Mets fans can take the vintage 7 train to Citi

by Tim Reilly March 28, 2018

It’s officially Opening Day Eve. There’s only one thing left to do: figure out what the best way is to get to Citi Field.

When you’re dealing with a sellout crowd, transportation to the ballpark can be a pain in the ass. Traffic sucks, and if you plan taking the LIRR/Metro North/Jersey Transit, it’s always somehow delayed. Just ask Frank Fleming. If we’re being honest, on days like this, there’s really no enjoyable way of getting to and from the stadium.

The only thing that gets us through this misery is the sheer joy that comes with being around like-minded fans and uniting around a team that we love. I’ll sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the LIE, or stand shoulder-to-shoulder like a sardine in a can on the LIRR, in exchange for the experience of being at Opening Day.

This year, I’ll be taking our company’s namesake to Citi Field. I’m not going to say the 7 train is a better or worse mode of transportation than the other options I’ve already spoken of. They’re all about the same. But one special perk that is offered on Opening Day each year is the chance to ride on a vintage subway car.

From the Flushing Post:

“The MTA will be operating a vintage subway train on the 7 line Thursday as part of its annual opening day tradition in honor of the Mets.

The train, known as the “Train of Many Colors,” will run as an express from 34 St-Hudson Yards to Flushing-Main St, departing at 11:30 a.m. March 29. It will make it to Citi Field well before first pitch.”

When it comes to baseball, people always seem to yearn for a piece of the past. I’m typically one of them. Just not in this case.

I simply don’t trust the MTA to get me there on time on a modern day train leaving at 11:30 AM, let alone on a vintage ride that could be up to 80-years-old. “Well before first pitch” is my favorite line. Why you would trust that is beyond me.

This is Opening Day. I want to be there early to take in the pageantry and pre-game ceremonies that come along with it. There isn’t a moment to spare when security lines wrapping around Roosevelt Ave. await you.

If you end up taking this vintage train on Thursday: God speed. I truly hope you make it there on time. I’ll save my experience with these throwback subway cars for when I’m fishing off a reef they’ve created on the bottom of the Atlantic.