Abington is a modest Commuter Rail station along the MBTA’s Kingston Line, located in, well, Abington. Yeah, I don’t have much to remark about it so this one’s gonna be a short one. Ok? Okay.
Signage!
Abington is a singular side platform, located off Centre Ave., in Abington. The area isn’t the worst, as both a convenience store and a Dunks exist nearby. One direction towards Centre Ave. brings you to Abington Center and a Walmart, while the other direction brings you to a Stop & Shop and a Target. The station itself is pretty standard with the usual yellow dot matrix signage, benches, and whatnot, along with a copious amount of parking (though, not to an extreme). As for bus connections, you surprisingly do have something, in the form of microtransit. That, of course, would be BAT’s Rockland Flex. Not much to remark on this one. Yeah, sorry.
Bye!BIG STINKY PURPLE TRAINdas a lot of parkingTowards Kingston and Plymouth!Towards Braintree and Boston!WHATGrade crossing!F40PH!!!!!!!
The good: It exists! It’s got a connection to the Rockland Flex!
The bad: Nothing egregious to note.
Nearby points of interest: Stop & Shop? Target? Yeah, I’m grasping for straws on this one.
Transit connections: Commuter Rail (Kingston) BAT (Rockland Flex)
Okay, okay. So, the MTA subway system isn’t the only one in NYC. NY actually has a second, interstate system operated by the Port Authority known as PATH. Surprisingly, though, the system is split about 50/50 with 6 of the 13 stations being in NYC (namely, the stations along 6th Ave., Christopher St., and World Trade Center), while the other 7 are in eastern New Jersey (primarily in Jersey City, but also as far out as Newark’s Penn Station and Hoboken). Now, this and the other 12 PATH stations may be a bit sketch for me to do given the Port Authority has a no photography rule in place, but here we go…
Signage!
So, this originally came to be when I suggested to Michael, Rome, and Metropolis that we should ride PATH for fun. Surprisingly, they agreed, and we went to the nearest PATH station. In this case, it was 9th Street. And, so, I commenced with the first PATH station review. Firstly, the entrance is actually a pretty long tunnel that’s inaccessible. Signage pointing to the station thankfully does exist at street level, and the entrance itself is pretty inconspicuous. Once inside the station, you have fare gates with OMNY- er, TAPP readers, and PATH ticketing machines. The station itself is relatively pretty clean, it clearly wasn’t trafficked as much as nearby West 4th St., and the platforms had standard amenities one would expect, including benches, trash bins, and even an LCD clock with the next train in each direction (in this case, towards 33rd St./Herald Sq., and towards World Trade Center, as Hoboken was closed). There was even an info board in the tunnel as well that even had the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail! (stay tuned!). Overall, not bad for an introductory entry into a new system! Yay! One other fun fact, this is also the least-used PATH station as well!
Wayfinding!Looking up 6th Ave. a littleThe street outside the station entrancePretty inconspicuous, to be honest.LCD signage!THE STAIRS AND TUNNELInfo board with NJ TRANSIT?!Fare control!WEEWOO WEEWOO FBI OPEN UP THIS IS AN ILLEGAL PICTURE!Looking towards Herald Square!NEIN.Platform shot!
The good: It’s pretty well kept, and can serve both as a local alternative to the MTA subway (uptown) or to NJT buses (towards NJ). It’s also got the standard amenities you’d expect, and is actually very well lit. The station also has distinct character with the more low-key entrance.
The bad: The hole in the wall style of entrance can be a bit hard to find amid the amounts of signage for other businesses found in the area. Also, it’s not an accessible station. Of course, I’d also mention West 4th being close by, but it’s also not an MTA station so I can’t complain about that. My biggest gripes come down to inaccessibility primarily. Also, the platforms can get pretty easily crowded.
Nearby points of interest: You have a library nearby, Washington Square Park, even the Stonewall Inn if you walk a little (this is the closest PATH stations to all of these places). This is also the closest PATH station to NYU, as well.
Transit connections: PATH (Blue/HOB-33, Orange/JSQ-33) MTA bus (M8, M55)
Overall, not bad for a first PATH station. It’s nice for what it is, though inaccessibility is annoying. But, I guess that also means no piss-scented elevators! Anyways-
*hears police sirens getting closer*
Oh shit, Port Authority transit police is after me, aren’t they… FUCK.
Stillwell Terminal, Stillwell Terminal, Stillwell Terminal… Well, this station manages to both be useful AND a rather season-dependent station. I mean, it’s no slouch for ridership during the colder months, but I’m making a safe presumption that even during warmer months, it’s busy here due to crowds gong to Luna Park and the beach. Oh yeah, did I mention there’s also a minor league stadium and an aquarium nearby too?
I forgot a pic of the station signage, so this will have to suffice.
