I've never been to NY. I cannot wrap my brain around the complexity or sheer audacity of design of the subway system. Men lived their entire lives constructing this system so many years ago that is still so useful today.

I was a brand new Conductor in 1979 and operated on the "A" and "AA" Trains. When I got promoted to Motorman in 1981 I operated also on the "A" and "AA" Trains. The "A" was my favorite line. When I got promoted to Train Dispatcher in 1984 I was assigned 207th St. station to dispatch the "A" Trains. Oh the fond memories of the job and co-workers of that time.

Thanks for the natural audio, no music.

As a kid we'd ride the front just to look out. I've seen almost every view the tunnels have to offer. I love being a nyc native

I've found myself obsessing over these videos

60 years ago I'd take the A train home to Rockaway Beach. Often I'd fall asleep on the train. Now I listen to the entire ride as white noise to help sleep. It puts my brain into a pre-cancer statious and feel no pain.

59:59 Utica Ave stop. Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn .Born and raised ! The memories come flooding back.

The conductor has a very pleasant voice!!!

For those that have never been, this gives you a better understanding of just how big NYC is.

Although ur job is boring thanks for getting up 5 days a week to bring my behind to work, the doctor's office, my girlfriend house, to visit grandma, shopping, a night out, school, the supermarket. Damn, Y'all important. Thank u. 👏👏👏

When the trains are passing each other as a kid I would think they were in a race

The A line is a remarkable feat of engineering, considering how old it is and how many component parts there are to the line. The portion from the northern terminal at 207th Street in Manhattan all the way to Utica Avenue in Brooklyn was designed and built in the 1920’s and opened for business in 1932. The station at Euclid Avenue was opened after the war, in 1948. The stations between Grant Avenue to the Lefferts Boulevard terminal were recaptured from the old BMT Fulton Street elevated line that closed in 1940. The portion between Rockaway Boulevard to Rockaway Part in the west and Far Rockaway in the east was bought from the LIRR in 1953 and opened for business as part of the A line in 1956. The A is the longest single line in the system - 32 route miles.

I love the sounds, and the calm somewhat quiet winds from that view. The near silent touch of the metals and grinding of the tracks and train. Blocks out the sound of everything else. Like a loading screen during a video game. The sounds are so peaceful I could fall asleep to this. Like a waterfall, but with metal.

I drive the M train 6 days a week. THAT is quite a picturesque ride. I kinda miss working the A as well. Great quality video!

I now reside in Spain, but I grew up in East New York. Rode this A train every morning to attend High School, then to my first job in Wall Street. In the summer, took it in the other direction on the weekends to the beaches in Far Rockaway. Times have changed, but I still remember the views!, Thank you, an American abroad!

Some of the unsung joys in life are seeing the lights of the train coming towards the station, feeling the wind on your face as the train decelerates by you standing on the platform, and smelling that unique smell of the NY MTA underground. I’ve visited NYC 25 to 30 times in my life and always wondered what the conductor saw. Now I know. Thank you for the video and your service to one of the great cities of the world.

Lived in New York City all my life this might have been some of the best Subway stop/departure announcing I have ever heard. Most of the time it's just the guy talkin down a microphone that sounds like it's coming out of a 1900s phone call while saying somethin like "42nd next." But after living here your whole life you kind of get used to it.

Being in the front car and looking into the tunnel was a joy as a kid.

I rode the trains as a kid to school, work etc, now I'm older and no longer living in NYC, this is relaxing to me, to hear the sound of train... plus the front is the best view...

My first ride on the A train was in the summer of 1983. I was interested in seeing the Apollo Theater. It had bee out of the entertainment spotlight for some time and I wondered what happened to it. To my surprise, not only was it still there, but it was going to be renovated. On past visits, I was glad to see it still operating. It was big band leader Duke Ellington who gave his new addition to the band Billy Strayhorn the title for the song. He had the melody, but didn't have a name for it. The Duke said to look at the top of the directions I gave you: Take The A Train. Billy Strayhorn was born in my hometown, Pittsburgh, PA (1915-1967). P.S. : Like the female voice conductor. Loving the ride from the operator's view point! Thanks so much for sharing!

