IND Eighth Avenue Line
Encyclopedia
The Eighth Avenue Line (officially the Washington Heights, Eighth Avenue and Church Street Line, and commonly known as the A-C-E) is a rapid transit line in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, and is part of the B Division
B Division (New York City Subway)
The B Division is a division of the New York City Subway, consisting of the lines operated with services designated by letters , in addition to the Franklin Avenue Shuttle and Rockaway Park Shuttle...

 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...

. Opened in 1932, it was the first line of the Independent Subway System
Independent Subway System
The Independent Subway System , formerly known as the Independent City-Owned Subway System or the Independent City-Owned Rapid Transit Railroad, was a rapid transit rail system in New York City that is now part of the New York City Subway...

 (IND), and the Eighth Avenue Subway name was also applied by New Yorkers to the entire IND system. Most of the line has four tracks, with one local and one express track in each direction, except for the extreme north and south ends, where only the two express tracks continue. The line is signaled
New York City Subway chaining
New 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...

 as Line "A", with tracks A1, A3, A4, and A2 from west to east, running from approximately 800 at the south end to 1540 at the north end (measured in feet).

The line runs from 207th Street in Inwood, Manhattan
Inwood, Manhattan
Inwood is the northernmost neighborhood on Manhattan Island in the New York City borough of Manhattan.-Geography:Inwood is physically bounded by the Harlem River to the north and east, and the Hudson River to the west. It extends southward to Fort Tryon Park and alternatively Dyckman Street or...

 south to an interlocking
Interlocking
In railway signalling, an interlocking is an arrangement of signal apparatus that prevents conflicting movements through an arrangement of tracks such as junctions or crossings. The signalling appliances and tracks are sometimes collectively referred to as an interlocking plant...

 south of High Street – Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn Heights, including large sections under St. Nicholas Avenue, Central Park West
Central Park West
Central Park West is an avenue that runs north-south in the New York City borough of Manhattan, in the United States....

, and Eighth Avenue
Eighth Avenue (Manhattan)
Eighth Avenue is a north-south avenue on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City, carrying northbound traffic. Eighth Avenue begins in the West Village neighborhood at Abingdon Square and runs north for 44 blocks through Chelsea, the Garment District, Hell's Kitchen's east end, Midtown and the...

. The entire length is underground, though the 207th Street Yard, which branches off near the north end, is on the surface. Flying junction
Flying junction
A flying junction or flyover is a railway junction at which one or more diverging or converging tracks in a multiple-track route cross other tracks on the route by bridge to avoid conflict with other train movements. A more technical term is "grade-separated junction"...

s are provided with the IND Concourse Line
IND Concourse Line
The Concourse Line is an IND subway branch line of the New York City Subway system. It runs from Norwood – 205th Street in Norwood, Bronx to 145th Street in Harlem, Manhattan. It is the only "B" Division and only fully underground line in the Bronx....

, IND Sixth Avenue Line
IND Sixth Avenue Line
The Sixth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in the United States. It runs mainly under Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, and continues south through the Rutgers Street Tunnel to Brooklyn...

, and IND Queens Boulevard Line
IND Queens Boulevard Line
The Queens Boulevard Line is a fully underground line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan and Queens, New York City, United States. The line provides crosstown service across Manhattan under 53rd Street and east through Queens to Jamaica...

.

The whole line is served at all times by the A
A (New York City Subway service)
The A Eighth Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. Its route bullet is colored blue on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map since it runs on the IND Eighth Avenue Line in Manhattan....

 train, which runs express except during late nights. The C
C (New York City Subway service)
The C Eighth Avenue Local is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored blue on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it runs on the IND Eighth Avenue Line through Manhattan....

 provides local service south of 168th Street while the A runs express. In addition, the B
B (New York City Subway service)
The B Sixth Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored orange on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it runs over the IND Sixth Avenue Line in Manhattan....

 provides weekday local service and the D
D (New York City Subway service)
The D Sixth Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored orange on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it uses the IND Sixth Avenue Line through Manhattan....

 full-time express service between the Concourse Line (145th Street
145th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
145th Street is a two level express station on the IND Eighth Avenue and Concourse Lines of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of 145th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in the New York City borough of Manhattan...

