BMT Brighton Line
Encyclopedia
The BMT Brighton Line is a rapid transit
line of the B Division
of the New York City Subway
in Brooklyn
, New York City
, United States
. Local service is provided at all times by the Q
train. The Q is joined by the B
express train on weekdays. The Q begins at the south end of the Brighton Line, at Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue, and travels over the Manhattan Bridge south tracks and along the BMT Broadway Line
to Midtown Manhattan
and Astoria, Queens
while the B begins at Brighton Beach
and runs via the bridge's north tracks and the IND Sixth Avenue Line
to Bedford Park, Bronx
during rush hours and Harlem, Manhattan during middays and evenings.
The Brighton Line opened from the Willink entrance of Prospect Park
(modern intersection of Flatbush
and Ocean Avenue
s and Empire Boulevard, now the Prospect Park station on both the renamed Brighton and the Franklin Ave. Shuttle lines) to Brighton Beach
(modern Coney Island Avenue
at the shoreline) on July 2, 1878 and the full original line on August 18. It was an excursion railroad — the Brooklyn, Flatbush and Coney Island Railway — to bring beach
goers from downtown Brooklyn (via a connection with the Long Island Rail Road
) to the seashore at Coney Island
on the Atlantic Ocean
, at a location named Brighton Beach
at the same time the railroad arrived. It has been known since its opening as the Brighton Beach Line but is now described as the Brighton Line in MTA literature and in public usage.
After losing its connection with the Long Island Rail Road in 1883, the railroad fell on hard times, reorganizing as the Brooklyn and Brighton Beach Railroad. Seeking a new route for its excursion business and its local trade in communities along the way, it formed an agreement with the Kings County Elevated Railway
to connect to its Fulton Street Line, which gave access to the new Brooklyn Bridge
and Manhattan passengers. This was accomplished in 1896.
A series of mergers and leases put the Brighton Beach Line in the hands of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT), a holding company
which eventually controlled most of the rapid transit
, streetcar and bus
lines in Brooklyn and part of Queens. The line was electrified with trolley wire and, for a time, trolleys from several surface routes and elevated trains operated together on the line.
The BRT was reorganized as the Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) in 1923. In 1940, the BMT was purchased by the City of New York, and operation passed to the city's Board of Transportation, which already operated the city-built Independent Subway System
(IND).
The original line was a two-tracked high-speed surface steam railroad operating from Bedford Station, at Atlantic Avenue near Franklin Avenue in the City of Brooklyn, at which point it made a physical connection to the Long Island Rail Road
's Atlantic Branch. From Bedford the line ran on a surface private right-of-way several blocks south to Park Place, which it crossed at grade, and then in an open cut with street overpasses through what is now Crown Heights and Flatbush, as far as Church Lane (now Church Avenue) in the Town and Village of Flatbush. From that point the line continued on the surface to a point at current Beverley Road between Marlborough Road (East 15th Street) and East 16th Street, curving southeast and running on the surface between the lines of the latter streets through the Towns of Flatbush and Gravesend to Sheepshead Bay, then turning southerly to reach the beach at Brighton Beach on Coney Island in the Town of Gravesend.
The above work by the BGCEC left the line between Park Place and Church Avenue in substantially its original condition from steam railroad days. Between 1918 and 1920, however, further work rebuilt the portion between Prospect Park and Church Avenue as a four-track line. At the same time, the remaining portion of the line south of Neptune Avenue was replaced with a four-track elevated structure, including a four- to six-track elevated line extension, connecting the Brighton Line to the new Coney Island terminal at Surf and Stillwell Avenue
s. This same work rerouted mainline Brighton Beach trains from the Fulton Street elevated line via a new deep tunnel under Flatbush Avenue to connect to the BMT Fourth Avenue Line
at DeKalb Avenue station, where trains could access the new BMT Broadway subway. This work was done as a part of the Dual Contracts.
express tracks and the BMT Fourth Avenue Subway
. This service was variously known as Franklin–Nassau and as the Coney Island Express, but its popular name was the "Sunny Sunday Summer Special," because it was only supposed to operate as needed on the hottest beach-going days.
Through services gradually diminished on the Brighton–Franklin, and after 1963 it became a pure shuttle, operating between Franklin Avenue station at Fulton Street and Prospect Park station, where it connects with mainline Brighton Beach trains.
During the era of route contraction from 1940 to about 1975 the Franklin Avenue Shuttle, as it is now known, seemed a prime candidate for abandonment; its physical structure had been allowed to deteriorate and its service steadily curtailed. The New York City fiscal crisis of the '70s and the recession in 1990 contributed to plans to discontinue the line.
Consistent community pressure prevented the line's abandonment and eventually led to its rehabilitation and reconstruction, closing the line in 1998 and reopening it in 1999.
Today's line shows a mix of its various re-buildings. The 1920 subway portion from the DeKalb Avenue
connection to the Fourth Avenue
subway is a typical New York City subway tunnel of the Dual Contracts
era.
, a local station at Parkside Avenue
(replacing the original station at Woodruff Avenue) and another express station at Church Avenue
.
The construction features of the portion of the line resemble those of the BMT Sea Beach Line
, which reopened as an open-cut line in 1915. Both lines feature slightly sloped and capped reinforced concrete walls and subway-like tunnels underneath cross-streets.
From this point, the Brighton Line is a four-track line for the remainder of its route. Currently, the and trains come off Flatbush Avenue to join the line at Prospect Parkk; the uses the central tracks to run to Brighton Beach station, serving express stations, while the provides local service on the outer tracks to the end of the line at Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue Terminal.
office. The building was threatened with demolition as part of an upgrading of stations along the line, but the community intervened and, on June 29, 2004, the station house was designated a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.
