Railroad Tracks

On January 12, 2018December 10, 2017 By dancingpalmtreesIn Abandoned Subway Stations, Bergen Street Subway Station, Chambers Street Subway Station, Charlie Parker, J Subway Train, L Subway Train, L Subway Train 14th Street, L Train, Subway, Subway Icarus, Subway Station, Subway Suicide, Subway Train, Subway train cars, Uncategorized1 Comment

Railroad Tracks

Railroad Tracks going up and down her arms. A magnificent bloody detailed needlepoint. Crack pipe blues. Give me an avalanche of poison for my rebirth.

You don’t understand my journey. It is one of withdrawal.

I.V. Drip, Drip, Drip, Drip

Glazed look in his eyes transfers to me giving me Restless Womb Syndrome. He kissed me with such fervor and hunger that I thought he’d eat me alive. He did.

Another baby born for sacrifice. Screaming. Shaking. Yelling. Crying. Wailing. Babies future fodder for grottoes and guttersnipes. Prison Pipelines like those white lines going up her nose.

Running a Train. Subway Icarus suicide. Fried Flesh scent lives in my nostrils brain memory. A Train to nowhere and oblivion.

Broadway Junction

Arriving L Train

L Train Views & Vistas from Broadway Junction

MTA Enforced Exercise Program

On February 17, 2017 By dancingpalmtreesIn J Subway Train, L Subway Train, L Subway Train 14th Street, MTA Enforced Exercise Program, Subway, Subway Station, Subway Train, Subway train cars, Uncategorized25 Comments

The New York City MTA (Mass Transit Authority) has a secret objective to get New Yorkers in shape. Case in point when it snows and being that New York resides in the Northeast part of the country so it snows every winter, the subway and bus system breaks down, skips expected stops and unexpectedly re-routes trains so if you are traveling on the C line it will at a whim turn into the F line which are totally different stops. This forces you to exit the train at a subway station that you don’t normally use. Plus since 2012 the MTA has been blaming nearly all delays and transit problems on Hurricane Sandy. It is now 2017 and the remnants of Sandy should have been cleaned up and fixed long ago!!

This will entail an entire route of cardio exercises causing you to walk some of the underground pathways which are nearly a mile out of your way, transfer to subway stations nowhere near your destination or walk in the freezing cold to bus stops way out of your way.

Case in point last weekend it snowed. Nothing new but I knew I would have to check the website MTA.Info for the latest updates on subway delays. I live across the street from my local subway station, C train, and a few blocks from the subway hub known as Broadway Junction. The A, C, & L subway lines are west side trains and I need to get to the east side where my workplace is located. Naturally the 4, 5, & 6 trains which are east side subway lines are the ones with delays. I cannot be late to work. That’s a No-no!!

Snow storm Nico/Niko was only fun for the kids because the Mayor closed the schools! Therefore last week I wound up taking the C train to 81st Street and walking through Central Park. For some people walking in the snow is picturesque but not for me. Ugh!! Snow! Ice! The kids were outside in the park having a mighty fine time on their sleds which appeared to me as enlarged upside Frisbee’s as opposed to the wood/metal flexible flyers Stephen and I had as kids. Anyway only the children and the ducks in the pond enjoy blizzards! That is their element. However I digress. I walked through Central Park to get to the East Side then swung over to the last few blocks to my job. That had to be at least a 20 minute walk perhaps equivalent to a mile. Cardio plus resistance training since it is very difficult to walk through snow!!

Pretty much for the past week and a half with the snowstorm, freezing temps and ice cold weather the 4, 5, & 6 trains have made themselves extremely unreliable. I’m a person who is never late for work. I check that MTA website and make the appropriate adjustments to my travel plans. Nor when my shift finishes at either 12:30 am or 8:30 am if I do a double shift I want to get home in a timely manner. Once again I employ the MTA exercise plan which once the snow was kinda cleaned up I still had to use an alternate route. I really did not feel like more walks through Central Park so I took the C train to 86th Street and took the M86 Cross town bus and got off at 84th Street. Now my job is located on 75th Street so pretty much all week I’ve been walking approximately 10 blocks to work every day.

