53rd Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line

IRT Third Avenue Line

The IRT Third Avenue Line, commonly known as the Third Avenue El, was an elevated railway in Manhattan and the Bronx, New York City. Originally operated by an independent railway company, it was acquired by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company and eventually became part of the New York subway...

. It had two levels. The lower level was served by local trains and had 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. It was built first. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track for express trains. The next stop to the north was 59th Street

59th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line)

59th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level was served by local trains and had two tracks and two side platforms. It was built first. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track for express trains. The next stop...

. The next stop to the south was 47th Street

47th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line)

47th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level was served by local trains by two tracks and two side platforms. It was built first. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track for express trains. The next stop to...

. The station closed on May 12, 1955.