Loved it..especially when it went from the tunnel into the daylight. And that ride over the water...calm and serene.

Reminds of being a bored city kid riding the trains back in late 60s into 70s. Cheap entrainment and we learned our way around

The trains travel fast and the length of them is long; The tunnels looked dingy, and grubby though but that's okay, just until they stopped for passengers to get on and off looked nice and bright; Was a great relief to be outside under the sky, what a beautiful fine sunny day and site to see the bay and go over the bridge. They are long bridges. What an awesome ride!

I love seeing the sights of New York without leaving my house! Thanks to KZfaq and the City of New York in making all of this and many more possible. Greetings from Scooby from near Chicago. 😃

Greetings from down under (sydney australia) great scenic vid in the city that never sleeps well done thank you cheer's bob.

This can help me navigate the NYC world meaning helping go anywhere

When the guys in the breakroom notice your camera 1:09:48

memories from a retired T/O the A was my favorite line

This brings back memories of the 80's & 90's for me growing up in East New York. This was my ride growing up. Nice video quality.

Just got back from NYC holiday. I appreciate the sub way trains and the work done every day every one to provide this service. Nothing in RSA to match this type of service. Nice to have a behind the scenes video.

That is the clearest, most informative, most consistent A train announcer I have ever heard.

By far the most exciting and varied public subway system of any city on earth!

I love the natural audio, no music

I must add The Late Great Duke Ellington song tribute to this train, “Take the A Train”👏🏽🎶🎼❤️

Is it weird that listening to this helps me fall asleep? All I need now is the physical rumble and bumps the train cars make and I'll be out like a rock.

My favorite parts of the A train were always the Central Park express stretch (the trains used to go like a bat out of hell through here decades ago) and outdoors in Rockaway. Very unique part of the system.

West 4th St. was always one of my fave stops in the entire city: I knew I'd soon be walking upstairs and buying many, many records and CDs.

Brings back memories of when I grew up in NYC in the 80s. Used to take the subway to school from 181st to 207th. Weekends shopping with my mom and younger brother were a treat the farther we went downtown and even taking the PATH to New Jersey

Wonderful memories. Thank you. My sister, God bless her soul used to be in a bowling league at the Americana Lanes, right by the White Castle restaurant that you can see as the train leaves the Rockaway Blvd station. I miss her so much. Seeing these things has choked me up..

DJ you've outdone urself with these motoman videos this feels just like when I used to railfan as a kid on this line I'd always wait for a Far Rock R38 so I could either look out the front window like this or ride between the cars. Because I loved all the sound effects echoing off the tunnel walls

There is always something relaxing seeing traina "race together"

What a great video. I was a teenager again taking the "AA" to Rockaway Beach for summer fun where I remember standing at the front door of the first car and feeling the wind coming through the keyhole of the old subway cars as we went down the track, past Aqueduct Race Track, Howard Beach, Broad Channel... And it was fun to see that the Beach 98st Station still has "Playland" as part of its signage. We used to have a lot of fun there under the watchful eye of Jo Jo The Clown, Playland's logo. And thanks, too, for not putting any music or commentary over the video other than the station stop announcements. Terrific memories.

Thanks for the ride, I haven't been on that ride to the Rockaways in years.

I just love riding the subways.

I remember when I took this express train from end to end, that nostalgia was wonderful. Thanks for uploading the video.

