Tag: Metro-North Railroad

Riding MetroNorth. The Day’s Highlight.

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train-ticket

I’m walking down 51st Street to catch the 6:22 train home.
A migraine has been throbbing since 11 am.
It’s progressively clawing at my attention.
And sawing at my patience.
3:30 am insomnia?
Skipping lunch?
This diet is going to kill me.
I find an open seat.
I grab my ticket from my bag.
And set my coat and bag overhead.
I slump into the window seat and rest my head against the window.
I close my eyes.
Give me 10 minutes. Please. Just 10. And, let this pain evaporate.
The train pulls out of Grand Central.
I drift away with the clickety clack of the train.
I awake to the conductor calling for tickets.
I hand my ticket to her.
She smiles, and hands it back.
She tells me she’ll be back and moves on to the other passengers.
I look down. It’s the receipt instead of the ticket.
Flustered. I apologize to my seatmate.
I stand up to reach for my bag.
I open the zipper to get at my wallet. Continue reading “Riding MetroNorth. The Day’s Highlight.” →

Guess who graduated? With a fancy badge and diploma too…

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K9 police dog graduation - Glen

  • The Metropolitan Transportation Authority put its best paws forward Friday, graduating a new class of police dogs at Grand Central Terminal in New York. Each dog received a collar, which includes the dog’s badge.
  • The eight pooches have gone through an extensive 14 week training program and were taught how to detect explosives and work in crowded spaces.
  • The new members of the K-9 force are being named after an officer or soldier who fell in the line of duty, including Glen (pictured above), who was named for Officer Glen Pettit who died in the line of duty.  And “Buck” who is named after Gregory Buckley, a Marine who was killed in Afghanistan.
  • Family members of officers who died in the line of duty, received a placard noting that a new dog in the unit had been named in the officer’s honor.
  • “I’m very, very proud. Especially that they’re honoring my son – my fallen hero. They’re naming him after him,” said Buckley’s mother, Marina Buckley.
  • There are 50 dogs patrolling the Long Island Railroad, Metro-North and other facilities.
  • See more pictures of the graduates accepting their diplomas and a short video clip of the event at this link.

Sources: NYDailyNews, NY1.com,

Riding Metro North. A break in rush hour.

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MetroNorth Train
It’s a brisk morning. 45F.

I board the 5:59 am Metro North train to Grand Central.

I settle in with the morning news. Rifling through the papers. Eyes scanning headlines. Going no deeper. Distracted. Then annoyed at my lack of focus. I turn to my work papers to prep for my late morning meeting. Mind wanders again.  I toss them in my bag in frustration.  I lean my head against the window. Close my eyes. And listen.

There’s no conversation. No disturbance of the clickety clack except for the periodic rough jostling of the rail cars on uneven rails. This being no high-speed train.

Conductor breaks the rhythm.

“Tickets. Tickets please.”

I pull the ticket out of my shirt pocket.

Conductor stops five rows up.

“Sir, these tickets are for non-peak rides.”

Soft voice responds but words are undecipherable.

“No, sir. You will need to purchase Peak ride tickets.”

Other riders now rubbernecking to check out the break in morning routine. Continue reading “Riding Metro North. A break in rush hour.” →