Category: Live Blogging On the Subway

Time for a new act, buddy

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So I have to admit that I get a little kick out of the routines that the homeless guys pull on the trains when begging for change. I don’t get off on the fact that they are homeless, so relax! But, their little speeches and whatnot can be quite entertaining.

The fact is that 99% of the claims in their little rants are not at all true. They go on and on about how many kids they have, and how they can’t get in a shelter. Not true (most of the time).

The theatrical nature of their rants is quite good. If it weren’t for the stench, they would make excellent dramatic actors.

My favorite is when they go on and on about how it could happen to us. As if they were corporate CEO’s that developed a little love of the bottle, only to find themselves out on the streets overnight. Don’t think so pal. It probably can’t happen to most of us because we have a little thing called a job.

Hey, if a Mexican immigrant can swim across the Rio Grande with ten dollars in his pocket and still manage to pay the rent, why can’t YOU?

Ok, so this sounds completely insensitive. I get it, but the fact is that a large proportion of these guys are just idiots. They are mentally stable and capable of working. They just chose to screw around too much, and now they are on the street.

Personally, if I actually did end up homeless, I would immediately join the Navy. It is a job, a paycheck, a clean bet, and hot food. Plus, since it is the Navy, there isn’t much chance of combat (as compared to the Army). So, I could live, eat, sleep, and work on my aircraft carrier without having to worry about getting shot at. Few years later, back on my feet.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Nothing like going to work in the dark

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SUBWAYblogger has somewhat of a soft spot for winter. The air is crisp, the city is decorated for the holidays, etc. Unfortunately, there’s about 45 minutes of actual daylight each day.

It does start to become depresing when you leave your apartment in the dark in the morning. Thenn you get off the subway, and it is only slightly brighter out. Go to work, and at the end of a long day, you walk outside…darkness.

If you are lucky enough to have a window in your office, you might catch a glance at the sun. At that point though, doesn’t it just seem like you’re going to see the sun at the zoo or something. I mean, the only time you ever see the sun in its natural environment is through a large window. It’s just a big, depressing exhibit at that point.

Well, the darkness is starting to set in. Each morning and evening as I head for the subway, it gets a little darker.

Ok wow, this is to damn depressing for this early in the morning. Hopefully something funny for the ride home. Later.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

I found where all the broken AC went

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I’ve made many posts where I mention that I’ve wound up on a car with no air conditioning. I’ve often wondered where the AC goes or why it isn’t functioning in those cars. Now, I have found the answer.

All of the missing AC is on the very car I am standing in right now. It has to be 40 degrees in here. It is down right freezing.

Have you ever been to “The Cold Room” at the Fairway up in Harlem? Basically, it is the biggest walk-in refrigerator you have ever seen. THAT is this car. You could easily store fresh meat in here for weeks.

I’m not really complaining. I do prefer a more brisk car than a hot, sweaty one. However, this may be pushing it slightly.

The subway air conditioning factory must have shipped the MTA a turbo model by mistake. Perhaps this company also makes the AC for the Super Dome, but they accidentally shipped it to NYC instead. Then, the city said, “What the hell, throw that S.O.B. on a subway, and get it the hell outta heeere.”

It could happen.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Primary day…go VOTE

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Today is Primary Day in New York, so take a few seconds out of your day to vote. It isn’t that painful. Ok, now that our civil obligation has been met, on to the good stuff.

I am shooting 1 for 3 today. First, jumped right into the car with no air conditioning. I swear it is the same car every time. I’ll have to pay attention to the number when I get off.

Even though I got in the no-AC car, I managed to run out, down the platform, and on to the next car before we left the station. I was impressed with my athletic ability.

Unfortunately, I ran right into a car with smelly homeless guy asleep in it. Shoot me. That is a smell that lingers with you all day. You can feel it getting into your clothes and hair. GROSS.

I don’t know why he was still on the train. He was in blatent violation of the rules. Everyone knows that the homeless dudes sleep on the subway overnight. However, the all usually get off before the morning rush. This guy didn’t get the memo.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Nice and cool outside, still hot as hell in the subway

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Just how long does it take for the subway system to cool off? It seems like it took about an hour for it to heat up to 1000 degrees. So what give? It should be able to cool down just as quick.

Fall is in the air though! Of course, we will have a freak, mini heatwave I’m sure.

Changing gears…

Foreign chics have some “interesting” style choices. I’m staning in the doorway with a couple girls…I think they are Italian. One, whoa ugly, has a tie-die Mickey Mouse tank top on with low rise jeans and while velcro shoes. The other girl has a pretty normal top on but the lowest rise jeans I think I’ve ever seen. I can see 90% of her hips. Any minute now I’m sure we’ll see the old landing strip. That’s how low these things are. She’s skinny as a rail so she can pull it off.

Ok wow, I’m surrounded by weirdness. Across from me is what I thought was a tall sk8ter guy. Long hair. Looks like a missing Hanson brother. Skinny too. However, now I am fairly certain I am seeing breasts. Not man boobies because this “person” is waaay to thin for them. Wow. Ok… That’s enough subway for today.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

9/11/06 Starts off with a Commute Nightmare

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Just as I was walking out of the apartment this morning, I heard the Penn Station is closed down. There is “police activity” on the Amtrack level of Penn Station. The LIRR and NJT traffic into and out of Penn has been suspened.

