Because it's officially the holiday season in New York City, there's news of this from the wonderful folks over at the MTA:
"For four consecutive Sundays in December, subway customers can catch the “Shoppers Special,” a train consisting of eight cars from the 1930s that ran along the lettered lines until the late 1970s.
The cars, which were ordered for the Independent Subway System (IND), were the first subway cars to be identified by their contract numbers, hence the R1/9 designations.
R1/9 cars, known as ““City-Cars,” have rattan seats, ceiling fans, incandescent light bulbs, and roll signs for passenger information.
Their design of more doors that were also wider and faster, plus increased standing capacity to accommodate crowds, served as the model of modern subway cars, and their dimensions are identical to the latest R160 cars. They were retired from service in 1977."
“For all intents and purposes, this was the first modern subway car and today’s subway fleets owe a lot to the design,” said Joe Leader, Senior Vice President of Subways.
spoiled_nyc rise and grind. 🗽😁🏃🌇 #monday #hustle #hustlehard #getyourgrindon #hustleandbustle #nycsubway #mondaymorning #tistheseason 🎅🏽🎁🎄 (@roryviii)
“They were basic, durable and offered the expected levels of customer comfort for decades after they were introduced into service. We continue to build upon this strong foundation with each new car design.”
Is it just us or do these holiday trains actually make the price of subway ride less... painful on our minds (and wallets)?
Check out The Definitive Guide to Proper Subway Etiquette in NYC.
[Feature Image Courtesy Global Maestro]