Tips for SkyTrain at Newark Airport

This seems like a good tip for traveling through Newark…

Many people have horror stories about riding the SkyTrain at Newark Airport.  It has a tendency to get stuck between stations, or to lock customers in and shuttle them around endlessly like cows in a claustrophobic boxcar.  Here are my tips:

• The attendants can’t really help you.  They can radio ahead to have the software (Polsoft v1.0) on the trains rebooted, but that doesn’t help.
• The driver can’t help you.
• The emergency call buttons don’t work.  Even when the train is operating smoothly, nobody is going to answer when you push that button.  Try it.
• However, you CAN help yourself.  Each train car has two enclosed brake activators near the bottom of the seats.  Simply break the plastic cover and pull the brake.  When this happens, the train will be unable to move any further, and the doors of the train car can easily be pulled open.  The doors at the station can easily be open by pushing the lever handle and pulling.  Then you can be on your way.
• When the train is mechanically prevented from moving forward, putting an abrupt end to the driver’s joyride, he will probably run away as fast as possible, like a guilty dog who has just peed on your shoe.  The attendants similarly stay as far away as possible from any human contact.  It won’t matter, though, because you’ll be too busy accepting accolades from your grateful fellow passengers to pay attention to the driver and attendants.

[Better Living Through Software]