The New York Subway Project

Welcome to the New York Subway Project!

2009-06-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

The entries here represent a project I undertook in July 2007 to visit all 468 subway stations in New York City.

Begin with the interactive subway map to explore the New York subway stations. Navigate by choosing an individual station or use the keyboard to follow my journey chronologically through the system. This blog contains posts for each of the stations that I visited.

The post for every station contains notes on the interior of the station as well as my quick impressions of the surrounding neighborhood. Clicking on any stop will open up the corresponding post in a neighboring tab in your web browser. The majority of stops also have photographs (or sketches) from the area near the subway station. Hold your mouse over any station on the map and a thumbnail photo will load, if available.

For more information on the making of the project, motivations for it, as well as some disclaimers about its design, please click here.

For more information on my run-in-with the NYPD and subsequent lawsuit filed by the NYCLU during the making of the project, please click here.

To view some of my favorite photos from my subterranean travels around New York, please click here.

I hope you enjoy the site and can use it to find out some new things about this amazing city!

Acknowledgments

Making the Project

2009-05-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

The vast majority (>450 of the stops) were visited during a single two week period from July 16-27, 2007. I typically rode the train from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm, sweating it out on platforms from Van Cortlandt Park to Far Rockaway. The last few stops were done on random days thereafter where I could find a little time.

In general, I designed my days such that I could complete about 50 stops in a discrete geographical area of New York. I did not go to every stop in order, but instead bounced around in the most efficient manner. For actual logistics, I pretty much always just rode to a stop, exited the station, walked around, took some notes and photos, and then got back on the train to ride to the next stop.

Motivations: My original motivation was to photograph the inside and outside of every stop, but after a run-in with the police (you can read more about that here) I started photographing where I thought it seemed I wouldn't get arrested/harrassed and otherwise just took detailed notes on my observations. In general, this eliminated the inside of subway stations and still made me nervous enough to avoid taking photographs in many neighborhoods where it’s abnormal to see someone walking around with a camera.

Undertaking this project was not inspired by any great epiphany, political manifesto, or artistic sensibility. Basically, I really love the subway, I love learning about New York, I had two weeks off from grad school, I didn't have any money to travel, and it seemed like a cool idea. I haven't had time since then to get everything together (med school got in the way), so that explains the delay in getting this out there.

I will say that I am a strong believer that the subway is a great equalizer in New York. Not only is it usually the fastest way to get around, people from essentially all socioeconomic classes, ethnicities, ages, and places in their lives mix together day in, day out, without the physical barriers imposed by commuting via cars on a freeway. This city is the most diverse in the world and the subway is the great interconnector. I tried to take full advantage of this connectivity by getting a glimpse of the similarities and differences of how people live in these neighborhoods of varying character.

The NYC subway system is also the largest (by far) in the world in terms of number of stops, as well as the only underground system that’s open twenty-four hours a day. This is an awesome achievement, and while there is plenty of room for improvement (noise, dirt, rats, etc.), in terms of sheer utility I still think we have it better than anyone else on the planet.

Disclaimer 1: Every post represents my quick impression of a single point in time in the life of the area immediately surrounding a subway station. I absolutely realize that in almost every neighborhood things quickly change once I would walk two blocks this way or that. I wish I could have done that, but given my tight schedule it just wasn't possible. In addition, my quick impression easily could have been wholly inaccurate. Thus, I apologize in advance for anything I might write that you disagree with. So please feel free to leave any comments about cool things by your stop (or other ones you know) that I might have missed...I'm sure there are thousands, and I would love to know about them!

Disclaimer 2: There are only 464 posts here but 468 stops. When I did the project in 2007, the Cortlandt St. stops on both the 1 and R/W trains were closed for repairs so I didn't visit them. Plus, the Acqueduct Racetrak stop on the A is only open on race days, which didn't coincide with my schedule. So that gets me up to 467. In all likelihood, the MTA is counting some part of a station as a different stop that I just didn’t set up a separate post for. Let me know if you figure it out.

Favorite Photos

2009-05-20T08:11:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the photos I liked the best, representing the variety of scenes I saw while travelling around the city.

R-V Trains - 36 St. (Queens)

A Train - High St.-Brooklyn Bridge (Brooklyn)

B-D-F-V Trains - 47-50 Sts.-Rockefeller Center (Manhattan)

J-M-Z Trains - Canal St. (Manhattan)

S Train - Beach 106 St. (Queens)

2-3 Trains - Eastern Pkwy.-Brooklyn Museum (Brooklyn)

7 Train - 69 St.-Fisk Ave. (Queens)

2-5 Trains - Freeman St. (Bronx)

6 Train - Buhre Ave. (Bronx)

1 Train - 207 St. (Manhattan; right before I got detained by the cops)

About the Lawsuit

2009-05-10T13:20:00.001-07:00

When I initially started the subway project, I had the idea to photograph both the inside and outside of every subway station in New York. Of course, I didn’t consider the fact that as a dark-skinned person this might lead to some problems in our post-9/11 world, even if casual photography in the train is totally legal and does not require a permit (see MTA Rules of Conduct 1050.9.c).

On the very first day of the project, I was five stops in, at the 207 St. stop on the 1 Train in Inwood. I had just finished taking photos off the northbound platform (the station is elevated) when I saw a cop watching me from the southbound side. Knowing I was doing nothing wrong, I didn’t pay it any mind. However, when I went down to street level to walk around a bit and take some more photos, he approached to interrogate me. He asked what I was doing, and I explained the project. He then requsted to see some ID, so I gave him two forms. He subsequently asked to see my photos, which I demonstrated to him on the back of my digital camera. However, he wasn’t satisfied, saying he needed to “take me to the station house to run my ID”. He then asked me turn around and placed me in handcuffs. I ended up in cuffs for around 25 minutes, standing on the corner of 207 St. and 10 Ave. during the middle of rush hour.

Finally, some more senior, plainclothes officers eventually arrived, questioned me, and released me. I was not ticketed or charged with any illegal activity. Unfortunately, they had no good advice on how could avoid similar run-ins subsequently in my project, so I decided to just try to avoid cops seeing my camera whenever possible.

After this incident I was concerned that something was amiss. While I had not been greatly harmed by the police intervention, I was also confident that had I not been dark-skinned there was no way I would have been detained by them. I contacted a lawyer friend who encouraged me to get in touch with the New York Civil Liberties Union. The NYCLU had been trying through legal means to get the NYPD to reform their heavy-handed policies regarding photographers and videographers in New York. Fortunately, the attorneys there were receptive to my case and were willing to pursue it. My case was filed in December 2007 in federal court (see the NYCLU description here) as part of a series of cases filed by the NYCLU against the NYPD regarding photography and videography.

The case received a good amount of press, both in New York (Gothamist, Daily News, Post, NY1), nationwide (Reuters), and abroad (Hindustan Times). While the NYPD eventually forced us to settle my case without any change in their policies, the NYCLU was ultimately successful in getting the NYPD to change their training procedures regarding photography and videography (see Gothamist story here). I am proud that my subway project was able to contribute to this furthering of our civil liberties. I hope that in the future, law-abiding, amateur photographers such as myself won’t have to be afraid when taking photos near the subway.

Acknowledgements

2009-05-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

I would like to extend an extreme level of gratitude to Russell Chun, friend and Flash expert extraordinaire, for designing the interactive subway map as well as layout of the website. If it weren’t for him, you would probably never be looking at this site.

I would also like to thank my Ph.D. adviser at Columbia, Julio Fernandez, for giving me two weeks largely free of work to pursue this project. I also thank my very capable attorneys at the NYCLU, Chris Dunn, Ben Kleinman, and Tim Foster, for the hard work on my case against the NYPD and for finally getting them to change their policies regarding training officers about photographers. Finally, I must thank my (now) wife, Ann Thai, for putting up with all my antics in completing this project in 2007 and still marrying me two years later.

Arun Wiita

2009-05-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Arun has lived for the past seven years in New York City completed a combined MD-PhD program at Columbia University. He graduated in May 2009 and is preparing to move out to the west coast to begin a residency program in Laboratory Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He is sad to leave New York, the Greatest City in the World, as well as its mass transit system. It is worth noting the he is definitely not much of a photographer, but he does really love the subway and is obsessive enough to actually finish a project like this.

N/R/W Trains - 49 St. (Extra Days, stop #464)

2009-05-08T12:59:00.000-07:00

Out: At 49 St. and 7 Ave. the craziness of Times Square is nearing its northernmost extent. There are still huge ads and neon lights, but looking north it really fades out past 50th St. Most of the people on the street are either tourists or guys trying to get them to buy stuff (hats, sunglasses, tickets, etc.). Right above the stop is the Hawaiian Tropic Zone as well as nearby chintzy souvenier stores along with the typical-type deli and coffee shop.

To the south are large, new-ish looking office towers while to the north some of the buildings become markedly older-looking, possibly residential but likely still office space. On the street, one of the entrances even has the glossy-brick facade.

In: The layout here is two platform, four track with express bypass. The walls are in glossy-red painted brick here, similar to some of the E stop at Lexington (if I remember correctly). Besides that nothing too remarkable; there are no columns by the platform. There are exits out to 47 and 49 Sts. on 7th Ave, with a small newsstand at the 49 St. end.

S Train - Grand Central (Extra Days, stop #463)

2009-05-08T12:56:00.001-07:00

Out: See photos and description for 4/5/6 Trains - 42 St.-Grand Central.

