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<b>M</b>ore <b>T</b>rain <b>A</b>gita
By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 24, 2005
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 24, 2005
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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Yesterday's 1/9 line broken rail gave subway riders opportunity to complain even more loudly about the deteriorating state of the subways. Mayor Bloomberg complained as well, saying, "What you are seeing is a failure that comes about from years and years of not investing in new infrastructure in the subways...and other forms of mass transit and now it's coming home to roost." Gothamist agrees, but we'd like to make the point that the city and state stopped their funding of the MTA decades ago - which certainly affected the MTA's fortunes a year ago [the Daily News has an editorial about passing the buck of blame at the MTA]. Anyway, so far it looks like the MTA's attempts to keep their future plans (Second Avenue Subway, East Side rail links) are still in good shape may be given the kibosh, as the state has slashed funding by 70%.
The NY Times looked at the evergreen topic of what subway riders do to pass the time during waits. For instance, iPods are a godsend for some, but one man was wary of listening to music:
"One time I witnessed a robbery on a train," [Ulises] Ortega said, explaining that the victim "was wearing earphones." Being vigilant is more important, Mr. Ortega suggested, than being entertained: "You never know, you know?"
Gothamist isn't sure what's scarier: Getting robbed or imagining worst case scenarios for an upcoming wedding, as Whitney Burrell does. But as waiting in between stops in the bowels of the subway (it
nicer to wait on the outside lines) seems to be a part of our lives, Gothamist suggests keeps a magazine, crossword puzzle, or notebook handy, just so you have something do. Or you could bring your special table and make chain metal. These things come in handy, especially when, like today's non-MTA-related train issue, a felled tree stops your uptown 4 train service.
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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