BMT Lexington Avenue Line
Encyclopedia
The Lexington Avenue Elevated (also called the Lexington Avenue Line) was the first standard elevated railway
in Brooklyn
, New York, operated in its later days by the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation
, and then the City of New York.
The original line, as it existed at the end of 1885, traveled from Fulton Ferry
in Downtown Brooklyn
east to East New York
, passing over York Street, turning right onto Hudson Avenue (the relevant section is now called Navy Street), left onto Park Avenue, right onto Grand Avenue (which has now been fragmented), left onto Lexington Avenue, right onto Broadway
, and slight left onto Fulton Street
. The structure above Broadway and Fulton Street is now part of the BMT Jamaica Line
. East of Alabama Avenue in East New York, the original structure still exists (albeit reinforced), and is the oldest such structure in the subway system.
opened the line to passengers at 16:00 on May 13, 1885, with a five-cent fare for trains every five minutes. The original line ran from York and Washington Streets (near the Brooklyn Bridge
) along York Street, Hudson Avenue, Park Avenue, Grand Avenue, Lexington Avenue, and Broadway to Gates Avenue. The three stations on Park Avenue had island platform
s, while all the other stations had two side platform
s.
The first extension, east to Manhattan Beach Crossing in East New York
, named for the crossing of the Manhattan Beach Division of the Long Island Rail Road
, opened at 09:00 on June 14, 1885. Arrangements were made with the LIRR for joint tickets to Manhattan Beach
, as well as with the Grand Street, Prospect Park and Flatbush Railroad (Franklin Avenue Line of streetcars) and Brooklyn, Flatbush and Coney Island Railway (Brighton Beach Line) to Brighton Beach. Other connections at East New York included the Long Island Rail Road
towards the east, the Brooklyn and Rockaway Beach Railroad (Canarsie Line), and the New York, Woodhaven and Rockaway Railroad. Shops, car houses, and other facilities were located at East New York, where the New York City Subway
's East New York Yard still stands.
On September 5, 1885, the line was extended one more station to Alabama Avenue near the Howard House, a union station
for the steam and horse railroads into East New York. Another east terminal at Van Siclen Avenue was opened on December 3, 1885, with the structure above Fulton Street
extending east two more blocks to Schenck Street. After a half day of infrequent service, trains began serving the new station on a regular schedule the next morning.
Several weeks before the line was completed to Van Siclen Avenue, the western terminal at Fulton Ferry was opened at noon on November 11, 1885. This portion of the line was built above York Street to just shy of the bridge, where it turned northwest parallel to the bridge, not turning back west under the bridge until Plymouth Street at the East River
. That same day, a covered walkway above Washington Street from the inbound platform of the York and Washington Streets station to the Brooklyn Bridge
was opened.
The Brooklyn Elevated leased the newer Union Elevated Railroad, which had yet to run a train, on May 13, 1887. However, the two companies, despite sharing large portions of their lines, remained technically separate, commonly called the "Brooklyn and Union Elevated Railroads", until they merged in October 1890 and kept the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad name.
On April 10, 1888, the Union Elevated opened the first piece of the Myrtle Avenue Elevated, from Adams Street
at City Hall east over Myrtle Avenue to Grand Avenue, where it junctioned with the Brooklyn Elevated. The company operated through to the end of the Brooklyn Elevated at Van Siclen Avenue. Another branch operated by the Union Elevated, the Broadway Elevated from Gates Avenue
northwest to Driggs Avenue
in Williamsburg
, opened on June 25, 1888. This was extended to Broadway Ferry
on July 14, 1888. The Myrtle Avenue Elevated was extended north over Adams Street to Sands Street at the Brooklyn Bridge
on September 1, 1888, and the Union Elevated began running between Sands Street and Van Siclen Avenue. The Union Elevated opened the Hudson Avenue Elevated, a branch of the Brooklyn Elevated from the intersection of Hudson and Park Avenues south to the Long Island Rail Road
's Flatbush Avenue terminal, on November 5, 1888, and began operating between Fulton Ferry and Flatbush Avenue.
Another piece of the Myrtle Avenue Elevated, from the crossing of the Brooklyn Elevated at Grand Avenue east to Broadway, opened on April 27, 1889. Trains on this route did not cross the line on Grand Avenue, but turned onto Grand Avenue and used the Brooklyn Elevated to Fulton Ferry. Simultaneously, the original Brooklyn Elevated route via Lexington Avenue to Fulton Ferry was discontinued, with all Lexington Avenue trains running over Myrtle Avenue to the Brooklyn Bridge, and passengers for the ferry required to transfer at Myrtle Avenue
station via several stairways.