It is probably just a false alarm or precaution, but it certainly is not the way you want to start your day any day…let alone on 9/11.

I have no idea what that means for increased traffic on the subway, but I would imagine that it has at least some impact. People tend to jump over to the PATH trains to at least get themselves into the city. From there, you can at least get on the subway.

But guess what. You aren’t the only one who’s gonna think of that.

Ok: observation. There are a crapload more people riding today than normal. Every single station is pack full of people. This has to be all of the people who work downtown. You can’t get anywhere close to downtown today by car. Many of the main downtown avenues are closed because of the World Trade Center services today. Plus, President Bush is cruising around down there somewhere, so security is especially tight.

As a result, everyone opted for the subway over driving. Can’t say I blame them.

This can’t mean good things for this evening’s ride.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

 [UPDATE]  Penn Station is reopening and attempting to get back on schedule.

Delays uptown due to water?

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The 1, 2, and 3 trains this afternoon were experiencing major delays due to “an emergency water condition” north of 79th Street.

What the hell does that mean? I assume water on the tracks, but it hasn’t rained at all today. The only thing I can think of is that a water main broke.

I guess I will peak out the window when we go by. Right now, all I can see is a stopped 3 train next to us. We are both stopped between stations.

I sense an upcoming service change. Either all the trains are gonna go express or all off us are going to go local. We’ll see.

How vague is this, “Ladies and gentlemen, we are delayed because of train tracks ahead of us. Please be patient.”. That’s what just came over the train PA.

Uhhh…tracks in front of us is normal right? I’m no MTA engineer, but I always assumed tracks in front of the train meant we keep rolling.

Just once I would like them to be honest and blunt about it. “Listen up everybody, some shit is broke further down the tracks. Hopefully, we’ll get movin’ soon. Hang tight.”

The info they blab over the PA never actually describes what the problem I. After they are done with the announcement, all we know is that we are stopped, and will at some point begin moving. Well no kidding. I could tell that by looking out the window.

So instead of annoying us over the PA, just leave us guessing. Besides, you can’t speak understandable English anyway, and it always sounds like you are three cars away from the microphone.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

The International Platform

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There is a youth hostel a few blocks from where I live, and we share the same subway stop. So every now and again, you’ll run into a group of international tourists on the platform. The funky style and NYC tourism books usually give them away.

This morning, there are dozens of internationals on the platform. Today was one of those crowed mornings that makes you want to punch things. On top of that, however, there were all of these foreign students. Many seemed to be Austrailian, and there were a bunch of Germans too.

The Aussies were easy to pick out because they all wear black since the death of The Croc Hunter. (Kidding)

I live in a nice neighborhood on the UWS. Personally, I love the area. However, it is NOT a tourist destination. (That’s part of the reason I like it so much). So it always suprises me to see this many tourists up here. What on earth are you up here to see?

I guess since the hostel is like $12 a night, it is attractive. Although, the tourists must be pissed when they get there. American hostels are trash compared to the European hostels.

Otherwise, the rest of them must have gotten on the wrong train or something and ended up here. We have some nice bagel shops, but otherwise that’s it.

So everybody, get back on a downtown train and pay attention for 42nd Street…you know that’s where you meant to get off.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

You boys must be union workers

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So I arrived at the platform a couple minutes ago and immediately realized that the construction down here is growing like a weed. Every day there are more and more temporary walls and roped off areas. It is getting a little crazy. There’s less and less platform open every day.

Also, they have another project going on near the token booth. They are putting down new tile. In the course of one week, they have only managed to put down a 15×15 foot area of tile. What’s even funnier is that it is right in the middle of everything. On all four sides, there are hundreds of square feet with only bare concrete.

The new tile area is roped off with caution tape. I walk by this area every day. Each morning there are 6 guys working on it, yet they only manage to lay abou 15 new tiles in an entire day. Its not like these are huge tiles either. They’re just the little 1×1 foot square tiles.  This must be a union job or omething because they could have tiled the entire West Side Highway by now. So maybe by 2010 we will have this project finished!

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Not so bad

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Running late for work is pretty cool…at least as far as the subway commute goes. Of course, the boss probably has a different take on it.
This morning, there was actually some emergency work that had to be taken care of from home, so I have a good reason for getting to the office late. Technically, I was working…it just wasn’t from the office.

Anyway, the nice thing is that the rush seems to calm down right around 9am. So getting on and getting a seat was pretty easy.

That triggers a thought though: Why do some people feel like they are entitled to a seat no matter what? If you are pregnant or have a physical injury/handicap, ok, you can have my seat. However, just because you are older than me does not mean that you automatically deserve this seat. For that matter, if youl are so fat that your ass needs a seat and a half, you don’t get to sit. PERIOD. You could use the exercise of standing upright a little.

Old people, I don’t have that much sympathy for you either. Just cause you are old, doesn’t mean you automatically get a seat. If one comes available, go ahead and take it. But don’t stare the rest of us down. Wait your turn. “Oldness” is not a handicap. It is your body saying that you are too old to keep using public transportation.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…