Importance of The Q Train

August meets Jane on the Q train at the beginning of the novel and discovers that her subway friend is suspended in time by the electric current running through the third rail. The train facilitates the relationship between August and Jane, despite the disparities in their timelines. Because the track existed in the 1970s, when Jane lived in New York, it carries her into present day Brooklyn when August is a passenger. The Q train also serves to denote Jane’s emotions. When the character is erotically charged, angry, or sad the subway car lights flicker and the train stalls.