Exclusive Footage of Abandoned New York City Subway Station Under City Hall

Check out this exclusive footage of the 6 train turning around in the abandoned City Hall subway station -- one of the city's first stations!

[@timosha21]

I'm a train and I approve this video! Choo choo! :D

[@AdityaKantKushwaha]

Ok Miss train ♥️

[@MPSpecial]

Please mind the GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP between the train and the platform.

[@ActuallyYes]

The reason that they mind the GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP because the station are in curve

[@Chsta005]

@@ActuallyYes 🤓

[@ActuallyYes]

@@Chsta005 I don’t even care😂😂

[@Chsta005]

@@ActuallyYes the fact that you’re responding to my comment shows that you care. A person who does not care would not respond to such a comment.

[@ActuallyYes]

@@Chsta005 ikr

[@queensplazasouth]

It's not "abandoned", It's very much an active track, trains just don't stop there because a full length station, Brooklyn Bridge, is a short walking distance away.

[@leonciohernandez]

The real reason to not stop there is because the big distance between the train and the platform and yes it is not abandoned.

[@petershen1984]

when a train stops on a curved platform, each car forms a secant line on a circle (a line touching two points on the circumference), and the platform gap from the entryway would be furthest at the lengthwise center. This means that passengers would have to hop off the train a varying distance from the platform, and it's just all to easy to fall into the gap between the train and platform.

[@haileyrluna]

Two things: One, this station isn't open for public use, the local 6 train uses it as a turnaround to head back uptown. Two, to diverse1only, you can take the 4,5,6 trains there also the J, and Z trains stop there too. You won't be able to get to this specific spot though. I take the 6 everyday.

[@the8bitdude]

This station looks awesome!

[@pacoloco4030]

I used to live on 92 street, back in 89 after Paul Stanley(KISS) played the ritz my friends & I got off on 86st. station and we walked(very fast, I might addLOL!) all the way to the abanbdoned 91ST. station. Man, dat shit was fucking scary!! Even to this day I would never do it again. Rats everywhere on way& on the platforum, lucky we didn't get bit. One of my friends had a bee bee gun, & he shot a rat. A train was coming, but it was the express, we just turned our heads as it passed. The driver could have called the cops. We waited a few minutes, then walked on the tracks to 96 st. Not many people waiting by the stairs, we jumped up onto the platfourm & up the stairs. Good OL Times!!

[@thovex]

i always wanted to do that but never was bold (or drunk) enough to do that! crazy! i would often look out the window when the train was crawling past that abandoned station and imagine how cool it would be to visit. also, did you ever read the mole people book? www.amazon.com/Mole-People-Life-Tunnels-Beneath/dp/155652241X

[@BCSchmerker]

Good place for maintenance crews to rest. Thanks for uploading this rediscovery.

[@emjayay]

No, the screeching is because train wheels are on trucks: two axles and four wheels on one frame. Actually any wheels on one solid axle have to slip a bit on a curve, but the 2-axle truck makes it worse. Any time a train goes around any curve, the wheels are constantly having to slip sideways a bit. If the curve is too tight like this one, the screeching is more noticeable. So train curves are generally very large radius.

[@York22]

The track itself is not abandoned. It is still used as a turnaround for the number 6 train as the station is a loop. One is allowed to ride through the station but cannot get off there.

[@tiffatltonyc]

Thanks for posting! I love riding that loop so that I can go see the station. I also enjoy looking out at the abandoned 18th Street station on the 6 and the 91st Street station on the west side. How did you get out in the tunnel though and get access? I know they used to give tours, but I had read that they do not anymore.

[@StevenFallonOfficial]

To see the old City Hall Station, it is best not to be in the first car, as some conductors still will insist you leave the train, even though the announcement says the next stop is on the uptown platform. Best way to go through City Hall station without hassle is to simply go in the very last car. (Riders on the 6 will also want to peek out at the abandoned 18th Street station on the way.)

[@NyJeo]

@KLUNKET A train is running through the abandon station because the 6 Train still uses it to go from downtown tracks to uptown tracks without the hassle of crossing over. It is not used as a stop/pick up people. The train doesn't stop here and the station is close. It is only open for tours, like this one, for people to see how beautiful the station was/is.

[@Bradley0357]

The newer trains are longer and can't handle the curve of the old track..the station shut down in the 50s I believe because the express station opened up not far from the station

[@York22]

Its still used as a turnaround for the 6 train. It is abandoned in the respect that passengers cannot get off there. Passengers can ride through it though.

