Confusing title isn’t it? Yeah, welcome to the world of riding NJ Transit.

Let me explain.

I had just missed the 7:55am NEC train by a pubic hair. Actually, I got to the Jersey Avenue 2nd class citizen lot at about 7:52. Since my rule is I never run for a train, I just sat in my car for a bit listening to my Sirius until the next train, which was 8:14. About 8:05 is when I left my car and walked over to the train which sits on the alternate tracks at Jersey Avenue. I will say that a huge perk of going from Jersey Avenue in the morning is that trains originate there so they normally get there early and you can board prior to the train leaving. Anyway, I get on the train and start my morning routine.

8:14… 8:20… 8:22…

We aren’t moving. Then at 8:24 the conductor tells us the train is having mechanical problems and there’s another train immediately across the parking lot on the main line for us to take. Ok, so the train is busted. I get it. They sent in the reserves to rescue us. Yay NJ Transit.

So I walk over to the main line, walk to the front and then start my morning shuffle again. As if it’s not bad enough doing it the once? This time though, I checked the NJ Transit Website:

Jan 09, 2007 08:29:49 AM
NJ TRANSIT buses, trains and light rail lines are operating on or close to schedule.

There we go. Accurate as always. I’m on a train that is 15 minutes late but everything is on or close to schedule.

So then we hit 8:36 and the train fires up and pulls away. The conductor then tells everyone that they are on the 8:36 to NY Penn. I then look at NJ Transit’s website and find this:

Jan 09, 2007 08:34:31 AM
NEC #3716 the 8:14am departure from Jersey Avenue is cancelled. Passengers may use train #3718 the 8:36am from near Jersey Avenue

So it took them 20 minutes to post an alert about a train that was cancelled and the alternate is in 2 minutes. What’s the point even to do that? Does that help anyone? Also, read that alert again. We may use the train near Jersey Avenue?!?! Near? Do they expect people to just wander around the road and eventually they will be near a train to board?

So now I’m on a train that is on-time according to everything in the NJ Transit world of schedules but I’m still 20 minutes late to life.

Remember back in school when somehow you learned to remember the spelling of assume by some idiot saying - Don’t assume, you’ll make an ass out of u and me. Assuming things, in general, is one of the worst things to do. It inevitably gets you into a jam one way or another. This applies to when you are on a train talking on your cellphone. If you assume you are the only person in the train car, you will be sad to learn that everyone will know your business. If you assume you are the only person in the train car, you’ll be sad to learn when Ripper is sitting next to you. And most of all, if you assume you are the only person in the train car, you will be VERY sad to learn when Ripper is sitting next to you, without his music and with a keyboard.

So with nothing to do on the train today, a very good friend gave me the idea when I had grumbled something about the person next to me on was on the phone. She said, “Write down every word you hear and try and make it a story”. Brilliant! I will say that it’s very difficult to keep up so I just typed up the main context of one side of the conversation. The other side you ask? Well read below for what I’m assuming to be the other person.

The items in bold is the context of her line. The items not in bold is my interpretation, my assumption, of what the other person said. Viewer discretion is advised (sorry mom). Keep in mind, this isn’t word for word since I was typing and listening on the fly. These are just the highlights.

Right, i went to see him
At what time?
Read the rest of this entry »

Trenton Times May 25th

Cell-phone photo provides lead in train station attack

Thursday, May 25, 2006

By TOM HAYDON

Newhouse News Service

New Brunswick police investigating the broad-daylight attack of an NJ Transit passenger outside the city train station have a clear image of their suspects, thanks to a quick-thinking witness armed with a cell-phone camera.

The victim, a 25-year-old man from the Somerset section of Franklin Township, was riding a New York-bound train when he told two other passengers who were acting obnoxiously to be more considerate.

When the train stopped in New Brunswick, the unsuspecting victim got off, went to a flower shop in the train station, then walked out on to Albany Street, New Brunswick police Sgt. Richard Rowe said.

The two men from the train had followed him into the street, where they beat him, punching him in the face before rushing back to the northbound station platform, still carrying their luggage, Rowe said.

A witness to the assault saw the attackers leaving and quickly pulled out a cell phone and took a sharp, clear photograph of them.

New Brunswick police released the picture yesterday of the two assailants who broke the victim’s jaw so badly he needed surgery.

“It’s better than most surveillance camera photos I’ve seen,” Rowe said. This is the first time he could recall the police department issuing photographs taken on a cell phone.

Police received a call about the May 14 assault at 12:50 p.m. and found the injured man, who was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. He needed at least two operations to repair the damage to his jaw, Rowe said.

