I recently started commuting to Manhattan by rail (from Connecticut). It's about a 90 minute trip each way. I actually like it as it gives me more free time at home than when I used to commute to Boston by car.
That might not make much sense to anybody but here's how it works. I catch a 6:32am train and during the ride in, I'm able to read my Wall Street Journal and then open up my laptop and get caught up with work. I arrive in Grand Central around 8am and show up at the office refreshed, after grabbing a cup of coffee on the short walk over there. Contrast that to my Boston days when I would spend an hour and a half to two hours commuting into the city by car and not get anything accomplished except burn gas and wear out my brakes.
Then I usually catch the 4:47pm train back to Connecticut. During that time, I've got my laptop open in which I catch on the work of the day so that when I arrive home, around 6:45pm, I usually have nothing left to do work-related. Contrast that to my Boston days when I used to fight at least an hour and a half of traffic to get home only to rush through dinner so that I can log on and get caught up with work. I would often be doing work until 9PM at night back in those days.
Did I mention that I grab a 24 oz Foster's oil can for the trip home? Yes, Grand Central sells you beer for the train ride home. How sweet is that!
So not a bad commute at all. If Willie Green was still around, I'd have to apologize to him for all grief I gave him over his choo-choo trains.
Years ago, on the NJ Transit Coastal Commuter Line, the train would switch engines from diesel to electric in Long Branch NJ.
It took about 12 minutes.
Ironically there was a bar/package goods store across the tracks.
There was a mad dash across the tracks. ....then the poker games began on board.
One time, a guy had a stripper meet us. I kid you not!
It was probably the best commute from NY to the Jersey Shore.