Effective December 9, 1889, a new service pattern went into effect, in which the structure above Park Avenue and its three stations, two of them located one long block north of Myrtle Avenue stations, was closed. Myrtle Avenue trains, which had used this structure since April 27, instead continued along Myrtle Avenue to Hudson Avenue, turning north there via a new junction into the Hudson Avenue Elevated, closed north of Myrtle Avenue since shortly after it opened due to safety concerns with the at-grade crossing at Myrtle Avenue. Thus passengers transferring between the two lines could get out at Navy Street
and simply enter the next train on the other route. The company continued to operate one daily train, closed to passengers, over Park Avenue, "to satisfy, it is thought, legal requirements", according to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
The structure above Park Avenue, closed to passengers since late 1889, was finally removed in late 1891. The New York State Board of Railroad Commissioners approved its abandonment on late December 1891, and removal soon began of the entire portion in Park Avenue, from the Hudson Avenue Elevated east to Grand Avenue, as well as the portion above Grand Avenue north of the Myrtle Avenue Elevated. This was the only part of the New York City elevated system to be permanently closed without ever having been electrified. By August 9, 1900, the rest of the line was electrified with third rail
.
An extension of the Brooklyn Elevated east to Cypress Hills, over Fulton Street and Crescent Street, opened on May 30, 1893, and the Brooklyn Union Elevated extended both Lexington Avenue Line and Broadway Line trains to the new terminal. This extension incorporated portions of the old structure over Park Avenue.
The original Brooklyn Elevated over Hudson Avenue and York Street to Fulton Ferry, only used by Myrtle Avenue Elevated trains after 1889, was closed on April 11, 1904.
The last Lexington Avenue train ran at 21:00 on October 13, 1950, with a small celebration, 65 years after the line opened. Transportation Commissioner G. Joseph Minetti joked that "if we had this many passengers riding regularly we wouldn't have to shut it down." Demolition began on November 1.
to East New York
. On April 27, 1889, all Lexington Avenue trains began using the Myrtle Avenue Elevated to Sands Street
at the Brooklyn Bridge
, while the old portion above Park Avenue, Hudson Avenue, and other streets to Fulton Ferry became part of the outer Myrtle Avenue service. The Park Avenue structure was last used on December 8, 1889, but Myrtle Avenue trains continued to use the line on Hudson Avenue to Fulton Ferry. All Lexington Avenue trains served Sands Street after 1889, but Myrtle Avenue trains began alternating between Fulton Ferry and Sands Street on April 10, 1899, in order to avoid the transferring of Myrtle Avenue passengers to trains bound for the bridge. Lexington Avenue trains were extended from Sands Street over the Brooklyn Bridge to Park Row
in June 1898. This pattern remained until the line to Fulton Ferry closed on April 11, 1904.
From 1904 until the abandonment of service on October 13, 1950, the Lexington Avenue service pattern (labeled 12
after 1924) was relatively simple. Trains began at either Park Row
in Lower Manhattan
or Sands Street
in Downtown Brooklyn
, and ran along the Broadway Elevated at least to East New York
and sometimes to Jamaica
.
ended in 1969 when that line closed, 19 years after the BMT Lexington Avenue Line itself was demolished between Washington Avenue on the Myrtle Avenue Line and Gates Avenue on the Jamaica Line.
. The section of the BMT Jamaica Line used by Lexington Avenue trains is now used by the and trains. The former connection to the BMT Lexington Avenue Line can be seen from J and Z trains just west of Gates Avenue.
Elevated railway
An elevated railway is a form of rapid transit railway with the tracks built above street level on some form of viaduct or other steel or concrete structure. The railway concerned may be constructed according to the standard gauge, narrow gauge, light rail, monorail or suspension railway system...
in Brooklyn
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, operated in its later days by the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation
Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation
The Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation was an urban transit holding company, based in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, and incorporated in 1923. The system was sold to the city in 1940 and today, together with the IND subway system, form the B Division of the New York City Subway...
, and then the City of New York.
The original line, as it existed at the end of 1885, traveled from Fulton Ferry
Fulton Ferry, Brooklyn
Fulton Ferry is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is named for a prominent ferry line crossing the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn, and is also the name of the ferry slip on the Brooklyn side...
in Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn is the third largest central business district in New York City , and is located in the northwestern section of the borough of Brooklyn...
east to East New York
East New York, Brooklyn
East New York is a residential neighborhood located in the Eastern section of the borough of Brooklyn in New York City, United States. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 5...
