Independent Subway System
Encyclopedia
The Independent Subway System (IND or ISS), formerly known as the Independent City-Owned Subway System (ICOS) 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
. It was first constructed as the "Eighth Avenue Line
" in Manhattan
in 1932.
One of three rail networks that became part of the modern New York City subway, the IND was intended to be fully owned and operated by the municipal government, in contrast to the privately operated or jointly-funded Interborough Rapid Transit Company
(IRT) and Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) companies. It was merged with these two networks in 1940.
The original IND service lines are the modern subway's A
, B
, C
, D
, E
, F
and G
services. In addition, the BMT's M
and R
now run partly on IND trackage. The Rockaway Park Shuttle supplements the A
service. For operational purposes, the IND and BMT lines and services are referred to jointly as the B Division
.
Initially it was known as the Independent City-Owned Subway System (ICOS), Independent Subway System (ISS), or Independent City-Owned Rapid Transit Railroad. It became known as the IND after unification of the subway lines in 1940; the name IND was assigned to match the three-letter initialisms of the IRT and BMT.
The first IND line was the Eighth Avenue Line
in Manhattan
, opened on September 10, 1932; for a while the whole system was colloquially known as the Eighth Avenue Subway. The original IND system was entirely underground in the four boroughs that it served, with the exception of a short section of the IND Culver Line
containing two stations spanning the Gowanus Canal
in the Gowanus
section of Brooklyn.
These lines were completely built as planned. All but a short portion of the Culver Line (over the Gowanus Canal
) are underground.
opened from 207th Street to Chambers Street, inaugurating the IND. In February 1933 the Cranberry Street Tunnel
opened, along with the Eighth Avenue Line from Chambers Street to Jay Street – Borough Hall. On the northern end of the construction, in the Bronx, the connecting Concourse Line
opened on July 1, 1933 from 205th Street to 145th Street.
The following month, the Queens Boulevard Line
opened from Jackson Heights – Roosevelt Avenue to the lower level of 50th Street on the Eighth Avenue Line, connecting the Queens and Manhattan lines. In Queens, the Crosstown Line
opened from Queens Plaza
to Nassau Avenue
.
Finally, on October 7, 1933, the Culver Line
opened from Jay Street to Church Avenue
.
opened from West Fourth Street (where it splits from the Eighth Avenue Line) to East Broadway
.
On April 9, 1936 the Fulton Street Line
opened from Court Street to Rockaway Avenue
, along with connecting tracks from Jay Street. The Sixth Avenue Line and Rutgers Street Tunnel opened from East Broadway to Jay Street.
On December 31, 1936, the Queens Boulevard Line was extended from Roosevelt Avenue to Kew Gardens – Union Turnpike. In 1937, service was extended again to 169th Street
.
On July 1, 1937, the Crosstown Line
opened from Nassau Avenue
to Bergen Street
.
438 million; the entire first phase had only cost US$338 million (including acquisition and equipment costs). Not long after these plans were unveiled, the Wall Street Crash of 1929
occurred and the Great Depression
was ushered in. The plans essentially became history overnight. Various forms of the expansion resurfaced in 1931, 1939, 1940, 1968, and 1972 but were never realized. This was the time when the IND had planned widespread elevated construction.
The Second Avenue Subway
, one of the main parts of the plan, is under construction as of 2007.
In the 1950s, the IND was extended over two pieces of elevated line that were disconnected from the original BMT system: the BMT Culver Line
in 1954, and the Liberty Avenue extension of the BMT Fulton Street Line in 1956.
The following extra extensions and connections were built after unification in 1940:
service is shown here; for more details, see the individual service pages. Terminals shown are the furthest the service reached.
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...
rail system 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...
that is now part 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...
. It was first constructed as the "Eighth Avenue Line
IND Eighth Avenue Line
The Eighth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line in New York City, United States, and is part of the B Division of the New York City Subway...
" 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...
in 1932.
One of three rail networks that became part of the modern New York City subway, the IND was intended to be fully owned and operated by the municipal government, in contrast to the privately operated or jointly-funded Interborough Rapid Transit Company
Interborough Rapid Transit Company
The Interborough Rapid Transit Company was the private operator of the original underground New York City Subway line that opened in 1904, as well as earlier elevated railways and additional rapid transit lines in New York City. The IRT was purchased by the City in June 1940...