Now, we have a lot to unpack here, so let’s look at the history of this station. I’ll be giving the abridged version, so it’s not a full in-depth overview. So, here we go. The terminal was formally opened in 1919, and became the terminus of the the BMT’s (then Brooklyn Rapid Transit Co./BRT’s) West End (today’s D line), Sea Beach (N Line), and Brighton (Q Line) lines. The opening of the Brighton extension specifically marked the formal opening of the terminal, however it officially wasn’t official until the BMT’s Culver Line (now the F and FX lines) was opened into here. Also as a result of the Culver extension here, the special fare to access here was killed, making the area considerably more affordable to reach. Eventually, the BMT’s Culver Line was handed over to the IND, which then operated its D line over it (later, presumably in the MTA years, the F would then be sent down the Culver elevated, with the D then being sent down the ex-BMT West End elevated). Unfortunately, the station would quickly fall apart, and in the 2000s, the MTA stepped in, evicted everyone for renovations, and spent almost 4 years renovating the station. These renovations also made the station accessible with elevators and ramps to each platform. Neat!
The historic terminal…
Coney Island has four island platforms and 8 tracks, one for each line that runs through. You have the D to Norwood via the West End, the F to Jamaica via the Culver elevated, the N to Astoria via Sea Beach/Gravesend, and the Q to the East Side via Brighton. All the platforms also have the standard amenities: countdown clocks, benches, signage, that stuff. As stated in the intro, ramps and elevators both exist, making the station fully accessible. There’s also restrooms, but I would probably be traumatized if I looked. There’s even a Dunkies here! Neat! Also interestingly, this station also has a busway. Hell, there’s even a customer service center here as well! Also, the roofing here is all solar panels, and it was the first station on the whole system to be solar-powered. Cool! 😀
….a B92, yet this one was signed for “D TRAIN BAY 50 ST.”????? I hope I’m misremembering the route number because Google suggests that’s a G line shuttle routeThe concourseVery open. Not overbuilt in the summer, though!I spy a busway…Ramps!Oh no.Looks mildly sketchThis is an uptown F local train.The platform!
The good: It’s pretty nice in how it looks, and is very distinct! It’s also an important station in terms of usefulness and for how important it is to the community at large! Furthermore, it’s the closest station to a pretty major tourist attraction as well. I mean, it’s no Times Square or Penn Station, but it’s no 96th/Lexington either. I actually genuinely like this station. Not because of the station itself (although it is cool in appearance) but because of what’s around it. There’s also restrooms, I guess… But hey, a customer service booth exists!
The bad: The ramps can be annoying to navigate if you need accessibility, and good luck if the elevators shit themselves. I’m also scared to think of what the bathrooms look like.
Nearby points of interest: C’mon, this should be obvious. But nah, to specify: Luna Park @ Coney Island, Coney Island Beach, and Maimonides Park, where the Brooklyn Cyclones play (repping minor league baseball, woohoo!). NYU’s baseball team also plays here, as does Brooklyn FC. There’s also the New York Aquarium, but that has a station considerably closer (though, stops ARE very close together, so I may as well mention it anyways). There’s also a skating rink and the Ford Amphitheater as well. Also, Nathan’s Hot Dogs, and you can get Coney Island dogs here, (of which, RI’s famed NY system weiners are derived from), and there’s also the Wonder Wheel.
Transit connections: 6th Ave. Lines (D, F, FX) Broadway Lines (N, Q) MTA bus (B36, B64, B68, B74, B82)
Overall, this station’s an important one, one of the most famous (I’m not even sure I can do it fair justice!), and is very iconic. It’s also one of the most-used stations by the tourist population, as well.
Rating: 7/10
A little liminal!This is actually kinda nice, despite it being the middle of winter.
49th Street is an ex-BMT subway station on the MTA’s N, R, and W lines. With it as close to Times Square, is it as good as it? Or, perhaps, is it better as a lesser-trafficked alternative? Let’s find out!
Station signage!
49th St. is located on the intersection of its namesake street and 7th Ave., with the platform reaching all the way down to 47th Street. The setup is pretty standard, being two side platforms. The R and W both stop here, predictably, as both are the designated local lines among the yellow-colored lines. However, the N line (Astoria-Coney Island via Sea Beach, Manhattan express) also serves here, which is unusual for an express line. However, this anomaly exists for a pretty good reason, actually: Astoria-bound trains run through the 60th St. tunnel, and since the 60th St. tunnel can only be accessed by the local tracks, the N has to run locally. Furthermore, the N can’t be forced onto the local tracks immediately before for one reason: there’s no interlocking between here and Times Square! Though, I do find it odd that the N doesn’t switch at 57th St./7th Ave., but rather switch between Herald and Times Squares. I digress. The station is pretty standard, with two platforms built to BMT specifications, has your standard amenities, is pretty well-used (but not to the same degree as Times Square), and is even accessible! Well, kinda. Annoyingly, elevators ONLY exist on the northbound platform. But, allegedly, plans exist to install one on the southbound platform. So, I guess if you need accessibility, take a local train north, and then turn around at 57th/7th. Alternatively, just take the bus to Times Square, I guess. There’s also, allegedly, a concourse connection to 47th-50th/Rockefeller Center, as well, but I didn’t look. Overall though, it’s not too bad a station. Neat!
