Ashland, when coming from Boston, is the first of four infill stations built in the early 21st century on the way to Worcester. It also seen a massive rebuild as of late. So, let’s look at it, shall we?
Helvetica!
The station is your standard Worcester Line infill, bearing many a similarity to Westborough. It’s the closest station to the town’s downtown (Grafton is in no man’s land, Westborough is far from downtown, and Southborough is also pretty far), there’s a MWRTA bus connection, and an ample amount of parking. You also have a standard mini-high platform and a metal overpass. Woah. Downtown is a 1 mile walk away, neat! Benches are also found on the platform, and on the overpass as well. Yeah, I don’t have much specifically to say about this station other than that its mere location makes it the best of the bunch.
Train!Departure board!That’s a lot of parking!HSP!That’s one hell of an overpass!Approaching the Main St. crossingThe High St. overpass towards WorcesterThat’s a lot of parking!MWRTA busway?Where’s the catenary, then??Another train!
The good: It’s close to the town center, only a mile away (roughly)! Furthermore, it’s the most recently rebuilt out of all the stations as of writing this, so it has modern amenities like a departure board and whatnot.
The bad: The bus connection isn’t exactly frequent, being approximately every hour and a half. Furthermore, the station is only a mini-high. And, why isn’t this in the town center??? Granted, it’s only a mile out so it’s a lot better than certain other offenders, but it’s still annoying.
Nearby points of interest: The town center is close by, be it a 3 minute MWRTA ride or a 20 minute walk! There’s also a nearby apartment complex.
Overall, for the infills between Framingham and Worcester, this is probably the best one with location and transit connections. So, as such, this gets a higher score.
Alrighty, so on the day I did this bus route, I was going out to the Dedham Mall to meet up with someone who was working on walking the perimeter of Boston. There were three routes I could’ve taken: the 34, the 34E, and the 35. I’ve already taken the 34E, so my options were the 34 and the 35, and it happened the 35 came first. So, here we go.
A couple of buses at Forest Hills
So, after using a BlueBike to Forest Hills, I boarded the 35 from the upper busway, and eventually we started moving. From here, we turned down Washington St., following a number of other bus routes including the 34E, 36, 37, and 40. All of these routes would eventually diverge. Washington St. and Roslindale Square is not as dense as other parts of the city, but it’s still a major center of activity with shopping and even a Commuter Rail station. Neat! Eventually, continuing down Belgrade Ave., we continued following the 36 and 37 as well as the Needham Line, and eventually most of the bus emptied out along here. In a way, my experience proves a good point as to why the Needham Line should be converted to an Orange Line extension. Don’t get me wrong, I feel an all/nothing approach is probably better anyways, but a split approach (Newton Highlands-Hersey converted to Green Line, Forest Hills-West Roxbury converted to Orange Line, with West Roxbury-Hersey becoming a shuttle trolley) isn’t bad either. I digress. It’s mostly all lined with businesses until reaching the area near LaGrange St. and West Roxbury Station. We turned down and it became a quiet neighborhood, and going further from there, turning down Stimson St., it’s still residential. Eventually, however, we reached Washington St., quickly turned down for a bit, and deviated into the Dedham Mall for the end of the run.
The usualHousingSome shopsSome stuff in West RoxburyBrookline Bank!Some more stuff in West Roxbury!And even more! And billboards!Quiet neighborhood. Suburbia, even.WoodlandsStill suburbiaWashington Street, finally!Ugh…A graveyardQuiet mallBus!This is fine.
The good: It supplements a few bus routes paralleling the Needham Line, and it gets a bit of ridership! Furthermore, it’s normal in that it shows up every 30-40 minutes (though in the aforementioned area, combined frequencies are higher).
The bad: The bus starts rather late on Sundays, though, and weekday service to the mall doesn’t start until 9 AM-ish…
Nearby points of interest: Centre St. and Belgrade Ave., and the Dedham Mall! Roslindale as well!
Overall, it’s a useful route for what it is, but the run I was on had little ridership to the Dedham Mall itself. But, I think the best fate is converting the Needham Line to an Orange Line extension, and this proves it.
