MTA Hosts Vintage Subway Swing Party With Nostalgia Holiday Trains

Photos Alex Wallach for Untapped Cities

A tradition in New York City returns as the MTA brings back 1930s-1970s trains to service Queens and Manhattan on Sundays this month. The old trains, like the one pictured above, will replace M train service between 10am and 5pm. In addition, there will be a vintage swing and blues party to accompany the festivities at the Second Avenue stop (F & M lines) on Sunday, December 8th which will feature music and dancing on the platform and trains.

Photos Alex Wallach for Untapped Cities

According to the MTA press release:

The Nostalgia Special is made up of subway cars in service from the 1930s to the 1970s, running along the lettered lines from the Grand Concourse to Coney Island.  They were also the cars that originally operated along the Line.  Their ceiling fans, padded seats, and incandescent light bulbs were state-of-the-art when these cars were first placed in service.  The last of the cars were removed from service more than 35 years ago and replaced by the stainless steel, climate-controlled trains that our customers have become accustomed to today.

In addition to the nostalgia trains, vintage city buses will run crosstown on 42nd Street between December 2-20. These are also authentic to their time, except of course outfitted with MetroCard readers. Here are some more photos by Alex Wallach from our past coverage of the nostalgia trains:

Read also about the nostalgia trains in Paris!