BMT Myrtle Avenue Line
Encyclopedia
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. The remnant line operates as a spur branch from the Jamaica Line
to Bushwick, Ridgewood
and Middle Village, terminating at its original Eastern terminal across the street from Lutheran Cemetery. Until 1969, the line continued west into Downtown Brooklyn
and until 1944, over the Brooklyn Bridge
to a terminal at Park Row
in Manhattan
.
. It heads southwest along a private right-of-way
, eventually joining an elevated structure above Palmetto Street and Myrtle Avenue. Just before reaching Broadway (on which the BMT Jamaica Line
operates), the line curves to the left and merges into the Jamaica Line tracks just east of Myrtle Avenue
. The upper level of the station (called "Broadway") opened in 1889 and closed on October 4, 1969, still exists. During late nights and weekends, the shuttle service terminates here. During this period, the operates as OPTO (one person train operation) with only four car trains. Like the other lines in the BMT Eastern Division, the station platforms on the Myrtle Avenue Line can only hold 480 feet long trains (eight 60 feet cars), 120 feet shorter than the standard 600 feet length (eight 75 feet cars or ten 60 feet cars) of other "B" Division stations.
, and then along Broadway to East New York. On September 1, 1888, the line was extended westward along Adams Street and Sands Street, to a terminal at Washington Street for the Brooklyn Bridge. On April 27, 1889, the line was extended east along Myrtle Avenue to Broadway.
The west end of the line was extended north along Adams Street to an elevated station over Sands Street and High Street in 1896. The connection to the Brooklyn Bridge tracks opened on June 18, 1898, along a private right-of-way halfway between Concord Street and Cathedral Place. The first trains to use it came from the Fifth Avenue Elevated (using the Myrtle Avenue El west of Hudson Avenue).
The line was later extended east to Wyckoff Avenue (at the Brooklyn/Queens border). In 1906 the el was connected via a ramp to the Lutheran Cemetery Line, a former steam dummy
line to Metropolitan Avenue that had opened on September 3, 1881. That section was elevated as part of the Dual Contracts on February 22, 1915.
On July 29, 1914, the connection to the Broadway (Brooklyn) Line was opened, allowing Myrtle Avenue Line trains to operate via the Williamsburg Bridge
. This service became BMT 10 in 1924, and the original Myrtle Avenue Line service to Park Row became BMT 11, later referred to as M and MJ.
As part of the Dual Contracts rebuilding of the Myrtle Avenue El, a third track was installed north of Myrtle Avenue
. This track started from a point south of Central Avenue
through Myrtle – Wyckoff Avenues to a bumper just south of Seneca Avenue
. The only switches were at the southern end so the center track could only be used for layups. It was never used in revenue service and removed sometime after World War II
.
On March 5, 1944, the line west of Bridge–Jay Streets was closed coincident with the end of elevated service over the Brooklyn Bridge. The rest of the line from Broadway to Jay Street closed on October 4, 1969 and demolished soon after, ending the MJ service.
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...
as part of the BMT
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...
division. The extant line is the final remnant of one of the original 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...
elevated railroads. The remnant line operates as a spur branch from the 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...
to Bushwick, Ridgewood
Ridgewood, Queens
Ridgewood is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It borders the neighborhoods of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale, as well as the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick. Historically, the neighborhood straddled the Queens-Brooklyn boundary. The neighborhood is part of Queens...
and Middle Village, terminating at its original Eastern terminal across the street from Lutheran Cemetery. Until 1969, the line continued west into 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 until 1944, over 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...
to a terminal at 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 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...
.
Extent and service
The Myrtle Avenue Line is currently served by the service. The line begins at Middle Village – Metropolitan Avenue in QueensQueens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
. It heads southwest along a private right-of-way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
, eventually joining an elevated structure above Palmetto Street and Myrtle Avenue. Just before reaching Broadway (on which 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...
operates), the line curves to the left and merges into the Jamaica Line tracks just east of Myrtle Avenue
Myrtle Avenue (BMT Jamaica Line)
Myrtle Avenue is a two-level express station on the BMT Jamaica Line of the New York City Subway...
. The upper level of the station (called "Broadway") opened in 1889 and closed on October 4, 1969, still exists. During late nights and weekends, the shuttle service terminates here. During this period, the operates as OPTO (one person train operation) with only four car trains. Like the other lines in the BMT Eastern Division, the station platforms on the Myrtle Avenue Line can only hold 480 feet long trains (eight 60 feet cars), 120 feet shorter than the standard 600 feet length (eight 75 feet cars or ten 60 feet cars) of other "B" Division stations.
