Stopped Mid-Song, on the Subway Platform

Photo by myself, on the subway platform at Times Square.

A musician caught me red-handed, taking his photo. He had been playing a keyboard and singing a jazzy tune into a microphone.

All was well a split second later, after I gave him a dollar donation.

-- At first glance, all the subway platforms look exactly the same.

Whether it's below Columbus Circle, Herald Square or Times Square, the platforms look very similar - there is quarry tile on the floor, some signage showing which trains stop at the platform, and a yellow stripe along the edge, with warning bumps.

All the support columns have large rivets and are painted green. There are signs showing the station name.

If you're in the city long enough, you start noticing some subtle differences among the stations. The art is unique to each station. Some stations have very wide platforms, with benches or newsstands in the middle. Other stations have platforms that seem dangerously narrow, especially at rush hour.

Times Square is a large station with many train lines. The station is a maze of tunnels, ramps and walkways. If you know where you're going it's pretty simple but it can be confusing for the first-time visitor.

Related posts: Jazz Players, on the Subway Platform, String Duet, Below Brooklyn, and The Morning Serenade.