The Conductor Behind the ‘Crazy’ PATH Announcements

[GirlOnTheTrain]

Some PATH promo material from the Port Authority's PR blog. Make sure you listen to the videos on the page :D

I've known this guy for about 8 years and his announcements are pretty distinctive. If you ever ride NWK-WTC during the evening rush, keep an ear out for Mr. Allen! https://portfolio.panynj.gov/2018/04/04 ... uncements/

[Terry Kennedy]

I'm surprised that the Port Authority is featuring somebody who doesn't use the canned announcements. The PA mostly seems to have lost whatever collective sense of humor it once had. Pre-9/11, there was an engineer and conductor team on the NWK/WTC overnights who had various routines - my favorite was the one where the engineer would enter the first car and ask the passengers if the train went to Hoboken (this was before engineers were in uniform) and when people told him it didn't, he'd argue that it did. And then he'd get into the cab. He'd then buzz the conductor, who would close the doors with just the chime and no announcement, and then announce "This is an A train to Far Rockaway" over the PA after the doors were shut.

The last time I remember a conductor's announcements being featured was in the long-gone PATHways newsletter, when they had an article about a conductor who was retiring soon after many years. I believe his name was George and he was famous for his "Have a pleasant evening and... ... Thank you for riding PATH" announcements.

[ryanov]

Thank you for posting that piece -- I know this guy from riding the train and really enjoyed reading more about him. Isn't it a surprise to see who he is after hearing his voice?

Everyone uses the canned announcements -- he supplements with his own.

[GirlOnTheTrain]

Like I said, I've known him for about 8 years - I followed him on Twitter for a time and I met up with him and his girlfriend (now wife) in NYC one day and his distinctive voice was the first thing I noticed lol

[n2cbo]

I used to LOVE the guy at Penn Station NY in the 1970s. AAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL ABOARDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!