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| Re: What is this supposed to be? (1332596) | |||
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Re: What is this supposed to be? |
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Posted by JOE @ NYCMTS - NYCTMG on Wed Jan 7 15:19:38 2015, in response to Re: What is this supposed to be?, posted by Larry,RedbirdR33 on Wed Jan 7 13:58:52 2015. Hello Larry (Redbird)There was something vibrant, exciting, mystical if so, a magical presence, if thats the word - an "aura" about that HUB area of the Bronx between 148th Street and 156th Street along and around the 3rd Ave EL and its (until 1954) Westchester Avenue Cutoff 2-track junction "Y" spur branch to the IRT West Farms EL 2 blocks away. Especially with the constant rumble, whine and groan of so many constant frequent wooden local and express EL Trains passing by overhead in those early to late 1950's (well, Steel Steinway 6-car trains thereafter by Jan 1, 1957). All those stores and daily crowds on the sidewalks of shoppers and pedestrians, business and just families and neighborhood people, very lively, and all those store colorful and varied display windows and blinking and flashing store signs and huge signs on the facades of buildings. And the large amount of bus and auto, truck traffic on all the streets around and under the EL. Truly indicated "BIG CITY" environment. And of course, the constant presence of those Red and Cream MACK and GMC old Look Transit busses of the SURFACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM CORP. Even the 1950 abandoned trolley tracks were still on the avenue under the EL in places. My father and I went to the hub on numerous occasions - both by the EL and via his car, a then 1949 huge Mercury. There were quite a few office buildings in the immediate area, as well as the IRT Subway station below. I remember the old IRT ornamental entry Covered Kiosks well -- one was at the end of Melrose Ave where it met 3rd Ave.) I recall the RKO (was it ROYAL) Theatre on (the north side of) Westchester Avenue along the side of the West Farms spur branch (and remaining many years after the EL branch was removed by 1954)- and Davegas, SACHS, Alexanders, Hearns, Woolworth, all those department stores. It was like the Herald Square of the lower Bronx ! Around Christmas Dec. 1960 I shot, via tripod and 35mm camera, quite a number of early evening color slides on 3rd Avenue and along and around the EL in the immediate hub area after a moderate 2 to 3 inch snowfall -- showing all the stores, shop windows, christmas decorations and lights. I treasure those slides now - but then I was shooting what were simply regular commonplace scenes in the area at the time I was recording in the very cold night air ! It was sad to see how the area gradually declined in the late 1960's thru late 1970's; closed stores, abandoned properties, crime, trash and graffiti all over, somewhat grimy and desolate looking. The area has rebounded in the past decade, but without the EL, that original "aura" of very long ago, (50 to 60 years already!!) is gone. Thanks for your memories ! 
 regards - Joe F |
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