6 ms·

Have you ever taken a rush hour train at Penn Station? The alternative (i.e. current system) is everyone congregates on the concourse staring at the platform sc

by spyspy 9y ago

Have you ever taken a rush hour train at Penn Station? The alternative (i.e. current system) is everyone congregates on the concourse staring at the platform screens, and when a new one pops up hundreds of people flood in the direction of that platform in a mad dash. It's a mess.

state_machine 9y ago
I've only done much less hellish Grand Central version, and I think Metro North publishes track assignments much earlier. That said though, just imagine how much worse it would be if that mass rush was between platforms, fighting opposing traffic, instead of just from a (mostly) open waiting area.
- bogomipz 9y ago
  >"I've only done much less hellish Grand Central version, and I think Metro North publishes track assignments much earlier." There is so much more space to wait for track assignments as well as space on the grand stairwell to get down to the track in Grand Central(even with tourists) that I don't think they are comparable at all. If the Metro North does publish assignments much earlier it's likely because its much safer to do so. Although I don't think I've ever seen people waiting on the platforms for Metro North trains in Grand Central.
  - state_machine 9y ago
    Yeah, that's fair. If I have to take LIRR, I'll generally use Atlantic and switch at Jamaica if needed -- anything to avoid Penn.
    - jrockway 9y ago
      If you're trying to get a seat on a train that originates at Penn, changing at Jamaica doesn't help, however.
bogomipz 9y ago
It is exactly this alternative(the current system) that the Amtrak/MTA/LIRR prefer for safety reasons. Amtrak which also has the same procedure at Penn states this here: http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2013/07/17/amtrak_s_unpersuasive_response_on_boarding_procedures.html http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2013/07/17/amtrak_s_unpe... Although it is indeed inefficient and the MTA is completely inept, the platforms for LIRR trains are very narrow, they are shared by two trains and the escalators to get up to the main floor are also very narrow and crowded already. So although the "mad dash" is in fact a mess, its a safer mess than overcrowding the platforms on the tracks.
- eveningcoffee 9y ago
  I think this is also dehumanizing.
  - GauntletWizard 9y ago
    Mass transit is dehumanizing. Cities are dehumanizing. A significant amount of the way that giant infrastructure works is making assumptions and rote; Turning the human problem of "how do I get here" into a mechanical process of "There are two ways to do so, X and Y, each of which follow these steps". This is great for efficiency - that's why it's done. It's terrible for humanity. It's stagnant, it kills creativity, it leads to these incredible tragedies of the commons when so much relies upon the commons.
    - jogjayr 9y ago
      > It's terrible for humanity. It's stagnant, it kills creativity Your other points may be valid but I'm not so sure about this one. Artists tend to cluster in big cities, often with mass transit (and sometimes without, like LA). I sincerely doubt there's any sort of correlation between mass transit and creativity.
      - GauntletWizard 9y ago
        Mediocre artists cluster. Good artists hermit. Great artists do both - But don't maintain city apartments.
losteverything 9y ago
This mad dash is a great secondary tourist must see. The island's population doubles (1) each workday. This view of everyday life for many is worthwhile to observe. As well as "dont talk on the train" rule - but you have to ride at commuter times (1) nyt 6/3/13 commuters from the other boroughs and outside the city nearly double Manhattan’s population, from 1.6 million to 3.1 million.
JackFr 9y ago
This is absurd. After commuting for 1 year less than a year I knew which track to go to for any of the trains I ended up on. And more importantly where to stand on the platform to be at a door when the train pulled in. The idea that somehow it's unknown or occult knowledge as to which track to go to is silly, when they announce the track for the train over the PA, they sometimes say 'This is a track change', and the few hundred people who are on the platform already have to trample back up to the concourse and then back down to the new track.
- pmiller2 9y ago
  I think the idea is that having an app encourages more people to do it, not that it can't be done without an app.
- vonmoltke 9y ago
  You must be using the LIRR. Things are not as consistent on the NJTransit side if the house. I know with about 90% certainty which of two platforms to go to for my train. Sometimes, like Monday, they throw us a curve ball and board us on the other side if the concourse. Occasionally we even board on track 13 in the LIRR area.