Bradford is a small neighborhood in the city of Haverhill, Massachusetts. Its station? Among the least-used on the Commuter Rail, it’s located less than half a mile south of the station in downtown Haverhill, on the opposite side of the Merrimack River. And, in contrast to downtown, it’s in a relatively quiet area. Let’s look at it.
Worn-out Helvetica Bold!
It’s your standard accessible station affair, with a long low level platform with a mini-high. A pedestrian crossing exists to change sides, a red dot matrix board is on the inbound platform, and there’s ample lighting. If you’re willing to walk for 10 minutes, you’ll also reach downtown Haverhill. There were condos being constructed, but would they be affordable? I doubt it. On the contrary, there’s also a lot of single family housing nearby, a cafe, MeVa headquarters, and even the Haverhill Line’s layover yard is located here. If you walk, you can also get a nice view of the rail line over the river, which looks like a nice spot to railfan. Neat!
geepBye!The inbound platformThe mini-highsParking and the layover yardCondos and a cafeStation signage. Could be better.The Merrimack RiverThe bridge into downtown Haverhill
The good: It’s in a quiet neighborhood and provides relief for Haverhill Station. Furthermore, there’s parking and a lot of houses nearby, which is nice. It’s also pretty good for pedestrian access as well.
The bad: I guess being a mini-high stinks. Street-level signage could also be better.
Nearby points of interest: Downtown Haverhill. Yeah, sorry.
Transit connections: Commuter Rail (Haverhill)
Overall, it’s a pretty nice station (certainly better than the last one I wrote about). However, it doesn’t really have a lot going for it that Haverhill itself doesn’t. Sorry!
Welcome to the Haverhill Line’s least-used station. So, what does this station have? Well……ugh….
The cab car
First off, North Wilmington is a flag stop on the Haverhill Line, just beyond Reading, but also before the Wildcat junction. This means if the line is bustituted, it’s in a limbo area where there’s no service. This is ironic, given there’s GTFS data for shuttle stops here. Or, there was, until recently. Moving on to the station itself, what’s unique about it? Well, a lot. And, not in a good way.
TrainGeep
This is the only station where regular service requires use of boarding/alighting EXCLUSIVELY from the rear car. YES, I REPEAT, YOU HAVE TO BOARD/ALIGHT FROM THE REARMOST CAR OF THE TRAIN HERE. This is the only station I can think of where this is regular. I mean, I’ve seen it happen on the Fairmount Line too, but that’s offpeak-only! Not all-day! The station is also very inaccessible. Allegedly there were plans to install a mini-high here (or, convert it to one akin to Lynnterim), but that’s gone nowhere to my awareness. There’s also largely nothing around here. Boo. Yeah, this sucks. D: But, there is one saving grace: if the Lowell Line is being worked on (as was the case with Winchester Center) and Amtrak can’t use it, the Downeaster runs down here to reach Haverhill, rather than using the Wildcat Branch and Woburn Station. It also begets a nice (if desolate) railfanning spot.
Unexpected Downeaster!Cabbage!Gates!This is sad.Oh god.Maybe parking?There’s a wastebasket at least?THEY REALLY WENT THROUGH THE EFFORT TO INSTALL A NEW SIGN?!Another Downeaster!
The good: …transit-accessible RMV?
The bad: The station’s existence. Why does it exist? Just freakin’ use Wilmington. Granted, it’s useless if you want to get to Haverhill (assuming no schedule changes) or Malden, but if you’re going to Boston then it’s a hell of a lot better. Furthermore, trains are more frequent! Also, why the hell did they go through the trouble of INSTALLING A NEW STATION SIGN?! JUST- AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!! FHIDOASHFIDOPSAHFDIOPAH
Nearby points of interest: Just the RMV, maybe Dunkies.
Transit connections: Commuter Rail (Haverhill)
Overall….yk what, yeah, this shithole of a station DESERVES to be shuttered. I genuinely have nothing good to say about it. BANISH TO THE UNDERWORLD! If depression had a Commuter Rail station, this is it.
Alrighty, for this we’re heading out to the far end of the Worcester Line, almost as far out as the heart of the Commonwealth. However, we’re stopping short of Worcester because I’m holding off for construction to finish out there. So, as a holdover, here’s Grafton.
Graffitied Helvetica!
