Secure That Door... oooppsss....

In this post 9-11 world where we are encouraged to report suspicious activity or packages, have our bags scanned as we enter office buildings and need to take off our shoes before boarding a flight... this morning's train ride had me trying to figure out just what Metro North was doing.

I boarded the last car (#8800) of an early morning train to GCT and sat near the back of the car. A conductor stayed at the back of the train making announcements through East Norwalk when he headed forward to check tickets. What surprised me was that he left the door to the control room open. Not just open, propped open with a red piece of wood. Propped open in a manner like this was his normal practice. Now, I don't know what a passenger could do in the rear control room of a travelling Metro North Railroad train... but it probably shouldn't be open.

The conductor? He never returned. For over an hour that I was on the train, that door stayed propped open.

What happened when we got to Grand Central? As each commuter filed out, some guy in an orange safety vest boarded, went into the control room and hit a bunch of buttons and switches. Horn sounded. Outside train lights went off. Door stayed propped open. That didn't phase him... more like it was standard practice.

When we secure our cockpits shouldn't Metro North secure our train control rooms?

Today's pics:

1. Door with prop at end of car
2. Close up of the open door
3. Moving through the Bronx... scenery change in background
4. In the tunnel to GCT
5. From a different angle once stopped
6. View from outside, red wood prop clearly visible