News article here.

-Blast, biting his tongue

i also saw that on the news..trapped alone in a car i could handle but in a subway for 7 hours would pose some real "personal problems"

Okay, Sweetie, let's head home into the teeth of a well-predicted blizzard, wearing shorts, sandals and Hawaiian shirts, in the middle of the night!

Sue

Im wondering how many stories like this it will take for people to smarten up and prepare and think befor they leave during winter. I do not think many people take winter seriously and the major problems that can arise from snow and ice storms. Its pretty pathetic how cocky people have become till the point they do not expect a single flawed day even with 4 feet of snow outside.

The cumulative effect on me of all these holiday horror stories is to exclaim: Home Sweet Home.

Or, at least: Car Sweet Car.

I have shunned Christmas and Thanksgiving airplane travel for years. It's been bad enough when a storm hasn't shut down major hubs -- the reverb of which affects the entire country.

DC had just a dusting from that storm, yet many residents' flights back here were cancelled. Neighbors rented a car to drive back from St. Louis rather than wait days for another flight with available seats.

No thanks.

Have a heart - 400 trapped on that one train alone, only one couple that we know of not dressed for the cold. No one does great in a situation like that, or likes it. I recall being unavoidably dropped in Minneapolis-St Paul on a trip back from DC - I was dressed and prepared for DC and Seattle weather, not the Twin Cities in February. If I had to leave the airport, I would have been pretty unprepared.

Another lesson how a minute of commuter prep would have made them so much more comfortable:

- Warm layers
- food
- water bottle
- tiny light
- book

A lot of people (vast majority) have been lulled into a trap by presuming that the trains and planes will always run on time; what's a little snow? Always dress for an extended stay in ambient conditions, even if you expect to only be outside your car or heated building interior for a few seconds. As the folks on the east coast have been brutally reminded, s*** happens.

I always drive these days and I take a lot of stuff. I might not be fully dressed for winter all the time while driving, but what I'm not wearing will be within reach inside the truck. I've been stuck in a subway and delayed at an airport in good weather; why would I (why should anyone) presume everything will run on schedule during a blizzard?

This hits the nail on the head.

And when traveling from a warm climate to a winter climate, (as these folks were), dress for the COLD climate, or at least have cold weather gear in your baggage.

"...at least have cold weather gear in your baggage."

I can almost see coming back from the Bahamas or somewhere in light clothing, but these people got to their CAR! Although it was December, they apparently had nothing useful in it -- no blankets or warm clothing or boots, etc.

I guess our Nanny Government has its drawbacks, eh?

Accidents happen, but MORE accidents happen with poor/no planning.

Sue

Air travel (in cold wx areas) rule #1: Don't check your coat. Always have hat, gloves, coat, etc. as part of your carry on. Yes, you may be boarding in sunny Cancun, but it's going to be cold when when you get there.

This philosophy really paid off big time when I arrived in Canada one day -- and my bags arrived the next.

HJ

Some people can learn from the mistakes of others. Other people have to learn the hard way first. The important thing is learning something.

Some people learn absolutely nothing from mishaps like the one in the original post. These people irritate me to no end, hard to be around.

"Dress to survive, not just arrive."

This is fairly close to a nightmare scenario. Cooped up with strangers whom you may or may not be able to trust; and in an urban desert where you can't lay your hands on resources to help yourself.

I've always been a fusspot about having adequate clothing, footwear, and a few minimal tools. I have never had reason to regret it.

I'm surprised that the first responders couldn't give them any materials. Even plastic sheeting and duct tape could have helped.

If any of us felt inclined to help the others in this situation, where would you start?

I've taken that same train twice this week alone. The article doesn't mention that the service on the A train is almost always awful, usually stops frequently for indeterminate lengths of time and almost always without explanation. The MTA handled this situation the same way they handle most - poorly.

NYC'ers typically treat weather the same way they treat most of the world: act like it doesn't exist because it doesn't impact them anyway (until it does).

Now THAT is an interesting question. Not only how would you help but who would you help?

I guess I'd give my hat to kid, maybe cut my scarf in two and give the pieces to other children. I keep a Heatsheet in my bag so that would be given to a family to huddle under (assuming my family wasn't there/didn't need it). A fire is always tempting but probably not safe in this situation.

-Blast

As the 24-hour mark rolls around, I think the fire option would become more appealing.

