general, especially in a crowded train.  But hey, it happens.  There’s nothing you, as the sneezer, can really do to avoid it.

Unfortunately, this guy didn’t even make an attempt at covering his mouth.  He just let them rip like he was standing alone in the woods or something.  WOW.

Well, I thought the people around him were going to commit a hate crime.  Holy crap did this guy get reamed out, and deservedly so.

Much to my disappointment, there were no punches thrown.  Oh well.  Gonna file this one in the “crime” category anyway.

Photo Credit

Kill me now.

The only saving grace is the free WiFi available in the jury room. Otherwise, I would be contemplating homicide the entire day just to make things interesting.

An uneventful ride down town to the City Hall area.  It was just after 8am when I got down here, and it seemed like the city was still asleep.  Not many people out at all.  Even the courthouse security screening went fast.  No line!

Any advice on things to say to get dismissed from service, without getting charged with contempt of court would be greatly appreciated.

SUBWAYblogger is getting reports that an officer was shot in the subway in Queens.

Sources tell us that at least one cop was shot.  A second officer was also injured and taken to the hospital.  Not sure if that officer was shot as well.

The suspect(s) are in custody and are also reported to have been shot.

This all has allegedly occurred at the F train in Queens at 21st Street and 41st Ave.

UPDATE: Confirmed that two police officers were shot at Queensboro Bridge Station.

Update Update: Two officers, Shane Farina and Jason Maass, were attempting to arrest a suspect for using a child’s student fare card (shocking) when a struggle broke out.  The suspect grabbed one of the officer’s guns and opened fire on both of them.

One cop was shot in the chest, the other in the back.

The officers managed to radio ahead to their lieutenant, who was positioned near the token booth.  The lieutenant drew down on the suspect and opened fire, shooting the suspect 4 times.

Suspect Raul Nunez faces attempted murder and could get 25 years to life.

So I got a new work bag to carry my laptop and whatnot.  My other one started to rip where the shoulder strap attached to the bag itself.  Loved that bag, but after 4 years, it had served its useful life.

I bought a new one that arrived on Friday.  It’s really nice and I love it.  For what I paid, I better love it.

It’s professional gear.  Really high quality and durable because I definitely beat the crap out of my work bags.  So I don’t mind making a hefty investment in one that will last.

Anyway, it is a bit more ridged than my last one.  It has more structure, so it doesn’t squish what’s inside.

Just for reference (and you’ll see why in a moment) it is a single shoulder carry case that hangs down next to your hip.  You see hundreds of similar bags every day of your life.

So I go to swipe through the turnstile as usual.  Unfortunately, I got stuck.  Yeah I know, stuck.

My new bag is about an inch too wide to fit through the turnstile perpendicularly.  So I got half way through and got jammed.  I had to take the shoulder strap off, turn around, and pop my bag out.

It was suspended in mid air because it was wedged between the left and right side of the turnstile.  Oops.  Wide load coming through.

So now I have to consciously remember to turn it parallel each time I go though.  It’s gonna take a while to get used to.  I’m sure I will look like an idiot a few more times before I really remember.

There were some pretty significant delays on the 1 train last night because of signal problems at 96th Street.  The trains were running excessively slow.  At one point, it took 10 minutes just to get to the next stop.  We were rolling the whole time, but at a pace that I could have matched on foot without breaking a sweat.

So this morning, I don’t know if they were still recovering or what.  There were huge gaps between trains.  The trains themselves ran quickly when they finally arrived.

Then there was the largest single travel group I’ve ever seen trying to board the train.  On the Upper West Side, there are a lot of less expensive boutique hotels, so groups of foreign travelers (and students) often stay there.  So you see the groups of them all the time.  Sometimes they can get large, but nothing like this.

There had to be over 150 of them.  Mostly they seemed to be around 18 years old.  I couldn’t make out where they were from.  They sounded sort of Dutch?  I don’t know.  What I do know is there was a ton of them.

Any other day when there are delays like this, the train arrives at the station packed to the gills.  Only 2 or 3 people are able to get on at each doorway, even though there are lots of people waiting at the platform.  So then, throw in this mass of tourists, and you’ve got complete insanity.

They’re still probably standing there waiting to get on.  There’s absolutely no way they were getting more than 10 of their people on a train at a time.  Of course, none of them wanted to do that.  They looked like they were just going to keep waiting until a virtually empty train came along.  Good luck with aaaallll that.

I heard the noise of it trying to spit the card out, but nothing happened.  Then all of a sudden it asked if I wanted a receipt.  I usually say no, but this time I was sure to get one.  Ball game over.

So I was standing there like an idiot with a line of people behind me thinking, “Now what?”

I could see like 1/8th of the card sticking out of the slot.  Not enough was sticking out for me to grab a hold of it.  It I had some pliers or something, I could have probably yanked it out.

So I stepped back and let the next person try.  Of course, I said it just jammed up for mine, but they were willing to try anyway.  Same thing happened.  I was hoping it would spit out two cards (mine then that guy’s).

I gave up and went to a different machine and bought another.  $164 later, I got one monthly card.

Luckily, I got that receipt.  But now it’s like a freaking nightmare to get reimbursed for the one that didn’t come out.  One woman on the phone was trying to give me a hard time about how she couldn’t deactivate it until it had been used at least once.

I said I don’t care what you do, just give me my $82 back, or send me another card and I’ll just hold on to it until next month.

By now, most midtown subway riders have heard of, if not seen, the Times Square Shuttle train’s full train wrap (above) for Cities of the Underground.

However, today I saw the first external train ads on other lines.  As part of this History Channel deal, there are two foot tall long ads for the series running on the outside of 1, 3, 4, and 7 trains.  I saw it on a 3 train today, but it pulled way before I could snap a pic.

So since I couldn’t get a picture of the 3 train in question, I present to you another fascinating SUBWAYblogger illustration.

As you can see above, the trains have this 2 foot tall “frame” that runs along the side of them.  They’re perfect for these self adhesive vinyl ads.

Anyway, the History Channel will have these running on trains for quite a while.  Wonder who will be next?

I think Subway (sandwiches) should buy trains and have giant 6 foot subs running down the sides.