121st Street (BMT Jamaica Line)
Encyclopedia
121st Street is a skip-stop
station
on the elevated BMT Jamaica Line
of the New York City Subway
. Located at the intersection of 121st Street and Jamaica Avenue
in Queens
, it is served by the Z train during rush hour
s in the peak direction, and by the J train at all other times.
The station has two tracks and two side platform
s, with space for a center express track that was never added.
This station has beige windscreens, green canopies, and two exits. The full time exit is at the west (railroad south
) end of the station. One staircase from each platform leads to the mezzanine beneath the tracks. Outside of fare control, a pair of staircases lead down to either side of Jamaica Avenue on the west side of 121st Street.
There is an additional un-staffed exit at the east (railroad north) end of the station leading to the west side of 123rd Street. This exit is split in half due to the closed-off station house beneath the tracks. A single staircase from each platforms leads to a landing that contains a full-height turnstile before reaching the street stairs. The Manhattan-bound side is HEET turnstile access while the Jamaica-bound side is exit-only.
This is the easternmost station on the Jamaica Line. East of here, trains go underground into the BMT Archer Avenue Line. During construction of the Archer Avenue Line, this station was the terminal
for the Jamaica Avenue El from April 15, 1985 to December 11, 1988.
Construction on the ramps to Archer Avenue was completed in November 1987, but since the tunnels were not ready for service until 1988, a double crossover east (railroad north) of the station was installed while the ramps were used for storage. After reaching 121st Street, trains used the crossover to switch from the Jamaica-bound track to the Manhattan-bound one, where they would relay to the platform and begin service to Manhattan. The elevated structure between this station and the now-demolished Metropolitan Avenue
station was torn down to make way for the ramps.
Skip-stop
Skip-stop is a public transit service pattern which reduces travel times and increases capacity by not having all vehicles make all designated stops along a route. Skip-stops are used in both rail transit and bus transit operations.-Rail operation:...
station
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 elevated BMT Jamaica Line
BMT Jamaica Line
The Jamaica Line is an elevated rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway, in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States. It runs from the Williamsburg Bridge southeast over Broadway to East New York, Brooklyn, and then east over Fulton Street and Jamaica Avenue to...
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 121st Street and Jamaica Avenue
Jamaica Avenue
Jamaica Avenue is a major avenue in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City, New York, in the United States. Jamaica Avenue starts at Broadway and Fulton Street in the East New York neighborhood in Brooklyn, and goes to the city line in Bellerose, Queens, where it becomes Jericho...
in Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, it is served by the Z train during rush hour
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
s in the peak direction, and by the J train at all other times.
The station has two 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, with space for a center express track that was never added.
This station has beige windscreens, green canopies, and two exits. The full time exit is at the west (railroad south
Railroad directions
Railroad directions are used to describe train directions on railroad systems. The terms used may be derived from such sources as compass directions, altitude directions, or other directions...
) end of the station. One staircase from each platform leads to the mezzanine beneath the tracks. Outside of fare control, a pair of staircases lead down to either side of Jamaica Avenue on the west side of 121st Street.
There is an additional un-staffed exit at the east (railroad north) end of the station leading to the west side of 123rd Street. This exit is split in half due to the closed-off station house beneath the tracks. A single staircase from each platforms leads to a landing that contains a full-height turnstile before reaching the street stairs. The Manhattan-bound side is HEET turnstile access while the Jamaica-bound side is exit-only.
This is the easternmost station on the Jamaica Line. East of here, trains go underground into the BMT Archer Avenue Line. During construction of the Archer Avenue Line, this station was the terminal
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
for the Jamaica Avenue El from April 15, 1985 to December 11, 1988.
Construction on the ramps to Archer Avenue was completed in November 1987, but since the tunnels were not ready for service until 1988, a double crossover east (railroad north) of the station was installed while the ramps were used for storage. After reaching 121st Street, trains used the crossover to switch from the Jamaica-bound track to the Manhattan-bound one, where they would relay to the platform and begin service to Manhattan. The elevated structure between this station and the now-demolished Metropolitan Avenue
Metropolitan Avenue (BMT Jamaica Line)
Metropolitan Avenue was a station on the demolished section of the BMT Jamaica Line. It had 2 tracks and 2 side platforms, with space for a 3rd track in the center. This station was built as part of the Dual Contracts. It opened December 12, 1916, and closed on April 15, 1985. The next stop to the...
station was torn down to make way for the ramps.
External links
- Station Reporter — J Train
- The Subway Nut — 121st Street Pictures
- 121st Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
- 123rd Street entrance from Google Maps Street View