by Claire O'Neill

The latest Hollywood blockbuster is a remake of the classic 1974 thriller, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. Denzel Washington and John Travolta are the A-list cast, but the main character is really the New York City subway. The film, actually based on a 1973 novel, is about a subway car heist. But the subway of 1973 and the subway of today are worlds apart. This raises a question: With all the improvements to the New York transit system over the past few decades, can a modern subterranean thriller be convincing? Listen to the NPR story here.

  • The 1970s photographs in this gallery were taken by Jim Pickerell as part of a series called "Documerica." Commissioned by the Environmental Protection Agency, it was intended to document subjects of environmental concern from 1972-1977, including transportation.
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    The 1970s photographs in this gallery were taken by Jim Pickerell as part of a series called "Documerica." Commissioned by the Environmental Protection Agency, it was intended to document subjects of environmental concern from 1972-1977, including transportation.
    May 1973, courtesy National Archives
  • The more recent photographs give a contemporary look at the New York City Subway. In 2004, photographer Travis Ruse started a two year-long project documenting his commute to work and posting a daily image to his blog. July 30, 2006, R Train, Union Station, 6:35 p.m.
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    The more recent photographs give a contemporary look at the New York City Subway. In 2004, photographer Travis Ruse started a two year-long project documenting his commute to work and posting a daily image to his blog. July 30, 2006, R Train, Union Station, 6:35 p.m.
    Travis Ruse
  • The modern form of graffiti emerged in the late 1960s and peaked in popularity the early 70s, when this photos was taken, and when the original Pelham film debuted. New York was the epicenter of graffiti art in the early 1970s, where it covered the subways.
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    The modern form of graffiti emerged in the late 1960s and peaked in popularity the early 70s, when this photos was taken, and when the original Pelham film debuted. New York was the epicenter of graffiti art in the early 1970s, where it covered the subways.
    April 1974, courtesy National Archives
  • Since the seventies, the conditions on the subway trains have ostensibly improved — at least visually. Although graffiti still exists, it is remarkably more scarce. T Train, Smith & 9th St., 6:25 P.M.
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    Since the seventies, the conditions on the subway trains have ostensibly improved — at least visually. Although graffiti still exists, it is remarkably more scarce. T Train, Smith & 9th St., 6:25 P.M.
    Travis Ruse
  • Artists would break into subway yards to paint on blank canvases: train cars. It was a competition to see who could have the most ubiquitous and recognizable work, which is why graffiti covered everything.
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    Artists would break into subway yards to paint on blank canvases: train cars. It was a competition to see who could have the most ubiquitous and recognizable work, which is why graffiti covered everything.
    April 1974, courtesy National Archives
  • The New York subway system has the largest number of subway stations in the world and services over 5 million people each weekday. R Train, 4th Avenue, 8:40 A.M.
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    The New York subway system has the largest number of subway stations in the world and services over 5 million people each weekday. R Train, 4th Avenue, 8:40 A.M.
    Travis Ruse
  • Although street crime rates were higher than subway crime rates, graffiti increased the sense of danger in the subway in the 1970s.
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    Although street crime rates were higher than subway crime rates, graffiti increased the sense of danger in the subway in the 1970s.
    May 1973, courtesy National Archives
  • Today, the subway cars are more efficient and secure than those of the seventies. John Johnson, New York City Transit's Chief claims that the hijacking of a single car, the main plot of Pelham 123, could not happen today. R Train, 4th Avenue, 6:45 P.M.
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    Today, the subway cars are more efficient and secure than those of the seventies. John Johnson, New York City Transit's Chief claims that the hijacking of a single car, the main plot of Pelham 123, could not happen today. R Train, 4th Avenue, 6:45 P.M.
    Travis Ruse
  • This Broadway Local subway car, like many others during the seventies, was covered with graffiti. As a testament to its growing popularity, arrests for graffiti climbed from nearly 1,400 in 1973 to more than 2,000 in 1974.
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    This Broadway Local subway car, like many others during the seventies, was covered with graffiti. As a testament to its growing popularity, arrests for graffiti climbed from nearly 1,400 in 1973 to more than 2,000 in 1974.
    May 1973, courtesy National Archives
  • Today, The NYPD controls the security of the subway system and controls a "state of the art" transit command center. B Train, Broadway/Lafayette Street Station, 5:30 P.M.
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    Today, The NYPD controls the security of the subway system and controls a "state of the art" transit command center. B Train, Broadway/Lafayette Street Station, 5:30 P.M.
    Travis Ruse
  • F Train, Carroll Gardens, 6:15 P.M.
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    F Train, Carroll Gardens, 6:15 P.M.
    Travis Ruse

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At the National Archives, we found photos of the New York subway from the 1970s, when the original film was made. At the time, the city was facing bankruptcy and the graffiti art movement was in its heyday, which gave the transportation system a much more dangerous edge. We also asked Travis Ruse, a contemporary New York photographer, to share some photos from his modern commute series, to give us a now-and-then perspective.

description
Stephen Vaughan/Sony Pictures

Movie still from The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3,

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United Artists/The Kobal Collection

Movie still from The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, 1974,

You can view more of Travis Ruse's photographs on his photoblog, Express Train. His photos will be on display at the 42nd Street and 6th Avenue station in Manhattan, and at the Atlantic Avenue stop in Brooklyn, from July 1 through the spring of 2010.

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