Monthly Archives: May 2008

The Return of the Double-Decker Bus

NYC Transit is considering bringing back the double-decker bus, that staple of Gotham transportation in the ’50s and, for a forgettable spell, in the ’70s. The NY Times reports that the double-deckers cost less to maintain than the long-ass ones … Continue reading

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A Peek Inside the New M8 Cars

Our Metro-North blogger brethren StationStops has some very well-produced video taken at the New Haven Metro-North station that offers a glimpse inside the futuristic M8 cars that are slated to pop up on the New Haven Line next year. StationStops … Continue reading

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An Open Letter To:

The tall, bald man who wiped his hands on the Grand Central handrail after scavenging around his groin area. The morning train had pulled into Grand Central, and we commuters did our daily shuffle up the ramp to the concourse. … Continue reading

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A Wee Problem in the Subways

Manhattan’s “largest circulation daily”…also known as…wait for it…AM NY, tackles the issue of the MTA locking subway station bathrooms overnight in its “P’d Off” cover story today. Matthew Sweeney reports that NYC Transit has locked up 78 public subway restrooms … Continue reading

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The Tyranny of the Tunnel

He got on in White Plains. He had all the earmarks of a daytripper–one-way ticket to Grand Central, freshly bought Daily News, lumpy countenance and tacky salt-and-pepper blazer of a professor at a monolithic, mid-ranking state school. He flipped through … Continue reading

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Dogs Ride Moscow Subway For Free

There’s a Russian website dedicated to dogs riding the Moscow subways and living in the train stations. Canines are living like Gazprom executives in post-perestroika Russia, reports the Wall Street Journal, enjoying handouts and love from well-fed Muscovites. These dogs … Continue reading

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Back in the Saddle

I was back on the Iron Horse this morning after a blessed week-plus at home following the (sound the trumpets!) arrival of Little Miss C. It’s amazing how quickly the commuting skills go–everything seemed to take a split second longer, … Continue reading

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Rail-Riding Hoboes Unite!

Fun story in today’s NY Times (Metro section) about “train hoppers” that illegally ride freight trains across the country. Of course, the practice has been going on for decades, with Jack London, Jack Dempsey, and Jack Kerouac, not to mention … Continue reading

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BREAKING: Dead Rabbits Are Never Funny

I just drove by Hawthorne train station and saw a News 12 van in the parking lot, its microwave dish out. I pulled in and waited for a crew member to surface, then asked him what the deal was. The … Continue reading

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Green Trains in Garden State

The conductor’s announcement prior to Wednesday’s 5:50 departure, when the lights went out and the engines went silent “Ladies and Gentlemen, We’re just recycling the motor, we should be up in a few minutes.” Another dirty deed done dirt cheap, … Continue reading

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