Only specific trains will stop at that station, as well as stop at express spots. Every train on the line will always stop at that station.Īlternatively, if the circle is black, it’s a local stop. If the circle is white, that means it’s an express stop. If you look closely, you’ll notice black spots and white dots that mark each station. When you look at the subway map, look at the dots that delineate the stops on a line. What’s the difference between local and express trains? You can also relive yesteryear by exploring vintage train cars. Located in an old, now unused subway station, the museum showcases the system’s history from its beginning. If you’re interested in learning more about the subway’s history, head to the New York City Transit Museum. While the old BMT and IND tracks create today’s lettered lines (A/C/E, D/B/F/M, N/Q/R/W, J/Z, G, L) as well as the Rockaway Park and Franklin Avenue shuttles. The former IRT tracks are now the numbered subway lines (1/2/3, 4/5/6, 7) and the shuttle from Times Square to Grand Central Terminal. Today, the MTA encompasses the subway and bus routes. It formed the public New York City Transit Authority, now known as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

For a long time, they operated independently from one another, which spurred competition to build additional train lines.įinally, on June 15, 1953, New York State decided to consolidate all the different transits under one body. IRT, and the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) was privately owned, while the Independent Rapid Transit Railroad (IND) was city-run. Initially, three companies operated different lines. Soon after, there was a great New York subway expansion. The line ran in Manhattan for just over nine miles, stretching from City Hall all the way up to 145th Street. The start of New York City’s subway system, as we know it today, was first opened on October 27, 1904, by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT). A brief history of the New York City subway

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