NYC Transit 1970s Slides HD

These slides were taken by a very prolific and well known photographer and TA employee named Steve Zabel. Some shots were also taken by his close friends and equally accomplished photographers Doug Grotjahn and Joe Testagrose. Mr. Zabel shot over 100,000 kodachromes between 1968 and 1988. There was a very lively community of transit and railroad photographers centered around the Electric Railroader's Assn, the Metropolitan Electric Street Transportation Assn (now UTC), the Railroad Buffs, chapters of National Railway Historical Society and others. Amidst the frequent fantrips, slidshows and movie nights (Roger Arcara) were railfans of all description recording the rapidly changing scene. The 1970s was a decade of great change as very strong social and economic currents swept around the world and through the NY metro area.
Each slide was taken between 1-1-70 and 12-31-79. A decade in which the last of the pre WW2 subway cars were retired, graffiti arrived and nearly peaked and NYCTA buses had three different paint schemes (green since the 1940s, two tone blue arrived in '72/'72 and blue and white in '78 and still in use today). The 1970s was also the decade that the MTA made its mark implementing many amenities that we take for granted today, such as air-conditioning, a standard signage system, full color bus maps and neighborhood maps in stations, and full scale station renovations (Bowling Green, 49th St BMT, Astor Place).
The thing that is so difficult to capture with photography was the way the trains were run. The top or balancing speed of SMEE equipment on level track was approximately 50 - 55 miles per hour (today's balancing speed is 10 MPH slower). Track maintenance was less, more of the roadbed was ballasted, not concrete. You had the odor of creosote mixed with steel dust and sometimes hot dogs, popcorn and other foods widely sold at stands in major mezzanines. Most importantly, there were fewer time signals restricting the speed of trains near curves switches and stations. Now imagine all this and your face is filling the open portion of a drop sash front storm door window (in decades past, the whole damn door would be open on some lines). Plus you were really concerned about watching your back as there were many unsavory characters floating around. Riding between cars was routine and often the only option for fitting into a packed train. Long after conductor PA announcements were made standard (and the 10s, 12s, 14s and 15s didn't get PA systems until the mid 1970s after a terrible smokey and confused incident in the Clark St tube) whole journeys could be had without a peep from the conductor. Of course door closing chimes were only introduced with the R-44 in 1971).

[@Xixu.co.6]

I wasn't even alive in the 70s but it looks so familiar, it feels right. I love watching these types of videos.

[@WHALEPSHIZZ]

I was alive in 2000s

[@Catnip11147]

As a child of the 70's growing up in NYC, I can truly say it was a great time to be alive! And the fare for the buses and subways back then was an overwhelming 35¢!

[@NYCgirl927]

Jack D. Ripper I agree. Those were great times graffiti and all

[@WillieGee1970]

Jack D. Ripper I remember those days also

[@bluegillphil1427]

when I left Jamaica in 1969 rides were only a dime, staten is ferry was a nickle !!!

[@blacklyfe5543]

Jack D. Ripper it’s $2.75 now or $3 😂😂😂

[@JOECANDELA22]

@mo zack I was about to type that out and then I saw your post. You beat me too it! Nice job! Remember that? People went apeshit because they had to drop 2 quarters into the change collector. I started high school in September 1976 so I had a school bus pass. Only had to pay a nickel. Phew! That was pretty cool for a broke high school student.

[@deneenjeffries2768]

My dad started working at the TA in 1970.... this was his time . He told us a lot of crazy stories

[@geeside8286]

What the heck is ta

[@deneenjeffries2768]

Transit Authority

[@sebastiano1704]

E

[@deneenjeffries2768]

spektrical He was working as a conductor and some strange character thought he snitched on him to the cops , he had no idea what dude was talking about. My dad went in his cab and got out his shoe paddle, which is a long pole used to free stuck doors, needless to say,,the character saw my dad, who was insane when he lost his temper and ran three cars down! You had to protect yourself. Then there were ladies who always sought out his position... some worked nights and were just looking to feel safer, others would be trying to get his attention 😂. My dad was handsome in his uniform. NYC was dirty and constantly in a budget crisis then, but it was affordable for working people and had a character lost in some of the gentrification. I like , the cleaner trains, and less crime. Even with what’s going on now believe me there was more crimes, mugging things of that nature then. Token booths were mostly wood in the early seventies so they were easily robbed , just by kicking in the door. Clerk had to come out to collect tokens so they were robbed a lot it was dangerous.

