103rd Street (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)
Encyclopedia
103rd Street is a local station
on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line
of the New York City Subway
. Located at the intersection of Lexington Avenue
and 103rd Street in Spanish Harlem
, it is served by the 6
train at all times, the <6> during weekdays in peak direction, and the 4
train during late nights.
This underground station, opened on July 17, 1918, has four tracks and two side platform
s. The two center express tracks are used by the 4 and 5
trains during daytime hours. Both platforms have their original trim line, which has "103" tablets on it at regular intervals, and name tablets, which read "103RD STREET" in Times New Roman font. Prior to the 1990 remodeling, mosaic tiles were used so as to depict the 103rd Street mosaic as a sign hanging down from a horizontal support beam above. These "signholders" were covered over in 1990.
Unlike most other stations on the line north of Grand Central, the express tracks are level with the local tracks at this station. The two platforms are therefore separated by four tracks. An emergency phone is present immediately to the south of the southbound local platform.
The station's only entrance/exit is a mezzanine
above the platforms and tracks near the south end. It has two staircases from each platform, a waiting area that can be used as a crossover, turnstile
bank, token booth, and two street stairs going up to the southeast and southwest corners of 103rd Street and Lexington Avenue. The mezzanine has Mosaic
s indicating uptown and downtown directions.
The 1990 ceramic artwork here is called Neo-Boriken by Nitza Tufino.
Metro station
A metro station or subway station is a railway station for a rapid transit system, often known by names such as "metro", "underground" and "subway". It is often underground or elevated. At crossings of metro lines, they are multi-level....
on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line
IRT Lexington Avenue Line
The Lexington Avenue Line is one of the lines of the IRT division of the New York City Subway, stretching from Downtown Brooklyn or Lower Manhattan north to 125th Street in East Harlem. The portion in Lower and Midtown Manhattan was part of the first subway line in New York...
of the New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
. Located at the intersection of Lexington Avenue
Lexington Avenue (Manhattan)
Lexington Avenue, often colloquially abbreviated by New Yorkers as "Lex," is an avenue on the East Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City that carries southbound one-way traffic from East 131st Street to Gramercy Park at East 21st Street...
and 103rd Street in Spanish Harlem
Spanish Harlem
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem and El Barrio, is a section of Harlem in the northeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. East Harlem is one of the largest predominantly Latino communities in New York City. It includes the area formerly known as Italian Harlem, in which...
, it is served by the 6
6 (New York City Subway service)
The 6 Lexington Avenue and Pelham Local and Lexington Avenue Local and Pelham Express are two rapid transit services of the New York City Subway. The 6 local has a circle shape while the ' express has a diamond shape...
train at all times, the <6> during weekdays in peak direction, and the 4
4 (New York City Subway service)
The 4 Lexington Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored green on station signs, route signs, and the official subway map, since it uses the IRT Lexington Avenue Line in Manhattan....
train during late nights.
This underground station, opened on July 17, 1918, has four tracks and two side platform
Side platform
A Side platform is a platform positioned to the side of a pair of tracks at a railway station, a tram stop or a transitway. A pair of side platforms are often provided on a dual track line with a single side platform being sufficient for a single track line...
s. The two center express tracks are used by the 4 and 5
5 (New York City Subway service)
The 5 Lexington Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored green on station signs, route signs, and the official subway map, since it uses IRT Lexington Avenue Line in Manhattan....
trains during daytime hours. Both platforms have their original trim line, which has "103" tablets on it at regular intervals, and name tablets, which read "103RD STREET" in Times New Roman font. Prior to the 1990 remodeling, mosaic tiles were used so as to depict the 103rd Street mosaic as a sign hanging down from a horizontal support beam above. These "signholders" were covered over in 1990.
Unlike most other stations on the line north of Grand Central, the express tracks are level with the local tracks at this station. The two platforms are therefore separated by four tracks. An emergency phone is present immediately to the south of the southbound local platform.
The station's only entrance/exit is a mezzanine
Mezzanine (architecture)
In architecture, a mezzanine or entresol is an intermediate floor between main floors of a building, and therefore typically not counted among the overall floors of a building. Often, a mezzanine is low-ceilinged and projects in the form of a balcony. The term is also used for the lowest balcony in...
above the platforms and tracks near the south end. It has two staircases from each platform, a waiting area that can be used as a crossover, turnstile
Turnstile
A turnstile, also called a baffle gate, is a form of gate which allows one person to pass at a time. It can also be made so as to enforce one-way traffic of people, and in addition, it can restrict passage only to people who insert a coin, a ticket, a pass, or similar...
bank, token booth, and two street stairs going up to the southeast and southwest corners of 103rd Street and Lexington Avenue. The mezzanine has Mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
s indicating uptown and downtown directions.
The 1990 ceramic artwork here is called Neo-Boriken by Nitza Tufino.
External links
- nycsubway.org — Neo-Boriken Artwork by Nitza Tufino (1990)
- Station Reporter — 6 Train
- MTA's Arts For Transit — 103rd Street (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)
- 103rd Street entrance from Google Maps Street View