) and Sixth Avenue Line (59th Street – Columbus Circle) junctions, and the E
E (New York City Subway service)
The E Eighth Avenue Local is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored blue on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it runs on the IND Eighth Avenue Line through Manhattan....

 runs local from the Queens Boulevard Line junction at 50th Street
50th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
50th Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line and IND Queens Boulevard Line of the New York City Subway, located at 50th Street and Eighth Avenue in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.- Station layout :...

 south to World Trade Center. The A, C, and E are colored blue on signs, while the B and D are orange since they use the Sixth Avenue Line through Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...

.

Description

The Eighth Avenue begins as a two-track subway under Broadway at 207th Street in Inwood
Inwood, Manhattan
Inwood is the northernmost neighborhood on Manhattan Island in the New York City borough of Manhattan.-Geography:Inwood is physically bounded by the Harlem River to the north and east, and the Hudson River to the west. It extends southward to Fort Tryon Park and alternatively Dyckman Street or...

. A flying junction
Flying junction
A flying junction or flyover is a railway junction at which one or more diverging or converging tracks in a multiple-track route cross other tracks on the route by bridge to avoid conflict with other train movements. A more technical term is "grade-separated junction"...

 just to the south brings two tracks from the 207th Street Yard between the main tracks, merging after Dyckman Street
Dyckman Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
Dyckman Street is a station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Dyckman Street and Broadway in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan...

. The subway leaves Broadway to pass under Fort Tryon Park
Fort Tryon Park
Fort Tryon Park is a public park located in the Washington Heights section of the borough of Manhattan in New York City, USA. It is situated on a 67 acre ridge in Upper Manhattan, with a commanding view of the Hudson River, the George Washington Bridge, the New Jersey Palisades and the Harlem River...

 to the north end of Fort Washington Avenue
Fort Washington Avenue (Manhattan)
Fort Washington Avenue is a major north-south street in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. It runs from Fort Tryon Park to 159th Street, where it intersects with Broadway. It goes past Bennett Park, the highest natural point in Manhattan. Famous residents of Fort Washington Avenue...

, which it follows to roughly 175th Street
175th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
175th Street is a station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located in the neighborhood of Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan, at 175th Street and Fort Washington Avenue, it is served by the A train at all times...

 before turning southeast under private property.

The small 174th Street Yard lies under Broadway, with two tracks exiting to the south under that roadway. When the George Washington Bridge
George Washington Bridge
The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City to Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1/9 cross the river via the bridge. U.S...

 was designed in the 1920s, provisions were made for a lower deck that would carry these two tracks north from the yard and across the bridge, as well as two commuter rail tracks. However, when the lower level was added in 1962, it instead carried a roadway.

The two main tracks from Fort Washington Avenue enter Broadway near 171st Street, running underneath the yard tracks in a double-decker tunnel. A few blocks later, the lower tracks separate to straddle the yard tracks at 168th Street. The local/express split begins here, with the local tracks coming from the yard and the express tracks coming from Inwood. Contrary to standard practice, the two local tracks are in the center and the two express tracks are on the outside. Except during late nights, the local service (C
C (New York City Subway service)
The C Eighth Avenue Local is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored blue on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it runs on the IND Eighth Avenue Line through Manhattan....

) ends at 168th Street, reversing direction on the yard tracks; the A
A (New York City Subway service)
The A Eighth Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. Its route bullet is colored blue on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map since it runs on the IND Eighth Avenue Line in Manhattan....

 runs to 207th Street at all times, express except during late nights. South of 168th Street, the express (outer) tracks lower below the local tracks, forming another double-decker tunnel, this time under St. Nicholas Avenue.

North of 145th Street
145th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
145th Street is a two level express station on the IND Eighth Avenue and Concourse Lines of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of 145th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in the New York City borough of Manhattan...

