NYC subway stalled for hours in snow drifts

[cali]

NEW YORK – Passengers have been stuck for several hours on two New York City subway trains stalled in snow drifts near Kennedy Airport.

NYC Transit spokesman Charles Seaton says that snow drifts and ice on the third rail have stalled trains at two stops in Queens, north and south of Kennedy Airport.

A rescue train has been sent to one train, and passengers have been stranded since about 1 a.m. on the second train.

Christopher Mullen tells NY1 cable TV that he took the subway after he couldn't get a car service or taxi out of Kennedy on Sunday night. He says passengers are stuck aboard the train without food, water or heat.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101227/ap_on_re_us/us_winter_weather_stranded_subway

[tridim]

1. At least they didn't get stranded under the East River tunnel, in the dark.

I still have nightmares about that morning. My first and only physical panic attack.

[HockeyMom]

2. Elevated trains

not underground in the tunnels. They shut down the LIRR for the same reason.

[Cassandra]

4. A lot of the trains that have elevated sections aren't running.

For me, the only thing I wanted to do was get to the Greenmarket and that's shut for the day (yay, twitter feed). I hope my boots are tall enough to go out and take a walk.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. I was stuck on a subway in NY one time

and the other passengers turned it into a party. One guy had some booze and they were passing that around. Another guy had a guitar and started playing sing alongs. It was actually fun and a great memory.

But it wasn't winter and there wasn't a ton of snow on the ground.

[brooklynite]

5. Some clarification...

The passengers were not trapped on the trains; the trains stalled at outlying stations, so people could get on and off. However, there was no road access, so no way to leave.

[damntexdem]

6. What's wrong with those wimpy NYC subway trains?

I remember a particularly-big blizzard in Chicago when the El was the only thing still running.