Free PATH rides today
February 25th 2008 07:38 am
PATH is giving free rides today from 6 AM to 11 PM to celebrate PATH’s 100 anniversary. They will also be distributing vouchers for free SmartLink cards. Train service started between 19th Street (yes, 19th St) and Hoboken on February 25, 1908, with two VIP trains. Revenue service started at midnight.
Here is a facinating history of the construction of the PATH tubes between Hoboken and New York City, which took 34 years:
coffeelen responded on 29 Feb 2008 at 9:45 pm #
I rode PATH on Feb. 25th to witness the historic event of the H&M’s 100th Anniversary. I must have missed the party. I arrived at the 33rd Street station at 5:40 P.M. The turnstiles read “walk through”. There was one red-blazered attendant telling people “it’s free, just walk on through”. There was a ragtime band playing away. There wasn’t A SINGLE SIGN anywhere in the station. People had no clue why the train was free or what the band was doing there. There was nothing on the train cars themselves- like a brochure with the history of PATH.
When I arrived at Hoboken, I thought maybe there would be some fanfare there. NOTHING. Amazing.
I realize that the Port Authority destroyed practically every vestige of H&M’s name within a 24 hour period when it took over the bankrupt railroad; however, you would think they’d be over it by now. A missed opportunity.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, H&M!