My Dear Friends, At 12:01 am Sunday morning 9/15/02, the #1 line resumed service to South Ferry. Car # 2210 stopped at Chambers St. with my wife and I aboard, and railfans, contractors and MTA employees boarded the train with video cameras and cameras and lots of pride! We sat for about 5 minutes until Midnight. The conductor, his voice breaking said, "This is the train to South Ferry"! MTA radios crackeled with the voice of a dispatcher that said, "OK Number one train to South Ferry! First train to South Ferry!" And away we went, the first revenue train through ground zero since 9/11/01. Passing through Cortlandt St., there was silence as people strained to look out the windows at the new station that is entirely covered by a wall until future plans come up with the new transit hub, and the station will then be uncovered. A large American flag hung on the wall for all aboard to see! Newspaper photographers were on board and lots of photos were taken! The contractors remained smileless, perhaps a bit overwhelmed by the first train making it's way years ahead of schedule through the devestation of Sept. 11th. All of us in the train broke into applause as we reached Rector, and South Ferry stations. More MTA folks, more contractors and local folks lined the platforms of Rector and South Ferry. They waved and shouted as we pulled into the stations! One MTA man on the train had a photo album with him that he was showing other MTA guys! The train was a sea of orange vests! What an incredible experience to finally ride the subway line that took the most damage. On 9/11/01, I rode through Cortlandt St. and watched the masses get off to go to work in the WTC complex. I wonder how many never returned home............ With great pride as a New Yorker, and as an American, I say thank you to all those men and women who worked day and night for a year to clear the debris and rebuild absolutely everything from scratch! And thank you to the companies and factories who stopped production on everything to immediately start production on replacement parts for the new subway "box". God Bless New York! God Bless the USA! I Love New York! U S A! U S A! U S A! U S A! U S A! U S A! U S A! U S A! U S A! [ 15. September 2002, 05:37: Message edited by: Johnny Trains ]
Johnny, Thank-you very much for that account. I felt emotion just reading it! This is just one more piece in reassembling our transit puzzle, the end-piece being this great transit hub that has been proposed for downtown! Russ
I saw a couple of pics of the destruction, including I-beams spearing thru the top of the tunnel. Good thing there were no trains at the time. That one step by the MTA is a great leap forward in healing for the whole city. "If the purpose of terrorism is to destroy our way of life, then the way to defeat terrorism is to live our way of life"- the Live Brave Coalition.
Bob, if riding the subway can be a pleasure, today it surely was. I rode the local down to Rector this morning, and rode the local up to Chambers until I jumped out to catch the express home. No more changing trains at Times Square and walking an extra block. Thank you MTA. And thanks to all the contractors who worked their hearts out to rebuild the 1&9 lines. Thank you. There's a fellow who not only sounds like James Taylor, but also looks like him and he plays the guitar on the platfom at Rector St. He was there this evening. He was singing....... OH, I'VE SEEN FIRE AND I'VE SEEN RAIN. SAW LONELY DAYS THAT I THOUGHT WOULD NEVER END. -train approaching- WELCOME BACK TO RECTOR ST. EVERYONE! -continues the song-
This is certainly a positive event when we needed one. I lived in New York City for several years, so I can share some of your emotion. Nothing like being there, though. Thanks, JT.
Hey Russ! Thanks man! I think I forgot to e-mail you that I had sent them to you via snail mail. Guess you figured out what I was asking for! Thanks! Well, that's the first train through Ground Zero.
I took the A train to West 4th Street every day for my transfer to the D/Q train. I tell you, it has to sound really weird not to hear the conductor say "Chambers Street, One World Trade Center" I haven't been through there since before last year. Did they change all the signs at Chambers Johnny? Russ
I'll have to check, Russ. I just quickly change trains at Chambers when possible. I know the new subway maps are out already.
Thank You!! I loved reading that post Johnny. I got a lump in my throat. I can feel the pride swelling. It makes me glad I am an American. My hats off to all the people who restored the line.
Once in a while there's a good moment in the subway. It isn't all noise and grime. Doesn't happen often, but it does happen!
