Unexplored NYC: The Subway Files

[Javier]

Alright so, this thread documents every known piece of the NYC Subway System that never was completed, bellmouths, station shells, and so forth. I named this thread after the Forensic Files T.V show, as you can see. These are items compiled from Union's wiki page as well as the LTV Squad website, and other various resources.

 

First Up:

 

Roosevelt Avenue Terminal and Winfield Spur:

 

 

Of all of the stations that started to be built as part of the IND Second System, only the Roosevelt Avenue Terminal, on the upper level of the IND Queens Boulevard station, was finished, having trackways, but no tracks. Just east of Roosevelt Avenue station, a trackway diverges from the Manhattan-bound local track (D1 track). This trackway ramps up to the same level as the 2 trackways coming from the never-used Roosevelt Avenue Terminal, making 3 trackways on the upper level. The ramp with the three trackways flies over the Queens Boulevard mainline tracks. Several hundred feet north of the Roosevelt Avenue station, there is a diverging bellmouth next to the Jamaica-bound local track (D2 track), right at the location where the 3 trackways above are crossing ending at a concrete wall.The ramp leading to the upper level, which doesn't have any ballast, probably had a track on it when Roosevelt Avenue was a terminal from 1933 to 1936. That converted signal is actually in the path of the ramp, it would have to be moved if the ramp were to ever go in service. There is no tape on the model board either. If there was anything there, it was painted over. You have to look up at it in just the right way with certain lighting to see faint indentations of where the Winfield spur was to have turned off from D1 and D2. It is a terminal station with two trackways and an island platform that is fully tiled, with blank signs in place on the island platform. The tunnel continues for quite some distance above the tracks that serve the lower station, until the point where they would; no longer be on top of each other; you can see the trains on the lower tracks from the tunnel.

The Winfield Spur would have turned right on 78th Street from Broadway. The playground over there would have been a portal from the subway. The line would have then turned right under Garfield Avenue, south on 65th Place, and it would then ease over to Fresh Pond Road south to Myrtle Avenue. It would then go left into Central Avenue to 99th Street, where it would go alongside the LIRR Rockaway Beach Branch to the Rockaways. In order to cross the Plateau along 65th Place there likely would have been a deep tunnel like that at 181st Street and 190th Street on the Washington Heights Line in Manhattan.

 

This might conclude that there is an unfinished tunnel and/or shell located next to Fresh Pond Road & Myrtle Avenue as this was mentioned in the some-what official book of the MTA building the IND lines.

 

 

IND Worth Street Line:

 

 

 

South of Canal Street on the IND Eighth Avenue Line, bellmouths were built on the southbound and northbound local tracks. This was where trains were supposed to come off the Eighth Avenue Line and turn onto Worth Street and East Broadway towards the major South Fourth Street station. Not too far from the turnout, there used o be an arrow painted with the words "Worth Street".

This line was suppose to be one of the major services that would connect at the South 4th Street station, but sadly was never built in anticipation of the IND Second System.

 

Second Avenue Station :

 

 

At the Second Avenue station on the IND Sixth Avenue Line, space was reserved for the proposed IND Second Avenue Line, as evident if you look above at the Second Avenue end of the station, where the ceiling is higher up. The crew quarters that were formerly used when the V train was in service, is the only original part of the 1929 Second Avenue subway that was actually built. It was a large empty vault above the IND Sixth Avenue Line that was meant to be an express stop, that was built within the confines of the existing four track ROW. At the time the Houston Street subway was built, the city still wasn’t sure whether the lower portion of the SAS would be under Second Avenue or First Avenue, so provisions for transfer were built at both ends of the Second Avenue station.

