mahna mahblog :: End of an Era

Monday, 14 April 2003

I knew this was coming, but I don’t keep up on NYC news as well as I’d like, so I did not know until today that tokens for the New York subway were sold for the very last time this past weekend. [Feel free to use the user/pass pair “gatsby/daisy” if you don’t have a NYT account.]

Back in college, visiting New York was nothing but a dream, and a friend named Anastasia gave me a subway token as a sort of “you’ll get there someday” keepsake. There has been an MTA token on my keychain ever since. Now it’s a relic. Sigh.

I have to admit that Metrocards are nifty and convenient, but I’ve always liked the tokens. The very idea that the transit system was so important as to merit its own currency struck me with awe the first time I found myself in Manhattan. I never knew the subway in the pre-electronic-turnstile era, but I always enjoyed the clink of the token as it slipped into the slot just prior to the distinctive beeeeee emitted by the gate when the green GO appears.

Aaaargh! It has been 205 days since I was last in New York. This is entirely unacceptable.

posted to /news at 6:14pm :: 3 responses

Byrne Reese had this to say (04/14/2003 22:08:27):

I experienced a similar sense of awe when I went to Chuck E. Cheese for the first time! Not only did they have their own currency for use in their electronic entertainment devices, they also had a unique and intriguing bartering system based on paper tickets! Who knew such an economy could flourish!?

Yael had this to say (04/16/2003 16:45:13):

So when are you starting your long-awaited book on the NYC subway system (including the phantom subway)?

/\/\/\/ had this to say (04/16/2003 16:52:15):

Typical Yael: Always dreaming up new projects for me! :) First, though, Major Art Project #2 (which is subway related) must be completed. That will probably happen sometime this summer. Stay tuned.

Your thoughts?