# Take the A train? Try again in 2010. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 25, 2005, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568 "2005-01-25T12:30:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/61 "2005-01-26T01:55:23Z")
Good news! 5 PM report: Three to six months to rebuild it. Ain’t life grand? [http://wcbs880.com/local/NYC--SubwayFire--nyn/resources\_news\_html](http://wcbs880.com/local/NYC--SubwayFire--nyn/resources_news_html) On the other hand, Metro North went boom, too. [http://wcbs880.com/topstories/topstoriesny\_story\_025115646.html](http://wcbs880.com/topstories/topstoriesny_story_025115646.html) ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/62 "2005-01-26T04:33:00Z")
I read the British papers here. The Telegraph is reporting the fire fire was set by a ‘tramp.’ A good honest word. Not so PC today I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/63 "2005-01-26T04:51:45Z")
Well, damn. Since no train or subway system has ever existed that worked without anything less than an extremely complicated electronic relay switching system, we’ll just have to wait the 3 years. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/64 "2005-01-26T04:53:50Z")
So the CHUDs have already won. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/65 "2005-01-26T07:16:43Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > I read the British papers here. The Telegraph is reporting the fire fire was set by a ‘tramp.’ > > A good honest word. Not so PC today I guess. > [@NoClueBoy](#): > > So the CHUDs have already won. ☹ The PC term is [[http://www.straightdope.com/columns/040109.html](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/040109.html)]Mole People. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/66 "2005-01-26T07:17:53Z")
> [@Eleusis](#): > > The PC term is [[http://www.straightdope.com/columns/040109.html](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/040109.html)]Mole People. [Mole People](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/040109.html) :smack: ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/67 "2005-01-26T09:00:03Z")
WE have the same thing in Boston…the new elevated highways of the so-called"Big Dig" use hollow concrete box girders. The homeless have now entered these hollow spaces, and built little shelters for themselves. Its just a matter of time until some bum sets fire to his little shelter, and causes major damage to the road. Bums have also set fires under bridges, and torched abandoned buildings. They also use the subway statons as bathrooms, causing a nice urine stink. So, we have to accomodate ourseleves to these alcoholics and vagrants. Clear em out, I say…and DON’T give money to bums…you are just encouraging more of them, and enabling them to keep on drinking. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/68 "2005-01-26T12:35:01Z")
oh boy. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/69 "2005-01-26T12:38:34Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > I read the British papers here. The Telegraph is reporting the fire fire was set by a ‘tramp.’ > > A good honest word. Not so PC today I guess. Yep, you can trust the Telegraph to tell it how it is, in language that few people use anymore 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/70 "2005-01-26T12:57:40Z")
I suspect Sleestacks. Or **Sleestack** , whichever. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/71 "2005-01-26T13:14:50Z")
Manny, I think my apartment value just dropped a bit, thankyewveddymuch, but - well, there’s still the 7th ave. lines. I know I’m repeating D-Odd’s question from above, but does anyone know why the E train doesn’t seem to be affected by this? Or is no one paying that much attention, because the affected portion of the E line isn’t that long? ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/72 "2005-01-26T13:20:16Z")
> [@OxyMoron](#): > > Manny, I think my apartment value just dropped a bit, thankyewveddymuch, but - well, there’s still the 7th ave. lines. > > I know I’m repeating D-Odd’s question from above, but does anyone know why the E train doesn’t seem to be affected by this? Or is no one paying that much attention, because the affected portion of the E line isn’t that long? I was wondering this myself. Luckily I caught an A that you can look out the front of yesterday at Bway Nassau. It appears that the signals are out on the A/C track between Bway N and Chambers street. Since the E starts at Chambers, and is on a totally different track, it’s not affected. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/73 "2005-01-26T13:56:52Z")
It’s 6-9 months now instead of 3-5 years, with 80% service restoration in 3 months. Why do these morons open their pie holes if they don’t have an idea what the hell they’re talking about? Let’s throw the entire west side into a panic then revise our estimates down by 75% the next day. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/74 "2005-01-26T14:01:59Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > It’s 6-9 months now instead of 3-5 years, with 80% service restoration in 3 months. > > Why do these morons open their pie holes if they don’t have an idea what the hell they’re talking about? Let’s throw the entire west side into a panic then revise our estimates down by 75% the next day. Maybe they’re against the Jet’s stadium? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/75 "2005-01-26T14:38:38Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > It’s 6-9 months now instead of 3-5 years, with 80% service restoration in 3 months. Some guy named McGyver showed up with some bubble gum, a wire coat hanger and an 8 x 10 of Joan Blondell, and got the whole system up and running in an hour! (_I’m_ not getting on the damn thing—they say they’re repairing it with “some spare parts we found lying around, and some in the bureau drawer”). ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/76 "2005-01-26T14:49:01Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Some guy named McGyver showed up with some bubble gum, a wire coat hanger and an 8 x 10 of Joan Blondell, and got the whole system up and running in an hour! No. Bettie Page. 😃 :o ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/77 "2005-01-26T14:59:21Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > I was wondering this myself. Luckily I caught an A that you can look out the front of yesterday at Bway Nassau. It appears that the signals are out on the A/C track between Bway N and Chambers street. Since the E starts at Chambers, and is on a totally different track, it’s not affected. Indeed. The Chambers platform, enormous as it is, still smells like a burnt-out foxhole. I wonder if it will take nine months before it smells like urine and angry commuters again. ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/78 "2005-01-26T15:31:05Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > I was wondering this myself. Luckily I caught an A that you can look out the front of yesterday at Bway Nassau. It appears that the signals are out on the A/C track between Bway N and Chambers street. Since the E starts at Chambers, and is on a totally different track, it’s not affected. Sure, that’s going to be true for the segment between Chambers and Canal - but north of Canal, the E and C use the same track up until just north of 42nd, when the flyunder that takes the E to Queens starts. I have a tough time understanding why that (busy, crucial) 3-mile section of track signaling would work for the E but not the C. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/79 "2005-01-26T15:33:18Z")
Hell, we can get the urine smell back in two weeks, if we work at it! That’s the American Way! ---
**Author:** ![Servo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@Servo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Servo)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568/80 "2005-01-26T15:40:55Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Great post **Servo**. Thanks. > [@](#): > > I don’t mean to belittle the damage, but I can’t see why they shouldn’t be back up and running in a year. I agree. I had been talking with some co-workers who really thought that a couple of weeks should be more than enough time [“Just stick a computer in there.”] and really didn’t understand what all is involved in track signaling. > [@](#): > > Btw I thought they stopped keybys after the Williamsburg bridge accident. My understanding was that they stopped allowing train operators to key-by at their discretion. They still do it occasionally but there are a lot of approvals and procedure wrapped around it now. Automatic key-by is actually a sort of by-product of the feature that keeps trains from being tripped by the signal they just passed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-a-train-try-again-in-2010/286568.md?page=5)