Kudos to NJT Conductors

wpdj61 wrote:
I learned that simply saying "express from Secaucus to Millburn" is not enough. I now say, " this train express between Secaucus and millburn, we do NOT stop at Newark, we do NOT stop at Brick Church, we do NOT stop at Orange, we do NOT stop at South Orange and we do NOT stop at Maplewood". That has been the most effective announcement. There is usually a small flock of people fleeing the train after the announcement. And yes, sometimes the PA doesn't work. Tonight, our PA worked only part of the time.

I always get a kick out of your announcements. But, once I was sitting next to someone who was reading and somehow did not hear the NOT, eventhough it is very emphatic, but heard one of the stations and turned to me and said "This stops at Newark Broad? I think I may be on the wrong train. Is this the Gladstone? I am going to Morristown". At least I could be helpful.

[I always get a kick out of your announcements.]

Ah, confirmation that the PA's DO work once in a while. A lot of times you can't tell from the vestibule. Last night was one of those trains.

[But, once I was sitting next to someone
who was reading and somehow did not hear the NOT, eventhough it is very emphatic,
but heard one of the stations and turned to me and said "This stops at Newark Broad? I
think I may be on the wrong train. Is this the Gladstone? I am going to Morristown". At
least I could be helpful.]

I will give you a time card for you to fill out tonight. Submit it to the company and they will probably pay you for your work.

We get a lot of last minute passengers who slide onto the train at the last second. Those are usually the ones going to Maplewood or Newark. [/quote]

Yes, I am everywhere. I was on the island platform standing towards the west end right behind the rear brake. Damn, there was a lot of crewmen on the train. What was it, six for like 4 open cars? Haha.

And yes, ever since the Comet Vs were allowed to go on the RVL, it has been nice to see and have Comet IVs again on the electrified lines. There has been a decent amount lately of Comet IVs. Not a whole lot of threes though. I think the only one I've seen recently was 5007.

Nick:
We have an abundance of TC's on that Eastbound, but don't tell anyone. That is my secret. We have 4 at Summit and eventually get one more. Now, getting them all to hit the platform is another story.
The 5007 is still floating around Dover for now. It is funny when I get in those things because I don't really notice it is a comet 3 cab car until I go into the cab and see that brake stand. Kinda refreshing to see an old brake stand and not a console.

Scott

^All right. Nice. And yes, the NJT cops gave me your regards. Yeah, saw 5007 this week operating on Dover and last week on the NJCL. Despite the fact the engineers don't really like them, I do.

The biggest annoyance to me on the Philly trains is that since 80% of every train going into Philadelphia is on its way to another suburb, there are almost always passengers crowding the entrance and trying to get on as you get off in the morning.

They rush the doors and don't let people off - and if for a second noone appears at the door for some reason, they assume that the people are done filing off.

It's like they're afraid the train will pull away without them or that they won't be able to find a seat if they wait to get on. Ironically the seats must be vacated or else their wish won't come true.

I've just about had it with these relentless passengers who act like cattle to get on the westbound R5 train in Philadelphia (Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, aka the main line). They think because they live/work on the main line that the train is their train for the hoarding.

I even have a new verb for it. When I was stuck on the Malvern-bound R5 train at Suburban Station coming from Lansdale every morning, I got 'Malverned' by all the pushy people.

And this happened on the subway once and I saw a racial war of a catfight result. The doors closed on the women as they managed to get in several wallops to each others' head. "Just let me board my train!" "Just let me get off first!"

The right of way is too sensible for a select few of the passengers to comprehend - that they benefit everyone is not even considered.

Always nice to know its not just Bostonians who can't figure out how to get a crowd of people on and off a train.

One of the best announcements I ever heard was on Boston's Red Line, where a conductor had to remind passengers that both ends of the train arrive virtually the same time...

SEPTA passengers just love that first car and it only has one door since the other is out because of the engineer. The back of the train has some seats while the front is SRO. Announcements on that railroad are non-existant, granted some cars don't have PA's.