The NYC Subway: Can You Hear Me Now?

Sounds are a major part of the subway and are an invaluable asset to passengers. To understand the various noises is to get a deeper understanding of the subway itself. It becomes second nature. A veteran straphanger can identify which train is arriving at the station based solely on the sound of the wheels on the tracks and the sound of the brakes. At the same time, we learn to ignore the incessant, garbled PA transmissions and the musical pleas of panhandlers.