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AMBI: Train #7 fades (3 sec)
This is the Number 7 Train that connects Woodside and Sunnyside neighborhoods to the rest of New York.
AMBI: Train 1 Sec- fades
It's also the sound neighbors and business owners in Queens want to hear on weekends - especially St. Patrick's Day. Riding the 7 train on weekends has been horrendous since the beginning of March. The Metropolitan Transit Authority says the delays are due to construction… now underway on the number 7 line.
Janet Remack lives in Sunnyside. She says residents were told to rely on busses.
SOT: Forget it. You can't relay on those buses. They went so few and far between. To support that they put shuttle buses on, but big whoop. That only adds to the traffic jam trying to get to the city. 7 line is all we have that connects us to New York. With out that that is a life line to this community. Fade
Bar and restaurant owners say that if the MTA does not resume the life line, their St Patrick's Day business will be affected. Kieran is a bar tender at Saints and Sinners in Woodside. He says train commuters are the bulk of their business.
SOT: We are only a block away from the train station. That is where we get our activities coming from the train. We got all these drunk people coming out of the city. (9sec)
With Saint Patrick's Day falling on a Saturday this year, business owners expect especially big crowds. Carl Campbell is a bartender in Coucou's Nest Bar in Queens. He thinks many people are exaggerating the problem that the 7 train service disruption pose to business. He says people will find a way to get to the city to see one of the nation's most famous parades.
SOT: Anybody that goes to the parade…Irish guys, Irish girls are going to make their way in to the city, any of which way. They got the L, A, W, R, they got Taxies, I would not be surprised if they walk the 59th street bridge. If they want to go to the parade, they will make it to the parade. (12sec)
AMBI: bar 2sec fade
SOT: My name is Ronan Rodgers from Sean Og's. the subway will have no effect on St. Patrick's day. Absolutly Zero effect. St. Patrick's Day is a renowned day for drinking and celebrating and the fact that a small inconvenience on the subway has no effect on that day at all. (12sec)
Two weeks ago, residents and business owners rallied to protest the service disruption. The MTA said it will consider running the train on St. Partrick's day. Kieran, the bartender from Saints and Sinners says he and his colleagues think the Subway Authority will pull through for them…
SOT: They're not going to disrupt the train service. We gonna be ok. It's fingers crossed. Other wise it is going to be a quite St. Patrick's Day. (11sec) .
Other residents may not be so forgiving if it winds up being a subdued Saint Patty's. Janet Remack of Sunnyside says the 7 train better be running or else…
SOT: they are going to find a bunch of Irish mad men in front of Bloomberg's house because they can not get away with that…(fade)
But most agree that nothing will stop the Irish in Queens from joining with friends to drain the Shamrocks.
Henok Fente, Columbia Radio News