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How did NYC subways get their names?
When the first city-run subway service, the Independent Subway System (IND), launched, it used the letters A through H, and S (for special), to name its routes, Shapiro said. “A single letter meant it was an express train, double meant local,” she explained. All three systems were merged and taken over by the city.
What letter was never used on the NYC subway?
O
The letters I and O were never used for trains because of their visual similarities to the numbers 0 and 1 and the use of both alphabetical and numerical designations in the New York Subway system.
Who designed the NYC subway signs?
Massimo Vignelli’s
Graphic Design Legend Massimo Vignelli’s NYC Subway Design. Until the mid-1960s, navigating the NYC subway system meant stepping into chaos. It was a labyrinth of mismatched signage and overlapping communication styles with no real pattern or logic.
What are the subway lines in NYC called?
Line listing
| Division | Line | Borough(s) |
|---|---|---|
| B (IND) | Eighth Avenue Line | Manhattan Brooklyn |
| A (IRT) | 42nd Street Shuttle | Manhattan |
| B (BMT) | 63rd Street Line | Manhattan |
| B (IND) | 63rd Street Line | Manhattan Queens |
What does Ind stand for subway?
Independent Subway System
Route map. The Independent Subway System (IND or ISS), formerly known as the Independent City-Owned Subway System (ICOSS) or the Independent City-Owned Rapid Transit Railroad (ICORTR), was a rapid transit rail system in New York City that is now part of the New York City Subway.
Do NYC subways go underwater?
Some trains go underwater and some go over the Manhattan Bridge or the Williamsburg Bridge. The ones that go over bridges are in lower Manhattan. If you look closely on a subway map, you’ll see in itty-bitty print the words “Williamsburg Bridge” or “Manhttan Bridge” next to the lines.
What is the NYC subway called?
The subway system is usually just referred to as the “trains.” Locals say “I can take the train to your place” to generally mean that they take the subway. The subway is never referred to as the metro, underground, or tube.
What is Massimo Vignelli famous for?
Massimo Vignelli was a celebrated twentieth century versatile Italian graphic and industrial designer. He worked in several domains of designing including package design, furniture design, showroom design and warehouse design. He established his own firm, Vignelli Associates, in partnership with his wife.
What is the nomenclature of the New York City subway?
New York City Subway nomenclature. Important terms include lines, or individual sections of subway, like the BMT Brighton Line; services, like the B, which is a single train route along several lines; and stations, such as Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue, which connects multiple lines and services.
How do subway signals work in New York City?
All divisions of the New York City subway use what is now called “wayside color-light block signalling”, that is, signals are physically located to the side of the track (as opposed to being overhead, or transmitted directly to the train), utilize the colors of lights (as opposed to semaphores or other devices,…
Why do NYC subway routes have letters and numbers?
Management began emphasizing the letters and numbers in 1967, when the BMT and IND divisions merged and caused establishment of several new routings. Many New Yorkers still use the older names in addition to the letters and numbers. The first New York subway route code was the now-forgotten BMT code of about 1925.
What is the history of the New York City subway?
History of the New York City Subway. The first underground line opened on October 27, 1904, almost 35 years after the opening of the first elevated line in New York City, which became the IRT Ninth Avenue Line. By the time the first subway opened, the lines had been consolidated into two privately owned systems,…