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Can any NYC HN'er confirm that I am not insane: I spent a summer in NY and I took the subway everywhere at all times. One night I was out until ~3am and was w

by habosa 11y ago

Can any NYC HN'er confirm that I am not insane: I spent a summer in NY and I took the subway everywhere at all times. One night I was out until ~3am and was waiting for the subway. I saw a train coming down the tracks and it looked funny. As it went by I realized it was actually dumpsters on wheels carrying tons of trash through the subway system. I presumed this was how NYC moved trash across the city and I was really impressed at the resourcefulness. I have since been unable to find any reference to this system or anyone else who has seen it. Am I insane? Was I drunk? Dreaming?

woodruffw 11y ago
There are lots of different maintenance trains that the MTA employs to keep the tracks clean and in working order. They often do carry garbage collected off the tracks, so it's very possible that's what you saw. The VakTrak doesn't look like dumpsters on wheels, but it's one of the models the MTA uses for track cleaning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBSfb84z4QI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBSfb84z4QI Edit: I think you saw an R127 hauling garbage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6VnQzShTZg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6VnQzShTZg. I've never seen this before personally, but I guess the MTA does haul garbage ;)
danso 11y ago
What you saw was real...I've seen them several times though can't find any photos of them in my photo collection... http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/nyregion/mta-tries-to-reduce-total-trash-hauled-away-by-train.html http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/nyregion/mta-tries-to-redu...
IIAOPSW 11y ago
Ah the infamous dumpster train. The light at the end of the tunnel that is actually false hope for hundreds of intoxicated insomniacs every night. Congratulations, you've had one of the less publicized "true New York" experiences. Just learn to say "Houston Street" correctly and we might not even know you're a tourist. The truth is that the garbage train only collects garbage at the stations. Not the entire city. Think about it, when it comes time to remove the trash in the station dumpsters, why run a truck over ground and lug trash up stairs when you can just run a flat-bed down the tracks. Other unusual subways include the rare "track inspection vehicle" and the now discontinued "money train".
- pavel_lishin 11y ago
  Money train? The inspection vehicles are fucking terrifying. It's like seeing a sunrise coming through a tunnel. The snow-blower trains on the lines that run outside, however, are awesome. A huge propeller-like turbine thing on the front, roaring along, sweeping the snow off the tracks. Very cool to see.
  - IIAOPSW 11y ago
    Back in the token days, they used to collect the toll box fares the same way the collect the station garbage. Hence "money train". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money_train https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money_train Side note, on a desperate night have you ever found yourself wondering "maybe I can bribe the orange vest dude to let me ride the trash train because waiting here sucks."
    - pavel_lishin 11y ago
      > Side note, on a desperate night have you ever found yourself wondering "maybe I can bribe the orange vest dude to let me ride the trash train because waiting here sucks." Never. But I've definitely considered just hopping into an empty bin, and seeing how far it'd take me.

by habosa 11y ago

woodruffw 11y ago

There are lots of different maintenance trains that the MTA employs to keep the tracks clean and in working order. They often do carry garbage collected off the tracks, so it's very possible that's what you saw. The VakTrak doesn't look like dumpsters on wheels, but it's one of the models the MTA uses for track cleaning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBSfb84z4QI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBSfb84z4QI Edit: I think you saw an R127 hauling garbage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6VnQzShTZg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6VnQzShTZg. I've never seen this before personally, but I guess the MTA does haul garbage ;)

danso 11y ago

What you saw was real...I've seen them several times though can't find any photos of them in my photo collection... http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/nyregion/mta-tries-to-reduce-total-trash-hauled-away-by-train.html http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/nyregion/mta-tries-to-redu...

IIAOPSW 11y ago

Ah the infamous dumpster train. The light at the end of the tunnel that is actually false hope for hundreds of intoxicated insomniacs every night. Congratulations, you've had one of the less publicized "true New York" experiences. Just learn to say "Houston Street" correctly and we might not even know you're a tourist. The truth is that the garbage train only collects garbage at the stations. Not the entire city. Think about it, when it comes time to remove the trash in the station dumpsters, why run a truck over ground and lug trash up stairs when you can just run a flat-bed down the tracks. Other unusual subways include the rare "track inspection vehicle" and the now discontinued "money train".

pavel_lishin 11y ago
Money train? The inspection vehicles are fucking terrifying. It's like seeing a sunrise coming through a tunnel. The snow-blower trains on the lines that run outside, however, are awesome. A huge propeller-like turbine thing on the front, roaring along, sweeping the snow off the tracks. Very cool to see.
- IIAOPSW 11y ago
  Back in the token days, they used to collect the toll box fares the same way the collect the station garbage. Hence "money train". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money_train https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money_train Side note, on a desperate night have you ever found yourself wondering "maybe I can bribe the orange vest dude to let me ride the trash train because waiting here sucks."
  - pavel_lishin 11y ago
    > Side note, on a desperate night have you ever found yourself wondering "maybe I can bribe the orange vest dude to let me ride the trash train because waiting here sucks." Never. But I've definitely considered just hopping into an empty bin, and seeing how far it'd take me.