In: The ride over from Times Sq. is, not surprisingly, very brief. The station on this end looks much nicer, with renovated white tiling on the walls and mosaic "Grand Central" with artwork in red and blue. The layout is 2 platform, 3 track here, again with a terminus and big "STOP" signs for the trains. It looks like only one platform and two tracks are actively in use, though. Past the train terminus there is a long tunnel that leads to Grand Central Station. The one drawback here is that it is less conveniently located to make connections to other trains; one end of the platform exits at Madison Ave., indicating how far it is from the 4/5/6 trains in particular.

S Train - Times Square (Extra Days, stop #462)

2009-05-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

Out: See photos and description for 1/2/3 Trains - 42 St.-Times Sq.

In: This end of the shuttle has a different platform layout than any one I've seen. There is a three platform, three track layout but they are all staggered and end at the point where the shuttle track terminates. The platforms themselves are on the same level of the expansive Times Sq. mezzanine level (i.e. no extra stairs), between the 1/2/3 and N/Q/R/W trains, directly opposite of the featured musical performer spot (today some guy on the guitar). It seems that only two platforms and two tracks are in use; passengers wait expectantly to find out which platform they need to rush to in order to get on the train. There is white tiling on the very far wall but mostly there is just black tunnel to be seen. The columns near the platform are white with burgundy trim, some wrapped in advertising (it is Times Sq., after all). Eventually the diminuitive 3-car train pulls into the station.

A/C/E Trains - 34 St.-Penn Station (Extra Days, stop #461)

2009-05-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

Out: Outside the station there is a strange mix of buildings. At 33rd St., Penn Station, MSG, a large office building as well as an older one are all directly outside.

Across 8th Ave. is the majestic main Post Office in Manhattan (which will supposedly one day become the new Penn Station).

People of all ethnicities and socioeconomic classes are out here on the streets by the station. There are plenty of office workers, tourists, and other folks around. It's plenty busy on the sidewalk. There are smallish restaurants, a parking garage, and Duane Reade on 33rd. 34th still has more midscale places like Riese, Friday's, a diner, Payless, and the "Cinderella Club". All in all it looks a little skeezy, but definitely not hoody.

In: The station here has the same strange layout as the 1/2/3 stop on the 7^th Ave. side. The layout is three platform, four track, with the middle platform offering express access in both directions, and the outer platforms for local access. There is a burgundy color scheme with mosaic station signs and small lettered numbers on black tiles. The mezzanine here is below the tracks, with a connection directly into Penn Station; the crossunder here connects the express and local tracks. The exit into Penn Station is under the south end of the platform. In general the station is well-lit and in pretty good shape. There are exits from the local platform out to 33rd St., 34th St., and 35th St. Smaller mosaic signs at the exits direct you up to MSG or Penn Station.

A/B/C/D Trains - 59 St.-Columbus Circle (Extra Days, stop #460)

2009-05-07T20:29:00.000-07:00

Out: See description of 1 Train - 59 St.-Columbus Circle.

In: Three platform, four track layout. The center platform is unused by passengers but is currently undergoing major renovation. It's not clear what use it could be for except for alternate boarding for the express trains in either direction. The walls are white tiled with "59" in subtle tilework outlines. The color scheme is generally blue tile stripe down a white wall with burgundy columns. There is transfer up two different staircases to the uptown and downtown 1 trains as this train cuts diagonally over the 8th Ave. line.

B/C Trains - 72 St. (Extra Days, stop #459)

2009-05-07T20:07:00.000-07:00

Out: There is a famous old apartment building outside the stop here, the “Dakota”, which dominates the intersection with its majestic stature, wrought iron entrance, and gas-burning lamps (see photo).

Otherwise the other tall impressive buildings, similar to the others along CPW.

There are lots of tourists, and again the people are almost all white. The park drive is closed here, but there is still plenty of traffic on CPW. I see a plaque on “The Majestic” apartment building which claims that it was one of the first Art Deco apartment buildings, but it’s covered in scaffolding so it’s hard to tell.

In: The station now resembles the stations from 86 St.-103 St.

B/C Trains - 81 St.-Museum of Natural History (Extra Days, stop #458)

2009-05-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

Out: The exit here is at the south side of 81^st St., close to CPW. The intersection is, not surprisingly, dominated by the museum here, even if the view is a bit blocked by trees.

There are large high-rise apartment complexes along 81^st St. in all of their pre-war splendor. There is a particularly grand building on the corner of CPW undergoing renovations.

At the crosstown route across the park here there is the “Hunter’s Gate”.

The people outside are similar to 86^th, with perhaps more tourists and kids, still definitely mostly white, but a few black and Hispanic here. Also there are still no commercial spots here.

In: The layout of the station is similar to previous stops, but there are a number of interesting features here. The station entrance itself is unusually wide (essential the width of two typical staircases), as is the tree-lined sidewalk into which it emerges on 81^st St. On the staircases and on the mezzanine there are elaborate mosaic tile murals of birds, insects, and other scientific specimens. The floor is decorated with other tiles and the station is clean and in good shape. The walls of the upper platform are still covered in tile pictures of animals, and there are no advertisements on the walls. The staircase to the lower level is decorated with a large tile picture simulating the layers of the earth; the core is located at the bottom of the stairs.

The walls downstairs have relief metal inlays of fossils. There are also some mosaic tile station signs with “81^st St.-Museum of Natural History” on a blue tile background. Definitely a great station!

B/C Train - 86 St. (Extra Days, stop #457)

2009-05-07T15:59:00.000-07:00

Out: The area around the station here is similar to 96^th, but everything looks even fancier. The station is still right next to the park, and there is plenty of traffic at the crossover here.

The buildings are even more ornate here, and almost everyone is now white except for nannies of various ethnicities carting around white babies. There are no commercial establishments except for a large office full of doctors in private practice.

There are a couple of smaller buildings with interesting architecture undergoing renovations (see photo), but again most of the buildings are large residential towers. I walk from here down to 81^st St.

In: Similar to 96^th, but here there are exits at 87^th and 86^th, and there is some visible graffiti on the wall of the express track.

B/C Trains - 96 St. (Extra Days, stop #456)

2009-05-07T15:54:00.000-07:00

Out: Again the exit here is on the west side of CPW, right next to the park. Now on the border of the Upper West Side, there are a number of towering residential high rises.

The only obvious commercial activity is a guy selling hot dogs from a cart. There is plenty of traffic looking to enter and exit one of the park crossovers here. 96^th itself here is a large street, with two lanes of traffic in each direction. It is also lined by large high rises to the west, with a fewer smaller buildings interspersed.

Some of the buildings look to be classic and pre-war, but others are clearly more modern. There is also a large church on the corner here and a Tudor-style apartment building on 97^th.

The people on the street are pretty mixed between white, black, and Hispanic, plus there are a number of tourists now. There is a playground at the corner here with many moms, nannies, and kids. There are not too many people in work attire, and more in workout clothes. Definitely getting into the wealth of the UWS here.

In: Similar to 103 St.

B/C Trains - 103 St. (Extra Days, stop #455)

2009-05-07T15:36:00.000-07:00

Out: The station here is next to Central Park, as the next many stations will also be. It’s very residential here. On 103^rd there are a number of brick tenements and some Puerto Rican flags flying. On the block there are some older black and Puerto Rican men hanging out. 103^rd itself is quite small here, with just one lane of traffic.

On CPW there are more people out and some tourists speaking a Scandanavian language, along with many other white people/gentrifiers. There are also many people who look like they are just leaving the park after a run or other exercise. There is also some type of protest going on about a block away (see photo).

In the park here there are some large boulders across from the stop, indicating the rockier terrain in this northern section. On CPW there are basically only fancy residential buildings with many arches, bay windows, and other accents on the façade.

In: The station is a bit dirtier than 110 St. The color scheme is similar to the previous stops, with blue metal columns and a blue mosaic tile name, but the layout has changed. Now the station is bi-level, with the uptown tracks on the top level, just one flight below street level, along with the booth and turnstiles. On each level there is one platform and two tracks, with the outer track being the express bypass. The platform wall has white tiling while the far wall is just black backing with no tiling.

B/C Trains - 110 St.-Cathedral Pkwy. (Extra Days, stop #454)

2009-05-07T15:35:00.000-07:00

Out: The exit here is at the NW corner of Central Park.

There is a lot of construction going on in the not-yet-completed traffic circle here.

There are now many gentrifiers around, and their presence is gaining when compared to the number of black people on the streets. I can see the trees of Central Park along with two big apartment towers here, the “Towers on the Park”.

There are also a number of other brick-fronted tenements around. There is a cleaners, a grocery, a café, and a gas station here, but in general it’s much more residential than commercial.

In: The mezzanine here is small with a dimly lit platform. There’s a mosaic tile mural with the title “Migrations”, that is tasteful if a bit abstract. The platform color scheme and layout is similar to 116 St., but here the express tracks are running below grade. There is also a mosaic tile mural on the platform depicting Frederick Douglass.

B/C Trains - 116 St. (Extra Days, stop #453)

2009-05-07T15:33:00.000-07:00

Out: The area near this stop features some good Harlem architecture, with a mix of brownstones and well-maintained brick apartment buildings with art deco accents.

The area around the stop is mostly black, with a strong Senegalese presence, as well as a good number of gentrifiers.

There is a Halal deli, some Senegalese stores, and women in headscarves. The local mosque, the “Masjid Aqsa”, is near the 99¢ store. I walked down to 110 St. from here.