(IRT) and Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) companies. It was merged with these two networks in 1940.
The original IND service lines are the modern subway's 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....
, 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....
, 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....
, 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....
, 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....
, F
F (New York City Subway service)
The F Sixth Avenue Local 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 on the IND Sixth Avenue Line through Manhattan....
and G
G (New York City Subway service)
The G Brooklyn–Queens Crosstown Local is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is the only full-time non-shuttle service that does not enter Manhattan...
services. In addition, the BMT's M
M (New York City Subway service)
The M Sixth Avenue Local is a rapid transit service of the B Division of the New York City Subway. It is colored orange on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it runs on the IND Sixth Avenue Line in Manhattan....
and R
R (New York City Subway service)
The R Broadway Local is a service of the New York City Subway. It is colored yellow on the route sign and on station signs and the NYC Subway map, as it represents a service provided on the BMT Broadway Line in Manhattan.The R service operates at all times...
now run partly on IND trackage. The Rockaway Park Shuttle supplements 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....
service. For operational purposes, the IND and BMT lines and services are referred to jointly as 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...
.
Nomenclature
Initially it was known as the Independent City-Owned Subway System (ICOS), Independent Subway System (ISS), or Independent City-Owned Rapid Transit Railroad. It became known as the IND after unification of the subway lines in 1940; the name IND was assigned to match the three-letter initialisms of the IRT and BMT.The first IND line was the Eighth Avenue Line
IND Eighth Avenue Line
The Eighth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line in New York City, United States, and is part of the B Division of the New York City Subway...
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...
, opened on September 10, 1932; for a while the whole system was colloquially known as the Eighth Avenue Subway. The original IND system was entirely underground in the four boroughs that it served, with the exception of a short section of 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...
containing two stations spanning the Gowanus Canal
Gowanus Canal
The Gowanus Canal, also known as the Gowanus Creek Canal, is a canal in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, geographically on the westernmost portion of Long Island...
in the Gowanus
Gowanus, Brooklyn
Gowanus is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 6.The Gowanus area has been an active center of industrial and shipping activity since the 1860s...
section of Brooklyn.
History
In the early 1920s, Mayor John Hylan proposed a complex series of city-owned and operated rapid transit lines to compete with the BMT and IRT, especially their elevated lines. The New York City Transit Commission was formed in 1921 to develop a plan to reduce overcrowding on the subways. The original plans included:- Two major trunk lines in midtown Manhattan, with one running under Eighth AvenueEighth 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...
and one under Sixth AvenueSixth 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"...
, which already had an elevated line - A crosstown subway under 53rd Street (connecting with the Eighth and Sixth Avenue subways) running under the East RiverEast RiverThe 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 Queens Plaza (Long Island City), meeting with a BrooklynBrooklynBrooklyn 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...
–QueensQueensQueens 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....
crosstown line, and continuing under Queens BoulevardQueens BoulevardQueens Boulevard is a major thoroughfare in the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Queens connecting communities from Midtown Manhattan to Jamaica...
and Hillside Avenue to 179th Street, where bus service would converge - A subway under the Grand ConcourseGrand Concourse (Bronx)The Grand Concourse is a major thoroughfare in the borough of the Bronx in New York City...
in the BronxThe BronxThe Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, diverging from the Eighth Avenue Line in Manhattan at 145th Street and Saint Nicholas AvenueSaint 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...
These lines were completely built as planned. All but a short portion of the Culver Line (over the Gowanus Canal
Gowanus Canal
The Gowanus Canal, also known as the Gowanus Creek Canal, is a canal in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, geographically on the westernmost portion of Long Island...
) are underground.
Opening and progress through 1933
On September 10, 1932, the Eighth Avenue LineIND Eighth Avenue Line
The Eighth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line in New York City, United States, and is part of the B Division of the New York City Subway...
opened from 207th Street to Chambers Street, inaugurating the IND. In February 1933 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...
opened, along with the Eighth Avenue Line from Chambers Street to Jay Street – Borough Hall. On the northern end of the construction, in the Bronx, the connecting 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 from 205th Street to 145th Street.
