Hamptons Subway: Week of January 10–16, 2014
Week of January 10–16, 2014
Riders this past week: 6,322
Rider miles this past week: 91,712
DOWN IN THE TUBE
Demi Moore was seen on the subway going from Quogue to Southampton on Tuesday. Michael Bloomberg was seen carrying cardboard boxes on the subway between downtown Southampton and Shinnecock on Friday. Jon Bon Jovi came down the escalator to the Bridgehampton platform on Monday but then looked at his watch and went back the up escalator.
SNOW VOLUNTEERS
Few people are aware of this, but Hampton Subway has an active volunteer organization that removes snow anytime it falls into our subways. Founded in 2008 after a severe storm plugged many of the subway entrances with snow, making them impassable, the men and women of HSSV live throughout our community and spring into action at the first snowflake, alerted by specially modified marine radios tuned to Channel 81 at their homes and businesses. The alarm sounds—a series of whooping noises—and the volunteers leap up wherever they are to gather their snow shovels and brooms and then race to their pre-assigned subway stations to get the job done. It is because of these volunteers that all subway stairs, platforms and tunnels are kept snow-free and we salute them.
WEDNESDAY
Last Wednesday, on a subway car between East Hampton and Wainscott, the unthinkable happened. According to witnesses, a man in a business suit got up and demanded watches, wallets and jewelry from everyone in his subway car. Everyone complied. When the train stopped in Wainscott, the man ran from the train, but according to more witnesses, another man in a business suit yelled “stop,” and jumped off the train after him and tackled him on the platform. They struggled, the first man got away, ran back to the train to get back on at the last minute, but when the sliding doors closed just before he got there, he leaped up the side and onto the roof, to be followed up by the second man. Witnesses say the two men fought further up there, a gun was involved, but then the train headed out and into the tunnel toward Sagaponack.
Subway police were alerted and immediately called the motorman and the token clerk, told them what happened, and instructed the motorman to not stop in Sagaponack, inform the passengers over the PA, and then just keep on going until hearing further word.
Further down, only occasional grunts or shouts came from up top, and the train raced through Sagaponack and Bridgehampton, until finally, in the tunnel between Bridgehampton and Water Mill, after several thumps were heard as if the men had hit the overhead lights, there was nothing. The motorman stopped at Southampton, but when he did, the two men leaped down all disheveled and bloody, raced across the platform, jumped the turnstiles and ran up the down escalators to the street and disappeared. Police are investigating.
BIRTHDAY
Happy birthday to Subway bookkeeper John Mabel. All employees are welcome to attend the party in the company cafeteria at noon Friday.
COMMISSIONER ASPINALL’S MESSAGE
If you know the identity of the two men involved in the big fight on the subway last Wednesday, please call me direct. One is a hero, the other a villain, and we need to sort this out. Nothing like this has ever happened before on the subway system and will never happen again. All wallets, jewelry and watches have been gathered up from the tracks and can be picked up at our offices on Ponquogue Avenue in Hampton Bays.