Background
The first section of the line ran over Myrtle Avenue from Johnson and Adams Streets to a junction with what was then known as the Main Line at Grand Avenue and was opened on April 10, 1888 by the Union Elevated Railroad. Trains continued along Grand Avenue and Lexington Avenue to Broadway, where the line joined the Broadway ElevatedBMT 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...
, and then along Broadway to East New York. On September 1, 1888, the line was extended westward along Adams Street and Sands Street, to a terminal at Washington Street for the Brooklyn Bridge. On April 27, 1889, the line was extended east along Myrtle Avenue to Broadway.
The west end of the line was extended north along Adams Street to an elevated station over Sands Street and High Street in 1896. The connection to the Brooklyn Bridge tracks opened on June 18, 1898, along a private right-of-way halfway between Concord Street and Cathedral Place. The first trains to use it came from the Fifth Avenue Elevated (using the Myrtle Avenue El west of Hudson Avenue).
The line was later extended east to Wyckoff Avenue (at the Brooklyn/Queens border). In 1906 the el was connected via a ramp to the Lutheran Cemetery Line, a former steam dummy
Steam dummy
A steam dummy or dummy engine, in the United States of America and Canada, was a steam engine enclosed in a wooden box structure made to resemble a railroad passenger coach....
line to Metropolitan Avenue that had opened on September 3, 1881. That section was elevated as part of the Dual Contracts on February 22, 1915.
On July 29, 1914, the connection to the Broadway (Brooklyn) Line was opened, allowing Myrtle Avenue Line trains to operate via the Williamsburg Bridge
Williamsburg Bridge
The Williamsburg Bridge is a suspension bridge in New York City across the East River connecting the Lower East Side of Manhattan at Delancey Street with the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn at Broadway near the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway...
. This service became BMT 10 in 1924, and the original Myrtle Avenue Line service to Park Row became BMT 11, later referred to as M and MJ.
As part of the Dual Contracts rebuilding of the Myrtle Avenue El, a third track was installed north of Myrtle Avenue
Myrtle Avenue (BMT Jamaica Line)
Myrtle Avenue is a two-level express station on the BMT Jamaica Line of the New York City Subway...
. This track started from a point south of Central Avenue
Central Avenue (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line)
Central Avenue is a station on the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Myrtle Avenue and Cedar Street in Bushwick, Brooklyn, it is served by the M train at all times....
through Myrtle – Wyckoff Avenues to a bumper just south of Seneca Avenue
Seneca Avenue (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line)
Seneca Avenue is a station on the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Palmetto Street and Seneca Avenue in Ridgewood, Queens, it is served by the M train at all times....
. The only switches were at the southern end so the center track could only be used for layups. It was never used in revenue service and removed sometime after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
On March 5, 1944, the line west of Bridge–Jay Streets was closed coincident with the end of elevated service over the Brooklyn Bridge. The rest of the line from Broadway to Jay Street closed on October 4, 1969 and demolished soon after, ending the MJ service.
Chaining information
- The entire line is chainedNew York City Subway chainingNew 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...
BMT M. This has no relation to the fact that the M service operates on the line, though both letters may have been chosen because 'Myrtle' begins with 'M'.
- The tracks on the line are M1 towards Metropolitan Avenue and M2 towards Manhattan.
- Chaining zero is BMT Eastern, located at the intersection of the line of the Brooklyn BridgeBrooklyn BridgeThe 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 the Chambers Street station on the BMT Nassau Street LineBMT Nassau Street LineThe BMT Nassau Street Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway system in Manhattan. It is served by the and trains which are colored brown on maps and signage...
by way of the now-dismantled original BMT Brooklyn Bridge Elevated Line and the original Myrtle Avenue Elevated through downtown Brooklyn.
- As originally surveyed, this line was measured in a railroad eastRailroad directionsRailroad directions are used to describe train directions on railroad systems. The terms used may be derived from such sources as compass directions, altitude directions, or other directions...
direction from Park Row. Once the Board of Transportation took over the system, the direction was reversed so that railroad north on this line became towards Manhattan, and corresponds roughly to a westerly to southwesterly compass direction.
