Gothamist: Platforms Need Conducting

fuegochick

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 21:34:30 -0500

When my Mom commuted in the late 50's/early 60's the good old NYC subway system employed folks to help cram and many people as possible into the cars.

Gwin

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 19:48:19 -0500

If the conductors really are partly to make sure folks don't bumrush the trains when the doors open, might I suggest the B/D stop at Grand Street and the F stop at East Broadway? The people at those stops are the height of rudeness when it comes to pushing onto trains before one has had a chance to get off.

outtake

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 14:38:30 -0500

Not such a good idea if having a "platform conductor" means taking a MTA worker out of the token booth. I was at a subway station in the Chelsea area a few months ago and there was no one in the token booth, just a so-called platform conductor wondering around. If you can read a subway map, what's the real purpose of a platform conductor? It would have been nice to have someone in the token booth transfer the money on my transit chek to my metrocard.

NoName

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 14:38:19 -0500

How about employing some Tokyo-style pushers to make sure those gaps in the middle of the cars get filled?

Ryan

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 14:04:32 -0500

That's cool, but if they're really serious about safety what they ought to do is get rid of those iron-maiden looking tall turnstiles. Crowds back up in front of em bad enough in rush hour - they'd turn the platforms into death traps in a fire or other emergency.

Dave H.

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 13:45:41 -0500

I don't know if he's still there, but when I used to ride the 4/5 regularly there was a middle-aged MTA employee with a cowboy hat and a five-pointed-star sheriff's badge who used to wrangle people on the platform at 42nd St. during rush hours. Made me feel more like cattle than usual, but I appreciated his presence.

kristin

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 13:16:32 -0500

When I used to ride the E at 51st there were platform conductors. Those are the guys that shine their flashlights once everyone is safely in (i think what MT was referring to), right?

Wendy

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 12:42:36 -0500

The Daily News says the figure is $6.7 million, not $67 million. There's often a conductor on the C/E platform at 34th Street in the mornings--I, for one, appreciate having an actual MTA employee enforce things that should be common sense like, say, letting people get off the train before trying to cram on.

MT

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 12:33:03 -0500

The platform conductors at the Times Square station are great! I love it when they yell at people for not letting go of the doors. On the flip side, they are also helpful in making sure everyone gets a chance to actually get inside the doors before the train conductor decides to mash you in them. After seeing them there for so long they really become familiar fixtures. (anyone remember when the NYT profiled the conductor from the S platforms in Times Square? It sure brought my appreciation to new heights.)

Kojak

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 12:32:09 -0500

A Good idea, only if they also help disposing of the assholes who try to jam open the doors to get onto the trains. They should be armed with batons and loudspeakers.