The line now runs on an earthen embankment with local stations at Avenue H
, Avenue J
and Avenue M
, an express station at Kings Highway
, local stops at Avenue U
and (Gravesend) Neck Road
, and an express station called Sheepshead Bay
at Sheepshead Bay Road (former Shore Road). All of the station houses for these stops are located beneath the tracks at street level.
The line continues south on the 1907 embankment to a bridge over Neptune Avenue. At this point the BGCEC roadbed ends, and the line used to descend to the surface on two single track concrete and steel ramps to operate on the surface to Brighton Beach
. As part of the 1918–1920 Dual Contracts work, all four tracks now continue on a steel elevated structure to the junction of Coney Island and Brighton Beach Avenues, where the line turns west onto Brighton Beach Avenue and enters the Brighton Beach station.
, where it occupied part of New West End Terminal, better known as the Stillwell Avenue Terminal, the structure which serves as a union terminal
for the four subway lines that run to Coney Island
.
On September 8, 2002 Brighton passenger service was suspended west of Brighton Beach due to the complete rebuilding of the Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue terminal station, which had deteriorated due to the effects of salt water corrosion and deferred maintenance. On May 23, 2004, one week short of the 85th anniversary of the Brighton Beach Line's original entry into Stillwell Avenue terminal, service resumed between Brighton Beach and the terminal.
Travelling west from Brighton Beach station, the line operates on an unusual six track elevated structure over Brighton Beach Avenue, the former right-of-way of the Sea View Railway which originally provided service west of Brighton Beach. Only the outer two tracks are currently used for revenue service trains, the inner four are yard tracks.
Two of the yard tracks end before Ocean Parkway
station, after which the four remaining tracks merge into two to climb up and over two more tracks of the IND Culver Line
( train), which enter from the north. Both lines then share West Eighth Street – New York Aquarium station, a double-level steel structure with two tracks on each level. The Brighton trains occupy the upper level and the Culver Line trains the lower.
Both lines then enter the new 8-track Stillwell Avenue terminal where the Brighton trains occupy tracks 3 and 4.
was labeled 1.
Standard local service ran through the Montague Street Tunnel
and along the BMT Broadway Line
local tracks; service instead crossed the Manhattan Bridge north tracks and ran express under Broadway during theatre hours (7:30 pm to midnight). Over the years, the local bridge service was expanded, and the local tunnel service ended up only from 6 am to 7 pm. Express service over the bridge to the Broadway express tracks, initially during rush hours, was also expanded to 6 am to 7 pm. The three patterns were assigned latter designations in the early 1960s: Q express via bridge, QT local via tunnel, and QB local via bridge.
The Chrystie Street Connection
opened in late 1967, and almost all Brighton Line trains were removed from Broadway. The Q and QB were both combined with the D on the IND Sixth Avenue Line
, running express during the day and local at other times. The daytime QT local was combined with the J and JJ to form the QJ, running through the tunnel to the BMT Nassau Street Line
. The only Brighton-Broadway service was a new QB, running in the peak direction at rush hours on the local Brighton and express Broadway tracks. (Note that the old QB had run at non-peak times; this new QB had the same name and almost the same route but was a different service.)
The QJ's Brighton section was replaced with an extension of the M in 1973, but no other major changes were made until 1986, when reconstruction of the Manhattan Bridge subway tracks began. Though the same general service patterns remained on the Brighton Line, all trains were sent over the bridge and onto the Broadway or Sixth Avenue Line, depending on which set of tracks was open. From 1986 to 1988, the south side (Broadway) was in service, and the D continued to serve the line at all times, while the M was rerouted away from the Brighton Line, replaced by a greatly increased daytime Q service that absorbed the old QB as part of a 1986 elimination of double letters. For two years, the D and Q provided skip-stop
service on the four-track portion of the Brighton Line during the day, Monday to Friday.
Bridge trains ran over the north side (Sixth Avenue) from 1988 to 2001; at this time, the skip-stop pattern was eliminated, and the D became a full-time local service, while the Q ran express during the day. The 2001 shifting of trains back to the south side (Broadway) led to the D only running north of Midtown Manhattan
; the Brighton express portion of the D became the diamond Q. When both sides of the bridge were finally reopened in 2004, the diamond Q became an extension of the B rather than the D; the B had already run only during the day, and allowed the Q to remain a full-time local service. This Brighton-Broadway combination was made permanent, rather than a return to the pre-1986 patterns where most Brighton Line trains ran along Nassau Street or Sixth Avenue, because Brighton Line residents preferred Broadway service, and West End Line residents wanted full-time access to Grand Street
on the Sixth Avenue Line.
-bound platforms of Avenue U
and Neck Road
were closed for rebuilding and all southbound trains ran on the express track from Kings Highway
to Sheepshead Bay
.
On September 14, 2009, the second phase of the project involving all stations between Kings Highway and Newkirk Plaza began, requiring all trains to run local until Fall 2011. Over the next two weeks, temporary platforms were placed on the Manhattan-bound express track at Kings Highway and Avenue J
for southbound service. On September 28, the southbound platforms of Avenue H
, Avenue J, Avenue M
, and Kings Highway began rebuilding. South of Cortelyou Road
, a single crossover connected the southbound local track with the express one and all southbound trains skipped Avenue H and Avenue M.
On January 18, 2010, Coney Island-bound service was restored at Avenue U and Neck Road. The Manhattan-bound platforms were closed for rebuilding until October 25 and all northbound trains operated on the express track from Sheepshead Bay to Kings Highway.
On September 13, Coney Island-bound service to Avenue H and Avenue M was restored and the two southbound tracks south of Cortelyou Road were separated. Over the next two weeks, the temporary platforms at Avenue J and Kings Highway were moved to the southbound express track and the two northbound tracks were connected to each other north of Newkirk Plaza. On September 27, the Manhattan-bound platforms of those three stations as well as Avenues H and M, which are now being bypassed, began rehabilitation and all northbound service is on the express track until Cortelyou Road. The platforms of all stations reopened on September 12, 2011 and B express service was restored on October 3. However, rehabiliation work that does not affect service continues.
