The New York Transit Museum is a unique museum devoted to the history of mass transit in New York.
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: that the Q train was once designated with the color orange? From 1988 - 2001, the Q ran along the 6th Ave line in Manhattan. This destination sign from would have been seen in R-46 cars during that time. What other colors, shapes, or route designations from history were associated with the letter Q?
that the 207th Street Yard, located in Upper near the 207th St stations on the A and 1 lines, services both A and B division cars?
Visible from the University Heights Bridge over the Harlem River, the yard primarily stores R32s, R46s, and R160s for the A/C lines, but also provides regular scheduled maintenance to both IRT and IND/BMT cars.
In addition to regularly scheduled maintenance, the 207th Street Shops are equipped to overhaul and rebuild current rolling stock, as well as the ’s vintage fleet! Trains are also sent to 207th Street to be stripped of useable parts before being scrapped.
Diamond service has been used in the system since the 1980s, and over the years it has taken on many different meanings. In general, the diamond bullet is used to indicate that a train route’s service has been modified; regular service is marked with a circle. A diamond service could have designated a weekday-only express service, special service, or rush-hour only service.
Today's diamond routes include 6, 7, and, most recently, the F was added in 2019 for express service on the Culver Line, skipping all stations between Church Av and Jay St-MetroTech. Which diamond services do you remember?
Object spotlight on this unusual "Y" cut token from the . The "Y" on these classic tokens was supposed to be cut out between the letters "N" and "C" to spell out "NYC." The second photo shows a standard "Y" cut token. About 50 million "Y" cut tokens were minted. In this rare case, the token was mis-struck in the minting process, punching out the "Y" at a nearly 90-degree angle, creating a collector's oddity.
An area where tracks cross or join each other is called an interlocking. It is controlled by a system of signals and switches operated from a signal tower. Shown here is an interlocking machine from the . This one is on display in the museum's Court Street Station signal tower. The second photograph, by Frank English, shows an example of interlocking tracks in Grand Central Terminal's Train Shed, ca. 2009
Hang in there - it's almost Friday! Spend some time at the museum this weekend exploring transit history. Visitors can board our vintage fleet of subway cars and feel what it was like to ride them. Straphangers of all ages are welcome! We are open Thursday - Sunday, 10am - 4pm. Learn more at nytransitmuseum.org/visit
Photo courtesy of
: 20 years ago, service was restored after the historic Northeast Blackout of 2003.
A cascade of power failures in the Midwest triggered North America’s biggest ever blackout on August 14, 2003, affecting more than 50 million people. With no advance warning, was thrust into transit chaos, and it happened just as the evening commute was beginning.
Electric-powered railroads and subways stopped. Without these vital systems, commuters turned to gas-powered vehicles, but traffic lights at the city's 11,600 intersections were dark. Busses were overcrowded and cars were gridlocked. Many found their own two feet to be the most reliable form of transportation and pedestrians streamed across bridges to get to other boroughs.
It took 29 hours to restore electricity, but, remarkably, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority - MTA had the subway up and running only 9 hours after that. These images from our digital exhibit at BringingBacktheCity.com show what the city looked like without electricity.
Where were you during the Blackout of 2003?
During his 26 years documenting the day-to-day of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority - MTA, photographer Frank English helped to demystify the railroad for the public and employees alike. As this image from the shows, Mr. English had access to prime locations throughout the Metro-North service area, including Grand Central's Tiffany clock, and was willing to do whatever was necessary to get the best photograph!
This image is part of our exhibit at our Gallery & Store at Grand Central Terminal. Plan your visit now at nytransitmuseum.org
: Twenty years ago today, at 4:10pm, the largest power failure in United States history hit New York City.
As subways ground to a halt and tunnels went black, stalled subways marooned more than 400,000 passengers across 413 far-flung trains. The crisis took everyone by surprise, but training and experience paid off and within 10 minutes, crews began evacuating riders. It was simple tools – battery-powered radios and handheld flashlights – which were used to lead passengers to safety. New York City Transit immediately deployed emergency generators to keep its critical fiber optic communications network running and in under three hours, agency employees rescued nearly half a million riders with just three minor injuries. Power was mostly restored over 24 hours later, at 9:03pm on Friday, August 15th. Astonishingly, by 6:00am the next morning, subways were rolling again.
