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Ninth Avenue (BMT West End Line)
Encyclopedia
Ninth Avenue is a bi-level express station
on the BMT West End Line
of the New York City Subway
, located at the intersection of Ninth Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn
. Each level has three tracks and two island platform
s. The upper level serves the BMT West End Line
while the lower level formerly served the BMT Culver Line. Only the upper level is still in service and is served by the D
train at all times. The center express track is not normally used.
The station house is at street level and there is a sealed entrance on the west side. The tablet grilles in the mezzanine
are still intact and a newsstand once stood opposite the current location of the station agent booth. On the upper level, the Manhattan
-bound platform is slightly wider than the Coney Island-bound platform. Towards the west of the upper level platforms is an employee-only pedestrian bridge that leads to the entrance of the 36th–38th Street Yard via a high turnstile.
As the West End line rises from embankment to elevated east of this station, the BMT Culver right-of-way
can be seen leaving the tunnel on the Manhattan-bound side. There is also a platform present. The platform was installed in the late 1980s for New York City Transit employees only and is not part of the right-of-way.
To the west of the station is a complicated track layout complete with track connections from the Fourth Ave line, ramps from the now-demolished Fifth Avenue El
, and ramps from the 36th–38th Street Yard, combining together to form the six tracks and two levels of the station.
Beyond the ramps, as the line curves under the BMT Fourth Avenue Line
, there are tracks that continue straight into the piers on the waterfront, which were once operated by the South Brooklyn Railway
. In the tunnel approaching 36th Street
station, there is an unused trackway that was supposed to connect to the South Brooklyn Railway. The tunnel connection was never built. This trackway merges to the southbound track and runs for a long distance before ending at a wall.
As of 2010, the Coney Island-bound platform has been renovated with new platform edges, a new dispatcher room and a new stairway that leads to the 36 Street yard.
subway and the BMT Fifth Avenue elevated lines until 1954, when service on the main portion of the BMT Culver Line route was recaptured by the Independent Subway System
via the Culver Ramp. A Culver Shuttle service from this station to a new single track terminal at Ditmas Avenue was begun at the same time. Some Culver trains continued to operate into Manhattan until May 1959. Culver Shuttle service was discontinued on May 11, 1975.
The lower level was abandoned afterwards has not been used since except for filming of the original Crocodile Dundee
movie when it posed as the 59th Street – Columbus Circle station at the end of the movie. However, the "9" wall mosaics and the sunlight seen at the very end of the film made it clear it was Ninth Avenue. The level is dark and there are no safety plates on the two staircases to that level. A fluorescent light remains on the southbound side. The next stop for this shuttle to the south (east) was Fort Hamilton Parkway
. The tracks on the lower level curve just east of the station before ending on bumper blocks, at the east end of the tunnel portal.
Metro station
A metro station or subway station is a railway station for a rapid transit system, often known by names such as "metro", "underground" and "subway". It is often underground or elevated. At crossings of metro lines, they are multi-level....
on the BMT West End Line
BMT West End Line
The BMT West End Line is a line of the New York City Subway, serving the Brooklyn, communities of Borough Park, New Utrecht, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Coney Island. The D train operates on the line at all times, providing service to Manhattan and the Bronx via the IND Sixth Avenue Line...
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...
, located at the intersection of Ninth Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. Each level has three tracks and two island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
s. The upper level serves the BMT West End Line
BMT West End Line
The BMT West End Line is a line of the New York City Subway, serving the Brooklyn, communities of Borough Park, New Utrecht, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Coney Island. The D train operates on the line at all times, providing service to Manhattan and the Bronx via the IND Sixth Avenue Line...
while the lower level formerly served the BMT Culver Line. Only the upper level is still in service and is served by 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....
train at all times. The center express track is not normally used.
The station house is at street level and there is a sealed entrance on the west side. The tablet grilles in the mezzanine
Mezzanine (architecture)
In architecture, a mezzanine or entresol is an intermediate floor between main floors of a building, and therefore typically not counted among the overall floors of a building. Often, a mezzanine is low-ceilinged and projects in the form of a balcony. The term is also used for the lowest balcony in...
are still intact and a newsstand once stood opposite the current location of the station agent booth. On the upper level, the 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...
