53rd Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line)
Encyclopedia
53rd Street is a local station
on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line
of the New York City Subway
. Located at 53rd Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn
, it is served by the R
train at all times except late nights northbound and the N
train late nights only.
This underground station, opened on September 13, 1915, has four tracks and two side platform
s. The two center tracks are used by N
trains during daytime hours as well as late-night northbound R
trains.
This station was overhauled in the late 1970s. The Transit Authority repaired the station's structure and appearance, particularly the staircases and platform edges. The overhaul also replaced the original wall tiles, signs, and incandescent lighting with cinderblock tiles (colored gray with yellow indentation), black and white signs, and fluorescent lights.
On the platforms, street signs and arrows leading to the station's exits are painted black on the wall tiles. Columns run along the entire length of both platforms and are painted yellow. Every other column has a "53 Street" sign on it in black with white text. All are rounded except for the ones near the two staircases to the station's main entrance, which was where the platforms were extended.
The station's main entrance has two staircase to each platform and one to each side of Fourth Avenue and 53rd Street. The mezzanine
allows transfer between directions and contains some of the original mosaic directional and arrow signs. The one by the staircases to the southbound platform says "Ft. Hamilton & Coney Island" while the one by the Manhattan-bound platform staircases says "Down Town Trains."
The Bay Ridge-bound platform has an exit-only near the north end. A single platform-level turnstile
leads to a small landing before a three-flight staircase goes up to 52nd Street and Fourth Avenue. The landing area contains the original 1915 trim band with a single "53" tiled on it.
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 BMT Fourth Avenue Line
BMT Fourth Avenue Line
The Fourth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the BMT division of the New York City Subway, mainly running under Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn. Fourth Avenue never had a streetcar line or elevated railway due to the provisions of the assessment charged to neighboring property owners when the street...
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 53rd Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn
Sunset Park, Brooklyn
Sunset Park is a neighborhood in the western section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA. It is bounded by Greenwood Heights to the north, Borough Park to the east, Bay Ridge to the south, and Upper New York Bay to the west...
, it is served by the R
R (New York City Subway service)
The R Broadway Local is a service of the New York City Subway. It is colored yellow on the route sign and on station signs and the NYC Subway map, as it represents a service provided on the BMT Broadway Line in Manhattan.The R service operates at all times...
train at all times except late nights northbound and the N
N (New York City Subway service)
The N Broadway Local is a service of the New York City Subway. Its route bullet is colored yellow, which appears on station signs and the NYC Subway map, as it represents a service provided on the BMT Broadway Line through Manhattan....
train late nights only.
This underground station, opened on September 13, 1915, 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 tracks are used by N
N (New York City Subway service)
The N Broadway Local is a service of the New York City Subway. Its route bullet is colored yellow, which appears on station signs and the NYC Subway map, as it represents a service provided on the BMT Broadway Line through Manhattan....
trains during daytime hours as well as late-night northbound R
R (New York City Subway service)
The R Broadway Local is a service of the New York City Subway. It is colored yellow on the route sign and on station signs and the NYC Subway map, as it represents a service provided on the BMT Broadway Line in Manhattan.The R service operates at all times...
trains.
This station was overhauled in the late 1970s. The Transit Authority repaired the station's structure and appearance, particularly the staircases and platform edges. The overhaul also replaced the original wall tiles, signs, and incandescent lighting with cinderblock tiles (colored gray with yellow indentation), black and white signs, and fluorescent lights.
On the platforms, street signs and arrows leading to the station's exits are painted black on the wall tiles. Columns run along the entire length of both platforms and are painted yellow. Every other column has a "53 Street" sign on it in black with white text. All are rounded except for the ones near the two staircases to the station's main entrance, which was where the platforms were extended.
The station's main entrance has two staircase to each platform and one to each side of Fourth Avenue and 53rd Street. The 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...
allows transfer between directions and contains some of the original mosaic directional and arrow signs. The one by the staircases to the southbound platform says "Ft. Hamilton & Coney Island" while the one by the Manhattan-bound platform staircases says "Down Town Trains."
The Bay Ridge-bound platform has an exit-only near the north end. A single platform-level 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...
leads to a small landing before a three-flight staircase goes up to 52nd Street and Fourth Avenue. The landing area contains the original 1915 trim band with a single "53" tiled on it.
External links
- Station Reporter — R Train
- The Subway Nut — 53rd Street Pictures
- 53rd Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
- 52nd Street exit only stairs from Google Maps Street View