, passing over York Street, turning right onto Hudson Avenue (the relevant section is now called Navy Street), left onto Park Avenue, right onto Grand Avenue (which has now been fragmented), left onto Lexington Avenue, right onto Broadway
Broadway (Brooklyn)
Broadway is an avenue in the New York City borough of Brooklyn that extends from the East River in the neighborhood of Williamsburg in a southeasterly direction to East New York for a length of 4.32 miles . It was named for Broadway in Manhattan. The East New York terminus is a complicated...
, and slight left onto Fulton Street
Fulton Street (Brooklyn)
Fulton Street, named after engineer Robert Fulton, exists mainly in two parts in what are today two boroughs of New York City which Fulton linked by his steam ferries, and each segment has its own distinct identity. This entry deals with Fulton Street in Brooklyn, which now begins at the...
. The structure above Broadway and Fulton Street is now part of the BMT Jamaica Line
BMT Jamaica Line
The Jamaica Line is an elevated rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway, in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States. It runs from the Williamsburg Bridge southeast over Broadway to East New York, Brooklyn, and then east over Fulton Street and Jamaica Avenue to...
. East of Alabama Avenue in East New York, the original structure still exists (albeit reinforced), and is the oldest such structure in the subway system.
History
The Brooklyn Elevated RailroadBrooklyn Elevated Railroad
The Brooklyn Elevated Railroad was an elevated railroad company in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, operated from 1885 until 1899, when it was merged into the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company-controlled Brooklyn Union Elevated Railroad.-Lines:...
opened the line to passengers at 16:00 on May 13, 1885, with a five-cent fare for trains every five minutes. The original line ran from York and Washington Streets (near the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
) along York Street, Hudson Avenue, Park Avenue, Grand Avenue, Lexington Avenue, and Broadway to Gates Avenue. The three stations on Park Avenue had island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
s, while all the other stations had 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.
The first extension, east to Manhattan Beach Crossing in East New York
East New York, Brooklyn
East New York is a residential neighborhood located in the Eastern section of the borough of Brooklyn in New York City, United States. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 5...
, named for the crossing of the Manhattan Beach Division of the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
, opened at 09:00 on June 14, 1885. Arrangements were made with the LIRR for joint tickets to Manhattan Beach
Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn
Manhattan Beach is a residential neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the south and east, by Sheepshead Bay on the north, and Brighton Beach to the west. Traditionally known as an Italian and Ashkenazi Jewish neighborhood, it is also home to...
, as well as with the Grand Street, Prospect Park and Flatbush Railroad (Franklin Avenue Line of streetcars) and Brooklyn, Flatbush and Coney Island Railway (Brighton Beach Line) to Brighton Beach. Other connections at East New York included the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
towards the east, the Brooklyn and Rockaway Beach Railroad (Canarsie Line), and the New York, Woodhaven and Rockaway Railroad. Shops, car houses, and other facilities were located at East New York, where 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...
's East New York Yard still stands.
On September 5, 1885, the line was extended one more station to Alabama Avenue near the Howard House, a union station
Union station
A union station is the term used for a train station where tracks and facilities are shared by two or more railway companies, allowing passengers to connect conveniently between them...
for the steam and horse railroads into East New York. Another east terminal at Van Siclen Avenue was opened on December 3, 1885, with the structure above Fulton Street
Fulton Street (Brooklyn)
Fulton Street, named after engineer Robert Fulton, exists mainly in two parts in what are today two boroughs of New York City which Fulton linked by his steam ferries, and each segment has its own distinct identity. This entry deals with Fulton Street in Brooklyn, which now begins at the...
extending east two more blocks to Schenck Street. After a half day of infrequent service, trains began serving the new station on a regular schedule the next morning.
Several weeks before the line was completed to Van Siclen Avenue, the western terminal at Fulton Ferry was opened at noon on November 11, 1885. This portion of the line was built above York Street to just shy of the bridge, where it turned northwest parallel to the bridge, not turning back west under the bridge until Plymouth Street at the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
. That same day, a covered walkway above Washington Street from the inbound platform of the York and Washington Streets station to the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
was opened.
The Brooklyn Elevated leased the newer Union Elevated Railroad, which had yet to run a train, on May 13, 1887. However, the two companies, despite sharing large portions of their lines, remained technically separate, commonly called the "Brooklyn and Union Elevated Railroads", until they merged in October 1890 and kept the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad name.
