Expect Delays, And Far, Far Worse
The C.H.U.D.s have been working overtime these past few weeks in their reinvigorated effort to bring the city to its knees. Making things easier for them (and worse for us), officials from both the NYPD and the MTA continue to deny that there's any C.H.U.D. problem at all.
The A and C lines, they said, were shut down for 10 days by a "short-circuit" that led to an electrical fire in a control room.
On March 16, the 4, 5 and 6 lines were shut down for a day after "water leaked through a hole in a tunnel" and "damaged some electrical cables," leading to three separate and well-timed power outages.
On March 17, an "improperly stored metal plate came into contact with the third rail," leading to a "smoke condition" that trapped two 7 trains under the East River for an hour.
March 22, "garbage left on the tracks came into contact with the third rail," sparking a fire that spread to several of the wooden railroad ties, shutting down the 2, 3, 4, and 5 lines as well as (briefly) the LIRR.
And on March 24, a "tree weakened by the latest snowstorm" fell on the elevated tracks in the Bronx, trapping dozens of passengers and cutting off 4 service for hours. Again.
How long does the MTA think we'll continue to accept that these are mere accidents-symptoms of an ill-maintained century-old system sliding toward ruin? How long do they think we'll continue to believe that the increasing frequency of occurrences like these are a simple coincidence?
To tell the truth, we stopped believing that a long time ago. By not admitting to the fact that there's an army of angry C.H.U.D.s who are messing with the subways (and getting better at it, it seems), the MTA and the NYPD are putting the lives of thousands of New Yorkers at risk.
The question is, what are they waiting for? For some poor sap to be dragged off a train in front of dozens of witnesses and held for ransom? For an entire car full of straphangers to be slaughtered?
This week, City Councilman John Liu (D-Queens) will begin hearings concerning this recent spate of "incidents" in the hopes of finding out just what the hell is going on down there. Let's just hope that, when called upon, some people who know the truth will come clean.