According to the New York MTA documentation there are 472 subway stations throughout the city. Over the years a few have been abandoned for various reasons.
Easily the most famous of those abandoned stations is the former City Hall station. Since 1945 it has sat unused in the loop at the end of the 6 train.
On rare occasions the New York Transmit Museum offers tours of this station. Tickets are hard to get and available to members only (I had a good friend who came through for me!)
We went to the current nearest station (also known as City Hall) and boarded a 6 train that went a short distance before stopping to let us off. The crowd was excited.
The station itself was the masterpiece of the system when it opened on October 27, 1904. It was the first station to open on the first line.
The station has a single platform that is curved. This curve eventually lead to the closing in 1945 as the newer cars were longer and made the gap between the cars and the station too wide.
The arched ceilings and tile work make what the Transit Museum refers to as the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ of the entire subway system.
As with all subway stations the station name is a mosaic. While plain compared to some the tile work around it adds to the overall feel of the station.
There are numerous skylights in the station. We had a night time visit so the ambient light from outside was minimal, but it too added to the aura of the tour.
The mezzanine shown here (and the featured image of this posting) is amazing.
The huge mosaic at the top is also a skylight, although for this tour there was no light from above.
Back down on the platform the simple, yet elegant chandeliers provided dim lighting that accented the arched ceilings.
The station is nearly intact, but some of the skylights need some work. Still the view of the ceilings and the curved platform is stunning.
The primary station sign from the platform to the mezzanine level. Imagine the excitement in 1904 arriving and seeing this entrance to the station.
There were 40 people on the tour so it was tough not having people in the photo (or getting into other people’s photos).
A view from the mezzanine to the platform.
A closeup of the platform ceiling and chandeliers. While we were there the 6 trains kept slowly rolling through their loop, their wheels screeching loudly on the sharp curve.
One not so hidden secret for the non paying tourists is to stay on the 6 train at the end and check out the station as the train makes it’s loop. Supposedly conductors will sometime allow this – the guides say do it on a bright sunny day so there is some light from the skylights.
There are a few plaques commemorating the opening of the subway system.
A close up view of the arched ceiling tile work.
A close up view of the City Hall station sign mosaic and a skylight.
The view down the platform into the tunnel with an oncoming train.
Clearly I couldn’t get enough shots of the curved platform and ceiling. The style is known as a Guastavino Vault – the tile arch system using self supported arches and architectural vaults with interlocking terracotta tiles and layers of mortar.
It is named for Rafael Guastavino who immigrated to New York in 1881 from Barcelona. His work, and others in this style grace numerous buildings throughout New York City and beyond, including the Ellis Island Great Hall.
Another view of a train rolling through with the arches and skylights (darkened). With no passengers they looked like ghost trains.
One last look at the mezzanine level.
And it was time to leave. Even this was amusing as our tour was holding up the entire 6 line as they stopped, set out a ramp to cover the gap and herded us on as fast as possible, with the people not wanting to leave.
Eventually we relented, and we left this fabulous place.
I feel fortunate to have had this opportunity – thanks to a good friend and the Transit Museum.
RDZ Photography 