Ditmars Boulevard Astoria (on 31^st Street between Ditmars Boulevard and 23^rd Avenue) opened 7/19/1917 and has two tracks and an island platform. Patriotic art is found outside the system under the Hellgate Viaduct which passes over the station perpendicularly. Canopy covers much of the station, even under the Hellgate Viaduct. The canopy is wood with transite and has a wood mezzanine. The benches are enclosed on three sides with windscreen Light fixtures still have their diffuser covers. At first appearance it seems to be in great condition but closer observation revealed areas needing TLC. The unusual Mezzanine has twin fare controls with separate East and West sets of turnstiles which seem redundant due to the island platform. The East fare control exits to the second floor of the Garry Building/ The line curves and is over 31s street.

Astoria Boulevard/ Hoyt Avenue (on 31^st Street with exits to Hoyt Avenue North and South and Astoria Boulevard North and South. Hoyt Avenue is the side by the RFK Triborough Bridge) opened 7/19/1917 and has three tracks and two island platforms with wooden canopies with Transite and wood mezzanines. The southbound platform bears the tertiary name of Columbus Square. The Northbound platform’s benches are surrounded by low windscreen on three sides. The southbound platform has an enclosed waiting area. This station affords a view of the Hellgate Bridge and viaduct to the north and the RFK Triborough Bridge to the west and Grand Central Parkway underneath. The bridge and Grand Central Parkway forced a change in the station. The overpass to the far north exit was an addition because of the bridge’s construction in 1936. The parkway forced relocation of the Hoyt Avenue/ Astoria Boulevard North exit stairways since the parkway was too wide for the original stairways. The southern stairways are original. The west exit to the Mezzanine and crossunder needs maintenance- metal patches were observed In the canopy over the stairs. The Mezzanine has an unusual configuration with separate entries with crossunders from both North and South stairs from the platforms.

30^th Avenue / Grand Avenue (on 31^st Street at 30^th Avenue) opened 7/19/1917 and has three tracks and two wall platforms with wooden canopies with Transite and wood mezzanines. The south end of both platforms are narrowed due to windscreens being added. The exit is near the north end. There are dual fare control areas and at first appearance give the impression of no crossunder, but there is a crossunder behind the booth.

Broadway (on 31^st Street at Broadway) opened 7/19/1917 and has three tracks and two wall platforms with wooden canopies with transite and wood mezzanines. There is no windscreen on the north bound platform however southbound does have windscreen. The Mezzanine is configured like 30^th avenue .Exit is north of center.

36^th Avenue Washington Avenue (on 31^st Street at 36^th Avenue) opened 7/19/1917 and has three tracks and two wall platforms with wooden canopies with Transite and wood mezzanines. the south end has no windscreen on the northbound platform but the north end has windscreen as does the southbound platform Exit is near the south end and there is a crossunder..

39^th Avenue Beebe Avenue (on 31^st Street at 39^th Avenue) opened 7/19/1917 and has three tracks and two wall platforms with wooden canopies with Transite and wood mezzanines. Windscreen is at both ends replacing the earlier low railings. The south end has a nice view of the Citigroup complex. There is a crossunder.

Queensboro Plaza (Bridge Plaza North and South between Crescent and 27^th Streets, near Queensboro Bridge entrance to lower level) IRT section opened 11/5/1916, BMT section opened 7/19/1917, north Platforms demolished in late 1949, Last renovated in 2003.

