IRT Third Avenue Line
Encyclopedia
The IRT Third Avenue Line, commonly known as the Third Avenue El, was an elevated railway
in Manhattan
and the Bronx
, New York City
. Originally operated by an independent railway company, it was acquired by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company
(IRT) and eventually became part of the New York subway system
.
The first segments of the line opened in Manhattan in 1878. Service in Manhattan was phased out in the early 1950s and closed completely in 1955, and ended in the Bronx in 1973.
The Third Avenue El was the last elevated line to operate in Manhattan, and was a frequent backdrop for movies filmed in the city. Service on the Second
, Sixth
and Ninth Avenue
El lines was terminated in 1942, 1938 and 1940, respectively.
to the Harlem River
along the Bowery
and Third Avenue. The New York Elevated Railway Company at that time already operated the Ninth Avenue Elevated
which it acquired in 1871 after the bankruptcy of the West Side and Yonkers Patent Railway. The Manhattan Railway Company took control of the New York Elevated Railroad in 1879. In 1886, the Suburban Rapid Transit Company commenced operations with a railway line over the Harlem River
from the Manhattan Railway's northern terminal at 129th Street to 133rd Street in the southern Bronx—known then as the "Annexed District." The Manhattan Railway assumed operations of the Suburban in 1891 as an extension of the Third Avenue Line and through service between the Bronx and Manhattan began in 1896. A 999-year lease of the Manhattan Railway was brokered by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company
in 1902, for which rapid transit services in the Bronx, of which the Third Avenue Line was part of, would eventually be coordinated alongside the new subway.
As part of the Dual Contracts, this line was triple-tracked, which allowed for express service. The center track of the Bronx portion opened on January 17, 1916; in Manhattan it was opened on July 9, 1917.
In the 1930s and '40s, as part of the integration of the different subway companies in New York City—the IRT along with Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit
(BMT) and Independent Subway System
(IND)—the Third Avenue El and its counterparts on Second
, Sixth
, and Ninth
Avenues came under criticism from New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia and his successors. The Els were regarded as blights on their communities and obsolete, since the subways were being built or were planned to replace them.
The IND Sixth Avenue Line
and the IND Eighth Avenue Line
did indeed render the Sixth and Ninth Avenue Els obsolete. Save for a small shuttle service for the Polo Grounds
on the Ninth Avenue Line, they were closed by 1940 and demolished by 1941. The Second Avenue El was also gradually demolished from 1940 to 1942, leaving only the Third Avenue El, which was intended to stay in use until the Second Avenue Subway
was built to replace it. Pressure against the El from real estate interests soon began, with creation in 1941 of the Third Avenue Elevated Noise Abatement Committee, which consisted of what the New York Times described as "men in the real estate business." The committee initially sought a decrease in train service, saying the noise from the El "constitutes a menace to health, comfort and peaceable home life." At the time the El was closed in Manhattan in 1955, the East Side was left with only the overcrowded IRT Lexington Avenue Line
as the only subway east of Fifth Avenue
, which is how the system has run to this day.
The system was closed in sections from 1950 to 1973. First, the South Ferry
spur was closed in 1950, which connected South Ferry to Chatham Square
in Manhattan. This forever closed the South Ferry elevated station, which had serviced all four IRT El lines that originally ran in Manhattan. Next to close was the City Hall
spur in 1953, which started at Park Row
in Manhattan and then connected with the South Ferry spur at Chatham Square.
On May 12, 1955 the main portion of the line closed from Chatham Square to East 149th Street in the Bronx, ending the operation of elevated service in Manhattan. The removal was a catalyst in a wave of new construction adding property values on the East Side, and the head of the Real Estate Board of New York suggested that Third Avenue be renamed "The Bouwerie" to symbolize the transformation.
In the 1960s, the remaining service was named the . Finally, the remaining portion of the line in the Bronx from East 149th Street to Gun Hill Road closed in April 1973.
In the Bronx, the line was replaced by the Bx55 Limited bus route making only the stops the former line made. This bus route was one of the first to have free transfers with the subway with the transfer points at the 3rd Avenue – 149th Street and Gun Hill Road
White Plains Road IRT
stations, and was one of three [the B35, which got its free transfer two years later after the Culver Shuttle ended] and the B42 [which replaced the Rockaway Parkway Line
] were the others). With the introduction of free bus to subway transfers systemwide, the Bx55 (and B35) lost the special status; the B42 only kept its status because it uses a former trolley right-of-way that terminates within subway fare control.