This is a downtown R train. the NEXT stop is: Times Square-42nd St.THERE IS A. DOWNTOWN. N. TRAIN TO. CONEY ISLAND-STILLWELL AVENUE. APPROACHING THE STATION.There’s something that hits hard about seeing express trains blowing through the middle tracksLooking southOpposite platformMezzanine, with an OMNY machine?!Times Square is still fucking cool, ok?The Olive Garden entranceThis is a vibe.
The good: It’s an alternative to Times Square, if you’re claustrophobic! If you’re using the northbound platform, there’s also a connection to the Rockefeller Center as well. It’s also got some accessibility!
The bad: It’s only partly accessible. The southbound platform needs an elevator. The N should not stop here. There’s also no in-station transfer to the opposite side. Oof.
Nearby points of interest: Times Square’s northern fringes! You also have Olive Garden and M&M’s! Primarily, though, it’s still Times Square – just the northern fringes of it.
Transit connections: Broadway Line (N, R, W) MTA bus (M7, M20, M50, M104)
Overall, it’s not a bad station, however I’d take Times Square any day.
On New Years Day in 2017, a new MTA subway line opened, with service to three new stations underneath 2nd Ave. in Manhattan’s East Side: 72nd, 86th, and 96th St.’s. However, there’s plans for extensions both north to 125th/Lexington & Park, and down to Hanover Square and Manhattan’s Seaport. This happens to be the northernmost of the 3 stations, and the current-day (as of writing this) terminus of the Q line. Welcome to 96th St./2nd Ave.
Signage opposite the platformsPlatform-side signage. Fancy!
For some weird reason, despite it being defunct for many years now, these stations are all classed as ex-IND stations. Not sure why given only the MTA exists, and as far as I could find the IND was killed off in the ’50s when the system was unified into the present-day MTA (& as such also the ex-BMT and ex-IRT sections were merged in too, though only the BMT and IND are inter-operable, as the B division of the present-day system. If you need to know, numbered lines are the A division, lettered are the B division, essentially.) Anyways, with that out of the way, and the fact it took a REALLY LONG TIME just for these three stations to be built (& with phases 2, 3, and 4 in limbo presently), the station itself is really, REALLY overbuilt. Was the MTA really trying to channel the inner ex-IND energy here?! Like, gee, I get the IND in particular was overbuilt to handle the potential for crowding, but I don’t exactly think that’s an issue that needs apply here. This isn’t a major transfer station in lower Manhattan, for crying out loud! Nevertheless, while it feels a little sterile, it’s not to an extreme to where it’s overbearing. The stone accents are pretty cool, and the platforms all have standard amenities. There’s even countdown clocks and signs pointing to the next platform departing. Neat! The escalators down have a cool light installation (it was nighttime when I was here and was able to see it!). However, though, while the restrooms are closed overnights and between 12 and 1, Rome informed me the women’s restroom was essentially unusable. I didn’t even want to look in the men’s room for fear of being traumatized. On the upside, for buses, you primarily have the M15 which runs down 2nd Ave. between 125th St. and South Ferry, and the M96 crosstown route (that is, east-west). I do have one question though: WHY WASN’T THIS SECTION OF THE SYSTEM BUILT WITH CBTC FROM THE OUTSET?! I digress. Overall, not a bad station! And, I’m sure 72nd and 86th St.’s will hold up pretty well (given they’re largely carbon copies).
An R46?!Looking downtown!Broadway express, late nights localA countdown clockWAY OVERBUILT MEZZANINE, IF THE IND EXISTED TODAY!Elevator!Stairs and escalator to street level!An M15-SBS at night!Looking up 2nd Ave.!The lighting looked kinda cool here!
The good: The lights outside look cool, as does the headhouse! The station itself is relatively pretty damn clean vs. the rest of the system (can be attributed to it still being a very new station), restrooms at least exist, and overall it’s a pretty decent station. Elevators also exist, with it still being new.
The bad: The women’s restroom is unusable (per Rome) and I am presuming the men’s room is outright traumatizing. This station is kinda overbuilt, too.
Nearby points of interest: There’s some section 8 housing nearby, along with some playgrounds and other green spaces. The Harlem River is also a stone’s toss away, if you can cross FDR Drive somehow.