The center tracks in the station end shortly past the false wall. The two tracks extend about 535 feet from the end of the platform to the end of the track and tunnel, just shy of one train length. There is nothing more beyond that point, although, as part of the IND Second System, it would have continued under the East River to the South Fourth Street station in Brooklyn. When service began operating to Second Avenue, the false wall was moved a little farther back into the tunnel to give the trains a little more than just 600 feet to birth in the station. Near the ending of the tail tracks, the tracks begin to separate and end at bumper blocks. At the end of the tracks at the bumper blocks, there is a provision for a center track that extends for only 15 feet and it stops at the diamond crossover at the end of the tunnel. This area was blocked off because homeless people were living down there.

 The IND Second System was suppose to have major connections to the Grand St station, as well as Second Avenue , and possibly Chambers St . This line was also suppose to be a major line that connected to South 4th Street.

 

Steinway Street Tunnel:

 

 

 

North of the Steinway Street station, along the catwalk there is a door. If you look down, you will see a lower level tunnel. The 1939 IND Second Systme map has a subway line that would have branched off of the IND Queens Boulevard Line local tracks before the turn at Steinway Street, and then under the East River AND 76th Street and south under Central Park before connecting with the IND Sixth Avenue Line at 57th Street – Sixth Avenue. The tunnel is allegedly used by the New York City Police Department as a firing range.

 

The Secrets of Jamaica - 179th Street :

 

 

 

East of 179th Street on the IND Queens Boulevard Line, there is a small layup yard on both levels east of the 179th Street Station, which was planned for an extension of the Hillside Avenue Line to Springfield Boulevard or even further to Little Neck Parkway. The upper level tracks east of this station were intended to be extended eastward, while the lower level tracks were always intended to be relay tracks. The tracks on the upper level are longer than those on the lower level and the upper level tracks have a wooden partition at the bumper blocks. The tracks for the upper level were put in later.

 

This is one of the most interesting never finished spurs located on the Jamaica Line, as the use of the upper level was never intended to be used as a lay-up yard. It's fascinating to know that the line was suppose to go as far as Little Neck Parkway.

 

The Ghost Staten Island CrossRiver Line: (South of 59th Street )

 

 

 

South of 59th Street on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line, there are bellmouths next to the local tracks for a proposed line to Staten Island. The tunnel does not narrow south of 59th Street and thereby leaves two trackways, one on either side of the four active tracks. Looking south from the southbound platform a shed is visible about 100 feet into the tunnel. This shed is on one of the trackways. The view from the northbound platform is unobstructed. The trackways run for about 150 feet. The one on the northbound side ends in a brick wall, with evidence of some sort of space beyond.

 

Also fascinating to know that the would have had direct service to Staten Island Railway, but would have this line gone over a bridge or underwater?

 

101st Street Yard:

 

 

 

The tunnels on the BMT Fourth Street Line extend beyond the bumper blocks to 101st Street, where an 11 track underground yard was supposed to be built, but instead there are only two empty holes with no known exit to the street. The yard would have been for a proposed BRT extension to Staten Island.

 

South 4th Street Station:

 

 

This is a six-track, IND station in South Williamsburg hidden from the public but identical to the station seen in the photos presented to the public by the Underbelly Project. To the uninitiated, this stop may sound like a phantom subway station. Isn’t the only 4th Street station at West 4th in Manhattan? What is this South 4th Street station? Where is it? And where do the trains that once serviced it go?

The answers — especially to the last question — are tricky. The South 4th Street subway station isn’t anything quite like the city’s other abandoned stations. It’s never seen revenue service before, and in fact, it doesn’t even have a rail track running through it. It exists in fragments — poured concrete, unfinished stairwells, no lighting, no through tunnels — and is a remnant of an era of larger plans. In a sense, it’s not an abandoned station because no trains ever served it nor could they. Rather, it is an abandoned dream.

The South 4th Street was to be a major transfer and connection point for the IND Second System. The shell was built into the ceiling of the Broadway stop on the IND Crosstown — a so-called provision statement — before the city even knew if funding for the remainder of the line would ever materialize. When World War II and the subsequent advent of the automobile age put a grinding halt to subway expansion, the South 4th Street shell remained just that. It is a testament to another era, behind false walls and closed-off staircases, and today, it apparently housings one of the largest street art exhibitions in New York City.

