Illegally exploring hidden New York City both underground and far above the street

Urban historians who make unapproved visits to abandoned subway stations have to be able to multitask, avoiding the fatal charms of electrified third rails (which can be on either side of the tracks), transit cops and oncoming trains. At least in New York, the chances that a transit cop will actually kill you are less than, say, Oakland, California.
     Regardless, scaling bridge supports seems a lot easier, unless you have acrophobia.