I rode the " A' Train to High School everyday from 1961 to 1965 I got off at Lafayette Avenue to walk to Brooklyn Tech back when its enrollment was 6000 boys only. My daily ride took about an hour each way, and began on the Jamaica El at Woodhaven Blvd, then got off at East New York, took the escalator down underground and boarded the A train at Eastern Parkway, that took me to Lafayette Avenue. It was not an express train until it got into Manhattan after going under the East River tunnel. I did not stay on it that long. The A train went through the black neighborhoods of Bed-Sty in Brooklyn, and went the length of Manhattan Island all the way to Harlem. This video begins in northern Manhattan and heads south then over to Brooklyn after passing under the East River. In those days these trains had no air conditioning, just open windows to let the filth blow through the cars. In the morning they were sardine cans packed with the great unwashed. I worked after school as a bus boy in McCrory's Department Store (kinda like Woolworth's), and rode home around 10 PM, often the only white face in the cars, I never ever felt afraid or intimidated, I still don't. When you live in the city and grow up around all those people you never develop the kind of stupid prejudice the suburb dwellers do.

This full ride through is dedicated to the memory of the R42 as of yesterday when it was retired. The last R42 subway cars rolled off yesterday on the A train, and it will be its final voyage.

That part when the train running to broad channel is amazing, I saw it on google map and have always been wondering how would it be when the train is running on there, now I can see it through my eyes just by holding my phone! Thank you so much for uploading this!

Wow! What a fantastic ride. The longest part was the underground section which was cool in itself. The best part however was the ride with water on both sides.

Thank you for the wonderful trip! Lol the workers in the tower at Euclid Ave. were staring at you quite intently!!

Larry, is that you? I was a Conductor in 1967; then promoted to Motorman in 1968; then Motorman Instructor in1979. I operated all of the trains in the museum but the gate cars. The Q cars on the old Myrtle Line(It ran to Jay Street Brooklyn before being torn down from Broadway Junction to Jay Street} were the oldest and worst braking. The R32 trains were the ABSOLUTE BEST BRAKING AND OVERALL HANDLING. The R10 trains were the second best braking and handling

It's great that these trains have stayed around long enough so that you can get HD videos from this vantage point

the acceleration was dope. I felt the gravity.

Thanks. Great video of Train Operator's(Motorman) Point Of View. I Love your wide camera shooting,especially that it allows us to read the name of the stations,as we pass them.

Wow! What a great video that shows such a rare view into NYC underground and subway system. Thank you for the great production as well.

The scenery at 1:24:58 is so beautiful 😍

I love these. Hope you’ll do more. Would love to see the 1 train POV towards the Bronx.

Train sounds are an amazing soundtrack.

This video brings back sweet memories of the good ole days as a teenager living in Brooklyn. I used to ride the A train after school.

As a kid during the 40s, I'd walk across Inwood Park, get on Duke Ellington's "A Train" at 207th St., go down to 69th St., and transfer to the uptown D train, getting off at 161st and River St. and go to Yankee Stadium to see DiMaggio, the Scooter, Yogi and the boys play ball. This was as a 10yr old, and IT WAS SAFE!! How times have changed; my beloved NYC is no more!!

Brings back a lot of memories, thank you!

That bought back so many memories Been living in Cali since 92 Always wanted to be a motor man

Thanks for the memories of my youth. My buddy and I rode from Mott Avenue Far Rock to 207th street and back with that same view. Awesome!

Wish they did this in the late 70s, I had to always change from a nice R-46 to the damn R-10 CC shuttle at Broad Channel to Rockaway Park to get to Beach Channel High School at 98th St Playland. Took me 1hr 40min everyday to go there from 116th and B'way. This train going straight to Rockaway Park would've saved me some serious time.

Why doesn't your transit agency (MTA) record these videos officially like the CTA did in Chicago (CTA...Ride the Rails)? Viewers would like to "ride" these trains from all over the world from the comfort of their homes. Just saying. Nice video too.

Great one man! Did mines in December 2017 From Rockaway Park to 207th Street

When you are little this is a thrilling sight, glad I had the honor of growing up here.

Never get tired of watching this video.

thank for the natural audio

You had a fantastic operator.

