Alexandra Bogdanovic's Blog: That's life... - Posts Tagged "trains"

So, a funny thing happened on the way to the theater...
No, seriously. I honestly had no idea my trip to and from Manhattan to review an off-Broadway production would turn into such an adventure when I set out for the Port Chester train station late Wednesday morning.
I spotted the first clue that something was amiss when I arrived at the New York
-bound platform after a 10-minute walk and a long climb up a set of steep concrete steps. The small, suspended, digital message board simply stated "Service Change" in bright orange letters. Uh-oh...
Undaunted I went to the ticket kiosk in the old station building only to find the whole thing blocked off due to construction. Still only mildly annoyed, I went to the trailer housing the temporary ticket office. No one was there.
Now aggravated, I bought my round-trip, off-peak ticket from the vending machine on the platform. I added a $5 Metro Card and hoped it would be enough for the subway fare.
Aggravation morphed into something worse when another commuter asked if anyone knew when the next train was coming and then explained that service on Metro North's New Haven line was all screwed up.
It turned out some sort of power failure disrupted service before the morning rush hour and it had yet to be fully restored, yet another man explained. He said provisions had been made for diesel locomotives to haul the commuter trains between Stamford and Grand Central, but there was only one per hour.
Sometime during this discussion, the station master returned to his temporary trailer office. We could tell because announcements began blaring from the loudspeakers suspended near the message boards. Attention all passengers at Port Chester. The 12:13 p.m. train to Grand Central Terminal is running 10 to 15 minutes late due to service changes." Another one followed a few minutes later. "Attention all passengers at Port Chester. The 12:13 p.m. train to Grand Central Terminal is running approximately 20 minutes late due to service changes".
It seemed the longer we stood there, the worse the projected delays got. I contemplated my options and determined that I would not -- under any circumstances -- drive into the city. And just when it seemed all hope was lost, the 12:13 p.m. train to Grand Central Terminal pulled into the station. It was only 30 minutes late.
As it turned out, the actual train ride into the city was uneventful. My trip home was anything but.
Having taken the uptown 6 train to Grand Central Station, I arrived just in time to catch the 9:10 p.m. train to Port Chester. But there was nothing to indicate which track the train was leaving from. It only took 40 minutes to find out.
Hundreds of commuters milled around the main concourse while awaiting the announcement. Some took pictures. Some chatted with the New York police officers assigned to monitor the situation. Others crowded around the Information Booth in a futile attempt to learn more.
I kept my mom apprised by cell phone and briefly thought about crashing in a midtown hotel for the night. Not wanting to miss a crucial announcement, I kept the conversations brief and followed the rest of the crowed as it inched towards the track entrances that might -- just might -- lead to the outbound train.
En mass, we surged forward when the track announcement finally came. There was urgency, but remarkably little pushing and shoving. Just in case anyone decided to press the issue, I loudly reminded everyone that I'd rather not be trampled.
By the time I finally got on the train, every seat was packed and the people who were forced to stand filled the aisles. Things only got worse as people tried to board the train further up the line. Finally, the conductor told everyone at one station to wait for the next train, which was just "10 minutes behind us."
You mean to tell me that after all of this the 10:10 is actually on time? I asked.
No one answered.
Until next time, "That's life..."

It was an adventure of a lifetime.
On Friday, Jan. 30, I embarked on a trip to Florida to receive the latest award for my memoir, Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey. But I didn't fly. Instead, I made the 900-plus mile journey from New York City to Orlando by train.
The trip was supposed to take approximately 22-and-a-half hours, but it actually took 24. Now, 24-hours in a coach seat may sound like torture -- but in all honesty it wasn't that bad. In fact it was no worse than a 20-plus hour trans-continental/trans-Pacific flight from the east coast of America to Australia.
If given a choice, I'd probably take the train everywhere. It's a great way to meet people and an even better way to see the country. On this particular trip down the eastern seaboard, I got some fantastic photographs (like this one in Baltimore) and I met some interesting characters along the way.
By the time I arrived in Orlando on Saturday afternoon, I was grungy and exhausted. But with plenty of time before the awards banquet, I explored my hotel and immediate surroundings. I also took advantage of the well-stocked wet bar in my hotel room.
Held at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in downtown Orlando, the awards banquet itself was well worth the trip. It was an intimate affair featuring some wonderful acceptance speeches by some truly amazing authors. A few of us ended the evening with drinks at a nearby bar and by Sunday morning, I was definitely glad I had the day to relax.
As it turned out, my Super Bowl Sunday began with a leisurely breakfast and continued with a stroll around Lake Eola Park and a trip to the local history center. I got back to the hotel just in time to do some writing and order room service before the big game.
Monday morning came all too soon and before I knew it, I was back on another train heading north. And, as it always happens, the return trip was quicker than the first one.
I arrived at New York City's Penn Station to find frigid temperatures and the remnants of a winter storm on the ground. But it really didn't matter.
It was good to be home.
Until next time, "That's life..."