F the F!

It took more than a hour and a half to get home today after work -- and I only work in Union Sq. After work, we went to Whole Foods to pick up dinner and hopped on the 6 train to switch to the F. It was like 5 billion degrees in the subway and it took forever. Finally we got on the 6 and the air conditioning was temporary relief. While it's never really a smooth transfer from the 6 to the F, warning signals went off as soon as we got down the stairs.

First of all, it was packed, which meant people had been waiting for some time. After about 10 minutes, an F finally comes but it is filled to the brim with people all smushed inside. Then a bunch of people tried to shove themselves on and of course someone was keeping the train from closing so the doors kept opening and closing (4 times!). Needless to say, we didn't make it on that train. So another V comes. And then another V. And then an F and that one is packed too. So we wait for another and nothing comes.

Finally we took the B (which was cool because I had never taken the subway across the Manhattan Bridge) and then we we walked back to DUMBO. Anyway, longest commute ever!!! I don't understand why they can't run extra trains, for example let some of the Vs run on the F line during rush hour. It's so frustrating when you're waiting for the F and these empty V trains go by you with 3 people inside lounging and smiling while you're sweating your @#$ off on the platform.

Here's a rather cool picture of the F train wizzing by taken by brothergrimm on flickr.

F Train Back in Business, For the Most Part

Yesterday was a complete mess for anyone that has to ride the subway to get to work. Living in DUMBO, we have a variety of options but in yesterday's situation, three out of three options (F, A/C/E, 2/3) were all out of service. We were going to walk across the bridge to take the 4/5/6 but found out that it was also out of service. People were fighting over taxis and we even were going to take a town car into the city, but no cars were available because people couldn't get to work from the outer boroughs.

But the reality is that this isn't the last time it will rain heavily. From a FOX News article:

MTA Executive Director Elliot G. Sander said the intensity of the rain was simply overwhelming. The subway's drainage system can generally handle a maximum of 1.5 inches of rainfall per hour; on an average day, hundreds of MTA pumps remove 13 million gallons of water from the system, which includes several tunnels and stations below sea level.

That's pretty incredible...also considering a tornado touched down in Brooklyn and Staten Island. In terms of a solution that will work, only time will tell. But NY Governor Eliot Spitzer ...

... ordered a 30-day review of the New York City subway system after flooding from a rain storm shut down almost every line during yesterday's morning rush hour ...

Yesterday's subway suspensions and delays marked the third system-wide disruptions in seven months, said Spitzer. They came 18 months after the MTA's Inspector General released a report criticizing the agency's handling of flooding that paralyzed the system in September 2004 and made recommendations on how to prevent future failures.

F Train Voted Dirtiest

Gothamist offers a recap of the annual state of the subways report from the Straphangers association.

Why am I so not surprised to learn that the F was voted the dirtiest? Everyday I marvel at the strange subway river of dirty water that is constantly flowing through the middle of the subway tracks at the York St stop. The best was once I was on the subway and out of the corner of my eye I saw a cockroach walking downward toward this lady's head. I quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her away. I am sure there are many more that aren't visible... eeeeek.

Can they also vote on worst exit? I think it would have to be the F at 63rd street and Lex, or the York St stop, based on the combo of uphill walking and stairs. I guess it's good exercise, right!

And while the M & W ranked worst on frequency of service, and the 5 ranked worst for regularity of service, I was surprised that the F did not receive an honorable mention for worst weekend service? I cannot count how many times my friends have had to take cabs to Brooklyn because the F wasn't running on a weekend.

What do you think?