This station has a lot of history in it; it is a 100% pure dual contracts station as the only station in the entire NYC subway system to have both IRT #7 Flushing Line and BMT N and Q trains operating on the same platforms. Because of the width of IRT cars being smaller than BMT/IND cars, the N and Q trains are prohibited from switching over to the Flushing Line from Manhattan, even in emergency situations. The current layout is 2 tracks on each island platform, with 2 levels. The #7 line always uses the south tracks, while the N/Q trains use the north tracks on both levels. The lower level is for Manhattan-bound trains, while the Upper level is for Flushing/Astoria (outbound) trains. Recently, the station was renovated by NYCT’s in-house Maintenance of Way forces, as opposed of having an outside contractor perform the job. This site endorses in-house jobs as a means of saving money, using skilled workers already employed by NYCT, and in most cases, the stations are completed on or ahead of the targeted completion date. When the station was fully completed in 1917, there were actually 8 tracks, and 4 island platforms. Standing on the upper level, closest to the Queensboro Bridge side, you can see the skeletal remains of the 2 north platforms that were side-by-side in the same layout as the current and surviving south platforms, it was abandoned in 1949 and all the BMT operations were shifted to the current south platform. The original layout was to use the south platform and 4 tracks for IRT and connections to the 2^nd Avenue el. IRT trains ran via. either the Steinway Tube (today’s #7 line), or over the Queensboro Bridge, turn at 2^nd Ave/59^th St, where it connected with the southbound 2^nd Ave el. . Either track had double X crossovers so there was plenty of operational flexibility. At the far west end of the Upper Level, where the #7 curves into the station, you can see the skeletal girders sticking out and pointing to the Upper Level roadway of the bridge. The abandoned north platform was used for primarily BMT Broadway trains and 8 track configurations looked like this (upper level/lower level as it ran):

From north to south: BMT North Platform, Track #1: Astoria/60^th St tube BMT North Platform Track #2 Corona/60^th St tube. IRT south platform: Track #1 2^nd Ave el /Corona, Track #2 Steinway/Corona.

There were double crossovers to the east that allowed trains to use either Astoria or Corona line (the Main St extension was built later on.) Looking also to the east of the station, more skeletal remains of tracks than ran from Astoria to Corona directly, from Astoria, the tracks ran on the outer ends of the current Astoria line, depress significantly, and curve over to the Corona/Flushing line where it would elevate and join the current IRT line. You can see more of these abandoned tracks if you stand on street. Because of the platform layouts, there was most likely a mezzanine, twice the size as the current mezzanine. The 2^nd Ave el. was abandoned in 1942 and presented a problem at Queensboro Plaza, where can trains go now, since at least 2 tracks are no longer in use? It was later determined to combine the BMT and IRT tracks in one set of platforms. In 1949, the north platforms were abandoned and the mezzanine was cut in half and renovated.

Before I saw the current renovation taking place, the tiles show evidence of a 1950’s or early 60’s retouch, along with 1950’s exit slam gates. Over the years since the 1949 downsizing, the station fell into disrepair, broken glass on the lower level platform, and leaking platform canopy on the upper level were prime examples. After the 2002 in house renovation, the glass was replaced, the mezzanine was redone, and even new canopies on both overpass exits (one on the north side, leading to couple of stores on the 2^nd floor of a private building, the south side was only stairs to street.) were finally installed to protect customers from the rain and other elege and arcade stores. The platforms are not aligned together; the Upper level is about 150 feet west of the lower level. Artwork: "Columns" by Sydney Caments. There are 4 stairs from lower to upper level and 4 stairs from lower level to mezzanine. Access from mezzanine to either platform is only available from the 2 western stairs in front of the S/A booth. The 2 eastern stairs from lower level to mezzanine are exit and are only closest to the north bridsh (2000), uses silk-screened glass panels, instead of ordinary glass, installed on both sides of the lower level. Most people who look at the glass design may not really notice that it is artwork. Just inside fare control, are the newest next train indicators, one for the #7 and the other for the N/W lines. During rush hours when all 3 lines have frequent service, the buzzers are constantly going off without any chance of letting up.

Lexington Avenue/59^th Street opened 3/11/1920 and is discussed on the complexes page

