Riding the NYC Subway Amid Federal Roadblocks
The New York subway train surveillance hub located in Hell's Kitchen.
Even with President Trump's administration cracking down on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the butt of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's endless jeers, that didn't stop ol' Sean from taking a spin through the city's underground labyrinth for a 12-minute ride.
Let's recall that Duffy, a former congressman and reality TV star, has repeatedly described the subway as "dangerous," "violent," a "failure," a "dirty, disgusting homeless shelter," and a "shithole." Just two weeks before his subway safari, he'd authored a threatening letter to the MTA, threatening to withhold federal funding if the agency failed to reduce crime and provide solid data to support it.
Crime in the subway has tumbled to historical lows, according to the city's police department, with shooting incidents at record lows. "This isn't rocket science," Duffy dismissed, during a press conference. "We're not sending rockets into space."
Before setting off, Duffy was joined by New York's embattled mayor Eric Adams, whose federal charges were dropped by the Trump administration. Chasing them around town was Janno Lieber, the chair of the MTA, who wasn't invited along for the ride. Neither Duffy nor Lieber responded to our requests for comment.
When speaking to us, Lieber stated, "Subways, to a great extent, are where a lot of New Yorkers form their impression of whether this community - this experiment in tolerance and diversity - is working well." This experiment, however, seems to be under threat from the Trump administration.
We rode the subway daily, so we decided to immerse ourselves further in this urban underworld, traversing its structure, history, and hierarchy. The subway is more than a simple means of transportation - it's the backbone of America's largest city and contributes to 10% of the country's GDP. The system, originally built by immigrants under a river and through a quilt of clay and bedrock, is now under threat from the federal government.
Danny Pearlstein, a director at the grassroots Riders Alliance, told us, "It's amazing that our ancestors had the foresight and the ability to get it done, and what we owe it is what we owe ourselves - a modicum of care."
In a fortress-like facility in Hell's Kitchen, just a few blocks from Central Park, we were given a guided tour of the Rail Control Center, the hub for the city's underground transport network. A guard stood behind bulletproof glass, and security measures included metal detectors and elevators. With thousands of computer monitors, this mission control-type room is a technological marvel.
Jose LaSalle, the acting head of the control center, led the tour. "What you see there is live," LaSalle said, gesturing to the maps that illustrated every train and line in the city. "Those little red blocks are trains, OK?" The control room is a vital nerve center for the city's lifeblood, housing teams responsible for stations, communications, service delivery, car equipment, and maintenance of way.
The coordination on duty here is intense, with Savants monitoring stringlines - data visualizations - to detect any potential issues. Representatives of the city's police and fire departments are also present for emergencies.
LaSalle made a detour to call out the six-wire, an ancient device that emits chirps and crackles across 93 locations throughout the control center. It allows workers to communicate clearly in the event of an emergency or to discuss minor details like timetables. Of course, certain areas of the room remain antiquated, with some of the subway's signals dating back to the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, relying on analogue, "fixed-block" signaling.
As Duffy might say, "This isn't rocket science." But the journey to upgrade these systems is costly and fraught with complexity. As part of its funding efforts, the MTA plans to introduce congestion pricing - a $9 toll on cars entering Manhattan's most congested zone, below 60th Street. With a long and tumultuous history of debate, studies, and delays, the congestion pricing plan went into effect on January 5.
Although faced with initial challenges, the congestion pricing plan has begun to show its benefits. MTA data reveals fewer vehicles inside the zone, quicker traffic, lower pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, shorter fire department response times, and increased pedestrian traffic. Governor Hochul, a vocal supporter of congestion pricing, explained, "The program solves a collective action problem: unless the government steps in to save everyone time, no one saves time."
Nevertheless, the Trump administration remains unconvinced. Eric Adams, New York's mayor, who recently disembarked from a 12-minute subway ride with Duffy, balked at explaining his strategy for combating the federal government's attempts to kill the congestion pricing plan. Sean Duffy had already warned Hochul in a letter that the Department of Transportation had "terminated approval" for the plan, putting in question the the future of the MTA's funding sources.
Caught in the crossfire, the MTA has taken legal action against Duffy and his department. In the meantime, the MTA's employees continue to strive and soldier on, their passion fueled by the desire to provide the best service possible for passengers, like themselves, commuting through New York City's iconic subway system.
- The subway, essential to the 10% contribution to the country's GDP, is facing threats from the federal government, making it a topic of interest in general-news and politics.
- As the backbone of America's largest city, investments in the subway's infrastructure, like the implementation of congestion pricing, are subject to analysis in the business and finance sectors.
- The Rail Control Center, a crucial operating hub for NYC's underground transport, showcases a blend of modern technology and antiquated signaling systems, which requires continuous maintenance and upgrades, a matter of interest for industries and investors.
- The conflict between the Trump administration and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), reflected in Duffy's criticism and threats of withheld funding, raises questions about the future of the city's transportation industry and, by extension, the economy.
- The MTA's legal battle against the Department of Transportation, ignited by the administration's objections to congestion pricing, symbolizes a wider conflict between local business and federal politics, with far-reaching implications for the city's transportation, economy, and overall quality of life.