In: The station walls here are covered in dirty white tiles, and the stop is dimly lit. There are blue metal columns by the platform edge. The layout here is two opposing platforms with four tracks and express bypass. There is a blue mosaic station name in the IND style. The paint here is peeling pretty badly at certain places. There is only one exit.

A/B/C/D Trains - 125 St. (Extra Days, stop #452)

2009-05-07T15:29:00.000-07:00

Out: The exit here is on a busy stretch of 125 St., at the corner of St. Nicholas Ave. There are plenty of people out and about as well as traffic, even on a Sunday afternoon. There are many small businesses and fast food places, as well as larger chains.

While 125 is almost all commercial with many stores and large billboards, there are many large apartment buildings on St. Nicholas. The people around are mostly black, not surprising here on the main street of Harlem.

In: The layout here is two platform, four track with both express and local access. There are brick tile floors on the platform and green metal columns in the middle of the platform. There is green tile stripe down the side wall and no mosaic station name. The station in general is dimly lit and the tiles on the walls are dirty. The mezzanine is also floored in brick tiling and extends for the length of the platform and there are multiple exits.

B/C Trains - 135 St. (Extra Days, stop #451)

2009-05-07T15:25:00.000-07:00

Out: This area is again very residential, with no obvious commercial activity nearby. The main buildings here are large apartment blocks and tenements. The interesting feature here is that one entrance to the train is built into a hillside (see photo) leading up to City College, whose buildings are visible over the top of the hill.

In: The station here has a two platform, six (!) track layout. There are two sets of express tracks that bypass the station, one for the A train and one for the D train, which reflect their positioning on different levels at 145 St. Thus, the opposing platforms are very far apart here. There are green metal columns by the platform edge and a green mosaic station name in the IND style. There is no mezzanine here, just a booth at platform level and the exit one flight up.

A/B/C/D Trains - 145 St. (Extra Days, stop #450)

2009-05-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

Out: The neighborhood here is very residential, with only a few small business nearby. The housing is almost all large tenements, but there are a few more architecturally interesting row houses/brownstones nearby. The area is mostly black with some kids near the stop looking like they are searching for something to do.

In: The station here is three levels. The bottom level has the B/D, the middle the A/C, and the top level is a long mezzanine with exits at 145 St. and 147 St. The levels with train access have a two platform, four track layout with local and express access. There are white tiles on the wall with a yellow tile stripe and yellow metal columns. There is no mosaic station name, just “145” lettering on small black tiles.

C/E Trains - 23 St. (Day 10, stop #449)

2009-05-07T15:18:00.000-07:00

Out: Outside the stop here there are many well-maintained large apartment buildings, and a bunch of trees about a block away. The area is pretty much all gentrified and white/Asian, but there are some black/Hispanic people too. There are a good number of gay guys here in Chelsea, and the stores are a mix of bars, restaurants, and mom & pop places, some of which have rainbow flags flying outside. There is the Dallas BBQ right at this corner, which always has a significant place in my heart. This neighborhood is a good mix of residential and commercial. I manage to catch the last remnants of sunlight for a couple photos. I also saw here a long ling of cop cars speeding by, but I can’t see the immediate cause.

In: Dirty white tiles on the walls here, and a two platform, four track layout with express bypass. There are yellow columns by the platform edge, and yellow mosaic tile on the wall with the station name in the IND style. There are also lots of “23” in small black tiles. There’s an underpass to the other side here, but no mezzanine; the booth is right below the street level.

L Train - 3rd Ave. (Day 10, stop #448)

2009-05-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

Out: The stop here is right next to the Met Life building, which dominates the intersection. An NYU dorm is another prominent feature here. Most of the residential buildings here are large apartment towers, but there are some smaller four-story narrow brick apartment buildings on 14^th. The neighborhood here is somewhat less hipster-ish, but still mostly white/Asian gentrified. There is a mix of mom and pop stores, with Duane Reade-type places as well. This is definitely a wealthy and primarily residential area, even if not totally refined.

In: Similar to 1 Ave., but the mosaic tile border on the wall is blue with burgundy background for “3”.

L Train - 1st Ave. (Day 10, stop #447)

2009-05-07T14:55:00.000-07:00

Out: The buildings near here are a mix of three story apartments and the large apartment buildings of Stuyvesant Town (see photo).

I can smell food grilling here from the nearby street car, and there are also plenty of small restaurants near here. There are also a couple of fast food spots and the streets are a little dirty.

The majority of people are white and look hipster-ish, not surprisingly. There are a few Hispanic people who mostly seem to walking towards Alphabet City, to the east. There are also some elderly folk wandering out of Stuy Town. Even though this neighborhood has become thoroughly gentrified, it still retains a little bit of its former grittiness.

In: The layout here is two opposing platforms and two tracks. There is again an appealing tile mosaic station name, in the style of the L stops in Brooklyn, with a blue background and yellow/green border. At the top of the walls there is a border of larger yellow/green tiles with a “1” on a blue background. The tiles look pretty dirty for the most part, but the lighting is ok. On the platform I run into Danielle’s friend Amanda, who is, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, only the second person I know I’ve run into during this project. There is no mezzanine at the station, just a small booth area right below the street, and there is no crossover.

L Train - Union Square (Day 10, stop #446)

2009-05-07T14:53:00.000-07:00

Out: See photos and description of 4/5/6 Trains - 14th St.

In: The station here is similar to 6^th Ave., but the wall tiles are cleaner, and the mosaic tiling at the top of the wall has a “U”. The color may be green and yellow, but it’s so dirty it’s hard to tell. Upstairs is a large and expansive mezzanine which allows for transfer to the other trains here.

L Train - 6th Ave. (Day 10, stop #445)

2009-05-07T14:52:00.000-07:00

Out: See photos and description of F/V Trains - 14th St.

In: The layout here is again one platform, two track, with trains in both directions. The platform is fairly narrow, it’s dimly lit, the white tiles on the walls are dirty, and the back part of the platform smells of urine. Up one flight in the middle of the platform it is possible to access the F/V trains, or there is also a transfer down a long tunnel to the 1/2/3 on 7^th Ave. there is a green and yellow mosaic tile stripe with “6” at the top of the walls, and yellow metal columns on both sides of the platform.

L Train - 8th Ave. (Day 10, stop #444)

2009-05-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

Out: See photos and description of A/C/E Trains - 14th St.

In: To get down to the platform, I must walk down long a staircase with metal steps, lit by harsh orange sodium lamps. The layout here is one platform, two track with a tiled wall at the west end, as this is the last stop on the line. The platform is quite wide and well-lit. The columns here are covered with white tile and look new, as well as the white tiles on the wall, and the station has burgundy-colored tile accents. There is a nice mosaic tile “8” within a tan and green stripe at the top of the wall; these tiles look like they have also recently been replaced or cleaned.

A/C/E Trains - 14 St. (Day 10, stop #443)

2009-05-07T14:48:00.000-07:00

Out: The intersection here at 8^th Ave. is crowded with lots of people out and about. There are some office workers, some hipster, some gay folk. The people are mostly white, but some black and Asian as well. There is a wide variety of small delis and restaurants, and the stores are a mix of mid- to upscale. The housing is a mix between low and high-rise apartments.

There is an old bank building on the corner (see photo). The general feeling here is residential, but with a lot of activity.

In: The layout here is two platform, four track with local and express access. Each platform is wide and well-lit, with tile floors. There are yellow metal columns in the middle of the platform. On the platform itself there are a number of small, rotund figures made of bronze, assuming various poses and placed on many surfaces. There is a yellow tile stripe on the wall, otherwise white square tiles with a black “14^th” painted intermittently. There is a very long and wide mezzanine with multiple exits and yellow metal columns. There is also a transfer to the L down a short passageway.

E Train - World Trade Center (Day 10, stop #442)

2009-05-07T14:45:00.000-07:00

Out: The area around the station is surprisingly very crowded. The station itself is right next to Ground Zero, and shares its entrance with the PATH train stop. There is plenty of construction going on in the big hole in the ground.

The area is surrounded by impressive office buildings, which are very easy to see because of the large open construction site. There are both many office workers as well as tourists of all races and classes. There are also many commuters heading for the PATH train.

There is a pleasant little outdoor plaza outside the Hilton hotel here; I sit down on a little ledge to write these notes. I’m also sitting right behind an old church I’ve come across many times during my travels, as it’s in the close vicinity of many of these downtown stops.

There aren’t too many stores around, but an important one to many people is Century 21 clothing outlet.

In: The layout of the station here is one platform, with two tracks for layup of the train at the last stop here. This station is actually just to the side of a long walkway up to the A/C trains at Chambers; its kind of a strange extension of that station. The platform is quite wide, with blue metal columns on both sides. On one side there is a white-tiled wall (with no tile mosaics), while on the other there is only a black metal grating which looks onto the tunnel to Chambers St. stop. The station is well-lit.

2/3 Trains - Park Place (Day 10, stop #441)

2009-05-07T14:42:00.000-07:00

Out: This station is basically right next to City Hall Park and City Hall, on the Broadway side. There are people of all ethnicities, some in suits, some in business casual, and some not dressed for work. There are some wealthy-looking white people who seem to live around here (i.e. in workout clothes or walking dogs), but in general most of the people on the street likely just work here or are passing through. The establishments around are mostly quick food spots (i.e. for lunch while at work), banks, or cafes. The area does not feel particularly residential, and the buildings around are still mostly offices. I walk over the Church St. from here to get to the E stop at WTC.