5^th Avenue 59^th Street (5^th Ave at 60^th Street) Opened 3/11/1920: In house renovation, 2 tracks, 2 side platforms, and 2 mezzanine areas. The renovation not only finally gets rid of the 60’s refrigerator tile, but preserves the original station name tablets. Most of the local stations along the Broadway line within the past 10 years, were renovated in this manner, and shows how a mix of nostalgia with contemporary design shows a true winner in station design. F/T side at north end by 60^th Street has 3 street stairs, one carved into the outer perimeter of Central Park, other 2 staircases are across 5^th Ave. Replicas of BMT directional mosaics "QUEENS TRAINS" and "BROOKLYN TRAINS" are found on F/T side. P/T side at Central Park South, just by Plaza Hotel, has ghost booth (closed in 2003), and 3 street stairs as well. Each mezzanine has 1 stair to each platform. Mosaics "5" "Fifth Ave" and the directional signs on each platform, are fully preserved with new tiles encircling around them. Artwork: "Urban Oasis" by Ann Schaumburger (1997), uses glass mosaic murals to depict a family of penguins, and reminds us of our childhood days when we visited the nearby Central Park Zoo. (I sure do remember being inside the mouth of a whale statue at the zoo years ago!)

57^th Street 7^th Avenue Opened 7/10/1919: Express stop, 4 tracks, 2 island platforms, 2 mezzanines (no full length mezzanine was ever constructed), it was renovated in-house in 1999. This station sits outside Carnegie Hall, and has names of legendary artists and actors/actresses who performed in any capacity at the landmark building upstairs, one name and the year of appearance at Carnegie Hall, is shown on each tile. F/T mezzanine is at 57^th Street, P/T mezzanine is at 55^th Street and is closed nightly and Sunday until 2 PM. Each mezzanine has 4 street stairs. The "57" mosaics on both track walls is preserved and not covered. An active tower is at the south end of the southbound platform.

According to the MTA Web Site "...Josh Scharf. Carnegie Hall Montage, 1994.Ceramic tiles on north and south mezzanine walls; porcelain enamel on north mezzanine walls. Carnegie Hall Montage is a colorful arrangement of images in porcelain on steel that shows the range of artists who have performed on the world-renowned stage. Some depict Carnegie Hall's classical pedigree, such as Leonard Bernstein and Marian Anderson, for example, while others portray the Beatles, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Eleanor Roosevelt, as testament to the importance of the stage. Nearby, hundreds of white tiles with text commemorate the names, professions, and appearance date of notables who graced Carnegie's stage. In the words of Carnegie Hall activist Gino Francesconi: "I have always felt that the subway station directly below Carnegie Hall should reflect the history of the building just as the subways of Moscow and Paris do their own cultural institutions ... It reminds one of the connection between the city and its art."

49^th Street (49^th Street and 7^th Ave) Opened 7/10/1919: Of all the renovation jobs that were done in the past 35 years, this station is clearly the best. Despite the appearance of red brick throughout all of the walls on both sides, the renovation took in the early 1970’s. Local station, 4 tracks, 2 side platforms, and 2 fare control areas on each side. Since all 4 fare controls are at platform level, there is no crossover allowed. F/T booths are on both sides on 49^th Street (at the north end), and feature 2 street stairs for each side. The N/B side is wheelchair accessible only, an elevator was constructed in conjunction with a new office tower at the N/E corner of West 49^th Street and 7^th Ave, therefore the north staircase was reconstructed to conform to the building’s design. Behind the elevator and rebuilt staircase are an out of system underground passageway to Rockefeller Center and the 47-50^th Street station of the IND B/D/F/orange M/ former V Sixth Ave lines. Of the 4 street entrances, only the S/W corner (to Brooklyn-bound platform) retains the 1970’s red brick appearance. All of the other entrances, including the 47^th Street P/T exits, were reconstructed over the past 15 years. P/T sides are at 47^th Street and 7^th Ave, 1 street stairs on N/B side and HEET only access on Sundays. False brick tiles were added sometime after the renovation, these indicate a station facility inside. The color of the added tiles is slightly different from the brick tile used in the original renovation. S/B side at 47^th Street has 2 street stairs and HEET access on nights and weekends. Other times not listed, both booths at the 47^th Street P/T side, are open. The exit to Broadway and West 47^th Street, through a small passageway is an addition and not part of the original station, or the renovation.

