3 days ago
You'll be able to ride 100-year-old subway cars in Brooklyn this weekend
Step—or better yet, subway—back in time this weekend with a nostalgic trip down MTA lane: Just as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the New York Transit Museum festively did over the holidays, the NYC subway system will see a few retro trains taking to its tracks on Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8, offering riders a glimpse into New York's metro past.
As part of the so-called " Parade of Trains," a selection of historical subway cars—this year's lineup includes the legendary R1/9s, BMT Standards, and BU Gate Cars, the latter of which are more than 120 years old—will be rolled out for a special weekend celebration on the BMT Brighton Line, inviting MetroCard swipers to hop on and off vintage favorites at the Brighton Beach station (B/Q platforms) and Kings Highway station (Manhattan-bound B/Q platform).
Trains will run between Brighton Beach and Kings Highway starting at 11am ET on both Saturday and Sunday, with individual trips running approximately 10 minutes each and the last train being boarded by 3:50pm. Admission to the throwback experience is free with a simple MetroCard swipe or OMNY tap and while not required, advanced registration is encouraged. Pre-registration also enters you into a raffle for a chance to win a Family membership to the New York Transit Museum (a $100 value).
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Each train car will eschew the now-standard modern trappings (think air conditioning and "The next stop is..." automated voice announcements) and fully take you back in time with their rattan seats, leather straps, hand-operated doors and old-school advertisements.
'It really feels like stepping into a moving museum or time capsule,' said Transit Museum Marketing Manager Chelsea Newburg. 'You can hop on cars that date all the way back to 1904, sit on the rattan seats and even see vintage ads in the cars from the period the train cars were in service. Each car has its own story and personality, and together they show just how much the city and its transit system has changed over the years.'