But back in 1929 and again in 1939 when the city was trying to build up its subway system, South 4th Street in South Williamsburg was to be a major intersection. The plans are aggressive: Both the Sixth Ave. and Eighth Ave. lines would have passed through this station, bound for multiple points east, south and north.

 

Eastward out of South 4th Street, the possibilities were twofold. In the 1929 plan, one set of tracks would have led down Stuyvesant Ave., crossing the IND Fulton St. Line at Utica Ave. — where another shell station and some unused mezzanines live — and continuing down Utica Ave. and to Marine Park. The other spur would have led up Myrtle Ave. where the line would split again. This time, one route would have allowed the Queens Boulevard line to connect to the Rockaways via Fresh Pond Road, 65th Place and 78th St. while the other branch would head out to the Rockaways, a branch eventually realized by a more modest extension of the Fulton St. Line. We used to dream big.

South 4th Street was undoubtedly a waste of a station. This station would've gave more service to the line, as line customers would have a direct shot at going to either Manhattan or Brooklyn or the Rockaways as the Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue lines were suppose to stop here, explaining the six track way architecture of the station. This is also the only station shell in the system (other then Utica Avenue) that has another name other then the already active station name that's located next to it.

 

Fulton Street Station:

 

A lesser known NYC Subway dream line is the Utica Avenue Subway. As long ago as 1920, when the Dual Contracts were being built, the IRT 7th Ave line at Utica Ave has a turnout provision to Utica Ave. However this page is devoted to the IND Utica Ave line that was larger in scope and at least 80 feet of it has been built.

As part of the Phase II IND subway a six track line was proposed for the South 4th Street Line. A four track line from Manhattan to Avenue U via Stuyvesant Place and Utica Ave was to connect to it. At the intersection of Fulton Street a major transfer point was proposed.

While planning the Fulton St line, provision was made for the Phase II construction, at Utica Ave. To do this, the Fulton St line was brought three levels below Fulton St. Trackways and platforms were built into the ceiling of the Fulton St station and two levels of mezzanine were built.

I was able to explore this station and the accompanying diagrams are the results. Do NOT visit the restricted areas with out a person familiar with the closed sections. I was accompanied by a TA Structure Foreman who was supervising the renovations in the public areas.

A door at the middle mezzanine leads to a corridor that goes behind the walled off area at the bottom of the ramp between the fare collection area and the stairs to the A and C platforms. Here is a stairway up to back up to the upper mezzanine. I did not go up this stairway, but I was told that it leads to a similar stairway at the other end of the station. I also assume that there would have been stairs from that upper mezzanine to the Utica Ave line platforms.

We walked behind the stairway to another door that opened onto the South 4th St bound trackway! Obviously if the Utica Ave line ever opened, this door would be sealed off. Inside, beyond the trackway were two platforms and three other trackways. The whole place was lighted by standard IND issue incandescent bulbs. I could just imagine seeing trains entering and leaving with passengers transferring between the A, C, X, & Y trains! The entire station was a little longer than the Fulton Street line is wide. It was about 100 feet long this was due to the skewed intersection of the two lines.

The four unused stairways between the A and C platforms were removed as part of the station rehabilitation that started in 1996 and 1997. The underside of the trackways and paltforms are clearly visible from the A and C platforms. As an aside, the newly renovated station is a work of art by TA standards.

 

This would've served the Utica Avenue Line, which makes you wonder, what if these stations were actually completed? What type of system would we have today? (Which is why I wish someone would modify the subway map to show this type of alternate future.)

 

 

 

The Extension:

 

Based on plans, Main St - Flushing was never suppose to be the terminal of the Line. The would've continued then branched off into two lines, (which would've been the (11) line.), the College Point Line and the Bayside Line.