Transit connections: Broadway Line (Line Q) MTA bus (M15, M15-SBS, M96)
Overall, this station isn’t that bad. A bit overbuilt, yeah, and admittedly not the best place to turn trains or to terminate them, but it really isn’t that bad in the grand scheme of things. And, given phase 2 of the 2nd Ave. tunnel has funding (that’s to build the tunnel to Park/Lexington Ave.’s, and to build stations at 106th, 116th, and 125th & Park/Lexington for a transfer to the #s 4-6 lines, which I think is a better place to terminate than in the middle of relatively nowhere), there’s actually a decent future for this station. Not bad! But, I do have a question though: Why IS this station classed as an IND station, if the IND is long dead?!
Queensborough Plaza is a particularly unique station on the MTA subway system, and has the distinction of being the sole cross-platform A/B division transfer station. That meaning, you can change lines on the same island platform, but they’re on opposite tracks. In this case, uptown 7s and N’s/W’s are on the same level, but opposite tracks. Same with downtown 7s/N’s/W’s. Either way, welcome to Long Island City!
Signage? Wait, it’s just Queensboro?
This station is pretty standard in layout. On the lower level, you have downtown trains into Manhattan, with the next stop on the N and W being 59th/Lexington, and on the #7 line being 45th Rd.-Courthouse Square. Of course, this is not to be confused with Courthouse/ICA on the Silver Line in Boston. The upper levels have the uptown tracks for both lines, with the N and W heading to Ditmars Blvd. in Astoria, and the next stop on the #7 line being one covered here – 33rd/Rawson St.’s. This is also a pretty cool railfanning spot for the subway with how the tracks curve away in both directions, to be honest. There’s also elevators to the mezzanine, different countdown clocks for the A and B divisions, and otherwise nothing much to remark. The mezzanine is pretty standard with faregates, Metrocard machines, but no OMNY machine. There’s also restrooms here, but given this is the MTA…….yeah no thanks, I would rather not be traumatized. Sorry! Heading outside, you have stairs to street level and another elevator, of which Rome and I rode (they’re new and didn’t have time to let the piss scent kick in yet). Weirdly, they had “yes” and “no” buttons – cue the looks of confusion. As for buses, the B62 will bring you from here to Hoyt-Schermerhorn and the NYC Transit Museum in downtown Brooklyn, while the other routes will bring you to other places around Queens, including the Q39 to Ridgewood, the Q69 (hehe nice) to Astoria, and the Q102 to Roosevelt Island. Overall, not a bad station! And, pretty cool actually!
NOW WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY!Woah, an elevator!oops.The platformAn R46 old tech on the N line!DUNKIES?!BROADWAY EXP (even though it stops at 49th St.)This is a mouthfulTWO FOR ONE COMBO!WOAH!ELEVATED!Another old tech!Elevator!The mezzanine!The exitThis is a vibe tbh.The station from outside*cue confusion*Street level!hehe niceThe #7 line cresting the curve between Court Square and Queensborough!And the tail end of the trainhehe nice.I spy the Manhattan skyline…Another Manhattan skyline shot
The good: It’s an important transfer station between the A and B divisions and, weirdly enough, the only chance to do such a transfer in Queens (yeah, the IRT didn’t really do much in Queens). It’s also accessible, and primarily exists to serve LI City. It also serves as an accessible alternative to inaccessible stations nearby on the N line in particular (the #7 line doesn’t face this issue as badly, as Court Square’s #7 platform is accessible, and 33rd St. is not too close by). It’s also a cool spot for railfanning!
The bad: Yes???? no????? On a more serious note, the station looks a bit old, but functionally there’s really nothing offensively bad. However, I am kinda scared to peek into the restroom.
Nearby points of interest: For railfans, the station itself is a point of interest! The Northeast Corridor is also a short walk away! For stuff outside the station, there’s a USCIS office nearby, Silvercup Studios (you can see the famed sign from the #7 line!), JetBlue HQ, and even an Ecuadorian consulate! Other than that, it’s mostly corporate offices and your usual Dunkin’, Checkers, etc., albeit in a heavily gentrified neighborhood. Make as you wish of that.
Transit connections: Flushing Line (#7) Broadway Line (N, W) MTA bus (B62, Q32, Q39, Q60, Q66, Q67, Q69, Q100, Q101, Q102)
Overall, it’s actually a pretty cool station, and I don’t have much to say negatively about it, and in terms of functionality, it’s one of my favorites on the MTA subway. Woohoo! However, the fact there’s restrooms scare me with what horrors lie within. D:
Halifax is the least-used currently open station on the MBTA’s Kingston Line. With that intro out of the way, let’s see what this least-used station has in store for us……oh fuck.
Signage!
