Subway legal twists
Sidetrack reports more strange goings-on in the New York subway. Passengers at 50th Street can now stop off for a beer at the Siberia bar - which dodges MTA’s policy of not renting space to alcohol-vendors by being, technically, in the building upstairs.
While the Siberia may be getting round MTA regulations, passengers should think twice when taking a train seat. Revival of a 1940 law making it an offence to occupy more than one seat saw 31 000 fines of US$50 issued last year.
Dog’s breakfast
The biological hazard of fallen leaves may not affect metros, though rats and mice can cause problems for signalling engineers. But on February 5 services on Line 4 in Paris suffered canine disruption for about an hour. According to La Vie du Rail, the dog, believed to be an Alsatian, first appeared on the track at Etienne Marcel at 07.50 heading towards Porte de Clignancourt; capture attempts came to nothing. Later, the dog was seen at Gare du Nord, followed closely by a train whose driver was assisted in his efforts not to run the beast over by a woman armed with a broom. At Porte de Clignancourt, needless to say, the chien de fer vanished.
Once bittern
Anglia Railways has selected the name ’Bittern Line’ for its Norwich - Sheringham branch from suggestions made in a public competition. Amongst more conventional proposals like ’The Poppy Line’ and ’The Broads Line’ there were offbeat names including ’The Fishing Line’ and ’The Crab & Winkle Line’. The winner was, appropriately, a Mr Peacock
