“I’m sorry this train smells like your aunt’s closet”
Said the conductor on the Metro North Local I was taking from New Haven, CT into New York’s Grand Central Terminal last Wednesday.
The conductor also pointed out that the train didn’t have padded seats or electrical outlets, but that it was reliable.
I carry a battery backup that can recharge my phone and iPad, multiple times, if necessary. The seat wasn’t that bad. I could have waited for an express train, that might have saved me 10 minutes, but I was fine with the less-crowded local.
Ironically, when I returned on Thursday, one of Metro North’s newest trains, with the comfy seats and the electrical outlets, stopped dead on the tracks. After about 15 minutes, we were being dragged into Stamford, CT station, where we had to change to a new train.
Being late put me on the platform at the same time as this bad boy. There’s always a bright side.
Grand Central Terminal
One of Metro North’s new trains. Unfortunately, it wasn’t up to the task of getting to New Haven
My favorite loco
Here’s one of those fancy-schmancy new trains.
The Metro North board at Grand Central Terminal
There’s no doubt that you’re in the main lobby of Grand Central Terminal
That’s our tired old local, backing up to load.
I love lines, so I always snag a photo of the catenary structures and wires
This might make it into a Thursday Doors post in the future but for today, it was my ride home.
Approaching New Haven’s Union Station
Inside New Haven’s Union Station
During track construction north of New Haven, AMTRAK is using buses on several runs.
Union Station, New Haven
This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series: One-Liner Wednesday.
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About Dan Antion
Husband, father, woodworker, cyclist, photographer, geek - oh wait, I’m writing this like I only have 140 characters. I am all those things, and more, and all of these passions present me with opportunities to observe, and think about things that I can’t write about in other places. I have started this blog to catch the stuff that falls out, overflows and just plain doesn’t fit the other containers in my life.
This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series: One-Liner Wednesday.
Ha-ha, newer doesn’t always mean better, eh?!
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Not in this case.
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Ah, the “joys” of new technology. I remember how uneasy I felt when I got my first car with power windows–I was sure they were going to malfunction and leave me with an eternally open window. Sometimes I also miss the rotary dial on my telephone, which identifies the fact that I lived in prehistoric days.
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My wife still has a working rotary dial Princess phone, Mike. I bought it for her several years ago for Mother’s Day. That is a comfortable handset.
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…and you don’t actually disconnect calls or press mute buttons with your cheek when talking. :)
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Oh, Dan – catenary! Love the New Haven. Remember the Budd RDC on my railroad is a New Haven model.
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That one was auto-corrected by something. I looked it up and pasted it in :) I do remember the car on your railroad. I have some pictures for you of the models in Union Station.
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You had me at trains :)
There is just something about trains – shall I say ‘romantic’? – that I find so endearing. Old or new, doesn’t matter to me :)
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Totally with you Joanne! Thanks!
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Trains speak to me of a different era. A time of romance and intrigue and manners. sigh. I love old trains.
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I prefer the older trains on the lines around here to the newer ones. Thanks Pam.
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I especially liked the visual that accompanied “dragged into Stamford.” :-)
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The sad thing is that I skipped lunch at a really fancy New York restaurant, in order to catch the earlier train.
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That first line was a great hook, Dan. (I won’t say why. ;) ) Thanks for a fun post and great photos. Have a wonderful Wednesday. Hugs.
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Thanks Teagan. Of course, now I’m intrigued as to why. I’m sure that will be revealed at some point :)
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I haven’t taken a train ride to work in decades. This brought much of it back from dusty memories. Great post.
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Thanks! I would love to be able to commute by train on a daily basis, but I work on the wrong side of the river.
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Retirement is much easier. Also, worked at home for my last 8 years.
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I’m jealous – I have 2-3 years to go.
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How does HE know what your aunt’s closet smells like? Maybe your aunt’s closet smells like cedar and lavender potpourri and cookies hidden for beloved nephews to find and eat.
I don’t like trains, me. I like LOOKING at them a lot, but I don’t like BEING on them. Like being on a boat, which I also don’t like, except you can’t jump off a train and swim away if you absolutely got totally FED UP with being there.
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Ha! Actually, he was pretty accurate with his assessment of the train’s aroma. Then again, my aunt wasn’t a fan of lavender potpourri. As for jumping off a train, you can… I suggest re watching the Twilight Zone episode “A Stop at Willoughby”
I love trains. And, being stuck on a train beats being stuck on the tarmac in a plane, any day. Also, having your train lose power is way better than having your plane lose power.
I’m not sensing that I’ve convinced you :)
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Yep, yep, yep, I’m convinced! Nothing worse than being up in the air and the plane loses power and you just sit there with nothing to look at but clouds, birds flying past and giving you … well … the bird.
