Category: Transit Failures

Getting to Brooklyn Today was Fun!

subwayblogger3 Comments

And by fun, I mean it sucked big time. 

The Brooklyn bound 2 and 3 trains were definitely not running, but I heard there were issues with the 4 and 5 too, which makes sense.

There was allegedly a power failure somewhere near the crossing from Manhattan to Brooklyn.

In any event, that meant there were no 2, 3, 4, or 5 trains going to Brooklyn.  They all started turning around to come back uptown.  Lovely. 

They suggested taking the N, Q, R, W instead, but of course you would have needed to know that prior to 42nd Street to transfer.  Then of course, once you got to Brooklyn, you were pretty much out of luck, but at least you made if off the island.

Bull Sh*t Alert: MTA Postpones Upgrades

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Remember way back when the MTA promised that part of the new fare hike would include some general system upgrades with a $30 million improvement package? Yeah well, the MTA has decided they’re just gonna hold off on that for a lil bit.

This is such bullshit, it drives me nuts. If this is the stuff they can get away with, they should have just promised to make $900 million in improvements. Either way, they weren’t going to do it in the first place.

Here’s what we’re not getting:

More frequent service on the G line in Brooklyn and Queens, extending B and W service on weeknights to 11 p.m. from the current 9:30 p.m., and shaving one or two minutes from waiting times for evening service on the 1, 4 and 6 lines.

So much for that plan.  I guess at the end of the day, it just means more of the same for your commute.  For the few of us that actually pay an strange amount of attention to the happenings of the subway, we will be the only ones that get ultra pissed.

But riders having to now pay higher fares should be pissed.  Part of the “agreement” were these system improvements.

They say that if the MTA finance department can get their act together by June, the improvements might still have a chance.  Forgive me if I don’t hold my breath.  I love how these financial troubles are all of a sudden brought up now…after the fare hike has already happened.  Where was this information earlier?  Saying that the numbers weren’t in is just bull.  It’s not like they are being sent in by carrier pigeon.  All you need to do is look up the tax forecasts etc. and you would have been able to see that the MTA wasn’t going to make as much this year.

So they should not have offered the improved services in the first place, or upped the fare $0.25 on the single ride fare.

Rain Delay

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How do you know it’s raining out in NYC? Your commute will probably look something like this…or worse.

http://www.viddler.com/player/cc623012/

Let me sum up what you’re seeing. You stand on the musty platform waiting forever for your train to arrive. It finally does, and maybe you’re lucky enough to get on.

A few stops later, you find out over the PA that you’re train is going to go express or bypass stops. Not just one or two stops, but something like 50 stops. So then you get off on an already crowded platform to wait for the train that is allegedly right behind your current train. Above is what you see.

Also, in case you didn’t notice, SUBWAYblogger got a small digital video camera. So now, none of you are safe!

Subway Rails Get Bent

subwayblogger7 Comments

The tracks or rails of the subway are actually supposed to flex to some degree as the trains run over them. They bow and bend slightly in response to the stress placed on them.

If they were to ridged, they would literally snap when rolled over. So they need to bend somewhat.

Well, the tracks at one of my subway stop bend a LOT! The bend down easily 6 or 8 inches when the train passes. The whole track dips including the wooden stretchers. The tracks are laid over gravel stones instead of concrete, so there’s space under neath them.

Then the train comes, they bend. There’s also a rail joint at that same spot. So when the train goes by and hits the joint, there’s a very loud bang.

I tried to get this video to show it. You can somewhat see the rail move if you look closely. In person, you can really see it.

http://www.viddler.com/player/529d8339/

When it rains, it pours

subwayblogger2 Comments

Has there been an insane amount of transit failures this week, or is it me?

There was Tuesday’s insanity, with what was first reported as a train derailment.  Turns out to have been a fairly massive mechanical failure.

Then, there was today’s crap on the 1, 2, and 3 line.  Still don’t know what the hell that was all about.  What I do know is that I am $20 lighter today thanks to the gypsy cab I had to take.  (Of course, everyone was looking for a cab.)

Oh and let’s not forget the suicide jumper we had in the middle of the day today, that was special.

It’s a roll of the dice every morning.

Amtrak Strike Will Be a Subway Disaster

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Amtrak workers could go on strike as early as January 30th.  As with all strikes, there’s a much broader impact than you first think.

An Amtrak strike has affect on virtually all rail related travel.  What most people don’t realize is Amtrak controls the signals coming in and out of Penn Station.  This means all the rail switches are under their control.

Because of that, LIRR and NJ Transit trains cannot come in or out of Penn Station without them.  Even though multiple train companies use the rails, it is Amtrak doing the switch work.  If and when the Amtrak workers go out, Penn Station will grind to a stop.  It translates into the displacement of 85,000 LIRR riders and about 70,000 NJ Transit riders.

NJ Transit riders will be able to get close to the city, but not all the way in.  They would be able to ride as far as Hoboken, and then they would have to get off.  From there, they would need to take the PATH or Ferry.

LIRR riders would have to get off at Jamaica Station in Brooklyn.  From there, the only option would be to take the subway the rest of the way into Manhattan.

If the strike happens, there will be an enormous amount of volume on the PATH and subway.  Perhaps more than they are able to handle.  There would also be an insane amount of street traffic.

