[xjustbeautifulx]

you forgot to mention shakey, very very shakey! The metropolitan line is sooo shakey. Picadilly isn't too bad tho although but i find it makes too many stops or is way too slow!

The MRT Singapore it pretty cool. I don't think they've had any problems with it recently and its pretty efficient.

[vcutag]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
We have fun ones in DC. A little known fact is that they escalate in impatience and firmness depending on how many times the driver has to press the button to get you to stand clear of the doors. By the third or fourth time it sounds like a mother scolding a 5 year old.

Wow, I never noticed that.

I always thought the lights and textured platform was kinda cool, but I've only ever been on the DC Metro, so I have no basis for comparison.

[zachs]

From NY1:

A woman who was struck and killed by a train after falling onto subway tracks in Manhattan Wednesday reportedly suffered from epilepsy.

A woman who says she was Joan Olaizola's partner told the New York Post that dizziness may have been caused by medication she was taking for depression and epilepsy.

Olaizola apparently fainted and fell onto the tracks at the Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall station in Lower Manhattan during the evening rush hour, according to witnesses. The 39-year-old Brooklyn woman regained consciousness and tried to climb back on the platform, but she was hit by an oncoming No. 4 train.

An engineer spotted the woman and triggered the emergency brake. But before the train could stop, Olaizola was crushed between the train and the side of the platform, police said. She died at the scene.

[KP*]

It's true the NYC map is very confusing, but it's because the system is so complicated. There are almost 500 stations and hundreds of miles of tracks. I once read somewhere that if you laid all the track in a straight line it would go from New York to Chicago. Figuring out where all those tracks and stations go takes some practice, and I do feel sorry for the tourists who only have a few days to get the hang of it.

It's not the best-laid-out system, but it's the result of 100 years of politics and business competition, it wasn't planned out all at once to give the best coverage or most efficient ride. Also the city has changed since a lot of the lines were built. One of the most shocking illustrations of this is that when the first line was built (1904), Times Square was not considered an important destination and was only made a local stop. Major development was just reaching the 42nd Street area and within a few years several other subway lines had major stations there. As a conductor on a recent E train said, "This is Times Square, crossroads of the world. Change here for everything." (Which is not really true, and he didn't list the lines individually, which probably left some befuddled tourists even more befuddled. But it made a lot of people on the train laugh.)

[maxintosh]

Originally posted by KP*:
"This is Times Square, crossroads of the world. Change here for everything."

True, true. It takes them forever to list everything. "This is: TIMES SQUARE, 42nd street. Transfer is available to the 1, 3, 9, 7, A, C, E, N, Q, <Q>, R, and W trains. Transfer is available to the shuttle to Grand Central. Connection is available to the Port Authority Bus Terminal."

It's kind of sad that I have it memorized.

[cpt kangarooski]

I once read somewhere that if you laid all the track in a straight line it would go from New York to Chicago.

I'd gladly pay $2 to take the subway from NYC to Chicago.

[KP*]

Originally posted by maxintosh:
True, true. It takes them forever to list everything. "This is: TIMES SQUARE, 42nd street. Transfer is available to the 1, 3, 9, 7, A, C, E, N, Q, <Q>, R, and W trains. Transfer is available to the shuttle to Grand Central. Connection is available to the Port Authority Bus Terminal."

It's kind of sad that I have it memorized.

Very good, but you forgot the 2 train.
Also I think they say "1, 2, 3, 7 and 9" even though it makes more sense to keep the 9 with the 1, 2, and 3.

[maxintosh]

Originally posted by KP*:
Very good, but you forgot the 2 train.
Also I think they say "1, 2, 3, 7 and 9" even though it makes more sense to keep the 9 with the 1, 2, and 3.

Well, they don't say 2 if you're riding on the 2 Which is when you're mostly likely to be on one of the R142a trains.

[PacHead]

Ok, since New York has always been the leader in this poll, we should close the thread and just declare New York the winner, followed by London as a close runnerup, with the French in last place, as usual.

[waxcrash]

Originally posted by cpt kangarooski:
I'd gladly pay $2 to take the subway from NYC to Chicago.

In Chicago it is only a subway in parts of the loop. Everywhere else it is elevated, hence the name "El".

[KP*]

Originally posted by maxintosh:
Well, they don't say 2 if you're riding on the 2 Which is when you're mostly likely to be on one of the R142a trains.

Aha. Very good point!

[TheMosco]

The green line in boston is so messed up at the moment. They closed the north station to lechemere stops and made them a bus route until next year because they are redoing the stations.

Whats even more annoying is my commute home. I take the Arlington stop to north station to catch the commuter rail home. I got from arlington to park street, and they make you get off the car and go to another car on the line. Then at government center, they make you again get off the car and get on a new one. Its very annoying to have to switch trains twice when you are only going a couple of stops. I guess this might have to do with them not having a place to store trains now that lechemere is shutdown.

