An Era is ending....The A Train will run for the last time of it's hundred year life on the 12. January 2013. the year my mother was born.
For the sake of 'Good Old Times' I took a last ride before the wagons will disappear into some unknown rail yard and probably slowly rust into oblivion.
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| The ticket counters, dating back to the beginning of the 20th Century as well, will remain even after the replacement of the old wagons with air conditioned new ones. |
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| Concession stands, open since day one, will have to close for at least two months...tough luck, according to the powers that be. |
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| A fan provides a bit of a breeze for a watch concession in Piedras Station of A Line |
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| The wooden interior of an A Line wagon. Incandescent lights, straps with rings hanging from the ceiling... |
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| Air Conditioning 1913 style - a sliding window, with a leather strap to pull the upper pane down. A breeze enters, albeit a hot one, as well as the grating sound of screeching of iron wheels oniron rails. |
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| How many derrieres may have sat on this old wooden seat during its hundred years of service? |
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| Graffiti covers the wooden exterior of the cars, as they disappear into the past with modern day 'artistic' improvements. |
The citizenship is divided on this issue: some are sad that a venerable part of Buenos Aires history will be gone in a couple of days, some are looking forward to the comfort of riding in air conditioned cars instead of these saunas (not that any of the other subway lines are air conditioned either - its all open window method).
All of the citizens are incensed, that there won't be any alternative transport, above or below ground for the duration of the closure to accommodate tens of thousands (yes!!) of commuters every working day of the week.
