Conductor Harry Nugent - Watch The Closing Doors

Harry Nugent was arguably the most beloved subway conductor of all time. His well timed, funny and informative announcements made passengers smile with delight. This filmed piece is the last of three from the 5-25-1990 airing of 'The Eleventh Hour' hosted by Robert Lipsyte on Channel 13. To see the full episode and credits, click here.

Now they say 'Stand Clear of the Closing Doors', better than 'Watch the Closing Doors'. The door closing chime makes saying anything redundant. Just more verbiage to dilute the effective delivery of other messages. The people that this is directed at would no more heed a spoken warning than a fare beater hearing 'Pay your fare'! Old Harry had it right, he simply said 'Doors are closing'. More proof of his mindfulness of the passenger experience. Now, conductors are forbidden even to speak in the seconds that the train is arriving in the station. The reason: to reduce the chance that the the doors without the train being properly berthed at the platform.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• NYCTA
• metro
• subway
• underground
• IRT
• 7th
• Avenue
• local
• R-62.

[jsteeber]

Ah yes... I remember him well. He announced on the IRT #1. His syntax and approach were startling to passengers used to a begrudging mumble marking each station stop. "Bound on our odysee to to South Ferry, we find Lincoln Center, the Juilliard School, Avery Fisher Hall, and the Mormon Center..."

It was real New York. Lots of people tried to force down their smiles - without success.

[trainluvr]

Good comment. My best example of a live conductor speaking is near the end of my R-40 Wazoo video. Ed Crew is another one that deserves to be documented for his announcing skills.

[RandolfeWicker]

This is a charming video. I had a bad experience with a bus driver a couple weeks ago. Late for a dinner invitation, I hopped on a crosstown bus just because it was there & I was a little late.

I kept trying to put my senior citizen metro card into the slot & it kept giving me a "wrong way" signal. I must have tried four times or more & finally asked the bus driver what was wrong?

He told me I was using my drivers license by mistake. Friends said he'd gotten off watching me as entertainment.

[trainluvr]

Nothing about what passengers do entertain these guys. They just want to get home on time and in one piece. He was probably tired and figured you would figure out the problem yourself. Sounds like your friends didn’t exactly jump to your aid to try to move things along faster for everybody.

[PabloM201]

Hey, whats that song in the beginning?!

[VASQUJA]

@keithsy75 @keithsy75 On the contrary, actually. Transit works are not respected because they are seen as unhelpful, uncompassionate, and sometimes plain rude. And you're assuming that the handful of people who said great things about his man are lonely? Also, what NYC law states you can't tell people where things are? He's not on a sightseeing bus, and conductors get asked these kinds of questions all the time. What backwards alternate dimension did you slither from?

[restlessdesign]

@keithsy75 Because today's transit workers are so much more interesting and kind.

[keithsy75]

@SubwaySubculture PLEASE DO NOT.

[keithsy75]

This man was a clown and a buffoon. He made the job of the conductor a laughing stock. He played sightseeing guide, which is illegal. He had no sightseeing license. It is illegal to do so. The passengers know no better. They are lonely people looking for company. It is sad to see where the job has come. Transit workers are not respected and it is because of guys like him. I am glad that he is gone, but there are many more imitations like him.