It’s hard to believe this is the view from a subway car. (Photo by flickr user Scurzuzu)
Everyday, seven million of us pass through the New York City subway system, often taking it for granted. Buried in magazines and books or lost to our own thoughts, many of us never take the time to look out the windows when the trains leave the tunnels for the light of day.
But wondrous sights lie just beyond the scratchiti-filled windows of our stainless steel subway cars. Yesterday, the FYI column in The New York Times City Section, highlighted some of the better sights outside the subway car windows. Michael Pollack, the FYI guru, hit all of the big spots:
- The view from the 33rd Street (Rawson Street) stop in Queens on the No. 7 line, looking toward Long Island City and Manhattan.
- Near the Smith and Ninth Street station in Brooklyn on the G line, the highest point in the system above the street (88 feet).
- The N or Q on the south side of the Manhattan Bridge, with a great Brooklyn Bridge view.
- The J, M and Z lines across the Williamsburg Bridge, with stunning vistas of the East River.
- The elevated Q between Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue and Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. The amusement park and beach are out of one window, the Empire State Building out of another.
- And David Pirmann, who runs the Web site nycsubway.org, wrote: “My choice would be the Rockaway line south of Howard Beach/J.F.K. as it crosses the water to the Rockaways. There’s just no believing you are actually still in New York City when you’re out there.”
These are of course the clichéd answers; sweeping vistas of the Empire State Building or Brooklyn Bridge make for rather iconic subway rides. Personally, I’m partial to the views as the 4 train approaches Yankee Stadium. While not nearly as breath-taking, Yankee Stadium is always a welcome sight around these parts.
So what are your favorite views on the above-ground portions of the New York City subway system? Do you like the Manhattan-bound views on the F as it pulls out of Smith-9th Sts.? The Statue of Liberty is visible as the train rounds the curve toward Carroll St.
Whatever your favorite sights are, feel free to share. And don’t forget to look out the windows now and then. A city of great views awaits.
8 comments
The number 4 sweeping north out of the tunnel and revealing Yankee Stadium is mine, though you won’t be surprised to hear that and it’s not original since you just mentioned it. I suspect our mutual admiration of it is no coincidence.
That view holds the promise of another Yankee win and a trip into history–it’s not just the view, it’s the sense that I’m about to enter into another world.
I always thought I’d use the word “eternal” to describe it and I’m sad to know that I’ll only have this experience for another year.
oh man, you both said what i was going to say. guess we’re related. and too long that view won’t be around for much longer
If I would have to recommend a Subway ride to a turist, I would say take the 7 train towards Manhattan to see the skyline, or ride the F to Brooklyn.
But speaking of myself as a native New Yorker, I would say, of course, the # 1 train north of Dyckman, especially when approaching the Van Cortlandt Pk. terminal. Reminds me my childhood, while I was raised in Uptown Manhattan.
Also the A over the Jamaica Bay, this is also a sad reminder of the nearby Kennedy Airport for me. In fact, the last view I saw from the plane’s windows while waiting to take off, on my last trip to New York, was of the trains running through the bay. It was in the afternoon, so you could see clearly the lights of the trains running towards the Rockaways while crossing another ones going Manhattan-bound.
I love riding the N in Queens parallel to the city. The view is beautiful at night in particular. Magic even. Maybe I’m just partial because it’s the view of home getting close.
Somehow I missed this post but I have to agree that I get the shivers whenever the 4 train goes above ground and I get my first sighting of Yankee Stadium. It never gets old and I’ve been going to games for over 35 years.
The 1 above Harlem at 125th Street. Beautiful architecture and city life — clothes hanging out windows to dry, etc.
Also, as noted before, the 1 through Inwood into the Bronx.
The 7 train, on the curve between 45 Road/Court House Square and Hunters Point Avenue. You see 5 Points, which is an awesome warehouse where wall space is allocated out to graffiti artists. Tons of beautiful street art pieces to be seen!
The view from the Manhattan bridge has always been a favorite of mine.
This isn’t on the list, and it’s not really like the other aerial sights on the list, but if you stay on the downtown 6 train past Brooklyn Bridge, you get a quick, lovely tour of the old abandoned City Hall station!