Rockaway Parkway Line
Encyclopedia
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
. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the B42 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority
.
The Wilson Avenue Line
(now the B60 bus) continues north on Rockaway Parkway from the end of the B42 to Williamsburg
.
, a company that became part of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
(BRT) Company system, subsequently reorganized as the Brooklyn and Queens Transit Corporation
in 1928 before passing to city ownership in 1940.
Initially cars were through-routed between Williamsburg
and Canarsie Pier via the Wilson Avenue Line
(then Hamburg Avenue) and Rockaway Parkway. It was later cut at the company's Canarsie Depot at the corner of Hegeman and Rockaway Avenues, running via Rockaway Avenue and Rockaway Parkway to the Canarsie Pier. At the Canarsie Line
rapid transit station at Rockaway Parkway and Glenwood Road, the Rockaway Parkway Line crossed the rapid transit line's surface right-of-way. The rapid transit line then turned east on private-right-of-way to parallel the trolley line to the shore and ferry.
When the elevated train service was truncated at the Rockaway Parkway station after the 1917 summer season, the BRT operated a shuttle trolley on the former surface elevated line trackage, but did not discontinue the Rockaway Parkway Line.
Under city ownership, the trolley shuttle on the former elevated line's right-of-way was abandoned on November 21, 1942. On the same day, the terminals of the Wilson Avenue and Rockaway Parkway lines were changed from the Canarsie Depot to the Rockaway Parkway station, essentially turning the Rockaway Parkway Line into a replacement of the Canarsie Line shuttle. At the Canarsie Pier end of the line, the Rockaway Parkway trolleys were rerouted via St. Jude Place and Canarsie Road in order to access the former shuttle station at the shore.
In recognition of the fact that the Rockaway Parkway Line was replacing the survivor of a former rapid transit service, a free transfer between the Canarsie Line and the Rockaway Parkway trolley was instituted with trolleys entering the fare control of the Rockaway Parkway station. The free subway-streetcar (later subway-bus) transfer arrangement continues today, and is the only such transfer that can be made without having to use a MetroCard.
Buses designated B42 were substituted for streetcars on April 29, 1951.
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...
, running mostly along Rockaway Parkway
Rockaway Parkway
Rockaway Parkway is a major commercial street in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.Canarsie High School, as well as a firehouse and several homes and businesses are on Rockaway Parkway. The Rockaway Parkway station is the southern terminus of the BMT Canarsie Line...
between Canarsie Pier and the Canarsie – Rockaway Parkway terminal of the BMT Canarsie Line
BMT Canarsie Line
The Canarsie Line is a rapid transit line of the BMT Division of the New York City Subway system, named after its terminus in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn...
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...
. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the B42 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority
New York City Transit Authority
The New York City Transit Authority is a public authority in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City...
.
The Wilson Avenue Line
Wilson Avenue Line
The Wilson Avenue Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running along Wilson Avenue and Rockaway Avenue between Williamsburg and Canarsie...
(now the B60 bus) continues north on Rockaway Parkway from the end of the B42 to Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordering Greenpoint to the north, Bedford-Stuyvesant to the south, Bushwick to the east and the East River to the west. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 1. The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 90th ...
.
History
The line was originally operated as an electric streetcar by the Nassau Electric RailroadNassau Electric Railroad
The Nassau Electric Railroad was an electric street railway company in the U.S. state of New York. The company operated throughout the borough of Brooklyn, as well as over the Brooklyn Bridge and Williamsburg Bridge into Manhattan....
, a company that became part of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Brooklyn Rapid Transit
The Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company was a public transit holding company formed in 1896 to acquire and consolidate lines in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States. It was a prominent corporation and industry leader using the single-letter symbol B on the New York Stock Exchange...
(BRT) Company system, subsequently reorganized as the Brooklyn and Queens Transit Corporation
Brooklyn and Queens Transit Corporation
The Brooklyn and Queens Transit Corporation was a subsidiary of the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation that operated streetcars in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States...
in 1928 before passing to city ownership in 1940.
Initially cars were through-routed between Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordering Greenpoint to the north, Bedford-Stuyvesant to the south, Bushwick to the east and the East River to the west. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 1. The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 90th ...
and Canarsie Pier via the Wilson Avenue Line
Wilson Avenue Line
The Wilson Avenue Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running along Wilson Avenue and Rockaway Avenue between Williamsburg and Canarsie...
(then Hamburg Avenue) and Rockaway Parkway. It was later cut at the company's Canarsie Depot at the corner of Hegeman and Rockaway Avenues, running via Rockaway Avenue and Rockaway Parkway to the Canarsie Pier. At the Canarsie Line
BMT Canarsie Line
The Canarsie Line is a rapid transit line of the BMT Division of the New York City Subway system, named after its terminus in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn...
rapid transit station at Rockaway Parkway and Glenwood Road, the Rockaway Parkway Line crossed the rapid transit line's surface right-of-way. The rapid transit line then turned east on private-right-of-way to parallel the trolley line to the shore and ferry.
Under city ownership, the trolley shuttle on the former elevated line's right-of-way was abandoned on November 21, 1942. On the same day, the terminals of the Wilson Avenue and Rockaway Parkway lines were changed from the Canarsie Depot to the Rockaway Parkway station, essentially turning the Rockaway Parkway Line into a replacement of the Canarsie Line shuttle. At the Canarsie Pier end of the line, the Rockaway Parkway trolleys were rerouted via St. Jude Place and Canarsie Road in order to access the former shuttle station at the shore.
In recognition of the fact that the Rockaway Parkway Line was replacing the survivor of a former rapid transit service, a free transfer between the Canarsie Line and the Rockaway Parkway trolley was instituted with trolleys entering the fare control of the Rockaway Parkway station. The free subway-streetcar (later subway-bus) transfer arrangement continues today, and is the only such transfer that can be made without having to use a MetroCard.
Buses designated B42 were substituted for streetcars on April 29, 1951.