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During the late 70's and early 80's, New York City's subway system was one of the most dangerous places a person could be. Lucky for those of us who never had the chance to see it, Swiss photographer Willy Spiller was there, and the dark and atmospheric series of vintage photos he took has now come to be known as Hell On Wheels.

A New York resident between the years of 1977 and 1984, Spiller witnessed the birth of rap music, the rise of grafitti, and Ed Koch's election as mayor. Unfortunately, he also witnessed such parts of New York's history as a spike in crime, a large portion of which took place in the city's underground quarters. The rate of violent incidents in the New York subway was so high by 1980 that the NYPD had over 2300 police officers patrolling the system at all times. Spiller took his chances and documented what he saw through his masterful street photography.

Though the interesting photos were first released in 1984, Hell On Wheels had its glory restored in 2016. Sturm & Drang publishers put Spiller's old photos to print in a limited edition series of hardcover, vivid colour coffee table books. "These images hardly tell a story of crime and danger in the lives of real people," Dr. Tobia Bezzola writes in the book's chilling forward. "Willy Spiller doesn’t discover darkness in the underground but rather an idiosyncratic, vivid realm of its own."

More info: Hell On Wheels (h/t: Vintage Everyday | DYT)

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#10

Underground Life Of 80s Nyc

Willy Spiller Report

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mercy2k avatar
Mercy Dos Santos
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just switch paper for smart phone...Bazaar for sure! Information will never die 😘

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#12

Underground Life Of 80s Nyc

Willy Spiller Report

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Apollo
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is the only photo that doesn't have this eery atmosphere.

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#21

Underground Life Of 80s Nyc

Willy Spiller Report

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Cynthia Ward
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

grizzly tunnel connecting Herald Sq. and the Garden, and through Macy's and onto Grand Center, it's a mile underground walking, but every train in the city is accessible through one of these many portals and ramps, business people downhill run/walking.

#25

Underground Life Of 80s Nyc

Willy Spiller Report

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Cynthia Ward
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

and that was the fancey, clean side of the subway near Saks Fifth Ave.

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Underground Life Of 80s Nyc

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Cynthia Ward
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

see clean side goes from east to west side Bonwit Tellar, Berdorf Goodman, from Beekman Place...Mad Men.

#28

Underground Life Of 80s Nyc

Willy Spiller Report

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Cynthia Ward
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

W wo 72nd St. station and you can't even see the train number 4-5-6, near Mortimer's and where all the famous walked among upside streets sidewalks from Lex to Madison were filled with greats.

#30

Underground Life Of 80s Nyc

Willy Spiller Report

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Cynthia Ward
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is moving underneath Park Avenue & Hunter College? hmmm.more like the Dakota Bldg, West side at the Y,

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#31

Underground Life Of 80s Nyc

Willy Spiller Report

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Fire Bird
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All of these pictures makes me have the Welcome Back, Kotter song running in my head.

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Underground Life Of 80s Nyc

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Martin Forbes
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It must've been a relief to finally get out of the subway alive and safely into their apartments after these train journeys.