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

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)

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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)

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)

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.

A/C/E Trains - 42 St.-Port Authority Bus Terminal (Day 9, stop #360)

Out:  There are plenty of commuters on the street at this early hour (8 a.m.), and almost everyone out is in office attire.  There are, however, a few early-rising tourists I notice.  The corner here at 8^th and 42^nd is surrounding by tall office buildings, the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and a large construction site.  This intersection constitutes the edge of Times Square, and this is evident by all the neon and flashing lights extending to the east down 42^nd St.; this also include Madame Tussaud’s.  

On 8^th Ave. there are a few remnants of the old Times Square, including the “Show World Center”, but for the most part the area is now sanitized and family-friendly.  

Up 8^th there are also few older office buildings as opposed to the architecturally adventurous (see photo) or at least more modern skyscrapers near the stop.

In:  The layout here is four track, two platform, with local and express access.  They layout is strange, though, as the two platforms are significantly staggered with the uptown reaching from 42-44 St. and the downtown from 42-40 St.  There are white tile walls on the local track side, but there is unmodified black tunnel on the express track side.  There is a large “42” made of multiple tiles that alternate up and down along a blue tile stripe down the wall.  “42” is also pointed onto small black tiles on the wall.  The platform is wide with grey floor tiles, blue metal columns by the platform edge, and wheel chair access ramps.  The station has a very large mezzanine with retail outlets and a tunnel to the 1/2/3/N/R/Q/W/S/7.  The mezzanine is all beige and off white square tiles.  There are numerous exits spanning form 40^th to 44^th Sts. as well as some doors leading directly into the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

A/C/E/B/D/F/V Trains - W. 4 St. (Day 8, stop #355)

Out: The streets here are crowded with tons of people. It’s a mixed between office workers, well-dressed young people, and some people dressed a little more aggressively. There’s the IFC Center right here, as well as some handball/basketball courts on the corner of W. 3 St. and 6^th Ave.

There is also the famous Village mix of tattoo shops, comedy clubs, and Blue Note jazz club right near by. The housing is primarily small row houses in brick as well as some mid-size apartment buildings. Definitely lots of activity around here.

In: This station has a strange three-level design, From the booth area at W. 3^rd St., there is a long tunnel with white tiling that leads down to the 8^th Ave. line platform. This level has a two platform, four track layout for local and express access. There are multiple staircases to access the middle level, which doesn’t have any trains on it, just a big concrete open space. The lower level again has a two platform, four track layout with B/D on the express track and F/V on the local. There are green metal columns by the platform edge, white tiles on the walls, a green tile stripe down the wall, and “W. 4” in small black tiles. The station here is dimly lit and looks dirty.

A/C/G Trains - Hoyt-Schermerhorn (Day 8, stop #317)

Out: Outside the station here is a mix of white, black, and Hispanic people. Right next to the stop there are still tall office buildings and a very large luxury residential complex.

There is a lot of construction going on, as well as a parking lot. This block is not very busy, and it’s one block south of a busier commercial stretch.

One block south of the station, the neighborhood looks much more residential. This block definitely looks like a kind of buffer zone on the border between neighborhoods.

In: The layout here has four platforms and six tracks, but the outside two platforms and tracks are abandoned. Indicates that in the past more lines were running through this station but they’re now discontinued. There inner platforms have white tile or green metal columns. The walls are white tile with green accent strips, with “Hoyt” in small letters. The lighting is ok and it’s a little dirty on the functioning platforms, but the abandoned platforms are covered with a thick layer of dirt and the lights are turned off. The mezzanine is wide, and there is a long exit tunnel to get to exit at Hoyt and Schermerhorn.

A/C/F Trains - Jay St.-Borough Hall (Day 8, stop #314)

Out:  At intersection of Jay St. and Willoughby St.  The exterior here is similar to the R stop at MetroTech, but the feel is slightly different since I’m here in the morning instead of the afternoon.  

There’s a mix of big offices, old factory-type buildings, and small electronics/wireless/clothing/food shops.  On the street it is pretty divided between office workers of many races and black people who look like they live around here.  On the corner there’s one guy handing out free copies of the Daily News and another person yelling out “Phones! Free Phones!”  At this time in Downtown Brooklyn, there are plenty of people around but it’s not too crowded.