In: Again the layout is one narrow platform with trains in both directions; however, the platform is a bit wider than at Fulton St. There are new white tiles on the walls, but older mosaic tiles on the top of the wall, in yellow and blue, with a “P”. The lighting is pretty good, and there are blue metal columns on both sides of the platfrorm. I use the escalator to exit at Park Place and Broadway.

2/3 Trains - Fulton St. (Day 10, stop #440)

2009-05-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

Out: The area here is still pretty much all office buildings, but they aren’t quite as huge nor is the canyoning effect as significant. While the people around are still mostly white, there are more people of other races, including black and Hispanic, plus the people on the street are less likely to be wearing suits. However, many people are still in office attire. There are some small cafes and restaurants nearby, and a few bars and restaurants heading east on Fulton.

There are also some luxury condos being built right by the stop. The downtown branch of the Strand bookstore, a place I always pop in whenever I'm down here, is also nearby.

In: The layout here is one narrow platform with trains in both directions. There is a brown and blue-green tile mosaic with the station name, but in a different font than usual; it’s the same color scheme at the top of the wall. There are green columns on the platform, and the white tiles on the walls look newly renovated. There is not much on the mezzanine, which above the 2/3 is just a long narrow hallway with confusing transfers to the various other trains at this stop.

2/3 Trains - Wall St. (Day 10, stop #439)

2009-05-07T14:35:00.000-07:00

Out: There are lots of people here in suits and button downs, and almost all are white, East, or South Asian, but there are a few folk of other ethnicities. There are also some tourists here. The commercial establishments include a Starbucks and a Chase bank branch, but for the most part there are just huge office skyscrapers, some with an older architecture and others more modern.

The canyoning effect here, where much of the sunlight is blocked by the tall buildings, is quite significant, especially because the streets are narrow.

Wall St. itself has restricted traffic, so there aren’t really many cars right by the stop. This station is just one black from the J/M stop. I walked up William St. here to get to the Fulton St. stop.

In: The layout here is one platform, two track with trains in both directions. The platform is very narrow, but well lit. There are white tiles on the walls, with a mosaic tile border at the top and a “W” on a burgundy background with green accents. The tiles are dirty and actually hard to see. There are blue-grey metal columns by the platform.

2/3 Trains - Clark St. (Day 10, stop #438)

2009-05-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

Out: The station here is actually attached to a small sushi place and deli. The outside here is clearly Brooklyn Heights. There are birds chirping in the trees, lots of white people, beautiful houses, and upscale stores.

The stop is still fairly close to downtown Brooklyn, but there is definitely a more wealthy and safe feeling to the neighborhood. The streets near the stop are also quite calm and small, and there is not much traffic.

In: The layout here is one narrow platform with two tracks in each direction. The station here, the last in Brooklyn going this direction, has rounded walls for a tube-tunnel shape. There are white square tiles on the walls and mosaic street name, different in style than previous ones, with a blue background and green border. There are also grey, brown and green tile stripes on the wall, and green metal columns on the platform edge. The ceiling feels quite low here and there is plenty of peeling paint. I walk down a short hall to access the exit, which has black floor tiling with red, yellow, and grey shapes embedded; kind of strange. I am more surprised when I find this station actually has an elevator required to exit! I thought that was a Washington Heights thing. However, the rides up seems shorter than those uptown in Manhattan, so it’s probably not as deep underground.

2/3/4/5 Trains - Borough Hall (Day 10, stop #437)

2009-05-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

Out: See photos and description of R Train - Court St.

In: The station here is dingy with small white tiles. The layout is one platform, one track; the local train in the other direction is downstairs. The 4/5 are on also on different levels. There is a mosaic tile station name in purple and blue with a multicolor background. The top border has a brown tile stripe as well as a small picture of Boro Hall instead of the usual “B”; kind of a nice touch. There is a long tunnel to the R train, but I’m surprised to find the only exit from the station is the same. Therefore, I don’t go outside to take photos.

2/3 Trains - Hoyt St. (Day 10, stop #436)

2009-05-07T14:17:00.000-07:00

Out: The station here exits right onto the Fulton Mall. This mid-scale shopping district is almost all retail and offices, with very little residential in the area. Almost everyone is black or Hispanic, but I see a few white and others around. The stop here is right next to the large stores of Jimmy Jazz, Macy’s, Dr. Jay’s, Foot Locker, and Kay Jewelers. There are many other smaller stores also selling shoes, clothes, and electronics, which seem to be the emphasis of this stretch here. There are also lots of people selling a variety of random products off tables on the sidewalk. Fulton St. here is only for pedestrians and buses, but not typical car traffic. Interestingly, many of the retail buildings have an interesting pre-war-type architectural style to them.

In: The layout here is two platform, four track with express bypass. There are weird brown and red brick walls, maroon station signs, and maroon columns on the platform. The station here is dimly lit and feels antiquated. Near the exit there are larger round columns with glossy maroon brick-like tiles.

2/3/4/5 Trains - Nevins St. (Day 10, stop #435)

2009-05-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

Out: This exit is near the intersection of Flatbush, Fulton, and Nevins. It’s pretty busy here at 5 p.m. There is a McDonald’s, office buildings, and some apartments; a fairly interesting mix. There are some big stores but plenty of smaller ones mixed in.

There are people of all types here: mostly black, but plenty of Hispanic, white, and South Asian. Again it’s not clear who lives here and who is just passing through. There are also a decent number of homeless people around. This stop gives a feel for some of the grittiness of downtown Brooklyn.

In: The layout here is two platform, four track with local and express access. There are white tile walls and green rounded columns. The station is kind of dingy, with a very small mezzanine. There are some line drawings on flat panels near the exit stairs.

2/3/4/5 Trains - Atlantic Ave. (Day 10, stop #434)

2009-05-07T13:04:00.000-07:00

Out: This subway station, along with LIRR tracks, are actually directly attached to a large, mid- to upscale-looking shopping complex. On Atlantic itself there is lots of traffic and some big box stores as part of the shopping center (P.C. Richards, Target) as well as smaller apartment buildings.

There are people of many races around, but it’s not clear who lives here or who is just passing through. The station here is also right next to the Williamsburgh Savings Bank building. I got an Italian Ice from a cart here to relieve my parched-ness, but unfortunately it only tasted ok and left a metallic aftertaste.

In: This station is actually quite nice. There is a Penn Station-style division of tracks, with a four track, three platform layout. The center platform is for express trains (4/5) in both directions, while the outer two platforms are for the local (2/3) trains only. There is a large frosted glass wall covering one side of the station, but otherwise there are white tiles on the walls. There is a maroon mosaic tile station sign, and granite staircases for transfer to other trains. On the floor there is an inlaid pattern with symbols reminiscent of a Guyanese flag. I exit via the LIRR tracks, which are directly attached to this set of subway tracks.

2/3 Trains - Bergen St. (Day 10, stop #433)

2009-05-07T13:01:00.001-07:00

Out: The station here is right next to Yummy Taco and Bergen Bagels, two of my favorite Park Slope landmarks. There are still many white people around, both a mix of old-school Brooklyn and younger new arrivals. There is still a decent number of black people and some Hispanics as well. The station here is right on Flatbush Ave., which serves as the border between Prospect Heights and Park Slope. Some of the nearby establishments include some upscale restaurants along with more typical downscale mom and pop stores.

There is a small police precinct building right outside the stop, as well as plenty of small apartment buildings in brick as well as some row houses. There actually aren’t any brownstones in the immediate vicinity of the station, even though I know there are plenty in the surrounding blocks.

In: The visible layout here is one platform, one track with a separating wall in white tile. The walls are pretty dirty and light is ok. The platform is pretty narrow for the most part, except next to the booth area which is on the same level. There is a blue mosaic tile station sign with a sea green border; there is the same color scheme for the tile stripe and “B” at the top of the wall.

2/3 Trains - Grand Army Plaza (Day 10, stop #432)

2009-05-07T12:58:00.000-07:00

Out: At this stop, coming in from outer Brooklyn, it is clear that gentrification has begun! At the train entrance there are three young women all talking on their Sidekicks while wearing big sunglasses; kind of funny, really. There are big, leafy islands near the plaza itself. The buildings are mostly apartment building in brick.

There are now plenty of white people around, but still a good number of black people as well. There are not too many stores right by the plaza, but a few more near the stop; the actual plaza is a couple minute walk east of the stop itself. I only get close enough to zoom in and get a shot of the small statues on the top of the arch in the middle of Grand Army Plaza (see photo).

In: The layout here is one platform, two tracks for trains in both directions. The platform is quite wide and the lighting is good. The white tiles here look recently renovated, and there are yellow metal columns at the edge and middle of the platform. On the top of the wall there is a small mosaic strip in grey and yellow, and there are small light blue accent tiles on the wall. The mezzanine is reasonably sized with embedded artwork of a winged figure and trumpet.

2/3 Trains - Eastern Parkway-Brooklyn Museum (Day 10, stop #431)

2009-05-07T12:55:00.000-07:00

Out: The exit to the station here is right by the Brooklyn Museum here (see photo below). There are lots of white people visiting the museum, including some tourists. There are some kids skating outside (see photo above), despite signs explicitly prohibiting it.

Across the street from the museum there are some Tudor-style apartment buildings and one extremely large, pre-war apartment block overlooking the museum and into Prospect Park. The area still looks mostly black and relatively nice for this part of Brooklyn. There are not too many stores or commercial places around.

