
City - New York, NY The morning commute 1942 - Side by Side

by Mike Savad
Title
City - New York, NY The morning commute 1942 - Side by Side
Artist
Mike Savad
Medium
Photograph - Colorized Photo
Description
Hand colored photo from 1942
Original title: The 76th Street station of the Third Avenue elevated railway at 8 a.m.
Photographer: Marjory Collins
Location: East 76th Street and 3rd Avenue, New York, NY
This station is long gone, but you could still find the location, those domes on the church are still there. I couldn't find the ad signs in the background other than that one for China. I found references to each thing but not enough for a full ad. The color of the station I did find, sort of a dirty green with a reddish roof.
This is the Third Ave Station, it was built in 1878, but removed in 1955, mostly because it was an eyesore and it wasn't making the money it used too, it was falling into disrepair. It was located on 76th Street. The outer tracks served a local train which coincided with two platforms. The center track was built as a part of the Dual Contracts and was served by express trains.
On the last day the train was going to run, 800 lucky people got to ride it, most of which had cameras and shot every second being on it. The rest of them stole everything they could that wasn't anchored down, from advertisements to pull handles, despite cops being on each car. Children would all pull a cord that honked the horn which it blared the whole time.
Passengers would stick their heads out the window and wave to the people on platforms. While those that watched tossed streamers at the train.
I doubt many miss this train line, it was in its day called the peep show train, as it passed by apartment windows all day. It was loud, noisy, dirty, the tracks blocked the light below, and it kept the area rather urban. Once removed larger buildings moved in. Many EL trains were removed when subways were installed. A fun note though, the train used to be a steam locomotive and as the train passed by, hot embers would rain down on the street below. Imagine what that was like in an open carriage or one with a cloth roof.
Uploaded
December 18th, 2023
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