Police said the attackers got on the train in Hamilton. Authorities are asking that anybody with information call the New Brunswick Police at (732) 745-5218.

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The pictures of the two assholes in today’s paper (page A6) are amazing. It should be easy to find them. But it makes you think twice now about voicing complaints on the train.

Last night I got on the 5:34 NEC out of Newark (yes, it was nearly a 1/2 day). All twosies were filled & the threesies had two or three people in them. I am of a modest size and can fit in a middle seat & do not intend to stand when there are available seats.

There were two modest sized men with their briefcases on the middle seat. I said “excuse me” and when I realized they knew each other and were chatting I said “I can sit on the end.” “Nah, we’ll talk over you” the one guy said with a laugh.

In my wildest dreams, I didn’t think he was serious! But they did. The entire way from Newark to PJ, they chatted over me, loudly. About their kids, wives, jobs.

At one point the Left Guy said “My wife thinks commuting 3 hours a day on the train is a vacation. Ha! She doesn’t know about the annoying people.” I gave him a smirk for that. Buddy, YOU are one!

Now I am reading an engrossing book, so I was able to tune out pretty well. But the disgusting thing was BOTH of these men had FOUL HALITOSIS! Each time they opened their mouths (which was pretty constant–one of them yacking at every minute) this disgusting stench wafted over me. I had my hand over my nose/mouth, but couldn’t hold my breath the whole trip.

So, if you guys recognize yourself in this description, you could get some commuting manners AND see about going to a good dentist.

There is an older guy on the NEC 7:18am train out of Hamilton that has an entire collection of seat checks. A couple of passengers informed one the conductors and they have done nothing about it. This has been going on for a few months now. Does anyone know of a way of getting NJTranist police involved?

Last week on a Packed NEC train. I missed the 5:25 by 1 min and it was the last train to leave on time so I caught the 5:37 which left at 6 so you can imagine how crowded it was. I’m by the window of a 3 seater and this tall guy decides to take the middle seat. He proceedes to use his folder as a tray and whips out some sushi to start eating on the ride home. Top it all off he had an off peak round trip ticket so he had to dig through his pockets for more money while balancing said sushi on his lap.

I’m a big sushi fan but I never considered it on the go train food, plus sushi has an odor which not that pleasant on a crowded warm train. To top it all off his ticket was to Princton JCT. SO he wasn’t going anywhere.

I have a pic of the sushi is there any way to upload the picture?

RIPPER: What’s with those new trees that were planted at the over-flow parking lot? And those real-estate-available signs? Is there a connection? Are we about to lose that parking lot?

Well we’ve covered just about every other possible form of rudeness, bad customer service, and human frailty, so I’m digging deep here. Normally, I have no problem with people using their laptops on the train. But the other night, the guy across the aisle was typing a letter or report, and for the most part everything was OK, but there were a couple of keys on the keyboard that he’d practically attack when he hit them. So the whole trip you’d hear tap-tap-tap-tap-TAP-tap-TAP-TAP-tap-tap-TAP-TAP. It wasn’t excruciatingly annoying, but it was annoying enough that it would affect my sleep and/or reading. And when he was quiet on the keys for a while, I’d be waiting for the big bomb to drop, so I was in a state of constant anticipation.

So how’s that for being picky?

Anyone else notice a problem with refusing to open additional cars…

The 10:03 NEC train from NYP this evening was packed (every seat, including the middle seats were filled) as well as the center of the cars the the vestibules. I believe this was a 10 car train and the front 2 were roped off (I have seen the cars closed going into NYP on a weekend but normally not from NYP). I know for sure all the cars were packed because we managed to make it up to the roped off car.

The Assistant Conductor came in that door and refused to open the front 2 cars stating that the train was “short staffed.” I have heard that before, but they still usually open up the cars. In addition, in a rude way he forced the people in the vestibules to move back into the cattle packed cars (technically I know you are not supposed to stand in the vestibule but this is something you never hear on the weekday).

Also, he did not get through to the 3rd open car (where we wound up pushing our way back too) to collect tickets until after Newark Airport so a number of people got a free ride. I thought one reason to keep cars closed was to keep the aisles clear so the crew could make it back to collect all tickets? I pay my $300+ for a monthly ticket - and on the weekend it is worse when they don’t collect the tickets because 95% of the passengers do not have monthly or weekly tickets on the weekend.

Anyone have any more details on today’s “trespasser” smash-up in Hamilton? was it really an idiot trespasser or another suicide? I got to Princeton Junction at 7:15, couldn’t get on the first train that showed up at around 7:50, got on the next one at 8:30, which made EVERY stop, and I had to stand the whole way. Got into NY Penn at 10:30.