Riding the Subway Under the Shadow of Politics
Keeping an Eye on New York Subways: Command Center in Hell's Kitchen Controls All Trains
During the tail end of the Trump administration, New York City's subway system faced political challenges with their funding. In early April 2021, the then-Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, hopped on a train for an unexpected 12-minute ride. This couldn't have been easy for the former congressman and reality TV star who had criticized the subway system as "dangerous," "violent," a "failure," a "dirty, disgusting homeless shelter," and even a "shithole."
Two weeks before his subway jaunt, Duffy had sent a letter to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) demanding that they reduce crime and present data on this reduction, or face loss of federal funding—an anticipated $14 billion as estimated by the authority. Crime on the subway has been steadily declining to record-lows according to the city's police department, with shooting incidents reaching their lowest-ever levels. In response, Duffy declared, "This is not hard. We're not sending rockets into space."
Duffy's invitation to New York City's embattled Mayor, Eric Adams, on the subway ride further stirred the political pot. Adams, who had federal charges dropped during the Trump administration, was pursued by Janno Lieber, the chair of the MTA, who was not invited on the trip. Duffy made an appointment with the MTA suggesting they work together to fight fraud, waste, and abuse, using a cryptocurrency called "Doge."
Lieber, reached by phone, replied, "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 seems to be at odds with the Trump administration's stance.
We've been commuting on the subway every day, but recently took an in-depth exploration of this system that has become a symbol of tolerance and diversity. The New York subway, built by immigrants and sewn under a river and a quilt of clay and bedrock, is crucial to the city's economy, making up 10% of the country's GDP. Dedicated workers continuously maintain the trains to keep the city functioning smoothly.
Danny Pearlstein, a director at the grassroots Riders Alliance, summed it up, "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, which is a modicum of care."
The Subway Theatre
In a secure facility in Hell's Kitchen, just a few blocks from Central Park, we were given a sneak peek into the subway control center—dubbed "the theatre"—where an impressive team of over 100 workers orchestrate the city's underground movement. The room, half an acre in size, is akin to a control center for a space mission, complete with space-age walls displaying maps of every train and line in the city.
Jose LaSalle, the acting chief of the room, provided an interesting guide through the space, highlighting the live maps of trains—with red blocks denoting late trains—and potential problem areas, such as damaged third-rail protection boards. The room is full of technology, one of which displays a string of spaghetti-like data visualizations called stringlines, where certain experts can instantly diagnose and treat train issues.
In one corner of the room, a large television screen displayed an intricate schematic of a third rail, complete with images of a damaged protection board at 231st Street in the Bronx, which was addressed to prevent service delays.
Despite the high-tech environment, the room shows traces of antiquity. Some of the subway's signals date back to the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the system still uses an obsolete third rail system that has been challenging to replace with a digital alternative, owing to the enormous cost factor.
A Collective Effort
While the precision and ingenuity of the workers in the theatre are essential in maintaining the subway system, they are up against older infrastructure in need of fixing and upgrading. The lack of investment in repairs would cost more in the long run, potentially jeopardizing the subway system's existence. Yet, the maintenance and updates required for the subway come at a high price.
The MTA aims to fund much of the necessary renovation through congestion pricing—a $9 toll on most cars entering Manhattan below 60th Street. Critics argue that the policy is discriminatory towards working- and middle-class New Yorkers, particularly for those commuting from neighboring states like New Jersey. However, congestion pricing has shown promising results, with a decline in vehicle numbers inside the toll zone, improvements in emergency response times, and reduced cyclist and pedestrian fatalities.
Duffy, who represented New Jersey as a congressman, expressed opposition to congestion pricing, calling it a "slap in the face" for working-class Americans and small-business owners. The Governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, has been a vocal critic of the program as well, questioning its impact on traffic patterns in surrounding communities and its lack of comprehensive impact studies.
However, data shows that congestion pricing is beneficial for reducing vehicle numbers and improving efficiency within the toll zone. There is a decrease in cyclist and pedestrian fatalities, faster car speeds over bridges and tunnels, increased bus speeds, and faster fire department response times.
Despite initial opposition, Governor Kathy Hochul delayed the implementation of congestion pricing until after the election in November 2021. After the program took effect in January 2022, various analyses point to less traffic, increased tourist interest, and economic growth in the toll zone. The MTA intends to use congestion pricing revenue to fund signal upgrades, extension of the East Harlem train line, and improvements to accessibility and weather resilience.
- The subway system's funding challenges within New York City during the Trump administration's tail end were of political nature.
- Sean Duffy, then the Transportation Secretary, took a surprising 12-minute subway ride, despite his public criticisms of the system.
- Two weeks prior to this ride, Duffy demanded crime reduction data from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) or risk losing federal funding.
- Duffy's invitation to New York City's Mayor, Eric Adams, during the subway ride stirred further political controversy.
- Danny Pearlstein from the Riders Alliance emphasized the importance of maintaining the subway system, noting the work done by immigrants in its construction.
- In the secure subway control center, over 100 workers orchestrate the city's underground movement, using modern technology alongside some obsolete systems.
- The implementation of congestion pricing, a $9 toll on most cars entering Manhattan below 60th Street, has been proposed for the necessary subway system renovations, despite opposition from figures like Duffy and Governor Murphy of New Jersey.
