Because of a sick passenger

May 10, 2007 subwayblogger8 Comments

That justification for train delays always makes me wonder.

Why does a sick person on a train mean that trains have to get thrown all out of whack? Ok, so the person is sick, but can’t they just get off the train and wait for assistance on the platform?

That’s why I think the “sick passenger” think is just complete bull. Does “sick” mean motion sickness or heart attack? Does “sick” mean laid out on the floor of the train?

If so, they should just be more upfront with the info. Just say that there is a passenger unconcious on the train. At least then the hold up sounds justified.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Combat Door Holders

May 9, 2007 subwayblogger6 Comments

Ok, so this morning’s train was plagued by door holders. Actually, it wasn’t door holders so much as people getting stuck in the doors as they tried to squeeze onto the overful train.

So here’s my idea to combat people who insist on cramming into over packed trains:

You know the black, rubber gasket on the doors where the doors come together? Basically, the part that pinches you when you get stuck in the door. The part that grabs onto your coat and won’t let go. You know…the “door bumpers” if you will. (see illustration)

Ok that part of the door is where I suggest they make out of ink pads. Instead of rubber, they should make into a huge rubber stamp. That way, if some gets stuck in the doors, it is going to leave huge black ink lines on them.

Knowing that, there’s no way anyone would stand near the doors as they were closing if they knew they were going to get “stamped” by the doors. Wouldn’t wont to ruin that new denim body suit!

Ok ok…we don’t need to make it out of permanent ink. It could be something washable. As long as it is something that would make you look like a compete ass in your morning board meeting.

Your thoughts?

We need to slim down

May 8, 2007 subwayblogger4 Comments

Folks, summer is quickly bearing down on us, and we look pretty terrible. There. I said it.

The warm weather makes people in NYC want to break out their new sping outfits, which is fine. However, did you buy that thinking you were going to lose 15 pounds before wearing it? Maybe you forgot when you pulled it out of the closet today.

Currently, I am crammed between some men and women who should perhaps give their choice of outfit a little more thought.

This goes for men and women. For example, fellas, let’s keep the sleeves on our shirts for a few extra weeks. Ok? I know it is news to you, but we can see your man boobs when you wear that cutoff shirt. Also, if your chest hair starts at your collar bone and goes straight down to your knuckes, you might want to always have sleeves…even though it feels like you already do.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow Resigns

May 7, 2007 subwaybloggerLeave a comment

Kalikow MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow has finally stepped down so that Gov. Spitzer can choose a replacement.

Sometimes, it seems like these politicians are just threatening each other like school kids. As if Spitzer was going to take away all Kalikow’s toys if he didn’t quit. Jeez.

Anyway, its been a long time coming. Litterally, back on December 1st, we reported that Kalikow planned to resign some time in second quarter.

Did you know that Kalikow wasn’t really being paid to be Chairman? He’s already ridiculously wealthy from his realestate firm and was former publisher of the New York Post. NYC has a history of hiring wealthy people that don’t need to be paid. Look at Bloomberg for example…he’s worth a reported $13 Billion!!

The city pays Bloomberg $1.00 a year. If you’ve ever been to his office/cubicle, he has the checks framed on the wall.

Anyway, Kalikow stuck around to get some projects off the ground, of which I know of at least one blogger that is happy he did. As soon as Spitzer finds a replacement, Kalikow will ride off into the sunset. Thanks for the good run, Pete!

Two More Subway Deaths This Weekend

May 7, 2007 subwayblogger4 Comments

Two more people died on the subway this weekend, however, this time they weren’t subway construction workers.

In two separate incidents, a pair of homeless men were killed. One man died while walking between train cars. He apparently slipped and fell between the train cars as they were moving. That never ends up well.

The other man died from an apparent stabbing. However, this is the one that seems the strangest. The police were not ruling out a an existing health condition. When they arrived though, they found him bleeding from the chest, and pronounced him dead on the scene. I was unaware that “bleeding from the chest” could be a preexisting health condition. Maybe he already had a wound that started bleeding again?? They were also up in the air about foul play. So maybe the guy stabbed himself?

The homeless in the subway is apparently becoming a growing problem. The population living in the subway has grown 33%. That’s a bit much.

