The headline “Yorkville is Chugging Along” by Kathleen Lucadamo describes a concept that may have some similar characteristics, but not identical. First of all, the article is about a new train station opening on Second Avenue in the Upper East Side. Yorkville runs from 79th to 96th Street between East River and Third Avenue. This got people excited that even investors from overseas are buying the properties near the neighborhood. For a long time, residents have complained about the poor transportation in the area. Residents cannot wait for the opening of stores and restaurants. There are even apartment bidding wars. The prices of apartments are rising as well, comparing to 2013 from $1.88 million to $1.95 million.
The phrase “chugging” is usually a train terminology. “Chugging” is a rhythmic engine sound. However, Lucadamo made a twist to it by saying Yorkville is “chugging along”. When I think of “chugging along”, I think of moving forward and being up to speed. In this case, chugging along in a metaphorical sense is making progress when it is not referring to the train. The two ideas are Yorkville and trains chugging. Literally, there will be trains on Second Avenue. At the same time, Yorkville is prospering due to the subway station.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/yorkville-is-chugging-along-1454108366
I would have honestly never thought of looking into the title of this article if I were to glance at it myself. I think it is so clever that the author was able to connect the main literal idea of Yorkville prospering with the physical idea of trains being built through the word “chugging”. The word itself makes me think of someone drinking something without a break, but I now know that chugging has a completely different definition. It is definitely not something I have ever seen before.
I do agree that this wasn’t such an obvious metaphor to be seen and therefore was very creative for the author to have thought of this and put this idea together. When I think of the title Yorkville Chugging Along, I see how this could mean how adding trains to this Upper East Side area would lead to a more prosperous community in that area and it being built and viewed as in a more positive light.