NYC Subway Trains Left in Filth as MTA Car Washer Breaks Down
A critical maintenance issue has left New York City's L train covered in grime for months, with no clear solution in sight. The MTA car washer at its Canarsie yard in Brooklyn, which is essential for cleaning the exterior of trains, broke down during a summer storm and won't be operational until next year.
As a result, commuters have been forced to endure filthy trains with dusty handprints and black grime seeping through windows. In one case, a train's side was stained with what appeared to be coffee. Riders have expressed frustration at the condition of their public transportation, with many choosing to skip the L line altogether due to its unsanitary state.
"It's horrible that this is the condition of our public transportation right now," said Gabriella Hermalyn, an L train rider who tries to avoid the line. "The Crosstown Line is actually quite nice, especially since they just modernized it, and it's significantly better than the L."
Commuters like Taino Brigs noted that even the newest trains from the MTA won't stay clean for long due to the notorious dirtiness of New York City subways. The agency acknowledges the problem but says there's no way to clean the cars until the Canarsie washing station is fixed.
MTA officials have expressed a plan to reopen the car washer facility next year, which would require moving trains about 20 miles and disrupting service. However, commuters like Hermalyn feel they're being shortchanged by the agency's decision not to prioritize cleaning the exterior of trains alongside its interior upkeep.
The dirty state of New York City subways has become a familiar issue for riders, but the situation with the L line has left many feeling fed up with the MTA's inaction. As the subway fare is set to rise to $3 next year, commuters wonder if they'll be able to enjoy a clean and dignified ride on the city's trains.
A critical maintenance issue has left New York City's L train covered in grime for months, with no clear solution in sight. The MTA car washer at its Canarsie yard in Brooklyn, which is essential for cleaning the exterior of trains, broke down during a summer storm and won't be operational until next year.
As a result, commuters have been forced to endure filthy trains with dusty handprints and black grime seeping through windows. In one case, a train's side was stained with what appeared to be coffee. Riders have expressed frustration at the condition of their public transportation, with many choosing to skip the L line altogether due to its unsanitary state.
"It's horrible that this is the condition of our public transportation right now," said Gabriella Hermalyn, an L train rider who tries to avoid the line. "The Crosstown Line is actually quite nice, especially since they just modernized it, and it's significantly better than the L."
Commuters like Taino Brigs noted that even the newest trains from the MTA won't stay clean for long due to the notorious dirtiness of New York City subways. The agency acknowledges the problem but says there's no way to clean the cars until the Canarsie washing station is fixed.
MTA officials have expressed a plan to reopen the car washer facility next year, which would require moving trains about 20 miles and disrupting service. However, commuters like Hermalyn feel they're being shortchanged by the agency's decision not to prioritize cleaning the exterior of trains alongside its interior upkeep.
The dirty state of New York City subways has become a familiar issue for riders, but the situation with the L line has left many feeling fed up with the MTA's inaction. As the subway fare is set to rise to $3 next year, commuters wonder if they'll be able to enjoy a clean and dignified ride on the city's trains.
, this is just getting ridiculous! I'm so tired of hearing about subways being filthy 
. Can't we just get our train car washers fixed already? 
It's not like it's rocket science, right? 
Cleaning trains regularly should be a priority, especially when you're paying an arm and a leg for those subway rides 
. The L train situation is a total disaster 
. I get why people are skipping their rides, but it's just going to lead to more congestion on other lines 
. We need some serious accountability from the MTA about when this will be fixed 
. And can we please not have to pay even more for our subway rides with that fare hike coming up? 
. I mean, have you seen those stats on how often the trains are cleaned? Apparently, it's around 3-4 times a year... that's like, every 2 months! And with the MTA car washer in Brooklyn down for months, we're looking at train grime that's been building up for who knows how long 
. The last time I checked, NYC has over 472 stations and around 850 miles of track... that's a lot of trains and surfaces to keep clean! 
.
. 6.5 million weekday riders in NYC alone! That's a lot of people expecting a clean ride... so let's hope MTA gets its act together soon 
.
.
. And what's up w/ the maintenance? It's not like they're tryin' or nothin'. I get it, things break down... but to leave a whole line of trains dirty for months? That's just unacceptable. Commuters deserve better than that 
.
, and I'd totally take matters into my own hands if I were in charge of the MTA. Clean those trains myself! Who needs bureaucracy when you can get the job done right? 
Anyway, here's hopin' they figure it out soon... before the next subway fare hike 
.
& yall think MTA's gonna fix this by next year ? 
anyone else tired of riding in dirty subways? 
what's going on with the mta?! 
i mean, who wants to ride in filthy trains?! it's like they forgot that public transportation is supposed to be, well, clean 
. i'm so done with the mta's lack of prioritization 
? meanwhile, all we have is dusty handprints and stained side panels... it's just not right 
. A broken car washer and suddenly the whole system comes crashing down. Typical. The Crosstown Line is basically a luxury compared to the L, might as well just start charging us more for that 
. And good luck with the plan to reopen the washing station next year, I'm sure it'll be a piece of cake... not 
.
guess what? they dont wanna fix it till next year lol thats perfect timing cuz we're gettin a price hike of $3