Even though it's probably unsafe, how would you make a fire in this situation? I don't mean how is it possible. I mean how would you construct a suitable fire given the available resources? What's the fuel? How do you provide adequate ventilation? What do you use to contain it?...etc.

According to the article they had access to a heated bathroom at the train station. They should also have been able to get a drink there. There was some heat on the trains, but it was feeble.

It is winter and has been very cold for weeks, probably most peops were wearing winter coats, scarves, gloves and hats. Would have been a good time for people to huddle.

Would not have been pleasant but it could have been a lot worse.

Once upon a time when a DC morning forecast of flurries turned into a foot of snow by early afternoon, I lived in Virginia and had to make it home via Metro (subway) and bus. Took six hours to go six miles. The trains were screwed up above ground and then our bus jack-knifed a mile from my place and we were left on our own to walk on the unplowed road. I had gone to work that morning wearing flats and nylons. Just as I was contemplating curling up in a snow drift to die, a woman I had never met pulled over and offered me a lift.

Never again trusted a forecast, especially not in the winter. Yet I haven't been carrying chemical and warmers in my purse. That would be a good plan -- hours of heat that takes little space.


Men would walk onto the platforms connecting subway cars and urinate onto the tracks. Eventually, the train workers allowed passengers into the bathroom inside the train station. When it turned out that bathroom was heated, it caused a commotion.

"One woman came back and said, 'Oh my God, the bathroom is SO warm,'" Mullen said. She was very excited. But the station had no heated space where the passengers could wait out the storm.

Twice, passengers called 911 and the Fire Department of New York responded. Passengers begged the emergency responders to take them away, but they were told they had to stay put, Mullen said.

Something like that happened to my little brother. He was traveling for work and he was in Cancun, was supposed to fly back to Florida(home) and then go to Steamboat Springs. Plans changed and he had to go directly from Cancun to Steamboat Springs. He had no cold weather clothes with him, his work shipped the tools and equipment along with cold weather clothes to the resort that he was working at. But that was a two hour drive from the airport. Said that as he was driving and looking UP at the snow piled along side of the road all he could think was that he hoped that the rental car wouldn't break down. Fortunately nothing happened, he finished his job there and made it home safely.

It was 40 degrees the week before. When they left their light jackets were appropriate. (Not that that's an excuse not to have some winter gear queued up just in case!)

Maybe Minnesotans are more paranoid than New Yorkers, but come October we start storing blankets and winter-weight outerwear in our vehicles...even after moving to Texas.

I wonder if years of hearing about global warming have made people think winter no longer exists? Did Al Gore used to say how snow was a thing of the past?

As for the heated bathroom, It was a small john just for use by the subway workers. There's no way you could stuff 400 people in it.

-Blast

Rather than inside the subway cars I'm thinking maybe in trashcans or something like that outside the cars. I suspect after a while people would find stuff to burn like magazines or books they had been reading. Hmmm, though a better use for those items would be to crumple up and "insulate" your clothing with them.

-Blast

This is an interesting and worthwhile question I think, better than the usual MacGuyver scenario anyway. Let's start with handwarmers, those 99 cent doohickeys you might keep in your pocket for a cold day - a definite comfort for 24 hours on a stalled train, and it would make you look like Prince Valiant to hand them out to your neighbors. A couple hand warmers kept near your core can keep you comfortable for a considerable period of time - which is good for you, but a godsend to the mother of three who otherwise is stressed and worried about her cold, shivering kids. Then consider something that alot of us keep in our BOBs - heat cells (www.heatcell.com) are inexpensive and an easy way to generate a lot of heat, particularly in an enclosed place such as a stalled car, or here maybe in a stalled train. Now if I was travelling anywhere except to/from the airport, I might have one of these in my daypack, and a lighter to ignite it, for hours of safe and relative comfort. But given that I'm coming from a TSA zone aka airport, I lack matches or a lighter, and most likely the heat cell too - although if I was shunted onto the train from my car, I take my BOB from the trunk while I make my way home, and I have a heat cell with me then. I'm convinced a functioning heat cell would make yours the most popular circle on any train. Those will burn for about 12 hours.