And we haven't even had the democratic convention yet. They are closing down north station which services over 4 different commuter rails from northern massachusetts. That means If i take the commuter rail in, I would have to get off in Lynn, and take a bus from lynn to south station. Then get on the red line to park street and get on the green line. That trip combines for me would probably take over 2 hours starting in newburyport.

If i take the haverhill line into boston, I think it stops on the orange line so i might end up having to do unless I take the buss for that week but even then I think they are closing i-93 which is used by 200,000 people to get into the city everyday.

Maybe I can stay home that week. I don't know if i can do that, I am only an intern.

[maxintosh]

Originally posted by TheMosco:
The green line in boston is so messed up at the moment. They closed the north station to lechemere stops and made them a bus route until next year because they are redoing the stations.

Oh, god, that sounds like a nightmare. I live off the Newburyport/Rockport line that goes to North Station. Commuting to downtown Boston everyday was bad enough last summer, I can't even imagine what a gigantic pain in the ass it must be now

[notaclone]

Need I say more?

OK I will - If you need to get where you are going, FAST, there is only one way in NY - the subway. Couldn't tolerate Manhattan without it.

[turtle777]

Originally posted by John F. Smith:
which subway system is the best... YOU DECIDE 2004

YOU FORGOT BERLIN !



BVG rulez !!!

-t


edit: link fixed (supposedly )

[Xeo]

The subway system in Osaka is pretty good. I've only been on one NYC subway, never to Europe, and I don't think I'll see Toyko on this trip. So as of now, I vote Osaka simply because it's pretty easy to get within a few blocks of anywhere you want to go. More expensive than NYC, though. I remember NYC being 75 cents to get on where here in Osaka it's a minimum of 200 yen (basically $2) for one stop, and can get to 320 for going all the way across town.

[zachs]

Originally posted by Xeo:
The subway system in Osaka is pretty good. I've only been on one NYC subway, never to Europe, and I don't think I'll see Toyko on this trip. So as of now, I vote Osaka simply because it's pretty easy to get within a few blocks of anywhere you want to go. More expensive than NYC, though. I remember NYC being 75 cents to get on where here in Osaka it's a minimum of 200 yen (basically $2) for one stop, and can get to 320 for going all the way across town.

The NYC subway costs $2 now, no matter how far you go. You could ride the entire subway system on one fare.

[Sven G]

Berlin indeed rules from the public transport point of view: not so much for the U-Bahn, maybe, but mainly for the great, historic S-Bahn system (suburban railway, that is). In general, Germany absolutely rules from the S-Bahn point of view!

[TheMosco]

Well, maybe all that frustration with the green line will pay off. Today they opened the new "Super Station" which replaces the stop north station. It also has the orange line there too. Its very very nice.

[voyageur]

I'd be interested to hear your experience after you've had a chance to try it.

[TheMosco]

Originally posted by voyageur:
I'd be interested to hear your experience after you've had a chance to try it.

you talking to me?

[voyageur]

Originally posted by TheMosco:
you talking to me?

yup.

[TheMosco]

Originally posted by voyageur:
yup.

Yeah, I took it this morning. I am at work now.

The Good:

Its brand new. The new station looks very nice. Unlike the old north station stop, this one is underground and no longer uses those stairs to get up above the street. The line was long this morning to get tokens, it would have been nice if they had installed another one. I just started my job last week so I didn't have time to buy a monthly pass. On that floor, the trains are that ones that are arriving from the various tracks on the green line and orange i believe. In order to board a train, you have to go down some escalators to a platform that also has the orange line on it. I didn't have to wait very long and I had a smooth ride to the arlington street stop.

Its actually clean for now. Thats one nice thing to see. it is good to see the mbta redoing some of the stops to get them a little more up to date. the science park and lechmere stop were in dire need of being redone. So hopefully things will get better all around.


The Bad:

Even though the its the new "north station" stop, its not actually connected to north station yet. When you get off the rail and walk outside, you can't just easily go up the stairs to get the green line. You have to walk down the street. its not a long walk at all, its just not as convenient. I am not sure when they are going to connect them.

So overall, the station is very nice. The real test will be going to north station on the way home to see if I will still have to change trains twice.

[cpt kangarooski]

TheMosco--

Maybe I can stay home that week. I don't know if i can do that, I am only an intern.

Damn near everyone else is.

But I'm not. Through a wonderful bit of good fortune, the two day long bar exam will be held during the DNC. Come hell or high water, I _HAVE_ to be at the World Trade fairly early in the morning.

I'm hoping to be able to take the Green Line from Boston College to Park St, change to the Red Line to South Station, and walk or cab the remaining short distance. I would have just gotten a room at the hotel across the street so as to not risk anything, but obviously that's a no-go. In fact, people who had made reservations years ago for this have gotten bumped for the DNC.

[TheMosco]

Yeah, its going to be messy. They are closing down i93 which over 200000 people a day use to get into the city. Combine that with the commuter rail being messed up it doesn't look like its going to be good week.

Hopefully my boss will stay home because if he does, I probably will be able to.