BMT A. This has no relation to the letters assigned to the services on the Brighton Line, which are for the weekday Sixth Avenue service and for the full-time Broadway service.
via the Manhattan Bridge. The Brighton Line picks up this chaining south of DeKalb Avenue station.
is toward Manhattan, generally corresponding to compass
north-northwest.
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
line of the B Division
B Division (New York City Subway)
The B Division is a division of the New York City Subway, consisting of the lines operated with services designated by letters , in addition to the Franklin Avenue Shuttle and Rockaway Park Shuttle...
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...
in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Local service is provided at all times by the Q
Q (New York City Subway service)
The Q Broadway Express is a service of the New York City Subway. It is colored yellow on the route sign, on station signs and the official subway map, as it represents a service provided on the BMT Broadway Line through Manhattan....
train. The Q is joined by the B
B (New York City Subway service)
The B Sixth Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored orange on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it runs over the IND Sixth Avenue Line in Manhattan....
express train on weekdays. The Q begins at the south end of the Brighton Line, at Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue, and travels over the Manhattan Bridge south tracks and along the BMT Broadway Line
BMT Broadway Line
The BMT Broadway Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan, New York City, United States. , it is served by three services, all colored yellow: the on the express tracks and the on the local tracks...
to Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
and Astoria, Queens
Astoria, Queens
Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside , and Woodside...
while the B begins at Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach (BMT Brighton Line)
Brighton Beach is an express/terminal station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located over Brighton Beach Avenue at Brighton Sixth Street in the community of Brighton Beach on Coney Island in Brooklyn.- Description:...
and runs via the bridge's north tracks and the IND Sixth Avenue Line
IND Sixth Avenue Line
The Sixth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in the United States. It runs mainly under Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, and continues south through the Rutgers Street Tunnel to Brooklyn...
to Bedford Park, Bronx
Bedford Park, Bronx
Bedford Park is a residential neighborhood in the northwest Bronx between the New York Botanical Garden and Lehman College. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: Mosholu Parkway to the north, Webster Avenue to the east, East 198th Street to the south, and Jerome Avenue...
during rush hours and Harlem, Manhattan during middays and evenings.
History
Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Prospect Park is a 585-acre public park in the New York City borough of Brooklyn located between Park Slope, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Kensington, Windsor Terrace and Flatbush Avenue, Grand Army Plaza and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden...
(modern intersection of Flatbush
Flatbush Avenue (Brooklyn)
Flatbush Avenue is one of the major avenues in the New York City Borough of Brooklyn. It runs from the Manhattan Bridge south-southeastward to Jamaica Bay, where it joins the Marine Parkway Bridge, which connects Brooklyn to the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens...
and Ocean Avenue
Ocean Avenue (Brooklyn)
Ocean Avenue is a major street in Brooklyn, New York that runs generally north-south and occupies the position of East 20th Street in the Brooklyn street grid, with East 19th Street to its west and East 21st Street to its east for most of its path. It runs east of and parallel to Ocean Parkway and...
s and Empire Boulevard, now the Prospect Park station on both the renamed Brighton and the Franklin Ave. Shuttle lines) to Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach is an oceanside neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. As of 2000, it has a population of 75,692 with a total of 31,228 households.-Location:...
(modern Coney Island Avenue
Coney Island Avenue
Coney Island Avenue is a roadway in the New York City borough of Brooklyn that runs north-south for a distance of roughly five miles, almost parallel to Ocean Parkway. It begins at Brighton Beach Avenue in Coney Island and goes north to Park Circle at the southwest corner of Prospect Park, where...
at the shoreline) on July 2, 1878 and the full original line on August 18. It was an excursion railroad — the Brooklyn, Flatbush and Coney Island Railway — to bring beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
goers from downtown Brooklyn (via a connection with the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
) to the seashore at Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
on the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, at a location named Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach is an oceanside neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. As of 2000, it has a population of 75,692 with a total of 31,228 households.-Location:...
at the same time the railroad arrived. It has been known since its opening as the Brighton Beach Line but is now described as the Brighton Line in MTA literature and in public usage.
After losing its connection with the Long Island Rail Road in 1883, the railroad fell on hard times, reorganizing as the Brooklyn and Brighton Beach Railroad. Seeking a new route for its excursion business and its local trade in communities along the way, it formed an agreement with the Kings County Elevated Railway
Kings County Elevated Railway
The Kings County Elevated Railway Company was a builder and operator of elevated railway lines in Kings County, New York, now coextensive with the borough of Brooklyn in New York City. Its original services were operated with steam locomotives....
to connect to its Fulton Street Line, which gave access to the new Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
and Manhattan passengers. This was accomplished in 1896.
A series of mergers and leases put the Brighton Beach Line in the hands of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT), a holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
which eventually controlled most of the rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
, streetcar and bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
lines in Brooklyn and part of Queens. The line was electrified with trolley wire and, for a time, trolleys from several surface routes and elevated trains operated together on the line.
The BRT was reorganized as the Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) in 1923. In 1940, the BMT was purchased by the City of New York, and operation passed to the city's Board of Transportation, which already operated the city-built Independent Subway System
Independent Subway System
The Independent Subway System , formerly known as the Independent City-Owned Subway System or the Independent City-Owned Rapid Transit Railroad, was a rapid transit rail system in New York City that is now part of the New York City Subway...
(IND).
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
's Atlantic Branch. From Bedford the line ran on a surface private right-of-way several blocks south to Park Place, which it crossed at grade, and then in an open cut with street overpasses through what is now Crown Heights and Flatbush, as far as Church Lane (now Church Avenue) in the Town and Village of Flatbush. From that point the line continued on the surface to a point at current Beverley Road between Marlborough Road (East 15th Street) and East 16th Street, curving southeast and running on the surface between the lines of the latter streets through the Towns of Flatbush and Gravesend to Sheepshead Bay, then turning southerly to reach the beach at Brighton Beach on Coney Island in the Town of Gravesend.