[@deneenjeffries2768]

spektrical I followed my Dad into the Transit Authority for a few years until we had our kids. I was a clerk it was 97 so it was much safer, a lot of men liked to flash me in the booth. Nasty people. Some workers have seen people take off all their clothes. I never saw that

[@RobertoLopezstudyis]

I used to rider on those subway cars filled with graffiti as a kid when I lived in New York in the 70s! Those were the good old days of riding the subway in queens and to Manhattan!

[@JOECANDELA22]

At 4:16 you can see Main Street, Flushing and the old Prospect Movie Theatre. I saw tons of movies there growing up. Jaws , Rocky 2 and Superman 2. I remember Jaws played there when it was a one-screen movie theatre and it stayed there for over 15 months from May 1975 to September 1976. Good times. Thanks for this video.

[@jaminova_1969]

My Mom took me to see Bambi there!

[@biglo9889]

I imagine the Warriors bopping their way back to Coney!!

[@idubbzz7790]

loll

[@barryjohnson409]

You just gonna let them soldier right on through....

[@Smudgeroon74]

Damn this train has had it lol

[@Consistentlycrazy]

Warriors come out to playay

[@Moodboard39]

Can you diggggggg it

[@kalonjirivers8902]

I was born in 1979, and I can truly say that I miss all of those fishbowl buses and all those trains-redbird, bluebird, and silverbird. Not to mention, the subway trains with the three digit car numbers on the E and F lines I used to ride on to St. Albans, Queens to visit my grandparents, aunts, and uncles as a child when I used to live in Harlem back in the early to mid to late 80's.

[@dannythehumantrain2002]

Dude I’m 20 but I remember looking at these photos as a kid it sure does bring me back to when was 9-14 years old 😎

[@StephinOut]

I know this is mostly about the vintage trains and buses BUT!! At the 4:16 mark, that shot of the old blue bus by the Prospect movie theater is MY neighborhood, Flushing, Queens!! AND I saw "Busting Loose" at that theater, too!!I knew I was going to see some trains I haven't seen in a while, but I never expected to see a piece of my childhood, too... amazing!!

[@JOECANDELA22]

I grew up and lived in Flushing and later Whitestone also and I lived at the Prospect. That was a great shot of the theatre. The other great theatre you may recall was the RKO Keith at the corner of Main Street and Northern Boulevard. In 1980 I worked as a stock boy over at Alexander's on Roosevelt Avenue. I miss the old neighborhood!

[@jordankuo6662]

I wasn’t alive in the 70’s but this video is interesting. (I grew up in the late 2000’s)

[@eny4life718]

wow the 1 Train been going to 242nd Van Cortlandt for years .. wow... i was born in 1990.. feels good to be a new Yorker and see its history

[@quanbrooklynkid7776]

Eon Hardy i was born in 92

[@LetticiaRosado]

I miss those days... the double lettered lines, the Culver Shuttle, fishbowls...those were the days.

[@IngaHicks]

Wow! You just took me through a trip down memory lane, bell bottoms, afro's, platform shows and public transportation in NYC! Well done!!

[@mikefagan6840]

Thank you for sharing my childhood ❤

[@druidcernunnos4121]

i remember as a child taking a ride in one of those really cool looking city buses in the 70's .

[@benschaeffer8102]

I TOTALLY remember when the NYC Subway (and Buses) still looked like this when I was a young kid growing up in Brooklyn during the late 70's and early 80's.

