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Comparing Chicago and New York is like comparing a bicycle and a motorcycle, IMHO. In fact, I don't think any U.S. city is comparable to NYC. New York is overwhelming and even frightening in its immensity, vitality and diversity.
Do you even know that NYC's Borough's have Elevated lines? Seems not. They merely removed the elevated lines in Manhattan. The Borough's use theirs to this day...... honestly.
As for Chicago building new subways? No plans to. FIRST Chicago is restoring and revamping what it has to take it into future decades. BEFORE EXPANSIONS even. In the 80s it did expand lines to both of its airports. NYC didn't even do that. Chicago actually closed some lines in the 60s good or bad it happened. No New subway is planned. A crosstown line at most and expansion is hoped to do.
Billions are being spent to increase efficiency and ability to add more trains, upgrades and new stations in a 10-yr period is to be underway this or next year. Both the city's North side lines have reached peak 1920s ridership. Delays and a need of a cross-over between lines to allow for more trains is a 2-billion project to begin
Chicago actually likes its L. Toronto likes its Trolley's. To me Trolley's with overhead wires are not flattering and outdated. But we use them.... Chicago does not have old suffice style Trolley's AFFECTED BY WEATHER with its overhead wires and Trolley's also have winters not its friend.
So if you want some comment to say ----> Chicago NOT building new subways like Toronto means it will continue to be less along with slow growth in population? I won't. We are in different Nations and more US cities have financial issues to have it less massively looking at mass transit. Nothing new there. NYC is planning a new subway after decades of more neglect then not.
LA got billions from the Feds in matching funds this year to bring it more in a transit city mode. Chicago got matching funds of 1.1-billion this year for RESTORATION OF EXISTING LINES IT CHOOSES TO GIVE PIORITY TOO. It is no secret that Chicago's lines ALL run to its core. There is no cross-town lines but for going through the core first.
But it is a one core city. Trains have suburban access of its lines and passenger trains between its core and suburbs. Most US cities are Cash-strapped. They choose projects to preserve, restore, rebuild infrastructure necessary first. Most other projects are not new major subway lines.
Chicago has had to rebuild its expressways with Lake Shore Drive left. It had to rebuild its huge underground Parking garages downtown to its double and triple level roadways in the core. Oldest section opened in 1936.
Infrastructure upkeep has to be a priority of older cities that boomed many decades ago first.
Again Chicago's L to claim weather made its 120-year run STUPID and infer??? Its subway segments are as noise and more and are not the best smelling. Only in speed is it superior and its tracks get no snow and ice. New subways can be great. But unlikely for Chicago.
Having some of its surface lines in its expressway centers was a great choice too. Makes sense in no additional homes needed to be destroyed as building its expressways divided and devastated neighborhoods once.
** Do you have more poor choices to add for Chicago? Or add to it made a poor choice to build its L 120-years ago? Yet I reply to your post knowing true intent. (opinion)
You're reading too much into this. If you want to talk about Toronto feel free to revive the Toronto vs Chicago vs San Francisco thread, I'm not going to be baited into that discussion here.
Last edited by Mr. Burns; 05-10-2017 at 10:25 PM..
Well like I said, if you live there you aren't going to be looking in awe out the window. So to me, riding the NYC subway does give more of a thrill. It's what riding big city public transit should be like. Even when I'm on the elevated stations outside Manhattan I'm not looking out the windows. This is why I mentioned LA, because on light rail lines you are more likely to be sitting down or having a longer ride.
lol when I was a kid I used to do that when I would ride the 7 train. It used to be my favorite train growing up in Queens just because it's above ground. I wouldn't say that I get a thrill when I ride the elevated trains like I used to when I was a kid, but I definitely still appreciate them. The 7 gets some spectacular views of Midtown Manhattan, and with all the new skyscrapers and high rises in LIC, it's kind of cool to ride thru there, as OP is saying about Chicago. I'm pissed that they got rid of Five Pointz though. That used to be my favorite part of the 7 train.
Now I live by the JMZ in Brooklyn and ride over the Williamsburg bridge on the subway everyday. The JMZ trains get a really cool view of all 4 skylines: Midtown, Fidi, Downtown Brooklyn, and LIC Queens. Plus all the East river bridges. After riding it everyday it's definitely not a thrill anymore to me, but my out of town friends love it. Every once in a while I do catch myself looking out the window admiring the view though.
My absolute favorite view from the NYC (elevated) subway is taking the A train to the Rockaways and passing over Jamaica bay through the wildlife refuge. It's beautiful in the Summer.
For people that may not know, there is a wildlife sanctuary in NYC in Brooklyn/Queens that is roughly the size of Manhattan! There is a subway (elevated) line that actually passes through it and it is my favorite NYC subway ride. The wildlife refuge is home to hundreds of different kinds of bird species and also many turtles and marine life, which you can sometimes see from the subway. If you get lucky you can see dolphins sometimes, which is not what you would expect from the NYC subway. I always get mad hype when I see dolphins! I ****ing love dolphins.
The wildlife refuge is my #1 favorite hidden gem/secret of NYC.