Many times because of switching and signal problems riders will often be unceremoniously deposited at a subway stop station not of their choice! I admit that the subway system is close to 115 years old!! Yes the trains are replaced and most of the lines have new updated trains but not so much the tracks the subways run on or the switches and signals which keep trains from crashing into each other! I suppose it might be better to be dropped at subway station further from your job, school or home than to be in an accident. That’s why I allow for extra time.

Folks that is the MTA Exercise program. Not so sure it will cause you to lose weight. After all a few days ago it was Valentine’s Day and whether you have a spouse or not candy was in great abundance especially at my job!! And I like to eat!! Other than foods I’m allergic to such as dairy products or conflict with my high blood pressure I partake of the workplace food spread!!

Broadway Junction

Arriving L Train

L Train Views & Vistas from Broadway Junction

Final Destination | Game Over

On January 13, 2017January 11, 2017 By dancingpalmtreesIn Death, L Subway Train, L Train, Subway, Subway Station, Subway Suicide, Subway Train, Subway train cars, Uncategorized

After that terrible train accident it’s gonna be a long time before I recover emotionally and mentally. Just being trapped underground. Smelling burning flesh.

I feel like a character in those Final Destination movies where the people think they’ve escaped death but the Grim Reaper catches up to them. Bad enough to contend with the rats both 2 legged and 4 legged. Deranged riders. Evil smells. Filth. Dirt.

Seeing homeless people who are badly in need of not only shelter but mental health services riding the subways has become a nightmare. Now every time I step onto the train to travel into the city I’m gonna be reliving that accident and wondering if I’ll make it to either home or work. The whole thing was so disturbing.

My Panic Attacks have returned and my Anxiety Levels are off the charts. Just when I thought I had conquered and that I would get better this set back happens. Now it will take weeks even months for my life to have some semblance of normalcy.

You never know when Fate will step in and say Game Over.

My prayers and thoughts go out to the MTA workers especially the Motor man and Conductor who were unable to stop the train before hitting the man. That’s a terrible thing to live with. Knowing you killed someone even though it was an accident.

Heroic Moments

A transit worker gently cradling a little boy and keeping the mother calm as we waited for rescue. The instructions of the Conductor who kept going back and forth letting us know what had happened and leading us to rescue and safety. The Transit worker who helped me cross a large gap as two of the subway cars had become unbuckled.

Also Again I can’t say this enough Hats off and a Military Salute to the NYPD and the New York Fire Dept for their care and assistance.

Thank you for saving our lives and getting us out from what could have been a worse disaster. Keep in mind that most Police Officers and Fire Fighters are good decent people who risk their lives to save others and who are there for us in all type of emergencies.

Please keep all MTA Transit Workers, the NYPD and the Fire Fighters in your prayers.

Last but not least I want to Thank My Fellow New Yorkers who remained calm and followed the directions of the MTA, Police and Fire Fighters. Despite that inner fear everyone worked together to help each other get to safe ground.

Crappy Commute

On December 15, 2016 By dancingpalmtreesIn Broadway Junction, L Subway Train, L Subway Train 14th Street, Raunchy Rambler, Subway Station, Subway Train, Subway train cars, Uncategorized, Vomitus Express17 Comments

I’m enjoying my new job position with new duties/responsibilities and opportunities to gain my security skills however my night-time homeward bound commute is fast becoming a new level in Dante’s Inferno!!

