History UsefulNotes / NewYorkCitySubway

** The other sport in which two teams from the same area could face each other is football. However, the UsefulNotes/SuperBowl is a single game played in a pre-determined neutral location; no subway applies. Theoretically, one supposes a "Subway Super Bowl" could be where both teams can get to the stadium by subway for the single game - as of 2017 this is only possible for the New York (Giants, Jets) and Los Angeles (Rams, Chargers) teams, and they would both have to win their respective conference championships in the exact year the Super Bowl was held in that particular stadium (hosts are determined three or four years ahead of time)[[note]]Both the Giants and Jets missed the playoffs when [=MetLife Stadium=] hosted Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014; the Rams' and Chargers' future home is scheduled to host Super Bowl LV in 2021[[/note]]. (And at any rate, you can't get to [=MetLife=] Stadium on the NYC Subway since it's actually in the Meadowlands of New Jersey - best you can do is take the [[UsefulNotes/PortAuthorityTransHudson PATH]] to Hoboken, then switch to UsefulNotes/NewJerseyTransit's Meadowlands Rail Line.) Meanwhile the future home of the Rams and Chargers is not yet served by UsefulNotes/LosAngelesMetroRail and according to current plans won't be for Super Bowl LV.

Twenty-four routes, 472 stations, 5 million daily riders, 1.5 billion yearly riders (at $2.75 a pop) ...and it's in the red. Probably the most famous subway system in the world. Not the first, certainly not the best, but the one everybody seems to know. Administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or MTA, through its subsidiary, MTA New York City Transit, or MTA NYCT[[note]]formerly and still formally known as the New York City Transit Authority, or its abbreviation, NYCTA; since TheNineties branded as MTA New York City Transit[[/note]]. According to Website/ThatOtherWiki, the subway trails only the metro systems of Tokyo, Moscow and Seoul in annual ridership and carries more passengers than all other rail mass transit systems in the United States combined.

* Flooding remains a big problem, as even minor ones can disrupt service despite improvements to the pump rooms and grates in recent years. Rainwater can damage signals underground and require the electrified third rail to be shut off. In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused a lot of damage to New York and many subway tunnels were inundated with floodwater. The subway opened with limited service two days after the storm, and was running at 80% capacity within five days; however, some infrastructure may take years to repair as much of the equipment dates back to the ''1920s''. The storm flooded nine of the system's 14 underwater tunnels, many subway lines, and several train yards, as well as completely damaging a portion of the Rockaway Line, the Montague Street tunnels (which carries the R line between lower Manhattan and Brooklyn), and much of the South Ferry terminal station, requiring long-term closures and repairs.

* Service labels were ephemeral and confusing at times with lettered routes being shifted, changed, and/or deleted from one line to another, making a description like "the D train" useless. The D has been on four completely different Brooklyn branch lines (Fulton Street, Culver, Brighton, and presently West End) since 1954. K was introduced for a rush hour-only service on the Jamaica el, but was later used for an Eighth Avenue local which had formerly been the [=AA=].

Many of the new services introduced by the MTA after November 1967 were later eliminated due to redundancy or low patronage, such as the [=NX=] (which was used for a peak-direction "super-express" service along the express tracks of the Sea Beach Line), [=RJ=] (which served as a rush-hour variant of the [=RR=] 4th Avenue local, but used the Nassau Street Line ''all the way'' to Jamaica-168th Street but was cut back to Chambers Street only; the M then took over as the Nassau special after the R's northern terminal was switched to Forest Hills), and the [=EE=] (which served as a replacement for the [=RR=], which until 1967 ran to Forest Hills, but was later absorbed into the N due to budget cuts).

* Extension of the 4th Avenue Line south of 95th Street with a connection to the Staten Island Railroad at Grasmere, either via the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge or a new subway tunnel. In anticipation of this, the SIRT electrified its lines and purchased subway cars. The BMT also planned to extend the express tracks to 95th Street with the idea that the locals will terminate there while the expresses go on to Staten Island.

** Using the LIRR's freight-only Bay Ridge Branch for through service between the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and possibly Staten Island.

Another reality-impaired subway trope is that there are [[SinisterSubway miles upon miles of abandoned subway tunnels beneath the city,]] just [[BeneathTheEarth waiting to be inhabited]] by [[{{Morlocks}} something evil]]. Not so much. Though, [[http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/ there are several abandoned stations]] (including one that now serves as the New York Transit Museum), as well as the [[DevelopmentHell infamously half-complete Second Avenue Subway]], which had been on the city's to-do list for decades. It was actually first proposed [[OlderThanTheyThink in 1920]]. [[SavedFromDevelopmentHell The first part finally opened New Years Day 2017.]]

* '''R - Queens Boulevard-Broadway-4th Avenue Local via Tunnel''': The R operates between Forest Hills, Queens and 95th Street-Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn at all times except late nights (when it short-turns at South Ferry), running local on the Queens Boulevard, Broadway (via the Montague Street Tunnel) and 4th Avenue Lines; some 95th Street-bound trains short turn at 59th Street-4th Avenue during rush hours, while some northbound put-ins begin their run at 36th Street-4th Avenue. Late night service originally ended at 36th Street in Brooklyn, but was extended to South Ferry in November 2016 in order to reduce the need to transfer at 36th Street, thereby eliminating the need for northbound trains to skip the 45th and 53rd Street stops. Also, many southbound trips used to short-turn at either Canal Street or South Ferry during rush hours, resulting in long headways along the R in Brooklyn. Beginning November 2017, one northbound rush hour trip terminates at 96th Street-2nd Avenue due to rising demand for service along the 2nd Avenue Line; this trip is then re-designated as a southbound Q to Coney Island. Until 1987, the R's northbound terminal was Astoria, while the N terminated at Forest Hills, but this was switched over in order to give the R a direct access to a train yard. Previously, the N had easy access to the Jamaica and Coney Island yards, while the R had to run light to/from the Coney Island Yard. Also until 1987, some rush-hour only trips ran from Bay Ridge to Chambers Street on the Nassau Street Line.\\

Additionally, the MTA runs a complicated system of buses, Staten Island (the RedHeadedStepchild of New York City) has its own above-ground train line across the island, and there are several separate local rail systems primarily for commuters:

The way to tell the lines apart is that ex-IRT routes, now officially known as the A Division, have number designations (except for the 42nd Street Shuttle between Times Square and Grand Central). A Division trains also have smaller cars (51 feet long, 9 feet wide, with three doors on each side) due to sharper curves and shorter platform clearances. The distinction between IND and BMT was seriously blurred after unification by the construction of several track connections, and they are now known officially as the single B Division. The B Division routes use letter designations, as well as larger cars (60 feet long, 10 feet wide, with four doors on each side).[[note]]Some of the older B Division cars are 75 feet long, as the IND was built to handle that length of car while having the same clearance for 10-foot-wide cars as the BMT, but the older elevated eastern portions of the J, L, M, and Z routes, which are among the oldest structures in the system, cannot accommodate the longer cars, so instead of continuing to have two separate fleets for the one division, all B Division cars ordered since the 90s have been built to the same 60 foot length.[[/note]] The consolidation into one division has led to many lines that have substantial portions on both ex-BMT and ex-IND tracks, such as the D[[note]]Runs on the IND Concourse Line in the Bronx, IND Eighth and Sixth Avenue Lines in Manhattan, and the BMT 4th Avenue and West End Lines in Brooklyn[[/note]], the R[[note]]Runs on the BMT 4th Avenue Line in Brooklyn and the BMT Broadway Line in Manhattan, then uses a track connection in the 60th Street Tunnel to use the IND Queens Boulevard Line in Queens[[/note]], and the M[[note]]Uses the IND Queens Boulevard and Sixth Avenue Lines via 53rd Street, then uses the Chrystie Street Connection to connect to the BMT Jamaica and the Myrtle Avenue Lines[[/note]], among others.

