There is something quite magical about dilapidation. One of the best places to find this across the world can be subway systems. Even in modern prosperous cities there can be corners that seem to be forgotten about. The New York Subway is almost famous for it- beneath the metropolis you can still find gems such as Canal Street station which time, and repair seems to have forgotten.
On a recent trip to Romainia (September 2017) I discovered that the subway systems has some beautiful brutallist soviet station buildings, but in the large part very modern, clean and well looked after trains built in recent years by CAF and Bombadier- there was however one exception, Metro line 4 which time really seems to have forgotten and which soldiers on, for now, with native Astra built IVA stock constructed in Arad.
A total of 508 cars of IVA stock were built by Astra for the Bucharest metro between 1976 and 1992. Only a small number now remain in service on the short Line 4 from Gara de Nord to Straulesti and will be replaced when the signalling system is finally upgraded. Late in the evening there is certainly an eery and somewhat forgotten feel to this line. The trains are not regular, there are few people around and the stock is plastered from head to tail in graffiti. Next to marble clad columns and bright plastic chairs the IVA's slowly wind down their last few years in service almost totally ignored by the city above.
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