Subway or train?

[KenPerry]

Hi everyone! Do you often travel by public transport? Which one would you prefer: subway or train? And why? Personally, I would say I like traveling by train because I can get to enjoy the views and landscape. I can also have snacks and food service served.

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by KenPerry

Hi everyone! Do you often travel by public transport? Which one would you prefer: subway or train? And why? Personally, I would say I like traveling by train because I can get to enjoy the views and landscape. I can also have snacks and food service served.

first of all -- welcome!

technically of course a subway is a train. in fact out here in 'ol ny no one really even calls it the subway that much, they just say i took the train. that covers any and all rail transportation.

but to answer your question, yes for sure i prefer the outdoor views, be it via elevated subway, or commuter train, or amtrak, or whatever.

one of my occasional commutes is taking the mnrr upstate alongside the hudson and looking out over the river and the nj and nys palisades, which is very, very, nice!

[harryc]

In Chicago we have 3 classes of rail - Heavy Amtrack/Metra - heavy Electric ( IC ), and the El , which is partly subway, partly elevated.

I am glad that my commute is on one of the elevated sections.

Chicago by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

1400 W Randolph - Chicago by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

900 W Randolph - Chicago by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

[SIGSEGV]

sadly the commuter train I ride (Metra Electric) has neither food, and spends a bunch of time in a trench, avoiding views. I'd get a better view on the "subway" (Green Line), but it's not as fast or comfortable and doesn't keep to a schedule as well.

[Busy Bee]

Specific to NY is the letter and number naming of lines and services which leads many to say "I took the F train" or "take the 7 out to CitiField" or "I took the train to Willets Point" even though that's referring to the LIRR, as well as "I took the train at 2am and I was piss drunk". Chicagoans might say "Take the Red Line to Wrigley" just as naturally as "Take the train to Wrigley" or "I was on the L at 2am and I was piss drunk"... Doesn't really matter, the vast majority of people know what you're talking about.

I suspect things may be a bit more orthodox overseas with Londoners specifically calling the Tube "the Tube" or the "Underground" and not using that interchangeably with other urban services like Overground or something, regardless of whether either is in a tunnel or in daylight. Same with the German countries where U-Bahn is a specific thing and S-Bahn another even if rolling stock isn't drastically different.

[casper]

Originally Posted by mrnyc

first of all -- welcome!

technically of course a subway is a train. in fact out here in 'ol ny no one really even calls it the subway that much, they just say i took the train. that covers any and all rail transportation.

but to answer your question, yes for sure i prefer the outdoor views, be it via elevated subway, or commuter train, or amtrak, or whatever.

one of my occasional commutes is taking the mnrr upstate alongside the hudson and looking out over the river and the nj and nys palisades, which is very, very, nice!

Subway is an interesting and subjective term for a system. In Vancouver the rapid transit system is called Skytrain. The first line in the system made extensive use of elevated guiderails and as a result we ended up with that name. Today much of it is underground. The two larger lines use the same linear induction motor technology as the JFK Airtrain. The third line uses more conventional subway cars.

We also have WestCoast Express, the commuter rail service. Being double decker units, less congested, with a cappuccino stand in one of the cars it does provide a nice experience.