Locations

So the conductorless L train debuted at 12:01 AM this morning. As a regular L train rider, I'm a less than pleased. According to the Daily News I'm not the only one.

Conductorless L train gets an F

Straphangers and transit employees gave the MTA a big thumbs-down yesterday as the conductorless L train rolled down the tracks on its maiden voyage.

....

"It's very terrifying," said Cynthia Delgado, 32, of Williamsburg, who boarded the Manhattan-bound L train at the Bedford St. station with her 4-year-old son, Angel. "With two human beings, at least you have someone who could be in control if something goes wrong," she said.

Some TA employees agreed, saying the one-person operation - which is slated to be expanded to all hours on the 24-station line by the end of the year - isn't safe.

Why the L? The L has enough problems as it is. Of course, it's common knowledge that the MTA hates hipsters. I guess we get to be their guinea pigs. Thanks.

Some more from the Daily News.

"I don't like it at all," said train operator Gilbert Gonzalez, 35, as he pulled into the Canarsie St. station after completing his second solo run of the day.

A motorman for five years, Gonzalez said working without a conductor to monitor passengers and open and close the doors made him very uneasy. "If somebody was being robbed or was sick, I wouldn't know it," he said.

Gonzalez said TA officials told them during training sessions that they didn't have to look out the windows but should rely on the TV monitors when checking the platforms.

Great. The guy running the train "doesn't like it all. That makes me feel good. And TV monitors? They'll never be able to close the doors on Manhattan bound L trains in the morning. That's gonna be a mess.

"If I don't feel safe, I don't feel the customers are safe either," she said.

Daley, an operator for six years, said in case of emergency, it would be impossible for one person to evacuate a train.

You know the signs in the cars that tell you to follow orders from MTA personnel in the event of an emergency? That could be pretty hard to do if there's no MTA employee, to do so. Maybe they have TV monitors for that too?

This whole thing sounds effin' loony to me.