A soon to be disappearing view of the NYC Subway

Okay, so they want full-width cabs. But this "privacy glass" absolutely stinks. You can't see a thing underground, and not too well outdoors either. Just what the heck is it with these train operators? Just what is it that they are afraid the public might see? On my job, people often get to see everything I'm doing and I don't think it's a big deal. I'm not ashamed of my job. Are the train operators ashamed of theirs? So what if fans get to watch them work? Most of us are more interested in seeing the railroad, not the train operator.

You know what, I think they must be ahsmed , while in the Washington Metro, the left window is open for us to see out front. But in Boston, it's the same story as New York, they have black curtains on their fron door windows

The theme seems to be "if somebody sees me they'll see me do something wrong", which in my opinion means you usually do things wrong. I think the reaction should be "if something goes wrong I hope somebody sees me and can report that I did my job right".

It's been explained to us in other threads that the reason for the curtains and blocked cab-door windows on other railroads is to prevent stray light from the passenger area from getting into the cab, interfering with the operator's view at night and in tunnels. Relations between management and labor being what they usually are, my guess is they wouldn't care about the train op's privacy, but the vision issue is a safety matter they might address.

But, as Rob points out they don't seem to have an issue with this on the Wash. D.C. Metro; no curtains to interfere with passenger's view. On the other hand, WMATA has been accused of not having much safety culture in their operations, so who knows; maybe they just never thought of it.

Head-end View wrote:It's been explained to us in other threads that the reason for the curtains and blocked cab-door windows on other railroads is to prevent stray light from the passenger area from getting into the cab, interfering with the operator's view at night and in tunnels. Relations between management and labor being what they usually are, my guess is they wouldn't care about the train op's privacy, but the vision issue is a safety matter they might address.

But, as Rob points out they don't seem to have an issue with this on the Wash. D.C. Metro; no curtains to interfere with passenger's view. On the other hand, WMATA has been accused of not having much safety culture in their operations, so who knows; maybe they just never thought of it.

But what's that got to do with the blurred polarized "privacy glass" which doesn't keep out light, it just distorts the image seen through it?

keyboardkat wrote:

Head-end View wrote:It's been explained to us in other threads that the reason for the curtains and blocked cab-door windows on other railroads is to prevent stray light from the passenger area from getting into the cab, interfering with the operator's view at night and in tunnels. Relations between management and labor being what they usually are, my guess is they wouldn't care about the train op's privacy, but the vision issue is a safety matter they might address.

But, as Rob points out they don't seem to have an issue with this on the Wash. D.C. Metro; no curtains to interfere with passenger's view. On the other hand, WMATA has been accused of not having much safety culture in their operations, so who knows; maybe they just never thought of it.

But what's that got to do with the blurred polarized "privacy glass" which doesn't keep out light, it just distorts the image seen through it?

That's not privacy glass. As I understand it, the polarized glass only allows light to pass straight through. So light from inside the car is prevented from reaching the subway operator, who is sitting offset horizontally from the glass. Just like you can't look to the right and see the operator, light from inside the car can't reach the operator. The "privacy" part of it is just a "bonus" result of the actual safety goal of preventing distracting light from reaching the operator.

Hmmm............... So the train operator doesn't get the stray light, and we can still see thru at least outside the tunnels. Interesting........

Head-end View wrote:Hmmm............... So the train operator doesn't get the stray light, and we can still see thru at least outside the tunnels. Interesting........

Basically. We get a barely passable view outdoors and an absolutely worthless view underground and can't take any photos at all. Major suckage.

You're right. But it's better than a solid door, like on PATH. In this case the glass is half-full. But you're right. It still sucks compared to the old days, when we could see out of every subway train in New York.

I miss my front window view!

nyrmetros wrote:I miss my front window view!

Me too!

That view is what made me a railfan as a kid.

I agree crabman. I was very young and very short but was able to look out the end door window of the LO-V cars with their straight cut gears and whinning traction motors, swaying safety chains and sparking contact shoes. a real thrill for a young,future train buff and career railroader.

When I was a kid I used to be able to crawl under the gate at 88 Street/ Boyd Ave on the A line. I would ride to Rockaway and back. I loved going over the bridges on Jamaica Bay. Then as I got bolder I started riding to B'klyn and Manhattan. I knew every switch between Rockaway and Columbus Circle.

Yes, most of us started the same way. For me it was the front window on the #7 Flushing Line in Queens at age 11, and I'm still addicted and looking out the front on that same line even in "late middle-age".