NYC train/subway/mass transit in general woes

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 9:45pm

I got the idea to start this thread on the other thread about disgusting things people do on trains. This, though, is about the trains in general. I leave home the same time every day, and end up being either 20 minutes early or 10 minutes late to school. Two weeks ago was one of my worst train weeks ever. Every single day, a train I was on woud get stuck. And one of those days, I was 30 minutes late to school because I somehow ended up in another borough. Rant on your train/bus difficulties here.

[mattnyc2]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 9:50pm

Why is it that the 7 train always suspends service between Manhattan and Queens all weekend long, when all the signs clearly say that it will only be suspended between 12 and 5 am? This means I always end up taking another train and walking 11 blocks home in the middle of the night. Thanks MTA.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 9:51pm

The workers get their jollies by instituting a game called Escalator Roulette

@ 74 th St Roosevelt Ave to go upstairs to the # 7, you have to go up a bank of 3 escalators. In the AM 2 are supposed to be going down & 1 up & it should be reversed for the evening rush. Many times, you will see 2 down elevators working & 1 up or vice versa. Sometimes only the down are turned on & sometimes only the up. Many times I have seen elderly people struggling for no reason

It is also irritating to see so many workers at Main St Flushing merely standing around & doing nothing, reading newspaper, b.s.ing or sleeping

Posted: 10/24/06 at 9:55pm

Service that slows down to almost a full stop on the "orange" line trains on the weekends. Yes, I realize all train service slows on weekends, but I've waited literally an hour for a train before. Grrr.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 9:55pm

Every time I take the 1 train, it gets stuck somewhere. Every. Freaking. Time.

[yodamarie78]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 10:41pm

For some reason every Wednesday morning the 1 train is late. I leave the house at the exact same time as I do every other day, but somehow I get to work 10 minutes later than usual. Every Wednesday.

[Marlene]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 10:51pm

You have to love the frequent stowaway trains and police investigations on the 7 line. I particularly loved last week when I was on the F (or was it the E) for literally 45 minutes for a trip that typically takes 5, when I rushed out of school early so I would be able to make an appointment.

The overall format for the 74th Street Station is simply stupid, I don't think they could have possibly make the elevators more out of the way than they currently are, making it a pain for those that are, elderly, handicapped, or are carrying ridiculously large packages to get anywhere in an efficient manner.

But for $2 you can get virtually anywhere you want and service that usually works on runs close to schedule, I really cannot truly complain about the public transportation.

I guess you're just unlucky dancing...

[tagiunagi]

Posted: 10/24/06 at 11:31pm

SF subways are cheaper than MTA. In NY you have to pay everytime you look at a bus.

[suzycat]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 12:35am

I drive a city transit bus (not in NY)... it's interesting the things you overhear!

[AC126748]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 1:00pm

I waited 15 minutes for the M102 bus today. I probably could've walked to my destination in the time I stood waiting. The 6 train always seems to be delayed whenever I'm on it, too.

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 1:03pm

There is an MTA protest outside my office today. Its the TWU I think.

[Calvin]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 1:04pm

I had the misfortune of having to go to Queens this weekend, to the Steinway stop, where for some reason, there are no Manhattan-bound trains running. You have to go deeper into Queens to get out of there. It's like Alice Through The Looking Glass.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 1:07pm

This is an interesting read for us non-NYers who look up to NYC's massive mass transit system. Seattle only has a bus system... and not a very good one at that.

[Calvin]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 1:09pm

It's a great system in Manhattan. It's just those rare occasions when I have to leave my little island haven...

[circusliz]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 4:58pm

In Washington DC, the buses around downtown (the National Mall, Whitehouse, World Bank--where I work) either go east/west, or north/south. Apparently buses in DC don't turn. This means that the most of my 12 block walk home (and blocks in DC are big) I can cover with a bus is a whopping 5 blocks.

Also in DC, if you want to get anywhere other than the immediate downtown area, you need a car. Most of the big attractions are easily accessed by metro, but once you move out of the business part of town --where no one lives, mind you--the metro stations are few and far between.

[JACXR71]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 6:27pm

I HATE that the 4/5 doesn't run express on weekends (or hasn't for a while, due to construction). The 6 has so many freaking stops...every time I see that pink tape strewn across the 4/5 platform, a part of me dies inside...

[Anakela]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 6:45pm

I used to live in Brooklyn, off of the G train. And would try to get home from a friend's place in Astoria during Sunday night/weekend construction. This involved taking a train from Astoria to the Jackson Heights stop, (no Manhattan bound trains stopping at Steinway), just to be able to get onto a train that was Manhattan bound that would connect me to a train going to Brooklyn.

I no longer live off the G train.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 6:48pm

Alledgedly the reason for the service interruptions is to do repair work. It is taking longer to repair it than it took to build it in the first place

[Anakela]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 6:50pm

Oh- but, I now live in Astoria, and just saw the signs that there will be no N service this weekend, that you have to take shuttle busses to the 7 train to get into the city. This will be my first time having to do shuttle busses- I feel like I'm living off the L train or something!

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 8:18pm

DC's metro is not that bad. I live in the NW area and am out of the downtown area and don't have a car. Its fine. You may have to walk a few blocks, but even if you don't want to, there is heavy bus coverage.

[wexy]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 8:55pm

The Metro card system crashed tonight, i couldn't get a monthly card . They didn't take credit cards where I work and when I got home, the system wasn't up.

[mattnyc2]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 8:55pm

Oh Calvin, Queens aint so bad. I've lived here for almost a year and I don't have any complaints. Well except for the tranny hooker that begs me for money or tacos by the train, or the drug deals I witness on the streets at night, or the spanish lady that stands on my street corner and tells me I'm going to burn in hell for eternity...oh nevermind.

[shira467]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 9:03pm

I'm not thrilled about the Shuttle Bus things for the N in Astoria. Luckily however, I won't be in the city for a day, so I can avoid that.

Funnily, the whole shuttle-bus, crabby service was the reason I wouldn't live in Williamsburg. I couldn't figure out which M14 to take. Totally confused me.

[Luscious]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 10:01pm

The MTA has a schedule???

Updated On: 10/25/06 at 10:01 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/25/06 at 10:30pm

Sort of like putting carpeting in a coal mine