Whelp, the sense of existential dread is real. Granted, I was stuck here for all of 30 minutes, but it was still the middle of absolutely nowhere. Legit, there’s LITERALLY NOTHING AROUND. THIS STATION IS WHAT ROWLEY AND LITTLETON ARE TO THE NORTH SIDE. This station is so rural, one might be forgiven for thinking this was northern New Hampshire or something. The nearest thing that isn’t sparse housing, is a Walmart located almost 3 miles away (about an hour on foot). There’s some stables close by as well, if you’re into horses, I guess. However, Halifax is quite possibly as rural as things get on the MBTA. And, I looked into it for shits & giggles, Halifax is also one of the reddest towns served by the T (only Freetown and Middleborough are redder). So, yeah. As for the station itself, it isn’t too much. You have two platforms (one is only used for train meets), a parking lot, bicycle racks, a grade crossing, and the usual Kingston Line affair. Not much to say. Not bad, though.
The trainBye!The #2 trackOh god, this feels desolate…NOBODY IS HERE.LOTS AND LOTS OF PARKINGShelter!Outdated system map!Yellow dot matrix signage!GRADE CROSSING…bicycle rack?a snow bankThe only signage suggesting this place existsSidewalk access?The Holmes St. crossingCAUTION: ACTIVE RAILROAD CROSSINGTowards Kingston and …Plymouth???Towards Braintree and Boston!oh this is desolate…Watershed!
The good: I mean, it’s a park and ride for the people nearby without access to Rte. 3, and by extension can’t get to Kingston as easily! It is also the closest MBTA station to various parts of Pembroke and Plympton! It’s also fully accessible and has the usual Old Colony station amenities. Neat!
The bad: The land use, really. And that’s a pretty big one given the remoteness of this. Not even some TOD? But, given this is Halifax and it’s probably a very hardcore conservative place (given how they voted at the federal level), TOD might be asking for a lot.
Nearby points of interest: Not much.
Transit connections: Commuter Rail (Kingston)
Overall, while the remoteness hurts the station, it’s pretty usable and actually otherwise a very useful station given it’s the least-used on the line.
The Q70-SBS is a short and simple run between 61st and 74th St. stations in Queens, to LaGuardia Airport. Let’s take a look at it, shall we?
Nonfunctional OMNY readers
This bus is a fare-free bus route on the MTA’s bus network, and is an important route too. In fact, it’s important enough to be a literal bendy bus hightailing it down the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway at 45 miles an hour. Certainly, not as fast as some RIPTA buses hightailing it down I-95, but for a highway in NYC, it’s not bad given buses move an average of 10 miles an hour seemingly. Nevertheless, there wasn’t much to see as this route is primarily to serve as the missing link between LaGuardia and the subway (or, in this case, the #7 subway line – the M60-SBS runs express to 125th St. and serves the Metro-North station, as well as most subway stations on that street). By extension of this route serving 61st St. station, it also has a connection with the LIRR. Neat! Unfortunately, though, I didn’t get many pictures as I was too busy talking to Rome about various things. However, this isn’t a big deal as there isn’t much to see anyways. Yeah, sorry!
FARE FREE +SELECT BUS BENDY BOY!!!!!LIVE LAUGH LOVE THE BQEANOTHER BENDY BUS!The BQE!More highway shots!And another pictureThe last picture before getting off the highway
Once off the highway, the bus does a loop, stopping at 74th St. Station’s front door, making a couple turns to Woodside Ave., stopping at Woodside and Roosevelt Ave. (to serve the 61st St. subway/LIRR station), and then proceeding back to 74th St. before turning back onto the BQE to return to LaGuardia. Overall, not a bad route!
Yes, this route has its own special wrap!
The good: It’s an important bus route, and arguably one of the single most important routes in all of Queens! It has connections to not just the LIRR, but also the #7 subway line, as well as lines E, F, M, and R at 74th Street. It’s also fare-free! Bus frequency ranges from every handful of minutes on weekdays, to every 10-15 on weekends, and every 20 overnight.
The bad: BUILD THE F*CKING LAGUARDIA AIRTRAIN, PORT AUTHORITY!!! WHY DOES THE MTA HAVE TO PICK UP THE SLACK WITH A BUS CONNECTION THAT’S HEAVILY SUBJECTED TO TRAFFIC?!
EDIT: apparently, it’s come to my attention there WERE plans for a LaGuardia Airtrain. Except, it had one issue: WHY IN THE NAME OF JESUS FUCKING CHRIST DID ANDREW CUOMO PROPOSE SENDING IT TO FREAKIN’ METS-WILLETT POINT INSTEAD OF SENDING IT TO, YA KNOW, WOODSIDE/61ST ST. OR 74TH ST./BROWADWAY/JACKSON HTS./ROOSEVELT AVE.?! FURTHERMORE, THE STUDY THAT WAS TIED TO SUCH A PROPOSAL, ONLY BEGET “LET’S MAKE IT FREE” AS THE ONLY OPTION. AND THAT, IS HOW THE Q70 BECAME FARE-FREE. FUCKIN’ “EQUAL OR BETTER” TYPE OF ENERGY RIGHT THERE! JESUS FUCKING CHRIST! YA KNOW, I STILL STAND BY “BUILD THE AIRTRAIN” EXCEPT, WITH A BIG ASTERISK: MAKE THE PORT AUTHORITY PAY FOR AN N LINE EXTENSION, MAYBE EXTEND THE G LINE TO WHITESTONE AND THROGGS NECK VIA HERE, AND BUILD THE ACTUAL AIRTRAIN – EXCEPT, YA KNOW, BUILD IT TO F*CKING WOODSIDE OR 74TH STREET! Thank you Max, for informing me of the fact the AirTrain proposal was a thing and the backstory behind making this route fare-free. Fuck you, Andy Cuomo!