The El was also the backdrop for Jack Finney
's novel Time and Again
(1970).
Several early silent films were made of New York's elevated trains, including the Third Avenue El. A documentary, "3rd Avenue El," was made in the 1950s and is available for viewing on the Internet.
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...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, 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...
. Originally operated by an independent railway company, it was acquired by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company
Interborough Rapid Transit Company
The Interborough Rapid Transit Company was the private operator of the original underground New York City Subway line that opened in 1904, as well as earlier elevated railways and additional rapid transit lines in New York City. The IRT was purchased by the City in June 1940...
(IRT) and eventually became part of the New York subway system
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...
.
The first segments of the line opened in Manhattan in 1878. Service in Manhattan was phased out in the early 1950s and closed completely in 1955, and ended in the Bronx in 1973.
The Third Avenue El was the last elevated line to operate in Manhattan, and was a frequent backdrop for movies filmed in the city. Service on the Second
IRT Second Avenue Line
The IRT Second Avenue Line, also known as the Second Avenue El, was an elevated railway in Manhattan, New York City, United States, operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company until city takeover in 1940...
, Sixth
IRT Sixth Avenue Line
The IRT Sixth Avenue Line, often called the Sixth Avenue Elevated or Sixth Avenue El, was the second elevated railway in Manhattan in New York City, following the Ninth Avenue Elevated. In addition to its transportation role, it also captured the imagination of artists and poets.The line ran south...
and Ninth Avenue
IRT Ninth Avenue Line
The IRT Ninth Avenue Line, often called the Ninth Avenue El, was the first elevated railway in New York City. It opened in 1868 as the West Side and Yonkers Patent Railway, a cable-hauled line. It ceased operation in 1940....
El lines was terminated in 1942, 1938 and 1940, respectively.
History
In 1875 the Rapid Transit Commission granted the New York Elevated Railway Company the right to construct the railway from Battery ParkBattery Park
Battery Park is a 25-acre public park located at the Battery, the southern tip of Manhattan Island in New York City, facing New York Harbor. The Battery is named for artillery batteries that were positioned there in the city's early years in order to protect the settlement behind them...
to the Harlem River
Harlem River
The Harlem River is a navigable tidal strait in New York City, USA that flows 8 miles between the Hudson River and the East River, separating the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx...
along the Bowery
Bowery
Bowery may refer to:Streets:* The Bowery, a thoroughfare in Manhattan, New York City* Bowery Street is a street on Coney Island in Brooklyn, N.Y.In popular culture:* Bowery Amphitheatre, a building on the Bowery in New York City...
and Third Avenue. The New York Elevated Railway Company at that time already operated the Ninth Avenue Elevated
IRT Ninth Avenue Line
The IRT Ninth Avenue Line, often called the Ninth Avenue El, was the first elevated railway in New York City. It opened in 1868 as the West Side and Yonkers Patent Railway, a cable-hauled line. It ceased operation in 1940....
which it acquired in 1871 after the bankruptcy of the West Side and Yonkers Patent Railway. The Manhattan Railway Company took control of the New York Elevated Railroad in 1879. In 1886, the Suburban Rapid Transit Company commenced operations with a railway line over the Harlem River
Harlem River
The Harlem River is a navigable tidal strait in New York City, USA that flows 8 miles between the Hudson River and the East River, separating the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx...
from the Manhattan Railway's northern terminal at 129th Street to 133rd Street in the southern Bronx—known then as the "Annexed District." The Manhattan Railway assumed operations of the Suburban in 1891 as an extension of the Third Avenue Line and through service between the Bronx and Manhattan began in 1896. A 999-year lease of the Manhattan Railway was brokered by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company
Interborough Rapid Transit Company
The Interborough Rapid Transit Company was the private operator of the original underground New York City Subway line that opened in 1904, as well as earlier elevated railways and additional rapid transit lines in New York City. The IRT was purchased by the City in June 1940...
in 1902, for which rapid transit services in the Bronx, of which the Third Avenue Line was part of, would eventually be coordinated alongside the new subway.
As part of the Dual Contracts, this line was triple-tracked, which allowed for express service. The center track of the Bronx portion opened on January 17, 1916; in Manhattan it was opened on July 9, 1917.
