Often, subway tunnels are viewed as dark, dirty and unwelcoming. There is quite a bit of effort going into brightening the experience, whether it is the use of special reflective wall siding or other decorative elements, light systems, or the inclusion of artwork. This photo represents a subway classic, with escalators taking people in and out of a deep underground subway station. The strong symmetry and blue tones make for a rather eye catching presentation elevating the experience well beyond a walk in a hole in the ground.

And yes, the "Out of Service" sign is part of the classic. It must be a part of a plot to promote health.

The public transit rail system in Buffalo, NY is called Buffalo Metro Rail and is operated by NFTA (Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority). It's a single line running along Main Street running between First Niagara Center and the south campus of University at Buffalo. The southern portion operates at the street level at slow speeds like a tram, while the northern part underground at high speeds like a subway. Heading north (outbound), the trains enter the tunnel just past the Fountain Plaza station; the station replaced the permanently closed and demolished Theater Station that did not fit in the project design for combined train and automobile traffic. The underground section has 8 stops. The first three are in a shallow cut & cover section, the remaining 5 in a rock tunnel. The Delavan / Canisius College is the deepest one.

The Main Street metro rail line was built between 1979 and 1986.

An interesting fact is that fare zones and transfers were eliminated in 2010, simplifying the use of the Metro system in Buffalo. From my own experience that helps especially visitors who no longer have to figure out what ticket to buy. Try making sense of the New York City system, or even better, something like the system in Prague, Czech Republic.

Sources:

- History of Buffalo Metro
- Buffalo Metro Rail on Wikipedia

© Daniel Novak Photo - Landscape Photography, Architecture, Cityscapes