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Deets: This fall, the New York Transit Museum and MTA New York City Transit invite New Yorkers and visitors alike to step back in time and experience the city’s rich transit history with two unforgettable Nostalgia Rides. Using vintage subway cars from the Museum’s collection, these trips offer the rare opportunity to ride historic trains that once carried millions of passengers through the five boroughs.
ABOUT THE RIDES:
A Historic Ride to Woodlawn Cemetery | Saturday, October 4, 10am ET
Venture uptown on our WWI-era IRT Lo-V subway cars for an afternoon ride to explore the Gilded Age Mausoleums and Monuments of The Woodlawn Cemetery. Our Nostalgia Ride will depart Old South Ferry Station at noon for a 60-90 minute ride, traveling uptown to Woodlawn Cemetery and arriving at approximately 1:30pm. During a 2-hour visit, join a guided tour featuring Woodlawn’s art, architecture, stained glass, and gravesites of some of the most famous jazz musicians, suffragists, civic leaders, and business moguls who “reside” there. Guests are welcome to bring a picnic lunch and restrooms are available on-site. Our train will depart Woodlawn station at 4pm and return to Old South Ferry Station at approximately 5pm.
Celebrate the Brightliners | Saturday, November 8 at 10am and 2pm ET
The stainless steel R32 trains had an incredible nearly 6-decade service life in NYC transit from 1964 to 2022. Built by the Budd Company, the lighter steel construction made for a more efficient ride, while the shiny fluted exteriors inspired the car’s nickname, the Brightliners. The R32s served well beyond their expected 35-year service run to become one of the longest operating subway cars in the world and a nostalgic crowd favorite.
The New York Transit Museum will pull a train of R32 Brightliner cars out for a round-trip run, beginning and ending at the 96 St-Second Avenue station in Manhattan, including a turnaround through the East New York Yard.
ABOUT THE VINTAGE TRAINS:
IRT Lo-V Cars (1916–1925)
Built for New York’s first subway line company, the Interborough Rapid Transit, Lo-V or Low Voltage cars were state-of-the-art in their day, featuring safer electrical systems and durable steel construction. More than 1,600 Lo-V cars were built, serving routes including the Third Avenue Elevated and today’s 2, 3, 4, and 5 lines. These cars witnessed history both underground and on the silver screen, appearing in classics like King Kong (1933) and The Incident (1967). Retired by 1969, fewer than 10 survive today, with six preserved in the New York Transit Museum’s fleet.
R32 Brightliners (1964–2022)
When they debuted in the mid-1960s, the R32s set a new standard for New York City transit. They were the first large fleet of stainless-steel cars ordered for the subway, representing the largest single car order in the system’s history at the time—600 cars in all. Each weighed about 4,000 pounds less than comparable models, helping reduce energy costs and wear on the tracks. Over their decades of service, the Brightliners appeared on nearly every lettered subway line, from the A train to the Z, becoming a familiar sight to generations of New Yorkers. Their retirement marked the end of an era for the city’s transit system, and today they remain a fan favorite whenever they return to the rails for special excursions.
Please Note: Equipment and routes are subject to change.
Hint for the Average Socialite: Get tickets now!
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