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Gorgeous pictures, Dan! I do love train stations, and Grand Central is spectacular. :D
I’d have been more than tempted to ask the conductor what he’s been doing in my aunt’s closet.
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Thanks Linda. You and Marian both made the leap about the conductor and my aunt…hmmm.
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Enjoyed this, Dan. I used to ride the New Haven line between Darien and Grand Central. Brought back memories. Is the oyster bar still in Grand Central?
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I’m glad you enjoyed it John. I believe the Oyster Bar is still alive and well.
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:-)
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Hah!
My broom closet smells like my grandmother’s kitchen. I make people who knew my grandmother smell it. It’s a woodsy, cleaning product kinda smell, but definitely old.
No idea what my aunts’ closets smelled like…
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I’m guessing they smelled like this train. One of my grandmother’s kitchen always smelled like fresh baked bread or other things in the oven. Mmmm, so good.
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Love those old, gorgeous train stations, Dan. I can pass on the smell. :-) But I do love the smell of freshly baked bread!
janet
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Ooh, there’s nothing quite like that smell, Janet. Union Station in New Haven is beautiful, as is Grand Central.
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What an interesting response to new vs old this is, Da. As one who lives where the most popular means of transit are horses and pickups and mass transit means the Greyhound bus that comes through town twice a week on its run between Salt Lake City and Denver, the train thing fascinates me. I spent an inordinate amount of time studying the photographs.
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Thanks Janet. Next to the train, I think maybe I liked my old pickup the best. I’m glad you liked tend photos.
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Made me think of commuter trains in Philadelphia when I first starting working in 1980 and these trains were on the verge of retirement – the kind with sash windows that opened and, by the time I came along, had lost their counterweights, so – you used a couple of pencils to hold it open…I remember zipping home in the summertime in one of those trains, the breeze coming through the window…
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That’s funny. Now, the windows are totally sealed. Of course, Metro North trains pass without a lot of distance between.
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Ours do( and did) too, even now I draw back from the (sealed) window. Back then I didn’t notice a thing. You could have fallen or jumped out with no trouble ( never heard anyone do it) or thrown things from the train, etc (ditto). All I remember is that great feeling when we picked up speed and got a good air flow going. !!!
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I love the warm light coming through the inner windows in that station.
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Thanks Val.
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Never surprises me Dan.
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New isn’t always better, ‘eh
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Rarely…😏
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I took the Zephyr up to Reno last week – that’s a luxurious trip! Though the train stations – Martinez and Reno are nothing special. Nothing like a ride on a train though.
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Isn’t that the truth, Jan. I love taking the train. I also like the name ‘Zephyr’
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Trains are fun to ride, whether they’re old or new, so long as the tracks are good. I would take a train over a plane any time, if the trip wasn’t too terribly long and I wasn’t in a hurry to get there.
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I’m with you CM – I take the train whenever I can.
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I’ve made that Metro North run from NYC to CT, actually Brewster, NY. We had a great train & not crowded. Love the pics, Dan! 💛 Christine
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Thanks, Christine. I’ve always preferred AMTRAK because I can get it close to my house. Once they get the light-rail connection to New Haven running, our options really open up. Of course. I’ll be retired, but…
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Good to know about the light-rail connection. My sister & I took the Metro North from Brewster with better connection options than Danbury! It beat driving in and out of the city! 💛 CE
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The train always bests driving.
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Well, some aunts’ closets are good, and some aunts’ closets are bad! But this definitely sounds like the latter. Always up for some train pics, Dan, and the shots of Grand Central are a welcome site. Very cool.
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Thanks Paul. I think I had the right aunt for this train. It wasn’t bad, and it got to Grand Central on schedule. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos.
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Funny, how that works with old, reliable things, too. The “fancy,” newer (nicer seats, electrical outlets) train needed pulled back while the simpler, older one would have been just fine!
The one liner was hilarious! If he had said my old maiden aunt’s attic, this would be a true statement!
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The new trains are nice, and the outlet comes in handy but there’s a certain charm to the old ones. I guess we all had one of those aunts :)
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Good Job.
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Thanks!
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Newer doesn’t always equate to be being better. :(
I enjoyed seeing your images of the Grand Central Station and Union Station. They’re both beautiful buildings.
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I’m think Ming of featuring a better tour of both for National Train Day next year. Or some year. I love both buildings.
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That would be neat and very interesting! I’m looking forward to it.
I’m going to look up the date and set a reminder on my calendar. I love trains.
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I’m going remind people, on my blog, about a month in advance. So many people asked for me to do that that I have written in my calendar.
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I did some training at Metro North years ago…
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They do a pretty good job keeping things running. This is the first time I’ve had one break down.
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They seemed to really have their act together when I worked with them. That was over twenty years ago… man, I’m old…
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