Trip report: Staten Island Railway 1.19.07

Allow me to describe an enjoyable trip on the Staten Island Rapid Transit to Tottenville and return, Wednesday, January 17. Of course, these observations will be nothing new to some readers, and I may have errors. The NYCsubway.org site has a more full description.
The crowd dashed off the ferry for the connecting buses and train. Paid Metrocard fare, boarded four-car train, second car #460, built 1973 or so. With 30-minute headway (1:33 pm), we had a good crowd, but more got on at Tompkinsville and twenty more at Stapleton. Except for fare collection at St. George, it is a free ride, $2 cheaper than the parallel and slower bus routes.
Seven boarded at Clifton. At 1:42 a northbound (B&O westbound) passed. Eight on at Grasmere, where a bus to Bay Ridge is a poor imitation of the planned connection to Fourth Avenue, Brooklyn. Three boarded at Old Town, 7 at Dongan Hills, two at Jefferson Avenue. I noticed roadside markers, large yellow inverted triangles bearing the letter A. Meaning?
I expected empty seats at New Dorp, but six more got on, then seven schoolboys from Msgr Farrell HS at Oakwood Heights. (I recall a grade crossing adjacent to Farrell when it was being built c. 1961.) Many off, zero on at Great Kills. 1:57, another northbound. Much of the route has high, strong fencing, some being installed near Eltingville. Sixteen were still in the car when we sped from Annadale to Huguenot, finding trailing point sidings (for work trains?), one on each side between Huguenot and Prince's Bay. By Nassau, we had eight still aboard. Our doors remained closed at Atlantic. 2:15 arrived at Tottenville.
------
About 1948, Dad and I rode to Tottenville, took the ferry, and hiked what seemed like a huge distance through Perth Amboy to the Pennsy or CNJ connection (NY and Long Branch).
-----
I have posted some photos at this link http://flickr.com/search/?q=sitrip
When you click on each photo, more info and links appear.
Joe

Re: that sign you saw; the letter A in the yellow triangle. According to the SIRT signal chart, rule 292 it is called an "advance-signal sign". And the definition is: "Fully equipped trains proceed governed by cab-signal indications. All other trains proceed approaching next signal prepared to stop, still obeying signal aspect displayed and/or instructions received at previous location. Trains exceeding Medium Speed must reduce to that speed".

I'm surprised you could see those signs, since you can't see out the front of SIRT trains if I remember right. Sounds like you had a good ride though.

Head end view: A great location you give! Oh, how I hate those dark windows on the M-7 and the other obstacles put in the way of the railfan, just as I recall on some New York Central M-U's of the 1940's.
------
I think it was R-44 466 that had a clear peep-hole for watching the view forward. No coat or cardboard covering it. And no polarized glass.
I must, must get myself a ride in a front car on the New Haven before that too goes dark-window.
Joe

BellSt; sounds like you had a great day! The one round-trip ride I took on SIRT in the last 20 years, the front view was completely blocked off. I haven't had much luck on the New Haven line the last 10 years either. Unfortunately on the mid-day trains they often have the first and sometimes the last pair of cars closed off, with only the middle cars open to the public. After running into that a few times, I gave up. You might have better luck on a rush-hour train; all cars are probably open then, but you'll have to pay the peak-hour fare.