While riding the 2 Express uptown last week in New York, I encountered one of those infamous subway conductors who spoke so fast and with such a thick accident that it was almost impossible to comprehend, especially that last bit. Anyone want to take a shot a it?
Speaking of the NYC Subway system, here’s some direct feedback on a MTA service change from an unhappy rider.
photo by Scott Beale
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
14th Street. Transfer to the F, L, V, PATH, 2, 3, express train ?? Bronx-bound 1. Stand clear of the doors, please.
Bravo, that’s sounds pretty close.
THAT is hillarious. It was great being able to hang out with you at ROFLThing. See you in Austin.
You are clearly on a 1 train, though, not a C. The C train wasn’t running (as evidenced by the sign), replaced by the A, it’s the wrong equipment in the video, and unless this subway conductor was severely confused, those were the 7th Ave. + 14th St. transfer announcements.
14 ( as in 14th street) transfer F, L, V, Path (NJ transit), 2, and 3 express trains… and then he kind of lost me.
Oh, wait, got it. 14th Street. Transfer to the F, L, V, PATH, 2/3 express train. 18th street next, Bronx-bound 1. Stand clear of the doors, please.
Peter, the video and photo were taken at different times and locations. You’re right, it’s probably a 1-2-3, since I took those uptown quite a bit as well. I’ll update the post to eliminate any future confusion.
http://photos-h.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-snc1/v2078/185/1/11709353/n11709353_33813927_6112.jpg
I had to deal with this at Canal St the other day.
No joke.
I thought I heard something about Velveeta Cheese at the end. That is incomprehensible!
Peter nailed it! I think it’s easier for us NYers to understand because we know what to expect them to say. When I first moved here I loved getting to “know” the conductors on my morning commute by voice. there was Bitter Jaded Conductor, Movie Fone Voice Conductor, etc.
Ah, yes, there is the whole idea about an announcement being a way of conveying information to people on the train. :)
But I’m going to miss the quirky and often indecipherable announcements as we go to recordings. (Happily, service changes allow the conductors to chime right back in with critical information you then can’t understand as they should into the PA. Brilliant.)
14 transfer to the F,L,V, path, 2, 3 express trains.
18 next.
bronx bound 1.
stand clear, please.
Don’t worry Peter, as mass transit switches over to recordings, multilingual society will catch up at the same time. You’ll still have plenty of opportunities to misunderstand the announcements. Here in Portland the light rail announcements are all pre-recorded, but include Spanish translations. At every stop we hear “Pork chops are gonna scare ya!” (Puertas a mi izquierda) or “Pork chop are gonna getcha!” (Puertas a la mi derecha.)