As New York City swelters under a record-breaking heat wave, commuters on the 1 train face unbearable journeys inside subway cars with failing air conditioning. With underground temperatures soaring near 100°F and outdated train models worsening the crisis, both daily riders and tourists are left gasping for relief. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has acknowledged the issue, citing future upgrades, but for now, passengers are forced to brave the heat. This unfolding summer saga turns a daily ride into a heated trial — uncomfortable, unavoidable, and utterly unchilled.
🟦 STORY HIGHLIGHTS
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NYC’s 1 train riders endure extreme heat amid broken AC units
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Subway car interiors reach 93°F, platforms near 100°F
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Only 7 cars removed from service despite widespread complaints
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Old train models and outdated repair shops blamed for delays
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MTA promises upgrades in upcoming five-year capital plan
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Tourists and commuters alike caught off guard by the heat underground.
As New York City enters the grip of a relentless summer heat wave, the underground commute — already a challenge on any normal day — has turned into a scorching ordeal for many subway riders, especially those relying on the city’s aging 1 line. Long considered a dependable north-south route on Manhattan’s West Side, the 1 train has recently become a symbol of discomfort as riders are finding themselves trapped in sweltering subway cars, many without functioning air conditioning.
For thousands of New Yorkers, the subway is a lifeline, moving them swiftly through the city’s pulse. But this week, that lifeline feels more like a furnace on rails.
Ahmad Perry, 55, a regular commuter on the 1 line, has experienced the worst of it.
“In the last few days, I’ve traveled back and forth on the 1 line and I have not been on a car that has AC yet,”
Perry said, using his hat to mop sweat from his brow while sitting in a car that had reached a staggering 93 degrees inside.
“This is the hottest day of the year… and we are sitting on a hot car. Ridiculous.”
The oppressive conditions inside the trains are made worse by the heat trapped within the platforms. At the 14th Street station, temperatures nearly hit triple digits — Gothamist recorded readings of almost 100°F, just shy of the 101°F at JFK Airport that shattered June temperature records. The underground environment, poorly ventilated and densely populated during rush hours, amplifies the discomfort.
What’s most frustrating for commuters is that the problem isn’t new. The 1 line’s cars are among the oldest still in service, and the maintenance facility tasked with repairing these trains is also overdue for modernization. Despite the current crisis, the MTA has confirmed that only a handful of cars were pulled from service due to air conditioning issues.
“Crews removed only seven subway cars from service due to broken air conditioners between Monday morning and Tuesday night,”
said MTA spokesperson Eugene Resnick, attempting to reassure the public that efforts were underway.
However, riders like Perry suggest the scope of the issue feels far more widespread than those numbers imply.
The misery of the underground commute is not limited to any one group. Tuesday morning, as voters made their way to polling stations for the primary election, many were forced to battle both the heat and the clock.
Michael Johnson, 37, stood on the Houston Street platform, visibly drenched in sweat and watching the train arrival timer intently.
“You’ve got the clock up to see how long ‘til the next train,”
Johnson explained.
“I saw one minute, so I came running down because I just don’t want to get trapped on the platform for another five — it’s usually suffocating in here.”
Meanwhile, longtime city residents have found themselves reminiscing about earlier eras of the subway — when air conditioning wasn’t even an option — while also expressing frustration that so little has changed in some aspects.
“It gets you where you wanna go, even though it’s kind of uncomfortable and hot,”
said Vincent Dipilato, 74, a Tribeca resident who grew up riding the subway before AC was introduced.
“But these days, you’d think they could’ve improved this part already.”
The suffering isn’t limited to passengers. At South Ferry, the southern terminus of the 1 line, even MTA workers have been visibly affected. One employee was spotted lugging around a portable fan just to get through her shift. These workers spend hours on exposed platforms cleaning cars and assisting riders — jobs made exponentially harder under extreme heat.
Tourists too are finding themselves unprepared for the brutal reality of a New York City summer spent underground. For many, the subway system is part of the essential city experience — but the intensity of the heat can come as a shock.
“This is kind of a little bit of a shock,”
said Saahiti Annamneedi, visiting from San Francisco, where she typically relies on buses or ride-shares.
“It’s definitely hotter underground for sure. It’s unfortunately part of the deal, I’ve got to take it to get places.”
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is not unaware of these challenges. According to officials, plans to replace the aging train cars and upgrade the corresponding repair shop are included in the agency’s new five-year capital plan. However, the changes are still in the planning stages and will take time to implement.
For now, riders and transit workers alike must endure the current conditions, hoping for cooler days — or at least cooler train cars — ahead.
As the summer heat intensifies, the discomfort faced by NYC subway riders highlights long-standing issues within the system — aging trains, delayed upgrades, and vulnerable infrastructure. While the MTA assures future improvements under its capital plan, immediate relief remains uncertain. Until then, commuters must brace for more scorching rides, where each journey feels less like public transit and more like a test of endurance in the city’s underground furnace.
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