NEW YORK Transit Museum refreshed, on track

The first bus to serve New York riders in 1907 greets visitors at street level.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Isabelle Prince prefers to ride the city's buses.
"I don't like subways," the 4-year-old confessed recently. "They're too squeaky."
Even finicky commuters like Isabelle, though, can find something of interest at the refurbished Transit Museum. After two years of renovations, the nation's largest urban mass transit museum is back on track.
The two-level, 60,000-square foot museum re-opened in September. Located in a former subway station in Brooklyn, it provides an unprecedented overview of the nation's busiest mass transit system, tracing the evolution of its trolleys, trains and buses.
The renovation included the installation of interactive exhibits, along with new galleries and a computer resource center.
From 1936-46, the museum was an actual subway station. It sat vacant for 30 years after it was decommissioned but found new life as a museum in 1976.
Visitors are greeted at street level with the first bus that served New York riders back in 1907. The green double-decker bus officially sports the regal name of "Queen Anne."
But other exhibits feature more of the grit and grime that most people associate with subways. "Steel, Stone and Backbone" details the backbreaking work of the men -- mostly southern blacks, along with Irish and Italian immigrants -- who excavated the subway tunnels.
"These were men actually digging with picks and axes," said museum spokeswoman Roxanne Robertson, pointing to a pile of wooden crates that represents the dynamite used to carve out the tunnels. "The subway system was built on manual labor."
Attractions
For kids, an opportunity to sit behind the wheel of a city bus is irresistible. Marek Barnette, 4, wrapped his tiny hands around the big, black steering wheel of a bus in the museum.
"I don't want to drive a real one," he said. "It's too scary."
Another exhibit, "On The Streets: New York's Trolleys and Buses," provides a 175-year history of the city's above-ground transportation. One of its major attractions is a simulated traffic intersection, complete with flashing "Walk/Don't Walk" signs.
Guests can also check out turnstiles of every vintage, from the original in 1904 (when fares were a nickel) to the current version ($2). Folks too young to remember subway tokens can see what they looked like throughout the 20th century.
A favorite among New Yorkers is the museum's gift shop, which offers everything from railroad lanterns and station signs to men's silk underpants adorned with the city subway map.
XThe museum is located at Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street. For more information, call (718) 694-5100. Hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; weekends noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $3 for children and $5 for adults.