Here’s why your commute sucked this morning

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Here’s why your commute sucked this morning

 

By Danielle Furfaro, Elizabeth Rosner and Natalie Musumeci

January 9, 2017 | 11:37am | Updated

 

 

It was a commuter nightmare in the Big Apple Monday morning as eight subway lines suffered major delays due to frozen drains causing water to flood the tracks.

 

The water condition at the West 4th Street subway station in Manhattan crippled service on the A, B, C, D, E, F, M and R lines during morning rush-hour, MTA officials said.

 

The problem was caused when the ice from melting snow at the busy station blocked the drains, leading to flooding on the tracks, officials said.

 

The MTA had to cut power to the tracks at around 7 a.m., causing massive delays.

Power was restored at 9:30 a.m., but extensive delays still continued.

 

Straphangers were furious as many showed up late to work because of the mess on the rails.

“I am fed up with the MTA,” fumed Sara Grossman, 30, who works in the tech industry.

 

“I am supposed to be at a meeting for work at 11 a.m. so I’m already late. I just want to get to where I need to be so I can start my meeting,” said Grossman who caught the F train at West 23rd Street and took it to Broadway-Lafayette.

 

Randy Desmond, 26, of Hell’s Kitchen said, “I’m sick of this BS. The subway system sucks in New York. Who cares about the Second Avenue Subway line when I am late to work everyday! I’m considering moving to Philadelphia.”

 

Yann Le Flemm, 60, of Queens said he was three hours late to work at her job in the printing industry.

“We have a failed New York subway system so it’s not a surprise,” said Le Flemm as she waited for the E train at West 4th Street.

 

Meanwhile, other commuters took to social media to air out their frustrations on the matter.

“Once again, the @MTA is completely unprepared for the Monday morning commute,” Twitter user @sjlinnyc tweeted.

 

“Of course the day that @MTA gives us free wifi is the day that there are crazy delays. Go figure,” said @natasha205. 

 

Twitter user @Nine_Peak wrote, “You had all of yesterday to make sure there were no weather-related delays today, and yet, I’m still late @MTA.”

 

Source: http://nypost.com/2017/01/09/heres-why-your-commute-sucked-this-morning/

 

 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Thought I would chuckle a bit at this one since I checked the website yesterday for Metro-North schedules and noticed numerous delays then as well, so basically the subways have been a mess today and part of yesterday for some folks.  I guess those massive delays people have been talking about aren't in their heads after all. 

[biGC323232]

Thought I would chuckle a bit at this one since I checked the website yesterday for Metro-North schedules and noticed numerous delays then as well, so basically the subways have been a mess today and part of yesterday for some folks.  I guess those massive delays people have been talking about aren't in their heads after all. 

Lmao.....I know this just made your point about subway waits and delays look more convincing...But some ppl in my opinion tends to over  react when a problem does happen out of the   control....

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Lmao.....I know this just made your point about subway waits and delays look more convincing...But some ppl in my opinion tends to over  react when a problem does happen out of the   control....

Well I stayed in Manhattan over the weekend and took Metro-North back and forth to the apartment, so I wasn't even aware of the specific subway delays, but not to worry, I'm sure I'll face a delay tomorrow.  I am forced to deal with the subway usually 3 - 4 times a week (and believe me I keep looking at the Manhattan map every damn week wondering how I could avoid it so that I could just sail in using Metro-North, especially since I have a monthly pass, but to no avail lol) and I am stuck in a subway delay usually once out of those 3 - 4 times.  I'm serious.... I give myself an hour to get from Midtown to the Upper West Side because if I don't, I will be late.

[itmaybeokay]

Okay - but how many times does a power-cut on a major manhattan trunk happen during rush hour causing delays to ripple through the whole system? How many times does that happen? 

 

Maybe once a month? 6 times a year? I think those figures are even high. This kind of thing is actually pretty rare. 

 

And when things like that do happen - wow, what a nightmare. But I look at quotes like "we have a failed subway system here in new york" and scratch my head. Busiest in the nation by a dozen country miles and generally works. I leave myself an extra 10 minutes and am on time to work probably 19 out of 20 days. A delay longer than 20 minutes is exceptionally rare - for me. Most people I know are in similar boats. I don't see how it's a "failed system". 

 

And sure, here's this incident that isn't in anybody's head. 

 

But look, here's an article on it. I got probably 100 push alerts about it this morning every time the service advisory changed.

 

When there are massive delays it's not a secret.