Unlike half of the Worcester Line, Grafton is located out in the middle of nowhere. I’m not even making this up. There’s genuinely nothing in the station’s walkshed. To demonstrate this, here’s a screenshot of what 15 minutes of walking can get you.
Yep.
The only notable things in there are just an office park and Tufts University’s veterinarian school. Yeah……this station is a prime example of “relatively poor land use” though I do give it credit for being nice and quiet. Anyways, the station itself. It isn’t that noteworthy. You have a footbridge to the inbound platform, a long ramp with benches (what is this, rural Uphams Corner?), and a copious amount of parking. Oh yeah, apparently the WRTA stops here, too. Neat! As a random aside, this general region of Massachusetts also happens to be the birthplace of the EDI (created by an unhinged transit nerd named Ben), which is a measure of how not-straight a land-based transit route is (land-based being anything that isn’t a ferry, car, or airplane). Random fun fact, the B shuttle that runs here has an EDI of 1.32. Neat! Right, station itself. It really isn’t much, being a Worcester Line park and ride. You’ve also got mini-highs (could/should be full-length highs!). Yeah, I got nothing noteworthy to add.
Next stop: Worcester!The platformOnwards!That’s a long ramp.Closer shotParking and busway!Pine Street!Towards Worcester!Bench!That’s a very long ramp…Another overpass shotBack towards Boston!Birthplace of the EDI! (not really)
The good: The hill’s nice, and it’s pretty quiet being in the middle of nowhere! There’s also a decent amount of parking!
The bad: The WRTA isn’t signed here, and it’s in the middle of nowhere…..yeah, sorry. 🙁
Nearby points of interest: Just Tufts’ veterinarian school and an office park. There really isn’t anything here.
(NOTE: this will be rendered obsolete when the new Middleborough station opens with the South Coast extension. That will be linked when it’s ready.)
Middleborough, Middleborough, Middleborough… What do you have as an end-of-line Commuter Rail station? Well…..
OH LAWD THAT’S A LONG SIGN
This has got to be, quite possibly, one of the longest station names on the entire Commuter Rail system to be printed in Helvetica Bold typeface. Maybe second to “Commuter Rail to Boston” heading Newtonville (is that inbound or outbound?). Well, whatever. The station is pretty standard. You have your shelter, a departure board with all trains signed for Track 1 (duh, there’s only one track), a copious amount of parking, and allegedly a GATRA bus connection. I mean, it exists in timetables and GTFS at least? There’s also some apartments nearby, though not to the same degree as Windsor Gardens. Lastly, there’s also the CapeFLYER during the summer, which if rumors are to be had, this station is expected to be orphaned to CapeFLYER-only status after South Coast Rail opens, and presumably with a rename to not cause confusion with new Middleborough? Maybe rename to “North Lakeville” or something? Location? It’s not really in Middleborough or near the town center. Eww.
The trainDeparture boardThat’s a lot of parkingIs this necessary?!There’s even a kiss & ride, and I think GATRA boards here?Towards BostonAnother signYet another parking pictureI hate photographing these.An HSP facing towards Hyannis
The good: It’s got some bicycle racks, a lot of parking (maybe too much?), shelters and usual amenities to expect from a standard Commuter Rail station. It’s also got full level boarding (which will be a common theme with this section of the network) so yay.
The bad: It’s kinda in the middle of nowhere, far from anything…
Nearby points of interest: Not a lot. I mean, if you’re willing to walk a bit down a stroad, you have a Shell gas station and a local pizzeria!
My friend Metropolis has been quoted with saying “they put a Commuter Rail station in someone’s backyard” and I followed up with “not once, but twice”. This was in regards to Endicott and Islington. However, what if I told you they did this to an apartment complex as well? Meet: Windsor Gardens.
Helvetica signage!Apartment complex signage!
Windsor Gardens is an apartment complex located in Norwood, Mass., and has no transit connection aside from the Franklin/Foxboro Line. It is also not very accessible by ADA standards either, which is a big “yikes”. However, as for what the station DOES offer? Well, the station is a big selling point for the apartments here (which are by no means affordable, they start at $2000 a month for a 1 bed! But, there’s amenities included like clubhouses, playgrounds, and the Commuter Rail.), for one. For two, you have a nice creek running through the area. And three, you have a nice little sheltered waiting area on the end of the platform towards Boston. Neat! Overall, it’s actually kinda nice. However…..there is a second illegal entrance people use, which may have been a source of a trespasser strike the day before I came out here… yeah….. if that entrance was legitimate, it’d make a walk to the 34E a lot faster.