Grade crossing eliminations, 1903-08 and 1918-20
Between 1903 and 1908 the Brooklyn Grade Crossing Elimination Commission (BGCEC) oversaw the elimination of all grade crossings on the line. A short piece of two-tracked elevated railroad was built from the ramp connecting to the Fulton Street Elevated as far as Park Place, where the original 1878 open cut began. From the end of that original cut south of Church Avenue, the line was wholly rebuilt as a four-track railroad with express and local stations to a point south of Neptune Avenue at the border of Coney Island, continuing along its original right-of-way to Brighton Beach station. The portion from Church Avenue to Avenue H was placed in a depressed open cut, while the portion from Avenue H to south of Sheepshead Bay was raised onto an earthen embankment, primarily with earth excavated from the open-cut portion and from the Bay Ridge Improvement of the Long Island Rail Road.The above work by the BGCEC left the line between Park Place and Church Avenue in substantially its original condition from steam railroad days. Between 1918 and 1920, however, further work rebuilt the portion between Prospect Park and Church Avenue as a four-track line. At the same time, the remaining portion of the line south of Neptune Avenue was replaced with a four-track elevated structure, including a four- to six-track elevated line extension, connecting the Brighton Line to the new Coney Island terminal at Surf and Stillwell Avenue
Stillwell Avenue
Stillwell Avenue is a major north/south thoroughfare in southern Brooklyn and the central section of Coney Island. It is 2.4 miles long and begins at a dead end on Coney Island. Traffic is two way. The road goes north, leaving Coney Island, ending at Bay Parkway, where the road continues as the...
s. This same work rerouted mainline Brighton Beach trains from the Fulton Street elevated line via a new deep tunnel under Flatbush Avenue to connect to 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...
at DeKalb Avenue station, where trains could access the new BMT Broadway subway. This work was done as a part of the Dual Contracts.
Brighton–Franklin Line
Upon the opening of service by the new subways to midtown Manhattan on August 1, 1920, the original portion of the line between the Fulton Street Elevated and the link to the new subway at Prospect Park became a secondary line, known as Brighton–Franklin, and now known as the Franklin Avenue Shuttle. At times through services (including expresses) operated on mainline Brighton tracks to Coney Island. Some special weekend trains even operated beyond Coney Island back to Manhattan via the BMT Sea Beach LineBMT Sea Beach Line
The BMT Sea Beach Line is a rapid transit line of the BMT division of the New York City Subway, connecting the BMT Fourth Avenue Line subway at 59th Street via a four-track wide open cut to Coney Island in Brooklyn...
express tracks and the BMT Fourth Avenue Subway
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...
. This service was variously known as Franklin–Nassau and as the Coney Island Express, but its popular name was the "Sunny Sunday Summer Special," because it was only supposed to operate as needed on the hottest beach-going days.
Through services gradually diminished on the Brighton–Franklin, and after 1963 it became a pure shuttle, operating between Franklin Avenue station at Fulton Street and Prospect Park station, where it connects with mainline Brighton Beach trains.
During the era of route contraction from 1940 to about 1975 the Franklin Avenue Shuttle, as it is now known, seemed a prime candidate for abandonment; its physical structure had been allowed to deteriorate and its service steadily curtailed. The New York City fiscal crisis of the '70s and the recession in 1990 contributed to plans to discontinue the line.
Consistent community pressure prevented the line's abandonment and eventually led to its rehabilitation and reconstruction, closing the line in 1998 and reopening it in 1999.
The Brighton Line today
DeKalb Avenue (BMT Broadway Line)
DeKalb Avenue is a local station shared by the BMT Fourth Avenue Line and the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of DeKalb and Flatbush Avenues in Brooklyn...
connection to the Fourth Avenue
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...
subway is a typical New York City subway tunnel of the Dual Contracts
Dual Contracts (New York City Subway)
The Dual Contracts of 1913, also known as the Dual Subway System, were contracts for the construction and/or rehabilitation and operation of rapid transit lines in the City of New York. The majority of the lines of the present-day New York Subway were built or reconstructed under these contracts...
era.
Prospect Park to Church Avenue
Though this part of the route is on the alignment of the 1878 open cut, it was rebuilt in 1918 to 1920 to a four track line with an express station at Prospect ParkProspect Park (BMT Brighton Line)
Prospect Park is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Empire Boulevard and Flatbush Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn, near the border of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q and Franklin Avenue Shuttle trains at all times and the B train on...
, a local station at Parkside Avenue
Parkside Avenue (BMT Brighton Line)
Parkside Avenue is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Parkside Avenue and Ocean Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q train at all times....
(replacing the original station at Woodruff Avenue) and another express station at Church Avenue
Church Avenue (BMT Brighton Line)
Church Avenue is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway, located at Church Avenue near East 18th Street in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn.The station has four tracks and two island platforms...
.
The construction features of the portion of the line resemble those of the BMT Sea Beach Line
BMT Sea Beach Line
The BMT Sea Beach Line is a rapid transit line of the BMT division of the New York City Subway, connecting the BMT Fourth Avenue Line subway at 59th Street via a four-track wide open cut to Coney Island in Brooklyn...
, which reopened as an open-cut line in 1915. Both lines feature slightly sloped and capped reinforced concrete walls and subway-like tunnels underneath cross-streets.
From this point, the Brighton Line is a four-track line for the remainder of its route. Currently, the and trains come off Flatbush Avenue to join the line at Prospect Parkk; the uses the central tracks to run to Brighton Beach station, serving express stations, while the provides local service on the outer tracks to the end of the line at Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue Terminal.