In:  The setup here is two platform, four track.  The A/C/F all stop here on opposite sides of wide platforms.  The platform area is decently lit.  The white tile walls are kind of dirty, and there is a purplish-blue tile stripe accent down the walls with “Jay” in small black letters.  On one platform, there are columns at the edge with white tile squares, while on the other there are purplish-blue columns.  There is a very long and wide mezzanine with tiled columns.  To exit there are also long corridors with tunnels to reach the other exits.

A/C Trains - Broadway Junction (Day 4, stop #176)

Out: Only 1 exit for the entire station here, at Van Sinderen Ave.  I didn’t get a chance to go out now, but hopefully I will catch it later.  Maybe the cops will leave by then...I don't want to look to suspicious going outside and then coming right back in.

In: The layout here is 2 platform, 4 track, with local and express stops.  The stop is underground, with blue metal columns on the platform.  There are small white tiles on the wall, in the style of A stops in Manhattan.  The mezzanine is brightly lit and there are escalators leading up the J/Z. The passageway to the escalators is decorated with stained glass and mosaic tile.

A/C Trains - Euclid Ave. (Day 4, stop #172)

Out: This neighborhood looks pretty rough.  There are some empty lots around along with 3-4 story apartment buildings.  The delis nearby have bulletproof glass.  The population looks mostly black, with some Hispanic presence.  This neighborhood is East New York, but this intersection is not particularly busy and there are not a ton of people around.

In: The layout here is 2 platform, 4 track, with local and express access.  This is the final stop of the C train, but the A train continues on.  The big green tiles and painted station names are similar to Grant stop.  There are also some large tiles in purple as well.  The mezzanine has some pink tiling that provides a nice accent.

A Train - Grant Ave. (Day 4, stop #171)

Out: There are some two story houses right next the to the station that look nice and well-maintained, but some other ones at a short distance away look to be in worse shape.  This stop is now back in Brooklyn, and the neighborhood seems much more black, but there are still some South Asians around.  It is apparent that this neighborhood is in a state of flux.

In: This station is now underground again.  There are large, light green tiles covering all the walls and the columns on the platform.  This station has a 1 platform, 2 track layout for trains in each direction.  There’s no tiling for the station name; it’s just painted on some of the tiles.  The mezzanine is dimly lit but gets some sunlight.  There is a an interesting sign saying “subway” hanging in the mezzanine as well.  The station house is a freestanding structure at street level, and the tracks are just one level below.

A Train - 80 St.-Hudson St. (Day 4, stop #170)

Out: This intersection is a very quiet residential street in this neighborhood.  Almost all the buildings are houses, with only 1 deli around.  There is only one small apartment building that goes up to three stories.  Ethnically the neighborhood is quite mixed, with Pakistanis, Indians, Hispanics, and blacks around, but it definitely seems majority South Asian here.

In: This stop looks about the same as 88 St.  The layout is still 3 track, 2 plat with express bypass.  There is an exit at both the front and back of the platform here.  At the front, I exit at 77 St. & Liberty; it’s not really clear where Hudson St. is.

A Train - 88 St.-Boyd Ave. (Day 4, stop #169)

Out: This area is quite residential, with almost all the structures 2-story homes off the main drag of Liberty Ave.  The area seems quite mixed, with some East Asians, Indians, Hispanic, black, and white.  However, there isn’t that much else to look at, besides some auto repair shops.

In: The platform is not as bad as at 104 & 111, and about the same as at Rockaway Blvd.  I can’t see anything over the side because metal paneling extends the entire length of the platform.  The awning roof is also made of off-white paneling with green columns.

A Train - 104 St.-Oxford Ave. (Day 4, stop #168)

Out: I can actually smell curry from the platform!  I’m not sure where it’s coming from, but from the people on the street this area actually looks a bit more Hispanic and less Indian.  There are nice blocks of row houses that look like brownstones, but in brick, off 104 St.

In: The station house here is small and cramped, there’s tons of peeling paint, and big pools of standing water on the platform.  Overall, pretty gross.  The middle panels of the side walls aren’t as bad as the rest.  The layout is 3 track, 2 platform with express bypass.