-
84 votes
-
Donald Trump's lawyers say it is impossible for him to post bond covering $454 million US civil fraud judgment
64 votes -
Thousands of Airbnbs and other short-term rentals are expected to disappear from rental platforms as New York City begins enforcing tight restrictions
62 votes -
How neighbors got NYPD to stop parking on a school sidewalk after forty years
54 votes -
Traffic cop sues city over ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ cards for NYPD friends and family
52 votes -
My new apartment’s most aggravating feature (latch smart locks)
50 votes -
A secret tunnel in a NYC synagogue leads to a brawl between police and worshippers
50 votes -
New York City is cleared for first-in-US congestion tolls as soon as April
45 votes -
New York midwife fined for giving 1,500 children homeopathic pellets instead of vaccines
42 votes -
No one's names were changed at Ellis Island
41 votes -
The invisible victims of American anti-semitism
40 votes -
You may soon have to pay more to drive that SUV in New York
37 votes -
4.8 earthquake in central New Jersey; felt in Philadelphia, New York
Comment box Scope: personal anecdote Tone: neutral Opinion: yes? Sarcasm/humor: none I assume everyone in the New York/New Jersey/eastern PA/maybe northern Delaware area just felt their buildings...
Comment box
- Scope: personal anecdote
- Tone: neutral
- Opinion: yes?
- Sarcasm/humor: none
I assume everyone in the New York/New Jersey/eastern PA/maybe northern Delaware area just felt their buildings shaking.
That was a 4.8 magnitude earthquake originating near Lebanon, NJ (a ways west of Edison). You can look at the details from the US government's earthquake tracking website.
I've never felt an earthquake before, so that was something. I thought the people above me had turned on a motorcycle or something. I had no clue what could shake the building like that. Then it dawned on me. Not the place you expect these things. (I'm sure the Californians find this cute!)
35 votes -
How I eat for free in NYC using Python, automation, artificial intelligence, and Instagram
34 votes -
My thoughts: Maple Leaf train between New York City and Toronto
I recently took the Amtrak/Via Rail "Maple Leaf" train all the way from New York City, NY, USA to Toronto, ON, Canada. It took about 13 hours each way. I had taken portions of this route before...
I recently took the Amtrak/Via Rail "Maple Leaf" train all the way from New York City, NY, USA to Toronto, ON, Canada. It took about 13 hours each way. I had taken portions of this route before but never the whole thing. There is only one trip each direction per day. It stops at several points in the US and Canada.
I was pleased with the journey even though I would have preferred the train to run at twice the speed it did. It was a beautiful and scenic ride punctuated by a number of historic cities. The Amtrak personnel on longer-distance routes like this are particularly pleasant, funny, and personable.
- NYC (Penn) to Albany–Rensselaer (~150 miles): about 2.5 hours on paper plus a slightly excessive wait at the Albany station (which is quite nice, through located nowhere near Albany proper). I believe this time is used to change the locomotive. This was the most gorgeous part of the trip by far: the train follows the east side of the Hudson River for the entire stretch and you have a constant view of the Palisades across the water. This is the fastest part of the journey. Going north, you want to be on the left side of the train; going south, the right (but it gets dark early this time of year).
- Albany–Rensselaer to Canadian border (~300 miles): about 6.5 hours on paper. Here, the train turns to meet each of the western cities, including Schenectady, Utica, Rome, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo (twice). This segment isn't as scenic as the Hudson, but it takes you through a lot of farm country, which is nice to look at too. The train's average speed along this route is considerably slower than the southern section. I assume this is because there are more at-grade crossings or some track alignment slowdowns.
- Canadian border to Toronto (Union) (~80 miles): about 2 hours on paper. Not the most aesthetically pleasing section of the route, and dark for me going north. The train runs abysmally slowly in this section both because there are a lot of stops in short intervals and more importantly because there are an absurd number of at-grade crossings throughout the route, plus, I assume, various engineering-based speed restrictions from windy track alignments. But Union Station is a gorgeous building and very easy to navigate. Connections to the UP Express and subway are trivial.
You'll notice that the times I listed don't add up to 13 hours, the full length of the trip (on paper). This was because the train stops for an irritating amount of time at the border, the only part I didn't like, which unnecessarily adds ~2 hours to the trip. What happens is:
- Amtrak personnel provide you a customs declaration form to fill out about 30 minutes before you arrive at Niagara Falls. Have a pen handy.
- Train stops at the Niagara Falls, NY (NFL) station for upwards of 45 minutes, nominally so that the border control agents can "get ready" to receive you. Why they did not prepare during the 10+ hours they had all day I could not say. If you're crossing the border, you do not get out here, but wait until the train starts moving again.
- Train goes to the Niagara Falls, ON (NFS) station in about 5 minutes. Now you disembark with all luggage and walk into the building for security screening. On the Canadian side, they just ask you a couple questions: no complex screening. It took about 15 minutes. Then, for some indecipherable reason, they direct you outside the station and instruct you to walk around and go into the main entrance to wait. (Yes, truly magnificent routing.)
