Unclaimed Wheelchair leads to Unexpected "Miracle"

Let me contribute here. Many years ago, I was in charge if the lost & found in Grand Central Terminal. There was an abandonded wheelchair that wound up there & left unclamed for several months.

At the time, my dad was termilally ill & sent home...you can guess the rest why, so we could have used the wheelchair to help the guy get around & save a few bucks. I asked my boss if I could have it & he said ok.

After spending a few quid at McCanns saloon after work, it was time to go to my folks home in Woodside & drop off the wheelchair.

So with a serious buzzer on, I bring the wheelchair on to the 7 train at Grand Central for my trip to 61 st. in Woodside, Queens. I get on the last car & its already crowded but im able to maneuver the wheelchair up against the rear window of the last car. No seat?? no problem! I unfold the chair & have a seat up against the RFW door.

So Im sittin down there in my comfy wheelchair & crowds come & go. By the time we got to Rawson St, there was a much different crowd on the train than what left Grand Central. Im sitin there mindin my buisness when we get close to 61st Woodside. "61st Woodside next stop, change for the LIRR downstairs" the conductor barks over the tinny pa system that the R36 train car's had then.

So as we start braking for my stop, I calmly get up, fold up the wheelchair & head for the soon to be opened last set of double doors of the 11th car.

At that moment, eyes open, jaws & newspapers drop & one overemotional hispanic woman shreaks," Oh MY God... then something in slurred spanish..then another Oh MY god" & she starts blessing herself.

Then she starts tugging the arm of the guy next to her & screams" he can walk now..he can walk now!! a miracle here..now..!!"
As the doors close, I blow her a kiss thru the window from the plarform & give her a hand gestured sign of the cross.

Then went to Sweenys downstairs, had a night cap & savored thinking of the "miricle" this woman went to bed that night thinking she saw.

Remember that like it was yesterday.

--Fisk Ave Jim

Fearless Train Drives strait through Flames in Queens

About 30 years ago a friend and I were on the 7 train heading to Shea Stadium. The train stopped on the curve over the rail yards between Hunters Point and Courthouse Square.
There was a tanker truck on fire under the el.
The flames were shooting up between the ties ahead of us.
Then the train started moving again and we went right through the fire.
We made the stop at Courthouse Square and continued on to Queensborough Plaza. At Queensborough Plaza a supervisor of some kind got on the train and yelled at the motorman. But the motorman wasn't taken out of service. We kept going and got to the game on time.
--Merrick

flames leaping up from underneath the track? no problem!