Getting to New York's Abandoned Subway
Started in 1904 as a privatized transit company, the New York City subway system ran 9.1 miles, boasting 28 stops between City Hall – the line’s showpiece station – and 175th Street. Over time, as railways came under government control, lines and platforms were expanded, causing some stations to become redundant, and thus abandoned. Some stations have never even been used. While the City Hall stop is the most well-known and accessible abandoned station, there are other forgotten stops worth a swipe of your MetroCard.
Worth Street Worth a Look
Stopped in 1962 because of its close proximity to the newly expanded platform of the Brooklyn Bridge stop, the Worth Street station is still visible from a slow-moving 6 train. Riding between Canal Street and the Brooklyn Bridge stop, keen eyes should look for a heavy dose of graffiti and the “W” and “Worth” tiles which mark the walls of the station.
18th Street: Unremarkably Famous
In 1948, when the platforms for the 14th Street and 23rd Street stops on the 4, 5 and 6 lines were expanded to include access to 15th Street and 22nd Street, it rendered the lines’ 18th Street stop unnecessary. Fortunately, because of the station’s “unremarkable” tiled interior, the station has lived on as a location for various photo shoots. You can whip past this practically unmarked stop on a local 6 train or on a 4 or 5 train with an unobscured view.
Myrtle Avenue Masstransiscope
Faithfully running passengers for 41 years, the southbound Myrtle Avenue B/Q stop was a forced casualty due to a 1956 rebuild. The track -- depressed to allow for new, more efficient tracking -- still exists, but the platform was wiped out. However, narrow your eyes as you pass the abandoned station and you will see Bill Brand’s 1980 art installation “Masstransiscope.” The successive series of slots in front of 228 hand-painted images – also known as a zoetrope – creates the illusion of an animated cartoon. The installation was last restored in 2013.
City Hall's Elegant Glimpse of the Past
Originally owned and operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, the opulent splendor of the original 1904 City Hall station was intended to be a showpiece of their new rail line. When the company redesigned their subway carriages in 1945, the new cars were too long to safely navigate the station’s sharp curve. Definitely worth a peek, you can visit this abandoned station by riding the 6 train towards Brooklyn Bridge – staying on after the last stop while the train does a loud and sharp U-turn past the City Hall station. Or, for a more personal look, become a member of the MTA Transit Museum and gain access to explore the station on foot.
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