New York, beneath the surface
NYC subway in 1980: The network faces a maintenance crisis
The 1970s brought financial pressure, service cuts and deteriorating subway infrastructure. An outline of the tracks cannot show reliability: a line remaining on the map did not mean that its passengers had a dependable journey.
Explore the 1980 interactive map →
What this map represents
This year-end reconstruction contains 466 modeled stops across 4 boroughs and about 220 mapped miles. These are counts from this project’s model, not official historical station or track-mile totals. Modern route colors identify corridors, not the services running in 1980.
Selected events, 1973–1980
1973: The last Third Avenue El service
The Bronx section closed on April 29, ending passenger service on the remaining Third Avenue elevated.
Source: Wikipedia: IRT Third Avenue Line
Sources and interpretation
Historical coverage and geometry are incomplete. Read the reconstruction method and limitations before interpreting station counts or route alignments.