In the 1930s and '40s, as part of the integration of the different subway companies in New York City—the IRT along with Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit
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...
(BMT) and 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)—the Third Avenue El and its counterparts on Second
IRT Second Avenue Line
The IRT Second Avenue Line, also known as the Second Avenue El, was an elevated railway in Manhattan, New York City, United States, operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company until city takeover in 1940...
, Sixth
IRT Sixth Avenue Line
The IRT Sixth Avenue Line, often called the Sixth Avenue Elevated or Sixth Avenue El, was the second elevated railway in Manhattan in New York City, following the Ninth Avenue Elevated. In addition to its transportation role, it also captured the imagination of artists and poets.The line ran south...
, and Ninth
IRT Ninth Avenue Line
The IRT Ninth Avenue Line, often called the Ninth Avenue El, was the first elevated railway in New York City. It opened in 1868 as the West Side and Yonkers Patent Railway, a cable-hauled line. It ceased operation in 1940....
Avenues came under criticism from New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia and his successors. The Els were regarded as blights on their communities and obsolete, since the subways were being built or were planned to replace them.
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...
and the IND Eighth Avenue Line
IND Eighth Avenue Line
The Eighth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line in New York City, United States, and is part of the B Division of the New York City Subway...
did indeed render the Sixth and Ninth Avenue Els obsolete. Save for a small shuttle service for the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
on the Ninth Avenue Line, they were closed by 1940 and demolished by 1941. The Second Avenue El was also gradually demolished from 1940 to 1942, leaving only the Third Avenue El, which was intended to stay in use until the Second Avenue Subway
Second Avenue Subway
The Second Avenue Subway is a planned rapid transit subway line, part of the New York City Subway system. Phase I, consisting of two miles of tunnel and three stations, is currently under construction underneath Second Avenue in the borough of Manhattan.A plan for more than 75 years, the Second...
was built to replace it. Pressure against the El from real estate interests soon began, with creation in 1941 of the Third Avenue Elevated Noise Abatement Committee, which consisted of what the New York Times described as "men in the real estate business." The committee initially sought a decrease in train service, saying the noise from the El "constitutes a menace to health, comfort and peaceable home life." At the time the El was closed in Manhattan in 1955, the East Side was left with only the overcrowded IRT Lexington Avenue Line
IRT Lexington Avenue Line
The Lexington Avenue Line is one of the lines of the IRT division of the New York City Subway, stretching from Downtown Brooklyn or Lower Manhattan north to 125th Street in East Harlem. The portion in Lower and Midtown Manhattan was part of the first subway line in New York...
as the only subway east of Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue (Manhattan)
Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the center of the borough of Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. The section of Fifth Avenue that crosses Midtown Manhattan, especially that between 49th Street and 60th Street, is lined with prestigious shops and is consistently ranked among...
, which is how the system has run to this day.
The system was closed in sections from 1950 to 1973. First, the South Ferry
South Ferry (IRT elevated station)
South Ferry was an elevated station at the southern terminal of the IRT Second, Third, Sixth and Ninth Avenue Lines. Two tracks came from the combined Second and Third, and two from the Sixth and Ninth, making four tracks at the terminal, with platforms on the outside and between each pair of tracks...
spur was closed in 1950, which connected South Ferry to Chatham Square
Chatham Square, Manhattan
Chatham Square is a major intersection in Manhattan's Chinatown. The square lies at the confluence of seven streets: Bowery, East Broadway, St. James Place, Mott Street, Oliver Street, Worth Street and Park Row. The postal ZIP Code is 10038.-History:...
in Manhattan. This forever closed the South Ferry elevated station, which had serviced all four IRT El lines that originally ran in Manhattan. Next to close was the City Hall
New York City Hall
New York City Hall is located at the center of City Hall Park in the Civic Center area of Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA, between Broadway, Park Row, and Chambers Street. The building is the oldest City Hall in the United States that still houses its original governmental functions, such as...
spur in 1953, which started at Park Row
Park Row (Manhattan)
Park Row is a street located in the Financial District of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It was previously called Chatham Street and during the late 19th century it was nicknamed Newspaper Row, as most of New York City's newspapers located on the street to be close to the action at New...
in Manhattan and then connected with the South Ferry spur at Chatham Square.
