Archive for February, 2007
Wednesday, February 21st, 2007
Trouble on the New Haven Line!
Several months ago, I signed up for the MTA’s WebAdvisory service, which tells you about delays and problems via email. I believe this morning’s Advisory is the first I’ve received. Thank God the MTA got through slippery rail season and an ice storm without any delays or problems!
Today’s Advisory mentions problems with the “catenary” wire. […]
No Comments » - Posted in Catenary, Engine Bob, New Haven Line by TJ
Tuesday, February 20th, 2007
MTA Giveth, MTA Taketh Away
Brother, were we humming. The 8:17 pulled in at 8:16 and change, we hardly suffered from the usual crawl through the Grand Central underbelly, and we were stepping off the train fully three minutes early.
Now that’s a way to start a work week.
Ah, but what troubles awaited at the 6 train. If I wait five […]
2 Comments » - Posted in 8:17, Arrival time, Grand Central by TJ
Monday, February 19th, 2007
The Only Train I’m Dealing With Today…
…is made of blocks, stops at various points around my family room, and is operated by Little G. Happy President’s Day.
No Comments » - Posted in Uncategorized by TJ
Monday, February 19th, 2007
Word of the Week: Binflint
BINFLINT \BINN-flint\ noun: Commuters who attempt to save a dollar by piecing together the various sections of the NY Times thrown in the recycling bins on the train platform each morning.
Usage: This binflint grew frustrated when he couldn’t find a Thursday Styles section to complete his scavenged Times.
No Comments » - Posted in Word of the Week by TJ
Sunday, February 18th, 2007
Straphanger Joe and the Mystery of the Empty Seats
I got onto the F train at 23rd Street at 5:15pm–peak travel time on a Friday. The train was crowded, people standing in the aisles. I noticed a little oasis of space in one of the L-shaped orange benches. There were two spots open next to a sleeping young man whose mouth was slightly open […]
No Comments » - Posted in 23rd Street, F Train, Straphanger Joe by TJ
Friday, February 16th, 2007
What the Guy Next to Me Was Reading
From the textbook on the lap of the guy next to me on the 8:17:
Chapter 2: The Present Values, the Objectives of the Firm, and Corporate Governance
Foundations of the Net Present Value Rate
The net present value rate seems sensible enough. It worked for you when you decided to buy that vacant lot and constructed an […]
No Comments » - Posted in 8:17, Net Present Value Rate by TJ
Friday, February 16th, 2007
Nor’easter 2007: Straphanger Joe Takes to the Skies
I flew from Lansing, Michigan to Detroit at 5 p.m. in the middle of the snowstorm that was on its way towards us. Our plane sat on the runway an hour while they checked computer diagnostics and de-iced, and took off into the wide wild white at 6:15pm.
“Lansing,” as folks who lived there say, “is […]
No Comments » - Posted in LaGuardia, Straphanger Joe by TJ
Thursday, February 15th, 2007
Bar Cars Hit End of Line
Today’s Wall Street Journal laments the demise of the bar car (D4, Personal Journal). Rolling imbibers say it’s a crucial aspect of their social lives. The MTA says they’re scrapping them to make room for extra seating. I say keep the bar cars and add more regular cars to accommodate the extra ridership.
But who asked […]
No Comments » - Posted in Bar Car by TJ
Thursday, February 15th, 2007
Ask Engine Bob
Q: Engine Bob, is it legit for Metro North to blame late trains on snow and ice? I mean, how many problems can a few inches of snow really cause a train?
A: Believe it or not, quite a few. Back in the 1950s, the Lackawanna Railroad (and, no doubt, some others) struck on a way […]
1 Comment » - Posted in Catenary, Engine Bob, Metro North, Roasted partridge, Snow by TJ
Thursday, February 15th, 2007
Nor’easter 2007: I Take Back All the Nice Things I Said About Metro North
Yesterday, it was snow, sleet, freezing rain and locusts falling from the sky (”I’m shoveling Margaritas,” one Brooklyn maintenance man told the Times), and the train was all of two minutes late.
Today, it was sunny and clear, though butt-cold. And what hell awaited me on the 8:17. The train pulled up at 8:21 — not […]