[@jaminova_1969]

2:50 "Fritz the Cat" I grew up during the 70's and this is an awesome flashback for me! And the sound track is Right On! Keep up the good work Baby and Power to the People! Thanks Trainluvr!

[@TheKel1st]

Thanks for the AMAZING ride back in time! I remember many of those cars

[@JeffFrmJoisey]

Thanks for the look back!! Oct 1969 was when I really got into the Subway and the City. This took me a lot longer than 6:03 to watch - I kept stopping and looking at the pics!! And read the subway signs and just look at NYC as it was when I used to go a lot. Glad there was at least one old look bus in the mix. Orange handrails and probably a row of 5 incandescent lights at all entries. Old NYC, just as I remember it growing up!! I've had your 1st book for years, now I'm going to take a look at it again! Waiting for the future volumes!

[@TheCatra9]

The 32 people that disliked this video must be from Jersey. 😉

[@tyrondavis6727]

And the 34 dislike/hates this video must be definitely from Long lsland and Westchester/Rockland Counties at best. Go figure... Cool Video

[@Moodboard39]

Or don't like Graffiti

[@OfficialJakeTransit]

And the people who never lived or visited NYC.

[@derrickramirez-ni5wf]

In front Jersey and I like this

[@motorheadhorsepower6395]

I tell you true the new trains today are nice & cleaner ,but the old train were much reliable & faster.& I do miss the graffiti & the loud noise when the windows & standing in the front car looking out the front door window. 30 cents to ride the trains & buses it was a great time to be alive & experience that. I miss those days.That was when New York was New York!

[@makhs8750]

Motorhead Horsepower New York is still New York, what are you talking about? Do you know how Newyorkish New York is for people that don't live there?

[@PeteS_1994]

Are the older trains really more reliable or was it just that the signalling more reliable. I know poor signalling can make reliable trains look unreliable.

[@giveshysterectomy6432]

Mike Someone he's probably talking about the feeling of the city, before the hipsters & the rich people took over.

[@Moodboard39]

​@@makhs8750dude , NYC is ruined . Ain't the same u donkey. Trash

[@Supervillainmc]

Awesome photos

[@meciasrivera4769]

I was born in NYC in the 80's and I always heard stories of how the trains looked back in the days from my parents

[@BrutalMind1984]

I wonder what we will say about the city 40 years from now.

[@PeteS_1994]

I miss when people actually drove the trains.

[@wakeupstopsleeping6300]

NabhanTED LOL

[@vinny57ish]

I'm originally from the Bronx. The true last time i was there was in the early to mid 70's. I remember how the subway trains all looked. It saddened me to see the amount of the disrespect the youth had back then. I know the city was filled with a lot of violence then and im thinking maybe the city still has violence but i wonder if it's as bad now as it was then. I feel the city has made some improvements but for those of youse still living there? Your probably saying it has improved? But we still have our issues . I was in the city back in '05 and saw that the trains had all been cleaned. I'm sure that was billed to the city's tax payer to clean them up. Anyway thank you for sharing the video and giving this old guy a flashback. Ciao.

[@migshumble1351]

The trains became graffiti free like 86-87. As far as crime, depsair, dirtiness and that youth mischievousness that i remember well too, that started to die out from 95-96 on up. Nyc still has its spots and a lot of natives that have that PTSD from living those times.

[@dannythehumantrain2002]

And I remember when I was 10-11 years old grooving to this video and seeing these old cool transit photos

[@trainluvr]

I am sure you are speaking for many other young people as well.

[@ACLTony]

I was a kid during this time and remember it well. Many fond memories, although I didn't like the grafitti. I enjoyed riding the variety of different types of subway cars and buses. Although I enjoyed NY, I remember that many streets throughout the Bronx and Manhattan always had litter. The GMC fishbowl bus at 2:35 looks like he has a broken air below. (Fishbowls didn't have the kneeling feature that the newer models did).