On April 10, 1888, the Union Elevated opened the first piece of the Myrtle Avenue Elevated, from Adams Street
Adams Street (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line)
Adams Street was a stop on the demolished BMT Myrtle Avenue Line. It had 2 tracks and 2 side platforms. It was opened on April 10, 1888 and closed on March 5, 1944. The next stop to the north was Bridge–Jay Streets. The next stop to the south was Sands Street....
at City Hall east over Myrtle Avenue to Grand Avenue, where it junctioned with the Brooklyn Elevated. The company operated through to the end of the Brooklyn Elevated at Van Siclen Avenue. Another branch operated by the Union Elevated, the Broadway Elevated from Gates Avenue
Gates Avenue (BMT Jamaica Line)
Gates Avenue is a skip-stop station on the elevated BMT Jamaica Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Gates Avenue and Broadway in Bushwick, Brooklyn...
northwest to Driggs Avenue
Driggs Avenue (BMT Jamaica Line)
Driggs Avenue was a station on the demolished section of the BMT Jamaica Line. It had three tracks and two side platforms. It closed due in part to the mainline BMT Jamaica Line providing direct service to Manhattan via the Williamsburg Bridge after 1908. The next stop to the north was Marcy...
in 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 ...
, opened on June 25, 1888. This was extended to Broadway Ferry
Broadway Ferry (BMT Jamaica Line)
Broadway Ferry was a station on the demolished section of the BMT Jamaica Line. It had 2 tracks and 1 island platform. It closed due in part to the mainline BMT Jamaica Line providing direct service to Manhattan via the Williamsburg Bridge after 1908. The next stop to the north was Driggs Avenue.-...
on July 14, 1888. The Myrtle Avenue Elevated was extended north over Adams Street to Sands Street at the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
on September 1, 1888, and the Union Elevated began running between Sands Street and Van Siclen Avenue. The Union Elevated opened the Hudson Avenue Elevated, a branch of the Brooklyn Elevated from the intersection of Hudson and Park Avenues south to the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
's Flatbush Avenue terminal, on November 5, 1888, and began operating between Fulton Ferry and Flatbush Avenue.
Another piece of the Myrtle Avenue Elevated, from the crossing of the Brooklyn Elevated at Grand Avenue east to Broadway, opened on April 27, 1889. Trains on this route did not cross the line on Grand Avenue, but turned onto Grand Avenue and used the Brooklyn Elevated to Fulton Ferry. Simultaneously, the original Brooklyn Elevated route via Lexington Avenue to Fulton Ferry was discontinued, with all Lexington Avenue trains running over Myrtle Avenue to the Brooklyn Bridge, and passengers for the ferry required to transfer at Myrtle Avenue
Myrtle Avenue (BMT Lexington Avenue Line)
Myrtle Avenue was a station on the demolished BMT Lexington Avenue Line. It had two tracks and two side platforms. It was located at the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Grand Avenue in Brooklyn. It closed on October 13, 1950, although the other BMT station at that location, Grand Avenue was in...
station via several stairways.
Effective December 9, 1889, a new service pattern went into effect, in which the structure above Park Avenue and its three stations, two of them located one long block north of Myrtle Avenue stations, was closed. Myrtle Avenue trains, which had used this structure since April 27, instead continued along Myrtle Avenue to Hudson Avenue, turning north there via a new junction into the Hudson Avenue Elevated, closed north of Myrtle Avenue since shortly after it opened due to safety concerns with the at-grade crossing at Myrtle Avenue. Thus passengers transferring between the two lines could get out at Navy Street
Navy Street (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line)
Navy Street was a station on the demolished BMT Myrtle Avenue Line. It had 2 tracks and 1 island platform. It was closed on November 3, 1969, after a fire on the structure. The next stop to the north was Vanderbilt Avenue. The next stop to the south was Bridge–Jay Streets.-References:**...
and simply enter the next train on the other route. The company continued to operate one daily train, closed to passengers, over Park Avenue, "to satisfy, it is thought, legal requirements", according to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
The structure above Park Avenue, closed to passengers since late 1889, was finally removed in late 1891. The New York State Board of Railroad Commissioners approved its abandonment on late December 1891, and removal soon began of the entire portion in Park Avenue, from the Hudson Avenue Elevated east to Grand Avenue, as well as the portion above Grand Avenue north of the Myrtle Avenue Elevated. This was the only part of the New York City elevated system to be permanently closed without ever having been electrified. By August 9, 1900, the rest of the line was electrified with third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
.
An extension of the Brooklyn Elevated east to Cypress Hills, over Fulton Street and Crescent Street, opened on May 30, 1893, and the Brooklyn Union Elevated extended both Lexington Avenue Line and Broadway Line trains to the new terminal. This extension incorporated portions of the old structure over Park Avenue.
The original Brooklyn Elevated over Hudson Avenue and York Street to Fulton Ferry, only used by Myrtle Avenue Elevated trains after 1889, was closed on April 11, 1904.
The last Lexington Avenue train ran at 21:00 on October 13, 1950, with a small celebration, 65 years after the line opened. Transportation Commissioner G. Joseph Minetti joked that "if we had this many passengers riding regularly we wouldn't have to shut it down." Demolition began on November 1.
Service patterns
The original service pattern was a single line from Fulton FerryFulton Ferry, Brooklyn
Fulton Ferry is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is named for a prominent ferry line crossing the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn, and is also the name of the ferry slip on the Brooklyn side...
to East New York
East New York, Brooklyn
East New York is a residential neighborhood located in the Eastern section of the borough of Brooklyn in New York City, United States. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 5...
. On April 27, 1889, all Lexington Avenue trains began using the Myrtle Avenue Elevated to Sands Street
Sands Street (BMT station)
Sands Street was a station on the demolished BMT Myrtle Avenue Line. It was a large complex with 2 levels. The upper level served trains going to Park Row. It had 4 tracks and 2 island platforms with the outside of the platforms serving streetcars. The lower level had a terminal and a loop for...
at the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
, while the old portion above Park Avenue, Hudson Avenue, and other streets to Fulton Ferry became part of the outer Myrtle Avenue service. The Park Avenue structure was last used on December 8, 1889, but Myrtle Avenue trains continued to use the line on Hudson Avenue to Fulton Ferry. All Lexington Avenue trains served Sands Street after 1889, but Myrtle Avenue trains began alternating between Fulton Ferry and Sands Street on April 10, 1899, in order to avoid the transferring of Myrtle Avenue passengers to trains bound for the bridge. Lexington Avenue trains were extended from Sands Street over the Brooklyn Bridge to Park Row
Park Row (BMT station)
Park Row was a major elevated railway terminal constructed over the New York end of the Brooklyn Bridge, across from New York City Hall in Manhattan that served as the terminal for BMT services operating over the Brooklyn Bridge from the BMT Fulton Street Line, BMT Myrtle Avenue Line and their...
in June 1898. This pattern remained until the line to Fulton Ferry closed on April 11, 1904.
From 1904 until the abandonment of service on October 13, 1950, the Lexington Avenue service pattern (labeled 12
BMT 12
12 was the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation's designation for trains that used the BMT Lexington Avenue Line. This number was used on service listings on company maps, but was never displayed on train equipment, nor were trains referred to as "12 trains" in the manner of the current system,...
after 1924) was relatively simple. Trains began at either Park Row
Park Row (BMT station)
Park Row was a major elevated railway terminal constructed over the New York end of the Brooklyn Bridge, across from New York City Hall in Manhattan that served as the terminal for BMT services operating over the Brooklyn Bridge from the BMT Fulton Street Line, BMT Myrtle Avenue Line and their...
in Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
or Sands Street
Sands Street (BMT station)
Sands Street was a station on the demolished BMT Myrtle Avenue Line. It was a large complex with 2 levels. The upper level served trains going to Park Row. It had 4 tracks and 2 island platforms with the outside of the platforms serving streetcars. The lower level had a terminal and a loop for...
in Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn is the third largest central business district in New York City , and is located in the northwestern section of the borough of Brooklyn...
, and ran along the Broadway Elevated at least to East New York
East New York, Brooklyn
East New York is a residential neighborhood located in the Eastern section of the borough of Brooklyn in New York City, United States. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 5...
and sometimes to Jamaica
Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States. It was settled under Dutch rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp. Under British rule, the Village of Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica"...
.
Original line from Fulton Ferry
Beginning on April 27, 1889, all Lexington Avenue trains used the Myrtle Avenue Elevated west of Myrtle Avenue station, and this line was only used by Myrtle Avenue trains.| Name | Location | Opened | Closed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton Ferry | Fulton Ferry Fulton Ferry, Brooklyn Fulton Ferry is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is named for a prominent ferry line crossing the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn, and is also the name of the ferry slip on the Brooklyn side... |
November 11, 1885 | April 11, 1904 | |
| York and Washington Streets | York Street and Washington Street | May 13, 1885 | April 11, 1904 | connection to the Brooklyn Bridge Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River... and New York and Brooklyn Bridge Railway |
| Bridge Street | York Street and Bridge Street | May 13, 1885 | April 11, 1904 | |
| Navy Street | Park Avenue and Navy Street | May 13, 1885 | December 8, 1889 | |
| Cumberland Street | Park Avenue and Cumberland Street | May 13, 1885 | December 8, 1889 | |
| Washington Avenue | Park Avenue and Washington Avenue | May 13, 1885 | December 8, 1889 |
Later line from the Brooklyn Bridge
Lexington Avenue trains were moved to this route on April 27, 1889, joining the old route just west of Myrtle Avenue station.Demolished section
This section of the line closed in three stages. Service past Bridge–Jay Streets ended in 1944. Service on the section shared with the BMT Myrtle Avenue LineBMT Myrtle Avenue Line
The Myrtle Avenue Line, also called the Myrtle Avenue Elevated, is a fully elevated line of the New York City Subway as part of the BMT division. The extant line is the final remnant of one of the original Brooklyn elevated railroads...
ended in 1969 when that line closed, 19 years after the BMT Lexington Avenue Line itself was demolished between Washington Avenue on the Myrtle Avenue Line and Gates Avenue on the Jamaica Line.
| Name | Location | Opened | Closed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Row Park Row (BMT station) Park Row was a major elevated railway terminal constructed over the New York end of the Brooklyn Bridge, across from New York City Hall in Manhattan that served as the terminal for BMT services operating over the Brooklyn Bridge from the BMT Fulton Street Line, BMT Myrtle Avenue Line and their... |
Brooklyn Bridge Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River... and Park Row, Manhattan |
June 1898 | March 5, 1944 | |
| Sands Street Sands Street (BMT station) Sands Street was a station on the demolished BMT Myrtle Avenue Line. It was a large complex with 2 levels. The upper level served trains going to Park Row. It had 4 tracks and 2 island platforms with the outside of the platforms serving streetcars. The lower level had a terminal and a loop for... |
Brooklyn Bridge Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River... and Sands Street |
September 1, 1888 | March 5, 1944 | |
| Adams Street Adams Street (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line) Adams Street was a stop on the demolished BMT Myrtle Avenue Line. It had 2 tracks and 2 side platforms. It was opened on April 10, 1888 and closed on March 5, 1944. The next stop to the north was Bridge–Jay Streets. The next stop to the south was Sands Street.... |
Myrtle Avenue and Adams Street | April 10, 1888 | March 5, 1944 | |
| Bridge–Jay Street | Myrtle Avenue and Bridge Street | April 10, 1888 | October 4, 1969 | Free transfers were offered to the IND Fulton Street Line IND Fulton Street Line The IND Fulton Street Line is a rapid transit line of the IND Division of the New York City Subway, extending from the Cranberry Street Tunnel under the East River through all of central Brooklyn to a terminus in Ozone Park, Queens. The IND Rockaway Line branches from it. It forms part of the A... at Jay Street – Borough Hall (present day trains) after 1944. |
| Navy Street Navy Street (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line) Navy Street was a station on the demolished BMT Myrtle Avenue Line. It had 2 tracks and 1 island platform. It was closed on November 3, 1969, after a fire on the structure. The next stop to the north was Vanderbilt Avenue. The next stop to the south was Bridge–Jay Streets.-References:**... |
Myrtle Avenue and Navy Street | April 10, 1888 | October 4, 1969 | |
| Vanderbilt Avenue Vanderbilt Avenue (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line) Vanderbilt Avenue was a station on the demolished BMT Myrtle Avenue Line. It had 2 tracks and 1 island platform. It closed on November 4, 1969, along with the rest of the structure, after a fire on the structure. The next stop to the north was Washington Avenue. The next stop to the south was Navy... |
Myrtle Avenue and Vanderbilt Avenue | April 10, 1888 | October 4, 1969 | |
| Washington Avenue Washington Avenue (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line) Washington Avenue was a station on the demolished BMT Myrtle Avenue Line and BMT Lexington Avenue Line. It had two tracks and one island platform. The next stop to the north was Grand Avenue, and until 1950, the next stop to the north for trains destined for points on the BMT Lexington Avenue Line... |
Myrtle Avenue and Washington Avenue | April 10, 1888 | October 4, 1969 | |
| Myrtle Avenue Myrtle Avenue (BMT Lexington Avenue Line) Myrtle Avenue was a station on the demolished BMT Lexington Avenue Line. It had two tracks and two side platforms. It was located at the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Grand Avenue in Brooklyn. It closed on October 13, 1950, although the other BMT station at that location, Grand Avenue was in... |
