‘Train Daddy’ Andy Byford takes farewell ride with fans
Outgoing New York City Transit President Andy Byford took a last ride on the 51-year-old R-42 subway cars Wednesday morning and was greeted by a cheering crowd when the old cars opened their doors to the public.
Transit enthusiasts at the Euclid Avenue A station rushed into the soon-to-be retired subway car as Byford smiled from inside. Before the train departed, there were pleas for him to stay in his position, selfies and praise galore. As the wheels on the train began rolling, cheers broke out and someone yelled, “Three cheers for Andy Byford, hip hip hooray!”
“It’s two 50-year-old relics that are coming out of service,” Byford quipped, referencing his departure as NYCT president and the R-42s’ retirement. “It’s right that today we’re celebrating the end of a legendary train, the R-42. New Yorkers loved these trains, so I wanted to be part of history today.”