On Becoming a Transit Freak Pt. 3

As my chronological distance from this trip increases and the firsthand memory becomes less clear and in focus, I must endeavor to get out the rest of my thoughts and not leave readers hanging. Worry not, I have not abandoned my chronicle of the trip to the transit museum.

Arguably the main attraction of the Transit Museum is down on the lower level: a dozen or so decommissioned subway cars from across the years of the subway’s history that you can walk around in and learn about through the modern miracle of plaques. I didn’t feel strongly enough about the aesthetic or functional differences between these cars to give them a ranking; there wasn’t a lot of distinction between them, particularly past 1950 or so. But man, did these things have some style. The old BRT trains with their fine wood paneling, seats that seemed to be made out of wicker, and high backed seats with arm rests were a real standout.

Speaking of style, I was enamored with the exhibit featuring the history of The Subway Sun - a series of PSAs and civic advertisements that were installed on the trains in the style of a newspaper headline. The Subway Sun would advertise taking the subway to local landmarks like the Cloisters, Orchard Beach, or Chinatown and also remind straphangers not to stretch their legs out, lest they trip a fellow passenger. One of my favorites is an ad for the American Museum of Natural History featuring a brontosaurus that absolutely has to be Gertie the Dinosaur, though I don’t know if they cleared the rights. This reminds me to add “visit the grave of Winsor McCay” to my summer bucket list, as he is interred not far from me. The New York Groove published a great piece on The Subway Sun recently that I would recommend.

Also on the lower level, I learned the story of Granville T. Woods, an accomplished and prolific inventor hailing from my home state of Ohio, who made great contributions to the subway system through several of his more than 50 credited inventions. Leaving school at age 10, he apprenticed his way into the railroad business out West and became an Engineer with the Danville and Southern railway. He studied electrical engineering and eventually returned to Ohio to set up an engineering business in Cincinnati before moving the outfit to New York City. Woods faced a great deal of discrimination and prejudice due to the fact that he was a black man living in America in the late 1800s and he was often denied work. Still, it was said that he never despaired of these setbacks, and was ultimately able to persevere and find success. He also had the distinction of having that litigious weasal-esque shitheel Thomas Edison try to take credit for his inventions. While he was an accomplished inventor himself, Edison never came across a patent he didn’t try to get his grubby mitts on, and in fact twice claimed Woods’ inventions as his own. Miraculously, Woods won out in court on both counts. Hats off to you, Granville T. Woods!

This concludes my recounting of that fateful trip to the New York City Transit Museum. I think the foundation is laid for the second half of this year, in which I shall further endeavor to up my Transit Freakiness. In the meantime, I will be writing my local elected officials, demanding they bring back The Subway Sun.