When was the last time you were waiting on the platform for what seemed like an eternity only to have the next train blow right past you?
I’ve witnessed it a lot lately. At least 3 times in the last 5 days actually. Luckily for me, I was already on board the train doing the bypassing. So my local train got to run express for a few stops. Honestly, it feels awesome.
It totally sucks though if you’re the one on the platform.
Sometimes, the trains get so backed up that there are massive gaps between trains. So, the train dispatchers instruct the trains to skip stops in order to catch up and spread the load out. It will slow down as it approaches the station and beep the horn in two short bursts. That’s the sound of you getting screwed.
In most cases, there’s another train a minute behind the one that just blew past you (like they say in the announcements).
Have you witnessed it a lot lately?
SUBWAYblogger 
I was wondering if your trains just carry on full speed through the station, as any train on ours that non stops has to drop down to 5mph when going past the station starter, but then again any train that doesn’t stopp is generally out of service with a defect.
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@Station Supervisor: Well it certainly slows down. They hit the brakes as they enter the station. However, it definitely is not below 5MPH. Slower than full speed, but still moving pretty good.
From my experience, they are not defective (at least I hope not since I was on board). They are jogging to catch up with service delays.
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I live near the second to last stop on the N in Astoria and I can see the trains “docked” at the last stop from my station. There is no express service in Astoria, but if the trains are backed up, the train will stop at my station and then skip four stations until Queensborough Plaza. What confuses me is that there are always trains ready to go at the last stop. There can be two at a time at most and they sit there for a LONG time. So long, in fact, that trains coming from Manhattan are forced to sit at my station until a train leaves and opens up the track at the last stop. Sometimes it backs up to three trains waiting. Then the train heads to our stop and announces it’s going “express” because they’re running “tardy.” Why did it wait so long to disembark to begin with? Do the conductors get a cigarette break at the end of the line?
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@Fish: Do the conductors get a cigarette break at the end of the line? Yeah, probably. Which is bullshit.
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funny. whenever that happens to me on the 6 (on the platform, never the train), there is never a train right behind it. whenever it happends, i time it. usually at least 4 minutes. once – 20. no joke.
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@Station Supervisor:
When skipping a normal station stop, the rule is that the train must slow down to 15 MPH before the lead car leaves the station. This is because of the assumptions built into the signal system. If those assumptions were changed (and they ARE being changed as signals are replaced and new signal systems installed on certain lines), then they would be allowed to go through stations faster. But it is unlikely that the rule will be changed until ALL such signals are updated. And that could be a long way off.
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Actually, just happened to me again yesterday.
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