⁴ᴷ⁶⁰ Front Window View: NYC Subway - R32 Train from 96th St to Crescent St!

Take a rare front window ride across two extremes of the New York City Subway's history, from the newest tunnels of the Second Avenue Subway (opened in 2017) to some of the oldest elevated structures in the system on the J line (opened in 1885)! Recorded with a high-definition camera and a directional-beamforming microphone pointed at the gap in the cab door to pick up as much of the control noises as possible (while minimizing any talking), this video showcases the cutting-edge in front window video techniques!

Filmed from a special preserved R32-type train running on a NY Transit Museum excursion, this journey begins at 96th Street on the Q Line, the current northern terminal of the Second Avenue Subway. It travels all the way to Crescent Street on the J Line in Brooklyn. Along the way, the train passes through the modern, deep-level stations of the Upper East Side before passing the 1930s-era stations along 6th Avenue. It then crosses the Williamsburg Bridge and proceeds onto the century-old elevated structure of the Jamaica Line. For more information about NY Transit Museum trips, visit: www.nytransitmuseum.org/

🚇 About the Train and the NY Transit Museum:
This video was filmed with permission from the passenger-accessible front window of an R32-type museum train. The R32 cars, built in 1964 by the Budd Company, were the first mass-produced stainless steel subway cars built for the NYC Subway, and were retired in 2022. They feature a classic operator's cab design, where the compartment occupies only the right third of the car, leaving a central front window open to passengers. From this spot, riders on the train can enjoy an unobstructed view of the tracks ahead, something modern subway cars do not provide.

Today’s New York City Subway rolling stock features full-width cabs only, which makes front window views like this virtually impossible on regular service trains, except in extreme edge-case exceptions. That makes this ride not just a trip across the city but also a rare look back at how millions of New Yorkers once experienced their daily commute.

The NYC Subway is an industry leader in the preservation and regular operation of historic rolling stock. Widely seen as setting the global example in this regard, MTA New York City Transit and the NY Transit Museum operate several museum train trips per year, using a wide variety of preserved rolling stock. These preserved vintage subway trains are also regularly used for film and TV shoots, as well as other special events. As a result, these are some of the most cash-positive per-revenue mile pieces of transit rolling stock in the world! Other cities, such as Chicago, Warsaw, and London, have similar vintage train programs that are modeled after New York's.

🙏 Thank You:
This channel is independently run with very limited resources. We are incredibly grateful for the continued support of everyone who watches, subscribes, and shares these rare glimpses into New York’s transit history.

🔒 All footage in this video was recorded with permission.
Please respect railroad property. Do not trespass or install cameras in unauthorized areas. This video is protected by copyright law and is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Unauthorized use or redistribution without a license is strictly prohibited.

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Taken in November 2025

Timestamps:
00:00 Second Avenue Subway
06:42 63rd St Line
10:34 6th Avenue Line
18:09 Chrystie St Connection
22:15 Williamsburg Bridge
28:06 Jamaica Line-Marcy Av to Broadway Junction
41:44 Broadway Junction and East NY Yard
43:51 Oldest part of the NYC Subway-Alabama Av to Crescent St