Monthly Archives: October 2007

Straphanger Joe Gives the R-Train a Spit-Shine

Posted on October 16, 2007 by TJ

What About Spit?   I was thinking about the woman cleaning up the coffee spill last week when I visited Sunset Park on the R train. You inspired me.  I was teaching at an HIV/AIDS program at noon and I … Continue reading →

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Word of the Week: TRAIN COUPLINGS

Posted on October 15, 2007 by TJ

TRAIN COUPLINGS /TRAYn CUPP lings/ noun: Spouses who ride the train to and from work together each day. Usage: I had to sit behind this cheesy train coupling who smooched and talked about their kids all the way from Mt. Kisco to Grand Central.  

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Toward a Nicer New Jersey

Posted on October 15, 2007 by TJ

New Jersey Transit has launched a campaign geared toward making riders nicer. The campaign, in the form of posters going up on trains , focuses on the things that drive commuters crazy, such as people taking up multiple seats (Sad Sacks, … Continue reading →

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Orgies, Transvestites and Rude Riders: A Conductor Speaks Out

Posted on October 12, 2007 by TJ

Whether it’s TJ or CTRider or Straphanger Joe, we hear plenty from riders of New York’s rails. But what about the other half of the commuter equation, the workers? Toward that end, Trainjotting sat with veteran Metro-North conductor Bobby McDonough, … Continue reading →

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CTRider Has Iron Pectate For Dinner

Posted on October 12, 2007 by TJ

Yesterday’s Mileposts sparked some interesting dinner conversation at my house last night.  Who wouldn’t be inspired to discuss iron pectate?   Anyhow, Metro-North’s reminder of the ‘difficult’ fall season made my wife and I realize that every season is difficult for Metro-North … Continue reading →

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Exploring “Waterworld”

Posted on October 12, 2007 by TJ

After Metro-North’s demonstration of its new Waterworld campaign to fight slippery rail, the railroad offered a little more detail on the plan. Metro-North will dispatch “rail wash trains” to “blast” the offending leaves off the tracks with “high-powered jets of water … Continue reading →

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Pants on Fire

Posted on October 11, 2007 by TJ

The 28th Street platform for the uptown 6 was pretty full. The train eased in and it too was full. I squeezed on. A young Asian woman with a streak of blond in her bangs stood near the door. There … Continue reading →

Posted in 28th Street, 6 train | 1 Comment

Metro-North Unveils “Waterworld”

Posted on October 10, 2007 by TJ

With the dreaded Slippery Rail season just about upon us, Metro-North is announcing a major campaign designed to fight those nasty leaves that wreak such tremendous havoc for the railroad and its riders. In short, falling leaves leave an oily … Continue reading →

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Word of the Week: JACKIE JOYNER-JERSEY

Posted on October 10, 2007 by TJ

JACKIE JOYNER-JERSEY /JAKK ee JOYN er JERRZ ee/ noun: A woman sprinting through Penn Station to catch her New Jersey Transit train. Usage: I almost got mowed down by this Jackie Joyner-Jersey in a short skirt and sneakers as I … Continue reading →

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Putting the Bose Cans to the Test

Posted on October 9, 2007 by TJ

I dusted off the ol’ Bose headphones (and by “ol’” I mean very new), plugged in all the bells and whistles, and gave them a trial run on the 8:16 this morning. It was as if everyone on board knew … Continue reading →

Posted in Bose, Springsteen | 2 Comments