A spruced-up No. 7 stop
Anyone familiar with the No. 7 platform at the Times Square station knows the escalator there has long been out of service as part of a station overhaul. Well, at long last, weary straphangers can now be whisked upstairs on a spankin' new escalator. You'll have to deal with a little audio clutter, though: automated escalator-safety announcements blasting from tiny speakers along the sides. Crews have also installed this gleaming wood bench on the No. 7 platform. Take a good look at this camera-phone photo: the seating is standard-issue MTA, but it sure won’t be this warehouse flawless for long.
Inevitably, a little color was lost in the platform upgrade -- mid-century turquoise paneling on the side of the old escalator. And I fear for the longevity of this awesome, decades-old “Next Train” sign, now covered in part by tape. Hopefully, the TA will find a way to salvage this little retro relic and keep it in service.
-- Rolando Pujol