In a letter to MTA New York City Transit President Howard Roberts Jr., Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) demanded that the NYCT exert more stringent protocols for maintaining subway stations. “With an MTA budget crisis looming and the specter of imminent fare hikes….it is shocking that a 14-year-old boy was nearly killed on the tracks of a northbound Q train on January 28th, 2008, after the platform crumbled beneath him,” wrote Hikind. The Assemblyman was joined today by the badly bruised and traumatized yeshiva teen and his mother – at a press conference. The teen refuses to ride the subway, too terrified by his near-death experience.
The slightly-built teen was on his way home from yeshiva at about 6:15 p.m. As he waited for the subway on Kings Highway and East 16th Street, the wood-framed lip beneath him cracked, gave way and he stumbled five feet onto the train tracks. He scrambled to his feet and tried repeatedly to pull himself onto the platform. It was dark; the platform light directly overhead was out. He struggled desperately and then with a final burst of energy he pulled himself to safety with only seconds to spare before the train crushed him. His yarmulke remains on the tracks.
“I have gone to inspect the station and the site of the accident,” Hikind says, “and the appalling state of disrepair is outrageous; the wooden lip which runs horizontally along the platform is clearly rotted and is disintegrating on both the northbound and southbound sides of the station. Will it take a tragedy for the emergency repairs to be undertaken? The MTA must be able to ensure the safety of its riders and makeshift stopgap maintenance with target reconstruction dates months or years in the future are endangering millions of subway riders every day. What if a senior had toppled on to the tracks? The result could have been catastrophic. We cannot wait for tragedy to strike. How many other stations are in similar egregious condition?
“New Yorkers know that if the administrative offices of the MTA had rotted floorboards, they would be replaced immediately. One and a half billion riders deserve the same guarantees for their safety and security. The stations throughout the system must be inspected routinely and maintenance be conducted expeditiously before more people get hurt.”
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16 Responses
Any pictures? Any articles in any major news media?
Would it have been too much trouble to mention the name of the subway station??
Which station had this occured at?
The station is Kings Highway as stated. B and Q trains. The lip of the platform is clearly in extreme disrepair as anyone can see: http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/stations?193:3201
“…with only seconds to spare before the train crushed him.” You mean, of course, “…before the train WOULD HAVE crushed him”.
I have no doubt that they would fix the office floors with something fancy and expensive, as befitting a business, of course, but it’s pretty pathetic that they could leave in place a rotting wooden platform edge in a place where thousands of people trod daily.
Thank you Dov, for acting once again on behalf of your constituents. While you’re at it, perhaps you can bring to the attention of the MTA, the horrible state the 18th Ave (McDonald station) is in. I worry about the huge pipes under the tracks that are constantly leaking (besides from the pigeons) and all the insulation around the pipes that is disintegrated ( I wonder if that is not asbestos). Taxes are at a premium, fare hikes constantly being Ok’d, what are WE getting for it?
How large is this wood lip,just curious if there’s a yellow line painted to tell you to keep back.Not trying to blame anybody,just trying to see the whole picture here!
Which pictures on the website show disrepair? The information is as of about 2 12 years ago or more. Some of the information is now wrong. te north exit can be use – but only with metrocards. When metrocard machines came in most of the closed exits were re-opened. theer are a few closed exits remaining in the subway system – one is 43rd Street and New Utrecht Avenue on the D line.
By the way, the D train used to run on the brighton line but now it is the B train and the B train used to run on the West End line (New Utretcht Avenue) but that was reversed when Stillwell avenue was reopned to all trains around 2005 or so.
What is missing from this artile is the date this event happened.
Here in Chicago, there are many safety issues with the rail system of the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority). Among them:
1. Tracks are not in the required alignment in several places, due to failure to check them weekly, as required by Federal regulations. This has resulted in at least two derailments, one with over 100 injuries. To “remedy” the problem, they have instituted numerous “slow zones” (as derailments are less likely at 5 to 10 mph than at 50 mph). Shouldn’t they conduct weekly inspections and do immediate repairs?
2. Unlike New York and other cities with similar rapid transit systems, Chicago never covers the third (electrified) rail. Someone who falls accidentally or is pushed, will die immediately (R”L) upon contact.
The scariest aspect of the CTA for me is that it is run by a Chiloni Sabra who proudly proclaims in interviews that he works seven days weekly “including Saturdays.” (Please note that he says Shabbos; if he had said Sunday, it would not sound as bad.)
# 11:
a) There was always more than enough money for painting and decorating stations, for construction projects that were not essential (like lengthening platforms), and for maintaining “armies” of “supervisors” who would do nothing all day but listen to their radios (I hope their official radio, not commercial public radio stations).
b) What bothers me is not that the CTA president is irreligious (if he were a “Tinok SheNishba”); rather that he is openly anti-religious (LeHachis).
#10. Thanks for your interesting information, and, most importantly, for the potentially life-saving information that the 3rd rail is not covered.
This is, IMHO, a terrible design flaw, that should be corrected immediately, system-wide. I understand that nobody belongs on the tracks to begin with, but if someone were to, G-d forbid, fall or whatever, the covering could save his/her life.
And the solution to the budget crisis, in the infinite wisdom of our dear governer, is to give free rides to all seniors, regardless of means or any other consideration. If you’re short on funds, the give away your product for free!! That’s how he thinks he’ll stay out of jail. Because everyone knows that seniors vote in higher percentages than the general popluation, and he wants to curry favor with them.
Hey, how did this story on the Q-line on Kings Highway end up on the Chicago EL?
# 11:
If a Jew openly proclaims that he is Mechalel Shabbos, it becomes BeFarhesia; particularly in his case, because (I am told) he also appears on television on Shabbos and Yom Tov.
LeHalachah according to the RAMBAM — based on a Gemara in Maseches Chulin — “HaMechalel Shabbos BEFARHESIA KeIlu Ovaid Avodah Zarah!”
Who is his lawyer?
yona65 thanks for the link, i certainly hope he was not standing on lip