BMT Fourth Avenue Line
Encyclopedia
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 was widened. The line is served by the D
, N
and R
trains.
, the four-track line runs entirely under Fourth Avenue to just past 59th Street
. South of 36th Street
, the West End Line
(formerly the New Utrecht Avenue elevated line) branches off eastwards, running to its terminus at Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue. Until 1954, the BMT Culver Line also branched off from here.
South of 59th Street, after the Sea Beach Line
branches off eastwards towards Coney Island via an open-cut right-of-way, the line becomes two-tracked and continues under Fourth Avenue to its terminus at Bay Ridge – 95th Street. While this section of the line was built has two tracks, there were provisions to add two additional express tracks between 59th and 85th Streets if the need was ever to arise.
and Downtown Brooklyn
. The central section serves Park Slope east of Fourth Avenue, on the west side, Boerum Hill
then Gowanus; and Sunset Park
. In its lower section, it serves the community of Bay Ridge–Fort Hamilton
.
to Lower Manhattan
, serving either Whitehall Street on the BMT Broadway Line
(N, R) or Broad Street
on the BMT Nassau Street Line
(no service). The express tracks go to Manhattan via the Manhattan Bridge
to either the BMT Broadway Line
's Canal Street express station (N) or the IND Sixth Avenue Line
's Grand Street
station (D).
. It replaced the parallel elements of an old, now long-ago-demolished elevated system running above Fifth Avenue and Third Avenue, and captured the BMT lines to the east of them.
Formerly, the Fourth Avenue Line served trains from the BMT Culver Line, which connected to the 36th Street
station via the lower level of Ninth Avenue south of Green-Wood Cemetery
from a now-demolished elevated structure. Service ended in 1975. Homes were built over the right-of-way in the 1980s. The barest stub of the old elevated line is still visible at Ditmas Avenue.
For the particular histories of these branching lines, see the articles on the Culver Shuttle, IND Culver Line
, BMT West End Line
, and BMT Sea Beach Line
.
BMT F.
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 BMT
Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation
The Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation was an urban transit holding company, based in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, and incorporated in 1923. The system was sold to the city in 1940 and today, together with the IND subway system, form the B Division of the New York City Subway...
division 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...
, mainly running under Fourth Avenue 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...
. Fourth Avenue never had a streetcar line or elevated railway
Elevated railway
An elevated railway is a form of rapid transit railway with the tracks built above street level on some form of viaduct or other steel or concrete structure. The railway concerned may be constructed according to the standard gauge, narrow gauge, light rail, monorail or suspension railway system...
due to the provisions of the assessment charged to neighboring property owners when the street was widened. The line is served by the D
D (New York City Subway service)
The D 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 uses the IND Sixth Avenue Line through Manhattan....
, 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....
and 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.
Route
Coming south from DeKalb Avenue and off of Fulton StreetFulton Street (Brooklyn)
Fulton Street, named after engineer Robert Fulton, exists mainly in two parts in what are today two boroughs of New York City which Fulton linked by his steam ferries, and each segment has its own distinct identity. This entry deals with Fulton Street in Brooklyn, which now begins at the...
, the four-track line runs entirely under Fourth Avenue to just past 59th Street
59th Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line)
59th Street is an express station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at 59th Street and Fourth Avenue, in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Sunset Park, it is served by the N and R trains at all times....
. South of 36th Street
36th Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line)
36th Street is an express station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at 36th Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn....
, the 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...
(formerly the New Utrecht Avenue elevated line) branches off eastwards, running to its terminus at Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue. Until 1954, the BMT Culver Line also branched off from here.
South of 59th Street, after the 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...
branches off eastwards towards Coney Island via an open-cut right-of-way, the line becomes two-tracked and continues under Fourth Avenue to its terminus at Bay Ridge – 95th Street. While this section of the line was built has two tracks, there were provisions to add two additional express tracks between 59th and 85th Streets if the need was ever to arise.
Neighborhoods served
In its upper section, the line serves Brooklyn HeightsBrooklyn Heights, Brooklyn
Brooklyn Heights is a culturally diverse neighborhood within the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Originally referred to as 'Brooklyn Village', it has been a prominent area of Brooklyn since 1834. As of 2000, Brooklyn Heights sustained a population of 22,594 people. The neighborhood is part of...
and Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn is the third largest central business district in New York City , and is located in the northwestern section of the borough of Brooklyn...
. The central section serves Park Slope east of Fourth Avenue, on the west side, Boerum Hill
Boerum Hill
Boerum Hill is a small neighborhood in the northwestern portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn that occupies 36 blocks bounded by State Street to the north, 4th Avenue to the east, Smith Street to the west, and Warren Street to the south. Commercial strips line Smith Street and Atlantic...
then Gowanus; and Sunset Park
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...
. In its lower section, it serves the community of Bay Ridge–Fort Hamilton
Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn
Fort Hamilton is a neighborhood in the far southwestern corner of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is located south of, and often considered part of, Bay Ridge. The area stretches from 86th Street as its northern border to 101st Street/the Narrows at the south; it is bounded by New York...
.