 

(I also don't understand your "hour to the UWS" claim. I commute from midtown to the upper west side every day, and back - it takes 30 minutes tops if I walk all the way across central park south and stop for coffee. It probably takes you an hour because you insist upon taking the B if you are forced to deal with the horror of the subway.    )

 

Sure, nobody likes to deal with a cluster-flark like this. but - it happens. Everyone wants to blame someone for their unhappiness. 

[biGC323232]

Well I stayed in Manhattan over the weekend and took Metro-North back and forth to the apartment, so I wasn't even aware of the specific subway delays, but not to worry, I'm sure I'll face a delay tomorrow.  I am forced to deal with the subway usually 3 - 4 times a week (and believe me I keep looking at the Manhattan map every damn week wondering how I could avoid it so that I could just sail in using Metro-North, especially since I have a monthly pass, but to no avail lol) and I am stuck in a subway delay usually once out of those 3 - 4 times.  I'm serious.... I give myself an hour to get from Midtown to the Upper West Side because if I don't, I will be late.

And thats something that most ppl dont do is give themselves time in case of an unsual situation...You smart enough to know better give myself an extra few mins than be late by a mile....I myself experinced many delays and long waiting at  times on certain lines not most.....But me personally ill find an alternative...i know everyone not lucky enough but it beats complaining and getting mad over something out of your control

[Wallyhorse]

Do people realize this was a freak situation where the could do nothing about because drains were blocked by an act of nature?  Exceessively cold weather did not help matters. 

[Around the Horn]

Do people realize this was a freak situation where the could do nothing about because drains were blocked by an act of nature?  Exceessively cold weather did not help matters. 

 

Ah, finally someone gets it!

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Okay - but how many times does a power-cut on a major manhattan trunk happen during rush hour causing delays to ripple through the whole system? How many times does that happen? 

 

Maybe once a month? 6 times a year? I think those figures are even high. This kind of thing is actually pretty rare. 

 

And when things like that do happen - wow, what a nightmare. But I look at quotes like "we have a failed subway system here in new york" and scratch my head. Busiest in the nation by a dozen country miles and generally works. I leave myself an extra 10 minutes and am on time to work probably 19 out of 20 days. A delay longer than 20 minutes is exceptionally rare - for me. Most people I know are in similar boats. I don't see how it's a "failed system". 

 

And sure, here's this incident that isn't in anybody's head. 

 

But look, here's an article on it. I got probably 100 push alerts about it this morning every time the service advisory changed.

 

When there are massive delays it's not a secret.

 

(I also don't understand your "hour to the UWS" claim. I commute from midtown to the upper west side every day, and back - it takes 30 minutes tops if I walk all the way across central park south and stop for coffee. It probably takes you an hour because you insist upon taking the B if you are forced to deal with the horror of the subway.    )

 

Sure, nobody likes to deal with a cluster-flark like this. but - it happens. Everyone wants to blame someone for their unhappiness. 

Read carefully... I said I give myself an hour, not that it takes an hour. Anytime that I give myself say 30 minutes, I am usually late because for whatever reason the trains screw up, or the wait is much longer than it should be, and no I don't rely solely on the .  I use alternatives, but either way, you are at the mercy of whatever train line you take.  There are only but so many options to use to get to the Upper West Side, so it's either the , the to the or the with a transfer.  My point is I don't have any expectations with the subway, and clearly the general riding public doesn't either these days.  

 

The only people who do are the ones that either brown nose the or somehow seem to have such luck as to be able to give themselves just a whopping extra 10 minutes without facing delays. I have to ask you what in the hell is 10 minutes going to do?  Seriously? LOL You clearly have some great luck because some of the waits that I've had... Please... I find it hard to believe that you take the subway with such frequency and don't encounter delays.  Is this during rush hour or outside of the rush?  

 

 

Do people realize this was a freak situation where the   could do nothing about because drains were blocked by an act of nature?  Exceessively cold weather did not help matters. 

Ah someone is missing the big point.  The comments from those riders aren't about this being a "freak situation". That's understandable. The frustration is clearly coming from people who face constant delays for one reason or another.  That is something that the needs to be held accountable for.  What was the problem yesterday that several lines were delayed?  I didn't even look in detail, but when I was checking for Metro-North, I did notice that there were subway delays and I just chuckled to myself and said well not my problem.  I feel for the people that have to put up with the subway every day.  

 

---

I just looked at the service status for the subway service at a glance, and it's not even rush hour and it's a mess:

 

line is delayed

has service changes due to a rail condition.

trains have service changes as well.

 

So we have 23 subway lines (excluding the SIR train) and about half of them are affected in some way or another with either delays and/or service changes.  That's pathetic.

 

Yes, it's cold out, but somehow the MNRR is running just fine in comparison to the subway.  Good service across the board.