On May 12, 1955 the main portion of the line closed from Chatham Square to East 149th Street in the Bronx, ending the operation of elevated service in Manhattan. The removal was a catalyst in a wave of new construction adding property values on the East Side, and the head of the Real Estate Board of New York suggested that Third Avenue be renamed "The Bouwerie" to symbolize the transformation.
In the 1960s, the remaining service was named the . Finally, the remaining portion of the line in the Bronx from East 149th Street to Gun Hill Road closed in April 1973.
In the Bronx, the line was replaced by the Bx55 Limited bus route making only the stops the former line made. This bus route was one of the first to have free transfers with the subway with the transfer points at the 3rd Avenue – 149th Street and Gun Hill Road
Gun Hill Road (IRT White Plains Road Line)
Gun Hill Road is an express station on the IRT White Plains Road Line of the New York City Subway. Located in the Bronx at the intersection of Gun Hill and White Plains Roads, it is served by the 2 train at all times while the 5 train provides additional rush hour service in the peak direction.This...
White Plains Road IRT
IRT White Plains Road Line
The White Plains Road Line is a rapid transit line of the IRT division of the New York City Subway, serving the central Bronx. It is mostly elevated, and served both subway and elevated trains until 1952...
stations, and was one of three [the B35, which got its free transfer two years later after the Culver Shuttle ended] and the B42 [which replaced the Rockaway Parkway Line
Rockaway Parkway Line
The Rockaway Parkway Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running mostly along Rockaway Parkway between Canarsie Pier and the Canarsie – Rockaway Parkway terminal of the BMT Canarsie Line of the New York City Subway...
] were the others). With the introduction of free bus to subway transfers systemwide, the Bx55 (and B35) lost the special status; the B42 only kept its status because it uses a former trolley right-of-way that terminates within subway fare control.
The El in popular culture
The El was featured in a number of films. Among them:- The Lost Weekend (1945).
- The Dark CornerThe Dark CornerThe Dark Corner is a 1946 film noir directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Lucille Ball, Mark Stevens and Clifton Webb. The film is an example of a classic film noir and features a rare dramatic role for Ball.-Plot:...
(1946) - June BrideJune BrideJune Bride is a 1948 American comedy film directed by Bretaigne Windust. Ranald MacDougall's screenplay, based on the unproduced play Feature for June by Eileen Tighe and Graeme Lorimer, was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Comedy. The film starred Bette...
(1948) - The Naked CityThe Naked CityThe Naked City is a 1948 black-and-white film noir directed by Jules Dassin. The movie, shot partially in documentary style, was filmed on location on the streets of New York City, featuring landmarks such as the Williamsburg Bridge the Whitehall Building and an apartment building on West 83rd...
(1948) - The Doctor And The Girl (1949)
- On the TownOn the Town (film)On the Town is a 1949 musical film with music by Leonard Bernstein and Roger Edens and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. It is an adaptation of the Broadway stage musical of the same name produced in 1944, although many changes in script and score were made from the original stage...
(1949) - Port of New York (1949)
- The WindowThe WindowThe Window is a 1949 American black-and-white suspense film noir, based on the short story "The Boy Cried Murder" by Cornell Woolrich. The film, which was a critical success, was produced by Frederic Ullman, Jr. for $210,000 but earned much more, making it a box office hit for RKO Pictures...
(1949) - The Killer That Stalked New YorkThe Killer That Stalked New YorkThe Killer That Stalked New York is a 1950 film noir starring Evelyn Keyes. The film, shot on location and in a semi-documentary style, is about diamond smugglers who unknowingly start a smallpox outbreak in the New York City of 1947. It is based on the real threat of a smallpox epidemic in the...
(1950) - Young Man with a HornYoung Man with a Horn (film)Young Man with a Horn is a 1950 drama film based on a biographical novel of the same name aboutBix Beiderbecke, the legendary jazz cornetist...
(1950) - Side Street (1950)
- The Glass WallThe Glass WallThe Glass Wall is a black-and-white 1953 film directed by Maxwell Shane. The film was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures.-Plot:...
(1953) - Living It UpLiving It UpLiving It Up is a 1954 film comedy starring the team of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis and released by Paramount Pictures.The film was directed by Norman Taurog and produced by Paul Jones. The screenplay by Jack Rose and Melville Shavelson was based on the 1953 musical Hazel Flagg by Ben Hecht, in...
(1954) - I'll Cry TomorrowI'll Cry TomorrowI'll Cry Tomorrow is a biopic which tells the story of Lillian Roth, a Broadway star who rebels against the pressure of her domineering mother and reacts to the death of her fiancé by becoming an alcoholic...
