I saw this ad and many others plastered over the normal ads on my New York City Subway train this evening. I doubt it is a real marketing campaign by Amtrak. So who did it?
Archive for July, 2008
Amtrak guerrilla marketing campaign?
Thursday, July 31st, 2008Subway Metrocard Vending Machines had credit/debit problems
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008On Monday, the NYCT Metrocard Vending Machines (MVM) had problems accepting credit cards and debit cards as payment:
Later that morning, the website said the problem was resolved:
Then the problem came back again! I don’t have a screenshot of that.
Finally, on Tuesday the problem was resolved and an apology issued:
When will the new South Ferry on the (1) open for service?
Tuesday, July 29th, 2008 
The MTA website today says that the new terminal for the West Side IRT at South Ferry in on schedule to be completed by February 2009. However, the terminal may open for service earlier than that. NYCT may be able to begin running in-service trains into the terminal before it is 100% complete. Of course, the terminal could also open sometime after February 2009. As far as fans of the current South Ferry loop care, the opening of the new terminal can be – never.
The (7) Flushing line is getting pretty bad
Monday, July 28th, 2008So bad, that MTA New York City Transit has issued a service alert for mundane “congestion” along the 
line. It must be really bad congestion!
Sutter Av station (L) Air Raid Siren lives!
Sunday, July 27th, 2008The air raid siren that existed on the roof of the Sutter Av station in Brooklyn along the Canarsie Line, the L line, still exists! When the station was renovated, the air raid siren was removed. But it is now part of the New York Transit Museum collection! See below for photos. Click on them to see the full size versions.
While it was still at the Sutter Av (L) station:
Now, as part of the New York Transit Museum collection:
Photo credits: Brian Weinberg, Railfanwindow.com
Love for the Franklin Avenue shuttle (S)
Sunday, July 27th, 2008 
The New York Times has a nice little article and a slide show of photos about a nice little subway line in Brooklyn.
Photo credits: New York Times
Making more room on the train
Thursday, July 17th, 2008 
The Chicago Transit Authority is planning to remove all the seats from up to two cars on each rush-hour subway train set in order to provide more room for standees, and thus the overall capacity of the train. I feel that this is an excellent short-term response to the incredible and wonderful increase in ridership that many transit authorities are experiencing all over the country. Bravo!
For a while now, I’ve had the idea of moving the seating to the center of the subway car, and then installing large, almost full length doors on each side of the subway car. Something like overhead garage doors. That way when you come to a stop, almost the whole side of the car opens up to allow everyone to quickly and easily detrain and board as they please. We may have just become one step closer to that 🙂
Photo source: Chicagotribune.com
Subway car barge to depart this Saturday
Wednesday, July 16th, 2008 
The famous “barge of death” will once again be departing New York City Transit’s 207 Street Yard for the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The latest estimate is for it departing this Saturday morning. The retired R-32 and R-40 class subway cars will be dumped in the ocean to form an artificial reef.
Photo source: The Virginian-Pilot
The Mardi Gras of Railfanning (yes, really)
Sunday, July 13th, 2008
Did that get your attention???
This is a yearly event that has been getting more and more popular each year. But something happened that caused the police to shut it down early this year. I honestly had no idea that it got this ‘interesting’ until I saw these photos. Railfanning’s time has finally come – if mooning trains is what it takes to attract the women, then so be it.
Stripper arrested for subway pole dances
Sunday, July 13th, 2008 
Stripper arrested for subway pole dances
By Pav Jordan
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – A stripper who danced on the poles of Santiago subway trains to challenge the prudishness of Chilean society was arrested on Thursday during one of her lightning performances.
Monserrat Morilles, 26, surprised subway riders all week stripping to skimpy underwear, but she refused tips.
She said she was protesting a lack of tolerance in Chile, one of Latin America’s most conservative societies where the first generation since the Pinochet dictatorship is reaching adulthood.
“This is just a beginning. We are starting an idea here that will grow and be developed further,” she told Reuters as police and subway guards surrounded her.
The professional pole dancer worked quickly all week to avoid arrest, getting on at one station, finding a subway car with no children on it and stripping in time to exit at the next station.
Chilean media dubbed her “La Diosa del Metro” or Subway Goddess. She called her performances “happy minutes.”
“Chile is still a pretty timid country,” said her manager Gustavo Pradenas. “People aren’t very extroverted and we want to take aim at that and make Chile a happier country.”
(Reporting by Pav Jordan; Editing by Anthony Boadle)
