Exploring the rare Track Geometry Car of the NYC Subway

If you're a frequent strap-hanger on the NYC subway, then you might have been lucky enough to once get a glimpse of the elusive MTA's Track Geometry Car. Making only sporadic appearances, the train rarely emerges from the underground tunnels like a mythical mechanical beast. A sighting is usually spoken about only in hushed tones late at night at local bars.

Okay, we're exaggerating a bit, but The Track Geometry Car is arguably the most unique car among the rolling stock in the MTA's line up. Of the entire 6,500 plus subway cars, there is only one incredibly cool Track Geometry Car.

The train uses a crew of seven and an endless array of sophisticated tools such as the "Ultrasonic Rail Flaw Measuring System" to carefully measure the track's alignment, curvature, rail gauge, vertical gap and more. Each and every section of the 637-miles track is manually checked six times a year by a trained crew of mechanics, analysts, and engineers.

The train has one main purpose: spot track defects before they become dangerous. After all, some of these tracks are over 100 years old and endure the stress of hundreds of heavy trains each day. In the past, track inspection was painstakingly completed by track inspectors walking the tracks and visually inspecting every section of track.

If you find yourself standing on a NYC subway platform, keep your eyes peeled and you just might spot the Track Geometry Car!

And while we're on the topic of the NYC Subway...

This is making big news on Yahoo! and some other major web portals:  A “Secret” Subway Stop. Before you grab your flashlight and make plans to explore the unknown, prepare for a bit of disappointment.

While compelling, the news is a bit misleading and really romanticizes a relatively empty shell of a station. The City Hall station has been a well-known closed station to locals for years. Right in the heart of downtown, it is kinda hard to miss. In fact, they open the station on a regular basis for tours and they even held a gala there when the NYC Subway System turned 100 year. While a nice station, The Big Adventure would not classify it as the "most gorgeous gems in the world of Mass Transit". 

Granted, it is a nice treat that you can now ride through the station as the 6 Train terminates and goes back into services, but the cars don't stop, the station is not lit up and you'll probably see more rats than archways. 

Instead, we recommend bringing your camera and checking out the unique art exhibit "Life Underground" installed at the A-C-E 14th Street Station at Eighth Avenue. Much more interesting. http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/artwork_show?21


But, if you're still interesting, here is more information than you'll even need on the abandoned City Hall station: http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/stations?5:979

Visit NYC's Most Secret Art Gallery via Subway...sorta.

Send to us by Friend-Of-The-Big-Adventure Dan, this seems to be the ultimate hidden Big Adventure: A Secret Art Gallery in an abandoned NYC Subway Station.

Dubbed “The Underbelly Project”, this giant make-shift galley features stunning work by several talented graffiti artists in a giant empty space. Created over an 18 month period, these pieces stretch from ground to ceiling. Completely free and open 24 hours a day. The catch? No one knows where the secret gallery actually is. And you have to travel down the tracks from an active Subway Station to get there. Hey, unsafe AND slightly illegal!

But they pay off is supposedly worth it – huge untouched canvases of over 100 pieces in untouched splendor. Ah, wacky artists. On this one, getting there alone might be the reward.  We don't want to spoil the quest, but finding the station doesn't take a lot of work with some online digging and a subway pass. We like these final thoughts from our friends at the Second Avenue Subway Blog:

"It is a dangerous thought about a morbid project that somehow captures both the recklessness of a bygone era, the foolhardiness of this undertaking and the mystery of an abandoned aspect of the New York City subway system. I don’t think Arts for Transit will approve."

 

Read more at Gizmodoo and check out the amazing images from The NY Times:

http://gizmo.do/cNZYEw

http://nyti.ms/dwTo0o

http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/11/01/a-subway-art-project-in-the-abandoned-underbelly/