(1955) - On the BoweryOn the BoweryOn the Bowery is a 1956 American documentary film directed by Lionel Rogosin. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature....
(1956) - The documentary film Daybreak Express (1958) by D. A. PennebakerD. A. PennebakerDonn Alan Pennebaker is an American documentary filmmaker and one of the pioneers of Direct Cinema/Cinéma vérité. Performing arts and politics are his primary subjects.-Biography:...
The El was also the backdrop for Jack Finney
Jack Finney
Jack Finney was an American author. His best-known works are science fiction and thrillers, including The Body Snatchers and Time and Again. The former was the basis for the 1956 movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers and its remakes.-Biography:Finney was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and given the...
's novel Time and Again
Time and Again (novel)
Time and Again is a 1970 illustrated novel by Jack Finney. The many illustrations in the book are real, though, as explained in an endnote, not all are from the 1882 period in which the actions of the book take place. It had long been rumored that Robert Redford would convert the book into a movie...
(1970).
Several early silent films were made of New York's elevated trains, including the Third Avenue El. A documentary, "3rd Avenue El," was made in the 1950s and is available for viewing on the Internet.
Station listing
| Station | Tracks | Opened | Closed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| merges with IRT White Plains Road Line | ||||
| Gun Hill Road | all | October 4, 1920 | April 28, 1973 | IRT White Plains Road Line IRT White Plains Road Line The White Plains Road Line is a rapid transit line of the IRT division of the New York City Subway, serving the central Bronx. It is mostly elevated, and served both subway and elevated trains until 1952... |
| 210th Street – Williamsbridge | local | October 4, 1920 | April 28, 1973 | originally Williams Bridge – 210th Street |
| 204th Street 204th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 204th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had three tracks and two side platforms. The next stop to the north was 210th Street – Williamsbridge. The next stop to the south was 200th Street. The station opened on October 4, 1920 and closed on April 28, 1973.... |
local | October 4, 1920 | April 28, 1973 | |
| 200th Street | local | October 4, 1920 | April 28, 1973 | |
| Bronx Park Terminal Bronx Park Terminal (IRT Third Avenue Line) Bronx Park Terminal was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had three tracks and one island platform for the two easternmost tracks. The westernmost track had no platform and was used for storage. It was a stub-end terminal for the Third Avenue Line trains, until an extension... |
Botanical Garden Spur | May 21, 1902 | Nov 14, 1951 | End of Line until Oct 4, 1920 |
| split for Botanical Garden Spur North | ||||
| Fordham Road – 190th Street | all | July 1, 1901 | April 28, 1973 | transfer to the New York Central's Harlem Line, originally Pelham Avenue |
| 183rd Street 183rd Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 183rd Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had three tracks and two side platforms. The next stop to the north was Fordham Road – 190th Street. The next stop to the south was 180th Street. The station closed on April 28, 1973.... |
local | July 1, 1901 | April 28, 1973 | |
| 180th Street 180th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 180th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had three tracks and two side platforms. The next stop to the north was 183rd Street. The next stop to the south was Tremont Avenue – 177th Street. The station closed on April 28, 1973.... |
local | July 1, 1901 | April 28, 1973 | |
| split for 179th Street Yard | ||||
| Tremont Avenue – 177th Street | all | July 20, 1891 | April 28, 1973 | originally 177th Street |
| 174th Street 174th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 174th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had three tracks and two side platforms. The next stop to the north was Tremont Avenue – 177th Street, but in its last years it rose over the Cross Bronx Expressway in order to get there. The next stop to the south was Claremont... |
local | July 20, 1891 | April 28, 1973 | |
| Claremont Parkway Claremont Parkway (IRT Third Avenue Line) Claremont Parkway was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had three tracks and two side platforms. The next stop to the north was 174th Street. The next stop to the south was 169th Street. The station closed on April 28, 1973.... |
local | September 19, 1888 | April 28, 1973 | originally Wendover Avenue |
| 169th Street 169th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 169th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had three tracks and two side platforms. The next stop to the north was Claremont Parkway. The next stop to the south was 166th Street. The station closed on April 28, 1973.... |
local | September 2, 1888 | April 28, 1973 | |
| 166th Street 166th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 166th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had three tracks and two side platforms. The next stop to the north was 169th Street. The next stop to the south was 161st Street. The station closed on April 28, 1973.-References:... |
local | December 25, 1887 | April 28, 1973 | |
| 161st Street 161st Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 161st Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had three tracks and two side platforms. The next stop to the north was 166th Street. The next stop to the south was 156th Street. The station closed on April 28, 1973.... |
local | August 7, 1887 | April 28, 1973 | |
| 156th Street 156th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 156th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had three tracks and two side platforms. The next stop to the north was 161st Street. The next stop to the south was 149th Street. The station closed on April 28, 1973.-References:... |