Church Avenue to Avenue H
This part of the line is a result of the BGCEC rebuilding program of 1903–1907. Just south of the tunnel which carries the line under Church Avenue, the construction of the cut wall visibly changes. The subway-like street crossings of the former section give way to steel trestles for the streets, giving the line a more open appearance. Cottage-style station houses are suspended over the line at local stations at Beverley and Cortelyou Roads, and at the express station at Newkirk Plaza. Past Newkirk Plaza the line continues in an open cut, then begins to rise to street level at the north end of Avenue H station.Avenue H to Sheepshead Bay
The station house at Avenue H is unique. Placed at the east side of the tracks, it is a wooden structure built in 1905 and originally used a real estateReal estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
office. The building was threatened with demolition as part of an upgrading of stations along the line, but the community intervened and, on June 29, 2004, the station house was designated a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.
The line now runs on an earthen embankment with local stations at Avenue H
Avenue H (BMT Brighton Line)
Avenue H is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Avenue H between East 15th and East 16th Streets on the border of Midwood and Flatbush, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q train at all times. The campuses of Brooklyn College and Midwood High School are...
, Avenue J
Avenue J (BMT Brighton Line)
Avenue J is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway, located on Avenue J between East 15th and East 16th Streets in Midwood, Brooklyn. It is served by the Q train at all times....
and Avenue M
Avenue M (BMT Brighton Line)
Avenue M , is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located in Midwood, Brooklyn, at Avenue M between East 15th and East 16th Streets. It is served by the Q train at all times....
, an express station at Kings Highway
Kings Highway (BMT Brighton Line)
Kings Highway is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Served by the Q train at all times and by the B on weekdays, it is located at Kings Highway between East 15th and East 16th Streets on the border of Midwood and Sheepshead Bay neighborhoods of Brooklyn.This...
, local stops at Avenue U
Avenue U (BMT Brighton Line)
Avenue U is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway, located at Avenue U between East 15th and East 16th Streets in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. It is served by the Q train at all times....
and (Gravesend) Neck Road
Neck Road (BMT Brighton Line)
Neck Road is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Served by the Q train at all times, it is located at Gravesend Neck Road between East 15th and East 16th Streets in Homecrest, Brooklyn....
, and an express station called Sheepshead Bay
Sheepshead Bay (BMT Brighton Line)
Sheepshead Bay is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located in the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood of Brooklyn. It is served by the Q train at all times and by the B train on weekdays....
at Sheepshead Bay Road (former Shore Road). All of the station houses for these stops are located beneath the tracks at street level.
Sheepshead Bay to Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach (BMT Brighton Line)
Brighton Beach is an express/terminal station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located over Brighton Beach Avenue at Brighton Sixth Street in the community of Brighton Beach on Coney Island in Brooklyn.- Description:...
. As part of the 1918–1920 Dual Contracts work, all four tracks now continue on a steel elevated structure to the junction of Coney Island and Brighton Beach Avenues, where the line turns west onto Brighton Beach Avenue and enters the Brighton Beach station.
Brighton Beach to Coney Island
On May 30, 1919, Brighton Beach Line service was extended west to the area once known as West Brighton, now the heart of what is left of the entertainment area of Coney IslandConey Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
, where it occupied part of New West End Terminal, better known as the Stillwell Avenue Terminal, the structure which serves as a union terminal
Union station
A union station is the term used for a train station where tracks and facilities are shared by two or more railway companies, allowing passengers to connect conveniently between them...
for the four subway lines that run to Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
.
On September 8, 2002 Brighton passenger service was suspended west of Brighton Beach due to the complete rebuilding of the Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue terminal station, which had deteriorated due to the effects of salt water corrosion and deferred maintenance. On May 23, 2004, one week short of the 85th anniversary of the Brighton Beach Line's original entry into Stillwell Avenue terminal, service resumed between Brighton Beach and the terminal.
Travelling west from Brighton Beach station, the line operates on an unusual six track elevated structure over Brighton Beach Avenue, the former right-of-way of the Sea View Railway which originally provided service west of Brighton Beach. Only the outer two tracks are currently used for revenue service trains, the inner four are yard tracks.
Two of the yard tracks end before Ocean Parkway
Ocean Parkway (BMT Brighton Line)
Ocean Parkway is an express station on the New York City Subway's BMT Brighton Line. Located at Brighton Beach Avenue and Ocean Parkway in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q train at all times.-Layout:...
station, after which the four remaining tracks merge into two to climb up and over two more tracks of the IND Culver Line
IND Culver Line
The IND Culver Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway, extending from Downtown Brooklyn south to Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, United States...
( train), which enter from the north. Both lines then share West Eighth Street – New York Aquarium station, a double-level steel structure with two tracks on each level. The Brighton trains occupy the upper level and the Culver Line trains the lower.
Both lines then enter the new 8-track Stillwell Avenue terminal where the Brighton trains occupy tracks 3 and 4.
Service patterns
Since 1920, the primary service on the line has been through to Manhattan rather than over the tracks now used by the Franklin Avenue Shuttle. Local service has run all the time, while express service has generally been provided during weekday rush hours and later middays. Until the 1960s, all service on the line north of Prospect ParkProspect Park (BMT Brighton Line)
Prospect Park is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Empire Boulevard and Flatbush Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn, near the border of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q and Franklin Avenue Shuttle trains at all times and the B train on...
was labeled 1.
Standard local service ran through the Montague Street Tunnel
Montague Street Tunnel
The Montague Street Tunnel carries the trains of the New York City Subway under the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. It opened to revenue service on Sunday, August 1, 1920 at 2 am with a holiday schedule, the same day as the 60th Street Tunnel. Regular service began...
and along the BMT Broadway Line
BMT Broadway Line
The BMT Broadway Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan, New York City, United States. , it is served by three services, all colored yellow: the on the express tracks and the on the local tracks...
local tracks; service instead crossed the Manhattan Bridge north tracks and ran express under Broadway during theatre hours (7:30 pm to midnight). Over the years, the local bridge service was expanded, and the local tunnel service ended up only from 6 am to 7 pm. Express service over the bridge to the Broadway express tracks, initially during rush hours, was also expanded to 6 am to 7 pm. The three patterns were assigned latter designations in the early 1960s: Q express via bridge, QT local via tunnel, and QB local via bridge.
