New York Daily Photo Analytics

Thursday, May 11, 2006

The Subway


Most of us take the subway every day and many of us spend a lot of time underground. It can be a time to read, or it can be very noisy, slow and stressful. It is one of the givens of NYC that you never know what you are going to get when you walk into a station. There is a nicely restored old fashioned one at Astor Place. The conditions vary from station to station considerably; the rush is the same everywhere.. The good thing is that it is open 24 hours, 7 days a week and $2 will get you anywhere in the far-flung system. This helps to keeps the city open all hours, to make it "the city that never sleeps". Some stations have been renovated and art commissions have been installed (here is a mysterious mosaic of a child's game of marbles, underground at 42nd St and 7th Ave.). Some stations have never been renovated or are poorly maintained (like this grungy crypt at 14th St. and 7th Ave.) If it weren't for the trains, NYC could not exist. People who live in the outer boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island all use public transportation to get to their jobs; most in Manhattan do also. Even so, there is a particular brand of New Yorker who prides themselves on never setting foot in the trains. They take cabs or refuse to lead the kind of life that deals with rush hours...

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love that shot! I like the blur, the motion and the creep of NY subway. I guess i like it that much 'cause i'm always there on vacations. If I'd live there I may think differently about the subway ;)

sLesTa said...

i lived there. and i still love the subways. :)

midnitebara said...

No subway here in my city. There is a train station but there are not so many stops. Akita people get around by car and bus!

Monique said...

Long live public transportation!

For my clinical years I finally had to cave in and get a license so that I could drive to the various hospitals in Chicago. Everyone thought I was a freak for not getting one when I was 16, but I never needed it. That to me is a sign of a great city.

Plus, some of the greatest photo opportunities come on the train, don't you think?

Wilf James said...

I remember New York! In fact my last visit was way back in 1992, I think – a few years ago. Anyway great photos and love the shot of the subway. The people we were with told us how to ride on the subway at night and how to be safe, but maybe that has all changed?

Hope you don’t mind but here is a link to one of my favorite photos of New York. I do like the city but you can also see why I like the country.

Toulouse Photo Day said...

Very interesting shot! Did you do something special on your computer to have this this effect?

stéphan

Deetsa said...

I've never been to New York so this is great little trip through it. Great pictures. Great writeups. Great blog.

I like the motion of ths shot. It rather gives the sense of busyness for which the New York subway system has a reputation.

Nerissa
http://deetsasdailies.blogspot.com

Bob said...

Nice shot. Oh the joys of public transport in rush hour!

Liz Feliz said...

This "rush" photo it's like I imagine to live in NY!!! So much things to do, to see to live, great picture guys!!

Kathrine said...

I really like this photo a lot! The subway is somehow the image of NY to me. Fast, 24-7 and you can see the whole world down there ;-) When I was in NY with my dad last fall we walked a lot - but we did use the subway too. It was on our sightseeing-agenda! We just fell in love with your city!
/Kathrine

Pierre said...

I love that pic too, and I love NY subway. Particularly the old stations with iron structure and the elevated section from Washington Heights to Inwood...

Natalie said...

Cool shot. I wish we had good public transport out here.

Anonymous said...

I love that photo, the blur really makes a nice addition to it as well.

Sam said...

Nice photo!!!
The NY transit system has changed so much and for the Better - it's really nice now.

Felicia said...

I love the subway and wish that we had a better transportation system in San Diego. Poo poo to those that "pride themselves on never setting foot in the trains"! Riding public transportation makes me feel like I am better in touch with the people of my city - I get to see them up close and personal instead of behind my car window. Love your other photos connected to this post too.

Brian Dubé said...

Thank you all, it's really nice to get the support and the comments. The shot was just a lucky one, the people moving through fast blurred themselves, and it seemed like a good one to open with. Yes, it really makes a difference having cheap public transportation that goes simply everywhere 24/7, that is one of the very key things that NYC has. Keep in mind that it is really much safer now too, than it was even five years ago, if you ever come in and decide to try it, the looks vary as to renovation, but generally it is very safe, it seems much safer now than most other big cities in the U.S. underground trains, and that makes a big difference.
Lucy

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Anonymous said...

Le metro a New York, tout un monde, je m'y paume allegrement, je prefere le bus, on peut en meme temps visiter NYC.
Bon pour aller a l'autre bout du Queens ou de Brooklyn, pas le choix. Je me perds toujours entre les directs et les omnibus (si qq peut expliquer comment les differencier ;o)) )
Le 22 janvier il y avait eut l'operation sans pantalon dans le metro New Yorkais, je regrette d'avoir louper ca
Voir le lien :
Mission No Pants 2k6

Au fait desole, je m'exprime en Francais, mon anglais est pas terrible et j'ais vu que tu aimais la France,alors j'espere que tu le lis