Vibraphonette On The NYC Subway

Yes, I decided to travel with the vibraphonette on the New York City subway system.  I know, I know... carrying a heavy vintage instrument over bumpy sidewalks on long city blocks, up and down stairs and through subway turnstiles seems a bit crazy.  Usually I either get a ride, take a cab or I don't take the vibraphonette at all, but I just bought a new roller cart and wanted to give it a test run.

The challenge was to get from Upper West Side to play a show with The Quavers in the Park Slope, Brooklyn.  Since it was a Saturday evening the journey wasn't crowded.  And luckily, the subway lines I was taking were all running.  I made sure to map out the trip so I had the least amount of stairs and transfers.

The verdict?  In an emergency I would do it again, but if a car is at all available then take it!  One of the biggest problems was the bumps on the sidewalk.  Since this is such an old instrument I was worried about parts cracking or breaking.  Next time I'll use a towel or foam as a buffer.   Also, I would never try it during rush hour because it would be very cumbersome on a crowded platform or train.

Does anyone have any hair-raising traveling stories with their vibraphonette?