The Chrystie Street Connection
Chrystie Street Connection
The Chrystie Street Connection is a major connecting line of the New York City Subway, and is one of the few connections between lines of the BMT and IND divisions...
opened in late 1967, and almost all Brighton Line trains were removed from Broadway. The Q and QB were both combined with the D on the IND Sixth Avenue Line
IND Sixth Avenue Line
The Sixth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in the United States. It runs mainly under Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, and continues south through the Rutgers Street Tunnel to Brooklyn...
, running express during the day and local at other times. The daytime QT local was combined with the J and JJ to form the QJ, running through the tunnel to the BMT Nassau Street Line
BMT Nassau Street Line
The BMT Nassau Street Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway system in Manhattan. It is served by the and trains which are colored brown on maps and signage...
. The only Brighton-Broadway service was a new QB, running in the peak direction at rush hours on the local Brighton and express Broadway tracks. (Note that the old QB had run at non-peak times; this new QB had the same name and almost the same route but was a different service.)
The QJ's Brighton section was replaced with an extension of the M in 1973, but no other major changes were made until 1986, when reconstruction of the Manhattan Bridge subway tracks began. Though the same general service patterns remained on the Brighton Line, all trains were sent over the bridge and onto the Broadway or Sixth Avenue Line, depending on which set of tracks was open. From 1986 to 1988, the south side (Broadway) was in service, and the D continued to serve the line at all times, while the M was rerouted away from the Brighton Line, replaced by a greatly increased daytime Q service that absorbed the old QB as part of a 1986 elimination of double letters. For two years, the D and Q provided skip-stop
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:...
service on the four-track portion of the Brighton Line during the day, Monday to Friday.
Bridge trains ran over the north side (Sixth Avenue) from 1988 to 2001; at this time, the skip-stop pattern was eliminated, and the D became a full-time local service, while the Q ran express during the day. The 2001 shifting of trains back to the south side (Broadway) led to the D only running north of Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
; the Brighton express portion of the D became the diamond Q. When both sides of the bridge were finally reopened in 2004, the diamond Q became an extension of the B rather than the D; the B had already run only during the day, and allowed the Q to remain a full-time local service. This Brighton-Broadway combination was made permanent, rather than a return to the pre-1986 patterns where most Brighton Line trains ran along Nassau Street or Sixth Avenue, because Brighton Line residents preferred Broadway service, and West End Line residents wanted full-time access to Grand Street
Grand Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line)
Grand Street is a station in Manhattan on the IND Sixth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. It was one of two stations added in 1967–68 as part of the Chrystie Street Connection . It is served by the D at all times and the B on weekdays.The station has two tracks and two narrow side platforms...
on the Sixth Avenue Line.
Brighton Line Station Reconstruction Project
On December 8, 2008, the first phase of the Brighton Line Station Reconstruction Project began. The Coney IslandConey Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
-bound platforms of Avenue U
Avenue U (BMT Brighton Line)
Avenue U is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway, located at Avenue U between East 15th and East 16th Streets in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. It is served by the Q train at all times....
and Neck Road
Neck Road (BMT Brighton Line)
Neck Road is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Served by the Q train at all times, it is located at Gravesend Neck Road between East 15th and East 16th Streets in Homecrest, Brooklyn....
were closed for rebuilding and all southbound trains ran on the express track from Kings Highway
Kings Highway (BMT Brighton Line)
Kings Highway is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Served by the Q train at all times and by the B on weekdays, it is located at Kings Highway between East 15th and East 16th Streets on the border of Midwood and Sheepshead Bay neighborhoods of Brooklyn.This...
to Sheepshead Bay
Sheepshead Bay (BMT Brighton Line)
Sheepshead Bay is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located in the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood of Brooklyn. It is served by the Q train at all times and by the B train on weekdays....
.
On September 14, 2009, the second phase of the project involving all stations between Kings Highway and Newkirk Plaza began, requiring all trains to run local until Fall 2011. Over the next two weeks, temporary platforms were placed on the Manhattan-bound express track at Kings Highway and Avenue J
Avenue J (BMT Brighton Line)
Avenue J is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway, located on Avenue J between East 15th and East 16th Streets in Midwood, Brooklyn. It is served by the Q train at all times....
for southbound service. On September 28, the southbound platforms of Avenue H
Avenue H (BMT Brighton Line)
Avenue H is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Avenue H between East 15th and East 16th Streets on the border of Midwood and Flatbush, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q train at all times. The campuses of Brooklyn College and Midwood High School are...
, Avenue J, Avenue M
Avenue M (BMT Brighton Line)
Avenue M , is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located in Midwood, Brooklyn, at Avenue M between East 15th and East 16th Streets. It is served by the Q train at all times....
, and Kings Highway began rebuilding. South of Cortelyou Road
Cortelyou Road (BMT Brighton Line)
Cortelyou Road is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway, located at Cortelyou Road between Marlborough Road and East 16th Street in the neighborhood of Flatbush, Brooklyn. It is served by the Q train at all times. The Cortelyous were an old New Netherlands family...
, a single crossover connected the southbound local track with the express one and all southbound trains skipped Avenue H and Avenue M.
On January 18, 2010, Coney Island-bound service was restored at Avenue U and Neck Road. The Manhattan-bound platforms were closed for rebuilding until October 25 and all northbound trains operated on the express track from Sheepshead Bay to Kings Highway.