These images from our digital exhibit at BringingBacktheCity.com tell the story of the dedicated transit workers who provided extraordinary service during the Blackout of 2003.
All aboard! Our Nostalgia Train is headed to the Rockaways for a summertime vintage train excursion! Follow along on our stories to keep up with today’s trip and learn more about Rockaway’s transportation history.
This 1985 "Tunnel Trooper" button from the was issued by MTA Metro-North Railroad's Training and Safety departments to employees after completion of a three-hour tour of the Park Avenue Tunnel. The tour allowed employees to see the structure up close, as well as to learn how to evacuate the tunnel safely in case of an emergency.
This object is part of our exhibit at our Gallery & Store at Grand Central Terminal. Plan your visit now at nytransitmuseum.org
We're hiring! Passionate about history, public transit, and community engagement? We're excited to announce an incredible opportunity to be a part of our mission to preserve the captivating stories of mass transportation.
We're on the lookout for a dedicated individual to support an 18-month grant-funded project that will reshape how we engage with our audiences and plan our programs. As the Outreach and Grant Coordinator, you'll collaborate with consultants, connect with communities, and help shape the future of the Transit Museum's public programming. From coordinating focus groups, interviews, and surveys to building partnerships with local organizations, your role will be vital in redefining our approach. If you're an organized, detail-oriented communicator with a genuine enthusiasm for public transit and New York history, we want to hear from you! Learn more and apply at nytransitmuseum.org/careers.
We're hiring! The Transit Museum looks for creative, engaging, and professional individuals to be part of our team through a variety of opportunities including full-time and part-time staff positions, grant-funded contracts, and internships.
The Transit Museum’s vintage train cars are headed on a special trip to the end of the line – the BMT Brighton line, that is! Ride the rails in historic style from 11am to 4pm on Saturday, September 9th and Sunday, September 10th, by hopping on and off a selection of the Transit Museum’s vintage fleet at the Brighton Beach station B/Q platforms and Kings Highway Manhattan-bound B/Q platform. Admission is FREE with a MetroCard swipe or OMNY tap!
Please Note: The trains will run continuously from Brighton Beach to Kings Highway and back. Passengers may only board at Brighton Beach and Kings Highway. All boarding and exiting trains at Brighton Beach will take place on the interior two platforms. All boarding and exiting trains at Kings Highway will be on the Manhattan-bound platform. Each trip will be approximately 10 minutes and riders can expect wait times between rides.
Parade of Trains will include a number of train cars from our collection, including the R-1/9, BMT Standard, and BU Gate Cars. Learn more at nytransitmuseum.org/ParadeofTrains2023.
*Car equipment subject to change.
Service designations—the fancy name for numbers or letters assigned to trains—are one of the more confusing parts of New York’s subway system. For example, BMT lines had been numbered since 1924, but the IRT, which opened in 1904, also used numbers. In the 1950s, customers at Union Square might get on a train marked “4” and expect to go to Woodlawn (an IRT stop) but end up in Coney Island (a BMT stop)
To address these issues post-subway system unification in 1940, the Transit Authority implemented a new system of numbers and letters in 1960. This "Know Trains at a Glance" sign helped commuters remember the changes. Do you use the old nomenclature to refer to lines or the system of numbers and letters introduced in the '60s?
We are thrilled to announce that the New York Transit Museum has been chosen as one of the recipients of Institute of Museum and Library Services funding through the Museums for America grants program this year, standing out among 218 institutions selected from a competitive pool of 568 applicants. With funding from IMLS, the Transit Museum will embark on an 18-month project to create a new framework for crafting and promoting our programs and events, better aligning our programming with the diverse needs of our current and future visitors and reinforcing our commitment to placing our audiences at the forefront of our public program offerings.
We are delighted to celebrate this achievement alongside our esteemed peers in New York, including The Whitney Museum, Parrish Art Museum, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, George Eastman Museum, The Wild Center, American Museum of Natural History, New-York Historical Society, and others.
This funding, made possible through Museums for America and its impactful initiatives such as Museums Empowered and Inspire! Grants for Small Museums, marks a significant stride towards our commitment to providing exceptional learning experiences, fostering collaborations, and preserving the heritage entrusted to us. With gratitude for this opportunity, we eagerly anticipate the positive impact this grant will bring to our mission and community.
Thank you, IMLS!
