Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

#1

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/19/14 at 10:31pm

Here's a new collection of high resolution images from underground NYC in the 1970s and 1980s. I am sure there are a handful on here who well remember these days in the big apple...










Over 60 Stunning Photos HERE

#2

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/19/14 at 10:37pm

I was not here at that time, so I love this collection.

Most of my image of the Subways from that era is from the original TAKING OF PELHAM 123. Or THE WARRIORS.

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Words don't deserve that kind of malarkey. They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good anymore…I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.

#3

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/19/14 at 10:45pm

This is my new treasured collection as well, jnb. I am a west coaster, born and raised, and did not move to NYC until 2001. I love these photos.

#4

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/19/14 at 10:48pm

That's totally Meryl Streep in one of those photos.

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#5

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/19/14 at 10:50pm

I was thinking the same thing. I wish I could enlarge it, though!

#6

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/19/14 at 11:01pm

Yeah, that is definitely Streep. I've seen that photo of her somewhere before.

#7

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/19/14 at 11:08pm

Keith Haring too.

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#8

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/19/14 at 11:08pm

Missed Streep. There's Keith Haring and a Michael Jackson impersonator, though.

#9

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/19/14 at 11:10pm

And these guys.

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#10

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/19/14 at 11:19pm

Yep.
I remember it well.

In the 80s I would have been the girl in the grey power suit. Beige stockings. Plain cotton shirt. Running shoes. (Boring!)

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"Two drifters off to see the world. There's such a lot of world to see. . ."

#11

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/19/14 at 11:53pm

I see Streep now - and that actually does look like Michael Jackson.

I used to love a lot of the old graffiti - especially the work done on the outside of cars (of which you see very little here). Some of that work was amazing.

I was always on the lookout for Haring's work. Love his radiant babies.

#12

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/20/14 at 5:04am

"That's totally Meryl Streep in one of those photos."

Yes, it is Streep. It was taken in the late 1970s either for a Newsweek or Time cover story and she was living in NYC at the time and she told the reporter that she loved the subway -- the quote was (I am paraphrasing) something like "if the rich and middle class don't use the subway system it could lead to the downfall of this great city."

#13

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/20/14 at 6:43am

That doesn't look like an impersonator of MJ, I think it's him.

I remember the subways like this all too well. Coming home at 2:30 a.m. after waiting tables at Palsson's Supper Club to my place in Brooklyn. Scary stuff.

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#14

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/20/14 at 8:18am

http://i.imgur.com/B9qoDCq.png

http://i.imgur.com/VZkoEzd.png




And yeah, that's definitely MJ. I found another photo from a different source. Sadly, these photos are from the set of a music video filming. Nothing more.

#15

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/20/14 at 10:32am

The awakening of graffiti artist as icon. I loved it.

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<-----I'M TOTES ROLLING MY EYES

#16

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/20/14 at 3:43pm

The subways were a scary place back then. Notice the number of transit ops in the photos. Today they announce if you see something strange notify a transit cop…. problem is, I haven't seen on on a train in years!

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#17

Our NYC Subways in the 70's and 80's

Posted: 1/20/14 at 10:06pm

I remember the subways of the period well, and, trust me, they were rarely as empty as they appear in most of the photos. Those shots must have been taken at 3 a.m.