On September 13, Coney Island-bound service to Avenue H and Avenue M was restored and the two southbound tracks south of Cortelyou Road were separated. Over the next two weeks, the temporary platforms at Avenue J and Kings Highway were moved to the southbound express track and the two northbound tracks were connected to each other north of Newkirk Plaza. On September 27, the Manhattan-bound platforms of those three stations as well as Avenues H and M, which are now being bypassed, began rehabilitation and all northbound service is on the express track until Cortelyou Road. The platforms of all stations reopened on September 12, 2011 and B express service was restored on October 3. However, rehabiliation work that does not affect service continues.
Chaining information
The entire main line of the Brighton Line (excluding the Franklin Avenue Shuttle) is chainedNew York City Subway chaining
New York City Subway chaining is a method to precisely specify locations along the New York City Subway lines. It measures distances from a fixed point, called chaining zero, following the twists and turns of the railroad line, so that the distance described is understood to be the "railroad...
BMT A. This has no relation to the letters assigned to the services on the Brighton Line, which are for the weekday Sixth Avenue service and for the full-time Broadway service.
Chaining zero
Chaining zero is BMT Southern, located just north of the 57th Street – Seventh Avenue station of the BMT Broadway LineBMT Broadway Line
The BMT Broadway Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan, New York City, United States. , it is served by three services, all colored yellow: the on the express tracks and the on the local tracks...
via the Manhattan Bridge. The Brighton Line picks up this chaining south of DeKalb Avenue station.
Railroad directions
Railroad northRailroad 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...
is toward Manhattan, generally corresponding to compass
Compass
A compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions in a frame of reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the earth. The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. Intermediate directions are also defined...
north-northwest.
Track numbering
- Odd numbered tracks are away from Manhattan (southbound)
- Even numbered tracks are toward Manhattan (northbound)
- Tracks 1 and 2 are usually local (outside tracks, shown in Roman type)
- Tracks 3 and 4 are usually express (inside tracks, shown in bold type)
- Non-revenue tracks are shown in italic type
| From | To | Track arrangement | Line orientation | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb Avenue | Prospect Park Prospect Park (BMT Brighton Line) Prospect Park is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Empire Boulevard and Flatbush Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn, near the border of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q and Franklin Avenue Shuttle trains at all times and the B train on... |
A3-A4 | NNW | no local tracks |
| Prospect Park Prospect Park (BMT Brighton Line) Prospect Park is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Empire Boulevard and Flatbush Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn, near the border of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q and Franklin Avenue Shuttle trains at all times and the B train on... |
Brighton Beach Brighton Beach (BMT Brighton Line) Brighton Beach is an express/terminal station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located over Brighton Beach Avenue at Brighton Sixth Street in the community of Brighton Beach on Coney Island in Brooklyn.- Description:... |
A1-A3-A4-A2 | NNW | local tracks for Franklin Avenue Line in Prospect Park station only |
| Brighton Beach Brighton Beach (BMT Brighton Line) Brighton Beach is an express/terminal station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located over Brighton Beach Avenue at Brighton Sixth Street in the community of Brighton Beach on Coney Island in Brooklyn.- Description:... |
Ocean Parkway Ocean Parkway (BMT Brighton Line) Ocean Parkway is an express station on the New York City Subway's BMT Brighton Line. Located at Brighton Beach Avenue and Ocean Parkway in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q train at all times.-Layout:... |
A1-A5-A3-A4-A6-A2 | WSW | A3-A4 were originally express tracks; A5-A6 are layup tracks |
| Ocean Parkway Ocean Parkway (BMT Brighton Line) Ocean Parkway is an express station on the New York City Subway's BMT Brighton Line. Located at Brighton Beach Avenue and Ocean Parkway in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q train at all times.-Layout:... |
West Eighth Street – New York Aquarium (upper level) | A3-A4 | WSW | |
| Ocean Parkway Ocean Parkway (BMT Brighton Line) Ocean Parkway is an express station on the New York City Subway's BMT Brighton Line. Located at Brighton Beach Avenue and Ocean Parkway in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q train at all times.-Layout:... |
West Eighth Street – New York Aquarium (lower level) | A1-A2 | WSW | abandoned 1954; trackbeds only |
| West Eighth Street – New York Aquarium (upper level) | Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue (C-D tracks) | A3-A4 | WSW | All Brighton line trains |
| West Eighth Street – New York Aquarium (lower level) | Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue (E-F tracks) | A1-A2 | WSW | now used by IND Culver Line IND Culver Line The IND Culver Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway, extending from Downtown Brooklyn south to Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, United States... trains only |
Telegraphy ID
Brighton Beach terminal's BMT telegraphy call letters were BC and in the past the entire Brighton Line had been referred to by the letters BC as a shorthand notation in internal documents. This has gradually diminished and is now uncommon.Station listing
| Station | Tracks | Services | Opened | Transfers and notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Begins as a merge of the Montague Street Tunnel Montague Street Tunnel The Montague Street Tunnel carries the trains of the New York City Subway under the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. It opened to revenue service on Sunday, August 1, 1920 at 2 am with a holiday schedule, the same day as the 60th Street Tunnel. Regular service began... * , BMT Broadway Line BMT Broadway Line The BMT Broadway Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan, New York City, United States. , it is served by three services, all colored yellow: the on the express tracks and the on the local tracks... express tracks via the Manhattan Bridge Manhattan Bridge The Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the East River in New York City, connecting Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn . It was the last of the three suspension bridges built across the lower East River, following the Brooklyn and the Williamsburg bridges... , and IND Sixth Avenue Line IND Sixth Avenue Line The Sixth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in the United States. It runs mainly under Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, and continues south through the Rutgers Street Tunnel to Brooklyn... express tracks via the Manhattan Bridge Manhattan Bridge The Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the East River in New York City, connecting Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn . It was the last of the three suspension bridges built across the lower East River, following the Brooklyn and the Williamsburg bridges... . |