Nearby points of interest: LaGuardia, Woodside-61st St., and Jackson Heights-74th St. are the big areas here.
Overall, this route is an important one, very important on the bus network, and among the most important in all of Queens. However, BUILD THE F*CKING LAGUARDIA AIRTRAIN!
oh yeah you know what’s up just on the basis of this title. 69th st., is it nice? Rome and I both found out the answer to this question, and it was disappointing. Go ahead everyone, get all the spicier jokes out of your system before continuing.
hehehehehehehe nice
69th St.(-Fisk Ave.) is a local station on the #7 subway line. Located in the heart of Little Manila, in Woodside, it’s a stone’s throw from both Woodside/61st St. and from 74th St./Broadway/Jackson Hts./Roosevelt Ave., of which one has the LIRR and is an express stop, while the other has connections to the E, F, M, and R lines via Queens Boulevard. With that in mind, there isn’t a lot to remark about this station. It’s elevated, in the heart of Little Manila, doesn’t even have a yellow safety strip (yikes!), and it seems like the stairs to the mezzanine are falling apart. But, hey, there’s a Dunks nearby at least! Street level also hosts some bus connections, including the Q32 to midtown Manhattan and the Q47 to LaGuardia’s marine terminal and to a shopping center in Middle Village. The Q70-SBS, however, does not stop here despite passing by. Overall, not the nicest of stations, contrary to what the name suggests. 🙁
Bye!heheheheheheheheheheheheheTowards Flushing!And towards Woodside!Another shot4 minute headways. Not bad.oh this was sketch.The mezzanine
The good: It serves as Little Manila’s primary stop! So, if you like Filipino cuisine or culture, or are involved in it, this might be your stop! The platform and mezzanine has expected amenities too.
The bad: It’s inaccessible, and REALLY inaccessible at that. YIKES. There’s not even a yellow safety strip! Furthermore, I don’t think I’ve seen an OMNY machine here either, but whatever. The stairs were falling apart, for Christ’s sake! That’s REALLY bad. It’s also REALLY close to both Woodside and 74th, both of which ARE accessible. In fact, it’s bad enough this is the least-used station on the entire line! (allegedly Hunterspoint Ave. took this spot, but c’mon, IT’S 69TH STREET!)
Nearby points of interest: This station is in Little Manila! If highways and cars are your thing, the BQE is directly beneath you too.
Transit connections: Flushing Line (Line #7) MTA bus (Q32, Q47)
Overall, I don’t think this is a nice station. Yeah, sorry. Just because haha funny NSFW number, doesn’t mean it’s anything good.
Okay, kiddos, buckle down for this one because this is a particularly crazy special. Now, depending on how this goes, the following entries will either be all Boston-centric, or a mix of Boston and NYC-centric entries. As of me writing this paragraph (& the next three following), I don’t know. That being, I will have either ridden a plane successfully for the first time ever, or I will have been arrested by TSA police and have been through a traumatically undignifying experience, by the time I finish this entry. With that in mind, let’s begin this ordeal.
it all started with bribery…
It all started, when Miranda (the same one that came with me to Christopher St. last August!) bribed me with $60 to take a plane, back in October. Surprisingly, she was not joking, and was serious. And, yes, she followed through. So, I booked a plane, and by god was it a bad start.
The booking process apparently REQUIRED me to gender myself incorrectly (no X option – to match what was on both my passport and Rhode Island state ID), and I fell back on “F”. Do I pass well enough? Probably not. But, whatever. Everything else is smooth-ish sailing until I get to the end. But, I was still panicking. By the time I got to the end, it asked for things I didn’t know what the hell they were. What the fuck is a “Known Traveler Number”? I don’t know, and I hope to god leaving it blank (per Brooke’s warning) isn’t going to get me in trouble – even though I have a bad feeling doing so is a bad idea. But whatever. It let me proceed, I paid up the $54 or so, and I had …a confirmation email.
Where’s the ticket itself?
