very simple

Columbus Circle is a major transfer point between a variety of different lines, but for this trip I stayed mostly near the 1 train platform, so I will probably visit again to capture the AC/BD platform, which is in another area of the station. Given that this is in Columbus Circle, and essentially sits below the very large statue of Christopher Columbus, there is a bit of related iconography. But it’s really the same ship-tile over and over again, as far as I can tell. Some other interesting features include some of the original carved signs for the mens’ and womens’ restrooms, but which don’t appear to lead to restrooms anymore (the mens’ room seems to indicate that it’s actually some sort of electrical room now).

In addition, the northbound local track was shut this weekend due to construction/repair work. You can see some MTA workers over on the northbound track. Lest it seem that they’re not doing much, from what I could tell, the standing guy appeared to be giving instructions to the others – something that doesn’t really translate well to a still photograph!

Station opened: October 27, 1904
Original system: IRT
Trains: 1
Source: Wikipedia

The West 66th Street subway station is a bit of an odd duck. It’s somewhat unnecessary, being so close to both Columbus Circle and West 72nd Street, but it is clearly seen as a priority because of its proximity to Lincoln Center. Forgotten NY has a good rundown of the renovations in this station as part of it’s “Original 28” series – a look at the original 28 stations on the IRT line, of which this (and the 72nd Street Station posted yesterday are both a part.

According to FNY, almost nothing in this station is original, but this is perhaps the best restored station of the original 28. I would hazard a guess that this is also due to the Lincoln Center crowd. The mosaics here show dancers, opera singers, and other theater related scenes. All photos here are from the southbound platform. There’s another, entirely different set of mosaics on the northbound platform (trains were not stopping on the northbound platform this weekend due to construction).

Station opened: October 27, 1904 (renovated, including mosaics, in 2004)
Original system: IRT
Trains: 1
Source: Wikipedia

I had mentioned a few weeks ago a long simmering thought for a photography project, involving shooting all of the stations in the new york city subway system. it’s a daunting task, as there are over 400 stations and hundreds of miles of tracks. But I would not be daunted. I decided to start mapping out a plan, involving doing very small pieces at a time, and only at my leisure. The first bit of business was to switch from a pay-per-ride to an unlimited metrocard, which I was able to do the other day. Today, I picked a train and a direction, taking the 1 train from my neighborhood down to the end of the line at South Ferry, hopping off at every stop to take pictures of the platform, the mosaics, the tracks, and whatever else was of interest. There were a few stations I had to skip thanks to the vagaries of “weekend work” by the MTA (the train was running express from 14th to Chambers today), but it was a good start. I’m going to be posting separate entries for each station, and I’m going to be doing it relatively slowly so that there’s no great influx of posts, but I thought I’d start with where I started, at the West 72nd Street 1/2/3 station.

It’s your typical Saturday holiday weekend tourist crowd, with buskers, idiots pretending to jump on the tracks, and people who don’t understand how to wait for others to get off the train first before they try to board. I’ve always thought the mosaics in this station were relatively abstract, and everything I can find online about them simply refers to them as “mosaic tapestries”, but as I look at them, they start to remind me of the 91st street garden in Riverside Park, with it’s squared off garden in the middle surrounded by a walkway. In any event, that could all be in my head.

Station opened: October 27, 1904 (renovated, including new control house, 2002)
Original system: IRT
Trains: 1/2/3
Source: Wikipedia