Emergency Brake

Today I am on the 6 train when someone pulls the emergency brake. Let me start off by saying I do not know how you actually even pull the emergency brake. It must be some lever or button I sure have never noticed before. According to some of my coworkers though who have been born and raised here, pulling the e-brake used to apparently a lot easier to do.

Anyways we are speeding along our merry way and suddenly the whole car shudders violently and lurches forward. The car only being moderately crowded, everyone goes flying forward. Bodies in wool business coats, briefcases, everything goes sprawling. There is a big unsettling thud on the tracks below us.

A muffled chorus rings out as everyone starts mumbling apologies to those around them for accidentally body slamming each other. Five minutes pass as people continue to brush themselves off and look about. Then the train starts again, without incident. I actually was very surprised how short we were stopped for. For all of the millions of times I have been delayed on the subway for seemingly no reason, something actually happens and finally things are handled efficiently.