Announcing the 218 grants awarded through the agency's largest competitive grant program, Museums for America, and its special initiatives, Museums Empowered and Inspire! Grants for Small Museums.
In August of 1958, the last portion of the Ninth Avenue El, known as the "Polo Grounds Shuttle," was discontinued, ending the run of the Ninth Ave El for good. As the first elevated railway in , the Ninth Avenue El opened in July of 1868 as the West Side & Yonkers Patent Railway and was later acquired by the IRT. After various extensions, it spanned all the way from South Ferry to Anderson – Jerome Avenues.
A large portion of the line was closed in 1940 from South Ferry to 151st Street, following the introduction of the IND 8th Avenue line and subway unification. The last remaining section of the El continued to run in the Bronx from the Polo Grounds at 155th St. to the Jerome Ave. IRT and was known as the "Polo Grounds Shuttle." Polo Grounds refers to three stadiums in Upper Manhattan that were used mostly for football and baseball. After the New York Giants baseball team skipped town to San Francisco, becoming San Francisco Giants. The shuttle was discontinued in 1958.
This photograph shows the Polo Grounds Shuttle entrances at the 155th Street Viaduct on March 7th, 1951. Do you remember the Polo Grounds Shuttle?
While riding the Q or B between Dekalb Ave station and the Manhattan Bridge, you may catch a glimpse of "Masstransiscope,” a public art installation by . It was added to system in 1980 inside the long abandoned Myrtle Avenue station, which express trains on this line must pass through on their way to Manhattan. After years of neglect and vandalism, the artwork was restored, with heavy cleaning by volunteers, and became visible again in 2008.
While many animations are created by static images passing by a viewer at high speed, "Masstransiscope" is the opposite: the images are still and the viewer moves as they ride the subway. The panels take up 300 feet of space and have 228 illuminated narrow slits in front of them. The art is seen from the subway through the slits, creating the experience of a moving picture for riders.
Want to learn more about public art? Join us for a free virtual program on August 24 at 6pm. Annie Dell’Aria, author of "The Moving Image as Public Art," will explore moving image-based public art in transit systems. The program will include discussion of the challenges faced in installing these projects as well as the ways they have impacted the commuting experience.
Register at nytransitmuseum.org/program/movingimage/
Photos of art by Rob Wilson, MTA Arts & Design
Rendering by Bill Brand
Happy from our favorite out there: Etti-Cat! In 1962, the Transit Authority introduced Etti-Cat to scold and cajole commuters into more courteous behavior. Posters featuring the superbly polite feline’s admonitions were placed in almost 3,000 cars.
What’s your transit etiquette pet peeve?
Ferries remind us we live in a maritime city, surrounded and connected by water. Join us Thursday at 6pm for "Transit by NYC Ferry," a virtual program on the history of ferry service in our city from the 1800s until now. Hear from Alan Olmsted, City Planner in Resilience and Franny Civitano, NYC Ferry Deputy Director about the important role ferries have played in 's transportation network.
With the launch of NYC Ferry, ferries had a renaissance, and now serve waterfront communities along 60 nautical miles of waterways, in all five boroughs. Ferry are also an essential component of New York City’s transit resiliency, playing an important role in times of crisis by providing critical support for evacuation efforts. Learn more on Thursday!
Learn more at nytransitmuseum.org/nycferry
Color-coding of entrance globes began in the early 1980s to help customers determine which entrances were open and had a manned booth. Originally, green indicated a 24-hour token booth, yellow meant a part-time booth, and red meant entrance limited or exit only. Yellow lights were later discontinued for simplification and after the introduction of the MetroCard and installation of High Entrance and Exit Turnstiles (HEET), exit only indicators were no longer needed.
Today, entrance globes remain an icon of the and a beacon for travelers finding their way to stations. While most entrance globes today are green, you can still spot red globes in a few rare places. Where have you seen one and what did it indicate?
: in 1981, the first General Motors RTS Advanced Design buses went into service on the B17 route in Brooklyn. The new RTS-04s were equipped with several innovative features, including push-type exit doors, rear wheelchair lifts, front kneeling suspensions, 2-way radio equipment, and electronic “flip dot” front and side destination signs. By 1999, a total of 4,877 RTS buses were built by three different manufacturers for NYC Transit and MaBSTOA service. Retired from service in 2019, their blue and white design and signature curved windshields are a familiar sight to generations of New Yorkers!