Until 1985, the MTA used single and double letters to denote the various services on the B Division. Locals were designated with double letters while expresses had a single letter. The MTA thought it would make the system amenable for visitors, who may not know or even get confused by historic or community names. The lines were also color-coded as the MTA wanted to ensure no two services with exactly the same color would operate over the same line. It became problematic for several reasons:

* Service labels were ephemeral and confusing at times with lettered routes being shifted, changed, and/or deleted from one line to another, making a description like "the D train" useless. The D has been on three completely different Brooklyn branch lines (Fulton Street, Culver, Brighton) since 1954. K was introduced for a rush hour-only service on the Jamaica el, but was later used for an Eighth Avenue local which had formerly been the [=AA=].

* The infamous Second Avenue Subway, [[DevelopmentHell which was on the city's to-do list for many decades]] [[SavedFromDevelopmentHell until very recently]]. It will be built with provisions to expand the line to the Bronx and Brooklyn, but that remains to be seen given the MTA's limited funding and looming debt crisis.

* Metro-North, serving [[strike:upstate New York]] [[InsistentTerminology southern]] UsefulNotes/NewYorkState suburbs like Westchester County, as well as the Connecticut suburbs.

** NJ Transit's Secaucus Junction--where all NJ Transit heavy rail lines save the Atlantic City Line[[note]]Which doesn't meet ''any'' NJ Transit Rail lines; the only trains it meets are the PATCO subway into Philadelphia and the SEPTA and Amtrak lines out of Philadelphia 30th St. Station[[/note]] and Princeton Branch[[note]]Which is a short shuttle off the Northeast Corridor Line from Princeton Junction to [[UsefulNotes/IvyLeague Princeton University]][[/note]][[labelnote:Also...]]The Raritan Valley Line also didn't stop at Secaucus until 2014, as being diesel-powered, it couldn't cross the North River tunnels to NY Penn, but only go as far as Newark Penn. With the acquisition of dual-mode electric/diesel locomotives, direct service to NY Penn has started.[[/labelnote]] meet--is touted as a potential terminus for the new extension of the 7 train of the NYC Subway proper. If this happens, it would be the first NYC Subway station outside the city itself.

All subway routes on the Eighth Avenue Line are colored blue on the route bullet.[[note]]The B and D trains also run on the Eighth Avenue Line between 59th Street-Columbus Circle and 145th Street, however they have orange route bullets because they operate on the Sixth Avenue Line through Midtown.[[/note]]

All subway routes on the Sixth Avenue Line are colored orange on the route bullet.

** '''<F> - Jamaica Express-Sixth Avenue Local-Culver Express via 63rd Street''': A limited express service between Jay Street and Church Avenue started on September 16, 2019 with two trains running in the peak direction during rush hours and is represented with a diamond <F>, similar to the symbol used on the other peak-direction express services.\\

The G is colored lime-green on the route bullet.

All subway routes on the Nassau Street-Jamaica Line are colored brown on the route bullet.

All subway routes on the Broadway Line are colored yellow on the route bullet.

The L is colored a lighter shade of gray on the route bullet.

All subway routes on the Seventh Avenue Line are colored red on the route bullet.

All subway routes on the Lexington Avenue Line are colored a darker shade of green on the route bullet.

The 5 train fleet is made up entirely of R142 cars, stationed out of East 180th Street and 239th Street Yards. The fleet is shared between it and the 2. Because the two routes have so much overlap in the Bronx and Brooklyn, and only separate for their trips through Manhattan, this has confused riders due to the electronic strip maps in the trains only having the map for one route or the other. To fix this, the MTA began replacing the strip maps for cars assigned to these yards in 2016 with combined strip maps showing both services.
* '''6 - Pelham-Lexington Avenue Local / <6> - Pelham Express-Lexington Avenue Local''': The 6 is the local service on the Lexington Avenue Line. It operates local at all times between Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx and Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall in Lower Manhattan. Some trains run express in the peak direction between Parkchester and 3rd Avenue-138th Street and are marked as <6>, while locals are marked in a circular bullet. During weekdays in the peak direction, <6> Pelham Express trains replace 6 local ones north of Parkchester, and run express between that station and 3rd Avenue–138th Street, only making an intermediate stop at Hunts Point Avenue. During this time, 6 Pelham Local trains short turn at Parkchester. Weekdays from 9 AM to 11 AM, select Manhattan-bound <6> trains run local from Parkchester to Hunts Point Avenue while select Parkchester-bound 6 trains run express in that section.\\

The 7 is colored purple on the route bullet.

Unlike the other IRT lines, the 7 is unique for running eleven car trains instead of the normal ten car trains. This has been in place since the 1964-1965 World's Fair in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in April 1964, when trains were lengthened to eleven cars. The Flushing Line received 430 new R33 and R36 "World's Fair" cars for this enhanced service, and due to platform lengths, it was chosen to maintain the existing train length.[[note]]Note though that while 7 trains have the most cars of any in-service trains, they are ''not'' the longest trains on the system in overall length as they are still shorter than 600 foot long IND and BMT mainline trains.[[/note]]\\

All officially designated shuttles are designated with the letter S, and are colored a darker shade of gray on the route bullet.

* '''Rockaway Park Shuttle''': The IND shuttle service connects with the A at the Broad Channel station and utilizes the Rockaway Line's Rockaway Park branch, terminating at Beach 116th Street at all times (though some A trains come to/from Rockaway Park during rush hours in the peak direction). Also, in order to distinguish it from the other shuttles in the system, it is internally referred as the H, though the route was openly designated as such in the past. Throughout the shuttle's history, it ran to Euclid Avenue and/or Far Rockaway, serving as a replacement for routes that didn't run during off-peak hours. During summer weekends, the shuttle runs all the way to Rockaway Boulevard on the Fulton Street Line, allowing single transfers for A train passengers originating on the Lefferts Boulevard Branch. The Rockaway Park Shuttle shares the same rolling stock with the A.

* '''Dyre Avenue Shuttle''': During late nights, the 5 operates exclusively as a shuttle on the Dyre Avenue Line exclusively, running from Eastchester-Dyre Avenue to East 180th Street, where passengers can connect to the 2.

* '''Myrtle Avenue Shuttle''': During late nights, the M operates exclusively as a shuttle on the Myrtle Avenue Line, running from Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue to Myrtle Avenue–Broadway. It connects to the L at Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenues and with the J at Myrtle Avenue-Broadway.

* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed The Run'' has you DRIVING THROUGH the tunnels in its final level...and the trains are still running. It seems in this universe, subway trains can reach bullet train speeds seeing as how you can't outrun one despite driving a hypercar capable of 200+ mph at full throttle.

