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My favorite subway is located about 350 miles from those usually covered here. It is the Rochester subway that ran in the old Erie Canal bed. I am surprised it ran as long as it did since it was intalled by one party and opposed by the other. Left hand running since the equipment came from New York State Railways city lines. Shut down about 1955.There were attempts to revive it but some of the sections werem used by the Interstate Highway system and the CBD was no longer of imporatance .
Cleveland's rapid transit. Kind of sad and a little tired now, but back in the '50s, it was America's first postwar rapid transit with many "firsts". Nothing was cooler than those sleek blue and silver trains. Cleveland was also the first city to operate a direct rapid transit connection to its airport. But that was then. Today? Alas, poor Cleveland.
I was interested to see the Rochester Subway mentioned because I'm from there (decades ago) and I saw a portion of the subway remains near the downtown library during a visit last summer. And I purchased a book on the subject.

The Rochester Subway was a progresive venture for its time as it eliminated street running of trolleys and interurbans through downtown. Unfortunately, trolleys and interurbans were already starting to fall from favor by the time it was completed in 1927. Because the existing trolleys and interurbans loaded passengers on the right side, the subway portion used left hand running for the island platforms.

Where I grew up outside of Rochester, we had an old RS&E trolley grade in the backyard, and the NYC mainline behind that, which turned me into a lifelong railfan.

I'll nominate the London Underground as an impressive subway system because of its extensive network, the only major subway that I've travelled on much. I've improvised a high-speed battery-powered O gauge transit car which somewhat resembles a London Underground car. I've named it for my "Bump and Skitter Transit Authority - Rail Division". I haven't figured how to post photos on here yet.
My favorite were the R-1's which I rode when I was a kid. Even at a young age, I appreciated the rattan seats, the fans, and the incandescent lamps. I loved it when the cars traveled over a 3rd rail gap and the dim battery-operated lamps came on for a second. I liked being in the front car and watching the motorman operate the train. In hot weather, the motormen would prop the cab door open with a wooden wedge and a kid could look right in and ask a million questions.
I have to give it to New Yorks IRT division. I always liked the short cars with the huge trucks passing on the express tracks with mixed consist and sparks from the pick up shoes. In the summer i liked sighting the length of the train and how cool it looked going into a curve with all the end doors open, very cool with the lights going off over a switch.I also liked those tight radius turns in the tunnels, although i have to say Bostons green line wins hands down for the tightest curves in the tunnels, i thought the edge would scrape the sides!no wonder those cars have a taper on the car ends.

While strictly as a passenger I came to appreciate the later generation BMT/IND slants, I've felt that something was forever lost by not being able to look out the front window (subway/rail fan window), and learn & appreciate the engineering & design of the system's track work etc. I wonder how many others grew up wanting to be a subway motorman simply from that experience alone?

Never been on one in the U.S.  Like Mr. Hokkanen, have ridden the London Underground, the Paris Metro, and the subway out of Stockholm that runs out into

the country side to Uppsala. (from there you catch an interurban to the Viking mounds

at Gamla Uppsala)  Oh, yeah, went the wrong way on an interurban out of Copenhagen and wound up out in the boonies of Denmark in the dark.  Had to buy

another ticket to get back.

Due to an unintelligible Cockney accent, I missed the train stop announcement for Stonehenge, had to ride back, and then got to the site too late to get a bus back to the station from the ruins.  Had a pleasant three mile walk through the English country side to a bus stop at a cross roads out in the boonies (try to find one of those over here). Bus showed up, and back into London on the train.

I've ridden the London Underground the most.

  The #7 Flushing Line

  Took it to High School for 4 years. After school it could deliver me to Shea Stadium,Main st. Flushing or the smut of Times Square. On the way you would ride over the Sunnyside Yards and see the GG-1'S in action.

   When it snowed out we would have station platform snowball fights between the guys from Queens and the Bronx.

Growing up in Brooklyn, before moving to Staten Island, I used to ride the RR Line. I lived on 96th & 3rd, just 2 blocks from the last stop. Great memories.

 

Its safe to say that between the subway and the Bay Ridge Model Railroad Club, which was 0 Scale, was the result of my fascination in this hobby! Also, thanks Mom & Dad!

 

Here is a link to the club. http://www.members.tripod.com/...delrailroadclub.html

 

Cesar 

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