F40PH!!!The backside of the trainWhat a lovely little creekI hate photographing these.They probably bought this shelter from Lowes or Home Depot.Towards Boston!The apartment complex!
The good: It’s waist-deep in an apartment complex, and as such is a major selling point! It’s also a flag stop for all trains, being one of two stations to hold that title.
The bad: It’s inaccessible, single-tracked, the secret path that allegedly exists is a safety hazard (someone DIED, allegedly, the day before I came out here), and I can’t help but feel 2 shelters might not be enough. Oh well!
Nearby points of interest: The Commons at Windsor Gardens!
Penn Station?! Wait, you mean, THE Penn Station?! Penn Sta.-NEW YORK?! Oh yes! Penn Station-New York! Penn Station is, simply put, THE BUSIEST STATION IN ALL OF NORTH AMERICA. Well, there’s a lot to cover here, so buckle up and hold on for dear life!
The station signage and an NJT train!
Alrighty, so there’s a lot to cover, and I’ll be starting from the Amtrak, NJT, and LIRR platforms. The platforms are TINY, to put it lightly! They’re well-lit though, so there’s that, and there’s escalators going straight up. One end will bring you to the old Amtrak concourse (near where the LIRR and NJT concourses are), while the other end will bring you to Moynihan Train Hall. I’ll touch on that later. Going up the escalator to the concourse, it’s……..bad. Uh oh…
Oh dear god…
I didn’t opt to get many pictures of the old concourse because it was just bad, but rest assured that I was immensely overwhelmed by the low-hanging tight corridors. However, it gets better (I mean this in a genuine manner), as my next stop was the LIRR concourse. And, HOLY SHIT THIS IS AMAZING! This is actually quite nice, and dare I say modern, if I say so myself. You have shopping, an LIRR customer service booth, ticketing machines, a waiting area, a LOT of retail spaces, and entrances to the 7th Ave. Line on the MTA subway. Directly above is Madison Square Garden as well, as a fun aside. Neat! From here, I proceeded towards the NJT concourse. It’s an alright area, though it’s an absolute labyrinth still. Eventually, I reached it, it looked standard with departure boards and there was even a waiting area. I presume there’s also a ticket booth and machines here as well. I then pressed on further to another concourse, presumably for Amtrak. This concourse was also huge, quite open, and was largely similar to the LIRR concourse. It’s here that the 8th Ave. Line can be accessed from within the station, and that was my next stop before heading outside. However, before then, I’ll cover Moynihan.
MTA Police booth and LIRR waiting areaWoah. THIS IS NICE!The LIRR concourseSome NJT stuff and wayfinding!Some more of the LIRR concourseThe NJT concourseThe NJT waiting areaAn itty bitty Amtrak departure boardAmtrak waiting area in one of the concoursesNorthbound local tracks for the C and E routesThe 8th Ave. Line and wayfinding
So, chronologically, I checked out the 8th Ave. Line’s station, walked to Moynihan on the streets, then did the 7th Ave. Line’s station, however I’m saving the subway stations for the end. So, I got out and walked the streets of NYC and it was VERY IMPOSING. Like, I felt SMALL among the skyscraper canyon. I must also note the headhouse I came out of looked pretty freakin’ cool, too. I digress, though, as I ventured out towards Moynihan one block over because I kept getting lost in the many concourses underground. Yikes. The walk wasn’t too bad though, in spite of the cold weather. Eventually, I did make it to Moynihan though, so there’s that!
Subway signageWell, this is actually kinda nice!This felt very imposingThis, even moreso. (this became my lock screen picture!)Another subway headhouse. But, just call it “Penn Station” rather than “34th St.-Penn Station”, though! And where’s the 8th Ave. Line?!BUS connection.I spy Moynihan…Another subway headhouseHOLY FUCKING SHIT, IT’S MADISON SQUARE GARDEN!MOYNIHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!!!CitiBikes, even though they’re a death trap around here…Some high risesHERE’S YOUR DAMN FLIXLOT!
