[lobster_johnson]

I've never been bothered by that (and as others point out, the L is automated, anyway). What I'd like to know is why, when the L reaches the 8th Ave stop in Manhattan, the operator waits 10 seconds after coming to a full stop before opening the doors. The train has already stopped, so this seems unnecessary.

There's also this weird thing where, while the train is sitting there waiting to return the opposite way back to Brooklyn, they close all the subway doors except one in each carriage. It doesn't prevent people from getting on.

[alexhutcheson]

> There's also this weird thing where, while the train is sitting there waiting to return the opposite way back to Brooklyn, they close all the subway doors except one in each carriage. It doesn't prevent people from getting on.

My understanding is that it's to keep the subway cars relatively climate-controlled. Especially in the summer, it's better not to let all the cool air from the AC leak out the open doors.

[jrockway]

They do this at every terminal. I have no idea why.

[lobster_johnson]

I found an answer here [1], via a Reddit thread [2] (where the answers are apparently gone):

    I won't go into details, but if the conductor wants to exit
    the train and leave the doors open at the terminal, he needs 
    to walk to the next car at the last stop in order to open
    the doors, which is why there's a short delay before they
    open. If the doors open immediately at the last stop, then
    it means the train is either going to go to the yard, or the
    crew is going to manually key open one door per car (which
    is only done if the train is going to sit there for at least
    10 minutes, and helps the air comfort system).

[1] http://www.ibtimes.com/mta-worker-goes-underground-share-sub...

[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/kx5fa/iama_new_york_c...

[jrockway]

Very interesting. I definitely always hear the conductor moving between cars at the last stop but I never connected that to being why the doors can't be opened.

I think it's funny that the train's computer knows it's the last stop and announces that fact to the passengers... but the conductor has to manually override some sort of system before he or she can exit the train.