Boy do I have a story to tell you!
So, last night, I left the office around 8:50pm or so. It was a good night and I only stayed late and worked because I was in a groove. I could have waited a bit longer for a cab (we get our cabs paid for if we work past 9pm) but I was all ready to go by that point and I decided to just take the subway because it wasn't too late. Needless to say, I should have taken a cab...
On the subway, everything was going fine. The usually stops were made at the stations in Manhattan on the way to Brooklyn. After we left the last stop in Manhattan we headed under the mouth of the East River toward Brooklyn. About half way between the last stop in Manhattan and the first stop in Brooklyn, the train all of a sudden slowed and then stopped completely. Honestly, this isn't too uncommon as there is sometimes train traffic ahead that backs other trains up. So I was not concerned.
So, last night, I left the office around 8:50pm or so. It was a good night and I only stayed late and worked because I was in a groove. I could have waited a bit longer for a cab (we get our cabs paid for if we work past 9pm) but I was all ready to go by that point and I decided to just take the subway because it wasn't too late. Needless to say, I should have taken a cab...
On the subway, everything was going fine. The usually stops were made at the stations in Manhattan on the way to Brooklyn. After we left the last stop in Manhattan we headed under the mouth of the East River toward Brooklyn. About half way between the last stop in Manhattan and the first stop in Brooklyn, the train all of a sudden slowed and then stopped completely. Honestly, this isn't too uncommon as there is sometimes train traffic ahead that backs other trains up. So I was not concerned.
However, after sitting there for only about 15 seconds, smoke started to fill the cabin of the car. People started to get up and try to move to another car but there was smoke in the adjacent cars as well. Granted, while there was smoke, it wasn't enough to put everyone into coughing spells. Someone pressed the emergency talk button and told the conductor (I’m sure everyone was doing this simultaneously). After about 5 minutes of smokey-cabin-car, the power to the AC was cut which helped stop the smoke from spreading. The conductor came over the loud speaker (his English was terrible which didn't help things) and said that he did not know what happened and that he is going to try to find out what is causing the smoke.
Eventually, the smoke subsided some. The conductor was tinkering around the outside of the train (not much room to move out there). Also, remember that we were stopped somewhere under the mouth of the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn. It was getting hot in the cars so the conductor would turn the air on for a bit and then turn it off so the smoke wouldn't start to spread again.
Eventually, the smoke subsided some. The conductor was tinkering around the outside of the train (not much room to move out there). Also, remember that we were stopped somewhere under the mouth of the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn. It was getting hot in the cars so the conductor would turn the air on for a bit and then turn it off so the smoke wouldn't start to spread again.
I just listened to my iPod and read my book. People didn’t know what to think. Some were cracking jokes others tried to sleep some. Even the most New Yorkish of the New Yorkers didn’t know what to make of the situation. I felt especially bad for the Australian tourist lady who I doubt will ever come back to NY again. There was also a crazy lady in our car who had to have had something messed up in her head because she was singing constantly to her disc-man (yes, a disc-man) and swearing at random things. It was humorous and provided some break to the tension that had mounted in the car.
After about a 45 minutes of waiting with no idea of what was really happening, we were told in broken English amid a thick Jamaican accent that a 'rescue train' was going to back up to the rear of this train to take us back to Manhattan. After another 45 minutes, the rescue train finally arrived. We had to walk between all the cars (I was in the middle of the train) to get to the rescue train. We passed about 5 firefighters with all their garb on, holding crowbars and axes (I bet they were disappointed that they didn’t have to use them).
After about a 45 minutes of waiting with no idea of what was really happening, we were told in broken English amid a thick Jamaican accent that a 'rescue train' was going to back up to the rear of this train to take us back to Manhattan. After another 45 minutes, the rescue train finally arrived. We had to walk between all the cars (I was in the middle of the train) to get to the rescue train. We passed about 5 firefighters with all their garb on, holding crowbars and axes (I bet they were disappointed that they didn’t have to use them).
After a slow 10 minute ride back to the Bowling Green Station in Manhattan, we were free of the confines of the subway car. There were even more firefights on the platform when we got off as well as cops, MTA officials, etc. When I got to the street level, there were 8 firetrucks and a few ambulances (see short clip below). It was quite the scene. I then jumped on the R train and took it home. Got in around 11:15pm. It was a 2.5 hour commute home last night buy it certainly does make a good dinner-table story.
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