Report - Running the NYC Subway - 2012

[m9]

As the staging ground for modern locomotive graffiti in the early 70s, the NYC subway system is no stranger to non-MTA approved occupants. Unlike the LU we all know and love, the rapid transit system in New York was designed to run 24 hours from the get go, and because of this, there is enough room down there for people and trains at the same time. For the writers and humble explorers, this is both a blessing and a curse. The 24/7 running means you can happily pop down to the camera-less local line stations at 3am and run off the end of the platform without much bother, but if you choose to do this, you'd better be damn quick as being seen by one of the thousands of MTA workers or worse, being hit by a train becomes a very real possibility. I say without much bother, but as easy as the act itself is, you cant beat that intensity *just* before you look left/right and run past the NO UNAUTHORISED ACCESS TO TRACKS barrier and drop down into the darkness, jogging along by the third hoping to donald duck you dont trip..

Our time in NYC was short lived, and we had a little bit of time to explore a pair of abandoned stations, as well as do a bit of charging about the tunnels. The vibe down here is amazing. Unlike the LU, it feels like a living breathing space, inhabited by the thousands of 24 hour workers, tramps and writers who have shaped it over the past few decades. One of my particular favorites, relayed to me by friend and subway fanatic Erik is a writer known as REV, who has written a 260 page autobiography down in the subway system. Each of the pages are painted up in different tunnels and abandoned stations all over the system, and the only way to read the book is to get of your ass and run the tunnels.


Worth St.
The first station we hit was Worth St. Closed in '62 due to platform lengthening at Brooklyn Bridge, the station retains an interesting old kiosk and lots of NY graf.

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Serious near miss grabbing this one.. Just as I'd framed up, a train came running down the track next to me. I *just* had time to grab my camera+tripod and lie flat and still hugging the wall, hitting the ground just as the front of the cab appeared next to me on the platform. God knows how i wasn't seen.

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18th St.
Opened in 1904 and closed in 1948, 18th was canned due to lack of city enthusiasm for upgrading the platform length after the 5 car trains were phased out. Spent way too long down here due to being camped out in one of the old concreted up stairways waiting for a worker train to pass. They go DAMN slow.

Frame shot. Dial in 20s exposure. FUCKFUCKAFUCKINGTRAIN!! Abort. Hide. Try again.

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y u no city hall irt?!? I hear you cry… Well, everyones done that, and the best way to do it now is to hide on the brooklyn loop train, mid-ride and jump off it as it comes through the platform. If you're lucky the train will stop at the signal and you can do it. If you're unlucky, it won't, and you'll get squashed. Next time I reckon.. Next time..

ps - video here for trains and tunnels and shit...