I have read a lot of posts about an earthquake last night. While I didn’t feel the quake itself, its effects were made known to me.
I got caught in the bart Powell station closing last night so I ended up at Civic Center and grabbing a bite at Burger King instead of standing with the mobs on the platforms hoping for a train. I rejoined the slightly lesser mob an half-hour later and waited for a train. They were single tracking because of the close down. 15 minutes for inward trains to go by, then we get two Dublin/Pleasanton trains, then more inward bound trains. Half an hour after the last outward bound train we get a Pittsburg/Bay Point which of course we fill.
As we go along, Lo, we stop at the Powel station. It has re-opened again. And the speaker comes on telling us we are being held in place due to an earthquake while they check equipment and tracks for damages. Grrr Arrrg.
I get of at 12th street to switch to a Richmond train. We have been told over and over that there is one right behind the train behind us. And have another 15 minute wait for it to show up. And right after I get on it, another one shows up on the other platform.
I did miss the event that closed down Powel only getting stuck in the mess afterwards. I do have to say bart employees were doing a good job moving people around and giving information. I was sort of surprised. And being me, I wanted to help. It was a huge job in Line Control.
I also missed what sounded like a cool earthquake. I haven’t been in California long enough to not enjoy the stupid things. That will probably happen when stuff of mine (or me) gets damaged. We will see.
I have stayed at work playing solitaire for longer than it took me to get home last night but spending that time stuck waiting for transit is much much more frustrating. All I wanted was to get home. Waaaaa.
We were sitting in a movie theater watching Nightmare Before X-mas in 3-d! I find that ironic and funny.
ah well
it’s interesting how far away this one was felt, Santa Rosa and Manteca are the farthest points I’ve heard so far.
When it first started I thought it was me, that something was wrong with me that everything was moving slightly, that I was going to die like Elvis…
Then things got loud and jerky and I thought, oh god there’s a lot of glass around and above me, I could still die…
Obviously that didn’t happen.
Glad you’re well, and just be thankful you weren’t in the middle of the transbay tube because they always, always stop the trains for a few minutes to assess possible damage, and coasting to a stop in the tube sucks big time.
Re: ah well
I have been stuck in the tube before when they have been checking things out I think and it isn’t bad. It is frustrating when they don’t tell you what is going on and why you are stopped when you are in the tube. I find it more frustrating to be at a platform and the doors are closed. There is the option to get out but they won’t let you and don’t give you info.
When they announce that they are checking for earthquake damage and it will be 5 minutes, then I just sit back and read some more. Of course that night I had already done the “sit back and read more” a number of times and that button was getting very worn out. So I had “I wanna go home” chanting in the back ground over and over as I read. At least my book didn’t run out. That happened the next day and I only had two stops left to go.