local | July 1, 1887 | April 28, 1973 | |
| split for IRT White Plains Road Line IRT White Plains Road Line The White Plains Road Line is a rapid transit line of the IRT division of the New York City Subway, serving the central Bronx. It is mostly elevated, and served both subway and elevated trains until 1952... from local tracks |
||||
| 149th Street 149th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 149th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. The station was originally opened on June 16, 1887. It was built three tracks and two island platforms. The next stop to the north was 156th Street. The next stop to the south was 143rd Street... |
all | June 16, 1887 | April 28, 1973 | IRT White Plains Road Line IRT White Plains Road Line The White Plains Road Line is a rapid transit line of the IRT division of the New York City Subway, serving the central Bronx. It is mostly elevated, and served both subway and elevated trains until 1952... |
| split for IRT White Plains Road Line IRT White Plains Road Line The White Plains Road Line is a rapid transit line of the IRT division of the New York City Subway, serving the central Bronx. It is mostly elevated, and served both subway and elevated trains until 1952... from express tracks (also called the Bergen Avenue By-pass) |
||||
| 143rd Street 143rd Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 143rd Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. This station was also served by trains of the IRT Second Avenue Line until June 11, 1940. The station was originally opened on May 23, 1886. It had two tracks and one island platform. The next stop to the north was either 149th... |
all | May 23, 1886 | May 12, 1955 | |
| 138th Street 138th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 138th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two tracks and one island platform. It was also served by trains of the IRT Second Avenue Line until June 11, 1940. A paid transfer was available to IRT Pelham Line trains at the underground Third Avenue – 138th Street... |
all | January 1, 1887 | May 12, 1955 | |
| 133rd Street 133rd Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 133rd Street was a station on the IRT Third Avenue Line. It was the first stop in the Bronx after crossing the Harlem River. It had two tracks and one island platform. It was served by trains of both the Third Avenue Line and IRT Second Avenue Line until June 11, 1940. The next stop to the north... |
all | May 17, 1886 | May 12, 1955 | transfer to the New York, Westchester and Boston Railway (April 15, 1924 to December 31, 1937) and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad's Harlem River Line (April 15, 1924 to 1931) |
| Willis Avenue | Willis Avenue Spur | November 25, 1886 | April 14, 1924 | transfer to the New York, Westchester and Boston Railway New York, Westchester and Boston Railway The New York, Westchester and Boston Railway Company , known to its riders as "the Westchester" and colloquially as the "Boston-Westchester", operated as an electric commuter railroad in the Bronx and Westchester County, New York from 1912 to 1937... and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts... 's Harlem River Branch |
| split for Willis Avenue Spur | ||||
| merge with IRT Second Avenue Line IRT Second Avenue Line The IRT Second Avenue Line, also known as the Second Avenue El, was an elevated railway in Manhattan, New York City, United States, operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company until city takeover in 1940... |
||||
| 129th Street 129th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 129th Street was a massive station on the IRT Third Avenue Line, shared by trains of both the Third Avenue Line and IRT Second Avenue Line in the New York City Subway system. The next stop to the north was 133rd Street. The next stop to the south was 125th Street for Third Avenue Line trains and... |
local | December 30, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| 125th Street 125th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 125th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It opened on December 30, 1878, and had three tracks and two levels. The lower level was built first and had two tracks and two side platforms for local trains. The upper level, built as part of the Dual Contracts, had one track... |
all | December 30, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| 116th Street 116th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 116th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had three tracks on two levels. The lower level had two tracks and two side platforms for local trains, and was built first. The upper level, built as part of the Dual Contracts, had one track for express trains. The next stop... |
local | December 30, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| 106th Street 106th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 106th Street was a station on the IRT Third Avenue Line in New York City. The station was opened on December 30, 1878, and had two levels. The lower level had two tracks and two side platforms and served local trains. The upper level had one track and two side platforms over the local tracks on the... |
all | December 30, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| 99th Street 99th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 99th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line in New York City. It had two levels. The lower level serving local trains was built first, and had two tracks and two side platforms. The upper level, built as part of the Dual Contracts had one track for express trains. The next... |
local | December 30, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| split for 98th Street Yard | ||||
| 89th Street 89th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 89th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level, built first, was served by local trains and had two tracks and two side platforms. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts, had one track for express trains. The next stop to the... |
