train wreck
n.— «This is the story of the people left behind on the platform when the last train late at night goes out of Grand Central Terminal…They are stranded, and before the self-pity can kick in, a no-nonsense amplified voice announces Grand Central’s closing. “The station will reopen at 5:30 a.m.”…The night clerk at the nearby Hyatt hotel calls them “train wrecks.” The cabdrivers refer to them as “Cinderella fares.” Out on 42nd Street, a mob of cabbies await the luckless souls.» —“At Grand Central, Stuck After 1:30 A.M.” by Andrew Jacobs New York Times June 11, 2004. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
The word filibuster has a long and colorful history, going back to the days when pirates roamed the high seas. Today it refers to hijacking a piece of legislation. Plus, the language of yoga teachers: When doing a guided meditation, you may hear...
After our conversation about towns with extremely short names, many listeners wrote to tell us about Why, Arizona. Others pointed out that there are towns called Ely in Iowa, Minnesota, and Nevada. Other super-short appellations include Rye, New...