NYCT Reports Most Subway Cars Well Air Conditioned

August 4, 2008 subwayblogger8 Comments

According to the MTA, most subway cars are well air conditioned.

Well, ok then. Thanks for letting me know…I guess?

Wait, wait. Did they just guess at that? Of course not. They commissioned a full scale study. Transit officials inspected 2,666 train cars throughout the system. Of them, 73 cars failed.

It appears that the pass/fail mark was 78 degrees. Personally, I think that is a little toasty, but manageable. That’s certainly better than some trains over 88 degrees!

The E train had the worst score, which is not a surprise at all because they are the oldest trains.

So I’m left wondering why a study was needed. I mean, sure it probably gives you an official looking number when you’re done, but it doesn’t really fix anything.

The MTA should be studying what would improve the a) reporting and b) repairing of overheating cars.

I guess you can just see which cars have no AC because they are usually empty! However, I doubt if riders report overheated train cars. Air conditioning, along with other general repair needs should be easily reportable, but they aren’t. I mean you could call 411 I guess, but who has time for that?

It’s Baaaack. Congestion Pricing.

August 3, 2008 subwayblogger3 Comments

Just when you thought congestion pricing was dead, a weak heartbeat is heard. In light of the abolutely astonishing deficit facing the MTA next year, the state is starting to get desperate in it’s search for funds. Let’s back up and review.

The current state of the subway: sh*thole.

Oh, and that’s the official “term” now being used. New York City Transit President, Howard Robers Jr. told the New York Post that the subway system is extreme bad, and it isn’t going to get better any time soon. By “extremely bad,” he means falling apart.

Enter more proposed fare hikes. Well, you’d think that the fare hikes were proposed to generate money to refurb the system. Nope.

Any of the proposed fare hikes would only maintain the current status quo. So take around at the current state of dilapidation. That’s what your extra cash would maintain, not fix.Read More »

Close, but No Cigar

August 2, 2008 subwayblogger19 Comments

WARNING: This is a poo related story, using some poo humor. It is a true story, but thought you should be warned.

http://www.viddler.com/player/dc724747/

Ok, this has absolutely nothing to do with the subway, but it was so unreal, I had to share it.

So I took a little trip to Shake Shack in Madison Square Park this afternoon. Had a couple brewskies before getting there, and had to make a tinkle.

Luckily, they have that fancy new electronic pay toilet there. I was so pumped. I had seen it on TV, but never had the pleasure of partaking in the experience.

So there was a line. Only two people in front of me.

An older man went in and took his time. Not obnoxiously long, but long. Maybe he couldn’t find the button to get out of there. Who knows.

Anyway, there was a woman in front of me with her boyfriend. She was doing the pee pee dance which was funny because I’ve never seen a 30 year old do that. Anyway, there was a clear look of desperation in her eye.

Well, the door opened, and the man emerged, but no relief for the woman. Why? The rinse cycle. The entire bathroom gets a spraydown between each use. The door closes.

Well, she inches over to the control panel where you insert your 25 cents. Still dancing.

Then.

Plop.

I look back over to see that she is literally crapping her shorts. Right before my eyes. A grown, normal looking woman has poo falling from her shorts onto the sidewalk. Read More »

Seatless Trains a Reality!

August 2, 2008 subwayblogger16 Comments

Holy crap! Was the MTA listening to us?

Remember back in June when we were talking about how cool it would be to have train cars without seats (aka standing room only)? Yeah, guess what?

They’re doing it! (Read Here)

In about 6 months, retrofitted cars will hit the rails as part of a pilot program. Among the trains involved in the pilot program, 4 out of 10 cars will be the standing room only cars.

These cars will have all flip-up seats. Back in June, one of SUBWAYblogger’s commenters suggested that the seats lock in the upright position during rush hour. Then, at other times, they could unlock, and people can sit down. Well, that’s exactly what they are going to do!

Apparently, the Straphangers Campaign thinks that the public will oppose the seatless cars, but I couldn’t disagree more.

The seatless cars allow 18% more riders during rush hour. There will be less jockeying for position as well because certain people (you know who you are) won’t be battling for seats.

Can’t wait to find out what lines are involved.

NYPD Flaunts $32,881 Salary?

August 1, 2008 subwayblogger7 Comments

Is the NYPD really flaunting the new starting salary for recruits? It’s $32,881. Where in Manhattan can you live for $32k a year? Hell, it hard to make ends meet with twice that.

Well, the NYPD is making sure you know about it with half takeover ads on the subway. If you haven’t seen them already, they’ve released a big campaign to promote the new increased salary.

