Hamptons Subway Newsletter: December 13–20, 2013
Week of December 13–20, 2013
Riders this past week: 9,712
Rider miles this past week: 103,141
DOWN IN THE TUBE
Louis CK was seen on the Hampton Subway getting on at the Westhampton Beach station heading eastbound Monday. He was giggling to himself about something. Michael Bloomberg in jeans and sweatshirt and sneakers was looking very relaxed heading toward his house in Southampton from Hampton Bays on Friday afternoon. Christie Brinkley was talking to Matt Lauer in the first car of a train headed from Shinnecock eastbound on Tuesday morning, while in the second car, Alec Baldwin was talking to Jimmy Fallon. Both pairs recently had interviewed one another on network TV and apparently hadn’t gotten enough of each other.
PAUSE TO REMEMBER MANDELA
Several people called to complain last Thursday when all the subway trains, unannounced, came to a halt for five minutes wherever they were on the system, in the tunnels, at the platforms, on the sidings, in the Montauk yards turning around. Some people stood silently with their hands over their hearts and their heads bowed during those minutes. But others, not knowing it was because Nelson Mandela had died, called us to complain that our terrible service made them late for where they were going. When they learned this was the subway’s tribute to this great man and we had hoped everyone would spend that five minutes contemplating his good works, they all apologized.
SNOW ALERT
You may have noticed that red lights have been installed on the tops of the subway entrances leading down to all the platforms on the system. Next Thursday, we will begin this new service. In a big snowstorm, when the subway has to shut down for the day because of snow, the lights will blink on and off for the duration. Subway goers will not need to go all the way down the slippery stairs to find that out that fact. There never has been a time when snow has shut down the subway, but there is always a first time and now we are ready. This system has been in use on the Anchorage, Alaska subway system for years.
AWARD FOR HAMPTON SUBWAY
Once again, at the Chicago subway fair, Hampton Subway ran away with the award for Best Run Subway, Under 50 Cars, Northeast United States Division. This is a considerable achievement and this latest trophy will be kept with all the others in the glass case in the lobby of the Hampton Subway Headquarters building in Hampton Bays.
RULES CHANGE FOR HOLIDAY SEASON
During the Holiday Season, we have put into effect new rules governing the number and size of giftwrapped Christmas packages allowed to be carried onto the subway by any individual person. Adults will be allowed to carry up to five packages, children three packages and Senior Citizens three packages. No packages may be larger than 18 cubic feet (for example 3 x 2 x 3) and those that exceed that size (also 2 x 1 x 3 for children and senior citizens), or exceed the number carried, will have to leave the packages in the bins provided for at the turnstiles for pickup at a later time. This rule will be strictly enforced until January 2. Also, no snakes, giftwrapped or not.
COMMISSIONER ASPINALL’S MESSAGE
In my search for new ways to improve subway service, I often travel far and wide, this past month to San Francisco for the BART system and to Anchorage Alaska for their BURY system. Both trips were very helpful. I got lots of ideas. I’m now home for the holidays.