[@HadiyahLawal33]

Wow back when the E’s last stop wasn’t world trade, and first Jamaica. Now the A runs 8th Ave. I’m loving these vids, so cool to see my home before my parents even met !

[@fernandosalas8589]

I saw the j train last stop in Jamaica elevated which is no longer I don't know y they did that. but O man what memories man thanks again. had to c video again. the old zenith store on left got to me o man awesome picture.

[@ACLTony]

Yes, if an air bag or the airline connecting to it breaks or has a leak, that bus is going down on the side of the leak. Because of the rough shape of the streets back then, buses running in NYC took a lot of punishment on their suspensions.

[@BroadwayNexp]

What I would give to live just one during those times

[@fernandosalas8589]

I would love to go back and not change a thing sadly my dad is gone I would've taken him with me.

[@dwightpowell6673]

@@fernandosalas8589 sorry for your loss... sounds like you and your dad had a loving relationship...I hated my dad and he hated me.

[@fernandosalas8589]

@@dwightpowell6673 sad to read your comment but sometimes my dad and I didn't see eye to eye but we forgave each other. He was the one that took me on train rides in the 70s. Friend let love surround your heart and forgive God has blessings for you and your dad. Go out with your dad and take the train somewhere, or just call him.

[@elrickization]

I can definitely dig it. That bus at 2:53. Seems so sleek for a most square shape.

[@LetticiaRosado]

3:39 - The very first Transit Museum Gift Shop, NYTM Downtown Brooklyn location. I remember when it was like that!

[@orangefan200]

3:39

[@firelensman]

Very Nice. Takes you to "back in the day."

[@josef7ark]

The way the bus would lean to one side, the windows never opened in the summer but slid open in the winter. Fare beaters would sneak in the backdoor only to be seen then ran off tthe bus or ride the back bumper of the bus for a free ride.

[@ralphsanchico2452]

Yeah! I remember trying to sneak on a crowed city bus from school through the back double doors. Thought I had it made until I felt myself flung from out that bus like DJ Jazzy Jeff of the "Fresh Prince of Belair"!

[@JOECANDELA22]

When there was snow and ice on the street we would hang on to the rear bumper of the bus and ski off the back with our sneakers in the snow and ice and go "skiching" (that's what we called it). Very dangerous. Once in awhile the driver would stop short and you go head first into the back of the bus. Kinda stings!

[@glennferguson2526]

very good video. i loved every second of it. thank you so very much.

[@Madbandit77]

O:44 Jamaica Avenue and Merrick Blvd. :)

[@fernandosalas8589]

Bastards took down a historic route now there is MetroCard all you gotta do is walk to E train and free transfer from elevated J train. I used to get on the J train just to see the roof of the apartment where we lived on 144 Jamaica Ave.

[@candyjones3652]

I love the music!

[@richshort8120]

Cool video 😎 I grew up on Staten Island during the 60s and to 1973. I never saw any graffiti on the Staten Island trains 4:01

[@Gio-gu9gb]

This is great video the picture bring me back, they need to bring back just for one day the old subway trains and buses maybe for the weekends

[@NYRailFan.]

Song name: ROGER WEBB-Cosmo Disco

[@trainluvr]

Thank you!! You made yourself useful.

[@AbbyZera]

Oh my god thank you!!!

[@HappyQuailsLC]

Good job on the music! Actually, the whole thing! I was pleasantly surprised with the music though!

[@Moodboard39]

Born in the 80s , growing up in the 90s....good times

[@LexAveExp]

If I could go back in time !

[@jamesmaletta7867]

Those were the good old days.

[@electricshotzz2467]

Mc Bragg You probably might be a kindergartener

[@landocalrisian2014]

That's the NYC I remember as a child for sure 😂😂

[@amackert.1960]

NYC was really scary, dangerous and depressing in the 70s and early 80s. It was bad times for NYC and really the country as a whole. If you survived that era you're a strong person.