, the lower (express) tracks rise into the center, and the three-track IND Concourse Line
IND Concourse Line
The Concourse Line is an IND subway branch line of the New York City Subway system. It runs from Norwood – 205th Street in Norwood, Bronx to 145th Street in Harlem, Manhattan. It is the only "B" Division and only fully underground line in the Bronx....

 enters St. Nicholas Avenue below the four-track Eighth Avenue Line. 145th Street is a two-level transfer station, with two island platforms on each level. To the south, the Concourse Line tracks rise and merge with the Eighth Avenue Line, carrying the B
B (New York City Subway service)
The B Sixth Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored orange on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it runs over the IND Sixth Avenue Line in Manhattan....

 onto the local tracks and the D
D (New York City Subway service)
The D Sixth Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored orange on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it uses the IND Sixth Avenue Line through Manhattan....

 onto the express tracks. The resulting four-track line continues south under St. Nicholas Avenue and Eighth Avenue
Eighth Avenue (Manhattan)
Eighth Avenue is a north-south avenue on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City, carrying northbound traffic. Eighth Avenue begins in the West Village neighborhood at Abingdon Square and runs north for 44 blocks through Chelsea, the Garment District, Hell's Kitchen's east end, Midtown and the...

 (Frederick Douglass Boulevard), which becomes Central Park West
Central Park West
Central Park West is an avenue that runs north-south in the New York City borough of Manhattan, in the United States....

 at 110th Street.
Most of the line under Central Park West is built in two levels, with both local tracks to the west and only local stations. The two northbound tracks are above the two southbound tracks, allowing afternoon commuters to only climb one flight of stairs. Approaching 59th Street – Columbus Circle, where Central Park West becomes Eighth Avenue, the subway again spreads out into a single four-track level.

A flying junction south of 59th Street takes B and D trains east under 53rd Street
53rd Street (Manhattan)
53rd Street is a midtown cross street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, that contains buildings such as the Citicorp Building. It is 1.83 miles long. The street runs westbound from Sutton Place across most of the island's width, ending at DeWitt Clinton Park at Eleventh Avenue...

, merging with two tracks from 57th Street
57th Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line)
57th Street is a station on the IND Sixth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 57th Street and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, it is served by the F train at all times...

 to become the four-track IND Sixth Avenue Line
IND Sixth Avenue Line
The Sixth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in the United States. It runs mainly under Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, and continues south through the Rutgers Street Tunnel to Brooklyn...

. The two-track IND Queens Boulevard Line
IND Queens Boulevard Line
The Queens Boulevard Line is a fully underground line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan and Queens, New York City, United States. The line provides crosstown service across Manhattan under 53rd Street and east through Queens to Jamaica...

, also in 53rd Street, curves south into a lower level of the 50th Street
50th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
50th Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line and IND Queens Boulevard Line of the New York City Subway, located at 50th Street and Eighth Avenue in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.- Station layout :...

 station, and merges to the south, taking E
E (New York City Subway service)
The E Eighth Avenue Local is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored blue on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it runs on the IND Eighth Avenue Line through Manhattan....

 trains onto the local tracks. An unused southbound-only lower level at 42nd Street – Port Authority Bus Terminal was formerly accessed only from the southbound track from the Queens Boulevard Line. Plans for the 7 Subway Extension
7 Subway Extension
The 7 Subway Extension — Hudson Yards Rezoning and Development Program is the plan to extend the IRT Flushing Line of the New York City Subway, which carries the 7 train service, westward from its current terminus at Times Square, adding one new station at 34th Street – Eleventh Avenue...

 include partially demolishing the lower level to make room for the new IRT Flushing Line
IRT Flushing Line
The Flushing Line is a rapid transit route of the New York City Subway system, operated as part of the IRT Division and designated the 7 route...

 tracks.

The four-track line continues south under Eighth Avenue to 14th Street
14th Street (Manhattan)
14th Street is a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The street rivals the size of some of the well-known avenues of the city and is an important business location....

, where it turns southeast under Greenwich Avenue
Greenwich Avenue (Manhattan)
Greenwich Avenue is a southeast-northwest avenue in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It extends from the intersection of 6th Avenue and 8th Street at its southeast end to its northwestern end at 8th Avenue between 14th Street and 13th Street...

 and south under Sixth Avenue
Sixth Avenue (Manhattan)
Sixth Avenue – officially Avenue of the Americas, although this name is seldom used by New Yorkers – is a major thoroughfare in New York City's borough of Manhattan, on which traffic runs northbound, or "uptown"...

