New York Metro celebrates 115 anniversary with 'vintage' ride and past excursion

On October 27, NY metro turned 115 years old. As part of the celebration, the metropolitan transport department launched wagons for the route, which were first commissioned in 1917. Also in the subway organized an exhibition dedicated to its construction. This publication writes Daily News.

“The railroad cars, formally referred to as standard Lo-V or low-voltage railcars, were designed to operate on the Interborough rapid transit system, one of several private subway networks that eventually became the system that New Yorkers travel today. ", - the source writes.

Vintage route

“The holiday route spanned Broadway, stretching from 42nd Street to 96th Street in Times Square. After the opening of the metro, the trains moved from the City Hall to New York Central Station, after which they turned west to Times Square and then north to 145th Street, ”the source writes.

As noted in the MTA press release, it was this route that first connected the city hall with Harlem 27 on October 1904 of the year.

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By the way, at that time the IRT system belonged to a private company. Later, the system spanned two more districts, and two competing companies joined it - Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) and Independent Subway (IND).

“In 1940, these companies were merged, and today they form the existing subway system of the New York City Transportation Authority,” says in the MTA press release.

It is noted that the vintage trip, dedicated to the 115 anniversary of the metro, passed without delay, which cannot be said about the first working day of the IRT.

Museum of transport and exhibition of photographs

In honor of the holiday, in addition to an unusual excursion into the past, the New York Transport Museum extended its opening hours, opening an hour earlier on Sunday. On this day, the museum held thematic tours and events for all ages.

Also, all stations on the original IRT line were equipped with digital photographs of the metro system - before, during and after its construction.

"Each of the historical displays is unique for the station where they are presented," said MTA.

How the metro will change in the future

New York Transit President Andy Byford said the metro system has come a long way since October 1904.

According to him, the city plans to continue "accelerated progress".

"Upgrading signaling systems and bus routes, making stations accessible, and introducing a new fare collection system are just some of the ways we are going to contribute to the history of the NYC Department of Transportation."

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Concetta Benzivenga, director of the New York Transit Museum, said: “115 years ago, after the speeches and opening ceremonies were over, more than one hundred thousand New Yorkers arrived at the 28 intersections on Manhattan Island, went down the stairs and took the electrified intercity train high-speed transport. Thus, "the subway was born."

And today, according to Bentsiveng, the New York subway continues to make this city the way it is.