The following month, the 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 from Jackson Heights – Roosevelt Avenue to the lower level of 50th Street on the Eighth Avenue Line, connecting the Queens and Manhattan lines. In Queens, the Crosstown Line
IND Crosstown Line
-External links:*...
opened from Queens Plaza
Queens Plaza (IND Queens Boulevard Line)
Queens Plaza is an express station on the IND Queens Boulevard Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the large Queens Plaza interchange, it is served by the E train at all times, by the R train at all times except late nights, and by the M train on weekdays except late nights.While situated...
to Nassau Avenue
Nassau Avenue (IND Crosstown Line)
Nassau Avenue is a station on the IND Crosstown Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Manhattan and Nassau Avenues in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, it is served by the G train at all times....
.
Finally, on October 7, 1933, the 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...
opened from Jay Street to Church Avenue
Church Avenue (IND Culver Line)
Church Avenue is an express station on the IND Culver Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Church and McDonald Avenues in Kensington, Brooklyn, it is served by the F and G trains at all times, the latter of which terminates here....
.
Second Manhattan trunk line, 1936–1937
On January 1, 1936, the Sixth Avenue LineIND 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 from West Fourth Street (where it splits from the Eighth Avenue Line) to East Broadway
East Broadway (IND Sixth Avenue Line)
East Broadway is a station on the IND Sixth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the F train at all times.There is an abandoned tower at the north end of the island platform. The station has two mezzanines, four open staircases, three closed staircases, and one escalator...
.
On April 9, 1936 the 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...
opened from Court Street to Rockaway Avenue
Rockaway Avenue (IND Fulton Street Line)
Rockaway Avenue is a local station on the IND Fulton Street Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Rockaway Avenue and Fulton Street in Brooklyn. It is served by the C train all times except late nights when the A train takes over service.-Description:This is a four-track...
, along with connecting tracks from Jay Street. The Sixth Avenue Line and Rutgers Street Tunnel opened from East Broadway to Jay Street.
On December 31, 1936, the Queens Boulevard Line was extended from Roosevelt Avenue to Kew Gardens – Union Turnpike. In 1937, service was extended again to 169th Street
169th Street (IND Queens Boulevard Line)
169th Street is a local station on the IND Queens Boulevard Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 169th Street and Hillside Avenue in Queens, it is served by the F train at all times. This is the closest subway station to the 165th Street Bus Terminal.This station has...
.
On July 1, 1937, the Crosstown Line
IND Crosstown Line
-External links:*...
opened from Nassau Avenue
Nassau Avenue (IND Crosstown Line)
Nassau Avenue is a station on the IND Crosstown Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Manhattan and Nassau Avenues in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, it is served by the G train at all times....
to Bergen Street
Bergen Street (IND Culver Line)
Bergen Street is an express station on the IND Culver Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Bergen Street and Smith Street in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. It is served by the F and G trains at all times....
.
Expansion
A major expansion of the IND was first planned in 1929. It would have added over 100 miles of new routes in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, merging with, intersecting or extending the existing IND rights-of way. It was claimed that this expansion, combined with the operating IRT, BMT, and IND lines, would provide subway service within a half mile of anyone's doorstep. Pricing—excluding acquisition and equipment costs—was estimated at US$United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
438 million; the entire first phase had only cost US$338 million (including acquisition and equipment costs). Not long after these plans were unveiled, the Wall Street Crash of 1929
Wall Street Crash of 1929
The Wall Street Crash of 1929 , also known as the Great Crash, and the Stock Market Crash of 1929, was the most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United States, taking into consideration the full extent and duration of its fallout...
occurred and the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
was ushered in. The plans essentially became history overnight. Various forms of the expansion resurfaced in 1931, 1939, 1940, 1968, and 1972 but were never realized. This was the time when the IND had planned widespread elevated construction.
The Second Avenue Subway
Second Avenue Subway
The Second Avenue Subway is a planned rapid transit subway line, part of the New York City Subway system. Phase I, consisting of two miles of tunnel and three stations, is currently under construction underneath Second Avenue in the borough of Manhattan.A plan for more than 75 years, the Second...
, one of the main parts of the plan, is under construction as of 2007.
