Epic commute tonite

NJ Transit and Amtrak combined to create an epic commute this evening.  I just missed the 5.32 train, and got on the 6.01, which finally arrived in Long Branch at 10.10.  Yes, you read that right.  Door to door, from walking out of the office to walking into my house, it was a five hour trek.

The problem was first a stop signal not allowing us to leave Penn Station NY.  That morphed into single tracking in the Hudson River tunnel.  Which changed to signal problems between Secaucus and Newark.  Which migrated into total signal failure between Newark and New Brunswick.

I find it difficult to understand how one stated issue turned into the next, then the next, then total system failure.  So I have to assume that someone was lying at the outset, and changed the lie to cover something, then changed it again.  And again.

At least the crew stopped apologizing after we were stuck just past Newark for almost a half hour (after taking two hours to get that far, ordinarily a 17 minute jaunt).  Because honestly, apologies don't make it right, and don't make it feel better, and really don't make the folk who are trapped in the tin can we call a train feel warm and fuzzy about our lousy commuter service.

The good things were: 1. it was not 98 degrees outside, 2. the power stayed on the whole time, and 3. noone bothered to collect tickets (which only benefits those of us who buy tickets every day - if you get a monthly pass, you're screwed anyhow).  I suspect the crew was hesitant to show their faces and thereby draw the ire of the trapped commuters.  Small consolation for a lost evening and a lot of discomfort (I will NEVER use a train bathroom, they are filthy and generally don't work - and lose my seat in the process..).

The bad thing was, noone came around with the beverage cart.  They ought to offer that as a regular service on commuter trains, since we get so very little service for the exorbitant fees we pay to ride NJ Transit.

Naturally, NJ Transit blames Amtrak for the entire debacle.  But what is lacking on both sides is some basic knowledge and skill at logistics, in order to make the best (rather than the worst, which is what they routinely do) of a bad situation.

And perhaps a bit of routine preventive maintenance would be a nice touch.  But no, we have to pay the big bucks to the executives, rather than keeping the system in working order.  So ticket prices go up and up, executive salaries go up and up, and service goes to hell in a handbasket.  Welcome to NJ, folks.  Suck it up and deal with it.