What? Just a confirmation? No e-ticket?! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?! Hell, it didn’t even tell me what my seat was! THAT’S RIGHT – THOSE BASTARDS ARE SO MONEY HUNGRY THEY EVEN DEMAND YOU MONEY JUST SO THEY CAN ASSIGN YOU A SEAT. So, I said fuck it, paid $10 for seat 8A (after everyone insisting seating doesn’t matter and it is not, in fact, scenic), and went on my way. But, I STILL DON’T HAVE AN E-TICKET. IT’S BEEN THREE MONTHS AS OF WRITING THIS PARAGRAPH, ALMOST, AND I DON’T HAVE ONE STILL – JUST A GODDAMN CONFIRMATION. And, for you plane foamers out there, you can track my plane with it being plane #E190 out of Boston’s Logan Airport. Have fun with that! In fact, this is also the first time I’ve ridden the SL1 for any semblance of a legitimate reason. Neat! Either way, so far, this is quite the sour start. For comparison, Amtrak just has you fill out info, no weird “Known Traveler” number or anything – you pick if you want coach or business, you’re assigned a seat (or told it’s first come first serve – this is how coach class on the Regional, and I presume many other trains, work) and you get your e-ticket right then and there.
2025-01-24 – The Preliminary Scoping
So, to get a feel for what I’m doing, in anticipation of being here in a melantonin-fueled daze, I decided to come by. So, I hop on the SL1 and get off at Terminal A. Of course, I wander around the terminal, figure out how to do inter-terminal transfers as needed, and generally get a lay of the land. And, by god, is Logan Airport pretty freakin’ big. I walk by Terminal B, find that it’s …two in one???? Yeah, this was confusing me. Looking through the outer areas of the terminals, there’s customer service desks, what looks like baggage claims, bubblers, convenience stores, three Dunkies, and several security lines. Admittedly, at face value, I’m more scared now because I really hope I don’t get in the wrong line. I must also admit, a lot of the airport is a freakin’ liminal space, and there’s also a lot of seemingly fishy-looking offices. Surprisingly, though, Terminal A was a madhouse yet B was basically dead, and C was also largely dead. Overall, nothing too bad.
2025-02-09 – “Check in”
I don’t know what the fuck a check in is, but I was asked to do that. So, I asked if it was bad and was told no, and confirmed “yes, despite pouring $65 into this, I am still using a plane.” It also asked me for seat selection (why?), extra bags, and …priority security??? I wasn’t an ADA passenger, so I didn’t need priority screening. After this, it actually beget me MY TICKET?!
2025-02-10 – The Big Day
Okay, so Feb. 10th rolled around, seemingly taking an eternity, and it was the big day. Woke up at 2:30, Ubered to Providence, and took the first train of the morning out. All was normal until, of course, in typical fashion whenever I go to NYC, something goes horrifically wrong and I narrowly avoid trouble. In this case, I avoided a derailment in the Readville yard that caused issues galore. I was able to take the Silver Line out to Logan Airport easily. I forgot where to get off so I just defaulted to Terminal B as a failsafe, got off, looked at the rather easy to find wayfinding and found I had to go to C. Surprisingly, here, I also discovered that Massport has countdown clocks for both the SL1 and their own shuttles. Neat! So, I hauled my ass over to Term. C, and printed out my ticket. FINALLY, they let me print it out. I’m not sure why I couldn’t print it out on Jan. 24th, but whatever. I got this, and then the first of two major problem points that could potentially derail everything: the TSA. I didn’t know what I was doing going into this, and there were multiple lines. But, thankfully, the TSA agent was ushering people in and pointed me to the right line (even if I was still nervous that I did not, in fact, get in the right line as it was completely unmarked). I confirmed everything they were saying, did as needed, and was on my way. Surprisingly, it was quick, and the TSA agents were….actually helpful in making sure I was doing the right thing. I know, ACAB and all that, and I still hold on to that principle, but recognition to people being helpful is an important thing too. With that, shoutout to the TSA agents at Logan for actually being helpful and professional. But, still, ACAB. Unfortunately, the problem point was actually something I did NOT anticipate.
I lost my ID somewhere!
Yeah, THAT was bad. But, after conferring with Brooke on what to do, and asking a TSA agent at the center of security, I actually managed to recover it as someone turned it in. Thank you, person who turned it in!
The beginning…Silver Line To Logan Airport!The Tobin Bridge or smth idfkLIMINALITYStill super liminal!I survived, bitch.
So, after this, I decided to explore the terminal a bit. There were a number of restaurants, shops, and even a couple of Dunks! Sadly, I couldn’t mobile order any Dunks here, so I had to forego it. But, I did find a gender-neutral restroom as I had to piss, and it was clean and spacious. Neat. Also, the sunrises out here are actually kinda nice, in a way. Personally, however, I’d rather my sunsets over the ocean in southern Connecticut. It was a long couple hours, but eventually 8:15 rolled around, I found the platform, and boarding began. The process was a bit weird. Of course, people with accessibility needs boarded first. That much was normal and expected and it’s generally courteous. After that were business class passengers. Lastly, I guess, would’ve been the remaining what are called “groups”. Why, coach class passengers have to be divided is beyond me and it makes little sense. But, instead, the agent just told everyone else to board, probably because the plane was far from sold out. And, I was finally on a plane. First time ever, in my life.