Today, RTS Bus #1201 and #5249 live on in the ’s beloved vintage fleet. While Bus #1201 was one of the first orders of RTS model buses built, Bus #5249 was the last. What’s your favorite memory on a General Motors RTS Advanced Design bus?
Today's your day, members! Tickets for our next round of behind-the-scenes tours and excursions go on sale exclusively to Museum members TODAY at 10am. This includes our very popular "Jewel in the Crown: Old City Hall Station" tour.
Please be aware that tickets sell out within minutes and don’t forget to sign in at the upper right corner of the ticket pages. If you have any questions during the ticket purchase process, ask in the comments below and we'll be glad to help. Learn more at nytransitmuseum.org/oldcityhall and view tour dates at nytransitmuseum.org/programs.
Photo by Chris Funfgeld
Fall tours go on sale to Transit Museum members TOMORROW at 10am sharp! Do you want to visit Old City Hall Station or join us for a walking tour? These tickets are available exclusively for members and often sell out within minutes. Become a member now and then be ready to book your tickets tomorrow morning! Photo by Chris Funfgeld
: in 1908, the 238th Street and 242nd Street – Van Cortlandt Park stations opened on the IRT West Side line. The IRT West Side line was part of the original NYC subway system opened in 1904, and is served today by the 1/2/3 trains. Extending the line with these two stations in 1908 allowed New Yorkers to travel approximately twenty miles for a five-cent fare and opened the area to new residential and commercial development.
These photographs from the Lundin Collection show the 242nd Street – Van Cortlandt Park station in 1908 and 1913. Designed by Heins & LaFarge, it is the only remaining elevated station in the Victorian Gothic architectural style.
Spotlight on this Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority token from the . Minted in 1982, this copper-plated token cost 60 cents and covered the fare for the Marine Parkway, Henry Hudson, and Cross Bay bridges. Another similar token allowed crossing of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, Verrazano Narrows, Bronx Whitestone, Triborough, Queens Midtown Tunnel, and Throgs Neck. Bridge and tunnel tokens were phased out in the late 90s and eventually replaced entirely by -ZPass. Do you remember them?
In 1983, R-62 train cars began 30-day testing on the 4 line. The R-62 cars were the first IRT cars to be built since the R-36 fleet of the 1960s and they replaced many of the remaining R-12s, R-14s, and R-15s. Built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan, R-62 cars were also the first cars to be built by a foreign manufacturer.
The R-62 fleet featured major improvements over the R-36 fleet that preceded it. They were the first stainless steel and air-conditioned subway cars built for the “A” Division and included in-car lighting that could be maintained over third rail gaps and dead spots.
Taken in 1983, this photo shows the interior of an R-62 cars. What's your favorite feature of the R-62?
: Taken in 1930, this image documented the completion of excavation under the Queensboro Bridge in Long Island City, Queens. In the photograph, tunnel workers are shown gathered around the final load of dirt to be removed. At its inception, the early subway system was an engineering marvel, developed with some of the best equipment of the time. However, most progress still depended on a man with a simple shovel. Today as you ride the train, consider the early 20th century workers who made the development of your neighborhood and your commute possible.
New in our store! Check out this remarkable wooden replica of the notorious R-40 "Slant!" Sure to thrill any young railway enthusiast, this meticulously crafted toy subway train captures the iconic and futuristic design of the R-40 with a two car set, inspiring imaginative play and exploration.
The front car of the 2-car set showcases a true-to-life slanted front, mirroring the distinctive feature of the R-40, which was designed by Raymond Loewy. This attention to detail adds an authentic touch, allowing children to immerse themselves in the world of urban transportation.
Designed for compatibility, the set seamlessly integrates with other popular railway systems such as Brio and Thomas, expanding play possibilities and encouraging versatile storytelling. Young minds can connect this subway train with their existing collections, creating a dynamic and interconnected railway network that sparks creativity and adventure.
Find it at our store locations and at nytransitmuseumstore.com
From our collection: This 1907 photograph by Granville W. Pulls documents the Church of the Redeemer on 4th Ave and Pacific Street. During the BMT Fourth Avenue Line's construction, designers of the Pacific Street Station incorporated mosaics of the church into the subway station below. Built in 1866, the church stood for nearly 150 years, and was demolished in 2015 to make way for new development.