No wonder other states are recruiting our officers out. On the one hand, the NYPD is probably one of the most elite police forces in the world, but they are also grossly underpaid. Read More »

FREE Ads for August on SUBWAYblogger

July 31, 2008 subwayblogger

Back by popular demand, free ads on SUBWAYblogger.com. The free banner ads are available on a first come, first served basis only.

We are offering a free, week long banner ad in our left sidebar (premium space!). You can pick any 7 days you like so it doesnt have to be Mon-Sun.

If you are interested, just send an email to:

free [[at]] subwayblogger.com

You’ll get an email back with instructions within 5 minutes or less.

Once they are gone, they’re gone, but we will do it again in September. Enjoy!

L and 7 Trains Earn Top Marks

July 30, 2008 subwayblogger5 Comments

According to the Straphangers Campaign, the L and 7 train lines are the best overall lines this year.

Lines were ranked on:

– Frequency of Trains
– Reliability of Service
– Breakdown Rate
– Seat Availability
– Interior Cleanliness
– Clarity of Announcements

The 7 train struggled a little bit on breakdown rate and cleanlines

s while there are apparently never seats on the L train. Overall, they both offered superior service.

Interestingly, they are both part of the line manager program. These lines were selected to be part of a test program because they don’t share their tracks with other lines. The program assigns top level managers to run all operations associated with a specific line. That includes everything from train maintenance to platform trash pick up.

So far, the test program is working.

Metrocard Problems Part Deux

July 30, 2008 subwayblogger5 Comments

Well, the Metrocard drama seems to have continued today, and still no explanations.

Paul J. Fleuranges, the chief spokesman for New York City Transit, the arm of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that runs the subways and buses, declined to speculate on the cause of the breakdown, but said “it was a systemwide outage affecting all or close to every” of the 2,245 machines. He characterized the problem as unprecedented in its magnitude. [NY Times]

Unprecedented. Wow. That’s greeeeat to hear.

It’s apparently a breakdown in network communication between the MTA’s system and the company that actually does the credit card processing.

Rumor has it that some people were actually charged for a Metrocard even though the machine said it was unable to process the transaction, and no card was dispensed. So check your statements people!

Photo edstern

Metrocard Machines Take the Morning Off

July 28, 2008 subwayblogger4 Comments

A Metrocard mechanic cleaning some parts of the machine.

Did you try to buy a new Metrocard this morning between 8:30AM and 10:30AM? Hope you didn’t try to pay with a credit card, because the machines weren’t taking them.

For unknown reasons, dozens if not hundreds of Metrocard machines stopped taking electronic payments. Not a big deal if you were going for a $2.00 ride.

However, if you were in the market for a new $82 unlimted card, chances are you didnt have that dough burning a hole in your pocket.

The issue seemed to have replicated itself again around the afternoon rush. I did see an especially long line at the machines this afternoon.

I guess this is what happens when you are still using Windows NT in your systems.

Around 6 p.m., at one entrance to the Times Square station, signs on the vending machines indicated that they were not accepting credit or debit cards, and a station agent opened the exit gate and ushered passengers through without making them pay. [City Room]

Can you just imagine all the sea of confused tourists flocking to the token booth?

Ads Promoting Islam Coming to Subway Near You

July 28, 2008 subwayblogger28 Comments

Let the drama begin. Apparently this September, straphangers will see ads on the subway promoting Islam. (Oh nooo !!)

This is a sample of the ads expected to be run this September in the New York City Subway.

How can we protect our children from these ads that will surely turn them into terrorists instantly?

Unfortunately, that’s not an exaggeration if you ask many New Yorkers including some Congressmen.

“I have no problem with the ad itself, but I have a very, very real problem with those behind it,” Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican, said Tuesday. He is urging the Metropolitan Transit Authority to reject the ads. [CNN]

What didn’t make it into the text version of the story, but did make it in the live interview with Rep. King was when he said that he was especially appalled by the ads running at a time when America will be “…mourning the 7th anniversary of 9/11.”

The opposition was quick to point out that the campaign starts on Sept 15th, and that Rep. King should get his facts straight. More importantly though, it shows that Rep. King is in fact more concerned with the fact that the ads promote Islam and Muslim beliefs. So he does have a problem with the ads themselves.

Personally, SUBWAYblogger says who the hell cares? The ads themselves are very mild (pictured above). I probably wouldn’t even notice them. Even if they were a little inflammatory, what’s the big deal? It’s an ad on the subway. Let them have their free speech. To get it down to redneck logic, censoring the ad is exactly what the terrorists want America to do.

What do you think?

[poll=7]

This should be an interesting topic of discussion.

Rep. King has sent a letter to the MTA demanding that the ads be kept from running. That’s pretty rediculous.

Dear Rep. King,

Wake up and do something that really matters. Here’s a few things if you’re out of ideas: Read More »