[@fernandosalas8589]

thanks for the memories saw 2 clips (buses) Parsons n Roosevelt Ave from Queens where I grew up.

[@FatBichon]

The slide at 4:10 shows a 1970 DODGE CORONET taxi peeking out from under the elevated tracks

[@brooklyndan11206]

Hi Trainluvr !! Want to say thank you for uploading this video it's bring lots of memory, this is the NY i grew up with. Awesome!! 🖒😀

[@edde1968]

When you see grafitti on the subway you know its the 1970's.RIGHT ON!!!CAN YOU DIG IT!!!

[@thomasponzio8345]

cool video I grew up on south ferry shuttle because my brother lived in Willowbrook S.I. Ny 1964 to 1973 I like the pic of old green bus near St.George I remember that so well thanks 4 the memories plus old south ferry shuttle station.

[@user-hf1fg1pe5o]

Very good videos

[@trainluvr]

If it has a name, I don't know it. It is the music that played behind a montage introducing the lead character, Guy, of the film Mid-Knight Rider (1979). The VHS box says "Sex, drugs, and violence can make anyone a mid-knight rider." above the description.

[@trainluvr]

See description for music info.

[@mynorthshore]

Looking for images from the Franklin Shuttle, pre rebuild, of the Eastern Parkway-Botanic Garden entrance at street level, and the station building that stood on the opposite end of the platforms on President Street.

[@VictoriaEatingCake]

Wow! this is great! thank you so much, @trainluvr !

[@mikefagan6840]

I remember those Grumman buses, what a FIASCO 😂

[@brewcrew5854]

! though i saw the bronx tale bus? nice tour . i will look for the book

[@marangelliehernandez6634]

My father worked con the gg the e the f línea and other línes con the bmt and ind línes on the MTA. Between 1967 to 1987

[@dougiemontana4815]

Loved the old red bird trains

[@alexthemtaandr211weatherfa2]

R17 though r30.

[@nathanielrobinson7542]

Those was the days growing up New York City in 70.s

[@JAB-bc9uv]

Great video....

[@GeneralHawk505]

From what i found out the SOAC actually used door chimes as the first trains and also sounded just like the R46 cars. I know someone who rode the train.

[@chulodanny44]

I love this song

[@fusionisttransit9519]

The golden years of crime, just look at those trains drenched in graffiti. that's a real throwback!

[@alexthemtaandr211weatherfa2]

And blame president Eisenhower for the interstate highway act and people using public transportation less often due to neglect and crime and the passenger railroads suffered during the late 70s because interstate highways where way cheaper to use and going the same places as trains

[@rollinpace4lyf]

1:11 the interior hasn't changed at all!

[@Schlipperschlopper]

Best times ever and great music!

[@jab7168]

The old sirt train was a good one....

[@trainnyc6009]

SrslyI LOVE IT!

[@Haterzarefans]

Am I the only one who wonders if the people shown in vids like this...are still alive? Ijs.1975 baby over here.lol.i remember as a kid seeing the transition from the old buses and trains...to the more modern looking ones that came around in the 80's.

[@mikenauer2403]

dangerfields 1st and 65 was a great place miss it

[@boejiden5851]

1:27 It's ya boi Bowery Street

[@jbf19kd]

My favorite times of riding the subway was when the R46s ran on the F line

[@itsport8829]

Anyone else thought of the warriors?

[@WillieGee1970]

Its Port most definitely

[@claudiahansen4938]

Oh yeah!

[@marangelliehernandez6634]

Mi father worked for the MTA for 20 years

[@dogethegamer967]

I wish we still had the graffiti trains

[@EPIK_yt]

Haha ya

[@sylvaindescoteaux4208]

most graffiti were shit stains made with black paint or just a marker by dumb ass kids , they were not art only made the wagons look dirty and ugly inside/out ✔

[@419chris419]

Come to down town Chicago. You're more then welcome to get some graffiti trains with a good chance of getting mugged.

