Queens' Remaining Redbird

I’m a subway fan. Not during those times when I’m in NYC during summer rush hours, when it’s 100 degrees down there and have to wait till several trains pass until I can find one to squeeze onto. I’m far from one of those guys who always have to ride in the first car and look out the front window (though I admit I’ll do that now and then) and I’ve never had the slightest inclination to actually sneak in to the yard, jimmy my way in the cab and actually take one for a spin. But, I’ve been on several of the Transit Museum’s periodic “Nostalgia Tours” where vintage cars from the museum actually take to the subway tracks again.

The Kew Gardens courthouse area employs thousands of people, but for some, it’s the last place you want to be, whether you’re on jury duty or for those accused of a crime.

That’s why, when I was on a two-day jury duty stint at the courthouse near Queens Boro Hall back in May 2007, I was pleasantly surprised to see that an R33 #9075 had been placed here as a Queens Visitors’ Center (and had been there since early 2005).

The handicapped-access platform has even been mocked up to look like an el station, in the days when they had wood planks for floors. New versions of radial-wave lamps have been installed (though these were never used to illuminate subway platforms; they were mostly used on side streets).

There are little surprises to be found – mainly flyers for local attractions around the borough, restaurant, museum and entertainment venue flyers. There’s a map of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, even though the southern entrance is several blocks to the northwest on Jewel Avenue.

But the car provides a novel, yet totally local, touch to the Boro Hall area. The Redbird has become something of a Queens iconic symbol — R 33 and 36 cars plied the Flushing Line from 1964 to 2002.