Queens bound 7 train

Every day I have to take a 15 minute bus ride to Main Street, Flushing, where I take the 7 train to school. During rush hour, there are both express trains and local trains. It will save me a lot of time if I catch an express train to Grand Central. However, the 7 express trains are always crowded with people, especially during the morning commute. Sometimes when riding one I feel like I might die due to the lack of air. Making matters worse, more and more people board the train at every express stop, so I have nothing to hold on to. Sometimes I find myself perched in the middle, surrounded by a crowd, and trying to find my balance. I remember there will always be a lot of passengers boarding the train on the Queensborough Plaza; people are pushing each other trying to get in. One time the door signal couldn’t function properly because people were crowding up against the door; as a result, the MTA had to shut down the whole train.

Train with sleeping passengers

For most of the time, the 7 train is quiet in the morning. What you see is a train with half-sleeping passengers trying to take a nap. However, the 7 train is always noisy in the afternoon. You can hear people talking, music playing and sometimes a man performing in Spanish on the train. Various groups of people take the 7 train, many of them Asian and Latino. The 7 train connects many different neighborhoods in Queens, for example, Corona, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Woodside, etc. These neighborhoods combine to make Queens the most diverse county in the United States.

Last stop- Flushing, Main Street

Flushing@Roosevelt Ave and Main Street

Flushing New World Food Court

The history of Flushing can be traced back to the 1620’s. During 1657, the town fathers rejected the governor’s demand to expel Quakers, Jews and other religious groups; thus, Flushing became the first town in America to practice religious freedom for all of its residents. During the 18th century, Flushing was involved in movements to secure freedom of conscience. In the 19th century, it became one of the major stops for the Underground Railroad. In the 20th century, Flushing became home to many immigrants and migrants, including European and African American artists. As of today, according to the data from Flushing Town Hall Homepage, there were about 142,000 people living in Flushing.¹ I live in the Downtown Flushing; this area is mostly Asian and Asian American.