Services
The Fourth Avenue Line normally carries the service on the local tracks and the Sea Beach and West End services on the express tracks. Manhattan-bound from DeKalb Avenue, the local tracks run via the Montague Street TunnelMontague 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...
to Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
, serving either Whitehall Street on 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...
(N, R) or Broad Street
Broad Street (BMT Nassau Street Line)
Broad Street is a station on the BMT Nassau Street Line of the New York City Subway located at the intersection of Broad and Wall Streets in the Financial District of Manhattan....
on 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...
(no service). The express tracks go to Manhattan 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...
to either 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...
's Canal Street express station (N) or 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...
's 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...
station (D).
History
The Fourth Avenue Line was built as part of the Dual ContractsDual 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...
. It replaced the parallel elements of an old, now long-ago-demolished elevated system running above Fifth Avenue and Third Avenue, and captured the BMT lines to the east of them.
Formerly, the Fourth Avenue Line served trains from the BMT Culver Line, which connected to the 36th Street
36th Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line)
36th Street is an express station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at 36th Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn....
station via the lower level of Ninth Avenue south of Green-Wood Cemetery
Green-Wood Cemetery
Green-Wood Cemetery was founded in 1838 as a rural cemetery in Brooklyn, Kings County , New York. It was granted National Historic Landmark status in 2006 by the U.S. Department of the Interior.-History:...
from a now-demolished elevated structure. Service ended in 1975. Homes were built over the right-of-way in the 1980s. The barest stub of the old elevated line is still visible at Ditmas Avenue.
For the particular histories of these branching lines, see the articles on the Culver Shuttle, 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 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...
, and 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...
.
- Graphical New York City Subway timeline
Chaining information
The Fourth Avenue Line 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 F.
Station listing
| Station | Tracks | Services | Opened | Transfers and notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... branch |
|||||
| Court Street | local | March 11, 1920 | (IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line at Borough Hall) (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... at Borough Hall) |
||
| Jay Street – MetroTech | local | March 11, 1920 | formerly Lawrence Street (IND Fulton Street Line IND Fulton Street Line The IND Fulton Street Line is a rapid transit line of the IND Division of the New York City Subway, extending from the Cranberry Street Tunnel under the East River through all of central Brooklyn to a terminus in Ozone Park, Queens. The IND Rockaway Line branches from it. It forms part of the A... ) (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... ) |
||
| Manhattan Bridge branch | |||||
| Myrtle Avenue Myrtle Avenue (BMT Fourth Avenue Line) Myrtle Avenue is an abandoned local station on the Manhattan Bridge subway tracks south of the bridge in Brooklyn, New York City, United States... |
local | June 19, 1915 | Closed 1956; only Manhattan-bound platform remains | ||
| Tunnel and Bridge tracks merge | |||||
| DeKalb Avenue | bridge, tunnel | September 13, 1915 | 6 tracks, tunnel tracks and one set of bridge tracks stop at station; the other set of bridge tracks bypass through the middle | ||
| bridge & tunnel tracks stopping at DeKalb split to BMT Brighton Line BMT Brighton Line 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... ; bypass tracks continue to 4th Ave Express |
|||||
| Atlantic Avenue – Pacific Street | all | September 13, 1915 | (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 Brighton Line BMT Brighton Line 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... ) 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 |
||
| Union Street Union Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line) Union Street is a local station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. It is located at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Union Street in Brooklyn, New York City, serving the communities of Park Slope and Carroll Gardens... |
local | September 13, 1915 | |||
| Ninth Street | local | September 13, 1915 | (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... at Fourth Avenue) |
||
| Prospect Avenue Prospect Avenue (BMT Fourth Avenue Line) Prospect Avenue is a local station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line in Brooklyn of the New York City Subway. Located at Prospect Avenue and Fourth Avenue near the border of Sunset Park and Park Slope, it is served by the R train at all times except late nights, when the D and N assume local service... |
local | September 13, 1915 | |||
| 25th Street 25th Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line) 25th Street is a local station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 25th Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, it is served by the R train at all times except late nights, when the D and N trains assume local service along Fourth... |
local | September 13, 1915 | |||
| 36th Street 36th Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line) 36th Street is an express station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at 36th Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.... |
all | September 13, 1915 | |||
| split with 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... and former split with BMT Culver Line (abandoned) |
|||||
| 45th Street 45th Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line) 45th Street is a local station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at 45th 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... |
local | September 13, 1915 | |||
| 53rd Street 53rd Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line) 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... |
local | September 13, 1915 | |||
| 59th Street 59th Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line) 59th Street is an express station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at 59th Street and Fourth Avenue, in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Sunset Park, it is served by the N and R trains at all times.... |
all | September 13, 1915 | |||
| express tracks become 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... |
|||||
| Bay Ridge Avenue Bay Ridge Avenue (BMT Fourth Avenue Line) Bay Ridge Avenue is a station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Bay Ridge Avenue and Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. It is served by the R train at all times.... |
local | September 13, 1915 | |||
| 77th Street 77th Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line) 77th Street is a station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the R train at all times and is located at 77th Street and Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.... |
local | April 14, 1916 | |||
| 86th Street 86th Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line) 86th Street is a station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at 86th Street and Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. It is served by the R train at all times.... |
local | April 14, 1916 | |||
| Bay Ridge – 95th Street | local | October 27, 1925 | |||