My commute this morning was more chaotic than normal due to a fire that destroyed a switching station at a major hub on the Long Island Rail Road. The fire happened around midday yesterday and brought the commuter rail system to a screeching halt—with no service into or out of Manhattan except on one line for most of the day. I was fortunate to have missed the mayhem of yesterday's evening commute because I wasn't feeling well, and spent my day huddled on the sofa watching bad television, but the residual effects were strong today. Still, it was an opportunity to see how commuters adapt in these circumstances.
