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1920 Vintage Subway Ride in Manhattan

By
Real Estate Agent

1920 Subway Ride HBO

HBO folks dressed in prohibition era fashion are giving out free metro-cards at the 72nd Street subway station on the Upper West Side to promote season two of Martin Scorcese's Boardwalk Empire.

1920 subway free metrocard

An authentic vintage 1920’s train has been running on the express 2/3 track in Manhattan throughout September (specifically, from 12 to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays). I got to take the ride today.

1920 Subway Ride Uppwer West Sidse

Originally operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT) system, the train began service in 1917 and is once again operational.

1920 Subway Ride HBO

The vintage train has been transporting New Yorker's and visitors back in time to the Prohibition era with authentic details such as rattan seats, ceiling fans and drop sash windows, as well as a custom branded interior featuring Boardwalk Empire-inspired period artwork.  

1920 NY subway ride #3

The vintage train created curiosity, making even the most jaded New Yorkers look like tourists as they took out their phones to snap pictures.

1920 Subway Ride Uppwer West Sidse

The train was crowded today at 5:30. It was hard to get good shots because of the speed, lights and people.

1920 Express train zips past 86th Street

But they sure built them fast in 1917 because this train whizzed from 72nd Street to 96th Street.

1920 Vintage train courtest of MTA

Great marketing and promotion from HBO, pulling out all the stops for Boardwak Empire.


For a preview of tonight's premier and past episodes: HBO Boardwalk Empire

 

iPhone photos courtesy of:

Mitchell Hall, Associate Broker, The Corcoran Group

 

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Comments (11)

Susi Mitchell
Halo Group Realty - McKinney, TX

Love, love, love this!  Wish I was there!  Thanks for sharing!

Sep 24, 2011 03:50 PM
Lynda Eisenmann
Preferred Home Brokers - Brea, CA
Broker Associate ,CRS,GRI,SRES, Brea,CA, Orange Co

Hi Mitchell,

Wow, what great photos and very clever promotion. Looking at those old cars seems like a flash-back in time...thanks.

Sep 24, 2011 03:52 PM
Carlotta Remong
Berkshire Hathaway HS N.E. Prime Properties - Newport, RI

Interesting...I wonder why such great lengths if the show is any good?

Sep 24, 2011 04:05 PM
Chris Alston
Chris Alston (Keller Williams Realty, Silicon Valley, California) - Campbell, CA
Silicon Valley, California

It's neat to see them in the great period clothes, and to see them in color!  Good stuff!  :)  I don't know the show....

Sep 24, 2011 04:38 PM
Mitchell J Hall
Manhattan, NY
Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

Hi Susie, Thanks, It was fun. I heard about the train. I didn't know it was a promotion.

Hi Lynda, I remember trains like this. I'm not that old ;-) but I think they were using these trains in the 70's and 80's.

Carolotta, Maybe they need to attaract an audience. I've never seen it. I may watch tonight.

Chris, They caught me off guard and then gave me free metrocard. The train was very cookl.

Sep 24, 2011 05:07 PM
Brian Dunshie
Russ Lyon | Sotheby's International Realty - Paradise Valley, AZ
Realtor - Arizona Biltmore,Arcadia,Paradise Valley

Mitchell - what a great post - I love to hear great history - this was very cool!! Thanks

Sep 24, 2011 09:01 PM
Roger D. Mucci
Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH
Lets shake things up at your home today!

Very cool photos Mitchell...............love the vintage clothes and train.  I'd be on that train too!

Sep 24, 2011 11:15 PM
Jesse Skolkin
Independent New York State Certified Real Estate Appraiser - Fresh Meadows, NY

The "vintage" train doesn't look all that different from the old "redbird" trains that I used to ride on the 2/3 line out of Flatbush Avenue during the mid-1980's, the main difference being the rattan seats.

Sep 25, 2011 01:42 AM
Mitchell J Hall
Manhattan, NY
Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

Brian, Thanks, I love history too

Roger, Thanks, The vintage outfits are cool. At first I thought they were there promoting the new Disney musical "Newsies" until they said Boardwalk Empire and gave me the metrocard.

Jesse, I think they were using those trains in the 80's with different seats. I think they still had a few of them on the Lexington line up until very recently. Remember the old juicy fruit and dentyne gum machines? And the change machines and tokens?

Sep 25, 2011 03:44 AM
Hannah Williams
HomeStarr Realty - Philadelphia, PA
Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376

Mitchell  Yes leave it to HBO and Boardwalk previews tonight ..I am looking forward to watching it .It is a fabulous serious !

Sep 25, 2011 04:49 AM
Mitchell J Hall
Manhattan, NY
Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

Hi Hannah, I missed the first half hour. I'm watching it now

Sep 25, 2011 02:41 PM