Some planesIf the platform assignment was to be believed, this was my steed to NY-LaguardiaA different part of the airportA United plane (maybe they’ll be the next aviation entry?)A cute lil’ propeller plane!SPIRIT!This wasn’t reassuring
So, once I boarded, I noticed a few things. The seats were…..actually kinda comfy? I mean, it’s better than the Commuter Rail, but it’s still no Amfleet or Acela I seat. Trays were considerably smaller than on Amtrak. The screen was a bit hard to see. Also, only a 4:3 ratio? Holy SHIT that’s old. At that point, just have a CRT television. The windows were tiny too. While many transit advocates like to give shit to U.S. rolling stock for “unusually small windows you can’t see out of”, I don’t see any of them batting an eye at things like the B6 classes or whatever. There were a seatbelt too, and that’s there for a REALLY GOOD REASON. Lastly, there was a toilet in the back. I didn’t use it, but I heard it’s tiny. And, if that’s the case, it’s PROBABLY A GOOD THING I didn’t need to use the shitter. Legroom, surprisingly, was very liberal too. Again, it’s no Amtrak coach class, but it was pretty damn close seemingly. Overall, not bad! I’m genuinely impressed on this.
I can’t see shit!OutsideMe from onboardOH NO NOT FUX NEWS! (this blog does not endorse Fox News, or rather Fux News)MENU SHOT, MENU SHOT!RIGHT NOW YOU’RE LOOKING AT THE MENU SHOT!PlaneSnowy runway!The Final Frontier!
Of course, after moseying around the runway for a good 15-20 minutes, something amazing happened.
blehWHAT THE DEUCE?!
We WENT AIRBORN! WOAH! I looked down, actually in awe, “woah”, this……..was something. It’s like someone coded the world as a Mode 7 Super NES game. For those reading that don’t know what mode 7 is on the Super NES, the best example of it is Super Mario Kart, so I suggest looking at gameplay of that game. But, it felt like a rollercoaster and getting a boosted start in Mario Kart. I actually got a bit of a headache, which nobody warned me about. So, that sucked. Also annoyingly, turns out planes are faraday cages. No cell service whatsoever! I think top speed was around 300 miles an hour or something, and for you plane foamers, we were at about 2 miles up the entire time. It, however, was not exactly scenic as I couldn’t discern anything clearly. Cafe service was…..anemic, with an option of either water or coffee, and plantain chips or a granola bar. I opted for water and a granola bar, naturally. I would’ve personally preferred a self-serve option here, though, so I could get something at my leisurely pace without worrying if I need something later. Annoyed by the fact I was in a faraday cage, I tried using the wifi, which…….just didn’t work. Oh well. We eventually came in onto Laguardia Airport, which required going in a 270 degree circle around the city and into New Jersey briefly, rapidly descending, into a very rough landing. I’m not sure if this is because the operator is new or what, but they really oughta be better. Overall though, not bad for a first plane trip.
Cafe service!The skyline from Laguardia’s runwayhehe nice
Overall, would I do this again? Actually, probably, depending on how I feel. But, as someone who’s Amtrak-first, it’d be a hard sell to move me out of an Amfleet coach seat. But, if I could be sufficiently convinced with a similar or lesser price tag or otherwise convinced it’s more convenient than just hopping onto a train, I’d consider this again. Now, allegedly, Precheck for the TSA is a thing and adds to the “convenience” factor, however that costs …$80, I think? for something that’s single-use, as far as I can tell. Not sure if it’s worth it, but I’d have to keep that in mind. There’s also this thing called Clear, but I don’t know anyone who’s used it. Now, I also don’t know what the differences between each individual carrier is, but not knowing any of that doesn’t help the confusion factor in the booking process. How do I know which carrier is best for a particular route? Ya know, maybe I might just do an entry on each individual major US-based carrier.
Now, for you the reader? I can’t give a simple “yes” or “no” to “should you do this?”. And, ultimately, that’s because I’m not you. Only you know your needs best. I can give information on what it’s like in my personal experiences, but my experiences and yours will differ, as will what I’m looking for in an S-tier carrier (essentially, a very Amtrak-esque experience). And, plus, maybe you (the reader) value something that I don’t give many hoots about. I personally value being able to take in the scenery and walk around, and oftentimes like the slower pace of Amtrak (even on the NEC!), and for my needs Amtrak also oftentimes is considerably cheaper. But, if I had to answer “would I recommend JetBlue?”, I’d actually say “yes” to that because the experience surprisingly, while far from perfect, is a little familiar vs. the Amtrak experience I know and love. And, with that, thanks for reading.
