European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 5, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                They believe serious crimes occur in the subway twice As often As they actually do. Some notorious crimes have fuelled that fear Bernhard Goetz gunned Down four teen agers a violinist s hand was severed when she was pushed in front of a subway. But there is no disputing that the system s decline has finally been stemmed. Steaming new stainless steel cars and sturdy rehabilitated ones painted proud red Are rolling across 230 Miles of track that gradually is being replaced. The most noticeable change is the eradication of Graffiti. Four years ago there was not a single subway car in new York that was not scarred with Spray paint Graffiti was in Vogue at the time and was considered in some circles an Art form. Transit authority president David Gunn declared War on Graffiti ordering cars be cleaned one at a time. If a clean car was sprayed again it was removed from service and re cleaned. He frustrated legions of teen aged Spray painters proud of their rolling  v Gunn is proud of the accomplishment. He likes to Tell of a recent meeting Between to officials the mayor s Liaison with the movie and television Industry and a group of major producers who wanted to deface subway cars for filming purposes. I said no they said what do you mean no and i said i mean no and the car department people were cheering me of Gunn says. They said they d use water colors to Mark up the trains and re create Graffiti and clean up afterwards. But we Are not going to let them go in and Mark up trains re create the Nightmare. If there is  train they can use it. I can t Stop them from taking a picture. If they want to get footage of dirty subway cars they d better hurry up because they Aren t going to be around much  not everyone is convinced that Gunn s approach is Best. He still firmly believes in the cosmetics rather than the reality of the system says Sonny Hall president of the transport workers Union. He extended the preventative maintenance of the buses from every 4,000 Miles to 8,000 Miles but he won t let a bus go out if it has gum on the floor even if that Means a Gap in  still the turnaround has made an impression on the american Public transit association an Industry group representing managers of transit systems in the United states and Canada. At a recent meeting in Montreal the to was cited As the most improved system on the continent and Gunn received the manager of the year award. The Graffiti that had become Theta s International identification Mark has been nearly eliminated says Anta chairman Reba Malone a Board member of via transit in san Antonio Texas. The Industry looks with Pride at the new York City transit  but getting the message to the Public has proved More difficult. The to now is using sophisticated Market research and Slick advertising to change Public perceptions. The image of the new York City transit system is outdated across ," says Dohn under director of marketing for the to s Parent Agency the metropolitan transportation authority.,"but there is no National advertising for the same reason that there is no citywide advertising. We re not ready to  although the system is open ,24 hours a Day and serves a huge territory from the Bronx to the Rockaway not All lines have been rehabilitated. One recent and Campaign promoted six of the system s 26 lines three on Manhattan s East Side and three or the West Side that Are consistently rated the Best by strap hangers. The ads urged business riders to use the subways during midday hours As a speedy alternative to a taxi stalled in traffic. The $1 million and Campaign was developed at the mayor s request to try to ease Midtown traffic and air pollution. The Meta considers it Money Well spent. Some positive exposure is free. Michelob and Miller Beers both chose the to s sleek stainless steel subways cars As settings for their television commercials. The style Section of the Washington Post and women s Wear Dally a fashion Trade publication published this tip it s hip to ride the subways. And Merrill Lynch one of the major underwriters of Meta Bonds produced a glitzy marketing video for potential Bond buyers that glowingly outlines the Progress made most of it financed by the Sale of Bonds. Merrill Lynch would t have touched us with a 10-Footpole five years ago Gunn says. Is unlawful � most f m # we new York City transit authority president David Gunn in his office. Dedicated to Afifi transit by Marjorie Anders associated press avid Gunn oversees the largest subway system in the world with the enthusiasm of a boy playing with a new electric train found under the Christmas tree. I have always liked big machines Gunn says unabashedly it s not just trains. I mean i always liked steamships. And i liked trolliet and buses things like that big  a mass transit advocate in word and deed the 61 year old Gunn does not own a car. And although his $140, position As president of the transit authority entitles him to a chauffeured Agency car he prefers to get around on subways and buses. Gunn is  that when ifs 83-year-old Mother visits from Boston he meets her train at Penn station and they take the subway to Park slope one of Brooklyn s genteel neighbourhoods where he has a duplex co opt. I carry the bags Gunn says. When he first came to new York 41/ years ago Gunn Rode the rails for hours trouble shooting and getting to know the system first hand Gunn whose favorite tie has a subway Token Motif personally answers virtually every letter of complaint. He receives about 10 a Day usually i just apologize he says. The son of a Stock broker Gunn grew up in Boston and spent his childhood Summers visiting his grandparents in Nova Scotia. It was there hitching rides on the Dominion Atlantic Railroad that he fell in love with trains " was a Little kid and my father was friends with some of the Crew and i got to know the conductor he says ,. T i d spend the night in the caboose eat with the Guys. It was an All Day trip. The coach was one of these real old coaches with kerosene lamps a Coal potbellied stove and a steam engine and i d get to ride in the engine and blow the whistle the whole bit it was fun after earning an mba degree from Harvard he joined the Atchinson Topeka and Santa be Railroad in 1964. Positions with the new York Central and the Illinois Central railways followed and then rapid transit systems in Boston and Philadelphia. On feb. 1,1984 Gunn took Over a system in crisis. New York s Fleet of 3,600 buses and 6,200 subway cars 703 Miles of track and 463 stations were falling apart. With single minded determination and a Lack of concern for personal popularity he demanded change and gained an anti Union reputation. Gunn certainly does t have any sympathy for labor he does have it for the worker individually says Sonny Hall president of the transit authority s largest Union local 100 of the transport workers Union. Between Union concerns politics and running a Railroad Gunn has time for Little else. I have very Little social life outside of this place. I am probably basically a loner says Gunn a Bachelor who goes to bed at 9 30 . And gets up before Dawn. He s a self taught Cook otherwise you starve and admits to Coupon clipping. He likes to shop in Chinatown. When he s not in new York he weekends at his Cabin in the White mountains of new Hampshire i try to Backpack every other weekend Winter and summer pretty religiously says the lean six footer it s a Good Way to relieve whatever stress builds up is his a stressful Job there must be a More stressful Job somewhere Gunn says laughing. Sunday february 5, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 17