SUBWAY - Random Thoughts Topic

[LGA Link N Train]

10 hours ago, AlgorithmOfTruth said:

These men and women operate these trains moving millions and come to work on 2 hours of sleep.

Transit Emoloyee’s are required to have a minimum of an 8 hour rest period between tours for safety reasons.

[Trainmaster5]

40 minutes ago, LGA Link N Train said:

Transit Emoloyee’s are required to have a minimum of an 8 hour rest period between tours for safety reasons.

Meanwhile if it takes you 2 hours to get home and 2 hours to get back to work half of your rest period is gone. Let that sink in.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

8 hours ago, Trainmaster5 said:

Meanwhile if it takes you 2 hours to get home and 2 hours to get back to work half of your rest period is gone. Let that sink in.

Even so, I'm sorry but if anyone is getting two hours of rest with the , they are choosing to do so by taking on excess OT, which is optional.  I just don't buy the narrative that anyone is forced into such work schedules, which is what I take issue with. 

[darkstar8983]

2 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Even so, I'm sorry but if anyone is getting two hours of rest with the , they are choosing to do so by taking on excess OT, which is optional.  I just don't buy the narrative that anyone is forced into such work schedules, which is what I take issue with. 

the problem there is the cost of living vs. wages actually paid out for a regular shift. many train operators and conductors have to take extra shifts just to pay rent / mortgage and survive.

[darkstar8983]

8 hours ago, Trainmaster5 said:

Meanwhile if it takes you 2 hours to get home and 2 hours to get back to work half of your rest period is gone. Let that sink in.

and yes, rest is very important because otherwise we would have a repeat of  the 14 St wreck back in 1991

[Via Garibaldi 8]

14 minutes ago, darkstar8983 said:

the problem there is the cost of living vs. wages actually paid out for a regular shift. many train operators and conductors have to take extra shifts just to pay rent / mortgage and survive.

Of course and I don't dispute that. Everyone works long hours here because of the high cost of living or because they want to make more money. A relative of mine worked 70 hours a week some weeks and he lived in New Jersey, but the narrative that anyone is "coerced" is absurd, which is what the OP implied. That was his choice (he had a good salary, but chose to work more OT) and he knew what he was getting into, so he setup his schedule accordingly to get enough rest. Anyone getting two hours of sleep... That's on them.

 

Edited October 20, 2022 by Via Garibaldi 8

[LGA Link N Train]

8 hours ago, Trainmaster5 said:

Meanwhile if it takes you 2 hours to get home and 2 hours to get back to work half of your rest period is gone. Let that sink in.

I’ve had a similar case happen to me before but I work 2 jobs and one takes an hour and a half to get to. While my quarters takes me 35-45 minutes to get to from home on a good day. 
 

IDK how it is for RTO with T/O’s,  Conductors and whatnot. but MoW is allowed to refuse overtime if we can’t do it for whatever reason (although most people generally don’t).

[KDGallagher]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Even so, I'm sorry but if anyone is getting two hours of rest with the , they are choosing to do so by taking on excess OT, which is optional.  I just don't buy the narrative that anyone is forced into such work schedules, which is what I take issue with. 

2 hours is absurd but being on the extra list can and sometimes will have you sleep deprived. 

My schedule just a few days ago: 

 

Off work @ 8:42 pm

Next day start @ 5:02 am 

Finished @ 2:30 pm

Back at work @ 11:30 pm 

Finished @ 8 am 

1 hour of travel to and from work each way. Obviously not "2 hours of sleep" but it's def possible to really go without much sleep on a normal schedule. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

7 minutes ago, KDGallagher said:

2 hours is absurd but being on the extra list can and sometimes will have you sleep deprived. 

My schedule just a few days ago: 

 

Off work @ 8:42 pm

Next day start @ 5:02 am 

Finished @ 2:30 pm

Back at work @ 11:30 pm 

Finished @ 8 am 

1 hour of travel to and from work each way. Obviously not "2 hours of sleep" but it's def possible to really go without much sleep on a normal schedule. 

Yeah it's tough.  I've worked plenty of 12 hour days and had three hour commutes pre-COVID, but still got enough rest. I'm work from home now, but I know the grind well. I just took issue with the whole two hour bit and the "coercion" statement. That was a bit of a stretch to say the least.

