One of the single-most busy stations in Brooklyn. Mobbed. When your F,G, or R train pulls into this transit stop, relax in relief as probably 3/4th of all the passengers surrounding you will rise to exit. Or, be prepared for discomfort and frustration as suddenly your mostly-empty train car is immediately invaded by new riders. This station is a vital--and very popular--transfer station for people switching from one train line to another. Its also a primary station for the Park-Slope neighborhood; so you will see a lot of Mexicans traveling from Sunset Park to cook here; and you will see a lot of Chinese coming back from Park Slope to Brooklyn's Chinatown after collecting all the aluminum cans they can haul.
See, its a key artery to get to East Manhattan from Southern Brooklyn. Pasty-pale goth waitresses all riding the F train to go to LES and EViL either for work or for partying. So, there's also a lot of unnecessarily gaudy, swank, overly-artsy fashion and eclectic outfits on this train; trashy-chic kind of swag going on. Service people...all tryin' to get their groove on. Actually, a lot of them look like they hurriedly jumped into clothes that morning, after staying up late several nights in a row, and they're the same clothes they've been wearing a few days straight in a row, too...if you know what I mean. :D
Anyhow. I rate this station in several ways. 3-stars for its effective and efficient location and operation. But, 0-stars for concomitantly, causing crowding. 3-stars for having an open-air platform. (So far total rating: 3).
Now--last, but not least-- '0' stars for being a very old, dilapidated, scurvy and disgusting station with numerous water leaks, crumbling concrete, and cracked, unsightly, never-replaced tilework. At its worst, 4th/9th is typical of the most severely decayed of the MTA's train station environments. When you really stop to think about it, it is astounding that any human being has to pass through these ugly eyesores, hour-upon-hour every day...its painful to even look at these filthy pits. These horrible tunnels look like former death camps or something else equally nightmarish.
There is also very confusing signage in the lower levels; it can be mystifying as to where your train actually arrives. Be warned.
Finally: there is one underground junction down here in this station--I think you all recognize the one I'm referring to--one which causes a furious bottleneck of people--bodies come charging down a tiny passageway--hurtling around a corner, smack into a throng of people eagerly hurrying to exit that same passage but in the opposite direction. And of course--wouldn't you know it--just at that spot stands an obese, cruddy, scraggly-haired, wild-eyed, incoherent, reeking ole street bum, coin-cup-in-hand, pushing it right out in people's faces as they blitz by, shaking it a little to encourage new deposits. Its ridiculous. There is NOT enough room for this; he lives there with his shopping-cart Winnebago.
AND--further perplexity--a tiny little Mexican pastry lady also chooses this spot to hawk her daily wares (churras). Why anyone wants to eat (cold!) churras in this underground pit? With their bare hands? Beyond understanding.
The one amusing incident you may occasionally witness: sometimes when a train driver has pulled his vehicle in and is paused there, he will wave the woman over to his little window to purchase a quick two-fer's worth of churra; as a snack during his shift. So she skips over like a little girl and hands him a couple with a big smile and he hands her the bills. This is really precious, and reminds one of old New York. Hard-working men and women just trying to get through their day.
Overall: 3 stars is all this station is going to get from me. Its got some horrendous 'intangibles' ...but the station itself gets the job done! Can't deny it. Have to be fair, here. read more
