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| Re: The subway during the 1970's, how bad did it really get? (55508) | |||
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Re: The subway during the 1970's, how bad did it really get? |
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Posted by Rican Havoc on Thu Feb 24 15:42:20 2005, in response to The subway during the 1970's, how bad did it really get?, posted by brooklynQB on Tue Feb 22 15:17:46 2005. Well in the 70's during the summer my mom used to take me and my brother to Coney Island from Midtown Manhattan. We would take the 8th ave local (AA,C,E) to west 4th and catch the F train to CI. Even though the B went there too, my mom would insist on taking the F since it was the only line there that had A/C (R46). Also the B (I think they were R32's and the slants)used to be filthy. As kids we would look out the side windows by kneeling on the benches and placing our arms on the window sill. Always by the time we were appoching Stillwell our arms would be black with dirt. I do also remember cars with out lighting was common. As kids we would pray for a dark car.As for areas in NYC you wouldn't go near there were many. Alphabet City from Avenue A-C was a war zone with ex hippes and druggies. Williamsburg was also a big no no. The whole QJ line from Marcy all the way to about Alabama Avenue was scary especially at night. It was still simmering from the fires and looting from the blackout. And I do remember that gangs was a big thing back then. And the subway was were they hung out alot. And if I recall many of the subway stations back then didn't have Florecent lighting yet. Buying a token was pretty much optional too. I remember in 1984 I was waiting for a friend in the 116th street station (Lexington Line)And I would say that about 15% of the people actually paid. The rest went right through the old yellow exit doors. In fact, I remember seeing a whole family walking right in. Mom, Dad and the kids, as if it were no big deal. Though the subway system is so much better now, I wish I could go back in time and relive that period. The subway seemed to have so much more character back then. Or maybe I am just crazy. |
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