I commute to the City (New York City, specifically Manhattan) by train for work. The corporation that operates the trains is MTA Metro-North Railroad, which took over the old New Haven Line many years ago. Every month or so we board the train in the morning to find copies of
Mileposts: A Publication for MTA Metro-North Railroad Customers strewn on the seats of each car. Among other things, it gives the most recent "On-Time Performance" statistics available for each of Metro North's three lines. Invariably, the New Haven Line has the worst on-time record of the three. Of course, we also have the oldest equipment. There are also updates on construction and renovation projects, special events, and safety tips. And usually some sort of "seasonal" advice.
This month's seasonal advice article, titled "'Tis The Season...", gives the riders information about how Metro North responds to hurricanes (the "season" of the title is Hurricane Season). For the most part, there is nothing new in the article, just restatement of the obvious. Then they give us valued customers tips to "help you cope during hurricane season's worst." Here they are, directly from the newsletter:
- Check our website (http://www.mta.info/) for updates.
- Sign up for email notification. (See the next story to find out how.)
- If severe weather requires us to run other than our normal schedule, we will post alternative schedules on the Web as part of our service advisories. (Make sure you also have a copy of our current timetable. If you can't access the Web, the printed timetable will help provide you with a frame of reference for train departure times.)
- Listen to the radio and television news. During any storm emergency, this is the fastest way to find out how train service is affected. We will continuously provide information to the media.
- Call our Customer Information Center at 800-METRO-INFO (800-638-7646); in New York City call 212-532-4900.
Did the people that wrote and approved this article for publication think about what they were writing? Have they ever been in a hurricane, or even a severe Nor'easter? I wonder where these people were during the blackout of a couple of summers ago? Their offices are located in Manhattan, which was one of the areas without power longer than most. I wonder if they were posting to the web site on the computers in their offices so that those of us in Manhattan and other areas affected by the blackout could check them on our computers? Or maybe they were sitting at the phones waiting for the calls coming into the Customer Information Center.
On the other hand, why should I be surprised? This is the same organization that can't remember from one winter to the next how snow affects their equipment...
Peace,
Jeffri
Sounds like the New Haven line hasn't changed much since the years my father rode it (1967-1988). Some of the tales he has to tell are incredible, like the night it took five engines to get his train out of the city because one after the other would break down.
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