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Spring Street (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)
Encyclopedia
Spring Street is a local station
on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line
of the New York City Subway
. Located at the intersection of Lafayette
and Spring Streets in Manhattan
, it is served by the 6
train at all times, the <6> during weekdays in peak direction, and the 4
during late night hours.
station to 145th Street at Broadway. The only major service pattern change occurred on July 17, 1918 when the "H-system" began. This system started when the Lexington Avenue Line, was extended to 125th Street
creating what is now referred to as the East Side Line, parallel but not connected by track to the IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line. The 42nd Street Shuttle connects the two lines at Grand Central and Times Square. This pattern is still in use today.
In 1948, Spring Street began servicing the newly coined 6 service to Pelham Bay Park. The <6>
also stops here during rush hours in the peak direction.
s and four tracks, the center two of which are express tracks. The southbound local track is technically known as MM1 and the northbound one is MM4; the MM designation is used for chaining
purposes along the Lexington Avenue Line from Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall to Times Square – 42nd Street via Grand Central and the 42nd Street Shuttle. Although they cannot be accessed at Spring Street, the southbound and northbound express tracks are known as MM2 and MM3, respectively. These designations are rarely, if ever, used in everyday speech. Both platforms have a slight curve which creates a gap between the train and the platform. Fortunately, because this gap is not significant, gap fillers are not necessary.
Spring Street had a unique fifth center track which has now been removed. This track did not last long; it was reportedly disconnected and removed in 1906, only two years after the subway opened. Although its function has never been determined, the trackway is now used as the location of a mechanical room.
The station retains the typical large and small IRT
mosaics in the old (prior to platform lengthening) portion. The station has small "S" cartouche
s with two poppies from 1904, made by Atlantic Terra Cotta, and large mosaic tablets by Heins & LaFarge
, also from 1904. Other small "S" and "Spring St" mosaics are newer. The "S" cartouches are similar to the ones cast for Canal Street station.
. The scene was not filmed there however.
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 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...
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 Lafayette
Lafayette Street (Manhattan)
Lafayette Street is a major north-south street in New York City's Lower Manhattan, which runs roughly parallel to Broadway to the west. Originally, the part of the street below Houston Street was called Elm Place....
and Spring Streets 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...
, it is served by the 6
6 (New York City Subway service)
The 6 Lexington Avenue and Pelham Local and Lexington Avenue Local and Pelham Express are two rapid transit services of the New York City Subway. The 6 local has a circle shape while the ' express has a diamond shape...
train at all times, the <6> during weekdays in peak direction, and the 4
4 (New York City Subway service)
The 4 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 the IRT Lexington Avenue Line in Manhattan....
during late night hours.
History
Spring Street was one of the original stations of the first subway in Manhattan, opening on October 27, 1904. At this time, Spring Street served local trains from the now abandoned City HallCity Hall (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)
City Hall, also known as City Hall Loop, was the original southern terminal station of the first line of the New York City Subway, built by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company , named the "Manhattan Main Line", and now part of the IRT Lexington Avenue Line...
station to 145th Street at Broadway. The only major service pattern change occurred on July 17, 1918 when the "H-system" began. This system started when the Lexington Avenue Line, was extended to 125th Street
125th Street (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)
125th Street is an express station that has four tracks and two island platforms. It is the northernmost Manhattan station on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Lexington Avenue and East 125th Street 125th Street is an express station that has four tracks and two...
creating what is now referred to as the East Side Line, parallel but not connected by track to the IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line. The 42nd Street Shuttle connects the two lines at Grand Central and Times Square. This pattern is still in use today.
In 1948, Spring Street began servicing the newly coined 6 service to Pelham Bay Park. The <6>
6 (New York City Subway service)
The 6 Lexington Avenue and Pelham Local and Lexington Avenue Local and Pelham Express are two rapid transit services of the New York City Subway. The 6 local has a circle shape while the ' express has a diamond shape...
also stops here during rush hours in the peak direction.
Station layout
Spring Street is laid out in a typical local stop setup. There are 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 and four tracks, the center two of which are express tracks. The southbound local track is technically known as MM1 and the northbound one is MM4; the MM designation is used for chaining
New 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...
purposes along the Lexington Avenue Line from Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall to Times Square – 42nd Street via Grand Central and the 42nd Street Shuttle. Although they cannot be accessed at Spring Street, the southbound and northbound express tracks are known as MM2 and MM3, respectively. These designations are rarely, if ever, used in everyday speech. Both platforms have a slight curve which creates a gap between the train and the platform. Fortunately, because this gap is not significant, gap fillers are not necessary.
Spring Street had a unique fifth center track which has now been removed. This track did not last long; it was reportedly disconnected and removed in 1906, only two years after the subway opened. Although its function has never been determined, the trackway is now used as the location of a mechanical room.
The station retains the typical large and small 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...
mosaics in the old (prior to platform lengthening) portion. The station has small "S" cartouche
Cartouche
In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an ellipse with a horizontal line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name, coming into use during the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty under Pharaoh Sneferu, replacing the earlier serekh...
s with two poppies from 1904, made by Atlantic Terra Cotta, and large mosaic tablets by Heins & LaFarge
Heins & LaFarge
The New York-based architectural firm of Heins & LaFarge, composed of Philadelphia-born architect George Lewis Heins and Christopher Grant LaFarge - the eldest son of the artist John LaFarge, famous especially for his stained glass panels - were responsible most notably for the original...
, also from 1904. Other small "S" and "Spring St" mosaics are newer. The "S" cartouches are similar to the ones cast for Canal Street station.
Popular culture
This station is featured in the 2008 film CloverfieldCloverfield
Cloverfield is a 2008 American disaster-monster film directed by Matt Reeves, produced by J. J. Abrams and written by Drew Goddard.The film follows six young New Yorkers attending a going-away party on the night that a gigantic monster attacks the city...
. The scene was not filmed there however.
Further reading
- Lee Stokey. Subway Ceramics : A History and Iconography. 1994. ISBN 978-0-9635486-1-0
External links
- Station Reporter — 6 Train
- Forgotten NY — Original 28 - NYC's First 28 Subway Stations
- Spring Street entrance from Google Maps Street View