24 June 2009

Rainbow Rollercoaster at 191st Street


Anyone out there who thinks their subway stop has some flair and wit should first check out the 191st station on the 1 line. It gets bonus points right off for having the biggest extant IRT sign I've ever seen. Beyond that, it's been painted with a riot of colors, and with a wide variety of depictions of local Inwood and Washington Heights attractions (though, I must say, the sign saying "Malcolm X Tonight" on the Audubon Ballroom gives me the chills).

I guess riders need a bit of cheer before taking that long elevator ride down. At 180 feet below street level, the station is the MTA's deepest






2 comments:

Unknown said...

The people who use the beautiful entrance and tunnel in your photographs are coming from 190th and Broadway, and they don't take the elevator - they're in the long tunnel to the station. The elevator people come from 191st and St. Nicholas entrance.

I love the fact that the only way to get from St. Nick to Broadway (for example, to go to the post office) at this point is to go down the elevator and go back out through the tunnel - unless you're willing to walk down to 187th and cut up and down that hill.

Also, if you're willing to brave the elevator, don't miss the lovely stained glass that hides behind a locked gate at street level.

Brooks of Sheffield said...

Thanks for clarifying that, "." I certainly looked like a long tunnel.