Alrighty, Moynihan. It’s alright. It’s actually very beautiful visually. However, there’s one major glaring flaw. The Amtrak facilities are located here (this is the official Amtrak area!), as is quite a bit of shopping and restaurants. However, there’s two, actually, glaring flaws. First, WHERE THE FUCK IS THE SEATING?! HOW DO YOU EXPECT PEOPLE TO WAIT HERE WHEN THE TICKETED WAITING AREA FILLS UP FAST AND THERE’S NO BENCHES IN THE MAIN CONCOURSE HERE?! WHAT THE FUCK, AMTRAK?! Second, the boarding procedures. You can circumvent them using the old concourse, but THAT SHOULDN’T EVEN BE A THING. TO BOARD YOUR TRAIN, EVERYBODY HAS TO LINE UP AT AN ESCALATOR, HAVE THEIR TICKET SCANNED BEFORE GOING DOWN, BOARD THEIR TRAIN, AND THEN HAVE THEIR TICKET SCANNED AGAIN AFTER THE TRAIN IS DEPARTED. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS THIS BULLSHIT?! AND THEN FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND ON THE MAPLE LEAF, THEY STILL HAVE TO CHECK YOUR ID AT THE BORDER ANYWAYS. FUCK YOU, AMERICAN BORDER PROTECTION AND YOUR ARCANE PRACTICES. (do note this is mainly an issue with the Maple Leaf and Adirondack, and is not applicable to anything else, and it probably boils to State Department bullshit than DOT bullshit) FUCK YOU AMTRAK FOR THINKING YOU’RE AN AIRLINE. AND FUCK YOU TO WHOEVER STRIPPED BENCHES FROM MOYNIHAN! Anyhow, now to do the subway stations!
The entry from 34th St. & 8th Ave.MOYNIHAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!!!!! But, where’s the seating?!Amtrak’s waiting areaSome businesses and the LIRR departure boardSome more LIRR stuff
The subway stations are pretty bogstandard. Like, they’re your average underground station with either 2x islands or 2x sides+island setup serving local and express trains. There’s really not a lot to talk about here, in all honesty. You have faregates, MetroCard machines (no OMNY? Really?), and a MTA TPD presence as well. And, with that, finishes up the busiest station in all of North America.
8th Ave. Line!I. HATE. THESE.I got my MetroCard here!8th Ave. E route!help what does this translate to ;(An R….oh fuck what’s this34TH STREET PENN STATIONThe other station’s fare control!TO PENNA R.R. STATIONthe fuck is an uptownModern station signage!THERE IS A. DOWNTOWN. EXPRESS. THREE. TRAIN TO. FLATBUSH AVENUE. APPROACHING THE STATION PLEASE STAND AWAY FROM THE PLATFORM EDGE.#2 7th Ave. Line!
The good: The station is HUGE and is very major. Like, it’s the busiest station in the country! There’s a lot of retail as well, and is the central hub for NJT and one of the LIRR’s major termini (alongside Grand Central, Atlantic Terminal, and Jamaica). It’s also located in the heart of Manhattan, so there’s that. And, furthermore, there really is no excuse to drive into this station when transit connections are probably the strongest in the country here.
The bad: THERE’S NO FUCKING SEATING IN THE MOYNIHAN TRAIN HALL! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WERE THEY SMOKING?! ALSO, WOULD IT HAVE KILLED THEM TO HAVE A MAP WITH “YOU ARE HERE” IN THE CONCOURSES BELOW?! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Nearby points of interest: Madison Square Garden! You also have Hudson Yards, Times Square, Chelsea Park, the Empire State Building, and many other things as well.
