The Most Unique Subway Station Entrance in NYC

In a transit system with over 468 individual subway stations, a lot of them start to look the same after a while. In New York City, there are surprisingly few stations that really stand out. A while ago, we posted on the art on the 14th street. Now, we wanted to share a subway entrance that truly knocked our socks off.

Below are three photos we took all the way uptown outside the 181th Street A line train station in the Hudson Heights section of Upper Manhattan. The entrance looks so impressively grand that it could have been lifted right out of a movie set.

Opened way back in 1932, all of the original styling seems to be in tact. Note the IRT stencil lettering on the third pictures above the wood doors. The station itself is notched deep within the station; the platform is accessible via elevators and escalators only. Which, you know, is a giant pain in the rear when the elevator and/or escalator is out.

True, there are some similar quality facades on lines in some parts of Brooklyn and such, but this one really stands out. Makes our local subway stations look like an architect's lazy Friday afternoon effort.  The 181^st Street station also really ads to the low key charm of the neighborhood complete with windy, narrow streets and the highest natural peak on Manhattan Island. 

The Big Adventure wants to know, what is the most colorful, unique NYC subway entrance that YOU’VE ever seen?

Saying Adios to The Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Tours

The New York City Department of Transportation has squashed All Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Tours. Ah, so sad. The Big Adventure wanted to mark the occasion now that one of the most unique, homegrown NYC tours has been closed.

To catch you up to speed, the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel is officially the world's oldest subway tunnel. This passageway was built way back in 1844 beneath a busy street in Brooklyn. It runs a half-mile long and accommodated two standard gauge railroad tracks. In 1861, the tunnel was sealed, closed and completely forgotten about. 

Fast forward 120 years later to when an intrepid eighteen year old explorer named Bob Diamond rediscovered the long forgotten Atlantic Avenue Tunnel in 1981. Diamond offered Grade A tours to the public for years and years. The tour was incredibly well received and led by a lively guide who doubled as a great story teller. Plus it offered the chance to crawl to unexplored dark places by sneaking down a manhole in the middle a of a busy Brooklyn avenue. The now famous tunnel is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In December,  Diamond even planned to lead a film screening in the tunnel!

  Good times for all until mid-December 2010. Suddenly, the NYC DOT canceled their contract for use of the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel with apparently with little explanation. The NYFD stated that the tours can't continue due the risk of only a single entrance - a ladder through a manhole near Court St. However, that was never an issue for the last 30 years.  Lots of uproar. Lots of surprise. Oh, yes and the NYC government also deep-sixed the one hour National Geographic TV special on the tunnel

We know that The Big Adventure Blog is intended to let you know what you CAN do in NYC, rather than what you can't do, but we wanted to mark the passing (for now) of this fantastic NYC tour. Hope springs eternal as petitions and protests are in the works to get the tunnel reopened. 

Get the whole scoop at 

http://www.brooklynrail.net/no_more_tunnel_tours.html  

UPDATE: On 2/21, the New York Times posted a fascinating article called "Fighting to Return to a Subway Vault" detailing Bob Diamond's lawsuit to get the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Reopened. Amazing writing. Read it here

Every Subway Rider's worst rodent fear caught on tape.

Fair warning. Don't click any further if you really hate the site of Rats. Or if you don't enjoy the idea of say...what could happen to you if you fall asleep on the New York City Subway. Or if combining both scenario A and B terrify you, just go ahead and leave now. Hands down, the most disturbing YouTube video you'll see all week.

Still with us? Enjoy what will doubtlessly be the Viral Video of the week in The Big Apple:

Rat Crawls On Sleeping Subway Rider's Face. (Or "A video that will deter tourists from taking public transit") - It's a short clip, but we're guessing you might shriek just watching this around :16. Talk about a worst nightmare. Geez, and I thought my general fear of being stuck on a car with a dirty rodent was bad enough.




Related News Story Here In the New York Daily News.


Come to New York City! Don't fall asleep on our trains! Watch out for the animal that spread the bubonic plague and killed a third of Europe.

