Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NYC's Got A New Subway Hero
By
Jen Carlson
Published Nov 29, 2010
Modified Nov 29, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Nov 29, 2010
Modified Nov 29, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The digital countdown clocks in the subway stations served a new purpose yesterday, when 36-year-old Carlos Flores used one to check how much time he had to save a man who had fallen on to the tracks. Happy Monday everyone, we have a new subway hero! According to the Daily News, Flores was waiting for the downtown 6 train at 103rd Street at 8 a.m. yesterday when he saw a man (who allegedly fainted) sprawled over the tracks. He told the paper, "I was thinking, if he gets hit I can't go to work. It's Sunday. I can't miss out. It's a time-and-a-half day." (His job at a NoHo grocery store, where he's a produce clerk, gets him 19 bucks an hour on Sundays.)
Flores said the countdown clock said the next train would be arriving in 3 minutes, which he thought would be plenty of time—but after getting the 220-pound man off the tracks, he nearly didn't have enough time to save himself. He said he could see the lights and hear the train braking as it was approaching the station, luckily another straphanger did a good deed by alerting the station agent of the situation, who gave the train conductor a heads up.
An NYC Transit rep says that following Flores's lead isn't recommended, and that they "discourage anyone from jumping to the roadbed." But doing nothing never got anyone front page coverage.
Tagged
Carlos Flores
rescue
subway
subway hero
tracks
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NJ Transit riders face 5 weeks of schedule disruptions starting Sunday
NJ Transit and Amtrak riders should prepare for cancellations, schedule changes and longer commutes as work continues on the new Portal North Bridge.
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 11, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. ET
For a Democrat in a traditionally red NJ district, how to woo Republican voters
The first-time Democrat says it’s still “a toss-up race” between her and incumbent GOP Rep. Tom Kean.
By
Mike Hayes
News
For a Democrat in a traditionally red NJ district, how to woo Republican voters
The first-time Democrat says it’s still “a toss-up race” between her and incumbent GOP Rep. Tom Kean.
By
Mike Hayes
2 pedestrians killed in Bronx crash after driver ran red light, police say
By
Brittany Kriegstein
and
Ann Givens
Rain could put a damper on NYC’s long weekend. Here’s when it will clear.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Holy civics! NYC schools' own comic books in the spotlight at Comic Con
By
Jessica Gould
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .