MTA to Dedicate Subway Station in Memory of Train Operator Garrett Goble

NEW YORK
Transit Officer Garrett Goble died on March 27 after a fire was set aboard his train in Manhattan. (Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit)

MTA, TWU Local 100 and NYPD officials gathered with Delilah Rodriguez Goble, widow of Train Operator Garrett Goble, to announce plans to honor Goble at the station he grew up using, Flatbush Av-Brooklyn College. Goble was tragically killed while operating a #2 train in the early morning of March 27 during an arson attack. Nathaniel Avinger was arrested on Friday as a suspect in the case.

Goble was operating a northbound #2 train at around 3 a.m. on March 27 when an arsonist set fire to a shopping cart, engulfing the train in flames near the 110 St station. More than a dozen customers were also injured in the blaze.

Officials will commission a work of art to be placed at the station to honor Goble’s legacy, and a dedication plaque will also be affixed to the station. Mr. Goble’s family will be consulted on all aspects of his memoriam, and the MTA will accept ideas and submissions from local artists.

“Today is an emotional day for everyone at NYC Transit, but we also feel tremendous relief,” said New York City Transit Interim President Sarah Feinberg. “Nothing can bring Garrett back, but this is progress, and we are grateful. Our greatest responsibility is to continue to work with our partners to keep our workers safe, and to continue to find ways to honor Garrett in the months and years ahead.”

“We just want to say thank you,” Delilah Goble said at today’s announcement. “We are happy with the arrest. We know it’s the first step. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time. It came just in time. Because my son’s birthday is tomorrow, and he was really looking – he wants justice for his dad, just like we do. So we’re really happy, we’re grateful to the union, MTA, the Police Department — they have been really great to us, checking up on us, making sure as a family we’re okay. So, just thank you, thank you so much.”

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