, above the four-track IND Sixth Avenue Line
IND Sixth Avenue Line
The Sixth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in the United States. It runs mainly under Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, and continues south through the Rutgers Street Tunnel to Brooklyn...

. The two-level West Fourth Street – Washington Square station allows easy transfers between the two lines. Just to the south are track connections between the local tracks of each line, not used by current normal service patterns. The Sixth Avenue Line turns east into Houston Street after passing the connections.

Canal Street
Canal Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
Canal Street is an express station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Canal Street and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, it is served by the A and E trains at all times, and the C train at all times except late nights.There are four tracks and two...

, under Sixth Avenue, is the last normal four-track station on the line. Crossovers in each direction, beyond the station, take C
C (New York City Subway service)
The C Eighth Avenue Local is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored blue on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it runs on the IND Eighth Avenue Line through Manhattan....

 and late night A
A (New York City Subway service)
The A Eighth Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. Its route bullet is colored blue on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map since it runs on the IND Eighth Avenue Line in Manhattan....

 trains between the local tracks to the north and the express tracks to the south. As the subway turns from Sixth Avenue into Church Street
Church Street (Manhattan)
Church Street is a short but heavily travelled north/south street in Lower Manhattan in New York City. It runs along the eastern edge of the site of the World Trade Center destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Its southern end is at Trinity Place, of which it is a continuation...

, the southbound local track passes under the express tracks, bringing E
E (New York City Subway service)
The E Eighth Avenue Local is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored blue on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it runs on the IND Eighth Avenue Line through Manhattan....

 trains to the east. At this point, a bellmouth originally intended for the never-built IND Worth Street Line
IND Worth Street Line
The IND Worth Street Line was a proposed rapid transit line planned as part a major expansion of the New York City Subway in the early 20th century.-Route:...

 is present on the east side of the tunnel. It has been proposed to use this to bring 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...

 Atlantic Branch trains to Lower Manhattan as part of the Lower Manhattan-Jamaica/JFK Transportation Project
Lower Manhattan-Jamaica/JFK Transportation Project
The Lower Manhattan – Jamaica/JFK Transportation Project is a proposed public-works project in New York City, New York, that would use the Long Island Rail Road Atlantic Branch and a new tunnel under the East River to connect a new train station at the World Trade Center Transportation Hub site...

.

The four tracks continue south under Church Street, with two separate but connected stations at World Trade Center at the end of the local tracks and Chambers Street on the express tracks. The two express tracks turn east under Fulton Street
Fulton Street (Manhattan)
Fulton Street is a busy street located in Lower Manhattan. It is in New York City's Financial District, a few blocks north of Wall Street. It runs from Church Street at the site of the World Trade Center to South Street, terminating in front of the South Street Seaport...

, crossing 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...

 through the Cranberry Street Tunnel
Cranberry Street Tunnel
The Cranberry Street Tunnel carries the trains of the New York City Subway under the East River between the Fulton Street Station in Manhattan and the High Street – Brooklyn Bridge Station in Brooklyn. Its Brooklyn ventilation shaft is visible from Furman Street...

 into Cranberry Street in Brooklyn. Cranberry Street leads to High Street, from which the line turns south into Jay Street, straddled by the two-track IND Sixth Avenue Line
IND Sixth Avenue Line
The Sixth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in the United States. It runs mainly under Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, and continues south through the Rutgers Street Tunnel to Brooklyn...

 from the Rutgers Street Tunnel. The Eighth and Sixth Avenue Lines end, becoming 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...

 and IND Culver Line
IND Culver Line
The IND Culver Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway, extending from Downtown Brooklyn south to Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, United States...

, at crossovers (currently unused) allowing trains to switch between the two, south of High Street – Brooklyn Bridge. Both the A and C trains continue along the Fulton Street Line.