* '''C - Eighth Avenue-Fulton Street Local''': The C is a local supplement to the A train, running from 168th Street-Washington Heights to Euclid Avenue only during daytime hours. During late nights, the A serves as a replacement for the C, originating to/from Far Rockaway only, while a shuttle runs between Euclid Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard. Until the 1980s, the C was a rush-hour only service that ran from Bedford Park Boulevard to Rockaway Park[[note]]As such, it was the only service to operate through all four boroughs that the subway serves[[/note]], as off-peak service was provided by the now-eliminated K. Similar to the terminal swap between the N and R, the B and C swapped their northern terminals, ending the connection between the C and the Bronx. This was done to eliminate rider confusion between the C's three different terminals (depending on the time of day) and reduce crowding.\\

* '''B - Concourse Local-Sixth Avenue-Brighton Express via Bridge''': The B only operates on weekdays. During rush hours, it goes from Bedford Park Boulevard in the Bronx to Brighton Beach, running local on the Concourse and 8th Avenue Lines, while midday trips end at 145th Street in Harlem. After leaving 59th Street-Columbus Circle, it runs express along the Sixth Avenue and Brighton Lines (the Q runs local along the Brighton Line at all times). During the early 2000s, the Manhattan Bridge's north side closed, and the W was created to replace the B in Brooklyn and provide service to Coney Island (via West End), while the Q was rerouted to the Broadway Line. When the Manhattan Bridge tracks re-opened in 2004, the B and D swapped routes. The D was made the West End service to Coney Island, while the B was made the part-time Brighton Express to Brighton Beach. This was done to eliminate the need for part-time shuttles on the West End Line.\\

* '''M - Queens Boulevard-Sixth Avenue-Myrtle Avenue Local via 53rd Street''': The M operates between Forest Hills and Metropolitan Avenue-Middle Village, Queens via the Queens Boulevard, 6th Avenue (via 53rd Street), Jamaica and Myrtle Avenue Lines, making it the only service that travels through the same borough via two different, unconnected lines. The M short turns at Delancey-Essex Streets in Manhattan on weekends, and at Myrtle Avenue–Broadway in Brooklyn during late nights. Late night service on the Queens Boulevard Line is supplemented by the E train. It is the only non-shuttle service that has both of its full-run terminals in the same borough (Queens). The 71st Avenue and Metropolitan Avenue termini of the M are 2.47 miles (3.98 km) apart, marking this as the shortest geographic distance between termini for a non-shuttle service. Prior to June 28, 2010, the M traveled during weekday rush hours to Bay Parkway on the West End Line via Nassau Street, and to Chambers Street during midday hours. As part of the 2010 service changes, it was combined with the V to allow a one-seat ride to Midtown for passengers on the BMT Jamaica Line.[[note]]The rush hour service to Bay Parkway was a remnant of the Bankers' Specials that used to run over the Manhattan Bridge until 1967, when the Nassau Street connection was severed due to the Chrystie Street Connection linking the Sixth Avenue Line to Manhattan Bridge north side, while the south side tracks that originally fed into Chambers Street were rerouted to the Broadway Line express tracks; the Broadway Line used to feed into the north side tracks. The Nassau Street Loop allowed trains to originate in Brooklyn from either via the 4th Avenue or Brighton lines (and through either the bridge or the Montague Street Tunnel), run via Nassau Street and return to Brooklyn without having to reverse directions during rush hours. The Chrystie Street Connection also saw the opening of connecting tracks from the Sixth Avenue Line to the Nassau Street Line at Essex Street, and it is these tracks the M uses to move from the BMT to the IND.[[/note]]\\

* '''G - Brooklyn-Queens Crosstown Line''': The G operates at all times between Court Square in Long Island City, Queens and Church Avenue in Kensington, Brooklyn via the Crosstown and Culver Lines. In Queens, it only serves two stations – Court Square and 21st Street, both in Long Island City – but previously served all stations to/from Forest Hills on the Queens Boulevard Line. It is the only non-shuttle line in the system that does not serve Manhattan and suffers from frequent service disruptions, leading to criticism from riders. Throughout its history, the G ended at Smith-9th Streets by switching over to the express tracks on the Culver Line, then relaying back on the northbound local platform. It proved to be inefficient, as F service was held up and express service couldn't be operated except for a short time in the 1970s. This ended in 2009 when the G was extended to Church Avenue, coinciding with repairs on the aging Culver viaduct.\\

* '''Q - Second Avenue-Broadway Express-Brighton Local via Bridge''': The Q operates between 96th Street-2nd Avenue on the Upper East Side in Manhattan and Coney Island at all times, running express on the Broadway Line in Manhattan (except during late nights, when it runs local between Canal Street and 57th Street-7th Avenue via the Manhattan Bridge), crossing over the Manhattan Bridge south side, and serving all stops on the Brighton Line in Brooklyn (the B runs express only on weekdays between Prospect Park and Brighton Beach). Also, the lone northbound R train that goes to 96th Street during rush hours is then re-designated as a southbound Q to Coney Island. During rush hours, a few northbound trips run via the N, running express on the 4th Avenue Line. Prior to this service realignment, the Q ran to Astoria on weekdays (and to 57th Street-7th Avenue during late nights and weekends), serving as a replacement for the W, which was originally eliminated in 2010 due to budget cuts.\\

* '''W - Astoria-Broadway Local''': The W is a weekday-only service, running local between Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard and South Ferry in Lower Manhattan. Some rush-hour trains originate from Coney Island (running local via the Sea Beach and 4th Avenue Lines) while the last-scheduled trips are extended to Gravesend-86th Street on the Sea Beach Line to be sent down to the Coney Island Yard. On weekends, the N and R replace it. The W was first introduced on July 22, 2001 as part of the major service realignments caused by years of track work on the Manhattan Bridge. It was created to replace the B in Brooklyn and provide service between Coney Island (via the West End Line) and Manhattan. On February 22, 2004, when the north tracks on the Manhattan Bridge reopened, the W was cut back to its current service pattern while the D train replaced it in Brooklyn (prior to the track closures, the D ran to Coney Island as the Brighton local). On June 28, 2010, the W was discontinued alongside the V due to budget cuts, and was replaced by the Q in Queens and the N and R in Manhattan. However, on November 7, 2016, the W was brought back to fill in the service gap created by the full-time rerouting of the Q to Second Avenue and maintain weekday service capacity on the Astoria and Broadway Lines.\\

* With many color variations, it proved unwieldy and still produced ambiguity. For example, the A and E trains shared the same tracks between Times Square and the Rockaways, with one as an express and the other as a local. But the A was colored dark blue and the E light blue, not always easily distinguishable.

All subway routes on the Eighth Avenue Line are colored blue on the route bullet.
* '''A - Eighth Avenue-Fulton Street-Rockaway Express''': The A runs from 207th Street in Inwood, Manhattan to either the Rockaways or to Lefferts Boulevard in Richmond Hill, Queens. During the daytime, the A runs express along the 8th Avenue and Fulton Street Lines between 168th Street and Euclid Avenue, and then local to either Far Rockaway or Lefferts Boulevard, with some peak direction rush hour-only trips coming to/from Rockaway Park. Some northbound trains also terminate at either Dyckman Street or 168th Street during rush hours. The A provides the longest one-seat ride in the system, at 32 miles (51 km) between Inwood and Far Rockaway and has a weekday ridership of 600,000. During late nights, the A runs local and serves as a replacement for the C, originating to/from Far Rockaway only, with shuttle train service between Euclid Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard. Another shuttle runs on the Rockaway Park branch during off-peak hours.\\

* '''C - Eighth Avenue-Fulton Street Local''': The C is a local supplement to the A train, running from 168th Street-Washington Heights to Euclid Avenue only during daytime hours. During late nights, the A serves as a replacement for the C, originating to/from Far Rockaway only, while a shuttle runs between Euclid Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard. Until the 1980s, the C was a rush-hour only service that ran from Bedford Park Boulevard to Rockaway Park, as off-peak service was provided by the now-eliminated K. Similar to the terminal swap between the N and R, the B and C swapped their northern terminals, ending the connection between the C and the Bronx. This was done to eliminate rider confusion between the C's three different terminals (depending on the time of day) and reduce crowding.\\

The E uses a fleet made entirely of R160 cars.

