Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
Best. Subway Announcer. EVER.
G train patrons are used to getting the shaft. Once we had not just the G but also the GG. The previous was an express line, the latter was local. As you can see nowadays it’s all local —and soon to be even even more so. A reader of mine wrote:
…did you see this thing about the g-train? What does halved G service mean? Half as many trains or half as many stops? I assume this means Greenpoint’s gentrification is essentially over?
Does this surprise me? Hardly. The MTA has harbored a hard-on to cut off service to Forest Hills for a very long time. Given the Solomon-like wisdom the our rapid transit system exercises I suspect they’ll cut G train riders in half and demand $1.25 a ride for ransom. The same goes for (J)M(Z) trainers. What happens in working class Brooklyn doesn’t matter. Keeping up appearances in Manhattan (for the turistas) is what’s important. Priorities folks, priorities.
The previsou having been said we Crosstown Locals have one thing to be can be proud of: finest subway announcer I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. The MTA can cut service and up subway fares all they want but if they fire this dude I’ll be PISSED. ROYALLY.
Hmm… haven’t I heard this voice before?
Open the pod bay doors, Hal!
Miss Heather
Comments
9 Comments on Best. Subway Announcer. EVER.
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d on
Sat, 29th Nov 2008 2:18 pm
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suzyO on
Sat, 29th Nov 2008 2:47 pm
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Bodmin on
Sun, 30th Nov 2008 3:18 am
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matthewre on
Sun, 30th Nov 2008 9:38 pm
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brewpez on
Mon, 1st Dec 2008 9:39 pm
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Richard Grayson on
Tue, 2nd Dec 2008 8:09 pm
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Kai on
Wed, 3rd Dec 2008 12:47 am
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missheather on
Wed, 3rd Dec 2008 2:00 am
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Richard Grayson on
Thu, 4th Dec 2008 7:48 am
I’ve heard this guy too, I always appreciated his clear announcements and additional info, though now being a veteran G train rider I can pretty much tell which side the doors will open by the way the train starts pulling into Court Square from the 21st/Van Alst stop. But it is quite pleasant to have those nice announcements. I still miss my old B train conductor who used to talk about how the B train could be the “love train” if some of those gentlemen would just “give a tired lady a seat.”
there was a conductor on the 4/5/6 line who was possessed of the dulcet tones of the announcer on bugs bunny (remember him?) who ALWAYS announced the stations as “onion square” and “disaster place”. i miss him.
Recall the conductor I frequently encountered on the 7 line trains back when I first came to The Big Apple in 1970, back before I ever got to Greenpoint, in the days when ‘Pernters and ‘Boigers spoke a whole different language. It took a while to figure out where you were when he announced the stop as ‘Ninedy-foist en El-em-hoist’, but you sure knew where he was from!
I’ve heard him many times, too, and it’s always the same; word for word and with the same inflection. I can only deduce the operator is mute, and this is all pre-recorded.
Right before Thanksgiving on the F train, or maybe it was the A train…The announcer Made the usual announcement then proceded to say “Have a happy Thanksgiving” and the way to enjoy Thanksgiving is with good recipes…then he went on to tell a recipe. Curiously most people just sat there stone faced…but I was laughing with one or two others smiling. He had a pretty thick accent. I beleve it an Indian accent. He made my day.
My favorite on the G train is the guy who always sounds totally drunk. Do you know who I mean?
That guy is great… At first I thought they had installed a digital message machine or something. I also like the guy who uses the same joke over and over again when people run to the center of the platform to make the train: “Hurry up, this is the last train until Monday”.
By the way, there was never an express G, unless you count when you have to wait 20 minutes for a train during rush hour and it skips all the minor stops to make up time. ‘GG’ stems from the double letter names for all locals that existed before 1986. When this somewhat confusing system was eliminated, the GG was rebranded ‘G’.
Actually I don’t know who you’re talking about, Richard. They all sound the same to me save this guy.
Kai: and when our service is cut back more it will be the “g”. lower. case.
With more condos.
I’ve had the drunk-sounding guy on Sundays. Sometimes I get him coming and going. He has the voice of someone who’s had a few too many drinks and is very cheerful and outgoing. I always enjoy his announcements.
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