Trapped inside New York train

By Alex P. Vidal

 

“The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenements halls and whispered in the sounds of silence.”

—Paul Simon in “The Sound of Silence”

I WAS with a friend, Mario Lena, inside the Queens-bound F subway train from our chess rendezvous in Bryant Park, Manhattan when a subway power outage snarled service across the New York City metropolis, leaving hundreds of passengers trapped on trains for upwards of two hours before 7 o’clock Friday (May 7) evening.

We were supposed to take the M train, which we missed by the skin of the teeth, thus we ended up in a not-so-packed F train.

Along the way, a series of partial suspensions and long delays plagued parts of some lines in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens for the better part of the evening, starting before 7 o’clock evening.

As some rider began to feel anxious and uncomfortable, multiple service alerts were sent out by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), alerting that E, F, M and R lines between Manhattan and Queens were all severely delayed, or rerouted altogether.

We thought it was only a temporary snag we regularly experienced as subway riders, but when the train stopped in the deep Lexington Avenue tunnel and didn’t move for more than 30 minutes, we started to feel like we were trapped inside a submerged submarine.

I always detested this scene because I am claustrophobic, or someone who fears closed spaces.

Claustrophobia is one of the most common phobias.

A person who has claustrophobia may panic when inside a lift, airplane, crowded room, or other confined area. The cause of anxiety disorders such as phobias is thought to be a combination of genetic vulnerability and life experience.

 

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We learned from the speakers that the New York City Transit was pinning the blame for the service suspensions on a power outage on the third rail.

Other panicked and walked from one car of the train to another to fight off anxiety.

Worried and suspicious that it was more than a temporary snag, I went to sleep.

MTA’s explanation didn’t make those stuck on board feel any better as dozens of riders, likely including some who had only recently returned to using the subways as ridership numbers go up since the pandemic started in 2020, were left in limbo and in total confusion.

NBC New York quoted one Sophie Spinelli as saying her Queens-bound E train was stranded just outside the Roosevelt Avenue station, with people “laying on the floor, sleeping” as the train halted and didn’t move for quite some time.

People were evacuated from at least one train after hours of resolution.

“They just got a bunch of crew and service members on there, and it was moving inch by inch, and then it stopped again. They continued to move it to the station over a 30-minute period,” said Spinelli.

She ended her journey still four stops away from home, but said she was going to take a break before getting on another train reported the NBC New York.

By the end of the night, the MTA said that some service had been restored on local tracks and were working with Con Edison to restore full power.

 

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Here’s another email May 7, 2021 from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo which he also shared to other New Yorkers:

Dear Alex, New Yorkers have been amazing in acting for the good of the group throughout the pandemic, and as we near the light at the end of this COVID tunnel, we must continue to work together. Remember that all New York State-operated vaccination sites are open for walk-ins on a first-come, first-serve basis. And if you prefer to schedule an appointment, you can do so on the Am I Eligible App or by calling 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829). Our providers are working around the clock to get as many shots in arms as possible, and we as a society must all do our part.

Here’s what else you need to know tonight:

1. COVID hospitalizations dropped to 2,264. Of the 194,988 tests reported yesterday, 2,370, or 1.22 percent, were positive. The 7-day average percent positivity was 1.53 percent. There were 571 patients in ICU yesterday, down 34 from the previous day. Of them, 354 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 25 New Yorkers to the virus. 
2. As of 11am this morning, 59.4 percent of adult New Yorkers have completed at least one vaccine dose. Over the past 24 hours, 161,388 total doses have been administered. To date, New York administered 16,395,758 total doses with 47.0 percent of adult New Yorkers completing their vaccine series. See additional data on the State’s Vaccine Tracker.
3. The federal government is accepting applications for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. If you’re a restaurant owner, caterer, or food business owner, I encourage you to take a look and apply.
4. In the third round of the program, Nourish NY has spent $9 million to help New Yorkers in need. So far, over eight million pounds of raw milk has been turned into dairy products and distributed by food banks, along with over 2.5 million pounds of produce. Over five million meals have been made for households in need using products sourced from New York farms. 

Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: A local barber in Amsterdam, NY, is hoping to use community support to inspire local high schoolers to attend college. Understanding the struggle many went through during COVID, barber Jay Blendz started “Books N’ Blendz,” a $2,000 scholarship fund to help high school seniors in his community with their post-graduation pursuits. The scholarship will be given to four high school graduates to use toward tuition, books and room and board.  

Ever Upward, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo