Connections to old, abandoned, and demolished elevated lines
are still visible at the following locations.
IRT White Plains Road
Line: Just north of the 149th Street/Third Avenue station, exiting
the tunnel portal, one can see the initial framework of the Third
Avenue El line. There used to be a connection from the White Plains
Road line to the Third Avenue El, which ran south across the Harlem
River to Manhattan. The other end of the Third Avenue El connected to
the White Plains Road line at the lower level of the Gun Hill Road
station (Closed 1973). Also on the White Plains Road line is the
remnant of the short section of track to the original Bronx Park
terminal (Closed August 4, 1952).
IRT Woodlawn-Jerome Avenue
Line: North of the 161st Street - Yankee Stadium station is the
framework for the connection from the 9th Avenue elevated line. After
the demolition of the 9th Avenue El, the short section between the
Woodlawn line and the Polo Grounds operated as a shuttle (Closed
August 13, 1958). For a full tour, visit The 9th Avenue Elevated/Polo
Grounds Shuttle.
IRT Dyre Avenue Line:
The Dyre Avenue line was part of the New York,
Westchester & Boston Railroad; it continued north beyond Dyre
Ave. to White Plains and Port Chester; and south of the present
connection to the White Plains Road line at 180th St., to 133rd St
where it ran along side the New Haven Railroad. The platforms of the
NYW&B station are still visible at East 180th Street station and
are sometimes used to store trains. (The station at this location was
closed by the NYW&B in 1938, and reopened for Dyre Avenue shuttle
service 1941-1957.) The structure south of East 180 St ends abruptly
at the foot of 177 St. A portion of the structure, which ran into
Amtrak's North East Corridor, was demolished in anticipation that a
new Coliseum Bus Depot would be built.
Queensborough Plaza: part of the
trackway from the Queensborough Bridge line is still visible at the
east end of the station. (Bridge service ended 6/13/1942, use of
northern half of Queensborough Plaza station ended October 1949.)
BMT Nassau St. Line: used to
connect to the south side of the Manhattan Bridge north of Chambers
Street. The trackways are still used for train storage and are visible
from passing J/M/Z trains. (Closed November 26? 28? 1967 when
Chrystie Street opened.)
Manhattan Bridge - Canal
Street Original Subway: Heading northbound over the Manhattan
Bridge north side, an abandoned tunnel is visible before entering the
subway to Grand Street, which was the former connection to the
Broadway Express. Heading northbound on the south side, the remains of
the tunnel to the BMT Nassau loop is briefly visible. This area was
reconfigured as part of the 1960s Chrystie Street construction
project.
Fulton St. El: Trackways are still visible at Broadway Junction/East New York
and Atlantic Ave. There is
also speculation that the Atlantic Av. complex would be torn down
beginning in 2000 in preparation for the Canarsie line to receive ATO,
or automated train operation. Framework for the el was until early
1998, visible at the Franklin
Shuttle station at Franklin Avenue and Fulton Street. The
structure served as a pedestrian walkway for customers going to the
Fulton St subway. This structure was demolished as part of the
Franklin Shuttle modernization.
Also, on the A line heading northbound (westbound) from 80th
Street, you can see the stub end of the old BMT Fulton El continuing
straight ahead while the A curves into the tunnel and Grant
Ave. Station.
BMT Broadway/Jamaica El: Upper
level station at Myrtle
Avenue was Myrtle Ave. El line to Jay Street. (Closed
south of Broadway October 4, 1969, demolished 1970.) Also,
the cutoff of the short line from Marcy Avenue to the
Broadway Ferry landing is still visible east of Marcy
Avenue (used for revenue service until 1916, used to
store equipment until 1942).
BMT Culver Line: At 9th Ave./39th St. and at Ditmas Ave. the
original Culver line (later the Culver Shuttle) connected. (The
trackway is visible at Ditmas Ave. and the ramps are visible at 9th
Avenue.) On the other side of 9th Ave. the ramps to the old BRT/BMT
5th Avenue Elevated are still visible from passing trains.
Honorary mention: On PATH, the tunnel heading for the
proposed Astor Place line can be seen north of 9th St.
The LIRR Rockaway Line (Ozone Park Branch): the right of
way is still clearly visible near Woodhaven Boulevard.
The line ends where the IND subway meets with the former
right of way south of Liberty Av. In the early 1950s, the
LIRR structure between the present Far Rockaway Terminus
and the Mott Av A train station was demolished when the
Rockaway Line was acquired by the City of New York.
BMT Broadway/Jamaica El west of Gates Avenue: Although
not visible on the elevated level, from the street one
can see where the structure turned onto Lexington Av to
head toward the Brooklyn Bridge (between the columns).