In: The station is again in good shape, with shiny white tiles and a mosaic station sign with a blue background and green, yellow, and burgundy borders. The top of the wall is similar with a green tile stripe and “M” on a blue background. There are green columns by the edge of the platform. The lighting is bright, too. There’s a two platform, two track setup; I can’t see the express tracks from here. On the mezzanine there is some well-done artwork depicting historical figures and museum-y pieces on a tile mosaic background.

2 Train - President St. (Day 10, stop #430)

2009-05-07T12:53:00.000-07:00

Out: The neighborhood here looks a bit more mixed between black and Hispanic. Some of the nearby establishments include the “V.I.P. Bar and Grill”, a “Fine Things” Boutique, and a drug store.

It’s still pretty residential, and it doesn’t look too bad. It looks like there are a couple of gentrifiers around, but also still plenty of West Indian stuff. There’s also an older building converted to residential use on the corner, and a big 70’s-style apartment building nearby, too. Most of the housing here are three to four story apartment buildings, though.

In: The layout here is a single platform with two tracks for trains in both directions. There are white tiles on the walls and they look pretty dirty. There is small mosaic tile “P” on the top with blue and brown borders. There are three flights of stairs to the mezzanine, so this station is clearly farther underground than the previous stops. There are blue-grey metal columns on both sides of the platform. There is an interesting abbreviation for Manhattan on one of the signs in the station: “Manh-“; I hadn’t seen that before.

2 Train - Sterling St. (Day 10, stop #429)

2009-05-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

Out: This intersection here is pretty quiet, with not too much activity. There are a few small stores around, including a pizzeria, Kennedy Fried Chicken, liquor, nail salon, 99¢ store, but the neighborhood looks largely residential. On one side of Nostrand there are large brick tenements (see photo) while on the other there are smaller brownstones and row houses.

It’s actually an interesting contrast. The neighborhood is still mostly black, with maybe one gentrifier and a few Hispanics around.

In: At the end of the platform here, there is still some of the strange large-tiled station wall, similar to the local stops on 4^th Ave. For most of the platform, though, everything still looks quite good, with mosaic tiling with a burgundy background and blue border on the station name. The top of the wall has larger brown tiles with a yellow, blue, and green border and an “S” on a burgundy background. The light, though, is a bit dim and flickering, giving a little more dingy feel than other stations along this lie. The setup here is two opposing platforms and two tracks. There are blue-grey columns by the platform edge. There actually is a small mezzanine here, along with some artwork that look like abstract scenes in red and green; but then I realize that they are framed paintings by local kids.

2 Train - Winthrop St. (Day 10, stop #428)

2009-05-07T12:45:00.000-07:00

Out: The main feature here is the monolithic Kings County Medical Center, one block away across a large parking lot (see photo).

On Winthrop St., there are attached single- and multi-family homes; some of them look relatively new. The parking lot makes the intersection feel a bit open, but also kind of empty. There are more people around here who are not black, but they all seem affiliated with the hospital. I can see some smokestacks in the distance here, which probably belong to some now-defunct factory. There is lots of broken glass on the sidewalk in addition to the usual array of low-income businesses and some West Indian places. The housing seems to be mostly small brick apartments apart from the houses on Winthrop. The neighborhood looks a little rough around the edges but not too unsafe.

In: Two opposing platform and two track setup here. The station is a bit dingy, and much darker and dirtier than Church St. Yet there is still nice mosaic tiling here in blue and green color scheme. There are green columns by the platform edge and no mezzanine and no crossover. The exit is just one flight up above the platform level.

2 Train - Church Ave. (Day 10, stop #427)

2009-05-07T12:42:00.000-07:00

Out: The first thing I notice here is one of the many old stone bank buildings on the corner; but here, it’s converted into a McDonald’s (see photo)! That’s pretty funny.

There are lots of other small commercial shops, including the bar “Pumpkins”, a fish market, a deli, a meat market, a check cashing place; the usual lower-income kind of spot. There is still a strong West Indian presence, but there is a bit more Hispanic mixing in. Also I saw a couple of Middle Eastern guys trying to sell a large rug to a woman in the middle of the sidewalk; kind of random. Most of the residential buildings are three story brick apartments. It doesn’t look too bad an area, but not great, either.

In: This is a very nice station! It’s brightly lit, with gleaming white tiles on the walls. There is a mosaic tile station names have a royal blue background with a green border. On the walls, there are yellow and green tile borders and on the top there are larger beige tiles with a “C” on a blue background. There is a blue-grey column by the platform edge.

2 Train - Beverly Rd. (Day 10, stop #426)

2009-05-07T12:38:00.000-07:00

Out: Here there are some attractive row houses right on Nostrand with curved fronts (see photo) right outside the stop.

There is a store advertising “Haitian products”, and the people around are still almost all black and likely many are West Indian. There is also a Kennedy Fried Chicken, a cleaners, and delis.

The area looks pretty rough, but not too bad. The housing seems to be mostly 4-6 story brick apartment buildings. There are a surprising number of businesses with their shutters down for 3 p.m. on a weekday, but there are still a fair number of people walking around.

In: This station is similar to Newkirk, except for at the very end of the platform, there are large rectangular tiles with Beverly Rd. in black painted letters (similar to the R stops in Brooklyn). Otherwise, there is reddish-purple trim at the top of the walls and tile mosaic “B” on a blue and purple background; there’s also the tile mosaic “Beverly Rd.” on the same background with mauve trim. Looks good.

2 Train - Newkirk Ave. (Day 10, stop #425)

2009-05-07T12:35:00.000-07:00

Out: The neighborhood around here looks a bit rougher than at Flatbush Ave. Some of the buildings are in decent shape, but others are more run down. There is a florist, delis, fish market, Citibank, and a large Catholic church (see photo).

There are many row houses on both Nostrand and Newkirk, as well as a school nearby. Nothing particularly exciting though. In general there is strong West Indian/Caribbean feel, and almost everyone around is black.

In: There are dirty white tiles on the walls here, but the station is in generally OK condition. The layout here is two opposing platform, two track. There are green metal columns by the platform edge. The border at the top of the wall is made of large green tiles. “Newkirk Ave.” sign is another elegant tile mosaic with a blue background and green border. There is no mezzanine or crossover here.

2 Train - Brooklyn College-Flatbush Ave. (Day 10, stop #424)

2009-05-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

Out: The area out side this stop is kind of a haphazard mix of creaky houses, a parking lot, the “Meat Barn” market, fast food, an Army recruiting center, the “Brooklyn House of Locks” and large construction site that is the future home of a huge Target.

The people appear to be mostly black. The housing is mostly brick tenements near the stop, but the side streets have smaller detached houses on tree-lined blocks.

I walked a couple blocks over to Brooklyn College, and the blocks are suddenly much more diverse. There is even a Starbucks here; again I bought some overpriced water and used the bathroom. On Flatbush Ave. itself, a little removed from the subway entrance, there are many larger stores including a Foot Locker and Rite Aid, as well as a Popeye’s, Golden Krust, and “Lords Photocakes”. There is definitely a lot of stuff happening around here.

In: The layout here is two opposing platforms and two tracks, which is a bit unusual for the last stop on the line. The station looks newly renovated, with bright white tiles and blue tile accents, and the lighting is good. There is an elaborate mosaic tile station name on the wall, with a maroon background and yellow and green border. The top border of the wall also has mosaic tile in the same colors and stripe of large blue tiles. Inlaid in the walls is some type of bronzed sculpture of figures in cloaks.

3 Train - Nostrand Ave. (Day 10, stop #423)

2009-05-07T12:26:00.000-07:00

Out: The area by the stop here is open and residential-feeling. There is an old Kings County Savings Bank building (see photo) and some other interesting and impressive old buildings on Eastern.

This includes an old theater converted into a church. There are nice apartment buildings in red brick along Eastern, and both the main drag and the side streets have some commercial places. There’s a Big Apple Fried Chicken right next to the Crown Fried Chicken, as well as discount stores and pharmacies. The residential buildings are mostly low-slung apartment buildings and row houses in brick here, but I also see some well-maintained brownstones. It appears that the neighborhood is back to being all African-American/West Indian. The area certainly looks much nicer than the stops farther out on the 3.

In: This station is a little more run-down than Kingston. There is a mosaic tile border with “N” in burgundy, green, and blue. The layout here is still two level, each with one platform and two tracks with express bypass. There are white tiles on the wall by the platform, but the tunnel side is just black. There is a small booth area attached to the upper level, and no real mezzanine. There is a yellow mosaic tile stripe on part of the wall and green metal columns by the platform edge.

3 Train - Kingston Ave. (Day 10, stop #422)

2009-05-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

Out: The exit to the station is again in the middle of Eastern Parkway. I’m surprised to suddenly find tons of Orthodox Jews and signs in Yiddish outside the station, reminding me that I’m back in Crown Heights, done with my tours of East New York and Brownsville.

There are also a good number of black people as well, and perhaps a couple of Gentiles. On one corner here there is a very large, modern building in silver and glass, which I find out is the Jewish Children’s Museum (see photos), and across from it is a synagogue with kids and adults outside.

I definitely had no idea this was all the way out here. There are also many well-maintained apartment buildings and some lower-slung brick buildings around. There are some attractive town houses with bay windows, too. Eastern Parkway has some impressive larger buildings as well, and the trees again offer a nice feeling to the stop. Definitely a good architectural mix here. There isn’t too much commercial stuff right here, but there seems to be more about a block off of Eastern parkway.