The famed [[https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/IRT_East_Side_Line#City_Hall City Hall]] station lies just past the southern terminus at Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall. The station is located on a balloon loop that the 6 train uses to turn around and head back uptown, as of this writing passengers are allowed to stay on the train as it passes through the station[[note]]The MTA has gone back and forth on this, normally passengers aren't allowed on non-revenue track, but since it just loops back around to the station it started from they've been letting it slide[[/note]]. The beautiful station was the showpiece (and the southern terminus) of the original IRT subway when it opened in 1904, but the odd track layout meant the platforms couldn't be expanded, not that they really needed to be when the Brooklyn Bridge station is only 600 feet away. Ridership numbers were never very high and it closed in 1945. The station is actually pretty well preserved (mainly because it's on the National Register of Historic Places), untouched by vandals and in better condition than some open stations. The platform itself is closed to the public for security reasons[[note]]Which were put in place ''before'' the September 11th attacks, after the al-Qaeda bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania[[/note]] but the NY Transit Museum occasionally hosts tours of it. Two more abandoned stations are on this line, at Worth Street (which is the next station north of Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall) and at 18th street.\\

The famed [[https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/IRT_East_Side_Line#City_Hall City Hall]] station lies just past the southern terminus at Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall. The station is located on a balloon loop that the 6 train uses to turn around and head back uptown, as of this writing passengers are allowed to stay on the train as it passes through the station[[note]]The MTA has gone back and forth on this, normally passengers aren't allowed on non-revenue track, but since it just loops back around to the station it started from they've been letting it slide[[/note]]. The beautiful station was the showpiece (and the southern terminus) of the original IRT subway when it opened in 1904, but the odd track layout meant the platforms couldn't be expanded, not that they really needed to be when the Brooklyn Bridge station is only 600 feet away. Ridership numbers were never very high and it closed in 1945. The station is actually pretty well preserved (mainly because it's on the list of National Register of Historic Places), untouched by vandals and in better condition than some open stations. The platform itself is closed to the public for security reasons[[note]]Which were put in place ''before'' the September 11th attacks, after the al-Qaeda bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania[[/note]] but the NY Transit Museum occasionally hosts tours of it. Two more abandoned stations are on this line, at Worth Street (which is the next station north of Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall) and at 18th street.\\

* '''6 - Pelham-Lexington Avenue Local / <6> - Pelham Express-Lexington Avenue Local''': The 6 is the local service on the Lexington Avenue Line. It operates local at all times between Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx and Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall in Lower Manhattan. Some trains run express in the peak direction between Parkchester and 3rd Avenue-138th Street and are marked as <6>, while locals are marked in a circular bullet. During weekdays in the peak direction, <6> Pelham Express trains replace 6 local ones north of Parkchester, and run express between that station and 3rd Avenue–138th Street, only making an intermediate stop Hunts Point Avenue. During this time, 6 Pelham Local trains short turn at Parkchester. Weekdays from 9 AM to 11 AM, select Manhattan-bound <6> trains run local from Parkchester to Hunts Point Avenue while select Parkchester-bound 6 trains run express in that section.\\

* The ''Series/Rescue911'' episode "Subway Save" profiled an incident from September 1987 about a seizure victim who had fallen onto the tracks at the 50th Street IRT subway station in Manhattan. The guys who saved him did so by rolling him to the gap under the platform mere seconds before the 1 Train rolled in.

* ''Series/TheDefenders2017'': Scene changes are marked by the sights and sounds of the subway, as the main characters live in different parts of the city. At one point, Matt, Jessica, Luke and Danny all take the subway together after a fight.

** Additionally, even if the World Series came down to Cubs-White Sox or Angels-Dodgers, public image of such a series would unlikely give it a Subway brand (c.f., the A's-Giants '89 Series). Chicago's public transit system is mostly above-ground, and its most prominent portions around The Loop are actually elevated above street level (hence why it is called the 'L') (even though the Red Line that serves both Wrigley Field and Guaranteed Rate Field, where the teams play their home games respectively, actually goes underground when it reaches downtown). Los Angeles, on the other hand, is in the public mind the epitome of urban sprawl with a large, expansive freeway network to connect everything - there is [[UsefulNotes/LosAngelesMetroRail a public transit system in LA]], but a lot of people don't even know it exists and those that do think nobody rides it. Add on top of that the likely conscious effort by local promoters and sports fans to ''not'' use the term "Subway Series", as by now the terms are pretty much inexorably linked with built-up super-crowded New York. End result: an Angels-Dodgers series might be termed the "I-5 Series" or "Freeway Series", while Cubs-White Sox might be the "Red Line Series" or "L Series"; they could also go for things totally unrelated to transportation infrastructure like "The Windy City Series" (Chicago) or "The Hollywood Showdown" (LA).

The 2 train fleet is entirely composed of R142 cars and is the only line on the West Side IRT to use them. The fleet is shared between it and the 5. Because the two services have so much overlap in the Bronx and Brooklyn, and only separate for their trips through Manhattan, this has confused riders due to the electronic strip maps in the trains only having the map for one route or the other. To fix this, the MTA began replacing the strip maps for cars assigned to these yards in 2016 with combined strip maps showing both services.

The 5 train fleet is made up entirely of R142 cars, stationed out of East 180th Street and 239th Street Yards. The fleet is shared between it and the 2. Because the two lines have so much overlap in the Bronx and Brooklyn, and only separate for their trips through Manhattan, this has confused riders due to the electronic strip maps in the trains only having the map for one route or the other. To fix this, the MTA began replacing the strip maps for cars assigned to these yards in 2016 with combined strip maps showing both services.
* '''6 - Pelham-Lexington Avenue Local / <6> - Pelham Express-Lexington Avenue Local''': The 6 is the local service on the Lexington Avenue Line. It operates local at all times between Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx and Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall in Lower Manhattan. Some trains run express in the peak direction between Parkchester and 3rd Avenue-138th Street and are marked as <6>, while locals are marked in a circular bullet. During weekdays in the peak direction, <6> Pelham Express trains replace 6 local ones north of Parkchester, and run express between that station and 3rd Avenue–138th Street, only stopping at Hunts Point Avenue along the route. During this time, 6 Pelham Local trains short turn at Parkchester. Weekdays from 9 AM to 11 AM, select Manhattan-bound <6> trains run local from Parkchester to Hunts Point Avenue while select Parkchester-bound 6 trains run express in that section.\\

* '''Dyre Avenue Shuttle''': This shuttle uses the Dyre Avenue Line exclusively, running from Eastchester-Dyre Avenue to East 180th Street, and is designated as the 5. It connects with the 2 at East 180th Street.
* '''Lefferts Boulevard Shuttle''': This shuttle runs from Euclid Avenue to Lefferts Boulevard and is designated as the A (although the late night subway map designates the shuttle as the S). It operates concurrently with regular A service, which goes to Far Rockaway. Previously, the A ran to Lefferts Boulevard during late nights, while a shuttle ran between Euclid Avenue and Far Rockaway.
* '''Myrtle Avenue Shuttle''': Late nights, the M train operates exclusively as a shuttle on the Myrtle Avenue Line, running from Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue to Myrtle Avenue–Broadway. It connects with the J at Myrtle Avenue.