[KDGallagher]

2 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Yeah it's tough.  I've worked plenty of 12 hour days and had three hour commutes pre-COVID, but still got enough rest. I'm work from home now, but I know the grind well. I just took issue with the whole two hour bit and the "coercion" statement. That was a bit of a stretch to say the least.

Yeah I’m in Buses, I know this is the subway forum though and can’t speak in what they go thru .. I know they have different reporting locations extra extra list , etc 

 

but yeah worse case scenario for me , I’m getting 4 hours of sleep. And that’s the case whether I’m given 8 hours off between shifts or I’m just coming off of 2 days off. 2 hours is kind of a stretch but that’s likely including at home obligations / life outside of work. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

40 minutes ago, KDGallagher said:

Yeah I’m in Buses, I know this is the subway forum though and can’t speak in what they go thru .. I know they have different reporting locations extra extra list , etc 

 

but yeah worse case scenario for me , I’m getting 4 hours of sleep. And that’s the case whether I’m given 8 hours off between shifts or I’m just coming off of 2 days off. 2 hours is kind of a stretch but that’s likely including at home obligations / life outside of work. 

And on four hours you can function (not ideal), but I've done it.  Six to seven is much better, but that was four hours because I chose to stay up for a few hours after working 12 hours. The other thing is everyone knows from the beginning if you're going to be working long hours. It was made very clear to me in my position that some days would be long and weekends may be required on occasion and I'm in the private sector in management.  Same thing with the , NYPD and a host of other jobs here in the City.

[RandomRider0101]

Not sure if anyone else here has noticed this, but there's this weird glitch that's been popping up recently on the 59th St. Announcement.

The part where Charlie Pellett says 'a free transfer is also available to...' suddenly becomes low-pitched & distorted, like a demon or something (very strange). It doesn't happen everytime, but it's happened a few times already & I'm wondering what's the cause of it.

[T to Dyre Avenue]

It’s not just the  lines. I’ve actually heard this with multiple announcements on different lines. It can’t be the PA speakers because why would some announcements be crystal clear while others sound “demonic?”

[texassubwayfan555]

I have not heard this "demonic announcement" (If someone can give me a recording, that would be nice) as I am not from NYC. I assume it is an issue with the audio file storage because I read somewhere that the NTT announcement storage is too small and many have no space left.

[RandomRider0101]

52 minutes ago, T to Dyre Avenue said:

It’s not just the  lines. I’ve actually heard this with multiple announcements on different lines. It can’t be the PA speakers because why would some announcements be crystal clear while others sound “demonic?”

Interesting. Yeah I've only caught this glitch on the Lex lines since I use the to & from work. Don't know what it's about.

Here's another interesting story: sometime last week I hopped on an R142 coming home from work ( I eventually switched to the ) and this is what happened...  they played Jessica Ettinger's 'The Next Stop Is' & 'This Is' announcements, but that's not all: Right after the respective announcements played, it jumped to the 'Ding' sound (used to make manual announcements), followed by the 'Ding Dong' door chime sound; it would never play the whole station announcement.

Here is what it sounded like:

Jessica- 'This is a Brooklyn-Bound 4 express train, the next stop is'...(cuts off), 'ding' sound, then 'ding dong' door chime

Pretty weird and funny at the same time. When I switched to the , it played what is now the regular announcements, with Diane Thompson making all the 'Next Stop' & 'This Is' announcements.

It's always a guessing game as to what can happen day-to-day with MTA NYCT.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

39 minutes ago, RandomRider0101 said:

Interesting. Yeah I've only caught this glitch on the Lex lines since I use the to & from work. Don't know what it's about.

Here's another interesting story: sometime last week I hopped on an R142 coming home from work ( I eventually switched to the ) and this is what happened...  they played Jessica Ettinger's 'The Next Stop Is' & 'This Is' announcements, but that's not all: Right after the respective announcements played, it jumped to the 'Ding' sound (used to make manual announcements), followed by the 'Ding Dong' door chime sound; it would never play the whole station announcement.