Grand Avenue and Myrtle Avenue | May 13, 1885 | October 13, 1950 | connection to Myrtle Avenue Elevated trains and Myrtle Avenue Line Myrtle Avenue Line (surface) The Myrtle Avenue Line is a surface transit line on Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn, New York City, United States. It was the first streetcar line in Brooklyn, built by the Brooklyn City Railroad, and it is now the B54 bus route, operated by MTA New York City Bus' Fresh Pond Depot in Ridgewood, Queens... streetcars |
| DeKalb Avenue DeKalb Avenue (BMT Lexington Avenue Line) DeKalb Avenue was a station on the demolished BMT Lexington Avenue Line. It had 2 tracks and 2 side platforms. It was located at the intersection of Grand Avenue and DeKalb Avenue in Brooklyn. It closed on October 13, 1950. The next southbound stop was Myrtle Avenue. The next northbound stop was... |
Grand Avenue and DeKalb Avenue | May 13, 1885 | October 13, 1950 | connection to DeKalb Avenue Line DeKalb Avenue Line The DeKalb Avenue Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States, running mostly along DeKalb Avenue, as well as eastbound on Lafayette Avenue , between downtown Brooklyn and Ridgewood, Queens... streetcars |
| Greene Avenue Greene Avenue (BMT Lexington Avenue Line) Greene Avenue was a station on the demolished BMT Lexington Avenue Line. It had two tracks and two side platforms. It was located at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and Greene Avenue in Brooklyn. It closed on October 13, 1950. The next southbound stop was DeKalb Avenue. The next northbound... |
Grand Avenue and Greene Avenue | May 13, 1885] | October 13], 1950 | connection to Greene and Gates Avenues Line Greene and Gates Avenues Line The Greene and Gates Avenues Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running mostly along Fulton Street, Greene Avenue, and Gates Avenue between Downtown Brooklyn and Ridgewood, Queens... streetcars |
| Franklin Avenue Franklin Avenue (BMT Lexington Avenue Line) Franklin Avenue was a station on the demolished BMT Lexington Avenue Line. It had 2 tracks and 2 side platforms. Originally, it was named Electric Avenue because electricity was discovered here. It was located at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and Franklin Avenue in Brooklyn. It closed on... |
Lexington Avenue and Franklin Avenue | May 13, 1885 | October 13, 1950 | connection to Franklin Avenue Line and Greene and Gates Avenues Line Greene and Gates Avenues Line The Greene and Gates Avenues Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running mostly along Fulton Street, Greene Avenue, and Gates Avenue between Downtown Brooklyn and Ridgewood, Queens... streetcars |
| Nostrand Avenue Nostrand Avenue (BMT Lexington Avenue Line) Nostrand Avenue was a station on the demolished BMT Lexington Avenue Line. It had two tracks and two side platforms. It was located at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn. It closed on October 13, 1950. The next southbound stop was Franklin Avenue. The next... |
Lexington Avenue and Nostrand Avenue | May 13, 1885 | October 13, 1950 | connection to Nostrand Avenue Line Nostrand Avenue Line (surface) The Nostrand Avenue Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running mostly along Nostrand Avenue, as well as northbound on New York Avenue and Bedford Avenue , between Sheepshead Bay and Williamsburg... and Lorimer Street Line Lorimer Street Line The Lorimer Street Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running along Lorimer Street, Franklin Avenue, and Classon Avenue between Bedford–Stuyvesant and Greenpoint... streetcars |
| Tompkins Avenue Tompkins Avenue (BMT Lexington Avenue Line) Tompkins Avenue was a station on the demolished BMT Lexington Avenue Line. It had two tracks and two side platforms. It was located at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and Tompkins Avenue in Brooklyn. It closed on October 13, 1950. The next southbound stop was Nostrand Avenue. The next... |
Lexington Avenue and Tompkins Avenue | May 13, 1885 | October 13, 1950 | connection to Tompkins Avenue Line, Marcy Avenue Line, and Ocean Avenue Line streetcars |
| Sumner Avenue Sumner Avenue (BMT Lexington Avenue Line) Sumner Avenue was a station on the demolished BMT Lexington Avenue Line. It had 2 tracks and 2 side platforms. It was located at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and Sumner Avenue in Brooklyn. It closed on October 13, 1950. The next southbound stop was Tompkins Avenue. The next northbound stop... |
Lexington Avenue and Sumner Avenue (Marcus Garvey Boulevard) | May 13, 1885 | October 13, 1950 | connection to Sumner Avenue Line streetcars |
| Reid Avenue Reid Avenue (BMT Lexington Avenue Line) Reid Avenue was a station on the demolished BMT Lexington Avenue Line. It had 2 tracks and 2 side platforms. It was located at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and Reid Avenue in Brooklyn. It closed on October 13, 1950. The next southbound stop was Sumner Avenue. The next northbound stop was... |
Lexington Avenue and Reid Avenue (Malcolm X Boulevard) | May 13, 1885 | October 13, 1950 | connection to Utica and Reid Avenues Line streetcars |
BMT Jamaica Line
Just before Gates Avenue, Lexington Avenue trains joined the BMT Jamaica LineBMT Jamaica Line
The Jamaica Line is an elevated rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway, in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States. It runs from the Williamsburg Bridge southeast over Broadway to East New York, Brooklyn, and then east over Fulton Street and Jamaica Avenue to...