History

As early as March 1918, soon after the BMT Broadway Line
BMT Broadway Line
The BMT Broadway Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan, New York City, United States. , it is served by three services, all colored yellow: the on the express tracks and the on the local tracks...

 opened to Times Square – 42nd Street, plans were being considered for an extension beyond the stubs at 57th Street (which was not yet open) to the Upper West Side and Washington Heights
Washington Heights, Manhattan
Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...

 via Central Park West
Central Park West
Central Park West is an avenue that runs north-south in the New York City borough of Manhattan, in the United States....

 (Eighth Avenue). On August 3, 1923, the New York City Board of Estimate
New York City Board of Estimate
The New York City Board of Estimate was a governmental body in New York City, responsible for budget and land-use decisions. Under the charter of the newly amalgamated City of Greater New York the Board of Estimate and Apportionment was composed of eight ex officio members: the Mayor of New York...

 approved the Washington Heights Line, an extension of the Broadway Line to Washington Heights. The line was to have four tracks from Central Park West at 64th Street under Central Park West, Eighth Avenue, Saint Nicholas Avenue
Saint Nicholas Avenue (Manhattan)
Saint Nicholas Avenue is a major New York City street. It runs north-south between 193rd Street and 111th Streets in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It goes through the neighborhoods of Washington Heights, Harlem, Hamilton Heights, and Inwood...

, and private property to 173rd Street, and two tracks under Fort Washington Avenue
Fort Washington Avenue (Manhattan)
Fort Washington Avenue is a major north-south street in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. It runs from Fort Tryon Park to 159th Street, where it intersects with Broadway. It goes past Bennett Park, the highest natural point in Manhattan. Famous residents of Fort Washington Avenue...

 to 193rd Street. South of 64th Street, one two-track line would connect to the Broadway Line stubs at 57th Street, and another would continue under Eighth Avenue to 30th Street at Penn Station, with provisions to continue downtown.

Mayor John Hylan instead wanted to build an independent subway system, operated by the city. The New York City Board of Transportation gave preliminary approval to several lines in Manhattan, including one on Eighth Avenue, on December 9, 1924. The main portion of the already-approved Washington Heights Line - the mostly-four track line north of 64th Street - was included, but was to continue north from 193rd Street to 207th Street. South of 64th Street, the plan called for four tracks in Eighth Avenue, Greenwich Avenue
Greenwich Avenue (Manhattan)
Greenwich Avenue is a southeast-northwest avenue in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It extends from the intersection of 6th Avenue and 8th Street at its southeast end to its northwestern end at 8th Avenue between 14th Street and 13th Street...

, the planned extension of Sixth Avenue
Sixth Avenue (Manhattan)
Sixth Avenue – officially Avenue of the Americas, although this name is seldom used by New Yorkers – is a major thoroughfare in New York City's borough of Manhattan, on which traffic runs northbound, or "uptown"...

, and Church Street
Church Street (Manhattan)
Church Street is a short but heavily travelled north/south street in Lower Manhattan in New York City. It runs along the eastern edge of the site of the World Trade Center destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Its southern end is at Trinity Place, of which it is a continuation...

. Two tracks would turn east under Fulton Street
Fulton Street (Manhattan)
Fulton Street is a busy street located in Lower Manhattan. It is in New York City's Financial District, a few blocks north of Wall Street. It runs from Church Street at the site of the World Trade Center to South Street, terminating in front of the South Street Seaport...

 or Wall Street and under 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...

 to 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...

.

A groundbreaking
Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...

 ceremony was held at St. Nicholas Avenue and 123rd Street on March 14, 1925. The majority of the Eighth Avenue Line, from Chambers Street north to 207th Street, was opened to the public just after midnight on September 10, 1932 after three days of operation on a normal schedule but without passengers. The Cranberry Street Tunnel
Cranberry Street Tunnel
The Cranberry Street Tunnel carries the trains of the New York City Subway under the East River between the Fulton Street Station in Manhattan and the High Street – Brooklyn Bridge Station in Brooklyn. Its Brooklyn ventilation shaft is visible from Furman Street...

, extending the express tracks east under Fulton Street to Jay Street – Borough Hall in Brooklyn, was opened for the morning rush hour on February 1, 1933. The Jay–Smith–Ninth Street Line
IND Culver Line
The IND Culver Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway, extending from Downtown Brooklyn south to Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, United States...

 opened on March 20, 1933, extending the line beyond Jay Street – Borough Hall.

