Fox 5 dedicated a lengthy news story last night to the boozy Sunday night ride to the city on a certain Long Island Railroad train. It seems a major beer blowout at the Boardy Barn in Hampton Bays wraps up around 8, then everyone makes their way to the Hampton Bays station for the 8:28 train heading east.
Needless to say, the snooty Amagansett types forced to share the train with the mooks are not happy.
Reporter Andrea Day donned a sturdy pair of Wellies to avoid the vomit at Hampton Bays train station. “You might think you’re in a frat house,” she gasps. “Believe it or not, this is the Long Island Railroad on a Sunday night.”
Adds Day on her blog:
I went out east and pulled up to the station to see what the 8:28 was all about. Can I tell you — it was scary! Even buying a ticket on the platform was tough because people in line were totally out of control. They were yelling, pushing, some passed out. I even had to dodge piles of vomit.
First of all, I can’t believe the Boardy Barn is still around. I remember commercials on WBAB back in the early ’80s, those cheesy homemade spots with some dirtball who once sang for the Good Rats singing “Rock…in the Eighties! Boardy Baaarrrnnn!”. I remember thinking what a ridiculous name it was — what the f*** is a Boardy Barn, and what sort of loser would ever drink there?
That 8:28 is a double-decker train. I’ve been on that train for long spells–jaunts from the city to Montauk and back with The Missus before we were saddled with offspring. I remember that the bathroom situation is awful–there were maybe two for the entire train, and the double-deckers are gigantuan. Add to the mix 20-something airheads who’ve consumed four tallboys from Penn Station to Ronkonkoma, and you’re suddenly thinking if it’s possible to pee out the door when the train pulls into Quogue. (Editor’s Note: Ronkonkona…Quoque…Long Island has funny names.]
Day asks for viewer comments on her blog, and most seem to defend the Boardy Barn boozers.
One writes:
Most of your parents went to The Barn. Its a happy place where people have a great deal of fun. It is controlled
I was on this same train as Andrea Day. I was riding home after a long weekend in Montauk. I guess it was right around Southampton when I realized that I was on the 8:28 Hampton Bays train. I spoke with the conductor about my concerns and he said that they actually only open up the first 2 cars at Hampton Bays and that the rest of the train was pretty much sober. I have to say that this worked pretty well and I only had a run in with 10 or so drunkards. The only issue was the bathroom line…a girl peed herself in front of me.
I must say though, I do rather enjoy the Barn and I am going there this Sunday. We rented a van to take us out there and pick us up.
It may be annoying to have drunkards on a train but at least they are not on the road.
Bring back the bar cars! Better yet, stock them with multiple toilet rooms so that drunken idiots are less likely to pee and upchuck in public. If the folks get drunk on the bar cars, refuse further drinks (or perhaps the Boardy Barn might).