The straphanger term is obsolete in NYC as their subway cars no longer have strap handles. Instead, those standing must clutch onto an assortment of metal poles and bars. But the term "straphanger" stuck and is not going away anytime soon.
The photo below is how NYC subway cars look today. Below that is the way it used to be.
The strap handles were eliminated because they often needed to be repaired. The new poles and bars have no moving parts so are low maintenance.
The NYC subway system fascinates me. It is massive, still growing, and one of the greatest achievements in human history.
Thank you. That is very informative. I have been on the subway in Philadelphia, Washington, and London, but never in New York.