NYC Subway Mystery: Ghost Trains Appear!

This summer, New York City subway riders have been encountering a bizarre phenomenon: trains displaying line numbers that don't exist or haven't existed for decades! Lines like the 9, 10, 11, and 12 – numbers never used in the NYC subway system – are appearing on the 1, 2, and 3 lines.

The MTA confirms the roll signs have been altered, but they're unsure if it's due to accidental errors by MTA workers or a series of elaborate pranks. Some even suggest it's a long-standing tradition, with how-to videos circulating online!

The New York Transit Museum offers an explanation: the unused numbers were included on older roll signs to allow for potential future route expansions. For instance, the green 10 and purple 11 were present on signs for lines like the 1, 2, and 3, remnants of potential route extensions.

While some riders find the ghostly appearances nostalgic (particularly the number 9 line, which ran from 1989 to 2005), others are less amused, considering it irritating and a waste of resources. Tampering with MTA signs carries fines, but the mystery continues to intrigue and amuse many New Yorkers.

<a href="https://qz.com/549388/the-history-behind-new-york-citys-missing-subway-lines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about the history of NYC's missing subway lines.</a>