* '''W - Astoria-Broadway Local''': The W is a weekday-only service, running local between Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard and South Ferry in Lower Manhattan. Some rush-hour trains originate from Coney Island (running local via the Sea Beach and 4th Avenue Lines) while the last-scheduled trips are extended to Gravesend-86th Street on the Sea Beach Line to be sent down to the Coney Island Yard. On weekends, the N and R replace it. The W was first introduced on July 22, 2001 as part of the major service realignments caused by years of track work on the Manhattan Bridge. It was created to replace the B in Brooklyn and provide service between Coney Island (via the West End Line) and Manhattan. On February 22, 2004, when the north tracks on the Manhattan Bridge reopened, the W was cut back to its current service pattern while the D train replaced it in Brooklyn (prior to the track closures, the D ran to Coney Island as the Brighton express). On June 28, 2010, the W was eliminated due to budget cuts, and was replaced by the Q in Queens and the N and R in Manhattan. However, on November 7, 2016, the W was restored to fill in the service gap created by the full-time rerouting of the Q to Second Avenue and maintain weekday service capacity on the Astoria and Broadway Lines.\\

* '''2 - White Plains-Seventh Avenue Express''': The 2 operates at all times between Wakefield-241st Street in the Bronx and Flatbush Avenue–Brooklyn College in Brooklyn, making all stops in the Bronx (on the White Plains Road Line) and Brooklyn (on the Eastern Parkway and Nostrand Avenue Lines). During the daytime, the 2 runs express in Manhattan and local elsewhere, while late night service operates local along the entire route. During rush hours, some trips end at either Utica or New Lots Avenues due to capacity issues at Flatbush Avenue, as well as a switching bottleneck east of the Franklin Avenue stop, where trains can either continue along Eastern Parkway or diverge to Nostrand Avenue.\\
The 2 train fleet is entirely composed of R142 cars and is the only line on the West Side IRT to use them. The fleet is shared between it and the 5. Because the two lines have so much overlap in the Bronx and Brooklyn, and only separate for their trips through Manhattan, this has confused riders due to the electronic strip maps in the trains only having the map for one route or the other. To fix this, the MTA began replacing the strip maps for cars assigned to these yards in 2016 with combined strip maps showing both services.

* '''6 - Pelham-Lexington Avenue Local / <6> - Pelham Express-Lexington Avenue Local''': The 6 is the local service on the Lexington Avenue Line. It operates local at all times between Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx and Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall in Lower Manhattan. Some trains run express in the peak direction between Parkchester and 3rd Avenue-138th Street and are marked as <6>, while locals are marked in a circular bullet. During weekdays in the peak direction, <6> Pelham Express trains replace 6 local ones north of Parkchester, and run express between that station and 3rd Avenue–138th Street, only stopping at Hunts Point Avenue along the route. During this time, 6 Pelham Local trains short turn at Parkchester. Weekdays from 9 AM to 11 AM, select Manhattan-bound <6> trains run local from Parkchester to Hunts Point Avenue while select Parkchester-bound 6 trains run express in that section. The 6 operates with a fleet of [=R62A=] cars, which were displaced from the line from 2001 to 2003 by the [=R142A=] cars and moved to the IRT Flushing Line to retire that line's Redbird trains. However, the change only lasted for 13 years before the [=R62A=] trains were transferred back to the 6 as part of the Flushing Line automation program, and the 6's [=R142A=] trains were given to the 7 to be converted to R188 cars.

Unlike the other IRT lines, the 7 is unique for running 11 car trains instead of the normal ten car trains. This has been in place since the 1964-1965 World's Fair in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in April 1964, when trains were lengthened to eleven cars. The Flushing Line received 430 new R33 and R36 "World's Fair" cars for this enhanced service, and due to platform lengths, it was chosen to maintain the existing train length. Note though that while 7 trains have the most cars of any in-service trains, they are ''not'' the longest trains on the system in overall length as they are still shorter than 600 foot long IND and BMT mainline trains.\\
The 7 is also unique for having the only cross-platform transfer to a B Division service, as it has a cross-platform exchange with the BMT Astoria Line at Queensboro Plaza. This is a remnant of the complicated [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensboro_Plaza_station Dual Contracts]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_Contracts history]] under which the IRT and BMT co-shared the Astoria and Flushing Lines. \\

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}}'' has the zoo animals taking the subway, terrifying the human riders. The crappy PA system is mocked when Alex asks, "Did he say 'Grand Central Station' or 'my aunt's constipation'?"

** The original ''Film/KingKong1933'' has the title ape tearing up a section of the Sixth Avenue Elevated line in Manhattan (which has long since been demolished).

* During rush hours, passengers are crammed together like garbage in a trash compactor, especially on busy portions of the subway. All the numbered routes (except the 42nd Street Shuttle), as well as the E and L lines are operating beyond capacity, while portions of the A, C, F, M, N, Q and R lines usually double-up to prevent overcrowding. The express tracks on Lexington Avenue and Queens Boulevard are noted for operating at full capacity during peak hours. As a result, overcrowded trains have resulted in an increase of assaults (including [[TheChikan unwanted groping]]) because of tense commutes, and with less platform space, more passengers are at risk of falling on to the tracks. One possible solution being considered is platform screen doors to prevent passengers from falling. Another option is eliminating seats to increase standing space on the newer cars. The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R211_(New_York_City_Subway_car) R211 cars]] that are planned to hit the rails in 2023 are designed to lessen crowding by using open gangways to make it easier to move from car to car (such a layout has already been seen on the [[UsefulNotes/TorontoSubway Toronto Rocket cars]]). The last time articulated trains were used on the subway were the D-type Triplex cars, which were used on the privately-owned BMT system.

* With many color variations, it proved unwieldy and still produced ambiguity. For example, the A and E lines shared the same track between Times Square and the Rockaways, with one as an express and the other as a local. But the A was colored dark blue and the E light blue, not always easily distinguishable.

The A train fleet is primarily made of R46 cars, and a limited number of R68, [=R68A=], and R179 cars.
* '''C - Eighth Avenue-Fulton Street Local''': The C is a local supplement to the A train, running from 168th Street-Washington Heights to Euclid Avenue only during daytime hours. During late nights, the A serves as a replacement for the C, originating to/from Far Rockaway only, while a shuttle runs between Euclid Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard. Until the 1980s, the C was a rush-hour only service that ran from Bedford Park Boulevard to Rockaway Park, as off-peak service was provided by the now-eliminated K. Similar to the terminal swap between the N and R, the B and C lines swapped their northern terminals, ending the connection between the C and the Bronx. This was done to eliminate rider confusion between the C's three different terminals (depending on the time of day) and reduce crowding.\\

* '''D - Concourse-Sixth Avenue-West End Express via Bridge''': The D operates at all times between Norwood-205th Street in the Bronx and Coney Island via the West End Line. It runs express in Manhattan (Central Park West and 6th Avenue) and makes all stops on the West End Line in Brooklyn; the D also makes all stops in the Bronx except when it runs express in the peak direction during rush hours. It also runs express on the 4th Avenue Line at all times except nights when it serves all stops, supplementing the R (which runs only between Whitehall and 95th Streets during late nights). Prior to the Manhattan Bridge closures, the D ran as the Brighton express to Coney Island, while the B ran via West End; this changed in 2001, when the W replaced the B as the West End express, while the Q was made the Broadway express. When the Manhattan Bridge tracks re-opened in 2004, the D was made the West End service to Coney Island, while the B was made the part-time express to Brighton Beach. The D is one of only three lines to have 24-hour express service, the others being the 3 and F trains.\\

* '''3 - Lenox-Seventh Avenue Express''': The 3 operates between 148th Street in Harlem, Manhattan and New Lots Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn, making express stops in Manhattan and all stops in Brooklyn. During late nights, the 3 runs only between 148th Street and Times Square. Previously, the 3 ran only as a shuttle between 148th Street and 135th Street during late nights, but this caused frequent switching delays along the Lenox Avenue Line. In 2008, the 3 was extended to Times Square to eliminate this late-night switching holdup.\\

** Official warnings on the back of [=MetroCards=] and on train cars note 50 train-related deaths in 2015, down from 58 in 2014.

