If you are reading this missive from underground, where you have been trapped like a rat (with the actual rats) on one of the many subway lines currently experiencing unbounded, sweaty chaos, my sincere apologies: All hell has broken loose on our ailing transit system, resulting in extreme delays across the board. For evidence, please see the NYCT Subway Twitter feed, which has been spitting out delay announcements at a steady and alarming rate all morning.

For reference, all but four lines are *currently* engulfed in chaos. (If the MTA is to be believed, which...is it?) Since about 8:40 a.m., the 4/5/6 has run with delays thanks to a signal malfunction between Union Square-14th Street and Spring Street, causing 5 trains to reroute along the 2 line, which in turn has caused delays on the 2/3. Apparently, the MTA did not update its arrival clocks to reflect the change, causing due consternation among commuters.

Are you going to update your countdown clocks for any degree of accuracy with this delay? — Casey (@primalmusic) September 7, 2018

Signal problems at Canal Street also mean that C trains are running express between Canal and Columbus Circle-59th Street. The entire A/C/E has been delayed as a result. Signal problems at Court Square-23rd Street have also seeded mayhem on the F, M, and R lines.

On top of all that (which, as you may have guessed, means delays for everyone), a someone was struck by a train at Ocean Parkway this morning, rerouting Q trains along the N line between Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue and Dekalb Avenue. It seems as though the J/Z also ran into some hiccups this morning, but those have allegedly been resolved. (????)

I know that's a lot to absorb, so here's a little taste of what all that nonsense looks like in real life: A mind-bogglingly long line to even get onto the fully packed, Uptown 4/5/6 platform at Union Square (incidentally, the city's hottest—especially on days when each and every square foot has been crammed with human flesh).

@NYCTSubway wtf is happening with the 4/5/6 uptown trains at 14th st that there’s a LINE TO GET ON THE PLATFORM pic.twitter.com/poUgGWosr1 — Morgan (@thistleraven) September 7, 2018 Oh look since people are frantically trying to get to work look whats happened, prices went up. No city cabs in sight, so back to trying to get to work via the subway. pic.twitter.com/XmIhTfJbwN — Morgan (@thistleraven) September 7, 2018

The crowd-induced anxiety is crushing, even from my remote blogging vantage.

dear @MTA I hope the humidity on this platform doesn’t effect the health of any commuters as we wait for our DELAYED subway. pic.twitter.com/XUwbVw3y6N — Daniel Kraus (@rabbidkraus) September 7, 2018

So heartening when the MTA appears to simply give up estimating. THE TRAINS ARE NEVER COMING.

@NYCTSubway what’s happening on the 6th Avenue line right now? I’m on an F heading uptown that’s not moving because of “congestion.” This is after being stuck on a C due to signal problems at Canal. This is really unacceptable. — Caitlin McGarry (@Caitlin_McGarry) September 7, 2018

Conveniently enough, it would seem the MTA has not been particularly timely in its delay and service change updates, adding an extra layer of frustration to this hellscape.

@NYCTSubway why is the uptown 6 train sitting at Astor? You haven’t tweeted about it and app doesn’t say it’s delayed, but here I am delayed. — Polly Mosendz (@polly) September 7, 2018

Continue to tweet your questions, comments, and concerns to the MTA, but also, maybe save a few words for the man who actually controls the subway: Gov. Andrew Cuomo, despite his recent protestations to the contrary. Maybe considering CCing him on any and all subway-related complaints you may air in public.

Hey @NYGovCuomo please explain to me why I was stuck underground for two hours on the D line tonight and not given an option to get off the train. How is that safe? There are no excuses fir this or the state of our subways. The @MTA deserves repair and expansion.@Gothamist — Elise Omaits (@eliseomaits) September 7, 2018

And good luck down there, everyone. You'll make it out one day!

If you found this commute frustrating, tell your state representatives and Governor Cuomo to stop robbing the MTA of badly needed funding and figure out a way to come up with more cash for a 21st Century transit system.