- You sit in their waiting room for at least 30 minutes with the other passengers. The reason you are waiting is so that they can search the entire train for contraband. When finished, you are ushered back on board. The business class passengers reboard the train (the same train) first, then coach passengers. The rest of the trip is operated by Via Rail. (Note: you don't have to buy anything from Via except maybe if you are starting in Ontario and going to Toronto. Amtrak's ticket covers the whole route from the US and back.)
Going from Canada to the US, the process is basically the same, except that the Americans force you to go through an airport-style bag screening check, which I consider utterly redundant. They also have multiple dogs sniffing you for drugs (I assume). The dogs are cute, but do not touch, for they are deadly creatures hard at work. All the scanning and sniffing and waiting takes at least 45 minutes to an hour. Thankfully you can keep your shoes on. I'm a US citizen with TSA Pre-Check and whatnot, so they don't give me trouble with the security questions, but they have no problem interrogating people for a long time and painstakingly searching multiple bags because the dog thought it smelled a piece of bacon.
It is an incredibly stupid and unnecessary process. Bags are not scanned when driving through the border by car. Dogs do not sniff your belongings and person when driving by car. You do not have to exit your car, take out all your belongings, and sit around in a waiting room for an hour when driving by car. Frankly airport security is faster than this was. It's no wonder this train isn't the preferred method of travel!
Despite the pointless border security, the trip was enjoyable and I will do it again the next time I visit Toronto from New York. It was also cheaper than flying at the time I booked it: ~$134 in coach (minus 10% for my Rail Passengers Association discount! So really $121) vs. ~$185 for a one-way flight (when I was looking). I think if you book far enough in advance, you can get a flight for as little as $90, but you usually have to fly out of LaGuardia or JFK for the cheap tickets, which are the worst airports known to mankind and also are not on the NEC. LGA is particularly hard to access. (I almost always fly out of Newark for these reasons.)
It does take... the entire day, though. So you have to treat it more like an experience than strictly transit. If you have friends in upstate New York, this is a good opportunity to visit for a night or two!
32 votes -
Former US President Donald Trump indicted in hush-money probe
32 votes -
Young, progressive, DSA-backed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ousted ten-term incumbent in NY primary
31 votes -
The 355 million dollar US civil fraud ruling against Donald Trump, annotated
30 votes -
Curbside trash is a problem in NYC. Officials have a not-so-novel fix: plastic bins
29 votes -
NYC MTA moves forward with plans to install platform doors in three subway stations
29 votes -
Cynthia Nixon announces she will run openly as a socialist
29 votes -
What's in the subway water that drips on your head? A semi-scientific inquiry.
28 votes -
A $48 billion debt is crushing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Paying it off could disrupt the future of New York City transit.
28 votes -
New York Attorney General issues report detailing millions of fake comments, revealing secret campaign to influence FCC’s 2017 repeal of net neutrality rules
28 votes -
Amazon pulls out of planned New York City campus
28 votes -
New York City plans to wipe out $2 billion in medical debt for 500,000 residents
27 votes -
Why is everything so ugly? The mid in fake midcentury modern
26 votes -
Andrew Yang is running for Mayor of New York City
26 votes -
Andrew Yang files paperwork to run for New York City mayor
26 votes -
New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial [he will remain imprisoned in California and the court has ordered a retrial]
25 votes -
The hotel guest who wouldn’t leave
25 votes -
New Jersey files federal lawsuit to block NYC’s congestion pricing plan; Staten Island sets up legal action
25 votes -
Metropolitan Transportation Authority rolls out more modern trains on New York City subway
25 votes -
Judge rules against banks' request to seal documents in upcoming New York Donald Trump case. Records will be public with very specific exceptions for privacy.
24 votes -
Ten dead in Buffalo supermarket shooting
24 votes -
New York Public Library ends all late fees
23 votes -
Joe Biden administration issues $16.4 billion in Northeast Corridor rail grants
22 votes -
New York teacher, fired for a years-old topless selfie, claims sex discrimination in $3M lawsuit
22 votes -
Explosive device found near George Soros’s home in Westchester County
22 votes -
New York governor sends national guard to subway in crime crackdown
21 votes -
$1 billion donation will provide free tuition at a Bronx medical school
21 votes -
Two people in vehicle that exploded at NY/Canada border crossing declared dead at scene
21 votes -
New York City pension funds sue Fox Corporation Board for breach of fiduciary duty in connection with defamatory broadcasts
21 votes -
How a pair of unreleased John Coltrane tapes surfaced at New York Public Library
21 votes -
Our lady of perpetual stew: Anyone is welcome at Annie Rauwerda’s parties - just bring an ingredient for the pot
21 votes -
Amazon workers on Staten Island vote for a union
21 votes -
Judge orders Bernie Sanders, Andrew Yang, others to be reinstated to New York primary ballot
21 votes -
CGP Grey: The Race to Win Staten Island
21 votes -
Uber and Lyft to pay New York drivers $328 million following state attorney general wage theft investigation
20 votes -
NYC homeowner costs are rising at three times the inflation rate
20 votes