The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) with the New York Transit Museum celebrated the 120th anniversary of the New York City subway system by hosting two vintage train rides along portions of the city's first ever subway route.
Riding Through History
The 1917 Lo-V subway cars departed from the decommissioned Old South Ferry Station and traveled north along the 123 line to the Bronx before returning via the Lexington Avenue 456 line.
Riders had the unique chance to pass through the famous Old City Hall Station and conclude the journey at Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall Station. This round trip ride immersed participants in the sights and sounds of the original subway experience.
The 1017 Lo-V rides will be offered again on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 10 a.m. and again at 2 p.m., departing from the Old South Ferry Station.
“The subway is New York City’s heart and soul and what a special birthday it is to celebrate 120 years of serving this city we all love,” said MTA Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara. “We’re seeing continued post-pandemic ridership growth and have delivered customer service enhancements including the opening of Customer Service Centers citywide, cleaner stations, and a more digitized 21st century transit experience. That speaks to what we do every day, which is to create a safe, reliable, and equitable transit system that serves the needs of today’s riders.”
The Subway Is...
In celebration of this momentous milestone, a new exhibit at the New York Transit Museum titled, "The Subway Is..." takes a look at how the system shaped the city's culture, economy and identity. The exhibit explores the evolution of the subway system, from pipe dream to powerhouse.
The New York Transit Museum also activated a city-wide "The Subway Is..." social media campaign this month, partnering with museums, parks and influencers, inviting them to share their thoughts about what the subway means to them.
New York's first underground rapid transit network, known as the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT) subway, opened on Oct. 27, 1904 with 28 stations along a 9.1-mile line.
The IRT expanded to the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens and was eventually joined by two competing companies, the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) and the city-owned Independent Subway (IND).
In 1940 these companies were unified and today the comprise the current New York City subway system which is made up of 25 routes, 472 stations, 800 track miles, and a fleet of over 6,000 passenger cars. Laid end to end, the NYC Transit train tracks would stretch from New York to Chicago.