. The section of the BMT Jamaica Line used by Lexington Avenue trains is now used by the and trains. The former connection to the BMT Lexington Avenue Line can be seen from J and Z trains just west of Gates Avenue.
| Name | Location | Opened | Closed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gates Avenue | Broadway and Gates Avenue | May 13, 1885 | present | connection to Broadway Elevated trains and Broadway Line Broadway Line (Brooklyn surface) The Broadway Line was a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States along Broadway between Williamsburg and East New York. Originally a streetcar line, it later became a bus route, but no bus currently operates over the entire length of Broadway, with the BMT Jamaica Line... , Greene and Gates Avenues Line Greene and Gates Avenues Line The Greene and Gates Avenues Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running mostly along Fulton Street, Greene Avenue, and Gates Avenue between Downtown Brooklyn and Ridgewood, Queens... , and Ralph Avenue Line Ralph Avenue Line The Ralph Avenue Line is a surface transit line on Ralph Avenue in Brooklyn, New York City, United States. Once a streetcar line, it is now part of the B47 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority, and prior to 1995, it was the B78 route; the northern part of the route was part of... streetcars |
| Halsey Street | Broadway and Halsey Street | August 19, 1885 | present | connection to Broadway Line Broadway Line (Brooklyn surface) The Broadway Line was a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States along Broadway between Williamsburg and East New York. Originally a streetcar line, it later became a bus route, but no bus currently operates over the entire length of Broadway, with the BMT Jamaica Line... and Putnam Avenue Line Putnam Avenue Line The Putnam Avenue Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running mostly along Fulton Street, Putnam Avenue, and Halsey Street between downtown Brooklyn and Ridgewood, Queens... streetcars |
| Chauncey Street | Broadway and Chauncey Street | July 18, 1885 | present | connection to Broadway Line Broadway Line (Brooklyn surface) The Broadway Line was a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States along Broadway between Williamsburg and East New York. Originally a streetcar line, it later became a bus route, but no bus currently operates over the entire length of Broadway, with the BMT Jamaica Line... and 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... streetcars |
| Manhattan Beach Crossing | Broadway and LIRR Lirr Lirr or LIRR may refer to:*Long Island Rail Road, a commuter railroad in Long Island, New York, USA*Lapeer Industrial Railroad, in Lapeer, Michigan*Leeds Inner Ring Road, a motorway and A-road circling Leeds, West Yorkshire, England... Manhattan Beach Division |
June 14, 1885 | present | connection to 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... and IND Fulton Street Line IND Fulton Street Line The IND Fulton Street Line is a rapid transit line of the IND Division of the New York City Subway, extending from the Cranberry Street Tunnel under the East River through all of central Brooklyn to a terminus in Ozone Park, Queens. The IND Rockaway Line branches from it. It forms part of the A... (present day trains). |
| Alabama Avenue | Broadway, Fulton Street, and Alabama Avenue | September 5, 1885 | present | |
| Van Siclen Avenue | Fulton Street and Van Siclen Avenue | December 3, 1885 | present | |
| Cleveland Street | Fulton Street and Cleveland Street | May 30, 1893 | present | |
| Norwood Avenue | Fulton Street and Norwood Avenue | May 30, 1893 | present | |
| Crescent Street | Fulton Street and Crescent Street | May 30], 1893 | present | |
| Cypress Hills | Crescent Street and Jamaica Avenue | May 30, 1893 | present |