People would likely start to drive into the city.  If the option is drive to a PATH station or parking lot near a subway stop, people will probably just say “screw it” and drive all the way in.

Folks that choose not to drive are going to get crammed into PATH and Subway trains like they’ve never seen before.

January 30th happens to be a Wednesday.  I’d imagine that is a fairly slow day for incoming or outgoing tourist travel.  However, Thursday and Friday are going to get crazy.  People coming into the city for the weekend that had planned to take Amtrak will start to flood in using alternative methods.  Yikes.

Looming Snow Could be Subway’s First Test

subwayblogger8 Comments

snowystairs.jpg

Tonight/Tomorrow’s snow could be the subway system’s  first test of 2008.  Wet weather tends to cause massive cluster f*cks on most lines.

All it takes is a hold up ad ONE point on a line, and the entire line suffers.   So what do we hope to avoid?

Snow in general isn’t an issue most of the time.  It’s when it melts.  So the first thing we are looking to avoid is having a lot snow fall, and then melt all at once.  When it melts fast, it causes flooding because the system can’t handle all of the water at once.  So that can cause issues with signals shorting out, or  third rails being under water.

The other scenario of disaster is if the snow falls as a slushy mess and then freezes.  This can cause some slipping issues on the areas of track that are above ground.  Eventually, a very thin, very slick layer of ice forms on the rails.  Trains try to stop and slide.  Or the reverse happens.  Trains try to move and the wheels slip.

So I guess it is just wait an see.  Be careful, that first step can be a…

Yet Again, 1 Train Makes Me Want to Kill Kittens

subwayblogger7 Comments

So the trend of late for the 1 Train is to do construction or service work in the middle of the damn day.  No no, not on the platforms…on the tracks.

From 10:30 to 3:00 on weekdays, there’s no service on certain sections of the tracks on the Upper West Side.

Lately, I’ve been working on a project at Columbia, so I’m riding up there often.  I usually get up there before 10:30a and leave after 3p.  So I’ve never really noticed the service changes.  Not today though.

I wrapped up my meetings at 11a today, and started to head downtown.  Get to the platform, and there was the hot pink tape.  Blocking the stairs to the platforms.

Now, wouldn’t you expect to see the tape before you walked through the turnstile?  Yeah, me too.  I have an unlimited card so it doesn’t matter, but I would be pissed if I had a pay per ride, and had to go get a refund.

Written there in sharpie marker on white paper was a note from the token booth attendant telling me to walk alllll the way down to 96th Street.  Wonderful.

At least it was something like 75 degrees out today.  If it had been freezing cold or raining, this rant may never have ended.

The 1 Train Sucks Lately

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Ok, so the 1 Train has totally sucked for….oooohhh…at least the last week.

Takes forever to come at the peak of rush hour.  The person in charge of the line, or in charge of the dispatch tower must be on vacation this week.  There must be a substitute in there.  Why?

They’ve been using the “skip ahead to other stations” trick way too often.  You know the drill…

You wait on the platform for at least 20 minutes or more.  The over crowded train finally pulls in, and you knock over a few old ladies to get on the train.  Meanwhile, 80% of the people waiting on the platform definitely did not make it onto this train, so you are even more thankful that you made it.

The train pulls away.  It is packed so tight that you don’t even need to old on.  You’re surrounded by puffy, down coats.  If only there weren’t that subtle odor.

You arrive at the first stop since you got on board only to have the “English as a Second Language” door operator try to tell everyone that this local train is about to start running express.  First of all, I’m not that sure they know how to use the intercom.  It’s almost like having your grandmother talk into the wrong end of the phone.  There’s a voice in there, but something just isn’t right.

Then, what you do hear is some sort of randomly organized words.  But you do manage to detect the words “express” “nest stop” “one two five street”…not necessarily in that order.

I’m sure I’m not alone here.

Cost of New Token Clerk Uniform Rediculous

subwayblogger8 Comments

vest.jpgIt was recently brought out in the press that the MTA has spent $2.5 million to outfit all 3,500 of its token booth clerks with new uniforms.

At first glance, $2.5 million seems like an appropriate, ballpark figure. Then, you start to kick it around in your head a little. That’s just what the Daily News did.

The first thing that jumps out at you is how specific the uniform recipients are. The new uniforms aren’t for aaalllllllll the MTA employees, its just for the booth clerks…about 3,500 people. Hmmmm. That doesn’t sound like a lot of people, yet the tab seems pretty high.

Do the math.

That works out to $738 per employee! WTF? Are thee uniforms made by Ralph Lauren? Nope.

Over the past several months, 3,500 workers in the subway stations department have been trading in their traditional work outfits – blue shirts, blue pants – for a more formal look: white shirts and gray trousers, or skirts for the ladies working behind the glass.

The men get gray and black ties; female workers ascots. The new wardrobe also includes a burgundy vest, burgundy sweater and burgundy coat. [Daily News]

You could get a Calvin Klein tuxedo and a coat at Macy’s for less than that…and that’s not some boring uniform bought in bulk!

So how is it possible that it could cost that much to outfit a crew? I understand the need for the uniforms, but how could it cost so much? It has already been slipped into the budget, and is being spent. It is too late to do anything about it, but it is causing quite the stir.

Outrageous.