Station listing
| Station | Services | Opened | Transfers and notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Village – Metropolitan Avenue | October 1, 1906 | Service extended to pre-existing Lutheran Line station. Current station is ~100 feet west of the 1906 one. |
||
| connecting track to Fresh Pond Yard | ||||
| Fresh Pond Road Fresh Pond Road (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line) Fresh Pond Road is a station on the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Fresh Pond Road and 67th Avenue in Queens, it is served by the M train at all times.... |
February 22, 1915 | |||
| Forest Avenue Forest Avenue (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line) Forest Avenue is a station on the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. It has two tracks and an island platform. The station is served by the M train at all times. The exit is at the north end of the station and leads to Forest Avenue. There was also an exit at the south end that... |
February 22, 1915 | |||
| Seneca Avenue Seneca Avenue (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line) Seneca Avenue is a station on the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Palmetto Street and Seneca Avenue in Ridgewood, Queens, it is served by the M train at all times.... |
February 22, 1915 | |||
| Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues | July 21, 1889 | 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... Station rebuilt to 3 tracks July 29, 1914; center track subsequently removed. |
||
| Knickerbocker Avenue Knickerbocker Avenue (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line) Knickerbocker Avenue is a station on the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Myrtle and Knickerbocker Avenues in Bushwick, Brooklyn, it is served by the M train at all times.... |
August 15, 1889 | Station rebuilt to 3 tracks July 29, 1914; center track subsequently removed. | ||
| Central Avenue Central Avenue (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line) Central Avenue is a station on the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Myrtle Avenue and Cedar Street in Bushwick, Brooklyn, it is served by the M train at all times.... |
July 21, 1889 | Station rebuilt to 3 tracks July 29, 1914; center track subsequently removed. | ||
| merges into 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... just east of Myrtle Avenue Myrtle Avenue (BMT Jamaica Line) Myrtle Avenue is a two-level express station on the BMT Jamaica Line of the New York City Subway... (connector added July 29, 1914) |
||||
| Closed section | ||||
| Broadway | April 27, 1889 | Station still in place; tracks removed; closed October 4, 1969 | ||
| Structure removed west of Reid Avenue | ||||
| Sumner Avenue Sumner Avenue (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line) Sumner Avenue was a station on the demolished section of the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line. It had two tracks and one island platform. It was closed on November 3, 1969, after a fire on the elevated structure. The next stop to the north was Broadway . The next stop to the south was Tomkpins Avenue.... |
April 27, 1889 | Closed October 4, 1969 | ||
| Tompkins Avenue Tompkins Avenue (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line) Tompkins Avenue was a station on the demolished section of the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line. It had two tracks and one island platform. It closed on November 3, 1969, after a fire on the elevated structure. The next stop to the north was Sumner Avenue. The next stop to the south was Nostrand Avenue.... |
April 27, 1889 | Closed October 4, 1969 | ||
| Nostrand Avenue Nostrand Avenue (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line) Nostrand Avenue was a station on the demolished section of the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line. The next stop to the north was Tompkins Avenue. The next stop to the south was Franklin Avenue. The station closed on November 3, 1969, after a fire on the structure.... |
April 27, 1889 | Closed October 4, 1969 | ||
| Franklin Avenue Franklin Avenue (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line) Franklin Avenue was a station on the demolished section of the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line. It had 2 tracks and 1 island platform. The next stop to the north was Nostrand Avenue. The next stop to the south was Grand Avenue. It was closed on November 3, 1969, after a fire on the... |
April 27, 1889 | Closed October 4, 1969 | ||
| Grand Avenue Grand Avenue (BMT Myrtle Avenue Line) Grand Avenue was a station on the demolished section of the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line. It had two tracks and two side platforms. It closed on November 3, 1969, after a fire on the elevated structure. Until October 13, 1950, at the same intersection, though at a different set of platforms, was the... |
April 27, 1889 | Closed January 21, 1953 | ||
| 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... |
December 4, 1888 | Closed 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... |
April 10, 1888 | Closed October 4, 1969 | ||
| 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:**... |
April 10, 1888 | Closed October 4, 1969 | ||
| Bridge–Jay Streets | April 10, 1888 | Earlier known as Bridge Street. Closed October 4, 1969 | ||
| 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.... |
April 10, 1888 | Closed 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... |
September 1, 1888 | Closed March 5, 1944 | ||
| Park Row | June 18, 1898 | Closed March 5, 1944 | ||