The engine that proceeded, but became idled in the process. So Close, but yet so far. In the midst of rush hour, en route being homeward bound after putting in a days work. The engine on the Long Island Railroad broke down. Now mind you, the engine is electric and diesel, all in one component. On March 7, on the 5:09 pm from Penn Station In New York City, the train pulled out on schedule, once the announcement was made.

The train proceeded through the east river tunnels as it normally does. Once we arrived into day light steadily approaching evening light with a twinkle of the half of moon.  We are now in Queens, and moving through the rails in record time, at least that is what I thought. We were approaching the Forest Hills station, and the train began to crawl, and then stops briefly, and then proceeds. Actually this is the norm, but if you can explain Long Island Railroad’s theory of equation. 

We are now en route to pass the Kew Gardens station, and then the train crawled, crawled and continued to crawl. We are on a hill, and you can see Jamaica Station in the distance. Without warning, the train stops abruptly, and the announcement on the PA system from one of the conductors, “There is traffic coming into Jamaica Station”. However, we see trains on both sides of us passing without a care, so what traffic was there.

Then the moment of truth arrived, the conductor then announced, the engine has loss power, and they were going to get another engine too pull us into Jamaica Station. It was uncertainty after uncertainty without any assurance in being confident in them selves. No engine was ever dispatched nor solutions too remedy the problem. Then the conductor was saying that maintenance crews were on the train attempting to get the air brakes too full throttle without any fanfare. Then the news no passenger ever wants to hear, “We are unable to get any air pressure, and we will be idled for a while.

How long was a while, an hour to be exact, but seem like hours?” It was then determined, once arrived at Jamaica Station, the train was taken out of service, and a replacement train would be substituted. Meanwhile, tempers were raging among the passengers, and the word glee became gloom. With a sigh of relief, they had enough power to pull into Jamaica Station, and once there, the train would be shutdown in termination, and though going further to where the train was going, would have to go too track 1. We arrived on track 5.

All other passengers had to listen for announcements on next pending trains. I was waiting for the Far Rockaway train for my stop  of Locust Manor, which I arrived at 6:25 pm and home at 6:45 pm.

This is the accord of m adventure, and the fact, we the passenger could have gotten out, and pulled the train into Jamaica Station ourselves, with seeing freedom of motion with the code of action.