|||||
| DeKalb Avenue | bridge, tunnel | August 1, 1920 | 6 tracks, tunnel tracks and one set of bridge tracks stop at station; the other set of bridge tracks bypass through the middle towards 4th Ave Express | ||
| split with 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... |
|||||
| Atlantic Avenue | all | August 1, 1920 | (IRT Eastern Parkway Line IRT Eastern Parkway Line IRT Eastern Parkway Line and New Lots Line can refer to:* IRT Eastern Parkway Line* IRT New Lots Line... ) (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... ) Connection to LIRR Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US... at Atlantic Terminal |
||
| Seventh Avenue Seventh Avenue (BMT Brighton Line) Seventh Avenue is a station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Seventh Avenue and Flatbush Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn. It is served by the Q train at all times and the B train on weekdays... |
all | August 1, 1920 | |||
| Prospect Park Prospect Park (BMT Brighton Line) Prospect Park is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Empire Boulevard and Flatbush Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn, near the border of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q and Franklin Avenue Shuttle trains at all times and the B train on... |
all | July 2, 1878 | (BMT Franklin Avenue Line BMT Franklin Avenue Line The BMT Franklin Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the New York City Subway in Brooklyn, New York... ) |
||
| Two Center Express tracks begin | |||||
| Parkside Avenue Parkside Avenue (BMT Brighton Line) Parkside Avenue is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Parkside Avenue and Ocean Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q train at all times.... |
local | by 1895 | |||
| Church Avenue Church Avenue (BMT Brighton Line) Church Avenue is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway, located at Church Avenue near East 18th Street in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn.The station has four tracks and two island platforms... |
all | July 2, 1878 | |||
| Beverley Road Beverley Road (BMT Brighton Line) Beverley Road is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located over a private right-of-way at Beverley Road between Marlborough Road and East 16th Street in the neighborhood of Flatbush, Brooklyn... |
local | by 1899 | |||
| Cortelyou Road Cortelyou Road (BMT Brighton Line) Cortelyou Road is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway, located at Cortelyou Road between Marlborough Road and East 16th Street in the neighborhood of Flatbush, Brooklyn. It is served by the Q train at all times. The Cortelyous were an old New Netherlands family... |
local | by 1902 | |||
| Newkirk Plaza | all | July 2, 1878 | |||
| Avenue H Avenue H (BMT Brighton Line) Avenue H is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Avenue H between East 15th and East 16th Streets on the border of Midwood and Flatbush, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q train at all times. The campuses of Brooklyn College and Midwood High School are... |
local | 1896 or 1897 | |||
| Avenue J Avenue J (BMT Brighton Line) Avenue J is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway, located on Avenue J between East 15th and East 16th Streets in Midwood, Brooklyn. It is served by the Q train at all times.... |
local | August 23, 1907 | |||
| Avenue M Avenue M (BMT Brighton Line) Avenue M , is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located in Midwood, Brooklyn, at Avenue M between East 15th and East 16th Streets. It is served by the Q train at all times.... |
local | by 1888 | |||
| Kings Highway Kings Highway (BMT Brighton Line) Kings Highway is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Served by the Q train at all times and by the B on weekdays, it is located at Kings Highway between East 15th and East 16th Streets on the border of Midwood and Sheepshead Bay neighborhoods of Brooklyn.This... |
all | July 2, 1878 | |||
| Avenue U Avenue U (BMT Brighton Line) Avenue U is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway, located at Avenue U between East 15th and East 16th Streets in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. It is served by the Q train at all times.... |
local | by 1898 | |||
| Neck Road Neck Road (BMT Brighton Line) Neck Road is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. Served by the Q train at all times, it is located at Gravesend Neck Road between East 15th and East 16th Streets in Homecrest, Brooklyn.... |
local | July or August 1878 | |||
| Sheepshead Bay Sheepshead Bay (BMT Brighton Line) Sheepshead Bay is an express station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located in the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood of Brooklyn. It is served by the Q train at all times and by the B train on weekdays.... |
all | July 2, 1878 | |||
| Brighton Beach Brighton Beach (BMT Brighton Line) Brighton Beach is an express/terminal station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located over Brighton Beach Avenue at Brighton Sixth Street in the community of Brighton Beach on Coney Island in Brooklyn.- Description:... |
all | July 2, 1878 | South Terminal for | ||
| Express tracks continue (No Regular Service) | |||||
| Ocean Parkway Ocean Parkway (BMT Brighton Line) Ocean Parkway is an express station on the New York City Subway's BMT Brighton Line. Located at Brighton Beach Avenue and Ocean Parkway in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, it is served by the Q train at all times.-Layout:... |
all | April 22, 1917 | |||
| Local tracks merge into Express tracks (Local tracks used ramp to lower level of West Eighth Street prior to 1954) |
|||||
| West Eighth Street – New York Aquarium | all | May 19, 1919 | (IND Culver Line IND Culver Line The IND Culver Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway, extending from Downtown Brooklyn south to Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, United States... ) |
||
| Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue | all | May 29, 1919 | (BMT West End Line BMT West End Line The BMT West End Line is a line of the New York City Subway, serving the Brooklyn, communities of Borough Park, New Utrecht, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Coney Island. The D train operates on the line at all times, providing service to Manhattan and the Bronx via the IND Sixth Avenue Line... ) (IND Culver Line IND Culver Line The IND Culver Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway, extending from Downtown Brooklyn south to Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, United States... ) (BMT Sea Beach Line BMT Sea Beach Line The BMT Sea Beach Line is a rapid transit line of the BMT division of the New York City Subway, connecting the BMT Fourth Avenue Line subway at 59th Street via a four-track wide open cut to Coney Island in Brooklyn... ) |
||
- No regular service is operated from the Montague Street TunnelMontague Street TunnelThe Montague Street Tunnel carries the trains of the New York City Subway under the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. It opened to revenue service on Sunday, August 1, 1920 at 2 am with a holiday schedule, the same day as the 60th Street Tunnel. Regular service began...
to the Brighton line.