1940 Unification
On December 15, 1940, the local tracks of the Sixth Avenue Line opened from its connection to the Eighth Avenue Line at 59th Street – Columbus Circle to West Fourth Street – Washington Square, along with the express tracks north of 34th Street – Herald Square.- December 30, 1946: The Fulton Street Line opens from Rockaway AvenueRockaway Avenue (IND Fulton Street Line)Rockaway Avenue is a local station on the IND Fulton Street Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Rockaway Avenue and Fulton Street in Brooklyn. It is served by the C train all times except late nights when the A train takes over service.-Description:This is a four-track...
to Broadway – East New York (now Broadway Junction). - June 1, 1946: The Fulton Street Line local spur from Court Street (IND Fulton Street Line) closes. (This spur would have been extended into lower Manhattan to connect with the Second Avenue SubwaySecond Avenue SubwayThe Second Avenue Subway is a planned rapid transit subway line, part of the New York City Subway system. Phase I, consisting of two miles of tunnel and three stations, is currently under construction underneath Second Avenue in the borough of Manhattan.A plan for more than 75 years, the Second...
under 1939 plans.) - November 28, 1948: The Fulton Street Line opens from Broadway–East New York to Euclid AvenueEuclid Avenue (IND Fulton Street Line)Euclid Avenue is an express station on the IND Fulton Street Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Pitkin Avenue in Brooklyn, it is served by the A train at all times, and the southern terminal for the C train, at all times except late nights...
. - December 11, 1950: The Queens Boulevard Line is extended from 169th Street169th Street (IND Queens Boulevard Line)169th Street is a local station on the IND Queens Boulevard Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 169th Street and Hillside Avenue in Queens, it is served by the F train at all times. This is the closest subway station to the 165th Street Bus Terminal.This station has...
to its current terminus at 179th Street. - October 30, 1954: The Culver Ramp opens, connecting the IND Culver Line to the BMT Culver Line at Ditmas Avenue. IND trains begin operating over the BMT Culver Line to Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue.
- April 29, 1956: The Liberty Avenue Elevated, the easternmost section of the former BMT Fulton Street Line, is connected to the IND Fulton Street Line. IND service is extended from Euclid AvenueEuclid Avenue (IND Fulton Street Line)Euclid Avenue is an express station on the IND Fulton Street Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Pitkin Avenue in Brooklyn, it is served by the A train at all times, and the southern terminal for the C train, at all times except late nights...
out to Lefferts Boulevard via a new station at Grant AvenueGrant Avenue (IND Fulton Street Line)Grant Avenue is a station on the IND Fulton Street Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Grant and Pitkin Avenues in City Line, Brooklyn, it is served by the A train at all times....
. - June 28, 1956: The Rockaway LineIND Rockaway LineThe IND Rockaway Line is a rapid transit line of the IND Division of the New York City Subway. It branches from the IND Fulton Street Line at Rockaway Boulevard, extending over the Jamaica Bay, into the Rockaways.-History:...
opens to Beach 25th StreetBeach 25th Street (IND Rockaway Line)Beach 25th Street, also known as Beach 25th Street – Wavecrest, is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway, located in Queens on the Rockaway Freeway at Beach 25th Street. It is served by the A train at all times...
after conversion from the Long Island Rail RoadLong Island Rail RoadThe 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 Rockaway Beach BranchRockaway Beach BranchThe Rockaway Beach Branch was a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in Queens, New York City, United States. The line left the Main Line at Whitepot Junction in Rego Park heading south via Ozone Park and across Jamaica Bay to Hammels in the Rockaways turning west there to a...
. It is extended to its current terminal, Far Rockaway – Mott Avenue on January 16, 1958. - November 26, 1967: The Chrystie Street ConnectionChrystie Street ConnectionThe Chrystie Street Connection is a major connecting line of the New York City Subway, and is one of the few connections between lines of the BMT and IND divisions...
opens, connecting the Sixth Avenue Line to the Manhattan BridgeManhattan BridgeThe Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the East River in New York City, connecting Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn . It was the last of the three suspension bridges built across the lower East River, following the Brooklyn and the Williamsburg bridges...
and the south Brooklyn BMT lines. - November 27, 1967: The Sixth Avenue Line express tracks open from 34th Street – Herald Square to West Fourth Street – Washington Square.
- July 1, 1968: The Sixth Avenue Line is extended from 47th–50th Streets – Rockefeller Center to 57th Street57th 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...
; the remaining portion of the Chrystie Street Connection opens, connecting the Sixth Avenue Line to the Williamsburg BridgeWilliamsburg BridgeThe 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...
. - December 11, 1988: The IND Archer Avenue Line opens from Jamaica Center – Parsons/Archer to Briarwood – Van Wyck Boulevard.