When the subway opened in 1932, express (A
A (New York City Subway service)
The A Eighth Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. Its route bullet is colored blue on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map since it runs on the IND Eighth Avenue Line in Manhattan....

) and local (AA) trains served the line; expresses did not run during late nights or Sundays. Expresses and late night/Sunday locals were sent south into Brooklyn in February 1933, and, when the IND Concourse Line
IND Concourse Line
The Concourse Line is an IND subway branch line of the New York City Subway system. It runs from Norwood – 205th Street in Norwood, Bronx to 145th Street in Harlem, Manhattan. It is the only "B" Division and only fully underground line in the Bronx....

 opened on July 1, 1933, the C
C (New York City Subway service)
The C Eighth Avenue Local is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored blue on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it runs on the IND Eighth Avenue Line through Manhattan....

 was added to the express service, while all locals became CC trains to the Concourse Line, forcing A trains to run local north of 145th Street
145th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
145th Street is a two level express station on the IND Eighth Avenue and Concourse Lines of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of 145th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in the New York City borough of Manhattan...

. The E
E (New York City Subway service)
The E Eighth Avenue Local is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored blue on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it runs on the IND Eighth Avenue Line through Manhattan....

 was added to the local tracks south of 50th Street
50th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
50th Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line and IND Queens Boulevard Line of the New York City Subway, located at 50th Street and Eighth Avenue in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.- Station layout :...

 on August 19, 1933, when the IND Queens Boulevard Line
IND Queens Boulevard Line
The Queens Boulevard Line is a fully underground line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan and Queens, New York City, United States. The line provides crosstown service across Manhattan under 53rd Street and east through Queens to Jamaica...

 opened. The final major change came on December 15, 1940, when the IND Sixth Avenue Line
IND Sixth Avenue Line
The Sixth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in the United States. It runs mainly under Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, and continues south through the Rutgers Street Tunnel to Brooklyn...

 opened. The AA was brought back as a non-rush hour local service, becoming the BB and switching to the Sixth Avenue Line at 59th Street – Columbus Circle during rush hours. The CC was kept only during rush hours to provide local service south past 59th Street. Additionally the C became a rush hour-only service, replaced by a full-time D
D (New York City Subway service)
The D Sixth Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored orange on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it uses the IND Sixth Avenue Line through Manhattan....

 over the express tracks between the Concourse and Sixth Avenue Lines. This created the pattern that has remained to this day, with five services during normal hours: the A express, B part-time local via Sixth Avenue (then BB), C local (then AA and CC), D express via Sixth Avenue, and E local from Queens.

Station listing

The IND Eighth Avenue lines serves the following stations.
Neighborhood
(approximate)
Station Tracks Services Opened Transfers and notes
Inwood
Inwood, Manhattan
Inwood is the northernmost neighborhood on Manhattan Island in the New York City borough of Manhattan.-Geography:Inwood is physically bounded by the Harlem River to the north and east, and the Hudson River to the west. It extends southward to Fort Tryon Park and alternatively Dyckman Street or...

Inwood – 207th Street express September 10, 1932 Bx12 Select Bus Service
connecting tracks to 207th Street Yard
Dyckman Street
Dyckman Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
Dyckman Street is a station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Dyckman Street and Broadway in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan...

express September 10, 1932
connecting tracks to 207th Street Yard
Washington Heights
Washington Heights, Manhattan
Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...

190th Street
190th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
190th Street is a station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, served by the A train at all times. It is located on Fort Washington Avenue about 240 meters north of 190th Street. The station is near Fort Tryon Park and Mother Cabrini Shrine in the Hudson Heights neighborhood...

express September 10, 1932
181st Street
181st Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
181st Street is a station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. It is located on Fort Washington Avenue and 181st Street, one of the main shopping districts of the Hudson Heights neighborhood of Washington Heights, and served by the A train at all times.This underground...

express September 10, 1932
175th Street
175th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
175th Street is a station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located in the neighborhood of Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan, at 175th Street and Fort Washington Avenue, it is served by the A train at all times...

express September 10, 1932 George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal
George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal
The George Washington Bridge Bus Station is a commuter bus terminal located at the east end of the George Washington Bridge in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan in New York City, New York....