Mayor Bill de Blasio!! You are about to be a one-term Mayor because the subway trains are filled with the mentally ill homeless. Homelessness is New York City’s #1 problem with the MTA’s poor service a close 2nd. Coming from 77th Street in Manhattan going to Broadway Junction in Brooklyn should not take more than 45 minutes at any time of the day or night. Traveling from Manhattan to Brooklyn should never be an hour and a half trip. Speed up the service. Increase the frequency of the trains. Put Transit Police on all the subway trains! Most of all Please house and provide services/programs these poor unfortunates who have no other choice in this bitter cold weather than to camp out in the trains!!!

Broadway Junction

Arriving L Train

L Train Views & Vistas from Broadway Junction

Tales from the Gross Side

I’m also tired of riding the Vomitus Express. I don’t know whether it is just the holiday season, people riding the trains have addiction problems or they are all three sheets to the wind but every night no matter whether I get on the first or middle cars somebody has decided to live in Barf City. To My Fellow NYers if you can’t hold your liquor please STOP Drinking and/or getting high riding the subways!! The rest of us are tired of stepping over and trying to avoid upchuck land!! Last week on the A train this guy was covered Barf. He did not move so I don’t know if he was just passed out or dead. Either way I let the Transit people deal with the mess. Here’s an idea for two new dolls for the holiday season: UpChucky and Toss My Cookies Tillie!!

Lucky for me I’m not squeamish. Over the years as a Museum Security Officer I’ve seen some of the visiting public/tourists do every body function known to mankind in a public space. Museums are located in rich wealthy neighborhoods so the bulk of the visitors are well heeled but not well-behaved. The Upper-Crust of society can no more control the lower body functions than their brains or tongue. Trust fund babies in every sense of the word. At least the poor mentally disturbed people riding the trains have an excuse. They are sick, have multiple disabilities, homeless, hungry and nobody to help them. I still wonder what is the excuse of people who have more money than God!!

On that note I can truly say that other than having to ride the crazy subway at night I Love and truly enjoy working the Late shift. I’ve found a camaraderie in this new building that I have not had in the previous eight years. I’m extremely happy to work in such a wonderful environment.

I have more subway adventures that I will share in my persona of the Raunchy Rambler. The next train tale will be the Hapless Hermaphrodite!! Stay Tuned!!

Riders on the Storm

On November 11, 2012November 17, 2012 By dancingpalmtreesIn Riders on the Storm, Sandy, Subway3 Comments

Riders on the Storm

http://youtu.be/DKbPUzhWeeI

http://youtu.be/lS-af9Q-zvQ

The E Train

Many times as New Yorkers we have some unusual subway rides and strange fellow riders but today I was blessed to have two great conversations. I was on the E train and a beggar came thru the car asking for food. The woman next to me gave him a health bar. After the homeless man thanked her and went by another rider also told the lady what a wonderful thing she did. I also complimented her and she began to tell me that she got the candy bar from the Red Cross. Her elderly parents were just two of the people in Brooklyn affected by Hurricane Sandy. She began to pour out her heart to me and I listened and we talked until I got to my stop. I wished her and her parents well. Sometimes people just need another person to open up with. Someone who will listen and care. Today I was glad to be that person.

The C Train

Part Two: The C train. I met an older Latina sister and her rather exuberant grandson. My Spanish is not all that great but I caught bits and pieces of their conversation. Finally the elderly lady turns to me and asks me if I understand Spanish. I said a little. She then told me her grandson was loco! Now that I understood and we all had a good laugh. Apparently the young man is a Rasta. His grandmother is from Nicaragua. He looked like he was in his 20s. A Nicaraguan Rasta Farian! Now I won’t relate everything he said but we had all had a great conversation from 50th street until they got off at Jay Street Boro Hall in Brooklyn. I certainly got an education on Rasta Fari which I’m somewhat familiar with. Young people are very enthusiastic in their beliefs. The young fellow as very animated. I think his abuela admired my courage and patience in listening to her Loco grandson!

Best of all today I was not Black, white or Spanish. I was not male or female. I was not Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu. Today I was just a fellow rider on the subway who took the time to listen to two people who had something to say just needed a person who would listen. Thank you God that today I was that person.