Here is what it sounded like:

Jessica- 'This is a Brooklyn-Bound 4 express train, the next stop is'...(cuts off), 'ding' sound, then 'ding dong' door chime

Pretty weird and funny at the same time. When I switched to the , it played what is now the regular announcements, with Diane Thompson making all the 'Next Stop' & 'This Is' announcements.

It's always a guessing game as to what can happen day-to-day with MTA NYCT.

I don't know anything about who does the voices, but I will say that it is probably a glitch with the announcement itself because I've been on buses with the same problem where the automated announcement becomes staticky ONLY with certain stops, but always those. I haven't taken the subway in a while, but I have heard that similar thing at some stops along the Lex line where the announcement is cut off by that chiming noise.

[Calvin]

https://www.masstransitmag.com/safety-security/news/21284139/ny-nyc-subway-conductors-told-to-alert-mta-riders-when-cops-are-on-trains-platforms?utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS221018087&o_eid=2767J3796101I9Q&rdx.ident[pull]=omeda|2767J3796101I9Q&fbclid=IwAR0zHEZez_SZDwelRnvWjN0UPgCBxqt7WIZttrUXWUgchqQJ_AGTgOZ7jG4

A new rule has come when NYPD officers board the train at any station. Conductors must announce manually that NYPD officers are on-board trains for safety and caution. 

[RandomRider0101]

22 minutes ago, Calvin said:

https://www.masstransitmag.com/safety-security/news/21284139/ny-nyc-subway-conductors-told-to-alert-mta-riders-when-cops-are-on-trains-platforms?utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS221018087&o_eid=2767J3796101I9Q&rdx.ident[pull]=omeda|2767J3796101I9Q&fbclid=IwAR0zHEZez_SZDwelRnvWjN0UPgCBxqt7WIZttrUXWUgchqQJ_AGTgOZ7jG4

A new rule has come when NYPD officers board the train at any station. Conductors must announce manually that NYPD officers are on-board trains for safety and caution. 

Saw this on the news. It'll make somewhat of a difference.

[biGC323232]

11 hours ago, Calvin said:

https://www.masstransitmag.com/safety-security/news/21284139/ny-nyc-subway-conductors-told-to-alert-mta-riders-when-cops-are-on-trains-platforms?utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS221018087&o_eid=2767J3796101I9Q&rdx.ident[pull]=omeda|2767J3796101I9Q&fbclid=IwAR0zHEZez_SZDwelRnvWjN0UPgCBxqt7WIZttrUXWUgchqQJ_AGTgOZ7jG4

A new rule has come when NYPD officers board the train at any station. Conductors must announce manually that NYPD officers are on-board trains for safety and caution. 

Will they announce what car they on...lol

[RandomRider0101]

3 hours ago, biGC323232 said:

Will they announce what car they on...lol

I was thinking the same thing😄, are they gonna announce the specific car/cars?

Either we'll get more info, or we just wait & see.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

22 hours ago, Calvin said:

https://www.masstransitmag.com/safety-security/news/21284139/ny-nyc-subway-conductors-told-to-alert-mta-riders-when-cops-are-on-trains-platforms?utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS221018087&o_eid=2767J3796101I9Q&rdx.ident[pull]=omeda|2767J3796101I9Q&fbclid=IwAR0zHEZez_SZDwelRnvWjN0UPgCBxqt7WIZttrUXWUgchqQJ_AGTgOZ7jG4

A new rule has come when NYPD officers board the train at any station. Conductors must announce manually that NYPD officers are on-board trains for safety and caution. 

Well the police got on the car in front of me on the train somewhere between Prospect and Atlantic, and there's was no announcement made on the train...LOL.

 

[Trainmaster5]

1 hour ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

Well the police got on the car in front of me on the train somewhere between Prospect and Atlantic, and there's was no announcement made on the train...LOL.

 

Although the equipment nowadays is different I remember riding trains as a passenger and as an employee late nights and midnights. An NYPD officer would enter the  at 241st St and ride down to Times Square and disembark. Another officer would enter the train there and ride the train S/B to New Lots or later to Flatbush. There was never an announcement about police patrols onboard . What exactly is the purpose of this practice? Personally,  I think it it's a PR stunt. Why alert the potential perps ? What am I missing here ? Someone please enlighten me. Carry on.