Local tracks begin in 174th Street Yard
168th Street all September 10, 1932 IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line 
163rd Street – Amsterdam Avenue local September 10, 1932
155th Street
155th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
155th Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at 155th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, it is served by the C train at all times except late nights, when it is replaced by the A train.This station has two...

local September 10, 1932
Harlem 145th Street
145th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
145th Street is a two level express station on the IND Eighth Avenue and Concourse Lines of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of 145th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in the New York City borough of Manhattan...

all September 10, 1932 IND Concourse Line
IND Concourse Line
The Concourse Line is an IND subway branch line of the New York City Subway system. It runs from Norwood – 205th Street in Norwood, Bronx to 145th Street in Harlem, Manhattan. It is the only "B" Division and only fully underground line in the Bronx....

 
IND Concourse Line
IND Concourse Line
The Concourse Line is an IND subway branch line of the New York City Subway system. It runs from Norwood – 205th Street in Norwood, Bronx to 145th Street in Harlem, Manhattan. It is the only "B" Division and only fully underground line in the Bronx....

 joins
135th Street
135th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
135th Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 135th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in Manhattan, it is served by the C train at all times except late nights, B train during weekdays, and A train during late nights.This is...

local September 10, 1932
125th Street
125th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
125th Street is an express station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 125th Street and St...

all September 10, 1932
116th Street
116th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
116th Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 116th Street and 8th Avenue in the Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem, it is served by the C train at all times except late nights, and the B train on weekdays...

local September 10, 1932
Upper West Side Cathedral Parkway – 110th Street local September 10, 1932
103rd Street
103rd Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
103rd Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at West 103rd Street and Central Park West on the Upper West Side, it is served by the C train at all times except late nights, when the A train replaces it...

local September 10, 1932
96th Street
96th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
96th Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the C train at all except late nights when the A train replaces it...

local September 10, 1932
86th Street
86th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
86th Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at Central Park West and 86th Street. It is served by the C train at all times except late nights, when it is replaced by the A train...

local September 10, 1932
81st Street – Museum of Natural History local September 10, 1932
72nd Street
72nd Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
72nd Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at 72nd Street and Central Park West on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, it is served by the C train at all times except late nights, when the A train replaces it...

local September 10, 1932
Midtown 59th Street – Columbus Circle all September 10, 1932 IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line 
IND Sixth Avenue Line
IND Sixth Avenue Line
The Sixth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in the United States. It runs mainly under Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, and continues south through the Rutgers Street Tunnel to Brooklyn...

 splits
* 50th Street
50th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
50th Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line and IND Queens Boulevard Line of the New York City Subway, located at 50th Street and Eighth Avenue in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.- Station layout :...

local September 10, 1932 IND Queens Boulevard Line
IND Queens Boulevard Line
The Queens Boulevard Line is a fully underground line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan and Queens, New York City, United States. The line provides crosstown service across Manhattan under 53rd Street and east through Queens to Jamaica...

 
IND Queens Boulevard Line
IND Queens Boulevard Line
The Queens Boulevard Line is a fully underground line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan and Queens, New York City, United States. The line provides crosstown service across Manhattan under 53rd Street and east through Queens to Jamaica...

 joins
42nd Street – Port Authority Bus Terminal all September 10, 1932 IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line 
IRT Flushing Line
IRT Flushing Line
The Flushing Line is a rapid transit route of the New York City Subway system, operated as part of the IRT Division and designated the 7 route...

 
IRT 42nd Street Shuttle 
BMT Broadway Line
BMT Broadway Line
The BMT Broadway Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan, New York City, United States. , it is served by three services, all colored yellow: the on the express tracks and the on the local tracks...

  at Times Square – 42nd Street
Port Authority Bus Terminal
Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal is the main gateway for interstate buses into Manhattan in New York City...


M34A Select Bus Service
34th Street – Penn Station all September 10, 1932 Penn Station: Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...

, 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...

, and New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...