- October 29, 1989: The IND 63rd Street LineIND 63rd Street LineThe IND 63rd Street Line is a rapid transit line of the IND division of the New York City Subway system. It runs from the IND Sixth Avenue Line at 57th Street east under 63rd Street and the East River through the 63rd Street Tunnel to the IND Queens Boulevard Line in Queens...
—including the 63rd Street Tunnel—opens from 57th Street57th 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 21st Street – Queensbridge. - December 16, 2001: The 63rd Street Line is extended from 21st Street – Queensbridge to merge with the Queens Boulevard LineIND Queens Boulevard LineThe 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...
.
In the 1950s, the IND was extended over two pieces of elevated line that were disconnected from the original BMT system: the BMT 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...
in 1954, and the Liberty Avenue extension of the BMT Fulton Street Line in 1956.
The Bronx and Manhattan
- Concourse LineIND Concourse LineThe 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....
( trains): under the Grand ConcourseGrand Concourse (Bronx)The Grand Concourse is a major thoroughfare in the borough of the Bronx in New York City...
from 205th Street south to 161st Street, then west under the Harlem RiverHarlem RiverThe Harlem River is a navigable tidal strait in New York City, USA that flows 8 miles between the Hudson River and the East River, separating the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx...
into Manhattan and south to the Eighth Avenue Line (parallel to the IRT Jerome Avenue LineIRT Jerome Avenue LineThe IRT Jerome Avenue Line, also unofficially known as IRT Woodlawn Line, is a New York City Subway Line along Jerome Avenue in the Bronx. It was opened on June 2, 1917 as a shuttle service between Kingsbridge Road and 149th Street. This was in advance of through service to the IRT Lexington Avenue...
) - Eighth Avenue LineIND Eighth Avenue LineThe Eighth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line in New York City, United States, and is part of the B Division of the New York City Subway...
( trains): from 207th Street, south roughly under BroadwayBroadway (New York City)Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
; under Saint Nicholas AvenueSaint 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...
, Eighth AvenueEighth 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...
, Greenwich Avenue, Sixth AvenueSixth 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"...
(with a junction with the Sixth Avenue Line/Houston Street Line), Church Street, and Fulton StreetFulton 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...
; under the East RiverEast RiverThe 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...
via the Cranberry Street TunnelCranberry Street TunnelThe 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 Brooklyn, to the Fulton Street Line (parallel to the IRT Ninth Avenue LineIRT Ninth Avenue LineThe IRT Ninth Avenue Line, often called the Ninth Avenue El, was the first elevated railway in New York City. It opened in 1868 as the West Side and Yonkers Patent Railway, a cable-hauled line. It ceased operation in 1940....
) - Sixth Avenue LineIND Sixth Avenue LineThe 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...
( trains): from a split from the Eighth Avenue Line at 53rd Street, two blocks east to Sixth Avenue, then south under Sixth Avenue to a junction with the Eighth Avenue Line north of Houston Street, then east under Houston Street and south under Essex Street and Rutgers Street to the Rutgers Street Tunnel to Brooklyn - parallel to the IRT Sixth Avenue Elevated - Queens Boulevard LineIND Queens Boulevard LineThe 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...
( trains): from the 53rd Street Tunnel from Queens, west under 53rd Street past a junction with the Sixth Avenue Line to merge with the Eighth Avenue Line - partly parallel to the IRT Sixth Avenue Elevated connection to the IRT Ninth Avenue Elevated along 53rd Street
East River Crossings
- 53rd Street Tunnel53rd Street TunnelThe 53rd Street Tunnel carries the IND Queens Boulevard Line of the New York City Subway under the East River and Roosevelt Island between Manhattan and Queens, New York City....
( trains) - along the Queens Boulevard Line - Rutgers Street Tunnel ( train) - connecting the Sixth Avenue Line to the Culver Line
- Cranberry Street TunnelCranberry Street TunnelThe 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...
( trains) - connecting the Eighth Avenue Line to the Fulton Street Line
Brooklyn and Queens
- Queens Boulevard LineIND Queens Boulevard LineThe 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...
( trains): from 169th Street, west under Hillside Avenue, Queens Boulevard, Broadway, Northern Boulevard and 44th Drive to the 53rd Street Tunnel to Manhattan - Crosstown LineIND Crosstown Line-External links:*...