In: The station here is now back underground. There are white tiled walls, a tile mosaic border on the top in blue, green, and yellow with a “K” inlaid. There are also a few “Kingston Ave” signs in tile mosaic on the walls in the same color scheme. This station is two level, like Utica Ave., with the lower level (Manhattan-bound) having one platform and two tracks, with express bypass. The tunnel-side is only painted black with no tiling. There are yellow metal columns by the platform, and the lighting is a little dim.

3 Train - Sutter Ave.-Rutland Ave. (Day 10, stop #421)

2009-05-05T16:42:00.000-07:00

Out: The neighborhood here seems a little less rough, which is a pleasant surprise. There is more commercial activity around as well as more people on the street. There are still some old industrial-type buildings around, along with brick row houses and brick tenements. There are some buildings that are two-story but with commercial outlets on the ground floor. Some of the establishments here include a pizza place, a McDonald’s, and a nail place, as well as African hair braiding and a Crown Fried Chicken and Royal Fried Chicken right next to each other. The stores look to be a bit higher quality than others in the farther out stops. There is definitely some West Indian presence here, and the neighborhood is still predominantly black with a few Hispanic people.

In: Again, there is tons of peeling paint here. Perhaps it is the worst-looking station I’ve seen thus far in my travels (but it seems that the 3 train keeps throwing up surprising extensions to the limits of crappiness). Super ugly.

3 Train - Saratoga Ave. (Day 10, stop #420)

2009-05-05T16:40:00.000-07:00

Out: There is a mix here of low brick attached houses with plastic awnings as well as some red brick tenements. The neighborhood still looks lower-income and predominantly black. Some of the businesses around include the “Brownsville Discount Store” at the corner, as well as a nearby deli and Crown Fried Chicken along with other mom & pop type stores (i.e. T-Shirt printing). There are some trees in a small park about a block away. There aren’t too many people on the street, but there are some adults riding around on bikes. I also see some little kids walking around on their own, which I’m not sure is a good thing (i.e. it’s safe enough for them to be doing that) or a bad thing (i.e. their parents don’t know what their kids are doing).

In: Impressively, this station is even worse condition than Rockaway Ave. The station house is also pretty bad (like the other stations), but also has an annoying and circuitous exit path. The only redeeming value of this station is an old school “To Street” sign on the stairs down, but it’s probably only there because they forgot to remove it.

3 Train - Rockaway Ave. (Day 10, stop #419)

2009-05-05T16:39:00.000-07:00

Out: This neighborhood still looks pretty rough, but not quite as bad as Junius. There is the “Brownsville Gourmet Deli, the “Sam Korf Pharmacy”, and “Kingston Kuts” in a small shopping strip right outside the stop. There is also some other commercial stuff around, including a Popeye’s, liquor store, and a few delis. This stop is again right next to some large projects. There is a building that looks like a school, with a weed-infested empty lot behind it. There are some older-looking factories or warehouses as well, but they look disused and in disrepair at this point. Surprisingly, though, there is some new construction going up here. There is a cop here plus the neighborhood looks kind of dangerous, so I don’t take out the camera.

In: This station here is again similar to Van Siclen, and the layout is back to two platform, two track. There is tons of peeling paint which reveals hints of a burgundy and blue color scheme in some previous incarnation of this stop.

3 Train - Junius St. (Day 10, stop #418)

2009-05-05T16:37:00.000-07:00

Out: This area definitely looks pretty unattractive; at the bottom of the stairs there is a bunch of broken glass. There are no businesses around, just big housing projects right by the stop with lots of guys hanging out outside, along with an enormous empty lot filled with weeds. Across the lot, about a block away, there are some small attached brick houses. The area still looks mostly black with some Hispanic.

In: On the approach to the station, the train passes an interesting turn-off where it looks like the 3 train could potentially access the L track (and vice-versa); interesting, I wonder if that was ever put into use. The inside of the station is similar to Van Siclen, except for that the layout has now changed to two platform, three track with the middle track bypass bypass (the middle track came from the turnoff down to the L, so it doesn’t seem like it’s actually express).

3 Train - Pennsylvania Ave. (Day 10, stop #417)

2009-05-05T16:35:00.000-07:00

Out: The street here is pretty wide, with four lanes of traffic on Pennsylvania Ave. (which, appropriately, is one block from New Jersey Ave.). However, while there are lots of cars over here, there aren’t too many people. The residential buildings are brick tenements and attached houses, some of which on the side streets are covered in siding. There are also a couple of delis and a Crown Fried Chicken. The neighborhood looks mostly black with some Hispanic, and still feels pretty rough. Nearby there is a small playground and a big red school about a block away. There are a bunch of rowdy teenagers roaming around and yelling. I get back on the train pretty quickly and don’t risk taking out my camera.

In: The station here is again similar to Van Siclen, but with a fresher coat of paint on the walls of the platform. Otherwise, though, it still feels pretty decrepit.

3 Train - Van Siclen Ave. (Day 10, stop #416)

2009-05-05T16:33:00.000-07:00

Out: The neighborhood here is very residential but definitely kind of rough around the edges. There are lots of short row houses in red/yellow brick, and not too much commercial activity. The streets are pretty empty, too; this stop is not particularly exciting. There are also some empty lots, a couple delis, and a seafood restaurant with Jamaican and American food. The neighborhood looks primarily black with some Hispanic, but there aren’t too many people around so it’s hard to tell. For some reason I’m getting a bit of an ominous feeling here, so I get back on the train quickly.

In: The layout here is two platform, two track (i.e. no express, only local). The station is elevated with white ridged panels covering about ¾ of the platform length with only a short railing at the ends. There is lots of peeling paint and the station is in pretty crappy condition. The platform looks like it’s buckling a bit in some places. There are no columns next to the platform, but the green arches supporting the roof from the wall also have peeling paint. The station house is pretty small and looks old, but at least the paint is a little fresher.

3 Train - New Lots Ave. (Day 10, stop #415)

2009-05-05T16:29:00.000-07:00

Out: Outside the stop here there are many low-slung row houses in OK condition. There’s a cheap Chinese place, a nail salon, and a fish market, some of the typical lower- to middle-income establishments.

There is also an interesting graffiti memorial to someone Panamanian. Ethnically the neighborhood seems mixed between black and Hispanic. Surprisingly, the elevated tracks continue onward to the east even though this is the last stop; maybe there are some abandoned stations in that direction, or just the train yards. There aren’t a ton of people around here, andeven though there are a few stores it’s not such a busy commercial strip. There are also some single family homes with ugly stone façade work and plastic-looking awnings.

In: I took one photo on the approach to the station, as I’m the only one in the car here at the end of the 3 line and I won’t arouse any suspicions.

The layout in the station is a one track, two platform setup, and the stop is elevated above the streets. There is lots of peeling paints on the metal roof supports. It probably was burgundy at one point in time. The station house is also in poor condition. There are no walls on the side of the platform, and I can see over to a newer housing development about half a block away, as well as other construction projects. These indicate a potential sign of investment in the neighborhood, but none of it seems tied to gentrification.

3/4 Trains - Utica Ave.-Crown Heights (Day 10, stop #414)

2009-05-05T15:46:00.000-07:00

Out: The exit here is in the middle of Eastern Parkway. There is small outdoor market going on across Eastern (see photo).

The neighborhood seems mostly black, with a strong West Indian presence. However I also see a few Hispanics and a couple of Asians. Some of the buildings around include a McDonald’s, a deli, and the “Pierre Toussant Health Center”.

There’s an Army recruiting center and an old stone bank building, now converted to a Banco Popular. The residential buildings are a mix of brick tenements, sloped roofs, and stone row houses, kind of an interesting mix. The trees on Eastern Parkway give the intersection a fairly open feeling. In general, this quite a bustling intersection with lots of people around.

In: One platform, two track layout (one for 3 train, the other for the 4) split on two levels, with the Manhattan-bound side on the bottom. The walls look recently renovated, with white tile and yellow accent, as well as a mosaic tile “U” on a brown background at the top of the wall. There are blue metal columns by the edge of the platform as well as grey tile floors. The station looks pretty decent, overall. At the mezzanine there are small inlays of dinosaurs and other creatures in the wall. Near the exit there is a blue tile painting of the moon and a rocket ship, too. The mezzanine is small and fairly crowded.

2/3/4/5 Trains - Franklin Ave. (Day 10, stop #413)

2009-05-05T15:44:00.000-07:00

Out: There are a couple of stores here at the main entrance to these trains, which is only about half a block from the S station house. The housing is still mostly tenements and larger apartment blocks, and there are a couple delis, a Golden Krust, and West Indian market. Eastern Parkway is still wide with plenty of trees.

In: The layout here is two platform, four track with local (2/3) and express (4/5) access. The station is dingy and dimly lit. The platforms have yellow metal columsn by edge and dirty white tiles on the walls. There is some brown mosaic tiling on the top border with an “F” intersperesed on a dirty blue tile background. The ceiling looks recently painted, but otherwise the station doesn’t look that great.

S Train - Botanic Garden (Day 10, stop #412)

2009-05-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

Out: I exit here onto Eastern Parkway. The road here is quite wide, with plenty of traffic, but also lots of trees. Some of the people I see actually look a bit wealthy, but mostly it seems like a lower- to middle-class black neighborhood here.

A block or two away from the front of the station, the buildings are mostly brick tenement style with a little architectural variety. The station house itself here is right at street level, and isolated from the nearby housing. There is an amusing little picnic area on a concrete platform surrounded by weeds right outside the station. There aren’t many stores around, and it’s quite residential.

