Metro-North Railroad

Bought a ticket at the counter for Riverdale, was sold a ticket for Riverside, which was more expensive, then directed to the Riverdale train. Made the train, then had to buy another one way ticket on the train since I had the wrong ticket, and then a return ticket at the station to get back to NYC. I was told I could get a refund at the station. Returned the next day with the original ticket in hand, with a note from the conductor. The woman said we should have come back [even though we were enroute on the train when the mistake was pointed out to us], we would have to fill out this detailed form & pay $ 10.00 to process the refund. I contacted American Express, and Metro North had the gall to tell them that we self purchased the wrong tickets! Only if we had this error would not have occurred.

Alan T the conductor was a really nice and helpful guy. It’s not often you come across that.

In the New York commuter system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the conductors, who operate the vehicles; and the commuters, who are persecuted by the system. These are their stories.
As I sit under 57^th St. on a 7:39pm train, I glance at my watch. It reads «8:45 pm». This is more then usual delinquency we all expect from the Metro North. I lift my head, locking eyes with the man pacing the aisle. He mumbles something angrily. Another slight against the metro north perhaps? I can’t fault him for that. When we pulled out of grand central he happily stood near the door eagerly awaiting to get home. Only 2 minutes into his trip, 600 feet of interconnected aluminum cars came rolling to a stop. The pacing man promptly calls his friend telling him to «get the ganja ready». Obviously its been a long day, as it has mostly likely been for the roughly twelve hundred other people on this train.
I check Facebook. Cries of desperation litter my news feed. Was this happening all over? Will I be forced to circumvent the tunnels of New York City and pop out of grate in order to once again breath the sweet air of freedom? Will my wife have to someday identify my lifeless corpse still seated here in this very spot? As I look around, I can see in passengers eye that they too are having these very same thoughts.
The conductor, in his attempt to quell the impending uprising says the control room isn’t giving him any more information, only that it is a signal problem. I watch the minutes tick away on my watch. It feels like we’ve been in our rectangular prisons for days now. The stench of utter disgust is stuck in the stale air. Who will start the revolution? Not I. Resistance is futile.
Then, suddenly the train jerks. We’re moving. Finally. Wait. Somethings wrong. I look out the window, either we are traveling back in time or the train is returning to Grand Central. People gasp at the realization that they are just getting further and further from their homes.
We all exit the train like cattle herded to the slaughter. An hour and thirty minutes ago I stood right here in this spot. Grand Central terminal is packed like a dance floor at a night club. Except these people are not liquored up patrons looking to party. Their eyes glow red with anger. The insurgency has certainly begun. My final breath on this planet will surely not be lying on this cold italian marble. I franticly search for a exit, while trying to quickly think of a way off this island. Quick the subway! I hop on the 6 train. The previous days snow storm made sure there will be no express trains today. But it’s okay. This sardine can masqueraded as a train was my only hope. Twenty nine stop later I was in Pelham Bay, my escape from New York was complete. A twenty minute car ride after that I was home.
I slipped into my daughters room to kiss her goodnight. A sadness blanketed me. This innocent face… how can it one day endure the turmoil of a Westchester commuter? Just then she smiled in her sleep. It was almost as if she was saying: «Don’t be scared Dad. I am stronger than you. And will one day lead the rebellion.»

Best company to work for and actually the most reliable train service in the world, yes in the world, do your research… We’re not perfect but this is as close as it gets !!!

Today I rode the 8:04 train into the City from New Canaan, CT. Not only did this ride evoke horrific memories of a time when I was once a regular commuter it was also cramped. This train is always full and smelly. Step it up metro north!