VOID M-FEB 1966 - UNPUNCHED AGENT STUB - RESTRICTED ORANGE PASS VARIETY

Vintage restricted monthly commuter transit ticket specimen dated February 1966 documenting the historic rail operations of the Staten Island Rapid Transit Railway Company in New York. This unique piece includes both the passenger portion and the attached agent stub separated by a solid red vertical security bar over a vibrant orange card stock base.

This mid-century transportation document is stamped with a large red X, a slanted VOID mark, and bright red ink text overlays indicating it was a specimen, sample, or invalidated office copy. The ticket features the printed facsimile signature of District Sales Manager J.W. Watson at the bottom center.

Ultimate Geographic Keyword Powerhouse

This specific ticket is an incredible resource for New York transit history collectors, explicitly detailing key destinations and routes including New York via Municipal Ferry, Tompkinsville, and Clifton. It captures the vital commuting link between the standard railway line and the iconic Staten Island ferry infrastructure during the post-war era of Richmond County.

Historic Line Coverage

The text outlines strict transit limitations of the era, noting that this specific fare type was a restricted ticket not good for passage on Saturdays, Sundays, or major holidays. It details specific calendar exclusions of the period including January 1, February 22, May 30, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and December 25. This shows the complex administrative rules used to regulate heavy commuter traffic moving between Staten Island neighborhoods and Manhattan, contrasting with all-inclusive unrestricted variations from the same month.

Backside Blank Variation

Unlike earlier transit slips that featured local department store advertisements, the reverse side of this 1966 ticket is completely blank. The plain orange back remains clean, showcasing the raw texture of the heavy safety paper used by the railroad during the mid-1960s.

Condition and Provenance

This item is part of a substantial transit collection featuring decades of curated New York rail history. The orange paper stock shows minimal age toning and remains crisp with sharp edges and its original perforation line fully intact. The physical grade is designated as Excellent unused condition with two clean, factory-drilled circular cancellation or filing holes near the bottom edge. Both sides retain flawless typographic clarity with deeply inked black text, vibrant red date stamps reading FEB.-1966, and a bold red M-FEB 66-f overlay.

Historical Context

The Staten Island Rapid Transit Railway Company operated a critical network of passenger tracks across the island, serving as a lifeline for commuters connecting to the Manhattan ferries. By 1966, the line was struggling financially under the ownership of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, eventually leading to its transition to public municipal control in the early 1970s. This February 1966 specimen illustrates the operation at a pivotal transitional moment, showcasing the formal ticketing systems used before modern automated fare collection unified the New York City transit framework.