local | December 9, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| 84th Street 84th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 84th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level was built first and had two tracks and two side platforms. It was served by local trains. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track for express trains. The next... |
local | December 9, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| 76th Street 76th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 76th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line in New York City. It had two levels. The lower level was built first and served local trains. It had two tracks and two side platforms. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track for express trains. The... |
local | December 9, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| 67th Street 67th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 67th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level was served by local trains and had two tracks and two side platforms. It was built first. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track for express trains. The next stop... |
local | September 16, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| 59th Street 59th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 59th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level was served by local trains and had two tracks and two side platforms. It was built first. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track for express trains. The next stop... |
local | September 16, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| 53rd Street 53rd Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 53rd Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level was served by local trains and had two tracks and two side platforms. It was built first. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track for express trains. The next stop... |
local | September 16, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| 47th Street 47th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 47th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level was served by local trains by two tracks and two side platforms. It was built first. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track for express trains. The next stop to... |
local | September 16, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| Grand Central Station Grand Central (IRT elevated station) Grand Central was the terminal for some trains of the IRT Third Avenue Line. It was part of the original Third Avenue El, which opened on Tuesday, August 27, 1878. When the El north of 42nd Street opened, this segment was reduced to a shuttle, which connected to the mainline at 42nd Street... |
42nd Street Spur | August 26, 1878 | December 6, 1923 | |
| 3rd Avenue 42nd Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 42nd Street was an elevated station on the IRT Third Avenue Line in New York City. It had two levels with the lower level having three tracks. The main line tracks were served by two side platforms. A side platform connected to the southbound platform for shuttle service to Grand Central... |
42nd Street Spur | August 26, 1878 | December 6, 1923 | |
| 42nd Street 42nd Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 42nd Street was an elevated station on the IRT Third Avenue Line in New York City. It had two levels with the lower level having three tracks. The main line tracks were served by two side platforms. A side platform connected to the southbound platform for shuttle service to Grand Central... |
all | September 16, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | IRT Flushing Line IRT Flushing Line The Flushing Line is a rapid transit route of the New York City Subway system, operated as part of the IRT Division and designated the 7 route... , IRT Lexington Avenue Line IRT Lexington Avenue Line The Lexington Avenue Line is one of the lines of the IRT division of the New York City Subway, stretching from Downtown Brooklyn or Lower Manhattan north to 125th Street in East Harlem. The portion in Lower and Midtown Manhattan was part of the first subway line in New York... and IRT 42nd Street Shuttle at Grand Central – 42nd Street |
| split for 42nd Street Spur | ||||
| merge from 34th Street Spur | ||||
| Third Avenue 34th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 34th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. The station was served by Third Avenue local trains and a shuttle to the 34th Street Ferry. Third Ave service originally had two tracks and two side platforms. During the Dual Contracts, a center express track was built... |
34th Street Spur | July 14, 1930 | ||
| 2nd Avenue 34th Street (IRT Second Avenue Line) 34th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Second Avenue Line. It had two levels. The upper level had three tracks and two side platforms and was used for the Second Avenue line trains. The lower level had two tracks and one island platform and was used by 34th Street shuttle trains. The next... |
34th Street Spur | July 14, 1930 | IRT Second Avenue Line IRT Second Avenue Line The IRT Second Avenue Line, also known as the Second Avenue El, was an elevated railway in Manhattan, New York City, United States, operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company until city takeover in 1940... |
|
| 34th Street Ferry 34th Street Ferry (IRT elevated station) 34th Street Ferry was a station on the 34th Street Shuttle that branched off of the IRT Third Avenue Line. The elevated spur operated from July 1, 1880 to July 14, 1930. Located on the east side of First Avenue, the station had two tracks and one island platform... |
34th Street Spur | July 14, 1930 | ||
| 34th Street 34th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 34th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. The station was served by Third Avenue local trains and a shuttle to the 34th Street Ferry. Third Ave service originally had two tracks and two side platforms. During the Dual Contracts, a center express track was built... |