 

Proposed Brooklyn Bridge trackways:

This picture was taken just south of the Chambers Street station. This was for the proposed Brooklyn Bridge connection. It may have been, though from where the cliff leaves off to the J/Z below, it would hae been quite a steep grade to climb (I'm a bad estimator of height, but it had to be a 50 to 100ft. drop off). My guess was that perhaps the brooklyn bridge el tracks had an 'underground' terminal, like that of the tracks which went over the 59th Street Bridge. Towards one end was what seemed like a loading dock - with another set of steps up to it. By climbing the steps and ducking down along a truely low ceiling (3, perhaps 4 feet at some spots), you'd reach the cliff overlooking the J/Z stop.

The location in this pic was supposed to be for a proposed diamond crossover leading to/from the Bklyn Brdge. Short of the 'loading dock', 2 tunnels meet: one comes in on a curve, and the other (which has the steps in from the wine cellar) is straight. In the dirt where there 2 tunnels meets, you could clearly see some type of rail switch track. The truely puzzling part is that perhaps 10, 20 feet from this switch, the track runs directly into the 'loading dock', pointing in the direction of the cliff and J/Z station.

 

This was taken below the curve of the Brooklyn IRT Subway from under Fulton Street to Flatbush Avenue. This is where the trackway curves under the southbound local track, and is joined by a bellmouth heading north along Flatbush Avenue for a proposed Manhattan Bridge connection which was later built for the BRT/BMT.

 

Bedford - Nostrand Avenues BRT Tunnel:

 

At the Bedford-Nostrand Avenue station on the   is a 600 foot BRT subway tunnel that crosses under the   at this point. Through extensive research I found out the end of the Franklin Avenue Shuttle was supposed to connect to Queensboro Plaza & this section of tunnel was built in anticipation of the G line being built.

 

 

 

 

That's enough for this post as I'm nearing my symbol/image limit, second to come soon.

[JayJay85]

Extension would be cool idea if it was done in the 1920's and 1930's the would go to Bay side while the local goes to collage point.

 

The extension should have went elevated after Springfield Blvd to Little Neck or at the Nassau/Queens Boarder. 

[Javier]

I still never understood the point of that crossover north of Chambers St that was suppose to be the Brooklyn Bridge loop. Does anyone know what the purpose was for?

[GojiMet86]

[kaciezr]

I still never understood the point of that crossover north of Chambers St that was suppose to be the Brooklyn Bridge loop. Does anyone know what the purpose was for?

You said north, are you sure you didn't mean south?

 

If you did mean north, the crossovers north of Chambers Street were so trains could access the Manhattan Bridge. Before the Chrystie Connection was built, Broadway trains used the north side of the bridge, and Nassau Street trains used the south side. (Today, 6th Ave uses the north side, and Broadway uses the south side.)

 

"Bankers specials" ran from the Fourth Avenue line in Brooklyn, through the Montague tunnel, up Nassau Street, then over the Manhattan Bridge and back down the Fourth Avenue line. These later became brown R trains until they were cancelled in the 1980s, but since they couldn't access the Manhattan Bridge anymore, they just ended at Chambers Street and went back the way they came.

 

If you meant the Brooklyn Bridge, that's south of Chambers Street.

[TheNewYorkElevated]

According to WNYC, there were plans to have IRT trains on the Manhattan Bridge, and there were plans for a 76th Street connector that ran from the 57th Street to Steinway Street connecting with the Queens Boulevard local lines. There's also a ton more proposals most of us know about.

 

http://project.wnyc.org/lost-subways/

[bobtehpanda]

According to WNYC, there were plans to have IRT trains on the Manhattan Bridge, and there were plans for a 76th Street connector that ran from the 57th Street to Steinway Street connecting with the Queens Boulevard local lines. There's also a ton more proposals most of us know about.

 

http://project.wnyc.org/lost-subways/

 

The IRT trains thing is because during the time of the Dual Contracts, each company was actually bidding on which pieces to get.

 

The 76 St tunnel is real, but was moved to 63 St for geological reasons.