Very professional crisp clear images. I look forward to looking at more of your work

My favorite New York subway ride........the A train. Never ridden to/from 207th St or Lefferts Blvd. 👍👍😄😄💚💚

Wonderful video. Was not familiar with the "Uptown" portion of the "A" Line. Rode the trains from Rockaway Park to lower/mid Manhattan on occasion. Distances between Express stations on the uptown portion are impressive. Even distances between local stations allowed for quick transit. It seems as though the IND was "modern" even when it opened in the 1930's.

thanks for the ride! I grew up in Brooklyn near the 45th 4th avenue "R" station. I never been on the "A" train in the Rockaway's and I always wonder what it looks like at the end there :)

I LOVE these "Free" subway rides!

one thing I hate about the newer cars, now you can't see out of the window in the front car for a view like this. As child this was always thrill and with few cars left that allow this viewpoint, one can still see kids today as well adults enjoying the front view

It's mind boggling how massive New York City is

Awesome video. Took me back to my childhood riding the subways in the front car to look out the window. And yes, thank you for the natural audio, priceless!

Thanks for the memories of when I was a teenager living in NYC

Mobile, Alabama here my sister used to stay in elmhurst queens and I had to learn how to use the subways. I’m from bama the south everything about New York amazed me especially the New York accents. Not to mention the breakfast sandwiches at the bodegas were so good

Baffles my mind how all this was built so many years ago without all of the heavy equipment available today. Even with heavy equipment is unbelievable.

This is a perfect video with GREAT comments. My favorite underground line. Miss the R10s, however.

The quickest way to midtown (from 125) is the A train, slick.

I have watched a lot of subway/metro rides before, but never a NYC subway cab ride. I can't stop watching now

Great video as always bro!👍

That view/ride from JFK to Broad Channel tho 😍 Edit: Then from Broad Channel to Beach 90th Street 😍

Extremely descriptive video and highly enjoyable! I only hoped the horizon was corrected, but I guess that truly adds to the overall feeling of the video.

I enjoyed to watch POV videos from end to end. Great job!! I had rode subway at WMATA (Metro) in DC area for many years but there were no POV videos for that DC metro but I found very good group of many POV videos for NYC subway system.

I lived in Inwood (Manhattan) and would take the A from 207th Street to HowardBeach/JFK whenever I was flying out of JFK. I didn't mind the ride and it was way cheaper than a cab.

Is it weird that I like to watch these?

Rode 81st to 42nd every day for 2 years or so. Always wondered where it went after that! Nice vid and thanks for doing it!

Why did I sit and watch this for an hour and forty minutes? I have no idea, but I did. And I'll probably watch more like it! I enjoyed it, though I'll never know why. hahahaha.

That was a great!! Thank you for that.

This is what I e always loved about the MTA, so many unique stations, all indicative of the times they were constructed at. I love how 181 in Washington Heights doesn't really have beams in between the tracks, gives it that open concept feel. I have no idea what I'm talking about there lol

Great videos. Someone below commented on how they obsess over these, and I think I do too. It's because I grew up on these trains. BMT to LIRR to Rockaway, BMT or IND to Coney Island, IRT to the ferry, IRT to high school, IRT to band practice (ever take a set of drums on the Flatbush line?), BMT and IND to Rockaway (when the line in this video was opened), IRT to college.

I remember the 98th street Playland stop. Great video. Brings back lots of memories.

Best train ride ever ; even when I played this video in 2x while listening to my music! : )

At 1:09:32 if you look at the window at Euclid Avenune. You'll see the man on the desk . If you look them .

34:00 Line A and E are racing each other 😂

The line over the Bay was built originally by the Long Island Railroad as part of its service. it was originally wood and after a disastrous fire in 1950 the line was abandoned south of Hamilton Beach. it was purchased by NYC and a new concrete causeway was built along with a connector to the existing el on Liberty Ave. The new subway service ran for the first time in June 1956.