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One of the funnest transit-based activities in New York is back after a COVID-19-fueled, two-year-long hiatus: the Transit Museum's Nostalgia Trains!
The museum has been running the beloved rides—which look, feel and sound exactly as they did back in the early 20th century—since 1976. Keep in mind that, in addition to boasting those old-looking straps (a good thing), the trains do not have air conditioning—so it's going to get pretty hot down there (a not-so-good thing).
"The vintage cars aren't replicas," said Transit Museum spokesperson Chelsea Newburg to Gothamist. "So, similar to an automobile, keeping our train cars rail-worthy actually requires moving the fleet. So the museum's Nostalgia Rides are a bit of a win-win: it gives the Transit Museum the opportunity to get those vintage train cars moving and out on the rails, and it also gives New Yorkers a chance to take a ride on the same cars that they would have rode more than a century ago."
This summer, you'll have a total of three chances to ride the awesome machines. You can find more details about each one below:
June 4: Catch the IRT From Old South Ferry Station
There will be two rides today, one at 9:30am and the other at 2pm. Each one kicks off from the decommissioned Old South Ferry Loop (it opened back in 1905 and closed to the public in 2017), so here's your chance to glance at that portion of the city as well. The 1916-1925 IRT "Lo-V" car will travel on the 2 line all through Manhattan to the Bronx before turning back.
June 10: Beach Bound-Coney Island
Departure time will be at 10am, when the 1930s R1-9 vintage train car will leave from the 96th Street-Second Avenue Station in Manhattan headed to Coney Island. Once there, you'll get to look around the famous boardwalk, eat some food, visit the famous Luna Park and even peruse through the Transit Museum's own special exhibit, "Five Cents to Dreamland: A trip to Coney Island" at the Coney Island Museum. Feel free to stay in the neighborhood or ride the train home at 4pm from the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station traveling to 175th Street in Manhattan on the Q, D and A lines.
June 13: To the Rockaways By Rail
The 1930s R-1/9 vintage train cars will depart 96th Street-Second Avenue Station in Manhattan to Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Street in Queens at 10am. Spend the entire day at the beach and then board the train to 175th Street in Manhattan from Rockaway Park at 4pm.
Find tickets for each ride right here.