This is the first installment of subway stories. One of my favorite things about living in NYC are the subways even though I curse the system on a daily basis. It's still the best public transportation I've ever experienced.
The image above is the 1 line on 168th street and Broadway about 1.5 blocks from my apartment. I take this everyday. I can also take the A or C lines which also stop at this station but I prefer the 1 line because it goes right to FIT (27th @ 7th Avenue) whereas the A or C lines stop at 34th Street and I have to walk about 7 blocks which isn't bad but when you have a lot to carry it can be a bit of a pain.
When I first visited NYC I used to find it amusing when I saw people fall asleep on the trains. I often wondered how they immediately woke themselves up when it was their stop-the train operator usually announces the stops but when you're dozing you can sometimes miss those announcements. I am now one of those people who fall asleep on the subway!! My commute time is 30-40 minutes and I always start dozing whenever I leave whether it be 8:15 or 10:30 in the morning and I always doze off when I come home in the evening.
My first week living here in mid-August, a local firefighter died on the job. I remember seeing many firefighters the day of the funeral at the Grand Central Station at 42nd street. There were several on one of the trains with me and then a Mexican Mariachi band boarded and started playing. There is at least one person(s) on every train trip you take that either 1) asks for money (sometimes they go into great detail of their woes-homeless, Vietnam vet, cancer etc) or 2)performers who then ask for money. I've seen brake dancers several times who use the pole and handles in the train that commuters hold on to during the train rides. I often think that one of these kids is going to fall and break their neck during one of their acts. They usually make maybe up to $50.00 each performance on the subway. And they know the trains well because they can only perform on the express trains because that allows them the time to perform.
I usually leave school around 5:00 or 6:00pm. 5:00pm isn't bad at 28th street station-you can usually get a seat or a comfortable place to stand but at 6:00 you are packed in the trains like sardines. Sometimes you have to wait for another train because there is no room to get on. Also, you have to be careful because if the train is heavily packed then sometimes you can't get off at your stop. Tonight I was on the Q line from 59th street and Lexington and I arrived at Times Square station to take the 1 uptown. I went down the stairs and the platform was literally packed with people-from one end to the other lengthwise and from side to side and a train was just leaving fully packed. It was about 6:30. When this happens (like tonight) I hike from within the Times Square station to Port Authority and I take the A express to Washington Heights. Less crowded.
About a month ago I was getting off at Lincoln Square at 66th street. It was about 3:00. I was just about to exit the train when a group of loud, tall, and big African American teenage boys literally shoved me back on the train (and shoving everyone else around me). I did get off thankfully but was pissed off...yeah-real funny guys.
This concludes Subway Stories 1. More to come!
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