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

Annoyingly enough, suffering through Subway Fare Hikes in NYC seems to be beccoming an Annual Event

So, as we all know the MTA has delivered another small kick in the crotch with the third fare hike in four years. Just for perspective we wanted to point out that the Unlimited Monthly Metrocard was only $70 in 2005. That's 1/3 of the $104 price that goes into effect December 30th.  But hiding between the headlines of another round of higher prices, was this mostly missed bad news regarding the new fare structure:

"The MTA will no longer sell One-Day Fun passes or 14-day MetroCards, Bonuses on pay-per-ride MetroCards will plummet from 15% to 7% - and will start after riders spend $10, up from $8."

Getting rid of the One-Day Fun Pass? Bad form, MTA, bad form. The One-Day Fun Passes that sell for around $8 is a fantastic option for out-of-town visitors. It allows them to pay one fare early in the day and not sweat riding the rails all the way till 3:00 AM on the same card. For the adventurous and capable, it is the equivalent an unlimited cheap taxi fare throughout the city. An awesome option for groups too. The MTA says that the tourist-friendly MetroCards have become too friendly for subway scammers who buy in bulk and then sell at $2 a swipe at the stations. Which is...well...a lame excuse.

While not the worst news of the fare hike, it just sucks. We get the tough times and we still think the NYC Subway is one of the top transportation options in the country. However, it is looking like suffering through Subway Fare Hikes in NYC and all the perks we’re loosing is starting to become an annual event. (We care less about the 14-day MetroCards disappearing. Apparently less than 2% of riders buy them. Besides, have you ever met anyone who used one?)

Read More: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/10/07/2010-10-07_mta_set_to_approve_subway_bus_and_commuter_train_fare_hikes.html

 

Update: Brooke and Phil’s W Line Big Adventure!

Great News! Thanks to the wisdom and strong leadership of the New York State Assembly, the W Subway Line has been saved! Rejoice!

Our Big Adventure will no longer be shrouded in darkness as a somber day of mourning. Instead, it will be a rousing tribute to one of our favorite Subway Lines. Better yet, it will be a day to celebrate the W Line, enjoy one-of-a-kind NYC landmarks along the route, and honor all that we were so close to losing. We’re hoping to get a city proclamation announcing the day next Saturday, but that might be a touch unlikely.

Pack your Metro Card and join us for the Big Adventure NEXT Saturday, May 30th as we Celebrate the W Line! We’ll start near the Whitehall station in downtown Manhattan and slowly work our way to the Ditmars stop at the end of the line in Astoria.

We’ll get started around 1:00 PM with events continuing into the evening. Final details with specific times, addresses and locations to come next Wednesday night right here. Tentative stops and activities include:

Whitehall Street Stop– The adventure begins. Afternoon drinks and merriment at a downtown pub/bar in or near Battery Park. We’re narrowing down the perfect place…preferably with outdoor space. Perhaps Whitehorse Tavern or A.J Kelly.

8th Street Stop– Ah, its spring which means Street Fairs. This one is the legendary Washington Square Park Street Fair. From there, we will wander north to enjoy treats at legendary chocloatier Max Brenner’s place.

28th Street Stop – We’ll then swing by the Sex Museum (225 Fifth Avenue). You know you’ve always wanted to go. And technically it is a museum, so that gives us art street cred.

Broadway (Astoria) Stop – Next up is Break (32-04 Broadway) for the 2009 Winner-Take-All Air Hockey Tournament. On the second floor with all the amenities, you can also try your hand at Billiards, various games and Ping Pong played for some reason in mosquito nets. Oh yeah, hopefully, Drink Specials as well.

Ditmars Stop – Ending (beginning?) the evening at the historic & hip Bohemian Beer Hall which always makes for a good time. Bring a deck of cards. Although the rumor is that the set up has changed a bit this year at Astoria’s Best Known Bar. If the Beer Garden comes up short, we’ll ditch for a new beer hall around the corner that is also rumored to be amazing.

Plus, the usual fanfare of surprise and personal touches that accompany every Big Adventure.

Suggestions for the day are always welcome…Hope to see you next Saturday!