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I Got Stuck in a NYC Subway for 1.5 Hours and Had to Be Evacuated

2024-12-12

Getting stuck underground on the subway is a situation that every New Yorker dreads. It may seem like a common occurrence for the city's 3.8 million daily commuters, often lasting only a few seconds or minutes. But on a particular Wednesday, December 11, at 5:40 p.m., after boarding the F train at Bergen Street in Brooklyn to meet with a sister for dinner, a total shutdown occurred. This shutdown was unlike the usual service pauses. The overhead lights remained on, but everything else fell silent - an eerie quiet as if no electricity or air was circulating in the car or tunnel. It turned out that the power was indeed out on the third rail. The conductor informed the passengers over the intercom, saying, "The power is out on the third rail. I'm not sure what happens next, but I'll keep you posted." Groans and sighs filled the air, but most assumed the train would be up and running soon. However, when the conductor came back five minutes later and said, "Yeah, I have no idea what's going on really. There's no power here or at the stations. I know it's hot, I'm sorry, so you can open the windows." We all laughed at his honesty, but some riders became more anxious. What if this was the start of a major disaster?

Dealing with the Power Outage

Down in the subway, there was no cell phone or internet access. It was a bit like the beginning of a Julia Roberts disaster movie. To pass the time and calm our minds, I decided to play Block Blast, which I had downloaded at my 14-year-old son's suggestion. (It's basically Tetris and quite addictive.) As time passed, some people in the car became more distressed. Without power, there was no air circulation, and the pouring rain made the crowded train cars very damp. A young woman near me asked if anyone had water, but no one did. She started talking to her seatmate, and she said it made her feel better. Around this time, the conductor asked if there were any medical personnel on the train. We could hear a woman having a panic attack next to him. (A man, who was assumed to be a doctor, made his way to the front.)

Leaving the Train

Eventually, some frustrated (and brave?) riders began to leave the train. They hopped from the opening between cars to a narrow cat track that ran alongside the tunnel. The conductor warned them not to leave, saying, "Please, do not leave the train. I'm telling you, do NOT leave the train. You don't even know what's out there. It's dark, it's wet, there are rats out there, and God knows what else!" But we believed him and stayed put. Throughout the ordeal, the MTA conductor continued to provide updates. He said, "You think you have it bad? After this gets fixed, I have to keep working until midnight!" It was both funny and disturbing. He made us laugh, but we couldn't understand why he didn't have more information. Surely, he had a way to communicate with the aboveground world?

Evacuation and Relief

Finally, the conductor announced that the FDNY was on its way to evacuate us. We were told to go to the back of the train, where MTA workers were escorting us onto the narrow cat track to the escape stairs. At that point, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. As we made our way to the evacuation route, we started talking to each other amiably. I spoke to a man who was on his way to a work party, hoping his story would appease his boss. The man going to the Knicks game said he was getting an Uber to catch the second half. The woman traveling alone with her daughter was happy to be able to explain to her husband why they had disappeared for an hour and a half. As we walked up the stairs to freedom, we were greeted by FDNY firefighters, fire trucks, and the pouring rain. My family had been worried, as our ordeal hadn't made the local news or Twitter.After this experience, I was alive and unharmed, a bit hungry and thirsty, and frustrated about standing in high-heeled boots for so long. It wasn't the worst thing that had ever happened to me, but it wasn't fun either. It also highlighted how ill-prepared the MTA is in even the slightest emergency. There was no water stocked up, no means of communication for passengers, and no real information about what to expect. What would they do in a true medical emergency? Although the experience didn't inspire confidence in the system, I'll be back on the subway in the morning, probably playing Block Blast again.