 |
| Random picture of Portland and Mt Hood |
I’ve lived near a train station my whole life.
Growing up in Virginia and around D.C. we had the Metro and VRE (Virginia Rail Express). The metro was fine - as long as you lived near one - it’s big grey honeycomb design unique to our city. Sure it occasionally floods, and catches fire, and there was that one time a lady gave birth at L’enfant Plaza station, but it works for us in D.C.. Unless you need to get to Georgetown. They didn’t want a metro stop, so you have to take a bus.
The VRE wasn’t the worst, but it was far from the best train system. It shares a line with Amtrak. There is absolutely no hope for you if you get on the wrong train and heaven help you if you miss the last one for the night. It only goes north in the morning and only goes south in the afternoon and evenings.
I got on the wrong train once and ended up 45 minutes away from home. Never made that mistake again.
I didn’t much take the local train in Maryland. We had a convient line into Baltimore (with free parking), a more expensive line to D.C. (without free parking and at the airport), and Amtrak. I took Amtrak quite a bit for work to Philadelphia. It wasn’t too bad, fairly convient all around, and it was all better than the VRE.
New Jersey and New York are an entire different form of mass transit beasts.
The trains are always running. They are convient, easy to use (after maybe the 4th or 5th try), and can cost a pretty penny if you aren’t paying attention. Thankfully the subway is a flat rate to ride, but NJ Transit can get pricy when you’re a commuter.
Of all the mass transit I’ve ever had to get to know the ones for New York and New Jersey are the most infuriating and best. You can get almost anywhere by Subway, PATH (haven’t used), or commuter train. It might take 2-4 hours, but it is possible.
It’s also possible you might see rats the size of house cats, a fire or two, oddly dressed tourists, oddly dressed locals (but since they live here it isn’t really odd), and have the station you want to get off at unexpectedly closed so then you have to hope that the next station isn’t so you can backtrack or change trains.
By far the strangest experience I ever had on a train was when I was on my way home from a bachelorette party on the coldest night of the year. I managed to hope on the last train from Hoboken (sometimes known as The Vomit Comet) and things were relatively normal...until the guy in the seat across from mine decided that he couldn’t wait to get home to pee.
He got tossed off the train at the next station and I quickly moved to the next train car.
I’ve probably been spoiled by my easy access to public transportation. I love the freedom I feel knowing I can hop on a train to get to the airport or the city. It’s a bit of a trip, but the time spent on the train can be relaxing.
Even when I have to change trains in Secaucus.
Until next week.
If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.
No comments:
Post a Comment