With or without sources of warmth, this scenario is a good one to work on your social networking skills, talking to and taking care of people around you - you never know when a bit of social cohesion might be required should the situation become more dire. And alot of folks can be away from their meds (diabetes, anti-psychotic etc) - rally help for them. You want people around you talking and listening and contributing to solving problems like food to eat, warmth, and a bit of safety to get a few winks sleep etc.

Common lighters and matches are legal in a TSA zone in CARRY-ON luggage.

Don't take my word for it though...
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_multi_image_with_table_0099.shtm

Unfortunately that official information is only correct in theory. Lighters and matches are only allowed (legal or not) if the TSA agents on duty when you pass through say they are. I have lost several allowed lighters and finger nail clippers in airports despite the published policies.

As for those stranded on the train - life is pretty much a come as you are event. I would probably go with life boat rules and try to help kids and women first. Given the very limited amount of stuff I have on me for my commute that wouldn't go very far but I'd feel better about helping out some kids even while I sat around shivering.

Even if I had the tools, I don't think I would consider a fire unless someone was seriously distressed (not just uncomfortable). Fire is a great tool but around the unwary it can help things go from bad to worse very quickly.

- Eric

Agreed on that, good observations - you're not in charge in this scenario either, its not your environment to burn, so if the conductor says put it out, it goes out. Its their job if your small fire sets a bigger one. A good approach might be to show the heat cell to the guy in charge, describe how it works, where you'll set it, and that you'll supervise it while the kids huddle around to get warm. These days they'll probably call up to a supervisor, and they'll say no - but it doesn't hurt to tell the higher ups that the folks are cold enough to try marginally unsafe things. FWIW though heat cells are designed to work on the dashboard of your car, they are pretty darn safe, and they are designed not to spread flames if tipped over etc.

You'd have to stretch reality quite a bit to put me on any elevated train in snow conditions, in Queens, with or without a lighter, much less a heat cell. Closer to home I travel far differently, and the ambient conditions are a good bit more pleasant than a NYC snowstorm.

Most won't, no matter how many stories they hear. Giving away our personal responsibility has been become a way of life in our society. I used to be Fire Warden in a large office tower and it constantly amazed me when people would head downstairs for a smoke break or fire alarm, wearing only the light, inside clothes on their backs. The jackets, no keys or purses, just an attitude of "They need to hurry the *&#$ up so I can get back in where it's warm and dry." It was like a game. I can only imagine how these same people pack for a longer journey.

My FIL summed it up best over the holidays. Taking about the people stranded in Southern Ontario a couple of weeks ago (a mere hop, skip and a jump from our neck of the woods) he claimed it was "just a freak thing and the authorities should have been better prepared." "They never should have left those people out there that long!" is his battle cry. It hurts my head!

That's the case for anything you're carrying. The important point is that common lighters and matches are legal in carry-on luggage. I can't worry about every little whim of every TSA security personnel. The best I can sanely do is know the law and proceed accordingly. I'll take my chances that I may lose about a dollar's worth of gear. A mini Bic is about a dollar, and matches are even less than that.

Your experience is different than mine. I just got back from an international trip where TSA security was a notch higher, including more check points. I had in my carry-on a lighter and other legal items. I'm a big guy who was wearing cargo pants and a military-style sun hat. I was not stopped once. I have also carried a lighter on national flights without being stopped. It's funny to note that TSA confiscated a sea shell that my fiance (right in front of me) had in her carry-on.

What works for me is ignoring rumors, directly reading the TSA prohibited list for myself, and knowing what's on me. I also make sure not to set off the body scanner. If a person gets pulled aside for a body search, it's likely that some legal items will be confiscated from the person's carry-on bags. That has happened to my dad on more than one occasion.

That's why I tend to purchase a lighter *after* I get through security. Won't work for some small airports that don't have concessions inside security, but most larger ones do.

-john

I will continue to carry my lighters, which I have been carrying legally for awhile without confiscation. If TSA decides to confiscate my lighter, then I'll lose a mini Bic that's costs about a dollar.

I still carry what the website says is legal, bics and clippers are cheap and easy to replace, I just wanted to point out that circumstances can take them away from you. The specific circumstance (TSA) is based on my experiences. I'm a pretty large person and dress very casual, even for business travel. I don't set off the metal detector either. I also know what I have in my bag and if an agent asks about something specific (lighter, clippers, tools) I'll tell them what I have and where it is at. Most of the time I get things back, sometimes I don't.

- Eric