"John Rowland" wrote in message
...
And very interesting it was too. Apparently the people of New York refer
to
PATH as "The Tube", a nickname which they never apply to the Subway.

The system was at one time known as the 'Hudson Tubes', and tiled mosaic
signs can still be found with this name, but I can't remember where.

I will be using PATH again two weeks from today, to get to my hotel which is
just a couple of minutes walk from Journal Square station. It's a pity that
the proposed extension to Newark International airport never happened. As
it is you have to take the monorail from the airport terminal (slow), then
the NJ Transit main line train to Newark Penn Station (expensive), then
Path.

Did they mentiion the closed stations? To the best of my knowledge these
a

The original station in Newark, I can't remember the name.

Hudson Terminal, replaced by World Trade Center. parts of this still exist
below ground level, and there was talk of using the site for the tempoary
World Trade Center station at one time.

World Trade Center, slightly to the West of Hodson Terminal. We all know
what happened to that.

The original 33rd St. station, closed when the large 34th street subway
interchange station was built, and the Path line had to be shortened
somewhat. The new 33rd street station is between 29th and 30th streets. I
don't know if any traces of this still exist in the new subway complex.

28th street. Closed when the new 33rd street station opened, as they were
too close. Traces of this station are said to still exist, but I've never
been able to see them as I've passed through.

19th street. Closed due to being too close to 14th street and 23rd street,
much as with various stations in London, Down Street, South Kentish Town,
Old Street, York Road, though this one did manage to stay open for rather
longer. It's final closure enabled the service to be speeded up. This
station is still clearly visible from passing trains, its distinctive Path
columns and arches painted white. There is some sort of newish looking
plant on the platforms, but I couldn't make out what its purpose was,
ventilation or emergency electrical supply maybe.

Closely spaced stations seems to have been common in the U.S. there are
many of them on the New York Subway, and, of course, Yerkes, an American,
was responsible for much of the London Tube system. Maybe that's why we
have several stations which were closed for being too close to others.

The conductors on Path, with their caps, look as if they would be more at
home on a main-line railroad. They announce each stop with calls of '33rd
Street train, 14th next' etc., and, at the terminus, 'No passengers' is
their equivilent of our 'All change please'. At Journal Square there is a
level crossing, just off the platform ends, which also looks as of it would
be more at home on a main line. Its barriers lower for each train to pass,
but it doesn't seem to lead anywhere!

Hoboken is interesting, with its views across the Hudson to Manhattan, and
its fine old copper clad ferry terminal building, long closed and now in
poor condition, but to be restored. The waiting room of the main line
station has also been restored, and reminds me of the Great Hall at the old
Euston.