( train): from the Queens Boulevard Line at Queens Plaza, south under Jackson Avenue, Manhattan Avenue, Union Avenue, Marcy Avenue and Lafayette Avenue, coming into the middle of the Fulton Street Line and connecting south into the Culver Line - Culver LineIND Culver LineThe 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...
(originally the Smith Street Line) ( trains): from the Rutgers Street Tunnel, south under Jay Street and Smith Street, coming to the surface and turning east over the Gowanus CanalGowanus CanalThe Gowanus Canal, also known as the Gowanus Creek Canal, is a canal in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, geographically on the westernmost portion of Long Island...
at Ninth Street, then back underground, under Ninth Street, Prospect Park West, Prospect Avenue, Fort Hamilton Parkway and Mcdonald Avenue, ending at Church Street (later extended south along the BMT Culver Line) - Fulton Street LineIND Fulton Street LineThe 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...
( trains): from Court Street (now the New York Transit MuseumNew York Transit MuseumThe New York Transit Museum is a museum which displays historical artifacts of the New York City Subway, bus, commuter rail, and bridge and tunnel systems; it is located in a decommissioned Court Street subway station in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of New York City...
) and the Cranberry Street Tunnel east under Fulton Street to Rockaway Avenue (later extended east along the BMT Liberty Avenue Elevated) - parallel to the BMT Fulton Street Elevated
The following extra extensions and connections were built after unification in 1940:
- 60th Street Tunnel Connection ( train): connecting the BMT's 60th Street Tunnel60th Street TunnelThe 60th Street Tunnel carries the trains of the New York City Subway under the East River and Roosevelt Island between Manhattan and Queens.The tunnel was built as part of the Dual Contracts period of New York City subway construction...
to the Queens Boulevard Line - 63rd Street LineIND 63rd Street LineThe IND 63rd Street Line is a rapid transit line of the IND division of the New York City Subway system. It runs from the IND Sixth Avenue Line at 57th Street east under 63rd Street and the East River through the 63rd Street Tunnel to the IND Queens Boulevard Line in Queens...
( train): connecting the Sixth Avenue Line and the Queens Boulevard Line through the 63rd Street Tunnel, and connecting to the BMT 63rd Street LineBMT 63rd Street LineThe BMT 63rd Street Line is a rapid transit line of the BMT division of the New York City Subway system. This short line connects the express tracks of the BMT Broadway Line from 57th Street – Seventh Avenue to Lexington Avenue – 63rd Street, where it stub-ends... - Archer Avenue Line ( train): from the Queens Boulevard Line at Van Wyck Boulevard south and east to Jamaica Center
- Chrystie Street ConnectionChrystie Street ConnectionThe Chrystie Street Connection is a major connecting line of the New York City Subway, and is one of the few connections between lines of the BMT and IND divisions...
, connecting the Houston Street Line (Sixth Avenue Line) to the BMT lines over the Williamsburg BridgeWilliamsburg BridgeThe 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...
( train) and Manhattan BridgeManhattan BridgeThe Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the East River in New York City, connecting Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn . It was the last of the three suspension bridges built across the lower East River, following the Brooklyn and the Williamsburg bridges...
( trains) - Culver LineIND Culver LineThe 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...
( train): extended south along the ex-BMT Culver Line - Fulton Street LineIND Fulton Street LineThe 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...
( train): extended east to and over the BMT Liberty Avenue Elevated - Queens Boulevard LineIND Queens Boulevard LineThe 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...
( trains): extended east to 179th Street - Rockaway LineIND Rockaway LineThe IND Rockaway Line is a rapid transit line of the IND Division of the New York City Subway. It branches from the IND Fulton Street Line at Rockaway Boulevard, extending over the Jamaica Bay, into the Rockaways.-History:...
( train): connecting to the Fulton Street Line east of Rockaway BoulevardRockaway Boulevard (IND Fulton Street Line)Rockaway Boulevard is a station on the IND Fulton Street Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Rockaway Boulevard, Woodhaven Boulevard/Cross Bay Boulevard, and Liberty Avenue in Ozone Park, Queens, it is served by the A train at all times.This station has two side...
