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Morris Park (IRT Dyre Avenue Line)
Encyclopedia
Morris Park is a station
on the IRT Dyre Avenue Line
of the New York City Subway
. Served by the 5
train, it is located at Paulding Avenue and the Esplanade in Morris Park, Bronx
.
The station has two side platform
s with four tracks (2 center express tracks formerly used by the New York, Westchester and Boston Railway
) and is partially underground and partially in the open cut on an elevated embankment. The underground portion is at the south end of a 4000 feet (1,219.2 m) long, four track tunnel which was mandated to carry the right of way under the Bronx and Pelham Parkway. This tunnel includes a four track, completely underground station called Pelham Parkway about half a mile up the line from Morris Park. The heavy construction and high clearances greatly exceed the size and weight requirements of IRT
subway cars.
The headhouse is notable for its graceful Spanish Mission style architecture and robust reinforced concrete construction. The handsome exterior, with its tall arched windows and tiled roof, has been restored to good condition. It was designed by Alfred T. Fellheimer
who was the lead architect for Grand Central Terminal
.
The emblem of the NYW&B, the Cadeusus, is cast into several locations of the concrete facade facing toward the Esplanade. The NYW&B offered frequent service between 138th Street in the South Bronx, and the towns of White Plains, and Port Chester in Westchester County. The White Plains and Port Chester branches diverged at Mount Vernon Junction near Columbus Avenue along the border between Mount Vernon and Pelham.
The two outer tracks at Morris Park were for trains that made local stops in the Bronx, and went to Port Chester. The two inner tracks were for express trains that made limited stops in The Bronx, and went to White Plains. The trains were powered by 11,000 volt 25 Hz alternating current supplied from an overhead catenary. The cut-off stumps of the catenary bridges still remain along the right of way and can be seen from the south ends of the platforms.
The NYW&B was doomed by the bankruptcy of its patron, the New Haven. Service ended in 1937.
A few years later, the portion in The Bronx became part of the New York City Transit System. Initial subway service was a shuttle (nicknamed "The Dinky") to the old NYW&B platforms at East 180th Street. In the late 1950s the construction of a flying junction with the White Plains Road line allowed Dyre Avenue trains to enter the East 180th Street subway station and continue to Manhattan.
Around this period, the Morris Park platforms were extended towards the south to accommodate ten car subway trains. This required reducing the height of the outboard plate girders of the bridge over Colden Avenue, so that the bottoms of the platforms would be above the tops of the girders. The massive overdesign of the bridge allowed ample margin for trimming the girders.
On November 24, 1979, an R22
car, #7602, was involved in a rear-ending accident here.
In the late 1990s the original concrete exterior walls alongside the station platforms, and the original roof that had been supported on concrete columns and massive cantilevered timbers, were replaced with steel bents supporting a clad metal wall system and a corrugated metal roof deck.
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 IRT Dyre Avenue Line
IRT Dyre Avenue Line
The IRT Dyre Avenue Line is a New York City Subway rapid transit line as part of the A Division . It is a branch of the IRT White Plains Road Line serving passengers in the northeastern section of the Bronx...
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...
. Served by the 5
5 (New York City Subway service)
The 5 Lexington Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored green on station signs, route signs, and the official subway map, since it uses IRT Lexington Avenue Line in Manhattan....
train, it is located at Paulding Avenue and the Esplanade in Morris Park, Bronx
Morris Park, Bronx
Morris Park is a neighborhood in the Bronx borough of New York City . The neighborhood is part of Community Board 11 in the East Bronx. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: Pelham Parkway to the north, the Amtrak Northeast Corridor tracks to the east and south, and...
.
The station has two side platform
Side platform
A Side platform is a platform positioned to the side of a pair of tracks at a railway station, a tram stop or a transitway. A pair of side platforms are often provided on a dual track line with a single side platform being sufficient for a single track line...
s with four tracks (2 center express tracks formerly used by 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 is partially underground and partially in the open cut on an elevated embankment. The underground portion is at the south end of a 4000 feet (1,219.2 m) long, four track tunnel which was mandated to carry the right of way under the Bronx and Pelham Parkway. This tunnel includes a four track, completely underground station called Pelham Parkway about half a mile up the line from Morris Park. The heavy construction and high clearances greatly exceed the size and weight requirements of IRT
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...
subway cars.
The headhouse is notable for its graceful Spanish Mission style architecture and robust reinforced concrete construction. The handsome exterior, with its tall arched windows and tiled roof, has been restored to good condition. It was designed by Alfred T. Fellheimer
Alfred T. Fellheimer
Alfred T. Fellheimer was an American architect who was lead architect for New York Grand Central Terminal and Cincinnati Union Terminal....
who was the lead architect for Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
.
History
The station was first placed in service in 1912 as part of the New York, Westchester and Boston Railroad, a subsidiary of the New York, New Haven and Hartford. The line was designed for the weight of the heaviest main line steam trains.The emblem of the NYW&B, the Cadeusus, is cast into several locations of the concrete facade facing toward the Esplanade. The NYW&B offered frequent service between 138th Street in the South Bronx, and the towns of White Plains, and Port Chester in Westchester County. The White Plains and Port Chester branches diverged at Mount Vernon Junction near Columbus Avenue along the border between Mount Vernon and Pelham.
The two outer tracks at Morris Park were for trains that made local stops in the Bronx, and went to Port Chester. The two inner tracks were for express trains that made limited stops in The Bronx, and went to White Plains. The trains were powered by 11,000 volt 25 Hz alternating current supplied from an overhead catenary. The cut-off stumps of the catenary bridges still remain along the right of way and can be seen from the south ends of the platforms.
The NYW&B was doomed by the bankruptcy of its patron, the New Haven. Service ended in 1937.
A few years later, the portion in The Bronx became part of the New York City Transit System. Initial subway service was a shuttle (nicknamed "The Dinky") to the old NYW&B platforms at East 180th Street. In the late 1950s the construction of a flying junction with the White Plains Road line allowed Dyre Avenue trains to enter the East 180th Street subway station and continue to Manhattan.
Around this period, the Morris Park platforms were extended towards the south to accommodate ten car subway trains. This required reducing the height of the outboard plate girders of the bridge over Colden Avenue, so that the bottoms of the platforms would be above the tops of the girders. The massive overdesign of the bridge allowed ample margin for trimming the girders.
On November 24, 1979, an R22
R22 (New York City Subway car)
The R22 was a New York City Subway car built in 1957 for the IRT division. They were the last single cars built prior to the R33 World's Fairs in 1963-4. The last R22s were retired on December 30, 1987 with the last run being on the with a solid consist of R21/R22 cars...
car, #7602, was involved in a rear-ending accident here.
In the late 1990s the original concrete exterior walls alongside the station platforms, and the original roof that had been supported on concrete columns and massive cantilevered timbers, were replaced with steel bents supporting a clad metal wall system and a corrugated metal roof deck.
External links
- Station Reporter — 5 Train
- The Subway Nut — Morris Park Pictures
- Paulding Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View