[@zuki1899]

this is city hall station. it has a special entrance to city hall. the staion itself is extremely small. you can see it when the 6 train loops around from the brooklyn bridge station(if the train crew lets you stay on the train,which most times they don't) its very classy and retro.

[@trackwerkOG]

no, there is only one in the middle of the train at all times to operate the doors and do manual announcements, unless the train is running OPTO (one person train operation) where the T/O (train operator) is doing all the work.

[@TheCarKid97]

@Satoshi9801 The current City Hall station is not directly under City Hall though, not the passenger platform in any case. This station is RIGHT under City Hall, and the stairways lead into the City Hall plaza itself. No, there aren't any public tours, those stopped a couple years ago along with plans to re-open to station as a museum.

[@TheCarKid97]

There are three reasons why this station is abandoned. The first is that it was designed for two door trains, and hence three door trains have a huge gap -- expensive to fix and fatal if not fixed. The second is that it was designed for shorter trains, and can't fit a whole 10-car train on the platform. The third reason is that it's under City Hall, and the NYPD does not want anybody able to go directly under City Hall due to terrorism worries. Hope this explains a bit.

[@wiishadow4]

i passed here today. just the fact that you are in an abandoned station gives thrills.

[@harshcritick]

This is really cool, I always wonder what the subways looked like long ago

[@philnystyle]

I have a friend that works for the city, he said in 2013 they are installing fold out ramps on all the subway cars, kind of like a handicap ramp you'd see fold out on a van. Once all the cars have been retrofitted, they plan on re-opening this station.

[@velcrosoundbar]

well it's been ten years and still closed so...

[@TheBantermiester]

The trains used to be lot smaller, and would have been closer to the platform. also the stopped using it because the station was not busy enough. the terrible screaching is the trains touching the inside wall.

[@spunkypuppy]

There's a station like this in Toronto, and, once the train has stopped, there are wooden ledges that slide out from underneath the passenger platform to close the odd-shaped gap between the car and the deck.

[@Humulator]

not toronto, there isn't one in toronto. your talking about some other station

[@contractki11er]

what a beautiful station, very clean and no grafiti, perfect example of what all stations should be like

[@Am-Not-Jarvis]

@candlstudios The title is a bit misleading. The station is still in "use"-- and maintenance workers still have easy access to it. It is just no longer used as a stop, and is rarely cleaned up because there would be little use in doing so.

[@metropod]

to answer all questions. City hall was closed for 3 reasons. the frist lack of ridership, Due to three other statons (Broolyn Bridge, BMT City Hall and chambers st) the station saw few passengers. The seond they had begun to order cars that had side doors, the R12. cars before that had doors at the far end only or lockable center doors. the third they were going to run longer trains and expand platforms but couldn't make city hall longer. City hall never had gap fillers or even turnstyles.

[@metropod]

@jacquesheehan That's the Conductor, the one who opens and closes the doors. R142/142A series cars are linked into 5 car sets with cabs only on the outer end of each set. the Train Operator (motorman, dirver, whatever) works in the lead cab of the front set. The conductor works from the lead cab of the second set, the middle of the train.

[@vanaphil]

@smokingplates But you cannot get on or get off the train there. That is what is meant by abandoned. It's no longer being used and the train just rides right on by.

[@ThrillFinatic]

Looks pretty well maintained

[@giorgoselefth]

he is the train conductor! Usually there is one in each car but it seems that this is probably late at night!

[@MattHeidelberger]

@whoarethebrainpigs The train is making a turn after the Brooklyn Bridge station, which is a terminus for the 6.

[@MrGoboka]

@smokingplates The line progresses under there, they just extended the rails and built another station. Trains roll through there, but do not stop.

[@captmunson]

the crew member on the train is the "door operator" as you call him He /she is the condctor and the station serves as a loop to return southbound trains back north for their next trip..there are 3 loops on the subway mainlines that serve the IRT(#rd lines) as opposed to track switches and crossovers commonly used to change direction of trains the trains going through are not in service for customers and the station is about 105 years old(not 100% sure, not a buff I just work on subway system)

[@annarico]

It looks like the Teenage mutant ninja turtles home movie - Secret of the ooze..

[@fordtruck7896]

Me and my friends snuck on one of the trains and went by this- its so cool yet creepyyy!

[@gabbiedoglover11]

ikr?!? and if a subway was abandoned the subway wouldn't run because no one is conducting it and so it just stays there

[@York22]

The station platform is closed to the public except for tours. One is never allowed to exit the train at City Hall station but can ride through the station.

[@trackwerkOG]

the man at 0:12 was the CONDUCTOR, he was supposed to be on the train.