[@blacklyfe5543]

Dogethegamer Hell tf no

[@raysmith1583]

@@419chris419 oooh 2 for the price of 1 eh?

[@nycsubwayproduction3507]

I watch this all the time I'm 14 years old I was born then I was born 2004

[@runwayweekly]

it was very kool looking at the trains i was hoping to see my train line the no.#8 Train.. still i enjoyed..

[@TheMikeTransit]

i love those flxible new look buses though with the blue scheme. And those R14, r26, r30 with the blue stripe makes those trains a good looker. well i'm creating a bus museum so i'm trying to save Triboro Coach 623 and Mta Orion V Cng 9899.

[@kennethkresowaty2795]

Seems just like yesterday that the NYC subway system was like that!

[@muppetshowman1972]

fantastique!!!!

[@lopwr1212]

4:21 6 wheeler bent back low ass RTS

[@transneural]

E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T!!! 💘 it...

[@q.taylor2921]

Groooovaaay...

[@Handlevonhandleson]

Why did the double letter train lines disappear

[@jonbase6004]

Wow what a flashback, 3:58, CHARMIN 65 was a female graffiti writer that wrote with NE 163. Early 1970's were the best.

[@joelk4751]

What kind of bus is that at 4:19, with the steep slant back, flush windows, and red white & blue stripes? Is it an early RTS?

[@trainluvr]

GMC's entry in the USDOT "Transbus" project. Low floor, kneeling, fiberglass side panels, gas turbine engine, 70 MPH. It was called RTX and development began in the mid 60s. Rohr and AMC built similar ones. Real life operating conditions demanded standard sized tires and high floor so the RTS production models began in 1977. The Grumman 870 model arrived a little later.

[@joelk4751]

Thanks. I Googled GMC RTX and found an article at goo.gl/RwDYcM, which includes an interior photo -- looks the Starship Enterprise! It says the model was never used in revenue service.

[@trainluvr]

I messaged them to see if they could upload a video about it. The Transbus story is a long one, and while its nice that we have low floor buses now, industry and government failed to genuinely update the standard american transit bus in an exciting way.

[@joelk4751]

I found a short KZbin video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j369aXWdr6asqtU. Didn't know GM was working on a "steam car" in the 60's!

[@trainluvr]

Thanks! I used fewer search terms and it didn't come up! Only 48 views in many months!! Looks like a russian dude copied it from google video (now gone) and reuploaded. I remember seeing an RTX drawing dating all the way back to 1964! They didn't even stop producing old look coaches until 1966!

[@thomasponzio8345]

1:40 and agsin 4:30 or so the old south ferry shuttle at bowling green and SF Side shuttle ultra cool

[@Thatgamingdiary]

2:03 I always have so many historical questions when it comes to the NYC Subway. What station was/is this? I looked up a map from this era & didn’t find a station from this frame.

[@trainluvr]

If you look at a 1968 or 1972 map, there is only one or two stations served exclusively by those two lines. And the two narrow one streets is the other clue.

[@Thatgamingdiary]

@@trainluvr kk tysm

[@ilikedogspepsi22]

The good old trains and buses

[@glennferguson2526]

how many of you have been rhythm and rock to sleep by the subway

[@jkeegan154]

Saw The Godfather on the movie marquee.

[@Amfitri0n]

3:29 Culver shuttle 😍

[@rpm_asphalt9railfanner762]

0:35 - 4:37 can I use this audio (no song name sadly)

[@visionist7]

*Have you noticed?* how few telephones work in NY?

[@africanamerican1818]

What's a telephone 😂

[@mikehunt8997]

Who's playing this music? Sounds good.

[@localnyraccoon]

Is 4:06 Eltingville? It looks really similar.

[@ilikedogspepsi22]

#bringbacktheoldsubsaysandbuses

[@Supervillainmc]

Awesome

[@sgtpepah4260]

yup