photo: Bob Mulero
I’ve known about them for years, but never did anything about them until now.
The IND Queens Boulevard Line was opened in stages between 1933 and 1988 (most stations between 1933-37). The original white/black enamel signage had been replaced with modern black/white signs by the 1980s, and by this I mean the signs in the parts of the stations accessed by passengers (or “customers” as the MTA curiously calls them). However, hiding in plain sight are original white/black enamel signs like this.
Where are they? On the central iron pillars that help to support the station roof located between express and local tracks. Most of the local stations on the Queens Boulevard line still have them. Occasionally, creative abbreviations have to be made on these square signs (cf. “Union T’p’ke”). Since the Metropolitan Transit Authority is almost as obsessive as NYC’s Department of Transportation about removing nonstandard signs, it’s a minor miracle that these signs are still in place.
1/18/16
5 comments
Go onto this link from http://www.nycsubway.org.
http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/caption.pl?/img/maps/system_1948.gif
You will see that this station also had the secondary name of “Puritan Ave.” Don’t think any of its station signs say that anymore – just plain old 75th Ave. I am assuming that in the pre-numbered days that Puritan Ave. was the original moniker for 75th Ave.
Union Turnpike, the next station east of the 75th Avenue station, was my home station for almost 30 years. In all that time, if I saw a total of 10 people get on or off at 75th Avenue, it would be a lot.
I used the Union Turnpike stop as well for many years. I was able to buy a porcelain black and white UNION T’P’KE sign on ebay a few years ago. It is now hanging in my office…..It was made by Nelke Porcelain Metals in NY. According to a website they were in business from 1900-1935.
I’ve noticed that a large number of these signs are disappearing. Most of the ones from Continental are gone & quite a few from 75th are also missing. I’ve been trying to figure out if they are disappearing because of all the track work happening along the Queens corridor, or if there’s some enterprising soul entering the trackway to grab them.
I notice a lot of these signs at several IND stations (e.g. Delancey Street (F)). Interestingly, they still exist, but they’re all blacked out.
Anyway, interesting photos!