In: This station here is indoors now, but the tracks are in the cut on both sides of the station (i.e. no longer elevated but now below grade). There is white tiling on the walls as well as some nice mosaic tiling on a see green background with yellow interspersed for the station name. The station looks to be in good shape overall. Again, the platform here is very short, but there is a more typical two platform, two track setup for trains in both directions.

S Train - Park Place (Day 10, stop #411)

2009-05-05T15:05:00.000-07:00

Out: This stop exits at a very residential part of Prospect Heights. There are pretty much only residential buildings near the exit, which is in the middle of a long block. There are some small commercial establishments near the intersection down the block, but nothing out of the ordinary. The neighborhood still looks mostly black, but I did see a couple of white people around. The housing is a mix of small apartments and row houses, with one big apartment block nearby. Most of the buildings look in decent condition, and this neighborhood definitely looks more pleasant than those farther east on the C line.

In: This is the only station in the system I would describe as “cute”. There is a tiny platform to accommodate the two-car S train here, and, amazingly, the trains actually can arrive in both directions on just the one platform.

Definitely have not seen that anywhere else as part of regular service. The station house looks recently renovated, and the platform has a red metal roof and no walls. The station is only a little above street level and from the platform you basically look into the backyard of some apartment buildings. This stop really feels integrated into the neighborhood, as there is barely any boundary between it and the other residential buildings. On the outside there is also black metal grating with a pattern I hadn’t seen before (see photo).

S Train - Franklin Ave. (Day 10, stop #410)

2009-05-05T15:04:00.000-07:00

Out: See description and photos at C Train - Franklin Ave.

In: On the booth level here is the station house, which is wide open with new concrete floors and a nice tile border on the wall in green. There is an escalator up to the tracks. The platform is very short, with only one track (pretty unusual, as every other last stop always has at least two tracks) and a view off the opposite side. The side with the platform has a red metal roof with green arches, and a small wall with frosted glass windows. The walkway to the elevator from the station house has stained glass lining the entire way. A pleasant and interesting station, for sure.

C Train - Franklin Ave. (Day 10, stop #409)

2009-05-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

Out: The intersection here is definitely dominated by the station house for the Franklin Park Shuttle (S train; see photo) as well as the tracks running overhead. The houses are short and squat, mostly with brick but some with brownstone-type material. Some are in better shape than others. I see a few more gentrifiers over here, but the stores are still of the typical lower-income neighborhood variety: Crown Fried Chicken, delis, Popeye’s, etc. There are also some West Indian stores (the “Odessey African Market” looks particularly interesting) around as well as “Rasta Craft”. The intersection is not particularly busy, and the neighborhood still has a bit of a rougher feel to it.

In: The station looks a bit older here, with sea green color scheme like Lafayette. However, there are no columns by the platform. The layout again is back to the two platform, four track layout with express bypass. There is no mezzanine here, just a short tunnel to the S station house and the exit.

A/C Trains - Nostrand Ave. (Day 10, stop #408)

2009-05-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

Out: This is a pretty busy commercial stretch here. The neighborhood still looks like a mix of W. Indian, W. African, and African-American. I do see a couple of people of other ethnicities, but it’s not clear if they live here or are just passing through. I see some Jamaican flags flying on one establishment. There are lots of pizza places, mom & pop stores, fast food places, dental offices, jewelers, etc. Everything is only a few stories, but many of the buildings are not in great shape. On Fulton itself there is a Jimmy Jazz and Foot Locker, and there is also a large school and a church nearby (see photo) which look to be well-maintained and are actually quite impressive buildings.

Surprisingly, I do eventually notice a couple of white people around, but they are certainly few and far between.

In: The color scheme here is similar to Kingston-Throop. However, here there are weird layouts, with two platforms and two tracks for access to the A express on the upper level, with the two local platforms and two tracks on the lower level. The platforms on the A train are particularly wide, probably to extend over the C tracks on the lower level and reach the express tracks running in the middle. There are yellow metal columns in the middle of the platform only on the A level.

C Train - Kingston Av.-Throop Av. (Day 10, stop #407)

2009-05-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

Out: I exit here at Throop, which actually appears to be the only functioning exit despite the station name. The neighborhood still feels pretty rough here, and there are two guys in the station asking for swipes a little threateningly. Outside the stop the streets are petty dirty, with a McDonald’s, gas stations, various mom & pop stores, and 99¢ stores. Here it smells like fries on the street. I see a woman and her kids in West African garb walking down the block, and pretty much everyone I see is black. The buildings are mostly lower-slung brick apartment buildings, but there are some that are boarded up. Off of Fulton, things look a bit nicer, with some better-maintained brick apartment buildings and some row houses in brick, along with one with castle-type accents (see photo).

In: This station now has a brown and yellow color scheme. The layout is two platform, four track with express bypass. There are no columns on the platform, but there is a small yellow stripe with a tan border; it’s the same for the mosaic station name. There is no mezzanine, just a booth one level below the street. The station is in ok condition, but maybe a little older than Rockaway Ave./Ralph Ave.

A/C Trains - Utica Ave. (Day 10, stop #406)

2009-05-05T14:17:00.000-07:00

Out: This stop is right next to some housing projects as well as a small supermarket, but besides that there really isn’t too much to see here. There are a couple of neglected tennis courts across the street, with weeds growing up through the cracks.

There is a large, open concrete area directly outside the stop, for some reason; it’s doesn’t seem like a plaza or anything, nor does it have some obvious use.

One other building around is a large red brick school.

In general the architecture is just composed of brick boxes and some smallish public housing. The neighborhood is still all African-American or West Indian, as far as I can tell. The immediate surroundings here feel pretty desolate, overall, and probably still a pretty rough neighborhood.

In: Two platform, four track layout with express access here. The lighting is harsher, with metal staircases going up to the mezzanine level. The grey tile flooring looks pretty new. There is a burgundy tile stripe on the walls and “Utica” in small letters on black tiles. The station is in decent shape overall, and the platforms are nice and wide. On the exit ramp there are abstract mosaic murals of kids playing on the street, but the harsh orange sodium lamps leave them kind of in the dark and hard to see. There is a bit of stylistic tiling and metalwork on the grates near the exit as well.

C Train - Ralph Ave. (Day 10, stop #405)

2009-05-05T13:48:00.000-07:00

Out: This neighborhood feels very low-slung, but residential. The people around are still pretty much all black, but again probably a mix of American, W. Indian, and maybe African. The housing nearby comprises low-rise projects as well as red brick apartment buildings. Near the stop there is a strip mall with a Rite Aid and parking lots. There’s the “Guyana Bakery” and “Jamal’s Halal Food”. Across Fulton is a wide one-story market (see photo) selling fish and meats.

Nearby there are some empty lots, but by the stop there is a decent number of trees and a small park with a couple of older women sitting out and chatting (see photo).

Again, it’s pretty early (10:15 a.m.) so it’s hard to tell if this neighborhood is rough or not, but at this time it doesn’t look too terrible.

In: Similar to Rockaway Ave. at platform level. However, here there is a long, wide mezzanine that extends about ½ the length of the platform. There are also blue-grey metal columns interspersed on the mezzanine level.

C Train - Rockaway Ave. (Day 10, stop #404)

2009-05-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

Out: Next to the stop here, the first things I notice are West Indian restaurants, boarded up houses, and empty lots. It definitely does not look like a particularly pleasant neighborhood, but because it’s so early it also doesn’t look too dangerous.

There is also a deli, Bible Gospel Center, a restaurant with Spanish and American food, a check cashing spot, and a liquor store. Everyone I see over here is black, probably a mix of African-American and West Indian. Most of the residential buildings are small row-house style apartments in red brick, which are not in the best condition for the most part. Some smaller, attached brick houses look newer. These could be private or public housing, though; it’s not clear.

In: Two platform, four track layout with express bypass. There is a maroon tile stripe on the walls, and the mosaic IND-style station sign has a maroon background. There are no columns by the platform. The mosaic tile in the station sign looks newly replaced or cleaned, but the other tiling, not so much. The lighting is pretty good. In general, though, the station looks in decent condition. There’s no mezzanine here, as the booth is at platform level and the exit is only one flight up.

C Train - Clinton Ave.-Washington Ave. (Day 10, stop #403)

2009-05-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

Out: I exit here at the corner of Fulton and Washington. The neighborhood is definitely grittier over here than at Lafayette. The neighborhood is still ethnically mixed, but the balance here is more black than white. Also, there are no longer any fancy restaurants by this intersection. There is still a real estate office as well as a cheap Chinese joint and a hardware store. The housing here is pretty similar to Lafayette, but not as well-maintained.

There are not as many brownstones on the side street; instead they are more rowhouse style. I walk west over to Clinton, and notice a “Golden Krust”, Senegalese fashion center, yoga studio, and a mosque on the way. There is also some construction or renovation work being undertaken, and I do see a couple of upscale spots closer to Clinton Ave.

In: The color scheme and layout on the platform are similar to Lafayette, but here there is no mezzanine instead. When leaving the station, I accidentally got on at the Manhattan side but there’s no crossover; annoying. I get out, cross the street, and buy a FunPass for the rest of the day and get in the station.

C Train - Lafayette St. (Day 10, stop #402)

2009-05-05T13:35:00.000-07:00

Out: I exit here at S. Oxford St. and Fulton St. (there is no exit at Lafayette St., despite the station name). This neighborhood is clearly very mixed between white and black. At this time of morning it's tough to get the exact balance as it's mostly commuters on their way to work. There are upscale stores and a variety of restaurants of all kinds.