Transit connections: Amtrak (Acela, Regional, Adirondack, Berkshire Flyer, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Keystone, Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Silver Services) LIRR (Port Washington, Hempstead, Port Jefferson, Oyster Bay, Ronkonkoma, Montauk, Far Rockaway, Babylon, West Hempstead, Long Beach) NJ Transit (Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, Montclair-Boonton, Morristown, Raritan Valley, Gladstone) 7th Ave. (1, 2,3) 8th Ave. (A, C, E) MTA bus (M7, M20, M34 SBS, M34A SBS, SIM23, SIM24, Q32)
Overall, Penn Station is the busiest station in the country and all of North America. I don’t think I’ve done it enough justice in this entry (as with Grand Central there…), however, for being the largest station in North America, it surprisingly sucks. Idk, maybe I’m holding it to too high a standard, but it just….idk. Bleh. But, as much as I hate to do it for the busiest station in North America, I can’t really give it a 10/10 like I was hoping to. Sorry, New Yorkers. It’s a good station overall, but there’s no way it’s a 10/10 as there’s major flaws.
Grand Central Terminal was built in 1913 by the New York Central Railroad, at the intersection of 42nd St. and Park Avenue in central Manhattan, New York City. The station is largely timeless and iconic in American culture, to the point where “Meet me at the clock” is synonymous with Grand Central. In the present day, it’s the terminus of Metro-North’s East of Hudson ops. In 2023 (a year ago as of writing this!), the MTA built East Side Access which brought the LIRR about 20 stories beneath Grand Central into a new concourse called “Grand Central Madison”. However, I’m just referring to the whole station (MNRR, LIRR, and subway) as “Grand Central Terminal”. With that out of the way, I present: GRAND! CENTRAL ! TERMINAL!!!!!!!
Station signage at the Flushing Line platform
So, starting off the station review at the Flushing Line platform, the platforms are largely normal, being an island configuration. You, of course, have benches and wastebaskest, usual stuff. The Lexington Ave. Line’s platforms are above the Flushing Line’s, and is the same deal, just with two islands and 4 tracks instead. From there, a very long concourse connects the two platforms over to the shuttle platform for Times Square service, and heading out through the concourses, it can get quite crowded. Bleh.
This was at Times Square, but it’s still a Flushing Line train no less.Oh HELL NO, crowded concourse!Mosaic at the Lexington Ave. line’s platformAn R62AA veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery long concourseThe shuttle platformFinally, out of the subway station!
Entering the concourses from here, there’s entrances to Summit, TD Bank, and various other things, and at this point I got lost and just exited the station. So, off to the streets of Park Ave. and eventually back into Grand Central! Eventually, I reentered by where the shuttle exit is, and into Grand Central! WOOO!!! From here, I decided to check out the NYC Transit Museum, which was pretty cool, and then commence the full review of Grand Central’s headhouse. It was AMAZING!!! It’s so huge too! There’s shopping everywhere around the station, as if it’s a shopping mall in of itself. There’s a Metro-North ticket office in the center of the concourse, along with the famous clock and departure boards. There’s many other concourses here that are lined with many, many shops and behind the departure boards are the upper level Metro-North tracks. Neat! There’s even an Apple Store exclusive to the upper level! The lower level of Grand Central’s non-LIRR section has the dining concourse and even more tracks. Grand Central North is also pretty average and is much like the rest of the station.
The station headhouse. This is GORGEOUS!The MetLife Building!The entrance by Vanderbilt Ave.!The Transit MuseumThe Metro-North tracksThe main concourse. This is HUGE!NEXT STOP MELROSE, THE NEXT STOP ON THIS TRAIN IS MELROSE! THE DESTINATION IS NORTH WHITE PLAINS.The Apple Store!Shopping!Even more shopping!…wayfinding?Grand Central Market!The dining concourse!
Moving on to the LIRR concourse. It’s alright. I mean, it’s clean for what it is, and there’s amenities down there. Among them are your usual restrooms, ticketing office, waiting area, and 4 sets of tracks (tracks 201-204 and 301-304). However, where’s the seating at the tracks and in the concourse itself? Furthermore, the hike down to track level is REALLY REALLY LONG. LIKE, PERHAPS EVEN LONGER THAN PORTER SQUARE. YIKES! But overall, the concourse is alright, there’s signs that Andrew Cuomo was involved (if it says “EXCELSIOR!” it was probably Cuomo!), and there’s art in a couple of places.
The entryway into the LIRR concourseA concourseThe main LIRR concourseDepartures. Actually very small vs. in MNRR’s concourseAn M9!Towards limbo!Boooooo….
