Photo of the Day: 1980s Love!

Your article make interes to the problem.s

You had plenty of people fooled Tim N. I got a few emails asking that I get in touch with you about the photo.

One person was also under the impression that we were friends back then. I told them it would be unlikely that a poor white punk stoner kid from the Bronx would be pals with the types pictured in the photo.

But don't fret Tim, it can happen in the next life.

I was only kidding, Tien. :>)

how freaking random is it that a reader saw himself in a picture from the 1980s.

a note about color correction and old subway photos: comparing my recent work to these old slides reminded me that much more than the type of trains used have changed in the subways. the lighting used has changed too and it changed a lot.

each redbird car used to have long florescent lights fitted beneath these thick glass lenses. the subway cars were darker then as were subway platforms where a mixture of lights were used.

so yes you're right X PERT, the light in this image does seem a bit off from what we're currently used to seeing on new york's subways.

thank you everyone for comments on this and the other images in my photo stream. this hardcore noo yawka is genuinely moved.

gothamist, did you color correct that slide? You have no right to do that.

The only unsightly graffiti now is paid graffiti. I prefer graffiti to the subway ads. Well, except for the Dr. Z ads. Those are kitschy.

evidence to support that statement? or do you just enjoy making statements to sound like an idiotic bigot?

those were the days when blacks and latinos had their way. Not anymore.

Tags are definitely coming back on subway cars. They use etching fluid that is apparently impervious to cleanup. It's not as bad as that photo but it's well on the way.

Hopefully they can come up with some sort of mylar coating on the windows...the creeps tag it, and then it can be peeled off at the end of the run.

www.forgotten-ny.com

2 weeks ago I saw what looked like a ghost train on the elevated 7 in Sunnyside... they must have been clearing old cars out of the yard or something.

It was a combo of the old red cars and completely grafitti covered cars. I haven't seen anything like that here in at least 12 years. I felt like I was the first person to see graffiti on public property back about 40 years ago.

ALL the trains back then weren't like that...remember the E, and F, the F especially was the same orangey train it is today, just with more graffiti.

Instead of graffiti I have to make sure I don't sit on a garbage can littered seat..

I am glad it is half clean..If anything I just want the thing to run on time.. :)

I can never say that I am not entertained on the subway. Nice photo set..I am sure there are tons more out there..

Instead of graffiti I have to make sure I don't sit on a garbage can littered seat..

I am glad it is half clean..If anything I just want the thing to run on time.. :)

Nice photo set..I am sure there are tons more out there..

Sorry, I'm just mesmerized by the skinny ties.

(then came the yellow power tie when I was in college)

Some of my best memories were from the eighties, I too graduated in 83', like the photographer.

Remember when almost everybody had the same master key that openned up the padlocks at the gates of some empty stations? I was shocked the one I got actually worked, I'm sure it's been copied over and over again.

The body language was "I hope this isn't the ride I get mugged on."

All of these photos are amazing. I was at Fordham (and crashing part-time at my family's in Morris Park) in the 80's, so the 2/5 and the D were our lifelines to the city. And believe me, all the trains (and most of the people) looked like that.

I can remember once when one of the first fully-restored and fully-pained Redbirds (it was actually green) came into the Tremont Ave station. All the folks on the train I was on stood up, literally stood up, and ran to the doors and windows to see what it was. They had never seen a cleaned-up subway car in the flesh before.

Things change.

Whenever I see a subway interior shot like that it is always shocking to me. I looks like an extremely oppressive environment. Look how sad it made the guy on the left!

Is it me, or did people have entirely different body language 20 years ago?

i miss the trains loking like that

Shit, I think that's me on the right!

this bronx native is one of my fave photogs...a super guy. love this set of his.

Is that Chris Noth?

Is that Chris Noth?

I wish there was more awesome graffiti like that now..... on Gothamist's face!

[old school holdout/hipster] fucking yuppies ruined it all [/old school holdout/hipster]

I'll say it: THANK GOD FOR GIULIANI AND BRATTON