Photo Set

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 left-pointing arrow at Rector Street subway station in Manhattan.View full post: Exit Sign and Arrow at Rector Street Subway Station
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.
Exit sign at Rector Street subway station directing to Morris Street and Trinity Place in Manhattan.View full post: Exit Toward Morris Street and Trinity Place at Rector Street Station
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.
Stairway at Lexington Avenue-59th Street subway station with yellow safety signage and MTA directional signs.View full post: Exit Stairs at the Lexington Ave-59 St Subway Station
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."
York Street subway station platform in Brooklyn with blue columns and fluorescent lighting.View full post: Repeating Blue Columns Along the Platform at York Street Station
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 solitary pedestrian walks through a white-tiled New York City subway tunnel with overhead pipes and conduits.View full post: Lone Commuter in a Tiled Subway Passageway
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.
Descending stairway in a New York City subway station with white tile walls and exposed overhead piping.View full post: Tiled Stairwell and Overhead Pipes in an NYC Subway Passage
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.
Exit staircase at 49-50 Streets Rockefeller Center subway station in Manhattan.View full post: Platform View of the 47-50 Sts Rockefeller Center Subway Station
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.
Empty subway platform at Grand Central–42nd Street Station in New York City with yellow safety lines and red overhead lighting.View full post: Empty Platform at Grand Central–42nd Street Subway Station
September 1, 2019 — Grand Central–42nd Street is one of the busiest stations in the New York City Subway system, serving the 4, 5, 6, and 7 trains along with the 42nd Street Shuttle to Times Square. The complex opened in stages beginning in 1904 as part of the original Interborough Rapid Transit Company line, the first subway built in New York City. It sits beneath Park Avenue and 42nd Street, adjacent to the Grand Central Terminal building operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The station's number 6 line platforms retain much of their early twentieth-century construction, including exposed steel columns and concrete platform edges dating to the original IRT build-out.
Penn Station platform between Tracks 11 and 13 with TriNet advertisement screen above.View full post: Stairway Down to Tracks 11 and 13 at Penn Station
September 1, 2019 — A stairway leads down to the train platforms for Tracks 11 and 13 at Penn Station in Manhattan.
Metro-North Railroad commuter train at Grand Central Terminal platform in Manhattan.View full post: Metro-North Railcars on the Platform, Grand Central Terminal
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.
State of Connecticut seal displayed on the side of a red Metro-North Railroad commuter train car.View full post: Connecticut DOT Seal on a Metro-North Railcar
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.
Metro-North Railroad platform at Grand Central Terminal in New York City with commuter trains at the station.View full post: Empty Platform Below Grand Central Terminal’s Lower Level
September 1, 2019 — Grand Central Terminal opened in 1913 as the flagship station of the New York Central Railroad, replacing an earlier depot on the same site at 42nd Street and Park Avenue. Today the terminal serves as the southern terminus for the Metro-North Railroad, which operates commuter service on the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven lines into the northern suburbs and Connecticut. The station's lower level, built to separate suburban and long-distance traffic, houses additional platforms below the main concourse. Metro-North alone carries tens of millions of passengers a year through the terminal, making it one of the busiest rail hubs in the country.
Metro-North Railroad commuter train with blue-and-white livery at a New York station platform.View full post: Metro-North Railroad Car on the Platform at Grand Central
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.
Metro-North Railroad train at platform inside Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan.View full post: Metro-North Train at the Platform in Grand Central Terminal
September 1, 2019 — A Metro-North Railroad train waits at a platform inside Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan.
NYPD officer stands in the marble corridor leading to Track 30 at Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan.View full post: Track 30 Entrance at Grand Central Terminal
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.
Wayfinding sign and clock above Grand Central Terminal's lower concourse with pedestrians below.View full post: Ticket Window Signage Above Grand Central’s Dining Concourse
September 1, 2019 — Grand Central Terminal opened in 1913 as the flagship station of the New York Central Railroad, designed by the firms Reed & Stem and Warren & Wetmore. The terminal spans 48 acres and includes 44 platforms serving 67 tracks on two levels, making it the largest train station in the world by platform count. Its lower level connects to the Dining Concourse, a food hall added during the 1990s restoration led by architect Beyer Blinder Belle. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority now owns and operates the building, which serves Metro-North Railroad commuters and hosts roughly 750,000 visitors daily. Grand Central was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976, a status secured after a 1978 Supreme Court ruling upheld its landmark protection against demolition plans.
Pedestrians gather around the 42nd Street–Times Square subway station entrance on a busy Manhattan street.View full post: Crowds Entering the 42nd St-Times Square Subway Station
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 platform with steel trusswork, tracks, and Manhattan skyline visible beyond.View full post: Elevated Tracks Curve Toward Long Island City at Queensboro Plaza
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.
Subway station sign for Downtown & Manhattan 6 train with green route marker and directional arrow.View full post: “Downtown & Manhattan” Sign Above the 6 Train Stairway
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.
Empty platform at Lexington Avenue–63rd Street subway station in Manhattan with red brick wall and metal support columns.View full post: Red-Tiled Platform at Lexington Avenue–63rd Street Station
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.
A moving New York City subway train passes a station platform with a yellow tactile warning strip.View full post: A New York City Subway Train Speeds Through a Station
May 16, 2005 — A New York City subway train passes through a station platform lined with a yellow tactile warning strip. The platform edge strip, standard across the subway system, warns waiting riders to stay back from the tracks.
Passengers move through a New York City subway mezzanine with turnstiles and fare control equipment.View full post: Commuters Cross a New York City Subway Mezzanine
May 16, 2005 — Commuters pass through a subway mezzanine in New York City, moving between turnstiles and fare control equipment toward the platforms. The New York City subway opened in 1904 and is one of the largest rapid transit systems in the world by number of stations.

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