Thursday, April 1, 2010

That would truly be a train to nowhere

"Among the subway trains of Queens Boulevard, the F is the most predictable. Days, nights, weekends, holidays- it is always an express from 179th Street to Coney Island. Imagine my surprise when I saw this erroneous sign on the Manhattan-bound platform at the Sutphin Blvd. station.

The train goes to Coney Island via Queensbridge. It does not terminate there." - anonymous

4 comments:

Matt said...

Poorly worded, but I think they mean that it runs express between 71st and Queensbridge.

Anonymous said...

I think they are warning us about more serious service cuts than previously anticipated.

After all, those of us who lived through the 70's fiscal crisis may already be planning to dynamite the bridges and pull up the drawbridges in Queens.

Anonymous said...

You're right, anonymous, the platform signs always list the destination. It should say, "to Coney Island all times"

Ridgewoodian said...

I agree with Matt, that was the obvious intention. I'm not sure if each platform edge sign identifies the terminal that the train is travelling towards. I'll have to check that out. Or maybe someone can find a copy of the latest MTA Sign Manual.

In the meantime, if you want to read a nine page article about the evolution of MTA signs in general, and the use of various typefaces on them in particular, HERE it is.