Above (click images for larger view): (Left) This shot was taken back in 1988 on an S train. If you look further down, you can see that there are people on all of the benches. The photographer says that people avoided this car like the plague because of the foul odor. (Right) Today, the condition doesn’t seem to have improved. It may not be as bad as the 80’s, but it’s still a problem.

Happy Cinco De Mayo Eve

May 4, 2007 subwayblogger3 Comments

Since making Google Maps mashups seems to be so popular lately, someone should put together a Margarita map to outline the perfect Cinco de Mayo bar crawl.

Lay it out by subway stop perhaps. Just pinpoint all the places you can get tuned up within 1 block of the subway exit. Hell, SUBWAYblogger would probably help sponsor it!

Yes friends, the stars and the moon have aligned to finally bring us both major drinking holidays on Saturdays in the same year. Both St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo fall on Saturdays, so what could be better? (Other than not having to see the sun on Sunday)

There will be the Cinco de Mayo parade tomorrow from 11am to about 2pm traveling downtown on Columbus from 110th to 59th. So if you’re headed to the park on the UWS, be prepared to navigate around.

The floor (comments) is now open for suggestions on where to find the best Margaritas! Your thoughts?

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Transit Chief Gets Emotional

May 3, 2007 subwayblogger4 Comments

In the wake of not one but two subway deaths, New York City Transit Chief, Howard H. Roberts Jr., wrote an open letter to all 47,000+ transit workers asking them to work safer.

Mr. Roberts, who started the job in mid-April, said he was taking the deaths last month of the two track workers, Daniel Boggs and Marvin Franklin, in accidents five days apart, “personally” and said that he felt “responsible for everything that happens or does not happen at NYC Transit.”

The letter was sent via email to employees as well as posted around work sites. So if he was so “personally” touched by the issue, why couldn’t they mail the letters to each employee? They probably get a postage discount, so would have only cost about $25k. That’s chump change for the MTA. That’s probably what they spend on rat poison every month.

In the mean time, all non-essential construction projects are still suspended. I wonder…if you work on one of the suspended crews, do you still get paid? It’s a union gig, so I would imagine you would.

Late Night Site Crash

May 3, 2007 subwayblogger5 Comments

Words of wisdom people…If you have a blog or website in general, you need to do regular backups. Especially if you are making daily updates to your site.

Late last night, there was a major screw up on the SUBWAYblogger backend. Our main host attempted to restore a day old backup, but that failed no matter what they did. In short, they were pretty worthless.

Luckily, SUBWAYblogger does a manual backup on a daily basis, and it was worth it. Well into the night, we were restoring our back up. If we didn’t have the most recent backup, we easily could have lost all of April and May’s postings. That would have suuuuuuuuuuucked!

So take it from us: Backup early and often!

That is a bold move

May 2, 2007 subwayblogger8 Comments

I’m not sure why this caught my attention this morning, but it did.

As my train just approached, I looked up at the front of the train as it went past me. The train operator and I almost made eye contact. Then I saw the frame around his windshield.

Someone had tagged (graffiti) the window frame with blue Sharpie marker. It was just around the left side of the window, probably within sight from inside the operators cab. That’s a bold move!

Imagine if someone walked up to your car at a red light and tagged their name on your hood. That’s what someone must have done to this train.

The only way someone could have done it is if the train was at platform level. If it was parked in the rail yard, there’s no way someone could have reached that high.

That means someone walked right up to the train operator, in full view, and tagged the train with blue marker.

Wow. I thought that only happened back in the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

——————-

UPDATE:

Ok, there seems to be some confusion about where the trains was tagged. Here’s a little illustration I whipped up to demonstrate.

Would you work on the tracks?

May 1, 2007 subwayblogger2 Comments

Can you even think of a more miserable job than working on the subway tracks? Holy mother, no f-ing way.

Think about what a typical shift must be like. First of, it’s gross. Then factor in that you’re surrounded by rats. Hell, the rats are probably hiding in the shadows planning a revolt.

Think about how hot it must be to work down there in the summer! Even at night, it must be 100+ degrees, and you’re expected to haul concrete? Fugetabowdit.

Think of all the crap you must be breathing in, too. All that soot and brake dust. Lord knows what other carcinogens are loose down there. I’d think lead and asbestos are probably the least of your worries.

As if all that weren’t enough, you’ve got to keep your ass from being run over by trains!

There must be something I’m missing, otherwise I don’t know why anyone would want that job.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…