The job of a conductor on a New
York City subway train is a voyage into the heart of darkness.
by
Daniel Attila
I was
born in Hungary, from which I escaped in 1982 at age 18. I settled in New York
in 1984 with the intention of becoming an artist, but after nearly a decade of
struggle I realized I might never make it. In 1993 I enrolled in the City
University of New York, while I supported myself for four years as a conductor
on New York City subway trains. There can be only a few jobs that so quickly
introduce an immigrant to the realities of multi-racialism. Beneath the streets
of New York I have seen and done things that very few whites will — I hope —
ever see or do.
Conductors
operate the doors of trains, make announcements, give information to the
passengers, and oversee the safety of people on trains and platforms. Most of
the time they stay in a small compartment, or cab, in the middle car of the
train. There are many cities that operate subways with only a driver, but New
York City is a challenging place, where putting only one person on the train
would expose the system to violence and chaos……
To Read More…..
Face to Face With Race: Part I
Face to Face With Race: Part II
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