NY subways are a pulse of the city. The subways traverse through what must be, yard-for-yard, the world’s most ethnically diverse area, where immigrants from several countries live side-by-side. As one rides through this incredible ethnic patchwork, amidst the clattering cacophony of the rails, you realize that the entire world is right here!
The subway was started in 1904 in New York, the Mecca for successful enterprise. In an incredibly short time (about 4 years only), inspite of legal and civic hindrance, construction of one of the most stupendous feats of business and mechanical engineering, the world had ever seen, was accomplished. New York made the joke of "fifteen minutes to Harlem" become a reality. Till today the subway provides vital assistance to its citizens, in their hurly-burly existence. Running 365 days a year and 24 hours a day it definitely stands true to the spirit of New York – the city that never sleeps!
A NY subway ride requires all your five senses. You can feel, taste, hear, smell and see the city’s diversity in these trains. Keeping to the fast pace of New York, this rapid transit rail system is the fourth busiest one in the world. It is a mirror of the vibrant life of New Yorkers. As your train car rumbles out of Manhattan's Times Square/42nd Street, you hear multiple languages being spoken at once. In case you have an adventurous palate, you can try cuisines from different parts of the globe at the concourse at the Grand Central. If you are riding a train that pulls into Queens, it rises out of the city's depths onto elevated tracks. Turn your head behind and you can capture the breathtaking view of Manhattan's skyline. On the other side, you see Queens, the lively borough who is perpetually eclipsed by her glittering sister.
A NY subway ride requires all your five senses. You can feel, taste, hear, smell and see the city’s diversity in these trains. Keeping to the fast pace of New York, this rapid transit rail system is the fourth busiest one in the world. It is a mirror of the vibrant life of New Yorkers. As your train car rumbles out of Manhattan's Times Square/42nd Street, you hear multiple languages being spoken at once. In case you have an adventurous palate, you can try cuisines from different parts of the globe at the concourse at the Grand Central. If you are riding a train that pulls into Queens, it rises out of the city's depths onto elevated tracks. Turn your head behind and you can capture the breathtaking view of Manhattan's skyline. On the other side, you see Queens, the lively borough who is perpetually eclipsed by her glittering sister.
Art and entertainment of all disciplines pervade the subways. The tile artwork tradition which started in 1904, continues even today. You will find interesting mosaics, murals and photographs in many of the stations. The sheer diversity of musicians plying their trade under the traffic-clogged streets of New York makes it perhaps one of the most vibrant performance spaces in the country. You will find a mix of melody, jazz, hip-hop techno and noise in the subway music. For many tourists in the Big Apple,subway musicians add local color to what can be a frustrating attempt to navigate the city’s labyrinthine transit system. For New Yorkers, live tunes make their stuffy commutes a little more pleasant.
This post will be incomplete, without mentioning the bizzareness that you encounter on a subway. The incidents can be surprizing and sometimes shocking to the extent that you may need to get off the train at times! You may encounter strange people you would generally label as a single sample of a differnt species.During Halloween and New Year you will witness the wierdest tattoos and costumes on the subway. You will more often than desired witness the unimaginitive methods of public expression as well. It is sad but true that the crime rates in NY subway is high. Hence you should avoid travelling alone at late hours.
This post will be incomplete, without mentioning the bizzareness that you encounter on a subway. The incidents can be surprizing and sometimes shocking to the extent that you may need to get off the train at times! You may encounter strange people you would generally label as a single sample of a differnt species.During Halloween and New Year you will witness the wierdest tattoos and costumes on the subway. You will more often than desired witness the unimaginitive methods of public expression as well. It is sad but true that the crime rates in NY subway is high. Hence you should avoid travelling alone at late hours.
Inspite of the rising crime rate, NY subway remains the fastest and most convenient mode of transport carrying 3 million commuters everyday. To allow New Yorkers to re-live their past, a special holiday service, using train cars in service from 1931 to 1977, started as the 'Nostalgia train'. Never mind the dirt and crowd, the NYC subways remain more than just a mode of transport for New Yorkers. It definitely brings back memories of the city to all commuters, regular and tourists alike.