The good: The LIRR concourse is brand spankin’ new! Furthermore, the station is just outright gorgeous and is probably a 10/10 in appearances alone. The subway station is pretty good as well, even if the MTA prioritizes function over form. Metro-North also frequently departs from here and, at rush hour, it can get REALLY BUSY. Then again, this is also the THIRD BUSIEST STATION IN THE ENTIRE FREAKIN’ COUNTRY. YES, IT’S THAT MAJOR A STATION.
The bad: The LIRR concourse is a mile deep! It’s also a little easy to get lost… But, surely, it can’t get worse, right? Right??????
Nearby points of interest: The station itself! Bryant Park is nearby, and you have LITERALLY ALL OF EAST-OF-HUDSON METRO-NORTH AND MOST ELECTRIC LIRR TERRITORY. The Lexington Ave. Line runs here with the #s 4-6 routes running through as well, and the Flushing Line’s #7 route to Hudson Yards and, well, Flushing. There’s also many a local and express bus connection as well to the other boroughs.
Transit connections: Metro-North (Harlem, Hudson, New Haven, New Canaan, Danbury) LIRR (Port Washington, Hempstead, Port Jefferson, Ronkonkoma, Far Rockaway, Babylon, West Hempstead, Long Beach) 42nd St. Shuttle Flushing (7) Lexington Ave. (4, 5, 6) MTA bus (M1, M2, M3, M4, M42, M101, M102, M103, Q32, BxM1, BxM3, BxM4, BxM6, BxM7, BxM8, BxM9, BxM10, BxM11, BxM18, BM1, BM2, BM3, BM4, BM5, QM21, QM31, QM32, QM34, QM35, QM36, QM40, QM42, QM44, SIM4C, SIM6, SIM8, SIM8X, SIM11, SIM22, SIM23, SIM24, SIM26, X27, X28, X34, X38, X63, X64, X68)
Overall, I really like Grand Central. It’s easily got to be the most gorgeous station I’ve reviewed thus far, and is probably a contender for “most beautiful stations I’ll ever visit”. Will anything beat it? I doubt it. Nevertheless, even the LIRR area is beautiful despite its flaws. And with that, that concludes the review of the 3rd busiest station in North America. I mean, it’s a great station, but a part of me feels like I can’t do it enough justice…
Next stop on the subway, I decided to deviate to 96th Street-Lexington Avenue. Now, some people will question my sanity and ask “why 96th?” to which I just simply say, “The Google Maps picture looked cool and I wanted to check it out.” I know, lame excuse. But, whatever. Without further ado, here’s 96th Street Station.
Yet another standard sign. Bleh.NOW THIS IS MORE LIKE IT!
96th St. is your standard local station with two sides. In the case of the Lexington Ave. Line, the express tracks are underneath the local tracks, so you won’t really get any express action. The station’s largely standard. On the wall, there’s a mosaic that reads “96TH STREET”, presumably original to the station, and there’s stairs up to the mezzanine. In the mezzanine is an area dubbed “the balcony” where you can look down onto the tracks. Quite truthfully, it’s kinda cool and I’ve yet to find any other station like it. Going up into the mezzanine, you have benches, the windows looking down onto the tracks, the faregates, and MetroCard machines. There are no elevators, and the station isn’t accessible, sadly. For accessibility, one would have to utilize bus connections, namely the M101 or M102 from Harlem-125th.
A Bombardier R62A on the #6 Lexington Ave. LineLooking south towards the city center!And north towards the Bronx!The stairs upLooking down to track levelAnother train!BUS connection.The headhouse! Look, Brookie, a Starbies!
The good: It serves the local neighborhood, and it has some standout qualities, namely the window overlooking the platform! It’s also served 24/7 (as is most of the subway network).
The bad: It’s not accessible, and one would have to change for a bus at Harlem-125th for accessibility…
Nearby points of interest: It’s on the edge of the Carnegie Hill neighborhood, and there’s an Islamic cultural center halfway between here and the Q route’s 96th St. station. And, for the railfans out there, Metro-North’s portal at 97th St. is nearby as well. Neat!
Transit connections: Lexington Ave. (6) MTA bus (M96, M101, M102, M103)
Overall, it’s a passable station. In the grand scheme of things, it’s about average with little special going for it. Sorry! But at least it’s not dogshit though!
