Monthly Archives: April 2009

Does This Subway Stop at Spring(steen) Street?

On what in the media might call a slow news day, I thought I’d share a little mass-transit related music I heard on my iPod this morning. It’s from Bruce Springsteen’s first album, Greetings From Asbury Park, New Jersey. The … Continue reading

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An Open Letter To:

The man reading Coaching Baseball For Dummies on the train last night. First of all, best of luck in what surely sounds like your rookie season as a Little League manager. You’re a young man of about 35, brown hair, … Continue reading

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DERAILED: Blood on the Tracks

Whether it’s brawlin’ late-night riders or hemorraging day-hoppers, Conductor Bobby’s posts always seem to have a fair bit of blood in them. His latest: “Sorry dude!” Said the passenger, now showing me his thumb which was dripping with blood. “I … Continue reading

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Al Roker on Your PATH Train

We all know the feeling. You’ve watched three hours of the Today show and feel like Roker, Vieira and the gang are just hitting their groove. You can hang on for several hours more. Alas, work beckons. What to do? … Continue reading

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Calling All Pullman Porters

Apparently there was once a day when train travel was super-swank, and dutiful attendants catered to your every whim. These attendants were known as Pullman porters, and they played a vital role in black history, as the jobs were largely … Continue reading

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How to Avoid Those Doomsday Price Hikes

We’re not real big on offering practical commuting advice here on Trainjotting; we’d rather make fun of some guy on the 5:46 to Chappaqua who was picking his nose. But this might actual help y’all a bit. Metro-North has partnered … Continue reading

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Getting Around in the Bicycle Mecca

Portland, Ore. is well known as a place where cyclists have considerable clout–bike lanes are everywhere, public transportation has room for bikes, and drivers presumably don’t run cyclists over. All that, and public drinking fountains known as Benson Bubblers. Reports the … Continue reading

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Despite Appearances to the Contrary, Grand Central Retail Going Strong

Don’t let the increasingly barren shops in Grand Central fool you–the retail scene in the train station is vibrant as ever, counters the New York Times. Whatever happened to that little music store that had been there for so many … Continue reading

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Can You Spare a Square?

What’s grosser than gross? From OverheardinNewYork: You’d Better Not Be Writing Your Novel in There! Man outside stall to presumed child: Okay champ, have you done your business in there?   Very deep voice from stall: Still working on it, … Continue reading

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Oh, Who are the People in Your Neighborhood?

Who rides the M8 bus anymore? Funny you should ask. In fact, the ill-fated M8 bus’s riders include an Elle editor, an artist/author, a kid named Woolfie, a drunk guy in a wheelchair and the Doughnut People all ride the … Continue reading

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