The IRT Pelham Line is a rapid transit

Rapid transit

A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...

 line on 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...

, served by the 6

6 (New York City Subway service)

The 6 Lexington Avenue and Pelham Local and Lexington Avenue Local and Pelham Express are two rapid transit services of the New York City Subway. The 6 local has a circle shape while the ' express has a diamond shape...

 and <6> trains. It was built as part of the Dual Contracts expansion and opened in 1919. It is both elevated and underground, with Whitlock Avenue

Whitlock Avenue (IRT Pelham Line)

Whitlock Avenue is a local station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the 6 train at all times and is located at Whitlock Avenue and Westchester Avenue in the Bronx....

 being the first elevated station. It has three tracks from the beginning to just south of the Pelham Bay Park

Pelham Bay Park (IRT Pelham Line)

Pelham Bay Park is the northern terminal station of the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. Located by Pelham Bay Park, at the intersection of the Bruckner Expressway and Westchester Avenue in the Bronx, it is served by the 6 train at all times except weekdays in the peak direction and...

 terminal.

Express service operates from Third Avenue – 138th Street to Parkchester

Parkchester (IRT Pelham Line)

Parkchester is an express station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. It is located in the Bronx at the intersection of the Cross-Bronx Expressway service roads , Metropolitan Avenue, and Westchester Avenue, atop Hugh J. Grant Circle...

 during weekdays from approximately 6:30 AM to 8:45 PM. At those times the Pelham Bay Park terminal can't handle the large number of 6 trains in service. The solution is to operate 6 trains local on the Pelham Line south of Parkchester

Parkchester (IRT Pelham Line)

Parkchester is an express station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. It is located in the Bronx at the intersection of the Cross-Bronx Expressway service roads , Metropolitan Avenue, and Westchester Avenue, atop Hugh J. Grant Circle...

 and terminate them there. The <6> trains run express using the center track from Third Avenue to Parkchester in the peak direction and local north of Parkchester, terminating at Pelham Bay Park. In the morning, <6> trains departing Pelham Bay Park operate local until Parkchester. They switch to the express track and operate express to Third Avenue. They then continue as a local <6> to Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall on the Lexington line. 6 trains begin their journey at Parkchester for a local run on the entire route, also to the Brooklyn Bridge terminal. All 6 and <6> trains use the City Hall Loop at the south end to return to the Bronx. In the afternoon, the center track reverses direction and <6> trains operate express from Third Avenue to Parkchester until 8:45 PM.

Depiction in fiction

The train that is hijacked in the book The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is a thriller novel by Morton Freedgood, writing under the pen name John Godey. The novel's title is derived from the train's radio call sign...

by Morton Freedgood

Morton Freedgood

Morton Freedgood was an American author who wrote The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and many other detective and mystery novels under the pen name John Godey.-Biography:...

 (writing as John Godey) and the three films based on the novel originated on this line, from Pelham Bay Park at 1:23 (hence "Pelham 123"). (It was subsequently hijacked on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line.)

Station listing

	Station	Tracks	Services	Opened	Notes
	Pelham Bay Park Pelham Bay Park (IRT Pelham Line) Pelham Bay Park is the northern terminal station of the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. Located by Pelham Bay Park, at the intersection of the Bruckner Expressway and Westchester Avenue in the Bronx, it is served by the 6 train at all times except weekdays in the peak direction and...			December 20, 1920	Bx12 Select Bus Service
Center Express track begins (No Regular Service to Parkchester)
	Buhre Avenue Buhre Avenue (IRT Pelham Line) Buhre Avenue is a local station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Buhre and Westchester Avenues in the Bronx, it is served by the 6 train at all times except weekdays in the peak direction...	local		December 20, 1920
	Middletown Road Middletown Road (IRT Pelham Line) Middletown Road is a local station of the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Middletown Road and Westchester Avenue in the Bronx, it is served by the 6 train at all times except weekdays in the peak direction...	local		December 20, 1920
connecting tracks to Westchester Yard
	Westchester Square – East Tremont Avenue	local		October 24, 1920
	Zerega Avenue Zerega Avenue (IRT Pelham Line) Zerega Avenue is a local station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Zerega Avenue and Westchester Avenue in the Bronx, it is served by the 6 train at all times except weekdays in the peak direction...	local		October 24, 1920
	Castle Hill Avenue Castle Hill Avenue (IRT Pelham Line) Castle Hill Avenue is a local station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Castle Hill and Westchester Avenues in the Castle Hill neighborhood in the Bronx, it is served by the 6 train at all times except weekdays in the peak direction...	local		October 24, 1920
service switches to/from center express track
	Parkchester Parkchester (IRT Pelham Line) Parkchester is an express station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. It is located in the Bronx at the intersection of the Cross-Bronx Expressway service roads , Metropolitan Avenue, and Westchester Avenue, atop Hugh J. Grant Circle...	all		May 30, 1920	originally Parkchester – East 177th Street
	St. Lawrence Avenue St. Lawrence Avenue (IRT Pelham Line) St. Lawrence Avenue is a local station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of St. Lawrence Avenue and Westchester Avenue in the Bronx...	local		May 30, 1920
	Morrison Avenue – Soundview	local		May 30, 1920	originally Sound View Avenue, Morrison – Sound View Avenues
	Elder Avenue Elder Avenue (IRT Pelham Line) Elder Avenue is a local station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. Served by the 6 train at all times, it is located at the intersection of Elder Avenue and Westchester Avenue in the Bronx....	local		May 30, 1920
	Whitlock Avenue Whitlock Avenue (IRT Pelham Line) Whitlock Avenue is a local station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the 6 train at all times and is located at Whitlock Avenue and Westchester Avenue in the Bronx....	local		May 30, 1920
	Hunts Point Avenue Hunts Point Avenue (IRT Pelham Line) Hunts Point Avenue is an express station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. It has three tracks and two island platforms; served by the 6 train at all times and the <6> train on weekdays in the peak direction...	all		January 7, 1919
	Longwood Avenue Longwood Avenue (IRT Pelham Line) Longwood Avenue is a local station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the 6 train at all times and is located at Longwood Avenue and Southern Boulevard in the Bronx....	local		January 7, 1919
	East 149th Street East 149th Street (IRT Pelham Line) East 149th Street is a local station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the 6 train at all times and is located at the intersection of East 149th Street, Prospect Avenue, and Southern Boulevard in the Bronx....	local		January 7, 1919
	East 143rd Street – St. Mary's Street	local		January 7, 1919
	Cypress Avenue Cypress Avenue (IRT Pelham Line) Cypress Avenue is a local station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the 6 train at all times and is located at the intersection of Cypress Avenue and East 138th Street in the Bronx....	local		January 7, 1919
	Brook Avenue Brook Avenue (IRT Pelham Line) Brook Avenue is a local station on the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the 6 train at all times and is located at Brook Avenue and East 138th Street in Mott Haven, Bronx....	local		January 7, 1919
	Third Avenue – 138th Street	all		January 7, 1919
Center Express track ends
Merges with 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...

External links

• IRT Pelham Line (NYCSubway.org)