[@prorobo]

That is wicked awesome. So beautiful and holy crap talk about mind the gap!

[@Teddy_Bass]

In my opinion this video is a work of art

[@ohindie]

@KLUNKET this is a downtown train and then loops around hence right here then it turns into an uptown train.

[@khonsmosis]

@candlstudios Cheaper for the city. The lights are still conneted to the power grid, so instead of uninstalling and rewiring everything, they just decided to keep it like that.

[@Reverseflush]

I love the brick work. Exposed brick is hot right now in the city.

[@Bettersucksaul]

@jacquesheehan its not a sailor uniform. its a guy in a business suit who cant do their tie. but it is weird that he's the only one on there

[@tlighta1]

So how do you actually get on the platform if the train doesn't stop there. Is there an entrance from above ground and if so, where is it located?

[@thovex]

this was a special tour i took to get on the platform. i imagine there are still similar tours offered. that was a long time ago now so i don't remember who organized it. thanks for watching!

[@chrisz71]

that was a thoroughly unpleasant sound.

[@TreeMovies]

You should check out London's abandoned stations!

[@JINFAMOUS_]

The station was actually used in the TNMT 2: Secret of the ooze movie...lol. But I was actually on the 6 train yesterday and passed thru here for the first time...kind of spooky but definitely cool!

[@pete5668]

Boston has the same problem on the Green Line at Boylston Station and Government Center.

[@MrMarino930]

@yryriza: yes working for the NYC subway IS a city job. The city is the one paying the MTA to pay their workers.

[@nnikb7]

@KLUNKET the tunnel is still being used by the train as a loop from downtown to uptown. its just the station thats not being used.

[@kleptokiddo]

@jacquesheehan that is the conductor. nyc subway trains typically have a conductor in the first car and another in the middle which is the one you saw.

[@Galileo430]

The station is at the very end of the 6 line. They make you get off the train a station before. They then take the empty train around the turn-a-round that is the old city hall station. They stopped using it because the platform was too short, the gap was dangerously wide and post 9-11 it's considered too close to city hall for comfort. I don't buy the last once, considering the new city hall stop is about 100 feet from this one and equidistant to city hall.

[@SPAMPOLICE89]

it looks like a merry go round. Good video

[@user-hf1fg1pe5o]

I like New York City Subway City Hall Station

[@thovex]

Me too! Thanks for your comment!

[@revokdaryl1]

That reminds me of what Pierce Brosnan said in Die Another Day. "Abandoned stations for abandoned agents."

[@Satoshi9801]

@TheCarKid97 Those plans were from like 15 years ago, and while there aren't any tours for the Public, there are for people who have a Membership to the Mueseum (they must have a reservation, though.)

[@queensplazasouth]

Conductor works from the middle car (6th)

[@vivelecorn]

The 6 train which terminates at Brooklyn Bridge - City Hall sometimes uses this station to loop the train so it can be on the track which is ready to head towards the Bronx.

[@candlstudios]

@khonsmosis Yeah, but wouldn't the bulbs eventually wear out? So either someone is still replacing the bulbs in this unused station.. or they found bulbs that last a really long time. It might be cheaper to leave the fixtures in place.. but if you remove the bulbs you won't be using any electricity.

[@drotterton793]

As you exit please be careful of the gaaaap between the platform and the train.

[@thovex]

Def don’t want to fall in! lol

[@RellyOhBoy]

Rewind to 1904.... . Opening day of the NYC subway when people actually got all dressed up to ride the train.

[@chmarr]

@KLUNKET because it used to be a train station but now its used a turn around loop

[@imdanumber1]

Because Brooklyn Bridge deemed it useless and also because of low ridership. Trains were also lengthened to 10 cars and it would make no sense to install gap fillers at the station either.

[@res340]

It's not an active station anymore but the train still goes through it.

[@keaz]

@Jonathanbain14 -- because the power comes from a third rail located under the train a flash of that intensity would be almost impossible ...

[@Satoshi9801]

@TheCarKid97 Um I don't think the third reason is true-there are tours AND there's the current City Hall station just 100 feet away.

[@emjayay]

Until a few years ago they used to kick everyone off the train before this station but a few people hid under a seat or got lucky or something. Now I think you can ride through if you want to. According to Jimmy below I guess they herd you to the first car.

[@STLUCIANIDOL91]

that's so cool, toronto also has an abandoned subway station, known as "Lower Bay Station". A lot of movies were filmed there.

[@indyracingnut]

Technically it's not abandoned since they still use the tracks...

[@twnetf]

It’s clean!