42^nd Street is discussed on the complexes page

before we descend to the lower level at Canal Street and making a left turn a process, we see a bellmouth inward on the right side. This area was an aborted attempt to have the BRT Bridge Line run across Canal Street and possibly across the Hudson River to New Jersey as well. It may have also been intended to run along a line extension up the far West side of Manhattan ( a 9^th Avenue subway?), but it is unclear where the line would  ultimately end. We do know that the area north of Canal Street, and either platform , would be two tracks running across Canal Street.

Canal Street is discussed on the complexes page

Leaving Canal the Brighton Line. Before 1967 and the birth of the Chrystie Connection, the N and Q trains would have used the north side of the bridge while the Nassau Street, but before entering the Manhattan bridge south side. we see a bellmouth inward. This area was a reconfiguration of the switches and tracks in this area. The bellmouth inward represents the Nassau Street Loop which ran from Chambers Street as part of a special loop during the rush hours Loop Specials used the south side. The Nassau Loop Connection was severed during the Chrystie Connection process and a new track from Canal Street was installed to enable trains running on the south side. We now cross the Manhattan bridge.

As we descend into the tunnel again at  the Brooklyn side, we bypass what was once Myrtle Avenue Station which opened 9/13/1915 and closed 7/12/1956. It was a local stop wit two side platforms and only two tracks served, however there were a total of six tracks  of which four bypassed the station. BMT Myrtle Avenue mosaic on the wall is still  present. N/B side is left intact but the S/B platform was removed when the gold Street interlocking was reconfigured. From the Broadway Line, traveling down , the track that currently depressed down and joins back up for either bypass or regular DeKalb switching was actually the original track and not depressed, while the track to the right which is used by the Q train was where the platform was located. On 7/12/1956 this station was closed in anticipation of DeKalb expansion. The switches were reconfigured  in 1956-1957. In the late 1970s or early 1980s along the intact northbound platform, a psychedelic set of frames was installed to appear that a short film was in motion while you were on the train and moving. The last set of frames showed a small rocket ship taking off in time to avoid impact with a much larger ship. Over time,  graffiti took its toll on this artwork and the  area is permanently covered and sealed today.

We also bypass DeKalb Avenue.

Pacific Street is discussed in our complexes page

36^th Street (36^th Street and 4^th Avenue) Opened 6/24/1917 this station serves Bush Terminal; it had an in-house renovation in 1997. Express stop, 2 island platforms, 4 tracks, relay tracks for shuttles to the north, turnouts to West End line to the south. The station has 2 sets of stairs to each platform, 3 staircases to street. The West End line Y shaped turnouts are where the original 36^th St station stood before it was relocated to the north, about 100 feet south of this station. The mezzanine also features the original X shaped BRT tile band, common in most BMT stations today, and looks restored. Artwork in mezzanine, inside fare control, features "An Underground Movement; Designers, Builders, and Riders" by Oliver Smith. Using ceramic mosaics, the artwork depicts the origins of the BRT (hence we now call it the BMT), from the Design, to Building the subway, to the riders of the subway. The Design painting also has the BRT "X" mosaic. Platform extensions are clearly to the north end

59^th Street (on 4^th Avenue at 49^th Street) opened 9/13/1915 and has four tracks and two island platforms. There are crossovers at both ends. The north exit leads to 59^th street and the south to 60^th street. Both Mezzanines have new lights. We leave Fourth Avenue behind and see daylight and the abandoned LIRR Bay Ridge Branch Right of Way below us and to our West.

8^th Avenue (on 8^th Avenue between 61^st and 62^nd Streets) opened 8/23/1915 and has four tracks and two wall platforms. While four tracks are present, the Coney Island bound express track is officially abandoned in place and is no longer maintained at this station The LIRR Bay Ridge Branch has passed underneath our line and is now to our East, still at a lower level than our line. The north exit to 7^th Avenue and 62^nd Street is closed and has a crossover and is used as office space. The original BRT stationhouse remains intact and is visible from the s/b platform. The south exit ahs a crossover and leads to 8^th Avenue and 62^nd Street. Sidewalls have windscreen upper portion and concrete lower portion. The station house is stucco and has a tile interior. We are now an open cut line after leaving this station.