I guess because I never experience before and think it would be cool.
OP you might be interested in The High Line when you visit Manhattan.
There used to be elevated trains running all across Manhattan but they have all been torn down and replaced with underground tunnels, except one which was converted into an elevated park! It's easily one of the most interesting parks in all of NYC. It runs all the way from Meatpacking District in Lower Manhattan up to Hudson Yards in Midtown — a brand new massive skyscraper district. Here's a pic I took from above the High Line (from the Whitney)
OP you might be interested in The High Line when you visit Manhattan.
There used to be elevated trains running all across Manhattan but they have all been torn down and replaced with underground tunnels, except one which was converted into an elevated park! It's easily one of the most interesting parks in all of NYC. It runs all the way from Meatpacking District in Lower Manhattan up to Hudson Yards in Midtown — a brand new massive skyscraper district. Here's a pic I took from above the High Line (from the Whitney)
The first underground lines were opened in the early 1900s (as in '00s) which is around the same time the first elevated lines were torn down. And the last el in Manhattan to be torn down (I beleive) was the 2nd ave el in the 40s. Construction on the 2nd avenue subway has been interrupted numerous times (Great depression, WW2, NYC going bankrupt in the 70s, etc.) and the first part of the 2nd avenue subway just opened 4 months ago!
If you want to see a brand new (and actual clean) NYC subway station looks like you can check that out (the Q train). It's a very weird experience for me every time I go there, even still after 4 months because it's just so unlike all the other stations. It's actually clean, well-ventilated, and has so much open space!
Edit: as other people have already mentioned: there are still many els in Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx. And even Staten Island too.
Queens is mostly underground, The Bronx is mostly elevated, and Brooklyn is pretty evenly mixed. Staten Island only has one train which is an el that runs across the entire Eastern shore of the Island.
There are about 23 different trains in the NYC subway system, and out of all of them I think there are only about 2 or 3 that Don't go above ground at some point. Even the G train comes up above ground for a little bit. I think it's just the R and the E trains that don't. Maybe I'm missing one.
Last edited by That_One_Guy; 05-10-2017 at 11:47 PM..
The first underground lines were opened in the early 1900s (as in '00s) which is around the same time the first elevated lines were torn down. And the last el in Manhattan to be torn down (I beleive) was the 2nd ave el in the 40s. Construction on the 2nd avenue subway has been interrupted numerous times (Great depression, WW2, NYC going bankrupt in the 70s, etc.) and the first part of the 2nd avenue subway just opened 4 months ago!
If you want to see a brand new (and actual clean) NYC subway station looks like you can check that out (the Q train). It's a very weird experience for me every time I go there, even still after 4 months because it's just so unlike all the other stations. It's actually clean, well-ventilated, and has so much open space!
Edit: as other people have already mentioned: there are still many els in Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx. And even Staten Island too.
Queens is mostly underground, The Bronx is mostly elevated, and Brooklyn is pretty evenly mixed. Staten Island only has one train which is an el that runs across the entire Eastern shore of the Island.
There are about 23 different trains in the NYC subway system, and out of all of them I think there are only about 2 or 3 that Don't go above ground at some point. Even the G train comes up above ground for a little bit. I think it's just the R and the E trains that don't. Maybe I'm missing one.
The C train and 42nd st shuttle also don't go above ground
OP you might be interested in The High Line when you visit Manhattan.
There used to be elevated trains running all across Manhattan but they have all been torn down and replaced with underground tunnels, except one which was converted into an elevated park! It's easily one of the most interesting parks in all of NYC. It runs all the way from Meatpacking District in Lower Manhattan up to Hudson Yards in Midtown — a brand new massive skyscraper district. Here's a pic I took from above the High Line (from the Whitney)
The High Line is indeed amazing. I love it every single time.
You're reading too much into this. If you want to talk about Toronto feel free to revive the Toronto vs Chicago vs San Francisco thread, I'm not going to be baited into that discussion here.
No thank you. I do not wish to talk about Toronto. But a series of threads got created with US cities and a vs. Toronto in. This one isn't one. That one of the 3 cities was enough. But someone did just start one on Chicago vs San Francisco (just the two). You can use your knowledge of both cities there again. You did visit Chicago since last December you put it on your bucket list for this year? I'm only going by a couple previous post of yours? Just sounded like maybe a first visit?
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Originally Posted by Mr. Burns
But Chicago is on the bucket list for me, when I get back to Toronto next year I'll road trip down for sure.
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Originally Posted by Mr. Burns
Yes I must visit Chicago some time next year, will have one of those hot dogs in your honour
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Originally Posted by Mr. Burns
Uh no. Cities all have their own positives and negatives, there is no such thing as the defacto best. It's all mostly subjective.
I Agree.
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But a series of threads got created with US cities and a vs. Toronto in. This one isn't one. That one of the 3 cities was enough. 
But someone did just start one on Chicago vs San Francisco (just the two). You can use your knowledge of both cities there again. You did visit Chicago since last December you put it on your bucket list for this year? I'm only going by a couple previous post of yours? Just sounded like maybe a first visit?
