Two of the PATH train cars that was trapped under the rubble after the 9/11 terrorist attacks will now be opened to the public for the first time ever on the anniversary of the tragedy this month. Untapped Cities recently got a chance to go inside one of the cars, which is on display at the Shore Line Trolley Museum in East Haven, Connecticut, before it opens to the public.
On the day of the attacks 15 years ago, just as the first plane hit the North Tower, three PATH trains were making their way to the World Trade Center station—one from Newark and two from Hoboken. The first one from Hoboken and the train from Newark were quickly diverted out of the station—the former didn’t even stop. But, the second train from Hoboken didn’t have enough time to leave, and passengers were asked to evacuate.
That particular train was trapped under the rubble, and wasn’t recovered until later in 2001. The train had seven cars in total but only two survived, and it took a week to excavate them. Both remained in a hangar at JFK airport until one was donated to the museum in East Haven, and the other was donated to the Kingston Trolley Museum in New York. That museum too will open up the car to the public this September 11th.
Untapped Cities visited the train in East Haven and observed that the advertisements in the train car are still intact as is the signage. The director of the museum told the publication that several coffee cups were found inside the train lying in place when the train was first unearthed.