* Trains don't run on anything that resembles a schedule. Residents don't expect it to, visitors get frustrated, and yet the MTA still tries to claim that [[http://www.mta.info/nyct/service/schemain.htm their official schedules have worth]]. By the end of the 2010s, every station finally got countdown clocks that are reasonably reliable, but that's assuming the display is even working; depending on the station, you may be more likely to encounter a glitched out screen or one that refuses to show anything but the (incorrect) date.

* During rush hours, passengers are crammed together like garbage in a trash compactor, especially on busy portions of the subway. All the numbered routes (except the 42nd Street Shuttle), as well as the E and L lines are operating beyond capacity, while portions of the A, C, F, M, N, Q and R lines usually double-up to prevent overcrowding. The express tracks on Lexington Avenue and Queens Boulevard are noted for operating at full capacity during peak hours. As a result, overcrowded trains have resulted in an increase of assaults (including [[TheChikan unwanted groping]]) because of tense commutes, and with less platform space, more passengers are at risk of falling on to the tracks. One possible solution being considered is platform screen doors to prevent passengers from falling. Another option is eliminating seats to increase standing space on the newer cars. The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R211_(New_York_City_Subway_car) R211 cars]] that are planned to hit the rails in 2020 are designed to lessen crowding by using open gangways to make it easier to move from car to car (such a layout has already been seen on the [[UsefulNotes/TorontoSubway Toronto Rocket cars]]). The last time articulated trains were used on the subway were the D-type Triplex cars, which were used on the privately-owned BMT system.

Another reality-impaired subway trope is that there are [[SinisterSubway miles upon miles of abandoned subway tunnels beneath the city,]] just [[BeneathTheEarth waiting to be inhabited]] by [[{{Morlocks}} something evil]]. Not so much. Though, there ''are'' several abandoned stations (including one that now serves as the New York Transit Museum), as well as the [[DevelopmentHell infamously half-complete Second Avenue Subway]], which had been on the city's to-do list for decades. It was actually first proposed [[OlderThanTheyThink in 1920]]. [[SavedFromDevelopmentHell The first part finally opened New Years Day 2017.]]

* '''N - Astoria-Broadway-Sea Beach Express via Bridge''': The N operates at all times between Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard in Queens and Coney Island via the Sea Beach Line, running express between 34th Street-Herald Square in Manhattan and 59th Street-4th Avenue in Brooklyn (via the Manhattan Bridge and skipping [=DeKalb=] Avenue) during daytime hours on weekdays, with some rush hour trips coming to/from to 96th Street on the 2nd Avenue Line (skipping 49th Steet); some rush hour put-ins also begin and end their trips at Gravesend-86th Street. During weekends, it operates as an express between Canal Street and 59th Street-4th Avenue (also via the bridge, skipping [=DeKalb=] Avenue), and runs local via the Montague Street Tunnel during late nights, replacing the R (which runs only between Whitehall and 95th Streets during late nights; local service on Queens Boulevard is supplemented by the E). Until 1987, the N's northbound terminal was Forest Hills while the R ended at Astoria, but this was switched over in order to give the R a direct access to a train yard. Previously, the N had easy access to the Jamaica and Coney Island yards, while the R had to deadhead to/from the Coney Island Yard.\\

* '''Q - Second Avenue-Broadway Express-Brighton Local via Bridge''': The Q operates between 96th Street-2nd Avenue on the Upper East Side in Manhattan and Coney Island at all times, running express on the Broadway Line in Manhattan (except during late nights, when it runs local between Canal Street and 57th Street-7th Avenue via the Manhattan Bridge), crossing over the Manhattan Bridge south side, and serving all stops on the Brighton Line in Brooklyn (the B runs express only on weekdays between Prospect Park and Brighton Beach). Prior to this service realignment, the Q ran to Astoria on weekdays (and to 57th Street-7th Avenue during late nights and weekends), serving as a replacement for the W, which was originally eliminated in 2010 due to budget cuts. Also, the lone northbound R train that is sent to 96th Street during rush hours is then re-designated as a southbound Q to Coney Island. During rush hours, a few northbound trips run via the N, running express on the 4th Avenue Line.\\

* '''42nd Street Shuttle''': The IRT shuttle service runs at all times except late nights, connecting Times Square to Grand Central under 42nd Street (for late night service between, the 7 supplements it). It is the shortest regular service in the system, running about 3,000 feet (910 m) in under two minutes. Also in order to distinguish it from the other shuttles in the system, NYCT Rapid Transit Operations internally refers to it as the 0 (zero). It uses short trains of [=R62A=] cars. A major reconstruction of the shuttle is ongoing between 2019 and 2022, which would allow trains to be lengthened to six cars, increase rider capacity, and make the Times Square station fully compliant with the ADA. As part of the conversion, the center track was eliminated.
* '''Franklin Avenue Shuttle''': The BMT shuttle service uses the Franklin Avenue Line exclusively. The north terminus is Franklin Avenue (with a free transfer to the Fulton Street Line), with the south terminus being Prospect Park (with transfer and track connections to the Brighton Line). The shuttle runs One Person Train Operation (OPTO), with the motorman also being the conductor - they will go to the opposite end to make another run at each terminal. Also, in order to distinguish it from the other shuttles in the system, NYCT Rapid Transit Operations internally refers to it as the S. Previously, the shuttle ran to Coney Island during summers, but years of neglect and declining ridership have led the MTA to consider tearing down the right-of-way and replace it with bus service in the 1980s, though local opposition forced the MTA to instead rehabilitate the line in 1999 with new tracks, platforms and signals. The line uses its own fleet of R68 cars.
* '''Rockaway Park Shuttle''': The IND shuttle service connects with the A at the Broad Channel station and utilizes the Rockaway Line's Rockaway Park branch, terminating at Beach 116th Street at all times (though some A trains come to/from Rockaway Park during rush hours in the peak direction). Also, in order to distinguish it from the other shuttles in the system, NYCT Rapid Transit Operations internally refers it as the H, though the route was openly designated as such in the past. Throughout its history, the shuttle was extended to Euclid Avenue and/or Far Rockaway, serving as a replacement for other services that didn't run during off-peak hours. During summer weekends, the shuttle runs all the way to Rockaway Boulevard on the Fulton Street Line, allowing single transfers for A train passengers originating on the Lefferts Boulevard Branch. The Rockaway Park Shuttle shares the same rolling stock with the A.

