Ditmas Avenue (BMT Culver Line)
Encyclopedia
Ditmas Avenue is a local station
on the IND Culver Line
of the New York City Subway
. Located at the intersection of Ditmas and McDonald Avenues in Kensington, Brooklyn
, it is served by the F
train at all times.
s. The center track is not used in revenue service. Both platforms have beige windscreens along their entire lengths except for a small section at the north end. Brown canopies with green frames and support columns run along the center center of the platforms. The station signs are in the standard black plates in white lettering. There is an abandoned tower on the extreme south end of the Manhattan-bound platform.
This station has two entrances/exits, both of which are elevated station houses beneath the tracks. The full time one is at the south end. Two staircases from each platform outside the canopies go down to a waiting area/crossover, where a turnstile bank of three provides entrance/exit from the station. Outside fare control, there is a token booth and two staircases going down to either southern corners of McDonald Avenue and Ditmas Avenue.
The other station house at the north end also has one staircase from each platform, a waiting area/crossover, and two staircases going down to either side of McDonald Avenue between Cortelyou Road and Ditmas Avenue. However, the station house is unstaffed, containing two High Entry/Exit Turnstiles. Both station house balconies have a high turnstile to allow passengers to enter or exit the station without having to go through the station house. The one on the Manhattan-bound staircase is entry and exit while the one on the Coney Island-bound staircase is exit-only.
, allowing access to IND lines in the other boroughs. Before this connection opened on October 30, 1954, this station was the first on the former BMT section of the line and the Coney Island-bound platform was formerly an island platform with an extra track.
The line ran along 37–38th Streets, making stops at 13th Avenue
and Fort Hamilton Parkway
before entering the lower level of the Ninth Avenue, where it would continue along the current route to the BMT Fourth Avenue Line
(or Fifth Avenue elevated before it ceased operation in 1940).
After the connection to Church Avenue and the IND opened, the Culver Line north of Ditmas Avenue was reduced to a single-track shuttle. The shuttle ceased operation on May 11, 1975 due to decreasing ridership and most of the structure above 37th-38th Streets were demolished. The fourth track at Ditmas Avenue was removed and the Coney Island-bound platform was converted back to a side platform.
Along the west side of McDonald Avenue, the remains of the fourth track are visible behind the windscreens of the Coney Island-bound platform and more remains show the two-track turnoff just before entering Ditmas Avenue. South of this station, the girders supporting the fourth track merge with the southbound local track.
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 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...
of the New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
. Located at the intersection of Ditmas and McDonald Avenues in Kensington, Brooklyn
Kensington, Brooklyn
Kensington is a neighborhood in the center of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is the area south of Prospect Park and the Green-Wood Cemetery. It is bordered by Coney Island Avenue to the east, Fort Hamilton Parkway and Caton Avenue to the north, McDonald Avenue and 37th Street to the...
, it is served by the F
F (New York City Subway service)
The F Sixth Avenue Local 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 on the IND Sixth Avenue Line through Manhattan....
train at all times.
Layout
This elevated station, opened on July 16, 1919, has three tracks and two side platformSide 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 center track is not used in revenue service. Both platforms have beige windscreens along their entire lengths except for a small section at the north end. Brown canopies with green frames and support columns run along the center center of the platforms. The station signs are in the standard black plates in white lettering. There is an abandoned tower on the extreme south end of the Manhattan-bound platform.
This station has two entrances/exits, both of which are elevated station houses beneath the tracks. The full time one is at the south end. Two staircases from each platform outside the canopies go down to a waiting area/crossover, where a turnstile bank of three provides entrance/exit from the station. Outside fare control, there is a token booth and two staircases going down to either southern corners of McDonald Avenue and Ditmas Avenue.
The other station house at the north end also has one staircase from each platform, a waiting area/crossover, and two staircases going down to either side of McDonald Avenue between Cortelyou Road and Ditmas Avenue. However, the station house is unstaffed, containing two High Entry/Exit Turnstiles. Both station house balconies have a high turnstile to allow passengers to enter or exit the station without having to go through the station house. The one on the Manhattan-bound staircase is entry and exit while the one on the Coney Island-bound staircase is exit-only.
History
North of Ditmas Avenue, the Culver Line expands into four tracks, two local, and two express tracks and enters the tunnel into Church AvenueChurch Avenue (IND Culver Line)
Church Avenue is an express station on the IND Culver Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Church and McDonald Avenues in Kensington, Brooklyn, it is served by the F and G trains at all times, the latter of which terminates here....
, allowing access to IND lines in the other boroughs. Before this connection opened on October 30, 1954, this station was the first on the former BMT section of the line and the Coney Island-bound platform was formerly an island platform with an extra track.
The line ran along 37–38th Streets, making stops at 13th Avenue
13th Avenue (BMT Culver Line)
13th Avenue was a station on the demolished section of the BMT Culver Line. It originally had three tracks and 2 side platforms, although near the end of its life only used one track and 1 of the side platforms, due to the other 2 tracks being removed...
and Fort Hamilton Parkway
Fort Hamilton Parkway (BMT Culver Line)
Fort Hamilton Parkway was a station on the demolished section of the BMT Culver Line. It originally had three tracks and 2 side platforms, although near the end of its life only utilized one track and 1 of the side platforms, due to the other 2 tracks being removed...
before entering the lower level of the Ninth Avenue, where it would continue along the current route 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...
(or Fifth Avenue elevated before it ceased operation in 1940).
After the connection to Church Avenue and the IND opened, the Culver Line north of Ditmas Avenue was reduced to a single-track shuttle. The shuttle ceased operation on May 11, 1975 due to decreasing ridership and most of the structure above 37th-38th Streets were demolished. The fourth track at Ditmas Avenue was removed and the Coney Island-bound platform was converted back to a side platform.
Along the west side of McDonald Avenue, the remains of the fourth track are visible behind the windscreens of the Coney Island-bound platform and more remains show the two-track turnoff just before entering Ditmas Avenue. South of this station, the girders supporting the fourth track merge with the southbound local track.
External links
- Station Reporter — F Train
- The Subway Nut — Ditmas Avenue Pictures
- Ditmas Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View
- Cortelyou Road entrance from Google Maps Street View