The Commuting Landscape

It's not just humans who commute on the train, it's all the "stuff" that comes along for a ride too. 

The tunnels and passages are heating up down in the labyrinth of Grand Central - just wait till August!

That's right, one evening last week I was sure I had entered a televised gameshow as I listened to the public address system on the train.  The conductor announced each stop with such gusto and enthusiasm I was sure if I closed my eyes I would awake to find that the train had arrived on the set of the Price Is Right.  But to my great disappointment my train car did not transform into a great assemblage of lights and cameras; I found myself walking off the platform straining to hear the echoes of  the great announcer as the train slipped away into the night.

Memorial Day Weekend Quiz

First, a big thank-you to all those who served our country; their service has helped all of us lead a better life today.  Second, speaking of a "better life," was that the case during your Memorial Day Weekend?  As the sketch above may suggest, did you lead the "good life" over this past weekend?

Did you:
A. Finally make the par-3 hole without holding up the party behind you?
B. Decided to work on your tan so you didn't become a honorary member of the "Pasty White Club?"
C. Get handed a list by your spouse and told not to sit down until after you BBQ'd dinner.

Happy Summer! (Now if only those air conditioners on the trains would work)

It's A Dog Eat Dog World

Well, that may be true Monday through Friday.  But on a Friday evening train,  this puppy dog named Brisco may beg to differ.  He sat himself right down next to his owner and fell asleep for just long enough for me to do this sketch.  Then he woke up and wanted off the train - don't we all by Friday evening?!

Choose Your Train Car Carefully

Has this ever happened to you?  You're dead tired, long day, and all you can think of is having a nice quiet train ride home to collect your thoughts? And then you get to Grand Central and realize that looking at the crowd, hearing the tired baby crying, and seeing everyone grab something to eat on the train that it isn't going to quite work out the way you want?  As a officer advised as I was walkind down the ramp to the platform one evening, "Choose your traincar carefully," and we both erupted into laughter.

Go dig out those summertime loafers and colorful preppy ties! 

Two weeks until the unoffical start of summer - Memorial Day Weekend!

(Look back at my blog posts from February and compare what you were wearing back then)

A Different Commute

I had to dig into some of my old sketchbooks to find a post this week, all my current ones are still in progress.  This is a view from an Amtrak train along the Eastern Connecticut shoreline in early spring when everything is still shades of ochre and brown.  For some people, this may be part of what their commute to work entails - taking Amtrak between New York and Boston.  The tracks run parrallel and straight through the salt marshes and beaches bordering Eastern Long Island Sound.  Enjoy!

People People People!

You can tell it's finally spring - everyone has finally shed their black for some color on the train!

Nermin and Howard were my seatmates on the train home with me on Thursday night.

Springtime has brought the tourists out and about mixing around with the commuters.  Passing through Grand Central accents from all around the world can be heard among the din of voices echoing against the ceiling.  And everyone needs something to eat downstairs in the cafeteria!

Survivor!!!

The Challenge:  Safely make it across the dangerous alligator infested abyss between the train car and the platform at the end of the workday - one wrong step and you're gone!

OK the Backstory.....
The northbound local track between Rye and Stamford has been out of service for the past few weeks while the MTA replaces rail ties.  The trains stop on the middle express track and bridge plates are in use for people to walk over the local track to the platform.  But, the bridge plates are narrow, sometimes unsteady, and there's a good size gap between the train car and the metal plate.  So really it's a Survivor Challenge at the end of a long workday - just pretend it's an old rope ladder and there's seven or eight hungry alligators just waiting for someone to make a bad step - who says commuting couldn't be the next reality TV program?

We're Being Watched!

The train travels below grade through parts of the Bronx so mostly there's only old stone walls and tops of buildings to catch a glimpse of on the way by.  But, on top of those buildings, there are feathered creatures who stare down at us from their lofty perch - the pigeons!  That's right, from their rooftop vantage points the pigeons rule all they can see, including all of us commuters who pass in the shadows below.

A quick watercolor sketch.  It's supposed to have a Edward Hopper feel to it - the lonely American landscape with a solitary figure.  In this case, a commuter walking down the platform under pools of lamp light after coming home from work.

Animal Attraction

On the way into the city the trains pass along the edge of the Botanical Gardens, and not far from the Bronx Zoo.  When you think about it, not far from the tracks are hundreds of animal species from around the world.  Furthermore, we might think they're interesting to look at, but they probably think we're pretty crazy too.  They'd probably be thinking something like, "All those humans keep speeding by in big electric metal cages all day long, it's much better here just relaxing."

"Evenings Out"

I realized as I got out of the office this week there was still a hint of daylight in the western sky.  I'm looking forward to the summer monthes when it's still light out late in the day and I can still take a walk down to Binney Park (above) or Todd's Point.

For Those Who Come Home Late...

I have devised a simple map that illustrates the potential states of sleepiness someone could go through on their commute home from the city (especially if you're on the local to Stamford like me.)  The further out your stop is from Grand Central, the more likely you're going to fall asleep and miss your train.  Remember, the later it gets, the more likely you'll achieve maximum sleep potential: YOU MISSED YOUR STOP.

This is Anthony, I sat down next to him one evening and tried to start sketching him without him knowing.  About halfway through he figured it out, and immediately he did his best to sit still and be a great model.  I did it in pencil and added a little watercolor to it over the weekend.