Next Stop, My Favorite Place on Earth

Photo of the Day

The 7 Train
Flushing, Queens, New York City

{ Nikon D80 } – { 12mm } – { f/9 } – { 1/100s exposure } – { ISO 100 }

“111th Street.

Next stop, Shea Stadium”

Those are some of my favorite words in the English language and a memory from my childhood that still fills me with happiness.

A die-hard New York Mets baseball fan since my father introduced me to the team in 1986, I can’t count how many times I have heard that garbled phrase come out of the 7 train’s speakers. Granted, the conductor now says, “next stop, Citi Field,” but the feeling of joy that accompanies it will never change.

111th Street and Roosevelt Avenue

To this day, leaving the 111th Street station is a cue for my heart to begin racing. Gazing out of any window on the left side of the 7 train, it’s only a matter of seconds before I catch my first glorious glimpse of Mecca for Mets fans.

Cue up the sound of my hands clapping and my voice chanting “Let’s Go Mets,” slow the train to a stop, open the door, and let’s go see a ballgame!

Riding the 7 Train in New York City

Running from Times Square in Manhattan to Main Street in Queens, the 7 train operates 24 hours a day. It also uses 11-car trains, which makes it the longest “A Division” train in the New York City subway system.

Sometimes referred to as the “International Express,” the 7 train passes through numerous ethnic immigrant neighborhoods in Queens. As anyone who has taken a rie on the 7 can attest, each car is truly a melting pot of cultures and people.