Until 1985, the MTA used single and double letters to denote the various services on the B Division. Locals were designated with double letters, while expresses had a single letter, with the idea that this would make the system amenable for visitors, who may not know or even get confused by historic or community names. The lines were also color-coded as the MTA wanted to ensure that no two services with exactly the same color would operate over the same line. It became problematic for several reasons:

* Different services at common stations shared the same destination by different routes. For example, the B, N and [=QJ=] services stopped at [=DeKalb=] Avenue and terminated at Coney Island, but no explicit mention was made on the separate lines (West End, Sea Beach, Brighton) used to get there.
* Service labels were ephemeral and confusing at times. The TA frequently shifted lettered routes from one branch line to another, and introduced, changed or deleted letters, making a description like "the D train" meaningless. The D has been on three completely different Brooklyn branch lines (Fulton Street, Culver, Brighton) since 1954. K was introduced for a rush hour-only service on the Jamaica el, but was later used for an Eighth Avenue local which had formerly been the [=AA=].

Many of the new services introduced by the MTA after November 1967 were since eliminated due to redundancy or low patronage, such as the [=NX=] (which was used for a rush hour peak-direction "super-express" service along the express tracks of the Sea Beach Line), [=RJ=] (which served as a rush-hour variant of the [=RR=] 4th Avenue local, but used the Nassau Street Line ''all the way'' to Jamaica; it was later cut back to Chambers Street only; the M then took over as the Nassau Street special after the R's northern terminal was switched to Forest Hills), and the [=EE=] (which served as a replacement for the [=RR=], which until 1967 ran to Forest Hills, but was later absorbed into the N due to budget cuts).

There were several grandiose plans in the past to expand to areas that do not have subway service, notably Staten Island and eastern Queens. Though discussion remains strong to this day and provisions (bellmouths and unfinished station shells) were built for future expansion, they never get past the drawing board for various reasons, including funding problems, not-in-my-backyard activism and changes in the overall economy. Some of these proposals included:

* Extension of the 4th Avenue Line south of 95th Street with a connection to the Staten Island Railroad at Grasmere, either via the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge or a new subway tunnel. In anticipation of this, the SIRT electrified its lines and purchased subway cars. The BMT also planned to extend the express tracks to 95th Street with the idea that the locals will terminate there while the expresses continue into Staten Island.

** Under Worth Street in Manhattan to the Rockaways, where it would connect the proposed Utica Avenue Line at South 4th Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with the 8th Avenue local tracks south of Canal Street and the 6th Avenue express tracks east of Lower East Side-2nd Avenue (the 6th Avenue express tracks now feed to the Manhattan Bridge, while the inner tracks at 2nd Avenue have been converted into stubs that dead end east of the station; the local tracks cross Brooklyn via the Rutgers Street Tunnel and onto the Culver Line). A spur would have connected with the Fresh Pond Road line via Myrtle Avenue.

** Under the Van Wyck Expressway to South Jamaica and SE Queens (the connection was later built for the Archer Avenue Lines, and ''they'' too were to be expanded towards SE Queens).

* '''E - Jamaica Express-Eighth Avenue Local via 53rd Street''': The E runs from Jamaica Center to World Trade Center at all times (with some peak-direction rush hour-only trips coming to/from 179th Street due to capacity issues at Jamaica Center, while a few Jamaica-bound rush hour trips short-turn at Kew Gardens), running express between Queens Plaza and Jamaica-Van Wyck during weekdays, and between Queens Plaza and Forest Hills during weekends. During late nights, the E runs local on Queens Boulevard to replace the R and M lines. Prior to the Archer Avenue Lines opening in 1988, the E ran full-time between 179th Street and World Trade Center. The E also ran to Brooklyn and the Rockaways during rush hours only until the 1970s, when it was replaced by the A and C lines.\\

* Crime remains a problem, though not so much in recent years as it used to be, when people feared riding the subway due to risk of being mugged or worse. In order to fight crime, various approaches have been used over the years such as PR campaigns, more CCTV cameras, heavier fines and adding cops at high-risk areas. Due to a lack of platform screen doors, people have also been shoved onto the tracks, sometimes in front of an oncoming train. The Bernhard Goetz incident[[note]]a straphanger shot four would-be muggers in a subway car. Goetz became known as the "Subway Vigilante" because of the media coverage. It also raised awareness about the legal limits of self-defense[[/note]] symbolized public dismay at the high crime rate in New York. Terrorism became high on the agenda after 9/11, what with a mass shooting in 2022[[note]]in which a lone gunman opened fire and tossed smoke bombs on a northbound N train that was heading towards the 36th Street-4th Avenue stop[[/note]]. While nobody was killed miraculously, it still highlights the subway's vulnerability to terror attacks.

* '''42nd Street Shuttle''': The IRT shuttle service runs at all times except late nights, connecting Times Square to Grand Central under 42nd Street (for late night service between, the 7 supplements it). It is the shortest regular service in the system, running about 3,000 feet (910 m) in under two minutes. Also, in order to distinguish it from the other shuttles in the system, NYCT Rapid Transit Operations internally refers to it as the 0 (zero). It uses short trains of [=R62A=] cars. A major reconstruction of the shuttle is ongoing between 2019 and 2022, which would allow trains to be lengthened to six cars, increase rider capacity, and make the Times Square station fully compliant with the ADA. As part of the conversion, the center track was eliminated.

* As they were originally built without HVAC systems, platforms on the older stops can get muggy during heat waves, as temperatures can be 20 degrees hotter than standing outside, sometimes exceeding 100 degrees.
* The PA systems on the older fleets are either too quiet, garbled, or both, making it difficult to hear announcements. Newer cars have electronic maps showing where the train is and what the next stop is, along with a loud and clear automated PA system announcing the stops. Unless the computer is broken or there's a detour for whatever reason, in which case the route map is shut off and you have to wait for someone to make the announcement. Or just idly sit/stand where you can see the stop names on the walls.

* Though vandalism remains an occasional problem, it isn't as much as it was once during the subway's nadir. By the mid-2000s, a new form of vandalism had taken root: scratchiti. Instead of spray paint, taggers were using etching tools and acid to mar windows and stainless steel surfaces. Since then, treatment — including scratch-resistant window shields — has minimized the problem. Despite that, vandals still remain determined to damage subway equipment, whether by tagging [=MetroCard=] vending machines or etching on the subway cars.

* Litter accumulation is a perennial issue[[note]]And the main source of the rodent problem mentioned above[[/note]]. In the 1970s and 1980s, dirty trains and platforms, as well as graffiti, were serious problems. The situation has improved since then, but the 2010 budget crisis, which caused over 100 of the cleaning staff to lose their jobs, threatened to curtail trash removal from the subway system. Sometimes, objects thrown on the tracks touch the electrified third rail, resulting in a track fire, which in turn disrupts subway service. The litter also poses a health hazard, as this often attracts vermin. The MTA even [[InsaneTrollLogic tried to curtail littering by removing trash bins]] from several stations in 2011, but it didn't work out as intended and was abandoned in 2017.
* Noise is another perennial problem. Many portions still use jointed tracks, making a "clickety-clack" sound when train wheels pass over the small gap. They also make a metallic squeaking noise when going around tight turns, especially on older portions of the subway. Notorious examples of this include the Crescent Street curve along the Jamaica Line (noted to be the tightest one on the B Division and 2nd tightest overall), the City Hall-Cortlandt Street curve on the Broadway Line via Tunnel, the South Ferry loops[[note]]As with City Hall, the noise and the stations' proximity to the Bowling Green stop contributed to low ridership, causing the inner loop to close in 1977, and the outer in 2012. Also, the tracks were designed without having to change crews, but there were no layup tracks that would allow trains to move on to a different track in the event a train went OOS. Due to the curvature of the loops (which operated with gap fillers so patrons won't fall onto the tracks, further delaying service), they created a service bottleneck that prevented the MTA to add more trains on the 1 line. To speed up service, the MTA built a new South Ferry station that operates as a traditional terminal[[/note]], the City Hall loop (on the Lexington Avenue Line — the tightest curve in the entire system)[[note]]The noise (as demonstrated [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRkQXgdgMKI here]]) was probably a factor in the low ridership that caused the station to be closed in 1947. Unlike most abandoned subway stations in New York, which are covered with graffiti and haven't been cleaned since the day they closed, the City Hall station has been pretty well preserved. The NYC Transit Museum (which itself is the closed Court St. station) occasionally does tours of it.[[/note]] and 14th Street-Union Square on the Lexington Avenue Line. In fact, many have noted that the loud noise is unsafe for human ears and lead to deafness.

