N Train Means No Luck

It's bad enough that the N train gets a bad rap with its slow service (it's the "Never" train, whereas the R is the "Rarely"...the W is "Whenever" and perhaps the Q is "Quixotic"), but this weekend has been no good. There was a stalled train and then a man was stabbed to death on the N train yesterday. The stalled train occured in Brooklyn, due to an electrical issue, and was eventually rerouted to Manhattan. One passenger, a 17 year old student told the Daily News, "This is the third time this happened to me in two weeks. This sucks." And the details of the stabbing are few: A man riding a northbound N train emerged at Rector Street, with stab wounds in his back early yesterday morning, and was prounced dead at NYU Downtown Hospital at 5AM. The AP reports the train was taken to the Ditmar Yards for inspection.

Something Gothamist has been fascinated with: The mere concept of
subway schedules, which the MTA has details on.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on September 27, 2004 9:02 AM

Comments [rss]

Douglas

I like the MTA's nomenclature better.

N = Nancy

R = Romeo

W = Whiskey

Q = ?

It's nice to think that I can take the Whiskeytrain home.

blah

M train = Marvelous if you have the time.

le miss

i have recently been taking the M to the 6 from Brooklyn. Instead of taking the R/M to Pacific and changing to the N then changing to the 6 at 14th. I was scared at first to find out what the M had (or did not) have to offer, but i'm starting to believe it is some kind of well kept secret. The train RARELY ever stops in the tunnel and I always get a seat on the M and then when i transfer to the 6 at Brooklyn Bridge. Beats fighting and standing for seats at Pacific and 14th Union Square were all worlds collide.

giganticadenoid

I also take the G to work, and for the most part it operates relatively well. That said, in the 4+ years I've lived in Brooklyn I think there have been maybe two days when the freaking thing wasn't running on a single track after 11pm and I've given up trying to figure out what the hell is going on with the stops in Queens.

unspeakablymodern

Not to mention the dude who got stabbed at Rector Street...

jenny

does anyone know what the F Hoyting is all about? Are they working on a rumored F Express line? Or do they just like pissing me off?

Jen W

The Hoyt-ing of the F on the weekend has led me and my roommate (and others, I'm sure) to keep our business local. I've stood drunk on the 2nd Ave. stop feeling like a chump many a night (or getting diverted to Hoyt). I've stopped bothering with the stress and going out on 5th--where I can walk home, or get a car service if the weather turns bad.

Dirk

Sounds like a good time for a fare hike!

KeithS

I ride the G. I have no pity left for you.

yellow f-ing die

There is also an issue of communication on the Yellow Line. The N changes its route depending on the time of day. Compound that with the fact that there are weekends when downtown trains south of Canal are rerouted over the bridge into Brooklyn. However, there are NO SIGNS announcing this route change. I've ended up tired, hungry and waiting in Brooklyn many a times because of this.

offbalance

Actually, the Q stands for "Quit Hoping." I should know, I have to ride that miserable bucket of scrap metal whenever the "(B)etter luck next time" isn't running.

Ben

You late-risers may scoff at the subway schedules, but I swear by them. Of course, I leave Brooklyn for work in Manhattan at 5:30am. That first express 4 train arrives at Boro Hall @ 5:27 like clockwork. Ok, like clockwork in a $5 dollar wind-up alarm clock, but still, it's usually pretty close. That said, it seems like every couple of days, that train gets stuck behind the "garbage train" and has to run on the local track... directly BEHIND a 6 train. Hey, MTA, why don't you let the express proceed FIRST?

David

I'm on the N train and all the women I know who take the N train say they see serial whackers on the train all the time. It's time for someone to investigate this urban legend.

corie

Welcome to the world of the F-ed train. The F has been continually screwed up, Hoyting people every weekend for the past few months...not to mention the consistent delays during the week, leaving crowds clogging Jay Street during rush hour.