crown jewel

When the 1 train pulled into 96^th street, there was a 3 train across the platform. However, as the 1 slowed down to its stop, the 3 began pulling out. I don’t mind this. I mean, I don’t like it; I would rather be able to make the connection. But, I don’t mind it on a service level. If the 3 train arrived at the station, opened its doors, let people out, let people on, and left the station – and when it left the station it happened to be at the exact moment that the 1 train pulled in across the platform then I’m okay with that. Now, I wish I had been able to make the connection so that I could have gotten to where I was going a bit earlier. But, I am not personally offended that the train did not wait to make the connection (There have been times, on the other hand, when I have been on the equivalent of that 3 train, sitting and waiting in a station for a long time only to pull out at the moment the 1 train pulled in across the platform. This is an incomprehensible practice.) in and of itself. This is a point of difference between myself and others. I have had conversations with more than one person who has used, upon entering a conversation about frustrating MTA situations, the example of a possible connecting train leaving the station at the moment when their train enters as the pinnacle, or absolute epitome of the inefficiency we must live with on a daily basis. I beg to differ. I would beseech such people to think outside of themselves a bit.

If an express train arrives in a station and has to wait, say, two minutes for a local to arrive in order to make a connection, then for those who have just arrived on the connecting local, that express train may as well have pulled into that station mere seconds ago. They don’t care. They are just happy that they can make an easy connection. They are convenienced. However, the people who are on that express train, who are forced to wait on a non-moving train are deeply inconvenienced. The people at the next station who are forced to wait an extra two minutes for their train are deeply inconvenienced not only by the extra wait, but also by the fact that two minutes worth of new passengers have come streaming into the station. So, not only are the trains two minutes later, but they are also two minutes more crowded – and this obviously compounds itself over time and subsequent stations. So, for the convenience of some, many are inconvenienced. And, what are the negative consequences of having people not have a train waiting for them to transfer to as they pull in on the local train? Well, if trains are running as they should – say, every five minutes during rush hour – then the most they will have to wait for a train is five minutes. There is an 80% chance that it will be less than five minutes. A reasonable amount, I would say. In the particular case of the 96^th street stop, there are two different express trains that might come, so really on average a train should be coming every two and a half minutes. This is a more than reasonable time for people who were on the 1 train to wait for a connecting express. The fact that people see an express train waiting in the station for local passengers to transfer to as a convenience only speaks to people’s selfishness and short-sightedness. I would, without hesitation, admit to considering the practice of holding trains in the station for the purposes of making connections with other trains to be the MOST INANE OF ALL INEFFICIENT MTA PRACTICES.

Anyway, I got off the 1 and waited for the 2, which came after more than a couple of minutes. I was standing over some young women and cringed to hear their conversations about fashion and bodies and orgies and other utterly expected topics. One strain of their conversation went to the body of a twenty-nine year old friend of theirs, who they all agreed that they would want to look like when they reach “that age”.

We pulled into the Times Square station at the same time as a 1 train – which was the 1 train I had been on in the first place. I transferred back to that 1 train, remembering my theory about getting off at 18^th being better then getting off at 14^th in my particular situation. However, the 1 train thwarted my plan by proceeding to sit in the station for a few minutes until the next 3 train arrived – so as to make a connection. I was, of course, incensed. And, there was a roach on the seat next to mine. I knocked it off with my book and it flew over near the boot of a woman sitting across from me (knee high boot, of course). I know she saw the whole thing happen, but she did not meet my eye to commiserate. She did not stomp on the roach, either.