Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, starts tonight at sundown. And suffice to say, it's a bit more serious than Rosh Hashanah—so there are no Muppets-related videos to get your toes tapping tonight. Instead, there are very serious subway and train difficulties awaiting you this weekend, as you contemplate all the wrongs you have perpetrated this year. more ›

Hey, you know how the L train sucks, like, a lot? How it rarely runs on weekends, is mind-bogglingly crowded pretty much all the time, and is occasionally overtaken by Chippendale-lite male dancers? Well, the MTA knows, too! And they're coming to save you from your overcrowded commute, with the help of...one extra train. In December. more ›

This site only has one purpose, to let you know: "Is the L Train Fucked?" Currently, and shockingly, the answer is no... but keep refreshing before swiping that MetroCard because this could change at any time. Also, maybe the MTA should invest in these single-serving sites for each of their train lines—so easy to update, maybe the robots could even run it. more ›

It's not snowing, sleeting, raining, double-rainbowing... those are clear skies out there! But even a soft breeze is enough to take the L train down. It's so fragile. Currently there are no L trains into Manhattan, according to Brooklyn365, who says Williamsburg's Bedford Avenue platform is now "SWARMED with folks trying to get cabs." You have been warned. We've contacted the MTA—their site claims the L has "good service"—and we'll update when we hear back. If you are encountering any problems out there, send us your notes from the underground. more ›

The Club Animals who give bouncy rides, deliver crack candy around town, and give us an overall uncomfortable feeling, are multiplying like Gremlins at a waterpark. Tonight the newest member will be giving away free butterfly kisses on the Union Square L platform from 9 to 10 p.m. We have also been alerted that free bouncy rides will take place from 8 to 9 p.m. in the same location, which makes us think that dolphin and bunny are one in the same! more ›

An everyday occurrence turned into a 28 hour ordeal for a Queens man last month when he was arrested for using the emergency subway exit at DeKalb Avenue on the L line in Brooklyn. 32-year-old Todd Zielinski says he used the exit to bypass a crowd of commuters pushing through the turnstiles, but plainclothes cops stopped him, checked his ID, and sent him through what's commonly called "the system." In most cases, the NYPD issues summonses for minor offenses like this, but suspects without IDs or with outstanding warrants are sent on a long trip down to The Tombs before seeing a judge. But Zielinski, a Verizon technician, insists his record is clean and tells the Daily News, "They took 28 hours of my life away from me. People can't believe it. This is what our city's come to? I've taken the subway and buses all my life... If I counted how much money I've given to the MTA to be treated like this." (In 2006, the MTA reported that unnecessary use of the emergency gates was causing the automatic alarms to malfunction.) An NYPD spokesman confirmed the arrest, but it's unclear why Zielinski was detained for so long. Perhaps the inevitable lawsuit will shed more light on the incident. more ›

The transformation is at last complete: After years of delays, L trains will now operate entirely at the whims of an all-powerful computer system—just in time for everyone to ride it to Union Square for the premiere of Terminator Salvation. Motormen working the Brooklyn-Manhattan line will remain on board as a token gesture to humanity's fading relevance, and as way of placating Luddites worried about some sinister runaway HAL train making a break for New Jersey. The "Communications Based Train Control" [CBTC] will kick in tomorrow, (theoretically) enabling NYC Transit to relieve overcrowding by running trains closer together than the current signal system allows. You may recall that fully activating the robo-train has been pushed back for years due to technical glitches; the system will be used overnight at first before expanding into peak service times. NYC Transit's vice president assures the public the computer-operated trains are ready for prime time, telling the Daily News, "This is a safe system with proven technology." At least until it becomes self-aware. more ›

Williamsburg just got a little bit more adorable; the NYC Scout (who we interviewed last week) spotted some plastic mistletoe hanging above the stairs to the Bedford L stop. Will two down on their luck commuters find a love light at the end of the dark subway tunnel that is the holiday season? Stay tuned to the missed connections section of Craigslist where surely a real life romantic comedy will play out. more ›

For the past ten months, the MTA has been experimenting with a new management structure on the L and 7 lines that officials hope will improve subway service. But has anyone noticed? Most passengers stopped by the Times say they've seen little change, though one woman believes the L has been slightly less mobbed when it pulls into Lorimer Street during rush hour. The experiment calls for a general manager to take charge of each subway line and make "quick" decisions over train schedules, maintenance of stations, and riders' complaints. NYC Transit president Howard Roberts Jr. says that as a result more trains have been running on time (though the Times questions this) and will roll out the restructuring citywide. Roberts says the managerial streamlining will result in 70 fewer positions and a savings of $7.3 million/year. Which will put the transit system just $993 million away from closing their $1 billion deficit! more ›

NYPIRG's Straphangers Campaign released its 2007 report on Subway Schmutz today and there was reason for encouragement. Overall, car cleanliness improved slightly between 2005 and 2007, but there was significant improvement on the 7 and L lines. The L line actually has the cleanest cars in the system according to Straphangers, with 88% of cars earning a clean rating versus 61% in 2005. The 7 train line was tied for second place, with 78% getting a clean rating versus 22% in 2005.

Starting in mid-September 2007, "additional cleaners were deployed at both terminals for these lines, working in multiple shifts to provide 24-hour coverage," according to MTA New York City Transit. Beginning on December 10, 2007, two new "line general managers" were appointed with greater authority to run the L (Greg Lombardi) and the 7 (Lou Brusati).