Dean Street (BMT Franklin Avenue Line)
Encyclopedia
Dean Street was a station
on the BMT Franklin Avenue Line
of the New York City Subway
, with its entrance on Dean Street west of Franklin Avenue in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn
.
The Kings County Elevated Railway
was connected to the Brighton Beach Line in 1896 by means of a ramp and short elevated line from a point south of the latter railroad's terminal at Atlantic and Franklin Avenues in Brooklyn. The local property owners were promised a station on the elevated structure near the old Bedford Terminal, and one was established by 1897 at Dean Street, nearly adjacent to the former terminal, which was closed.
The station was not well patronized and the elevated company closed it in 1899. An uproar ensued, including appeals to the State Railroad Commission. On October 28, 1901, Dean Street was opened for the second time.
The station continued to be poorly patronized, as it was only a few hundred feet from the Franklin Avenue station located at the busy intersection of Fulton Street and Franklin Avenue. Nevertheless, Dean Street was upgraded to handle six-car subway trains with the rest of the Franklin Avenue Line in 1924.
Dean Street station deteriorated with other stations on the line, and, in 1995, the New York City Transit Authority
closed the station for the second and final time. The TA cited low patronage (the lowest on the subway system), its decrepit condition, and its proximity to Franklin Avenue station. At the time of its closing, Dean Street and Franklin Avenue were the two closest stations on the system. It was charged that many who used Dean Street station jumped the turnstiles, a major problem at the time, lowering the passenger count even further.
, still operates as the Franklin Avenue Shuttle. The elevated portion of the line was completely rebuilt in the late 1990s, reopening in 1999; virtually nothing visible remains of the former station.
Metro station
A metro station or subway station is a railway station for a rapid transit system, often known by names such as "metro", "underground" and "subway". It is often underground or elevated. At crossings of metro lines, they are multi-level....
on the BMT Franklin Avenue Line
BMT Franklin Avenue Line
The BMT Franklin Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the New York City Subway in Brooklyn, New York...
of the New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
, with its entrance on Dean Street west of Franklin Avenue in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of 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...
.
History
Dean Street station had the unusual, if not unique, distinction of being opened and closed twice in its history, though the line it served continues in operation.The Kings County Elevated Railway
Kings County Elevated Railway
The Kings County Elevated Railway Company was a builder and operator of elevated railway lines in Kings County, New York, now coextensive with the borough of Brooklyn in New York City. Its original services were operated with steam locomotives....
was connected to the Brighton Beach Line in 1896 by means of a ramp and short elevated line from a point south of the latter railroad's terminal at Atlantic and Franklin Avenues in Brooklyn. The local property owners were promised a station on the elevated structure near the old Bedford Terminal, and one was established by 1897 at Dean Street, nearly adjacent to the former terminal, which was closed.
The station was not well patronized and the elevated company closed it in 1899. An uproar ensued, including appeals to the State Railroad Commission. On October 28, 1901, Dean Street was opened for the second time.
The station continued to be poorly patronized, as it was only a few hundred feet from the Franklin Avenue station located at the busy intersection of Fulton Street and Franklin Avenue. Nevertheless, Dean Street was upgraded to handle six-car subway trains with the rest of the Franklin Avenue Line in 1924.
Dean Street station deteriorated with other stations on the line, and, in 1995, the New York City Transit Authority
New York City Transit Authority
The New York City Transit Authority is a public authority in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City...
closed the station for the second and final time. The TA cited low patronage (the lowest on the subway system), its decrepit condition, and its proximity to Franklin Avenue station. At the time of its closing, Dean Street and Franklin Avenue were the two closest stations on the system. It was charged that many who used Dean Street station jumped the turnstiles, a major problem at the time, lowering the passenger count even further.
The station today
The line that once served the Dean Street station, the BMT Franklin Avenue LineBMT Franklin Avenue Line
The BMT Franklin Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the New York City Subway in Brooklyn, New York...
, still operates as the Franklin Avenue Shuttle. The elevated portion of the line was completely rebuilt in the late 1990s, reopening in 1999; virtually nothing visible remains of the former station.