: in 1903 photographer C.M. captured this dramatic image of the construction the first subway line. Shown here is a section of the IRT tunnel on 42nd Street between Vanderbilt Avenue and Park Avenue. The 42nd Street Shuttle now runs through this tunnel. Image courtesy of the .
: in 1960, trolley buses made their final run on five Brooklyn routes. Trolley bus lines, or trackless trolley coaches, used overhead lines for power. They began service on Staten Island in the 1920s and were part of Brooklyn’s surface transit from 1930 to 1960. Following that, motor buses completely replaced New York City public transit trolley buses.
Do you remember riding the trolley buses in New York?
This Saturday's family performance is "Mary Walton, Science of Sound."
Meet the brilliant 19th-century inventor who patented systems to reduce air and sound pollution. Help her conduct an experiment to make the elevated steam trains less noisy as they rumble overhead.
Performances at 10:30am, 11:00am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:00pm. In-person program, suitable for all ages. Location: Platform, Lo-V Subway Car. More info: https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/program/mary-walton-2-2/
NEW ARRIVALS! Now available at the New York Transit Museum Store, these meticulously crafted wooden train models capture two iconic NYC subway car designs of the 1960s: a 2-car set of the beloved R-40 Slants with F train route indicators and a Queens-bound R-30 "Greenbird" car.
R-40 cars entered service on the IND/BMT lines in 1968. With their distinctive design, the original R-40 cars are instantly recognizable by their futuristic slanted front ends crafted by Raymond Loewy. However, it wasn’t long before passengers discovered that the aesthetically pleasing design was impractical and even dangerous when trying to cross between cars. After a slew of ineffective retrofits to the originals, the remaining R-40s on order were redesigned with a straight front end. The last of the R-40 “Slants” was retired from service on June 12th, 2009.
Manufactured by the St. Louis Car Company between 1961 and 1962, R-30 subway cars were nearly identical to the R-27s ordered two years prior. Both train types were coupled as “married pairs,” and the fleets replaced most of the BMT Standards and primarily ran on the BMT Eastern Division. Like the R-27 fleet, the R-30s sported quite a few paint schemes while in service. The cars were delivered in a dark olive-green shade, but throughout the late 1960s to the 1980s, most of the fleet was repainted bright red and nicknamed the Redbirds.
Swipe to see photos of these cars in service and grab your own limited edition wooden train models now at nytransitmuseumstore.com.
that the R-6 subway cars were constructed by three different manufacturers as separate orders? Divided into different versions, R6-1 cars were manufactured by the Pressed Steel Car Company, R6-2 by Pullman Standard, and R6-3 by the American Car and Foundry Company. Part of over 1,000 nearly identical cars delivered under the contracts R1-9, they were built as follow-ups to the R-4 fleet and featured two front windows, as opposed to the R-4s one window. In addition, the cars had rattan seats, paddle ceiling fans, incandescent light bulbs, and roll signs for passenger information. During their service lives, R-6 cars served IND lines until the 1960s-70s, when they were used on BMT lines and phased out by the R-44 and R-46 fleet.
Retiring in 1977, a variety of R-6 cars have been preserved as part of the ’s vintage fleet. This photograph shows a front view of an R-6 car at Coney Island Yard. Can you identify which R-6 model it is?
Pictured here, from , is an original inspection tour of the brand spanking new City Hall Station in 1904. Become a member to be eligible to inspect it yourself! Closed to the public since 1946, the elegant now "Old" City Hall Station is only accessible to members of the New York Transit Museum on one of our "Jewel in the Crown: Old City Hall Station” tours. Tickets to our tour go on sale TO MEMBERS ONLY on August 3 at 10am. Not a member? Join, renew, or gift a membership today to receive information about upcoming tour dates and purchase tickets: nytransitmuseum.org/membership.
Thursday, July 27 at 6pm, join the team and the New York Transit Museum for a free online program to discuss the history of accessibility at the MTA and look to the future of accessibility beyond the requirements of the ADA.
"Accessibility for All: The Past, Present, and Future of Accessibility" will share more information about new technologies and solutions that the MTA is testing across subways, buses, and paratransit to make that vision of a universally accessible system a reality, and how you can be part of this movement.
