Transit advocates and the New York Transit Museum will celebrate the 7 train’s centennial today with a number of events highlighting the long history of its route along the “World’s Borough.”
The first 7 train left Grand Central on April 21, 1917 at 2 p.m. City officials, engineers and businessmen rode through Queens to celebrate the Corona extension, which connected Bridge Plaza (what is now Queens Plaza) in Long Island City and Alburtis Avenue (what is now 103 St-Corona Plaza) in Corona, according to the New York Times.
In 1917, only 150,000 riders were expected to utlize the line, which had 11 stations including Rawson Street, Lowery Street, Bliss Street, Lincoln Avenue, Fiske Avenue, Broadway, 25 Street, Elmhurst Avenue, Junction Avenue, and Alburtis Avenue. Now, the Flushing line’s 22 stations serve approximately 525,000 riders a day.
At 1 p.m., a meet and greet will take place at Grand Central Station, where members of Access Queens and the New York Transit Museum will take about the train’s past, present and future.
Guest speakers Jodi Shapiro, Joe Raskin, and Andrew Sparburg will offer a historical look at the Corona extension and guests are encouraged to take photos and videos with the hashtag #HBD7Train.
At 2 p.m., guests will ride the train to the 103 St-Corona Plaza station on a train made up of 10 vintage IRT cars manufactured between 1948 and 1964.
Not surprisingly, the 7 train is facing delays on its 100th birthday due to track maintenance at the Flushing-Main Street stop.
The New York Transit Museum will open an exhibit on July 29 titled “Minutes to Midtown” at the Grand Central Terminal Gallery to further celebrate the 7 train.
