Boarding habits on PATH

[james1787]

When I started commuting to NYC with a different job, I would take the Midtown Direct in and take the E subway to my stop up in Midtown. Every morning it was the same thing - people would cram and squeeze to try to get every last person on the train, myself included. God forbid you'd have to wait for the next train!

So after our bank was bought out I found myself in a different company altogether commuting to 23rd street. I began taking the Gladstone line to Hoboken and then Jumping to path.

Something I've noticed a while and just never bothered to ask about is why do people decide to wait for a less crowded PATH train when there is still plenty of room to get on the PATH train I'm standing on? It's not just one or two that do this.. there's alot!! Are they looking out for a seat? Is the 12 minute trip too long to even think about standing? I've actually watched some people (usually a few a week) get off the train when it starts to fill up to go wait for the next one. What mezmerizes me even more is that there are people that will stand and wait on the wall side of the 33rd street train because there are too many people on it and after it goes.. they stay there! That means that they have to wait for the middle 33rd train to go before whatever train replaces the wall side 33rd street train to go. That's a good 10-15 minutes, when all they had to do was step on the train. Another one that gets me is if I'm running late.. obviously the path train is less crowded and there are usually seats available. I have seen people get out of the seats to go get on another 33rd street train even when there were seats free on the train I'm sitting on.

I just find it odd.. something weird I picked up on.

[JFB]

Why do these people think that the next train will be any less crowded?

[the missing link]

one thing i noticed on path that no where else in new york they seem to 'get it', is on the escalators at wtc. people stand to the right and pass on the left. does this seem like the simplest of courtesies? common sense right? not in the subway.

[radioboy]

really, you've never encountered it? i've never had any problems on the escalator to go from the E to the 6 at 53rd. Everyone walks left and stands right.

[arrow]

At Newark, since the train pulls in empty, most people wait for the next train because they want a seat even though they can fit on the train that's in the station. Since the next train is usually right behind the current one, there's not much waiting time. Plus, if you watch the signs over the platforms you'll be able to tell which side will open the doors first and you'll be more likely to get a seat.

Luckily I don't commute from there anymore, but even though the ride is only 22 minutes long, it's still a very long time when you're half asleep in the morning.

[henry6]

Why wait? Maybe for someone coming along for the later train. Or because its a "nicer" wait at Hoboken than somehere in NYC for a subway connection. Or maybe, yes, for a seat. Or for hundreds of other reasons. And...well ya know its probably none of my business! But it would be a fun way to fill a psychologist's note book!

[CarterB]

When I used to commute to Manhattan from Hoboken Terminal, I'd also notice the 'waiters', but when one day I asked, it was those jockeying for position for the next train to WTC or Journal Square, that were not getting on the 33 train. Others just plain thought they'd have a better 'position' on the next 33 train if they were 'up close and personal' to a loading position.

PS The 'stench' at 33rd in the morning was HORRIBLE!! Lot's of 'sleepers' were still in the corridors many times as well.

[ryanov]

I think a better question is why do people cram onto packed trains, often times standing in unsafe places (on railroads with vestibules, etc.), when there is another train a couple of mins behind? How do I know the next train is less crowded? That's the way it works -- a crowded train gets slower and slower until the train behind it catches up (with no one on it). If that train is also too busy, the next one won't be. I've never waited for more than 2 trains (which often times is under 10 mins).

[Keevan]

So after our bank was bought out I found myself in a different company altogether commuting to 23rd street. I began taking the Gladstone line to Hoboken and then Jumping to path.

I take it you work at Credit Suisse?

[Tommy Meehan]

I always wonder about the people -- at 33rd, WTC and NWK -- who rush to get the railfan seat..............then sit reading a newspaper! I've often sat next to them, prepared to volunteer "I like to look out" if they give me a funny look (why is this guy sitting one seat away from me in an almost empty car?) but they never give me a look. They just ignore me. But then some of them open their newspaper up so wide that I can't see around it anyway.

Nowadays I usually ride in the rear railfan seat.

[Terry Kennedy]

I always wonder about the people -- at 33rd, WTC and NWK -- who rush to get the railfan seat..............then sit reading a newspaper!

Some of the cars have a spacer about 1/3 of the width of a seat between the railfan seat and the end of the car. That gives people a bit more room to spread their paper out without intruding into other passengers' space.

[trackguy]

There are 2 different train routes from Hoboken Terminal... One goes to 33rd St. and another goes to WTC... other than waiting for next train with a seat, maybe they are waiting for the train to go to WTC? Just a thought...

[Tommy Meehan]

Some of the cars have a spacer about 1/3 of the width of a seat between the railfan seat and the end of the car. That gives people a bit more room to spread their paper out without intruding into other passengers' space.

Terry good point. If you have a package and the train's crowded, beats piling everything on your lap too.

But not all cars have that space, do they? That little ledge between the frontmost seat and the car wall? I "think" only the PA1s and 2s. Not sure about the PA3s..............but "pretty sure" the PA4s don't have that little extra space.

[kdjohnson]

Here is another observation about the PATH. Have you noticed (if it was not mentioned already) How everyone has the tendency to crowed closer to the doors when there is plenty of room on the train. Then what happens is more people try to get on, but they force them selves through the crowd.

When I used to ride the PATH, I realized that when you say excuse me the tendency is people will move. Not trying to be funny, but I think that it is odd. If you force yourself it hard to get through, but you say excuse me it like parting the red sea.

Ken

[arrow]

Some of the cars have a spacer about 1/3 of the width of a seat between the railfan seat and the end of the car. That gives people a bit more room to spread their paper out without intruding into other passengers' space.

Terry good point. If you have a package and the train's crowded, beats piling everything on your lap too.

But not all cars have that space, do they? That little ledge between the frontmost seat and the car wall? I "think" only the PA1s and 2s. Not sure about the PA3s..............but "pretty sure" the PA4s don't have that little extra space.

The PA-1, 2, and 3 cars all have these seats at each end of the car. The PA-4 does not. When I get on the train, I always try to get that seat (if I'm lucky enough to get a seat at all that is) - it's much more comfortable with the extra room.