Subway Cars – RDZ Photography

It was a great 10 days in Buenos Aires. I am not certain what I was expecting but whatever it was, BA exceeded it!

The Nueve de Julio Avenue is the center of the city. Created in the 1930s by wiping out an entire city block wide, and nearly 3 miles long, it is an impressive sight.

The city exists because of the huge estuary of the Rio de La Plata, creating one of the world’s great ports.

The city is full of great architecture starting with the Retiro Train Station.

The Torre Monument is in the plaza in front of Retiro. The tower was completed in 1916 by the same architect who built Big Ben.

Just down the street is the Kavanagh Building, an Art Deco masterpiece.

One of the highlights of the city is the number of ‘Palacios’ remaining from the early 1900s. While there were once more than 100, less than 40 remain, but those that still stand are magnificent.

In addition to the Palacios there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of impressive buildings.

The city was the first city in South America to have a subway, starting over 100 years ago.

As with any city, not all are enjoying the good life. Buenos Aires has some ‘Villa’s, basically shantytowns for the very poor. The city says they have a plan to help improve the lives of the people living in the Villas, but only time will tell.

No visit to Buenos Aires is complete without a stop at the Obelisk.

For now it is time to fly, but not before joining the crowd to watch a soccer game while waiting on the plane. True Buenos Aires!

A slang for someone who rides the subway a lot is a ‘strap hanger’. The term comes from the early days where there were actual straps that the standing passengers held onto.

This posting illustrates the history of New York City Subway cars and the changes in the seats, and ‘straps’.

Only the very oldest cars have the cloth straps! In addition this BMT Q car has rattan seats that are very cool.

Very early on the cloth straps were replaced with metal ones.

The next version has already moved to the metal bars. I am certain the straps wore out quickly, whereas the bars last forever.

Our next version loses the rattan seats, replaced with these stylish green and yellow stripes. The bars have also evolved to be much larger, so more people can hang on while standing.

This is an IRT R-12 car dating from 1948.

On the IRT R-15 car the bench seating continues, only in solid red, while the bars are still large and protruding. This car dates from 1950.

The first plastic seats make an appearance on an R42. This type of car was most famously used in the 1971 movie The French Connection, where the good guy is in a car chasing the bad guy who stole a train.

Time to board our next car – the ‘straps’ have returned! This car is a R33 ‘World’s Fair’ car, so named as it was released in 1963, the same year the city hosted the World’s Fair.

The last of the straight bench seating makes an appearance.

As we move closer to the modern design, randomized seating.

Finally by the 1970s it looks essentially the same as today’s cars. Not nearly as elegant as the cloth straps and wicker seats, but far more functional and durable.