A new station for me today. I've never taken the M train all the way in to Chambers Street but today I had an appointment downtown first thing. What a site this station was. I think it's been totally forgotten. What a mess. And when I say forgotten, I also mean forgotten by the trains that are supposed to stop there too. I waited 20 minutes for another M train. After work I thought I'd try transferring there and then I found the train was not even going to come again today. What a mess. I highly recommend a visit to the platform though. It's very old world. Look for more images from this station, I think I'm going to try and fit it into my commute.
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Underground Exhibition
20 July, 2005 • Express Train
Photography © Travis Ruse • photoblogs.org • listed
It looks like a piranesian view in the old and exceeded industrial world.
What a coincidence. I was on the J train yesterday and thinking, "I wonder if Travis" has explored this line, because there are some great shots, and here you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SOmeday you should go all the way to front of the M/J platform and peer down the tunnel to where you can start to see daylight, with the curvy tracks in the foreground. I think you would like it.
lol it looks like a prison, without the cells.
Over half that station is abandoned, and large parts of it are actually crumbling. It's also a wonderland for old signage. It was up for a rehab, but the MTA's budget problems have delayed that. I'm in there daily. I'm fascinated by its creepiness, but my girlfriend hates the place and avoids it when she can.
If you're on the platform for trains bound for Metropolitan Ave. or Jamaica Center, and you walk halfway down the platform, try looking across at the abandoned side platform. There's a flight of stairs that, I assume, used to lead to the mezzanine, but if you glance up those stairs, there's a landing halfway up, and a door that's sometimes open.
I often wonder where that door leads, but I'm not planning to risk a trespassing charge (and a stumble across active tracks) to find out.
Educational TVs "Modern Marvels" featured the New York Subway a week or so ago. The entire subway system was in this state of disrepair in the late 70's-early 80's - in danger of total collapse. They went on to show how commitment of time and money has brought most of the subway up to snuff. This must be one of those forgotten ones.
All the ironwork reminds me of the Rookery in Chicago. The ever present white tile...looking incredibly dirty on the top half of those pillars. Do they have a maintenance/cleaning schedule for the subways?
This might be a very interesting photo-shoot spot for the New York Photobloggers, and an abandoned platform sounds like a spooky spot for photos.
The station is almost abandonded because it no longer leads to the Manhattan Bridge. See this part of the physical track map for details: http://www.nycsubway.org/maps/track/detail-canal.png
You can see the old tracks from the backwindow of a Brooklyn-bound N-train or Q-train as it leaves the Canal Street express staion, just before it goes outside.
Travis, maybe you can go to the M-train platform at Canal Street, too and take pics of the old, decaying side (which is going to be sealed off soon like a tomb), and compare it to the renovated platform. A great example of contrast on the same platform.
Thanks for all the great historical comments today. I will indeed do some more exploring at this station and see what kind of trouble I can get into. I would really love to get into the old City Hall station. Any ideas there would be greatly appreciated. Best to all, Travis
Getting to City Hall? Just stay on a downtown 6 train past it's last stop. It's not illegal, so you can't get into major trouble.
More Piranesi like constructions, sweet.
chambers. unique. this one really captures the "real" chambers (j/m/z level). well done.