New York City Trains

MTA subway stations, Metro-North platforms at Grand Central Terminal, and Penn Station interiors across Manhattan and Brooklyn

New York City, NY

The New York City Subway is one of the largest and oldest rapid transit systems in the world, running continuously since the Interborough Rapid Transit Company opened its first line beneath Manhattan in 1904. It now spans more than 245 miles of track, connecting every borough except Staten Island through a network that carries millions of riders each day.

The stations documented here range from that 1904 original infrastructure — still visible in the tiling and signage at Rector Street — to mid-century elevated structures like Queensboro Plaza in Long Island City and the 1989-era Lexington Avenue–63rd Street station, built as part of the 63rd Street Tunnel project linking the Upper East Side with Queens. Grand Central Terminal, which serves Metro-North Railroad commuter lines to New York State and Connecticut through a partnership with the Connecticut Department of Transportation, sits alongside Penn Station as one of the city's two major intercity and regional rail terminals. Both are separate from the subway proper, though the systems intersect nearby.

Across the system's many eras of construction, common conditions recur: exposed piping in station tunnels, aging platform infrastructure, and the layered signage that accumulates as service patterns change. The MTA, which has operated the subway since 1968, has faced persistent questions about deferred maintenance and capital investment across a network that was never designed to be shut down for repair.

This instalment in the ongoing Trains series focuses specifically on New York City, where the density and age of the transit network make it distinct from the other systems documented elsewhere in the series. The coverage spans stations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, across both the underground subway and the surface-level approaches to the commuter rail terminals.

Exit sign with a white arrow at the Rector Street subway station in Manhattan, New York City.
September 2, 2019 — Exit signage is visible at the Rector Street subway station in Manhattan, New York City. This station, part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) system, serves as a vital transit hub for commuters and visitors.
Overhead exit sign for Morris Street and Trinity Place at the Rector Street subway station in Manhattan.
September 2, 2019 — Rector Street station serves the R train on the Broadway Line, running beneath Broadway in Lower Manhattan. It opened in 1904 as one of the original stations on the city's first subway line, built by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company. The station's exits connect riders to Trinity Place and Morris Street, placing it a short walk from Trinity Church and the New York Stock Exchange. Its platforms and mezzanines still carry much of the original tiling and signage typical of early IRT construction.
Stairs at the Lexington Avenue-59th Street subway station in New York City, with signage for the 4, 5, and 6 lines.
September 2, 2019 — Stairs lead up from the platform of the Lexington Avenue-59th Street subway station in New York City. Signage indicates "Exit 59 St & Lexington Av" and "Uptown Local 6," along with "4 5 Express" and "Downtown-6." The platform features yellow tactile paving and a sign reading "IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING. COP OR CALL 1-888-NYC-SAFE."
The York Street subway platform in Brooklyn, New York, features blue support columns and a vaulted ceiling.
September 2, 2019 — The York Street subway station, located in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, serves the F and M trains. Opened in 1931, it is one of the deepest subway stations in the New York City Subway system.
A person walks through a tiled New York City Subway tunnel with exposed pipes overhead.
September 1, 2019 — A lone figure walks through a long, tiled tunnel in the New York City Subway system, with numerous pipes and conduits visible overhead.
Exposed piping lines the tiled walls of a dimly lit New York City subway stairwell.
September 1, 2019 — A dimly lit stairway descends into a New York City subway station, revealing extensive exposed piping and tiled walls characteristic of aging transit infrastructure.
Stairs at the 49-50 Streets Rockefeller Center subway station in Manhattan, with exit signs and platform markings.
September 1, 2019 — A staircase with metal railings and yellow-striped steps leads to an "Exit" sign for the 49-50 Streets Rockefeller Center subway station, which includes a 24-hour booth. The station serves the B, D, F, and M lines, with signage indicating routes to Brighton Beach and 34th Street.
Stairs lead down to Tracks 11 and 13 at Penn Station in Manhattan, with a "Watch Your Step" sign and advertisement.
September 1, 2019 — A stairway leads down to the train platforms for Tracks 11 and 13 at Penn Station in Manhattan.
A Metro-North train at a platform in Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan, with exposed pipes and graffiti on the station's infrastructure.
September 1, 2019 — A Metro-North Railroad train sits at a platform inside Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. The stainless-steel cars reflect the dim lighting of the underground station, where exposed pipes and graffiti-marked beams highlight the aging infrastructure of the busy commuter hub.
The State of Connecticut seal is visible on the side of a red and silver Metro-North train car.
September 1, 2019 — A Connecticut state seal is displayed on the side of a Metro-North Railroad train car, operated in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Transportation. The red-and-silver exterior includes safety instructions and signage, highlighting the regional rail system that connects commuters between New York and Connecticut.
A Metro-North Railroad train at a New York City station platform.
September 1, 2019 — A Metro-North Railroad train is seen at a station platform, its blue-and-white exterior bearing the MTA logo. The commuter rail line, operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, connects New York City with suburbs across New York State and Connecticut.
A Metro-North train waits at a platform in Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan, with concrete pillars and exposed beams overhead.
September 1, 2019 — A Metro-North Railroad train waits at a platform inside Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan.
A security officer and a commuter are seen at night inside Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, near the entrance to Track 30.
September 1, 2019 — The entrance to Track 30 inside Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan is seen at night. The marble hallways of the landmark station lead to the train platforms below, as a commuter and a security officer stand near the archways beneath illuminated signs.
People enter the 42nd Street-Times Square subway station in Manhattan, a busy transit hub.
September 1, 2019 — The 42nd Street–Times Square station, a major transit hub in Manhattan, serves as a critical connection point for multiple subway lines. This station, one of the busiest in New York City, is situated beneath the vibrant commercial and entertainment district of Times Square.
Queensboro Plaza elevated train station in Long Island City, Queens, New York City.
August 30, 2019 — Queensboro Plaza elevated train station in Long Island City, Queens, New York City. The station features multiple tracks and platforms, with the distinctive green and steel structure of the elevated railway overhead. This station is a key transit hub, serving as a transfer point for the 7 train and formerly for the Long Island Rail Road. Its construction and ongoing operation are integral to the connectivity of Queens with Manhattan and the rest of the city's transit network.
Downtown & Manhattan 6 train entrance sign above subway stairs in New York City.
September 30, 2008 — Downtown & Manhattan 6 train entrance in the New York City Subway. The sign directs riders to the southbound Lexington Avenue Line local service, identified by the green 6 route marker. This entrance leads from the station mezzanine down to the downtown platform.
Lexington Avenue–63rd Street subway station platform in Manhattan with red tile walls and an empty track.
September 28, 2008 — Lexington Avenue–63rd Street station platform in Manhattan. Opened in 1989 as part of the 63rd Street Tunnel project, the station links the Upper East Side with Queens through the IND 63rd Street Line. It is served by the F train at all times and by the Q train on weekdays.
New York City subway train passing a station platform with a yellow tactile warning strip.
May 16, 2005 — A New York City subway train passes a station platform. The image centers on the moving train and the platform edge with its yellow tactile warning strip, a standard passenger safety feature used throughout the system. The specific station is not identified.
Subway mezzanine and turnstiles in New York City with commuters moving through the concourse.
May 16, 2005 — Subway mezzanine and turnstiles in New York City, ed in May 2005. The concourse level distributes passengers between street entrances and train platforms and houses fare control equipment. This interior shows the everyday circulation space of the New York City Subway system during a busy afternoon period.

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