[voyageur]

Originally posted by cpt kangarooski:
Through a wonderful bit of good fortune, the two day long bar exam will be held during the DNC. Come hell or high water, I _HAVE_ to be at the World Trade fairly early in the morning. <snip> people who had made reservations years ago for this have gotten bumped for the DNC.

They bumped a group of soon-to-be lawyers? What were they thinking? Not "lawsuit" apparently!
Good luck on your exam, though. Sounds like it's timed just right to make everyone a little extra stressed out.

Mosco--thanks for the update. Wish one didn't have to cross the street still going from one North Station to another.

[calamar1]

Originally posted by cpt kangarooski:
TheMosco--


Damn near everyone else is.

But I'm not. Through a wonderful bit of good fortune, the two day long bar exam will be held during the DNC. Come hell or high water, I _HAVE_ to be at the World Trade fairly early in the morning.

I'm hoping to be able to take the Green Line from Boston College to Park St, change to the Red Line to South Station, and walk or cab the remaining short distance. I would have just gotten a room at the hotel across the street so as to not risk anything, but obviously that's a no-go. In fact, people who had made reservations years ago for this have gotten bumped for the DNC.

Small world; my girlfriend is taking the bar exam there also that day. Depending on where you live, i'd strongly suggest using a bicycle. i ride around the city all the time, and it's much less scary than it sounds (if you haven't done it), and it's a ridiculously fast way to get places. better yet, the only thing it depends upon is you; no roadblocks or traffic are going to stop you, or even slow you down that much, for that matter. Good luck studying, though; i know it's a lot of work.

[TheMosco]

So on the way home last night, I still had to switch cars at park street but that was it. I took the day off today because I have a doctors appointment for college so I will further update you on all the green line mess tomorrow.

[DeathToWindows]

I know there are Tpasses - but for a week and a half of commuting it's going to cost me ~40 bucks. And a Tpass that covers Newton Center is ~70/mo.

grrr.

[cpt kangarooski]

There are weekly passes too, for about 15 bucks per week.

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

What, no LA subway? *smirk*

NYC and London have awesome subways. I envy folks being able to get around on those.

[Randman]

Considering the rest of the trouble one usually finds with traffic jams in the city, the subway system in Bangkok is very good (and cheap).

As for the early comments on bart... Once took it from the airport to Walnut Creek. Anytime you have to switch to buses in Oakland, you know you're in for a lousy time.

[Sven G]

Originally posted by Randman:
Considering the rest of the trouble one usually finds with traffic jams in the city, the subway system in Bangkok is very good (and cheap).

... Maybe, except for the fact that in Bangkok they aren't all that "democratic"...?

You can have an efficient system basically in two ways: "naturally", by making use of the probably innate solidarity characteristics of human beings, or more or less forcedly, by imitating, etc.

Judging from some fo the unpleasant things we hear about Thailand (see sexual tourism for "western" repressed idiots, etc.), the "goodness" of their system seems to be rather incoherent, to say the least: how is it achieved? That's a question to be posed also for the European/American/etc. systems, of course...

[Randman]

Originally posted by Sven G:
... Maybe, except for the fact that in Bangkok they aren't all that "democratic"...?

You can have an efficient system basically in two ways: "naturally", by making use of the probably innate solidarity characteristics of human beings, or more or less forcedly, by imitating, etc.

Judging from some fo the unpleasant things we hear about Thailand (see sexual tourism for "western" repressed idiots, etc.), the "goodness" of their system seems to be rather incoherent, to say the least: how is it achieved? That's a question to be posed also for the European/American/etc. systems, of course...

What the hell are you talking about? I was talking about the subway system there.

And I'm not going to defend any country's moral standings except to say that you can't name one country, or even city, that doesn't have that kind of problem. Heck, even Vatican City is a country with sexual problems with all of the pedophiles in the Catholic Church.
And don't forget either that it's the usually Westerners (with greater income) than seek out such sad experiences.
I've visited Thailand a number of times and have found plenty to enjoy about it, including the subways in Bangkok.

[saab95]

Originally posted by CRASH HARDDRIVE:
What, no LA subway? *smirk*

[Sven G]

Originally posted by Randman:
What the hell are you talking about? I was talking about the subway system there.

And I'm not going to defend any country's moral standings except to say that you can't name one country, or even city, that doesn't have that kind of problem. Heck, even Vatican City is a country with sexual problems with all of the pedophiles in the Catholic Church.
And don't forget either that it's the usually Westerners (with greater income) than seek out such sad experiences.
I've visited Thailand a number of times and have found plenty to enjoy about it, including the subways in Bangkok.

Yes - but I was really just saying that often there is a striking contradiction between the "cleanliness" and "efficiency" of the transportation system and the overall living/working conditions of a country.

Of course, the best thing would be to have a well-functioning system through active and spontaneous participation of the populace (and not because employees are forced to "perform"). Anyway, that's more a political thing, so it's a little off-topic here.

P.S.: Fortunately, the Vatican doesn't have an internal subway, but only a under-used railway station.