-bound platform is slightly wider than the Coney Island-bound platform. Towards the west of the upper level platforms is an employee-only pedestrian bridge that leads to the entrance of the 36th–38th Street Yard via a high turnstile.
As the West End line rises from embankment to elevated east of this station, the BMT Culver right-of-way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
can be seen leaving the tunnel on the Manhattan-bound side. There is also a platform present. The platform was installed in the late 1980s for New York City Transit employees only and is not part of the right-of-way.
To the west of the station is a complicated track layout complete with track connections from the Fourth Ave line, ramps from the now-demolished Fifth Avenue El
Fifth Avenue Line (Brooklyn elevated)
The Fifth Avenue Line, also called the Fifth Avenue Elevated or Fifth Avenue-Bay Ridge Line, was an elevated rail line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States. It ran above Hudson Avenue, Flatbush Avenue, Fifth Avenue, 38th Street, and Third Avenue from Downtown Brooklyn south to Bay Ridge...
, and ramps from the 36th–38th Street Yard, combining together to form the six tracks and two levels of the station.
Beyond the ramps, as the line curves under the BMT Fourth Avenue Line
BMT Fourth Avenue Line
The Fourth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the BMT division of the New York City Subway, mainly running under Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn. Fourth Avenue never had a streetcar line or elevated railway due to the provisions of the assessment charged to neighboring property owners when the street...
, there are tracks that continue straight into the piers on the waterfront, which were once operated by the South Brooklyn Railway
South Brooklyn Railway
The South Brooklyn Railway is a railroad in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It continues to operate today as a subsidiary of MTA New York City Transit...
. In the tunnel approaching 36th Street
36th Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line)
36th Street is an express station on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at 36th Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn....
station, there is an unused trackway that was supposed to connect to the South Brooklyn Railway. The tunnel connection was never built. This trackway merges to the southbound track and runs for a long distance before ending at a wall.
As of 2010, the Coney Island-bound platform has been renovated with new platform edges, a new dispatcher room and a new stairway that leads to the 36 Street yard.
Lower level
The lower level was used as a through route for the BMT Culver Line to the BMT Fourth AvenueBMT Fourth Avenue Line
The Fourth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the BMT division of the New York City Subway, mainly running under Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn. Fourth Avenue never had a streetcar line or elevated railway due to the provisions of the assessment charged to neighboring property owners when the street...
subway and the BMT Fifth Avenue elevated lines until 1954, when service on the main portion of the BMT Culver Line route was recaptured by 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...
via the Culver Ramp. A Culver Shuttle service from this station to a new single track terminal at Ditmas Avenue was begun at the same time. Some Culver trains continued to operate into Manhattan until May 1959. Culver Shuttle service was discontinued on May 11, 1975.
The lower level was abandoned afterwards has not been used since except for filming of the original Crocodile Dundee
Crocodile Dundee
"Crocodile" Dundee is a 1986 Australian comedy film set in the Australian Outback and in New York City. It stars Paul Hogan as the weathered Mick Dundee and Linda Kozlowski as Sue Charlton....
movie when it posed as the 59th Street – Columbus Circle station at the end of the movie. However, the "9" wall mosaics and the sunlight seen at the very end of the film made it clear it was Ninth Avenue. The level is dark and there are no safety plates on the two staircases to that level. A fluorescent light remains on the southbound side. The next stop for this shuttle to the south (east) was Fort Hamilton Parkway
Fort Hamilton Parkway (BMT Culver Line)
Fort Hamilton Parkway was a station on the demolished section of the BMT Culver Line. It originally had three tracks and 2 side platforms, although near the end of its life only utilized one track and 1 of the side platforms, due to the other 2 tracks being removed...
. The tracks on the lower level curve just east of the station before ending on bumper blocks, at the east end of the tunnel portal.
External links
- Station Reporter — D Train
- The Subway Nut — Ninth Avenue Pictures
- Detail of area tracks
- Ninth Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View
