The 1 train connects greater Riverdale through history, art and everyday commutes
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The 1 train glides over the Harlem River from Inwood and settles onto West 225th Street, the start of Marble Hill. Exiting the train, passengers are met with the whir and bang of construction from the ongoing Broadway Bridge project. But with a slight turn, the waterfront and the lush greenery that lines the tracks comes into view. The visible waterway is about where the Harlem River and the Spuyten Duyvil Creek meet. More than a century ago, the Spuyten Duyvil creek was notorious for its rough waters, its name originating from a Dutch phrase that translates to “in spite of the devil.”
Olivia Young photos
A rare moment where a cart is completely empty during the day allows for the 1 train’s iconic red and orange seats to be absorbed in all their vibrant, warm glory. According to the New York Transit Museum, the seats were introduced in the 1970s, and quickly became iconic to riders. The seats made headlines last January when it was announced that the city would be phasing out the carts for newer, sleeker ones.
Along the walls of the West 231st Street station are multiple stained-glass works by artist Felipe Galindo, titled “Magic Realism in Kingsbridge,” done in 2008. According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the series stems from Galindo’s study of the area’s residents and the artist’s urge to engage them in the everyday surroundings they might take for granted. Galindo sought to discover the unexpected treasures of the neighborhood, the MTA said, combining life with imagination. Pictured here is a man walking out from the 1 train station, and met with a tropical island, ships bobbing along the water.
The 1 train pulls into every station with sounds familiar to those who frequent it. A slow, building rattle that turns into a roar as a rush of air hits the platform, followed by a long squeak as it slows down for passengers. Its doors open to the same ding trains citywide use, as riders settle into seats and listen for the conductor’s muffled announcements.
Visible from the heights of West 231st Street, but better absorbed at the bottom of the stairs, is “Broadway Tropics.” The mural was completed last fall by artist and Bronx resident Lisa San Felice, as well as artist Diana Capasso, who grew up in Riverdale and created “The Rose of Kingsbridge” on West 238th Street and Bailey Avenue. Both were created in partnership with nonprofit Kingsbridge-Riverdale-Van Cortlandt Development Corporation, or KRVC, as part of a larger effort to beautify the neighborhood.
At West 238th Street, in between passing trains, riders can take a moment to absorb the subway system’s intricate track patterns. Overhead is an image of some neighborhood buildings, a few hidden by trees.
At the last stop, West 242nd Street, riders walk down the steps and are met with the sprawling grounds of Van Cortlandt Park. But before the cart reaches the station, a peek out the window will show the Van Cortlandt Park Stadium, a former gathering place that was determined this past spring to be beyond repair, with demolition inevitable. But riders will also see some of the park’s most welcoming amenities — like the Van Cortlandt Skate Park, which was created by a group of teenage skaters who advocated for the park for almost a decade before it was constructed in 2017.
The 1 train is a straight shot through greater Riverdale, transporting riders from the bustle of Marble Hill to the serenity of Van Cortlandt Park in minutes. Its iconic, bright red symbol — and more-often-than-not timely arrival — is a point of pride for the northwest Bronx.
The train runs along part of the city’s original subway line, or the Interborough Rapid Transit subway, according to the New York Transit Museum. It opened in October 1904, running from City Hall to 145th Street. Over time, service extended north, ultimately reaching Van Cortlandt Park by 1907.
Riders in greater Riverdale may ride the train so frequently, they look past the pieces of art and history embedded in its route.
Keywords
1 train, 1 train subway, greater Riverdale, Riverdale, Marble Hill, Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NYC subway, New York City subway, Interborough Rapid Transit, IRT, New York Transit Museum, subway history, subway art, MTA, northwest Bronx, public transportation, Riverdale transit