by spyspy 9y ago

state_machine 9y ago

I've only done much less hellish Grand Central version, and I think Metro North publishes track assignments much earlier. That said though, just imagine how much worse it would be if that mass rush was between platforms, fighting opposing traffic, instead of just from a (mostly) open waiting area.

bogomipz 9y ago
>"I've only done much less hellish Grand Central version, and I think Metro North publishes track assignments much earlier." There is so much more space to wait for track assignments as well as space on the grand stairwell to get down to the track in Grand Central(even with tourists) that I don't think they are comparable at all. If the Metro North does publish assignments much earlier it's likely because its much safer to do so. Although I don't think I've ever seen people waiting on the platforms for Metro North trains in Grand Central.
- state_machine 9y ago
  Yeah, that's fair. If I have to take LIRR, I'll generally use Atlantic and switch at Jamaica if needed -- anything to avoid Penn.
  - jrockway 9y ago
    If you're trying to get a seat on a train that originates at Penn, changing at Jamaica doesn't help, however.

bogomipz 9y ago

It is exactly this alternative(the current system) that the Amtrak/MTA/LIRR prefer for safety reasons. Amtrak which also has the same procedure at Penn states this here: http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2013/07/17/amtrak_s_unpersuasive_response_on_boarding_procedures.html http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2013/07/17/amtrak_s_unpe... Although it is indeed inefficient and the MTA is completely inept, the platforms for LIRR trains are very narrow, they are shared by two trains and the escalators to get up to the main floor are also very narrow and crowded already. So although the "mad dash" is in fact a mess, its a safer mess than overcrowding the platforms on the tracks.

eveningcoffee 9y ago
I think this is also dehumanizing.
- GauntletWizard 9y ago
  Mass transit is dehumanizing. Cities are dehumanizing. A significant amount of the way that giant infrastructure works is making assumptions and rote; Turning the human problem of "how do I get here" into a mechanical process of "There are two ways to do so, X and Y, each of which follow these steps". This is great for efficiency - that's why it's done. It's terrible for humanity. It's stagnant, it kills creativity, it leads to these incredible tragedies of the commons when so much relies upon the commons.
  - jogjayr 9y ago
    > It's terrible for humanity. It's stagnant, it kills creativity Your other points may be valid but I'm not so sure about this one. Artists tend to cluster in big cities, often with mass transit (and sometimes without, like LA). I sincerely doubt there's any sort of correlation between mass transit and creativity.
    - GauntletWizard 9y ago
      Mediocre artists cluster. Good artists hermit. Great artists do both - But don't maintain city apartments.

losteverything 9y ago

This mad dash is a great secondary tourist must see. The island's population doubles (1) each workday. This view of everyday life for many is worthwhile to observe. As well as "dont talk on the train" rule - but you have to ride at commuter times (1) nyt 6/3/13 commuters from the other boroughs and outside the city nearly double Manhattan’s population, from 1.6 million to 3.1 million.

JackFr 9y ago

This is absurd. After commuting for 1 year less than a year I knew which track to go to for any of the trains I ended up on. And more importantly where to stand on the platform to be at a door when the train pulled in. The idea that somehow it's unknown or occult knowledge as to which track to go to is silly, when they announce the track for the train over the PA, they sometimes say 'This is a track change', and the few hundred people who are on the platform already have to trample back up to the concourse and then back down to the new track.

pmiller2 9y ago
I think the idea is that having an app encourages more people to do it, not that it can't be done without an app.
vonmoltke 9y ago
You must be using the LIRR. Things are not as consistent on the NJTransit side if the house. I know with about 90% certainty which of two platforms to go to for my train. Sometimes, like Monday, they throw us a curve ball and board us on the other side if the concourse. Occasionally we even board on track 13 in the LIRR area.