There are also some delis and mom & pop stores, as well as a bridal store and realty office, too. The housing is quite attractive, with nicely maintained brick row houses, small apartment buildings, and beautiful brownstones. There is less activity to the east of Oxford St. on Fulton; most of the commercial establishments are to the West. Most places aren’t open yet, though (~9:15 a.m.). The gentrification has some limits, though, as there is still a check cashing spot and an auto rims place next to a fancy restaurant. I stopped in at the local ‘patisserie’ for a breakfast croissant with ham and cheese.

In: The layout here is two platform, four track with express bypass. There is a sea green tile strip and the background of the mosaic station name is also sea green. The platforms are fairly narrow and there are no columns by the platform. There is a very large mezzanine here; it’s dimly lite but very long, very wide, and with many exits extending over two blocks. The central corridor here is turnstile controlled, with the booth in the middle, and the uncontrolled area is partitioned of by black metal grating.

A/C Trains - High St.-Brooklyn Bridge (Day 10, stop #401)

2009-05-05T13:31:00.000-07:00

Out: It’s clear I came out in the wrong exit over here! I’m trapped next to some random parking lots and factories, with almost no one around. Right next to here there are walled-off approaches to the Brooklyn Bridge, so there isn’t any good way to get to a more populated area. At least I can see the top of the bridge (see photo), and this exit is very close to the “Watchtower”.

Some of the other tall buildings of downtown Brooklyn are also visible here. In general, though, there is barely anything going on right here. There are some projects nearby, but I don’t see too many residents. There is also a surprising number of white people, and not even all of them look like office workers; however, they are likely still gentrifiers.

In: The layout here is one platform, two track with local trains in both directions. The low ceiling is curved across the ceiling, in the tunnel tube style. The platform is narrow and pretty dirty, and the lighting is only OK. There is a purple tile stripe on the wall, and purple metal columns by the platform. The station feels pretty claustrophobic. The mezzanine is basically a long, narrow tunnel to exit the platform. There is also an escalator up to the booth area, but then there is still another long tunnel to exit at High St.

A/C Trains - Chambers St. (Day 10, stop #400)

2009-05-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Out: The buildings here are a mix of tenements and former factories/warehouses. There are also some small restaurants, fast food spots, and a bar. Some of the restaurants look like they’ve been around for ages, but some of the newer ones look quite upscale; yet they still look designed for quick lunches and not much more. The establishments here clearly cater to a work crowd, and all the people on the street look like office workers. The station is only two blocks from City Hall, but there are only a couple of tourists over here. The streets are a little dirty, and the large skyscrapers cast deep shadows on much of the street.

In: One platform, two tracks, with only local trains in both directions. There is also an extra, inaccessible track next to the uptown side (this is the E track from WTC stop); this side of the platform only has black walls with no tiles. On the other side of the station, the tiling is small white tiles with a purple tile stripe. There are not mosaic station names here, but there are blue-grey metal columns by the platform edge. The grey tile floor is pretty clean. The station has multiple exits. There is a long, narrow, and poorly lit mezzanine that runs the length of the platform. One the mezzanine there is mosaic tile artwork of people’s eyes interspersed at many points along the walls.

A/C/E Trains - Canal St. (Day 10, stop #399)

2009-05-05T13:20:00.001-07:00

Out: Not too many people around, but there is plenty of traffic coming off and approaching the Holland Tunnel. There are lots of old impressive factories and warehouses, and the area has a post-industrial feel. There are a number of new construction projects along with converted lofts/condos. There are also some hardware stores and some signs in Chinese over here, as well as a theater and some small restaurants. In general, though, there isn’t too much commercial activity. East on Canal I see more tenements of 4-6 stories that look pretty old. To the south and west there is the more industrial feel.

This intersection also has a pretty open feeling, as there are wide roads here along with a good amount of space between the large buildings. The few people on the block indicate that this border of SoHo and Tribeca is being exposed to a high degree of gentrification, despite the remaining industrial look.

In: Two platform, four track layout with local and express access. The platform is pretty wide with a grey tile floor. There is small white tiling on the walls, with a dark blue strip, and the station name on small black tiles. There are blue metal columns in the middle of the platform. The station is pretty well-lit and in decent shape. Between the uptown and downtown express tracks there are some dividers with white tile and “Canal St.” in tile mosaic; kind of unusual. The mezzanine is long and runs much of the length of the platform. There is a nice artistic touch, with small metal crows perched on the black metal grating that separates the controlled from uncontrolled areas. Also near the stairs back down to the platform, the “down” sign is in a different font than usual.

C/E Trains - Spring St. (Day 10, stop #398)

2009-05-05T13:11:00.000-07:00

Out: I get to this station at 8 a.m., and there aren’t too many people on the streets at this time. There are a number of large buildings around, and many appear to be former factories. There are also 3-5 story brick apartment buildings.

There are some commercial establishments that need a lot square footage (i.e. Benjamin Moore Paints).

Toward the east side of Ave. of the

Americas

, down Spring St., there are more SoHo-ish establishments including upscale restaurants and boutiques. There are some people out here on their way to work; many of them are white folk in office clothes, but the corner is reasonably mixed ethnically. It’s hard to tell who lives or works here, but it’s clearly a pretty nice area. A small park at the SW corner gives a more open feeling to the intersection.

In: The layout here is two platform, four track with express bypass. The lighting is dingy. There are white tiles on the wall, a blue tile stripe down the wall, and a mosaic tile station name in the IND style with a blue background. There are also blue metal columns next to the platform. There is no mezzanine, but there’s an underpass to the uptown side.

L Train - Bedford Ave. (Day 9, stop #397)

2009-05-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

Out: The buildings around are quite low-slung, and the people around are almost all hipsters of all ethnicities. There are delis, a thrift store, and a pharmacy. For some reason the atmosphere is both calm and active at the same time. This might be helped by the impending sunset and the nice breeze blowing through the trees.

There is still a Polish meat market here, but it’s clear that the neighborhood has changed significantly. There are many upscale bars and restaurants nearby as well as lots of new construction (likely to be luxury rentals or condos). There is a colorfully painted juice truck and lots of bikes parked on the street right by the stop (see photo); a sign of hipster-dom.

In: The station here is a single platform with trains in both directions, and it’s dimly lit. There are white tile walls, and some mosaic tiling at the top border. The walls are pretty dirty from leaks, and greenish columns by the platform edge. There isn’t really much of a mezzanine, but the booth is up a fairly long staircase.

G Train - Nassau Ave. (Day 9, stop #396)

2009-05-05T12:28:00.000-07:00

Out: The vibe here is different than that at Greenpoint Ave. There is much more gentrification around here, and it feels less Polish. There are some hoodier-looking delis and Crown Fried Chicken as well, making the neighborhood seem a little less nice. There is new construction going up here, but most of the buildings are still low-slung in brick, siding, or the weird wooden shingles I only really see in Greenpoint and Williamsburg.

Some of the more gentrified spots include a Japanese restaurant, “Golden Café Modern Thai”, and “Johnny’s Café.”

However, this is also the Polonia bakery and many other signs still in Polish. There seems to be a bit more Hispanic presence here as well, but not too much. There are still a few non-gentrified dive bars around, as well as some non-Polish, non-gentrified white people.

In: Similar to Greenpoint Ave. except there is no real mezzanine area here and I need to use the underpass to cross over to the northbound platform in order to exit. The station is just below street level here.

G Train - Greenpoint Ave. (Day 9, stop #395)

2009-05-05T12:26:00.000-07:00

Out: At corner of Greenpoint Ave. and Manhattan Ave. Here there is a very large amount of Polish stuff. There’s the “Polonaise Terrace”, a fancy restaurant and events space, the Polish Federal Credit Union, and lots of people on the street speaking Polish.

Most of the people around are white and Polish, but there are also a decent number of gentrifiers; I also saw a couple of Hispanics and South Asians. There are many brick buildings here in good condition. There are also plenty of small stores around, many with a Polish theme. One interesting building is an old theater that has been converted to a Starbucks (see photo).

There are also a couple of other hipster-looking bars; but, in general, still pretty Polish over here!

In: The layout here is two platform, two track with blue-green metal columns and a tile stripe of the same color. There is a mosaic station name with black background and green border. The station is fairly dimly lit and the paint on the ceiling is peeling badly. The mezzanine is again about half the size of the platform level. The station has an unpleasant odor of old meat.

G Train - 21 St.-Van Alst (Day 9, stop #394)

2009-05-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

Out: This station is near the LIRR stop, in the Hunters Point neighborhood. There are a number of large abandoned buildings near the stop, as well as some factories, distribution warehouses, and a few smaller businesses.

In general though there aren’t too many stores around, nor is there much foot traffic. The only people I see over here are a number of white office workers heading to the LIRR as well as a bunch of cabbies filling up at the nearby gas station. In general, though, I’m not sure who actually lives over here.

In: The layout here is still single platform with trains in both directions. There are purple metal columns on the platform, a green tile stripe on the wall, and small “21” painted on tiles. It smells damp in here. There are concrete floors and lots of the wall tiles are really dirty from various leaks. The lighting is ok, at least. The mezzanine is half the size of the platform, but still quite long and wide.

G Train - Court St. (Day 9, stop #393)

2009-05-05T12:22:00.000-07:00

Out: See photos and description for 7 Train - 45 Rd.-Court House Sq.

In: White tile walls, with a single platform and trains in both directions here. There is no tile mosaic station name, just small letters near the green tile stripe down the walls. There are also green metal columns by the platform edge. The mezzanine has a long tunnel above for transfer to the E/V.