Register: https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/program/mta-accessibility/
Have you spotted this abandoned trolley car? You can find it parked behind the Food Bazaar supermarket in Red Hook, Brooklyn (formerly the location of Fairway) at the very end of Van Brunt Street. It is the last of 17 decommissioned historic trolley cars that were acquired by the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association (BHRA) in the 1990s and 2000s. The trolley cars in the BHRA’s collection came from as far away as Oslo, Norway, but most were from Cleveland or Boston, like the one pictured here, which is a 3303 Boston T Green Line car from 1951.
Hopes grew in the early 2000s of restoring street car service to Red Hook, a part of the city that is not served by any subway line. However, a DOT study, funded by a $300,000 federal grant, concluded that the roads in the area were too narrow for the wide turns streetcars would need to make.
Hurricane Sandy hit the Red Hook neighborhood particularly hard in 2012 and the area sustained significant damage, including the trolley cars, which were parked just steps from the waterfront piers. Falling into disrepair, several trolleys were donated to the Shore Line Trolley Museum in East Haven, CT, but this one still remains. Let us know if you have seen it.
Reflecting the tastes of the era, this 1904 design for entrance signs used modernist letterforms that were easier to read at a distance, helping people find hidden station entrances. Located at Pershing Sq., Park Ave. between 41st & 42nd Streets, the subway entrance also featured a blue globe.
Information design in New York's transportation system constantly evolves to meet the needs of millions of people traversing the city. Messaging must be conveyed quickly, clearly, and efficiently in a manner that is also pleasing to the eye.
What's your favorite subway entrance today?
Join us Saturday for family performances. Meet two compelling figures in NYC transit history!
In the morning, hear the incredible story of Marshall Mabey, a "sandhog" who survived a blowout while working on the tunnel under the East River. He rode a geyser! Performances at 10:30am, 11:00am, and 11:30am. Location: Platform, Motor Truck. https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/program/marshall-mabey-22/
Then, in the afternoon, hear from Mary Walton, a brilliant 19th-century citizen-inventor, and help her conduct an experiment to make the elevated steam trains less noisy as they rumble overhead. Performances at 12:00 pm, 12:30 pm, and 1:00 pm. Location: Platform, Lo-V Subway Car.
https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/program/mary-walton-2-2/
Happy Pride Month! The first Pride March celebration was held in New York City on June 28, 1970, the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. Do you remember seeing one of 's Pride Trains on the rails in 2019? In celebration of diversity and inclusivity, special limited-edition MetroCards were released and 50 subway cars sported this beloved rainbow heart design. Pride train cars ran along the 1 line, which serves Christopher Street station – steps away from The Stonewall Inn.
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All aboard! Are you taking our “Catch the IRT from Old South Ferry Loop” Nostalgia Ride today? Built between 1916 and 1925, the Standard Lo-V subway car was the third “Low Voltage” car type ordered for the IRT. This non-stop roundtrip ride departed from South Ferry Station in Lower Manhattan. Before the ride, passengers enjoyed the opportunity to take photos of the vintage train on the platform and check out details like original mosaics and terracotta artwork from this 1905 station, closed to the public since 2017. Once on board, we traveled up the 2 line from #Manhattan to The #Bronx and emerged above ground on elevated tracks before turning around and heading back for one last look at South Ferry Station. Thank you to all of today’s straphangers and our staff and crew for this amazing day. Tag us in your photos from the ride!
Running express from Grand Central Terminal to Yankee Stadium, today’s 6 car Train of Many Colors includes R36WF 9586/9587 and R33MLs 9011/9010/9206/9207. Departing from the uptown 4 train platform at 42nd Street - Grand Central at approximately 11am, the Train of Many Colors will arrive immediately after the Lo-V Nostalgia Train. The trains will run express, making no stops between Grand Central and Yankee Stadium. One ride only! The train will not be making a return trip. Don’t miss it!
#TodayinHistory: #OnThisDay in 2003, Port Authority of New York & New Jersey launched AirTrain JFK service, connecting Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) subways and buses and the LIRR with low-cost transportation to airline terminals, hotel shuttle areas, rental car facilities, and more. The year-round, 8.1-mile light rail system succeeded the JFK Express, also known as “The Train to the Plane,” a limited express subway service discontinued thirteen years prior. Have you ever ridden the AirTrain on your way to catch a flight?
