The Ghost F Train

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The mysterious and vexing ghost F train haunts me.

For those of you who don’t live and love in New York, allow me to explain: A ghost train occasionally runs on the F/V line. It’s an ancient vintage museum collection of subway cars. Sometimes it is by itself. Sometimes it is running with maintenance cars. Sometimes it is dark. Sometimes it is lit up. Sometimes there are MTA employee passengers. Most distressing is when it rolls into the station and the doors actually open, and the ads in the cars are up to date but the lights are not fully on… creepy. The first time this happens, one is forced to stand there on the platform and wonder if the MTA is serious: “Am I seriously supposed to get on this relic? Is the MTA trying to kill me?”

After a while you get used to the ghost train and its malicious nature. The ghost F usually rumbles through the station when you’ve already waited an exorbitant amount of time, preferably in the middle of the night–or better, full on into the wee hours. I once mentioned the ghost train while waiting on the platform on such a night. Just to spite me, it appeared within 45 seconds. I almost threw myself into its path in an effort to end the pain.

On occasion the ghost train even dares to show its face during the day so that I can be late to wherever I am going. I don’t have a  job per se, so I have very important places to go.

And thus ends parts two of my issues with the F train.

New York Magazine: MTA: Hey, Everybody, the F Train Is a Mess. Did You Know That?

New York Times: On the F Train, the MTA Confirms What Riders Already Know