[Union Tpke]

I was at Kew Gardens at 7:45. An didn't come until 7:58. It ran local after Continental. After making local stops, slowly, there was an E on the express track at Roosevelt. I switched. After leaving Roosevelt, we stopped in between there and 65th. We stayed there for 30 minutes. After stopping and starting my train got to Queens Plaza at 9:22. The C/O told people what the train number was so that there would be proof of why they were late. Class, for me, starts at 8:29. I was late! This is only the second time in high school, I am a Junior, that I have been late for class, and the other one was also because of a subway delay!

[Fresh Pond]

The problem was that ice blocked the drains from doing their work. It was below freezing for most of the day, nothing they could've done about it.

[Around the Horn]

I find it hard to believe that you take the subway with such frequency and don't encounter delays.  Is this during rush hour or outside of the rush?  

 

I don't know about his scenario, but I've been traveling during the rush hour for 4 months now to get to college and outside of the train in Bay Ridge (the first leg of my trip in the morning and last leg in the evening) have only had three delays: a woman had a stroke on the train over the Manhattan Bridge and we were held at Grand Street for the ambulance and EMS to come, an train had delays in Queens and the had delays in Brooklyn so I had to get on a late and crowded instead.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I don't know about his scenario, but I've been traveling during the rush hour for 4 months now to get to college and outside of the train in Bay Ridge (the first leg of my trip in the morning and last leg in the evening) have only had three delays: a woman had a stroke on the train over the Manhattan Bridge and we were held at Grand Street for the ambulance and EMS to come, an train had delays in Queens and the had delays in Brooklyn so I had to get on a late and crowded instead.

LOL! You should know better than to try to paint your commute as anything buy a horror story with the train alone, which is properly called "Rarely".  The is just fine I must admit.  The and are hit or miss.  I've actually found the to be really good over the last few years after tons of shut downs on weekends esp.  

[N6 Limited]

I was at Kew Gardens at 7:45. An didn't come until 7:58. It ran local after Continental. After making local stops, slowly, there was an E on the express track at Roosevelt. I switched. After leaving Roosevelt, we stopped in between there and 65th. We stayed there for 30 minutes. After stopping and starting my train got to Queens Plaza at 9:22. The C/O told people what the train number was so that there would be proof of why they were late. Class, for me, starts at 8:29. I was late! This is only the second time in high school, I am a Junior, that I have been late for class, and the other one was also because of a subway delay!

QB delays are some of the worst. And they don't give anyone considerate notice to perhaps use the local or alternative route before you're trapped between express stations for extended periods of time.

[Around the Horn]

LOL! You should know better than to try to paint your commute as anything buy a horror story with the train alone, which is properly called "Rarely".  The is just fine I must admit.  The and are hit or miss.  I've actually found the to be really good over the last few years after tons of shut downs on weekends esp.  

 

Apart from the my commute has been just swell! That Q44 is an entirely different story though...

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Apart from the my commute has been just swell! That Q44 is an entirely different story though...

That's interesting about the Q44....

[Around the Horn]

That's interesting about the Q44....

 

Yeah, after 1PM they start showing up in packs of two or three every 20-25 minutes...

[danielhg121]

Yep i am on one now. They are playing leap frog lol.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using NYC Transit Forums mobile app

[Wallyhorse]

LOL! You should know better than to try to paint your commute as anything buy a horror story with the train alone, which is properly called "Rarely".  The is just fine I must admit.  The and are hit or miss.  I've actually found the to be really good over the last few years after tons of shut downs on weekends esp.  

There is a reason I came up with the idea of a new "Brown " that would be a revival of the old "Bankers Special" as a 24/7 line along with the would both terminate at Chambers on different tracks and essentially be a split train from 95th-Bay Ridge to Jamaica Center. 

[Around the Horn]

There is a reason I came up with the idea of a new "Brown " that would be a revival of the old "Bankers Special" as a 24/7 line along with the would both terminate at Chambers on different tracks and essentially be a split train from 95th-Bay Ridge to Jamaica Center. 

And that would not help me or other riders one bit. We've had this discussion before...

[itmaybeokay]

Read carefully... I said I give myself an hour, not that it takes an hour. Anytime that I give myself say 30 minutes, I am usually late because for whatever reason the trains screw up, or the wait is much longer than it should be, and no I don't rely solely on the .  I use alternatives, but either way, you are at the mercy of whatever train line you take.  There are only but so many options to use to get to the Upper West Side, so it's either the , the to the or the with a transfer.  My point is I don't have any expectations with the subway, and clearly the general riding public doesn't either these days.  

