An Unintended Preview of Things to Come
If you are old enough to remember what commuting and/or occasional trips to the City were like before Midtown Direct service started on the Morris & Essex (M&E) Line in 1996, you will get to relive the experience this February and March, and probably again in the fall. That also happened in July and August, 2017, when Penn Station’s capacity was temporarily curtailed on account of track work.
If you were riding on Thursday, November 20, you also got a taste of what rail travel on the M&E was like 30 years ago or more. Because of a service disruption, all trains were diverted to Hoboken, with cross-honoring on PATH. I did not know that when I got on a midafternoon train to Manhattan but, when I found that PATH was cross-honoring, I decided to go to the Village instead of Penn Station. I got off the PATH train at Christopher Street, only a few blocks from the river. It was a pleasant walk past the historic buildings to Monte’s Trattoria, an Italian restaurant on McDougal Street that has been in business since 1918. After an early dinner, there was time for a walk around Washington Square Park and the NYU buildings at twilight. I caught PATH at Ninth Street and Sixth Avenue back to Hoboken, where I caught the train to go home. I had spent a lot of time in the Village during the 1970s and 80s, and the trip had a strong nostalgic feeling. The Village is a great place to walk; full of beautiful and historic buildings, and loaded with interesting shops and eateries.
All in all, it probably won’t be too bad taking PATH into the City, but there will be drawbacks. The service change will occur in the winter, so it will be cold. Also, cross-honoring in Manhattan will be valid only at the end of the line at Sixth Avenue and 32d Street, so a local fare or a walk from the Village will be required. Still, the change will last for only 4 weeks, and will offer a change of pace. Fortunately, Hoboken Terminal has the capacity to accommodate the trains.
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