# NY Subway passengers in 1960, great photos. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 7, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754 "2012-01-07T19:06:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/1 "2012-01-07T19:06:07Z")
I wish more of these would be released online. I’d love to visit the museum exhibit in California. But can’t afford it. Notice there’s no graffiti? The subway is actually clean? 😛 What a difference from today. I love these candid shots. Its like stepping back 50 years in time. > **[A very ordinary New York underworld: Black and white pictures of 1960s subway...](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2083449/Black-white-pictures-1960s-subway-scenes-everyday-life-taken-hidden-camera.html)** > > These images were taken by photographer Enrico Natali who would hold the camera by his side and use the rangefinder to snap his secret subjects on the New York subway. Geez I’d love to see this exhibit. ☹ Maybe I can use my airline points and get out there. :dubious: > [@](#): > > The pictures are part of an exhibition entitled Publicly Private which explores the documentary style of Mr Natali and that of contemporary artist Doug Rickard, who uses Google Street View in his work. > > The exhibition will be at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art from January 14 to April 22. ---
**Author:** ![UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/46a35a/32.png) [@UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UFC_Is_Sux)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/2 "2012-01-07T19:12:03Z")
Those are amazing pictures. With the arguable exception of the woman in the first photo, everybody looks so grim and dour (but then again this IS New York City). It’s like they’re all taking the final ride to meet Ol’ Sparky at the state prison. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/3 "2012-01-07T19:28:58Z")
The two little girls would be in their late fifties now. Maybe they are reading this board? 😃 The young couple in the first picture look so much in love. Hope they had a good life and raised a bunch of kids. They are probably enjoying a comfortable retirement now. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/4 "2012-01-07T19:39:22Z")
I remember those old woven subway seats. Loved them when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/5 "2012-01-07T20:22:14Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I remember those old woven subway seats. Loved them when I was a kid. My grandfather made those on contract for the city. Most people hated them because when they got worn they would crack and little spears of wicker would stick out to poke you (and mess up your stockings, if you were female). ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/6 "2012-01-07T20:29:32Z")
I lived in NYC in the 60s, and remember when there was no graffiti in the subway. And I remember those old woven seats . . . some were coarser - and much older - than those in the photos; extremely uncomfortable. I also remember that there was no air conditioning in the cars then, and it was unbearably hot in the summer. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/7 "2012-01-07T20:31:42Z")
The clothes look different but the expressions look very familiar. I’ve seen versions of that first photo a ton of times. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/8 "2012-01-07T20:35:58Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I wish more of these would be released online. I’d love to visit the museum exhibit in California. But can’t afford it. Very cool. Thanks for the heads up. I am going to have to check out that exhibit next week. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/9 "2012-01-07T21:18:31Z")
Even the \*winos \*in 1960 were better-dressed than most people are today. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/10 "2012-01-09T06:55:25Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I remember those old woven subway seats. Loved them when I was a kid. I think I saw those in the subway museum in NYC. I haven’t been to the Santa Barbara Art Museum in ages. Guess it’s time to go again! ---
**Author:** ![Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_A_Tame_Lion)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/11 "2012-01-09T09:50:09Z")
If you like pictures like that, and you don’t already know about it, you definitely want to check out [Retronaut](http://www.retronaut.co). Lots of great old images there. ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/12 "2012-01-09T14:23:22Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Notice there’s no graffiti? The subway is actually clean? 😛 What a difference from today. The subway was a lot worse in terms of graffiti and everything else from about 1975-1995 than it is today. ---
**Author:** ![TenderLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/919ad9/32.png) [@TenderLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TenderLeaf)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/13 "2012-01-09T14:30:20Z")
Wow this is nostalgia at its best. Love the images! ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/14 "2012-01-09T14:39:57Z")
> [@Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](#): > > If you like pictures like that, and you don’t already know about it, you definitely want to check out [Retronaut](http://www.retronaut.co). Lots of great old images there. or [Shorpy’s](http://www.shorpy.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/15 "2012-01-09T16:12:22Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Even the \*winos \*in 1960 were better-dressed than most people are today. I know, it’s odd. I was pondering the other day whether my parents’ generation might be the last generation ever to dress properly. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/16 "2012-01-09T16:29:11Z")
Love this kind of stuff (plus Shorpy’s and Retronaut). Anyone have other such links? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/17 "2012-01-09T20:02:45Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The two little girls would be in their late fifties now. Maybe they are reading this board? 😃 > > The young couple in the first picture look so much in love. Hope they had a good life and raised a bunch of kids. They are probably enjoying a comfortable retirement now. I was 8 when those pictures were taken, and rode often with my mother. The pictures bring me back, woven seats too. Were tokens 15 cents back then or 10 cents? I know Mayor Lindslay (a la Mike Quill) raised them in 1966. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/18 "2012-01-09T20:23:15Z")
Thanks for the tip. I’ll check them out. 😉 > [@Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](#): > > If you like pictures like that, and you don’t already know about it, you definitely want to check out [Retronaut](http://www.retronaut.co). Lots of great old images there. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/19 "2012-01-09T21:31:29Z")
About 5 pictures down, there is the caption “Passengers wait for the E and the M lines at the 51st station” Is that correct? Did the E and M ever run through that station? I’m thinking of the Lexington line station, which currently is serviced by the 6 train only. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754/20 "2012-01-10T00:46:56Z")
> [@K364](#): > > About 5 pictures down, there is the caption “Passengers wait for the E and the M lines at the 51st station” > > Is that correct? Did the E and M ever run through that station? I’m thinking of the Lexington line station, which currently is serviced by the 6 train only. the 6 at 51st is connected by a passageway to the E and M at Lexington/53rd. The photo may incorrectly labeled, but not wholly inaccurate. The E/M could never have run through 51st station itself, because the IRT (of which the 6 is one) and IND trains (of which the E& M are two) have different track gauges. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-subway-passengers-in-1960-great-photos/608754.md?page=2)