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Vintage NYC Subway Cars in operation for the Holiday season

Vintage NYC Subway Cars in operation for the Holiday season

Old Nov 26th, 2012, 12:21 PM
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Vintage NYC Subway Cars in operation for the Holiday season

The MTA is once again operating vintage subway cars on Sundays for the rest of 2012.



It’s back by popular demand! Subway customers can once again take a ride back in time between Queens and Lower Manhattan along the M Subway Line line through the holiday season.

The Holiday Nostalgia Train is made up of subway cars in service from 1932 until 1977. Ceiling fans, padded seats and incandescent light bulbs were state-of-the-art when these cars were first placed in service.

Many New Yorkers bear fond memories of the trains, which served the lettered lines throughout the system. However, with the cars having been out of service for more than 30 years, many New Yorkers have never experienced the charm of wicker seats and ceiling fans. The Holiday Train will run starting this Sunday and will run on all Sundays between Thanksgiving and New Year’s (Nov. 25, December 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30).

The first trip starts out of Second Avenue at 10:01 a.m. with the last trip leaving Queens Plaza at 4:44 p.m. making all M Subway Line line stops in between. The complete schedule as follows:

Leaving 2nd Ave.
10:01am
11:31am
1:01pm
2:30pm
4:01pm

Leaving Queens Plaza
10:44am
12:14pm
1:43pm
3:14pm
4:44pm

When the train leaves 2nd Avenue (UPTOWN platform on the F line), it will stop at:
Broadway/Lafayette - 2 minutes later
West 4th St - 4 minutes later
14th St - 6 minutes later
23rd St - 8 minutes later
34th St - 9 minutes later
42nd St - 10 minutes later
47th-50th Sts - 12 minutes later
53rd St/5th Av - 14 minutes later]
53rd St/Lexington Av - 15 minutes
23rd St/Court Sq - 18 minutes later
Queens Plaza (Last stop) 20 minutes later

When the train leaves Queens Plaza (DOWNTOWN platform on the E line) it will stop at:
23rd St/Court Sq - 2 minutes later
53rd St/Lexington Av - 4 minutes later
53rd St/5th Av - 5 minutes later
47th-50th Sts - 8 minutes later
42nd St - 9 minutes later
34th St - 11 minutes later
23rd St - 12 minutes later
14th St - 14 minutes later
West 4th St - 16 minutes later
Broadway/Lafayette - 18 minutes later
2nd Av (last stop) - 20 minutes later

The above travel/stopping times are approximate and may vary slightly depending on other train service on the lines and passenger volume.

There is no charge to ride this train other than the initial fare to enter the subway.
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Old Nov 26th, 2012, 01:19 PM
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The wicker seats were especially interesting when wearing mini-skirts. You would arrive at the office with a criss-cross pattern embedded in the back of your thighs.

And while fun in winter as nostalgia - they were hell in the summer - no AC.

And remember how CHEAP they were. Just a token - no MetroCards. And the lovely adage: That (something useless) and a token will get you on the subway.
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Old Nov 26th, 2012, 05:22 PM
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Thanks, we will try and make it one Sunday.

And they also had Miss Subways, a dubious title for election if ever there wad one. And Ellen, the owner of the Starust Dust, was Miss Subway Seat one month.
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Old Nov 27th, 2012, 05:10 AM
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Man, that is right about AC!! Thanks.
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Old Nov 27th, 2012, 05:19 AM
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Speaking of Miss Subways, the Transit Museum in Brooklyn is having an exhibition called "Meet Miss Subways: New York's Beauty Queens 1941-1976" containing posters (with current pictures of some of the winners) as well as some recent recorded interviews.

http://www.mta.info/mta/museum/whatsnew.htm


The Transit Museum is located at the corner of Boerum Place & Schermerhorn St in Brooklyn. It is in a decommissioned subway station. The hours are Tues-Fri 10 AM - 4 PM, Sat-Sun 11 AM to 5 PM, closed on Mondays and major holidays.

Admission is $7.00 for adults, Children (2-17) and Seniors (62+) $5.00

http://www.mta.info/mta/museum/index.html


The TM also has a gallery annex & store in Grand Central Terminal (to the left of the Station Master's office. The current exhibition there is a large Lionel Train display for the Holiday/Christmas season.

