All this Londoner sees is “local trains stopping on days except when the noon phase is in alignment with Venus and then fast and semi-fast services may or may not stop depending on whether you roll an even number on a dice”. I am hot, sweaty, confused, and yet I STILL ❤️ it!
@geofftech Even if you could understand it, the trains ignore it and do what they want. Stay frosty.
@geofftech Still not as tricky as trying to find an Olympia train.
@geofftech Fun Fact: Essex Street used to be home to the Williamsburg Bridge Trolley Terminal back in the early 1900’s. It’s still visible from the platform to this day:
@geofftech I'd encourage a trip to Melbourne to experience the City Loop. Half the lines reverse direction midday and weekends have a different pattern again. Worth a visit both before and after Metro Tunnel opens.
@geofftech I wonder what New Yorkers think of trying to read the blue boxes of minuscule text on the Elizabeth line on-train maps ;)
@geofftech NYC was my introduction to a subway system. The Barcelona and Paris. At last I made it to London and found a subway rail system that I love to ride.
@geofftech The NYC subway confuses the hell out of me (and I'm an Underground driver 😆). I once had to get from JFK to New Jersey on the subway at 1am, going through Brooklyn, Jamaica and Queens. That was an interesting journey lets say! Tbh, still felt safer than south London 🤣
@geofftech Add the caveat:- except on alternate Thursdays every third month after 6pm when Aunt Mavis goes to bingo.
@geofftech So... presumably two train services serve this station. One from platform J and one from platform M. And then - clearly just for shizz and giggles, as there doesn't seem any logic to it whatsoever - they decide to swap platforms at the weekend?
@geofftech I agree. The NYC Subway has terrible signage and directions.
@geofftech Something that you will quickly learn on the NY metro is that the map is only the tip of the iceberg. Just by looking at it you would have no idea of all the limited services, skipped stops, alternative terminals and super expresses that travel every day.
@geofftech These are local trains. For local people. There’s nothing here for you.
@geofftech Might I recommend checking out one of the open-cut or ground level stations in Brooklyn or the Bronx? Some of the Underground that's above ground reminds me of those stations! You should also come up to the Bronx or Brooklyn to see the elevated trains
@geofftech All you need to know about the Jamaica line is this: 90% of the time, there's a J train 10% of the time, there's a Z train If you need 6th Av, take the M train.
@geofftech This doesn't even explain the weekday service pattern where until ~12PM, J trains run express from Marcy Ave to Myrtle Ave, then do the opposite until the Z starts up. MTA needs new service pattern signage...
@geofftech Closest name's sake for you with be Jefferson Avenue on Station Island. There IS a Bergen Street however... 😉
@geofftech New York could do a lot better with subway signage. The subway is still my favorite way to get around NYC though.
@geofftech " This train arrives 'other times' " sounds like a Brittish-ism. "Yes this train used to run express - but those were the other times"
@geofftech They should use symbols for times of day rather than prose. Ⓙ To Jamaica Ctr ⵀ. Other times on opposite track Ⓜ️ To Metrop Av via Local ⍟. ⵀ on opposite track
@geofftech Gods, yes. Had exactly the same experience a few years back. Hard to say quite how much familiarity plays a part, but found the NY subway so confusing to navigate compared to LU.
@geofftech If you want confusing check out the E and F on Queens Blvd especially between Jamaica and Forest Hills
@geofftech I would argue that unless it’s late at night or Sunday, You never even have to read anything but the main instruction.
@geofftech Im going new york in exactly 7 days and boy is it going to be a fun challenge to navigate the subway network, quite excited
@geofftech Did you make it to Broadway Junction and Smith-9th Street Subway Stations?
@geofftech Some stations are quirky and interesting (e.g. 14th St/7th Ave), whilst others have this wonderfully defiant blandness (e.g. East Broadway)
@geofftech I'm shocked that there are no complaints about the graffiti.
@geofftech That one tripped me up when I was living in NYC.
@geofftech London and Paris have such simple systems easy to follow common in Europe and probably everywhere else in the world. MTA need to get out more and see how it should be done.
