On Sept. 10, 1932 service started on the A train which originally ran between 207th Street in upper Manhattan and Chambers Street in downtown Manhattan.
This was the first city owned and built IND subway line.
At the time, it was considered state of the art with rattan seats, metal straps and overhead fans providing speedy service.
The subway cars were so well built, many ran over 40 years into the early 1970s.
The basic design of these cars served as the foundation for future generations right up to the present day. IND stations on the A line were built to accommodate up to 11 car lengths.
During the 1930s, New York City began building and financing construction of the new IND (Independent Subway – today’s A,C,E,F and G lines).
This new municipal system directly subsidized by taxpayers dollars would provide direct competition to both the IRT (Interboro Rapid Transit) and BMT (Brooklyn Manhattan Transit).
Municipal government forced both the BMT and IRT into economic ruin by denying them fare increases that would have provided access to additional badly needed revenues.
Big Brother, just like the Godfather, eventually made them an offer they couldn’t refuse. The owners folded and sold out to City Hall.
The A train became famous in the 1940s when jazz musician Duke Ellington wrote “Take the A Train.”
The A line was extended in 1936 known as the “Fulton Street branch” running thru Brooklyn terminating at Lefferts Boulevard in Queens.
When the Long Island Rail Road abandoned the Rockaway Branch in the 1950s, the A line was extended to provide new service to the Rockaways which began on June 28, 1956
In 1953, the old New York City Board of Transportation passed on control of the municipal subway system, including all its assets to the newly created New York City Transit Authority.
Under late Gov. Nelson Rockefeller in the ‘60s, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority was created. The governor appointed four board members.
Likewise, the mayor four more and the rest by suburban county executives. No one elected official controlled a majority of the votes.
As a result, elected officials have historically taken credit when the MTA or any operating subsidiary such as New York City Transit would do a good job.
When operational problems occurred or fare increases were needed — everyone could put up their hands. Don’t blame me, I’m only a minority within the board.
Decade after decade, New York City mayors, comptrollers, public advocates, city council presidents, borough presidents and city council members would all play the same sad song — if only we had majority control of the board — things would be different.
All have long forgotten that buried within the 1953 master agreement between the City of New York and New York City Transit is an escape clause.
New York City has the legal right at any time to take back control of its assets which includes the subway and most of the bus system as well. Actions speak louder than words.
If municipal elected officials feel they could do a better job running the nations largest subway and bus system, why not step up to the plate now and regain control of your destiny.
Many are too young to remember that up until the 1970’s — NYC Transit extended E line service which ran express in Brooklyn providing supplemental service to the A line during rush hours to the Rockaways.
Riders up until the early 1970s had to pay an extra fare when traveling beyond Broad Channel to any other station in the Rockaways.
For off peak and late night service, there was the old HH local shuttle from either Rockaway Park or Far Rockaway to Euclid Avenue Station which was the first stop in Brooklyn.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
(Larry Penner is a transportation historian and advocate who previously worked in the transportation field for 31 years).
