Ah yes, the city that never sleeps. “Fuhgeddaboudit,” so they say- how’s my accent? Do you know where I am yet? You guessed it, “New Yawwk City” baby.
There’s so much to see and do in the Big Apple, from visiting the Empire State Building to taking a leisurely stroll through iconic Central Park. Maybe you want to visit the Statue of Liberty, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge or take in a Broadway show. You really can’t go wrong in New York. However, you need a way to get to these places. I really don’t recommend an overpriced taxi that’ll charge you ten bucks for going one block over. The best mode of transportation is the only one thing that keeps New York’s wonders connected and in touch.
What if I told you this transport was a magical place beyond all these fantasies? A place that provides all their splendor and more in one place, that’s right ONE PLACE. What I proudly present to you is the most extravagant ride of a lifetime, more riveting than any amusement park ride you’ve ever been on: the New York City Subway.
For a brief overview, riding the subway is like riding a bike; it’s scary at first but you get used to it after a while. If you can read a map or use the Google Maps mobile app, you can use the New York City subway. Officially, the subway is known as MTA or Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Each train line has a color-coded letter or number. There is even a large map on the wall of every subway station, and upcoming stops are easy to see when you are on the train. It’s recommended that you use Google Maps or another good map app. The app will give you step-by-step instructions for getting from where you are to where you want to be, using subway trains, buses, and your own two feet.
Underground subway stations are probably the first thing people think of when talking about this mode of transportation. It’s much larger than expected and busy at all times. These Manhattan stations generally have several entrances and serve multiple train lines on multiple levels. If you know the train you want and the direction you want to go, it’s pretty easy to follow the signs to the correct platform. Subway trains in Midtown Manhattan may be crowded every day, all day long, hence why they call this line “Midtown Mayhem.” At rush hour, there is no personal space. Everyone just squeezes in because the next train won’t be any better.
The subway is the most iconic, accessible attraction we have. It’s our premier people-watching spot. At the end of the day — or rather, all day long — millions of people from every pocket of society navigate a system where the rules are simultaneously never-changing and constantly in flux. It’s like a cocktail party where everyone’s invited and only half of the guests are drunk. You haven’t really experienced New York City unless you’ve swiped a MetroCard, whirled through the turnstile, and grasped a pole to mitigate the sudden twists and turns that can make getting to your destination feel like a tightrope walk in high winds.
When riding the subway, you are quickly greeted by the sights and scents of the station itself before departing. As you peer over toward the rat whisking away its own New York slice, smells fill the air with roasted chestnuts complimented by the occasional urine and marijuana combo as you catch a glimpse of the doting New York commuters enslaved by their 9 to 5s. Here’s a tip, don’t talk to them because they most certainly will bite. “Excuse me, when’s the next stop downtown?” Now, you may be a little startled by your response, but a typical answer would be “Go fuck yourself.” Don’t worry, that’s “New Yorker” for “have a nice day!”
The subway might seem like a lonesome place, but I promise you it unifies people only under certain circumstances. Riders all have a common enemy and it certainly tests the survival of the fittest. This challenge is known of as the beast itself; the mechanical train door.
New Yorkers will use their newly shined shoes or bare hands to try to stop the mechanical doors from closing when they see someone who’s sprinting to catch their ride. Folks wrestle with steel doors even as conductors implore them not to, because we all know what it feels like to have left the house early and still wind up late to a job interview, a doctor appointment, or any relative place that involves punctuality.
No, these doors aren’t as sympathetic as elevators who give you a second chance and reopen when you stick your hand out of desperation. Just like that New Yorker who was willing to bite you before, the mechanical doors do the same. Only this time, they won’t hesitate- you stick out your arm and you find yourself wrestling with an alligator’s mouth. We’ve all had to take the gamble and if you fail, the next train might show up in time to get you to your destination- or it might not.
The breathless latecomer to the train car who has just single handedly held up hundreds or possibly thousands of people will draw eye-rolls, but they can’t lie, they’ve all been that person. And even though their successful sprint adds one more silhouette to a car that’s already full to bursting, it’s that shared experience — no matter who you are, no matter what stop you’re getting on at — that keeps them from killing each other and may be the closest thing to unifying New Yorkers.
As we continue our voyeuristic journey through the underground, the enclosed train car is populated by people who will just have you scratching your head wondering what is going on. I now present to you the people who really keep New York up and running; the Subway Creatures.
Now, when I say “subway creature,” I’m not referring to the mosquitoes gnawing at your ankles as you’re drenched in your own sweat on a hot summer day from just making your train. I’m talking about the guy next to you who decided to reenact his pole dancing routine on one of the safety bars in the middle of the train car. Don’t believe me? See for yourself:
You probably won’t get that lucky with a free show nowadays due to the new warning signs that at least attempt to stop people from doing so. Don’t believe me? See for yourself:
Aside from the shenanigans ensuing all around you, the journey on the outside is one worth encapsulating. Each station, each train, each route has its own sights and sounds. On a letter or numbered line, heading uptown to downtown, east to west, and into the outer boroughs, the subway is a means to an end.
In New York City, the subway is the best mode of transportation we’ve got. Every commute has its problems, but every line also has its dazzles. One of the most interesting subway rides is the F train to Coney Island. In Manhattan, the ride is that of a standard underground variety. However, a couple of stops into Brooklyn, the train emerges and rides high in the sky. If you look to the harbor, you will get a view of Lady Liberty herself.
The station at Smith and 9th Streets is the highest in the entire subway system. The elevated stop has one of the best views of the city. If you take the downtown-bound 6 beyond Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall, you’ll pass through a beautiful abandoned station. And Hoyt-Schermerhorn, which hosts the A, C, and G trains, is just kind of fun to say.
As you embark on your journey from Smith, the train dips back underground, only to emerge again. This time, you get authentic views into the various back yards from neighborhoods in Mid-Brooklyn.
The train terminates at the Stillwell Avenue station, which is designed to be environmentally friendly for the most part, its cleanliness is satisfactory. This could feel like a long ride so if the ride’s got you hungry, no need to fret. Right across from the station is Nathan’s Famous. Get a couple of franks with mustard and sauerkraut and celebrate a wonderful ride. Hit the boardwalk, ride the Cyclone and enjoy the ocean breezes.
The beautiful sights may very well be the stops of some A-listers you’ll be lucky to ride along with, having an opportunity to scope out a celebrity or two. Known for traveling public transport are the stars who look to laid-back Brooklyn neighborhoods to get away from the chaos in Manhattan. One of the most star-studded areas in the borough is Brooklyn Heights, where John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany, Mary-Louise Parker and Paul Giamatti all reportedly have homes and have in fact traveled the subway system.
The subway is a memory-making machine. It’s a place where marriages have been officiated, where lives have begun, where you might just share a seat with a soon-to be platinum singer-song writer, and where, even if you’ve only paid the price of admission once, you’ll leave with your very own tale to tell.
Sure, weddings, births, and errant celebrity sightings are as rare as the screaming, cautionary headlines on the opposite end of the transit teleprompter, but when an obvious tourist or apparent recent transplant successfully swipes through the turnstile on the first try, pauses to applaud a subway creature, or perks up when the train pulls into a station adorned with an unexpected army of rats, it reminds us to take a moment to appreciate those things. It’s a beautiful thing to see when a new commuter is about to experience the ride of a lifetime. So sit back, and take in the beauty and chaos all around you. It’s a pleasurable ride for the most part, just as long as everyone stands clear of the closing doors.
Sole Magazine