local | August 26, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| 28th Street 28th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 28th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level was served by local trains and had two tracks and two side platforms. It was built first. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track that bypassed the station and... |
local | May 12, 1955 | ||
| 23rd Street 23rd Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 23rd Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level was served by local trains and had two tracks and two side platforms. It was built first. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track with two side platforms and... |
all | August 26, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| 18th Street 18th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 18th Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level was served by local trains and had two tracks and two side platforms. It was built first. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track that bypassed the station and... |
local | May 12, 1955 | ||
| 14th Street 14th Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) 14th Street was a station on New York's demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level was served by local trains and had two tracks and two side platforms. It was built first. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track that bypassed the station... |
local | August 26, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| Ninth Street | all | August 26, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| Houston Street Houston Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) Houston Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It opened on September 16, 1878 and had three tracks and two island platforms, which served all three tracks on one level. The next stop to the north was Ninth Street. The next stop to the south was Grand Street. The station... |
all | September 16, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | |
| Grand Street Grand Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) Grand Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had three tracks and two island platforms. The next stop to the north was Houston Street. The next stop to the south was Canal Street. The station closed on May 12, 1955.... |
all | May 12, 1955 | ||
| Canal Street Canal Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) Canal Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had three tracks and two island platforms. The next stop to the north was Grand Street. The next stop to the south was Chatham Square. The station closed on May 12, 1955.... |
all | May 12, 1955 | ||
| merge from City Hall Spur | ||||
| Chatham Square Chatham Square (IRT Third Avenue Line) Chatham Square was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level had two tracks and one island platform that served trains of both the IRT Second Avenue Line and IRT Third Avenue Line. The upper level had three tracks and two island platforms that served... |
City Hall spur | March 17, 1879 | December 31, 1953 | |
| City Hall City Hall (IRT Second Avenue Line) City Hall was a station on the IRT Second Avenue Line, which also served trains of the IRT Third Avenue Line. It had 2 levels. The lower level served Third Avenue trains and had two tracks with two side platforms for exiting passengers, and a center island platform for entering passengers... |
City Hall spur | March 17, 1879 | December 31, 1953 | |
| Chatham Square Chatham Square (IRT Third Avenue Line) Chatham Square was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two levels. The lower level had two tracks and one island platform that served trains of both the IRT Second Avenue Line and IRT Third Avenue Line. The upper level had three tracks and two island platforms that served... |
all | September 16, 1878 | May 12, 1955 | original station was north of an at-grade merge from the spur |
| split for IRT Second Avenue Line IRT Second Avenue Line The IRT Second Avenue Line, also known as the Second Avenue El, was an elevated railway in Manhattan, New York City, United States, operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company until city takeover in 1940... |
||||
| Franklin Square Franklin Square (IRT Third Avenue Line) Franklin Square was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line in New York City. It had two tracks and one island platform, and was the northernmost station on the line that shared both Second Avenue and Third Avenue trains. The next stop to the north was Chatham Square. The next stop to the... |
all | August 26, 1878 | December 22, 1950 | |
| Fulton Street Fulton Street (IRT Third Avenue Line) Fulton Street was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two tracks and one island platform. The next stop to the north was Franklin Square. The next stop to the south was Hanover Square. The station closed on December 22, 1950.... |
all | August 26, 1878 | December 22, 1950 | |
| Hanover Square Hanover Square (IRT Third Avenue Line) Hanover Square was a station on the demolished IRT Third Avenue Line. It had two tracks and one island platform. The station was originally built in 1878 by the New York Elevated Railroad. The next stop to the north was Fulton Street. The next stop to the south was South Ferry... |
all | August 26, 1878 | December 22, 1950 | |
| merge from IRT Ninth Avenue Line IRT Ninth Avenue Line The IRT Ninth Avenue Line, often called the Ninth Avenue El, was the first elevated railway in New York City. It opened in 1868 as the West Side and Yonkers Patent Railway, a cable-hauled line. It ceased operation in 1940.... |
||||
| South Ferry | all | August 26, 1878 | December 22, 1950 | |
Further reading
- Stelter, Lawrence, and Lother Stelter. (1995). By the El: Third Avenue and Its El at Mid-Century. Flushing, NY: H&M Productions. ISBN 1882608127.