GCT Annex & store Hours

Monday – Friday: 8 AM to 8 PM
Saturday – Sunday: 10 AM to 6 PM
Closed: major holidays and for special events
Phone

(212) 878-0106
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Old Nov 27th, 2012, 07:47 AM
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And remember how CHEAP they were. Just a token - no MetroCards.

A dime when I first started using them.
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Old Nov 27th, 2012, 08:35 AM
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And remember how CHEAP they were. Just a token - no MetroCards.
___

Yes, we and walked to school uphill both ways.
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Old Nov 27th, 2012, 08:55 AM
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I'm not THAT old. That was my father - and in was always in the snow - even in June.

I remember the fare being 15 cents.
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Old Nov 27th, 2012, 09:29 AM
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>>> And Ellen, the owner of the Starust Dust, was Miss Subway Seat one month. >>>

Stardust Diner. And she has been milking it ever since. (Like Debby Boone and "You Light Up My Life").


Thanks for posting this nycguy. I read about it a few weeks ago, then promptly forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder. I love NY nostalgia.
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Old Nov 27th, 2012, 09:56 AM
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Exactly Panecott. I used to stop at Ellen's downtown restaurant for she did sell a wonderful pair of scones. She would linger in the aisles as if still solicting Miss Subway votes.

Unfortunately or fortunately, I am old enough to remember trolley cars. There were two derelict trolleys by Fairway in Red Hook and I am unsure if they survived Sandy.

I have the annoying habit of trying to remember the past as it actually happened rather than as people thought it happened.
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Old Nov 27th, 2012, 10:02 AM
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There used to be (perhaps still is) a restaurant/coffee shop downtown near the courthouses (found it while on jury duty) that had a display of a number (perhaps all) of the Miss Subways.
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Old Nov 27th, 2012, 10:17 AM
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That was Ellen's original place before she moved further north on Broadway.

One summer when I was clerking, two of the partners - not a fancy law firm, LOL - took me to lunch there. I found a dead bug in my food but was too embarrassed to say anything.

I never ate there again.
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Old Nov 27th, 2012, 10:19 AM
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BTW, I didn't finish my meal, just left it.

Ellen was there that day, in fact. I wonder what she would have done if she'd heard about the bug.
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Old Nov 27th, 2012, 10:25 AM
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I remember the old trolley tracks along 13th Avenue and down 86th St. in my old neighborhood, before they were covered over - or maybe removed.

I can't remember if I ever saw a trolley, however. But I do remember those wicker subway seats.
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Old Nov 27th, 2012, 10:55 AM
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Ellen's downtown place is long gone.
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Old Nov 27th, 2012, 12:46 PM
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It's probably a Duane Reade now.
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Old Nov 27th, 2012, 01:35 PM
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Well at least the first Duane Reade was just a few blocks north on Broadway between ah... Duane and Reade. And it was sold to...Bain Capital
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Old Nov 28th, 2012, 02:22 PM
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I don't remember the wicker seat marks on the back of my thighs, but sure do on the rear of my linen shirts. I eventually started placing a handkerchief (remember those) on the seat before placing my butt down, which also kept the dirt between the weaves from also leaving a reminder on light colored cloths.

Between the lack of a/c... fans only if working... and that wicker it was a given you'd remember the ride. And yes... only a token, which size seemed to increase as did the price.

Of course the first Duane Reade was located between Duane and Reade Street, now owned by Walgreen's after numerous owners between. The first Sym's Dept Store was located down there also and Century 21 was a grouping of small interconnecting stores before they eventually moved into one large store taking over the space of a bank... now lots of Century 21s around town.

What a lovely reminder... thanks for posting this.
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Old Nov 28th, 2012, 05:32 PM
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We were waiting at Queens Plaza on Sunday and saw the vintage subway cars come in. Unfortunately that was as far as they were going on that line, so couldn't take it to our stop which was only two further down the line. DH got some great photos though.
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Old Nov 28th, 2012, 07:46 PM
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I think we will go on Dec 9th.
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