[@Markjuk]

No wonder they closed this station, look at the gaps between the train and platform! i thought some stations on the London Underground were bad for gaps between the train and platform but this is the worst! Also is this the station that was featured in Ghostbusters II?

[@slicingwater]

@4202EJW It is abandoned, it doesn't stop there, no is waiting there and it is not in use. There are plenty of stations like it in manhattan. This is just happens to be the cleanest I've seen.

[@searchanddiscover]

@TheLauranCameron I meant if anyone knew what model train could stop there when it was still functioning. I am very curious about trains!

[@nudist0885]

Between 3:55-4:16 of the 27 minute video by "andrewwonder" called "undercity w. Steve Duncan", Steve is explaining the squeal that occurs when subway cars are going around corners that are now too narrow for them. Well if the platform at the station in the video at that point is abandoned, why not re-align the tracks on a softer curve so that the squeal goes away? That would create some jobs.

[@jacquesheehan]

At around the 12 second mark it looks like a man in an early sailors uniform on the train . When was this video taken? Why is one person in a middle car and all other cars empty?

[@gilsonanderson5807]

Why NYC don’t open this beautiful station to visit ?

[@RareCameoFan]

Whoa R142A 6 train!!!!!

[@tryithere]

@aeronuk1 The doors on the cars when it was built were at the ends of the cars so the gap didn't matter. The station is near the bottom of Manhattan back uptown.

[@mowie1236]

@KCArmstrongXIIV the track is still used, just not the station

[@jpp0823]

it's actually not that hard to get into any of nyc's abandoned stations, as long as you don't mind hiking down the subway tunnels, which in turn means avoiding the third rail and the possibility of oncoming trains. city hall is only 600 feet down the tracks from brooklyn bridge station, but if a train is bearing down on you... there's nowhere to run

[@thovex]

Ha, that’s a gutsy move. I was able to get there as part of an organized tour so luckily I didn’t have to walk down the tracks

[@pictureisup1]

@Haffschlappe Grand Central station it is was built in 1900.

[@jonathanbain14]

ever thought the flash was the train's electric cable?

[@JeffHendrie]

@smokingplates Michigan Central Station is abandones, and trains still run through THERE... but don't stop. sadly.

[@saladspinner3200]

actually it is, in "The Darkness" there's one level that takes place there, it looks exactly the same.

[@philnystyle]

I don't get the title? Clearly there is a train running through this station. Doesn't look all that abandoned to me!

[@philnystyle]

If you can stay on the train, and ride thru the station, is still considered abandoned or just limited access?

[@thovex]

good question! 🤔 lol

[@jimmy7train]

@dbzvegeta 6 trains turn around in the city hall loop. After Brooklyn Bridge they head through the loop. They go past this station. Do it one day! It's fun. Remember to switch to the first car.

[@BPSCASSISTANT]

After 15 years in 2022 in my feed

[@thovex]

Lol, that's crazy. I took this video just for fun and had no idea it would actually get so many views. Also, I took it on my digital camera! That's how old it is

[@thovex]

And thanks for watching! :-)

[@NZPalmerful]

He's the train conductor.

[@lafther210]

@smokingplates It is abandon, meaning the train no longer stops there. I guess it was the old terminus (the current one is Brooklyn Bridge, right next to Pace University). If you stay on the Downtown 6 train (the Green Line) after the last stop, the train loops back to the other side of the track by passing in front of that station.

[@peterellis72]

You should see some of the gaps in London! Like the one at Lewisham which is alot deeper and just as wide.

[@sicksidemadness]

where can we find the shots taken in this journey??

[@Sebmpg]

new trains would not fit, as you can see in the video it would be dangerous to use this as a station.

[@jeanetdun]

u stay on the train at Brooklyn bridge an the train sometimes stop at the city hall platform during off-peak hrs and opens the dorrs and sits there

[@jamasia341]

@thovex how did you get to go on tour?

[@zamorak10301]

how did you get into the station?

[@tsukune007]

does the MTA give tours of the old stations like these? and i herd from a friend in brooklyn i think at the church av. if you look from the platfrom on the tracks you can see lights from a station that is 40ft below the current one?

[@thovex]

i gained access through an organized tour. i believe it was the municipal arts society but don't remember for certain as it was so long ago. i assume one can gain access occasionally through similar tours or through Open House NY or something like that. good luck exploring!

[@DEARHICCuPS]

hi AaronTG1990 - I've developed a real interest in nyc's history and hidden treasures that lay hidden around town. could you recommend a good book, or even some good "gems" to seek out? i stay around murray hill when in town, and i'd love to learn of some hidden historical things there. thanks!