* Noise is another perennial problem. Many portions still use jointed tracks, making a "clickety-clack" sound when train wheels pass over the small gap. They also make a metallic squeaking noise when going around tight turns, especially on older portions of the subway. Notorious examples of this include the Crescent Street curve along the Jamaica Line (noted to be the tightest one on the B Division and 2nd tightest overall), the City Hall-Cortlandt Street curve on the Broadway Line via Tunnel, the South Ferry loops, the City Hall loop (on the Lexington Avenue Line — the tightest curve in the entire system)[[note]]The noise (as demonstrated [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRkQXgdgMKI here]]) was probably a factor in the low ridership that caused the station to be closed in 1947. Unlike most abandoned subway stations in New York, which are covered with graffiti and haven't been cleaned since the day they closed, the City Hall station has been pretty well preserved. The NYC Transit Museum (which itself is the closed Court St. station) occasionally does tours of it.[[/note]] and 14th Street-Union Square on the Lexington Avenue Line. In fact, many have noted that the loud noise is unsafe for human ears and lead to deafness.

Twenty-four routes, 472 stations, 5 million daily riders, 1.5 billion yearly riders (at $2.75 a pop) ...and it's in the red. Probably the most famous subway system in the world. Not the first, certainly not the best, but the one everybody seems to know. Administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or MTA, through its subsidiary, MTA New York City Transit, or MTA NYCT[[note]]formerly and still formally known as the New York City Transit Authority, or its abbreviation, NYCTA; since TheNineties branded as MTA New York City Transit[[/note]]. According to Wiki/ThatOtherWiki, the subway trails only the metro systems of Tokyo, Moscow and Seoul in annual ridership and carries more passengers than all other rail mass transit systems in the United States combined.

* Noise is another perennial problem. Many portions still use jointed tracks, making a "clickety-clack" sound when train wheels pass over the small gap. They also make a metallic squeaking noise when going around tight turns, especially on older portions of the subway. Notorious examples of this include the Crescent Street curve along the Jamaica Line (noted to be the tightest one on the B Division and 2nd tightest overall), the City Hall-Cortlandt Street curve on the Broadway Line via Tunnel, the South Ferry loops, the City Hall loop (on the Lexington Avenue Line — the tightest curve in the entire system) and 14th Street-Union Square on the Lexington Avenue Line. In fact, many have noted that the loud noise is unsafe for human ears and lead to deafness.

** There were also proposals to expand the subway into New Jersey. A proposal in the 1930s recommended using the George Washington Bridge's lower level to Fort Lee, while more recent proposals suggested an expansion of the Flushing Line south of 34th Street to Secaucus Junction via Hoboken.
** While the [=JFK=] and Newark airports have rail connections, [=LaGuardia=] lacks a direct connection to any subway or rail line. Earlier proposals to extend the Astoria Line to [=LaGuardia=] and beyond were kiboshed due to a combination of budget woes, lack of interest, and [=NIMBY=]ism.
* Connecting the unused portion of the [=LIRR=]'s Rockaway Branch to Queens Boulevard in Rego Park.
* Extension of the 4th Avenue Line south of 95th Street with a connection to the Staten Island Railroad at Grasmere, either via the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge or a new subway tunnel. In anticipation of this, the SIRT electrified its lines and purchased subway cars similar to those on the BMT. The BMT also planned to extend the express tracks to 95th Street with the idea that the local trains will terminate there while the expresses will continue into Staten Island.

** Under Worth Street in Manhattan to the Rockaways, where it would connect the proposed Utica Avenue line at South 4th Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with the 8th Avenue local tracks south of Canal Street and the 6th Avenue express tracks east of Lower East Side-2nd Avenue (the 6th Avenue express tracks now feed to the Manhattan Bridge, while the inner tracks at 2nd Avenue have been converted into stubs that dead end east of the station; the local tracks cross Brooklyn via the Rutgers Street tunnels and onto the Culver Line). A spur would have connected with the Fresh Meadows line via Myrtle Avenue.

** Under Fresh Pond Road and 65th Place to Maspeth, where it would connect with the Myrtle Avenue el and provide direct service to the Rockaways via the LIRR's Rockaway Branch, which is currently connected to the subway via the Fulton Street Line. This line spur would also connect with the Queens Boulevard Line in Jackson Heights.

* '''F - Jamaica Express-Sixth Avenue-Culver Local via 63rd Street''': The F operates at all times between 179th Street in Jamaica, Queens and Coney Island via the Culver Line, serving all stops except for an express section between 21st Street-Queensbridge and Forest Hills along the Queens Boulevard Line. Some trains short-turn at Kings Highway due to capacity issues at Coney Island during rush hours. In recent years, there were calls to restore express service on the Culver Line during rush hours, although it has been controversial as some riders feared they would lose their one-seat ride to Manhattan. Previously, the Culver Line had express service from Jay Street to Kings Highway between 1967 and 1987, but this was eliminated due to low usage, rider complaints, and service changes. To alleviate rider concerns, a peak direction-only Culver express service was implemented in 2019 on a limited scale.

The 2 train fleet is entirely composed of R142 cars and is the only line on the West Side IRT to use them. The fleet is shared between it and the 5. Because the two lines have so much overlap in the Bronx and Brooklyn, and only separate for their trips through Manhattan, much frustration has ensued thanks to the electronic strip maps in the trains only having the map for one route or the other. To solve this problem, the MTA began replacing the strip maps for cars assigned to these yards in 2016 with combined strip maps showing both services.

The 5 train fleet is made up entirely of R142 cars, stationed out of East 180th Street and 239th Street Yards. The fleet is shared between it and the 2. Because the two lines have so much overlap in the Bronx and Brooklyn, and only separate for their trips through Manhattan, much frustration has ensued thanks to the electronic strip maps in the trains only having the map for one route or the other. To solve this problem, the MTA began replacing the individual strip maps for cars assigned to these yards in 2016, with combined strip maps showing both services.

** The R46 fleet was once [[TheAllegedCar the subway's lemon]], being plagued with many issues from the start. The train manufacturer delivered them behind schedule due to a worker strike in 1977. Design flaws such as cracks on the train bogies and faulty brake controls (which sometimes stalled the train ''when it was in operation'') limited the [=R46=] fleet's usage and caused the MTA to sue Pullman Standard for $80 million in damages. Later on, they were overhauled in the 1990s to improve their reliability.