 

The only people who do are the ones that either brown nose the or somehow seem to have such luck as to be able to give themselves just a whopping extra 10 minutes without facing delays. I have to ask you what in the hell is 10 minutes going to do?  Seriously? LOL You clearly have some great luck because some of the waits that I've had... Please... I find it hard to believe that you take the subway with such frequency and don't encounter delays.  Is this during rush hour or outside of the rush?  

 

I did read carefully. You said you gave yourself an hour or else you'd be late. By that logic, if you left yourself 59 minutes, you would be late. Thus, I can infer that you are claiming it takes you more than 59 minutes to travel. Since you have only left yourself 60 minutes, that must be how long you are claiming the trip takes. Sorry to play semantic games but you are claiming I have an issue with reading. 

 

 

 

My commute is, from northern woodside I can walk to the M/R or the N/W. Its a little longer to the N/W but if there are delays there, I can go to the queens blvd line. The Astoria line is usually more reliable. At about 9 am it takes between 12 and 15 minutes to get to 5th ave where I walk to columbus circle and take the 1 uptown. If there are delays on the 1 I can take the B or C. I can use the subwaytime app to see how the intervals on the 1 are and plan accordingly. 

 

Sometimes theres a extended headway on the N/W because the inbound equipment was late. The 10 minutes allows for that, or a delay on the 1. Incidents that cause delays longer than 10 min are pretty rare for me. 

 

And I can actually say this pretty empirically. That route seems weird, but It turned out to be the fastest after I kept track of travel time trying all sorts of combinations for a few years. I literally have a database. I'd calculate out the percentage for you, but since it's based on my observation, you'd dismiss it anyway. 

 

I bet you $10,000 I can get to 116 from 5th/59 in under 35 minutes at least 4 out of 5 days a week for a month. Let me know if you're game for that, and I'll figure out a way to make that inexorably verifiable. 

[Cait Sith]

The problem was that ice blocked the drains from doing their work. It was below freezing for most of the day, nothing they could've done about it.

This along with the salt...the salt was also a component in this madness.

[SubwayGuy]

All they need to do is move to another city where the trains run every 20 minutes during rush hour and service stops at 10pm, and they'll come crying back for NYC's "amazing" system.

[RailRunRob]

All they need to do is move to another city where the trains run every 20 minutes during rush hour and service stops at 10pm, and they'll come crying back for NYC's "amazing" system.

Amen to that!!

[Via Garibaldi 8]

All they need to do is move to another city where the trains run every 20 minutes during rush hour and service stops at 10pm, and they'll come crying back for NYC's "amazing" system.

And NYC is different how exactly?  With the constant delays some trains ARE running at almost 20 minute frequencies during the rush, despite what the schedule may say. 

 

I did read carefully. You said you gave yourself an hour or else you'd be late. By that logic, if you left yourself 59 minutes, you would be late. Thus, I can infer that you are claiming it takes you more than 59 minutes to travel. Since you have only left yourself 60 minutes, that must be how long you are claiming the trip takes. Sorry to play semantic games but you are claiming I have an issue with reading. 

 

 

 

My commute is, from northern woodside I can walk to the M/R or the N/W. Its a little longer to the N/W but if there are delays there, I can go to the queens blvd line. The Astoria line is usually more reliable. At about 9 am it takes between 12 and 15 minutes to get to 5th ave where I walk to columbus circle and take the 1 uptown. If there are delays on the 1 I can take the B or C. I can use the subwaytime app to see how the intervals on the 1 are and plan accordingly. 

 

Sometimes theres a extended headway on the N/W because the inbound equipment was late. The 10 minutes allows for that, or a delay on the 1. Incidents that cause delays longer than 10 min are pretty rare for me. 

 

And I can actually say this pretty empirically. That route seems weird, but It turned out to be the fastest after I kept track of travel time trying all sorts of combinations for a few years. I literally have a database. I'd calculate out the percentage for you, but since it's based on my observation, you'd dismiss it anyway. 

 

I bet you $10,000 I can get to 116 from 5th/59 in under 35 minutes at least 4 out of 5 days a week for a month. Let me know if you're game for that, and I'll figure out a way to make that inexorably verifiable. 

No, I can believe your commute because #1 you have FOUR different trains to pick from to get into Manhattan (not to mention that the and are two of the more reliable lines these days) and #2 you're taking the train in the OPPOSITE direction in the AM rush.  Of course your delays will be minimal. LOL  I actually take trains further north than I have to during the evening rush, and then take the back southbound for that very reason.  Not nearly as crowded southbound in the evening rush compared to northbound depending on where you're going and where you get on, so your experience is quite different from what a lot of other commuters face because of the amount of options you have and where you're going.