M34 / M34A Select Bus Service
Chelsea
Chelsea, Manhattan
Chelsea is a neighborhood on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The district's boundaries are roughly 14th Street to the south, 30th Street to the north, the western boundary of the Ladies' Mile Historic District – which lies between the Avenue of the Americas and...

23rd Street
23rd Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
23rd Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 23rd Street and Eighth Avenue in Chelsea, Manhattan, it is served by the C and E trains, the former of which is replaced by the A train during late nights.This underground...

local September 10, 1932
14th Street all September 10, 1932 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...

  at Eighth Avenue
Greenwich Village West Fourth Street – Washington Square all September 10, 1932 IND Sixth Avenue Line
IND Sixth Avenue Line
The Sixth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in the United States. It runs mainly under Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, and continues south through the Rutgers Street Tunnel to Brooklyn...

 
Connection to PATH
Port Authority Trans-Hudson
PATH, derived from Port Authority Trans-Hudson, is a rapid transit railroad linking Manhattan, New York City with Newark, Harrison, Hoboken and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey...

 at Ninth Street
Ninth Street (PATH station)
The 9th Street PATH station, opened on February 25, 1908, is located on Ninth Street and Sixth Avenue , in Manhattan's Greenwich Village neighborhood...

local crossovers to/from IND Sixth Avenue Line
IND Sixth Avenue Line
The Sixth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in the United States. It runs mainly under Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, and continues south through the Rutgers Street Tunnel to Brooklyn...

 (no regular service)
SoHo Spring Street
Spring Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
Spring Street is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Spring Street and Sixth Avenue in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, it is served by the C and E trains, the former of which is replaced by the A train during late nights.This underground...

local September 10, 1932
TriBeCa Canal Street
Canal Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
Canal Street is an express station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Canal Street and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, it is served by the A and E trains at all times, and the C train at all times except late nights.There are four tracks and two...

all September 10, 1932
Financial District
Financial District, Manhattan
The Financial District of New York City is a neighborhood on the southernmost section of the borough of Manhattan which comprises the offices and headquarters of many of the city's major financial institutions, including the New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York...

Chambers Street express September 10, 1932 two parts of the same station; local tracks end
IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line  at Park Place
Connection to PATH
Port Authority Trans-Hudson
PATH, derived from Port Authority Trans-Hudson, is a rapid transit railroad linking Manhattan, New York City with Newark, Harrison, Hoboken and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey...

 at World Trade Center
World Trade Center (PATH station)
The World Trade Center PATH station originally opened on July 19, 1909 as the Hudson Terminal. When the Hudson Terminal was torn down to make way for the World Trade Center, a new station was built, which opened in 1971...

World Trade Center local September 10, 1932
Local tracks end
Fulton Street express February 1, 1933 formerly Broadway – Nassau Street
IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line 
BMT Nassau Street Line
BMT Nassau Street Line
The 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...

 
IRT Lexington Avenue Line
IRT Lexington Avenue Line
The Lexington Avenue Line is one of the lines of the IRT division of the New York City Subway, stretching from Downtown Brooklyn or Lower Manhattan north to 125th Street in East Harlem. The portion in Lower and Midtown Manhattan was part of the first subway line in New York...

 
continues through the Cranberry Street Tunnel
Cranberry Street Tunnel
The Cranberry Street Tunnel carries the trains of the New York City Subway under the East River between the Fulton Street Station in Manhattan and the High Street – Brooklyn Bridge Station in Brooklyn. Its Brooklyn ventilation shaft is visible from Furman Street...

Brooklyn Heights
Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn
Brooklyn Heights is a culturally diverse neighborhood within the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Originally referred to as 'Brooklyn Village', it has been a prominent area of Brooklyn since 1834. As of 2000, Brooklyn Heights sustained a population of 22,594 people. The neighborhood is part of...

High Street – Brooklyn Bridge express June 24, 1933 The line opened through here on February 1, 1933, but the station was not yet complete.
Continues as 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...

 , with crossovers to/from the IND Culver Line
IND Culver Line
The IND Culver Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway, extending from Downtown Brooklyn south to Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, United States...

(no regular service)
*50th Street is accessible only in the southbound direction.

External links

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