Happy #SubwayDay! The #NYCSubway turns 117 today! New York City’s first rapid transit subway, the Interborough Rapid Transit subway, opened on October 27, 1904 with 28 stations along a 9.1-mile line extending from City Hall to 145th Street. That four-track line ran under Park Avenue South to Grand Central, across 42nd Street to Times Square, and up Broadway to 145th Street. Do you commute along the original IRT route? The Metropolitan Transportation Authority - MTA is featuring historic #NYTMCollection photos of our system and city before, during, and after the construction of the subway on screens in stations. Check out nytransitmuseum.org/SubwayDay for more #SubwayDay celebrations, including a virtual tour of Old City Hall and a special coloring book page for kids of all ages!
The impact of the September 11 attack in New York City was unprecedented. So too was the heroic response of MTA employees. Subway operators. Bus drivers. Track workers. Superintendents. Electricians. Mechanics. Workers from across the transit system contributed their unique skills, equipment, and knowledge of the city’s infrastructure. They evacuated frightened citizens, transported first responders, and proved an irreplaceable resource in the process of rescue and recovery. In this video from our online exhibit, Bringing Back the City: Mass Transit Responds to Crisis, retired Train Operator Hector Ramirez recounts his experience operating a train through Cortlandt Street station on September 11th, 2001. Terrified passengers, crowded on smoke-filled platforms, were relieved as subway operators like Ramirez made final stops in Lower Manhattan and carried them to safety. Astonishingly, despite the unprecedented scope of the damage, no lives were lost anywhere in the subway system that day. Visit bringingbackthecity.com to see more interviews with MTA employees who were on the front lines during and after September 11th.
The R1/9s are back! While our two R-42s and R-16 cars get some TLC from our friends at MTA NYCT, R1/9 cars 100, 484 and 1575 are on view at the Transit Museum in Brooklyn. We're open this weekend! Plan your visit today at nytransitmuseum.org. Please Note: Advanced tickets, proof of vaccination and masks are required to visit.
In September of 1984, the First Track Geometry Car (TGC1) entered service. TGC’s have the capability to measure track alignment, and spot existing and potential track problems. They are able to measure various track conditions upwards of six times a year on each line and are equipped with sensors to measure alignment, curvature, warp, track gauge, and numerous other rail conditions. As the cars inspect the rails, data is automatically uploaded to a management system to create a profile for that section of track. This #NYTMCollection video from "40 Years of Transit Authority History" shows a TGC in service. While inspections with track geometry cars can be conducted during regular day-time hours and do not require service changes, the cars usually run in the system outside of rush hour so as to not interfere with morning and evening commutes. Have you seen a Track Geometry Car out on the rails?
In September of 1984, the First Track Geometry Car (TGC1) entered service. TGC’s have the capability to measure track alignment, and spot existing and potential track problems. They are able to measure various track conditions upwards of six times a year on each line and are equipped with sensors to measure alignment, curvature, warp, track gauge, and numerous other rail conditions. As the cars inspect the rails, data is automatically uploaded to a management system to create a profile for that section of track. This #NYTMCollection video from "40 Years of Transit Authority History" shows a TGC in service. While inspections with track geometry cars can be conducted during regular day-time hours and do not require service changes, the cars usually run in the system outside of rush hour so as to not interfere with morning and evening commutes. Have you seen a Track Geometry Car out on the rails?
Found in 1976, the New York Transit Museum is one of only a few museums in the world dedicated to telling the story of urban public transportation. The Museum collects, exhibits, interprets, and preserves the history, sociology, and technology of public transportation systems in the New York metropolitan region, and conducts research and educational programs that make our extensive collections accessible and meaningful to a broad audience.
The Transit Museum is committed to preserving the stories of the people behind transportation – the extraordinary engineers, the workers who labored in the tunnels over 100 years ago, the communities that were drastically transformed, and the ever-evolving technology, design, and ridership of a system that runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Housed underground in an authentic 1936 subway station in Downtown Brooklyn, the Transit Museum’s main location spans a full city block, with a working platform that is home to a rotating selection of twenty vintage subway and elevated cars dating back to the early 1900s. Between our main location and our Gallery at Grand Central Terminal, the Transit Museum welcomes more than half a million visitors every year.
Transit Museum visitors can explore the vintage cars, sit at the wheel of a city bus, step through a time tunnel of turnstiles, and explore changing exhibits that highlight the cultural, social and technological history — and future — of mass transit.
The New York Transit Museum was established in 1976 as an initiative of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Friends of the New York Transit Museum, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, was established in 1995 to promote and raise funds for the Museum’s operations and programs.
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