Service letters
Pre-Chrystie Street ConnectionChrystie Street Connection
The Chrystie Street Connection is a major connecting line of the New York City Subway, and is one of the few connections between lines of the BMT and IND divisions...
service is shown here; for more details, see the individual service pages. Terminals shown are the furthest the service reached.
| Line | Routing | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.... |
Washington Heights Express | 207th Street – Lefferts Boulevard or Far Rockaway or Rockaway Park (via Eighth Avenue IND Eighth Avenue Line The Eighth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line in New York City, United States, and is part of the B Division of the New York City Subway... ) |
still in use |
| AA | Washington Heights Local | 168th Street – Hudson Terminal (via Eighth Avenue IND Eighth Avenue Line The Eighth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line in New York City, United States, and is part of the B Division of the New York City Subway... ) |
became K K (Eighth Avenue Local) The K Eighth Avenue Local, earlier the AA, was a New York City Subway service along the IND Eighth Avenue Line, that originally began in 1932, when the IND Subway opened.- History :... (no longer operative) |
| BB | Washington Heights Local | 168th Street – 34th Street (via Sixth Avenue 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... ) |
became 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.... (now continues to Brighton Beach Brighton Beach (BMT Brighton Line) Brighton Beach is an express/terminal station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located over Brighton Beach Avenue at Brighton Sixth Street in the community of Brighton Beach on Coney Island in Brooklyn.- Description:... ) |
| 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.... |
Bronx Concourse Express | 205th Street – Utica Avenue Utica Avenue (IND Fulton Street Line) Utica Avenue is an express station on the IND Fulton Street Line of the New York City Subway. The tile color is maroon with a tuscan red border. The station has been renovated with new old-fashioned light fixtures with modern sodium-vapor lamps in them. They are suspended on long rods from the... (via Eighth Avenue IND Eighth Avenue Line The Eighth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line in New York City, United States, and is part of the B Division of the New York City Subway... ) |
no longer operated; Combined into A and D trains |
| CC | Bronx Concourse Local | Bedford Park Boulevard Bedford Park Boulevard (IND Concourse Line) Bedford Park Boulevard is an express station on the IND Concourse Line of the New York City Subway.The station has three tracks with two island platforms. At the south end, exit is to the underpass or up-stairs to the Grand Concourse. Tile colors are lawn green with a darker green border, and there... – Hudson Terminal (via Eighth Avenue IND Eighth Avenue Line The Eighth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line in New York City, United States, and is part of the B Division of the New York City Subway... ) |
became 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.... |
| 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.... |
Bronx Concourse Express | 205th Street – Coney Island (via Sixth Avenue 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... ) |
still in use |
| 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.... |
Queens–Manhattan Express | 179th Street – Rockaway Park or Hudson Terminal (via Eighth Avenue IND Eighth Avenue Line The Eighth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line in New York City, United States, and is part of the B Division of the New York City Subway... and Houston Street) |
still in use, though trains only go to Hudson Terminal (now called World Trade Center) |
| F F (New York City Subway service) The F Sixth Avenue Local 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 on the IND Sixth Avenue Line through Manhattan.... |
Queens–Manhattan Express | 179th Street – Hudson Terminal or Coney Island (via Sixth Avenue 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... ) |
still in use, though trains only go to Coney Island |
| GG | Queens Brooklyn Local | Forest Hills – Church Avenue Church Avenue (IND Culver Line) Church Avenue is an express station on the IND Culver Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Church and McDonald Avenues in Kensington, Brooklyn, it is served by the F and G trains at all times, the latter of which terminates here.... (via Crosstown Line IND Crosstown Line -External links:*... ) |
became G G (New York City Subway service) The G Brooklyn–Queens Crosstown Local is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is the only full-time non-shuttle service that does not enter Manhattan... , though trains only go to Court Square |
| HH HH (Court Street Shuttle) HH was the last of the letters assigned to original routes of the Independent Subway System of the New York City Subway in the 1930s. It was designated as the dedicated service letter of the IND Fulton Street Line in Brooklyn.... |
Court Street Shuttle | Court Street – Hoyt–Schermerhorn Streets | no longer operated |
| HH | Rockaway Local | Euclid Avenue Euclid Avenue (IND Fulton Street Line) Euclid Avenue is an express station on the IND Fulton Street Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Pitkin Avenue in Brooklyn, it is served by the A train at all times, and the southern terminal for the C train, at all times except late nights... – Rockaway Park or Far Rockaway |
became H, then S, though trains only go to Rockaway Park |