Ft. Hamilton Parkway (on Ft. Hamilton Parkway between 61^st and 62^nd Streets) opened 8/23/1915 and has four tracks and two wall platforms. While four tracks are present, the Coney Island bound express track is officially abandoned in place and is no longer maintained at this station. The northbound platform resembles 8^th avenue with metal canopies while the southbound platform has concrete walls and roof. Each end has a crossover. The north exit leads to Ft. Hamilton Parkway and 62^nd street and the south to 11^th avenue and 62^nd-63^rd streets. Station house construction is stucco with tile interior. From here south, conditions generally show increasing passage of time and presence of higher priorities with many stations having spalling concrete, temporary exits, temporary mezzanines and even exposed rebar. There is hope with new bridges being built and they have no columns in the subway right of way and possible subway repairs.

New Utrecht Avenue/ 62^nd Street on the N opened 8/23/1915 and is discussed on the complexes page

18^th Avenue (on 18^th Avenues between 63^rd and 64^th Streets) opened 8/23/1915 and has four tracks and two wall platforms. While four tracks are present, the Coney Island bound express track is officially abandoned in place and is no longer maintained at this station. Station walls and canopies are concrete with exits to 17^th Avenue and 18^th avenue, both with a crossover to stucco and tile station house. Oddly enough, the mezzanine at the p/t 17^th Avenue entrance was renovated with new walls and tile. However, in a patch job, the south exit is via switchback stairs to an intermediate level to a metal Mezzanine before entering the permanent Mezzanine with a crossover .The sides of the windscreen reveals lines where the stairs used to be located and a view of the reduced in size station house This feature is also found in the subsequent stations with the exception of 20^th avenue, Kings Highway, 86th street and Stillwell. From here south except 86^th Street, and Stillwell, all have concrete walls and canopies

20^th Avenue (on 20^th Avenue between 63^rd and 64^th Streets) opened 8/23/1915 and has four tracks and two wall platforms. While four tracks are present, the Coney Island bound express track is officially abandoned in place and is no longer maintained at this station. The exit is at the south end. The station house is stucco and tile with a crossover. Platforms have some non working old lights and 1960s time warp benches. The areas along the mezzanines are in need of TLC and once had windows inside the fare control facing the tracks such as is found at Parkside on the Q Train.

Bay Parkway (22^nd Avenue) (on Bay Parkway between West 7^th and West 8^th Streets) opened 8/23/1915 and has four tracks and two wall platforms. While four tracks are present, the Coney Island bound express track is officially abandoned in place and is no longer maintained at this station. There is a crossover at both ends. The north station house is at Bay Parkway and 66^th street and is tile and stucco. The south station house at Avenue O is a patchwork station house like found at 18^th avenue’s south exit. Again there is evidence of covered windows and a need for TLC.

Kings Highway (on Kings Highway between West 7^th and West 8^th Streets) opened 8/23/1915 and has four tracks and two wall platforms. While four tracks are present, the Coney Island bound express track is officially abandoned in place and is no longer maintained at this station. The north exit leads to Kings Highway and a stucco and tile station house and the south leads to temporary crew quarters and Highlawn Avenue via a patchwork station house like 28^th Avenue’s south exit.

Avenue U (on Avenue U between West 7^th and West 8^th Streets) opened 8/23/1915 and has four tracks and two wall platforms. The Coney Island bound express track is used for storage and yard moves at this station. The north exit leads to Avenue T and the south to Avenue U. Both ends have the temporary exits like 28^th Avenue’s south end.

86^th Street Gravesend (on 86^th Street between West 7^th and West 8^th Streets) opened 8/23/1915 and has four tracks and two wall platforms. The station’s canopy is the street above us. South of the station we have three tracks (the Manhattan express track merges with the Manhattan local track.) Sidewalls are low concrete. The south exit is an employee crossover. The station house is stucco and tile and has a crossover.

Leaving here we are briefly at surface level and pass through the Coney Island Yard complex before rising to enter our last station, currently closed for renovation till 2005.

Coney Island (Stillwell and Surf Avenues) opened 7/21/1917: This station is fully discussed in our Complexes page.