[Kamen Rider]

The purpose is to make people feel safer. Subway crime is not actually as high as it was in the past, it’s just drawing a lot more attention. 

[4P3607]

On 10/20/2022 at 9:35 PM, RandomRider0101 said:

Interesting. Yeah I've only caught this glitch on the Lex lines since I use the to & from work. Don't know what it's about.

Here's another interesting story: sometime last week I hopped on an R142 coming home from work ( I eventually switched to the ) and this is what happened...  they played Jessica Ettinger's 'The Next Stop Is' & 'This Is' announcements, but that's not all: Right after the respective announcements played, it jumped to the 'Ding' sound (used to make manual announcements), followed by the 'Ding Dong' door chime sound; it would never play the whole station announcement.

Here is what it sounded like:

Jessica- 'This is a Brooklyn-Bound 4 express train, the next stop is'...(cuts off), 'ding' sound, then 'ding dong' door chime

Pretty weird and funny at the same time. When I switched to the , it played what is now the regular announcements, with Diane Thompson making all the 'Next Stop' & 'This Is' announcements.

It's always a guessing game as to what can happen day-to-day with MTA NYCT.

Not a glitch. Someone with a super deep low-pitched voice now makes the announcement for the out of system transfer to the F/Q at Lex/59 as the end of the announcement was changed to include "by using OMNY or your MetroCard". Thing is, the announcement is barely audible compared to the volume of most other pre-recorded announcements and is hard to hear on a crowded train, thus sounding a bit creepy to one who's never heard it before. (It surprises me there's no check to make sure every new announcement recorded can be clearly audibly heard inside the train car while crowded, as the few recent new transfer announcements using this guy's super deep pitched voice aren't exactly the most audible and understandable). 

The other day I was on an R179 along the that was for sure glitching with announcements, skipping parts and playing other parts super loud. Something like...

"This is Broadway Jun-AILABLE TO THE LONG ISLAND RAILROAD" (using caps to emphasize the loud announcement), skipping whole parts of the announcement.

Random thought about the : I have noticed a good deal of redevelopment along most other subway lines in Queens, especially along the and Queens Blvd, however find surprising that much of Jamaica Avenue between Cypress Hills and Jamaica is still mostly small family businesses with many signs and elements preserved from the past decades. I do understand the area specifically between 75th and Woodhaven is considered historic, although the entire Jamaica Avenue out to Van Wyck features many elements that are being erased or have been erased near other lines. Queens Blvd around Rego Park and Forest Hills is seeing several new notably tall buildings that will change the skyline and feel of the area. If anyone remembers Tower Diner by 65 Avenue, the entire block just got razed for yet another massive development. The Parking Lot across from Rego Center will soon have a 30-story "mixed use development" in is place and there's already an eyesore going up on the other side of 65th Ave (Rego Park area between 63 Drive and 67 Avenue, not 65 Street). 

[RandomRider0101]

5 hours ago, 4P3607 said:

Not a glitch. Someone with a super deep low-pitched voice now makes the announcement for the out of system transfer to the F/Q at Lex/59 as the end of the announcement was changed to include "by using OMNY or your MetroCard". Thing is, the announcement is barely audible compared to the volume of most other pre-recorded announcements and is hard to hear on a crowded train, thus sounding a bit creepy to one who's never heard it before. (It surprises me there's no check to make sure every new announcement recorded can be clearly audibly heard inside the train car while crowded, as the few recent new transfer announcements using this guy's super deep pitched voice aren't exactly the most audible and understandable). 

The other day I was on an R179 along the that was for sure glitching with announcements, skipping parts and playing other parts super loud. Something like...

"This is Broadway Jun-AILABLE TO THE LONG ISLAND RAILROAD" (using caps to emphasize the loud announcement), skipping whole parts of the announcement.

That 'super deep voice' you speak of is the guy who has been doing the A-division announcements the whole time: Charlie Pellett. He actually doesn't record anncmnts. for MTA anymore, but some of his basic recordings have been kept, including the most famous one (y'all know the one). The added-on announcement is done by a woman named Velina Mitchell, who now does most of today's PSAs.

In reference to this glitch, I wasn't referring to the people who record the announcements; I was talking about an actual glitch that's been affecting this particular announcement on select trains. You must've not heard it since you don't know what I'm talking about.