Riding in retro fashion

Every so often, the NYC transit runs what they call the Nostalgia Train, which comprises six or seven vintage subway cars, most originating from the 1930s. Not only do train fans and nostalgia buffs get to experience subway cars from another era, but all the ads that line the upper walls of the cars are vintage ones, ranging from the 1930s through the 1960s.

I rode this train once before, some summers back, on a special express run from midtown to Coney Island, so I was delighted to learn that the Nostalgia Train is running between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. each Sunday in the month of December, traveling from the 2nd Avenue station on the Lower East Side to Queens Plaza and back again.

I donned some vintage clothing for the occasion (in a perfect world, everyone else would have done the same -- it would really have heightened the experience) and, Flo on my arm, set out for the 2nd Avenue station intent on catching the 2:30 train. I was pleased to see that the train pulled in just after 2 p.m., which allowed those of us who had arrived early to leisurely make our way from car to car, enjoying the vintage advertisements and snapping photos.

I think Flo was a little skeptical about the excursion (and honestly, who could blame her?) but she gamely came along and, in the end, had a fine time, I think.

Below you'll find some photos of Flo and I and a few shots of some of my favorite ads. Click the thumbnail images to see larger versions.