42nd St. (S) Train Question(s)

[lego606]

Ok, so this has probably been posted somewhere but despite 10 different searches, I couldn't find it. So:

 

Why is there no Track 2? Is the MTA afraid people will confuse it with, I dunno the 2 train or something? It makes my OCD flare up.

 

I know that the S used to be on the 1 and it has that connection on Track 4 at Times Sq., but at Grand Central on Track 1, there's some track that leads to a corner and if you look you can see a... door! What the heck is that? /curiousity

 

I'm sure all you railfans can help

[Tokkemon]

Track 2 is now a platform.

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[lego606]

Cool, thanks for explaining. But I'm still curious: What is that door at Grand Central >.<

[King Of RedBirds]

I'm going to answer this correct me if I'm wrong.

 

In 1918 the (NYCTA) Made Separate Lines (Which Are Now The) - Imstead Of It Turning On 42nd St It Went Up and Down To South Ferry,Bowling Green and 125 and Up. Now The 42 St Had 4 Tracks (3 Still In Service) At 42nd St Times Square It Was A Local Station And Since The 1904 Service Connection Ended They Said 1 Track Has To Go. Before that the local trains connected with a Narrow underpass (Go To Nycsubway.org for pics and details about that) at Grand Central The Platforms Were Smaller and they said if they needed to have a shuttle they needed a extra platform and utilize some space so they decided track 2 to go. honestly Idk I guessed.

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Roadcruiser1]

Here is the map of the original IRT lines.

 

 

Notice how the upper section of the Seventh Avenue Line of today is connected to the lower section of the Lexington Avenue Line as a full blown subway line.

[mark1447]

As Krider said, track 2 use to been a track. It was an express track. You can still see track to when you are on track 1 & 3.

 

Track 1 has no connection to track 4, that was removed years ago. For train moves, track 4 would go via IRT Broadway (with the bridge at TSQ being pulled up) and track 1&3 connects at GCT which Track 1 links to IRT Lexington.

 

When you walk on the (S)huttle passageway (between and the Lex) that big public tunnel is where track 2/3/4 would go to get to the Lex line.

 

For the door, idk what door your talking about. South of track 1 at GCT is like an employee area which is accessed by the gate in the passageway connector.

[SubwayGuy]

the short answer is that Track 2 was replaced with a platform.

 

Part of Track 2 still exists between Grand Central and Times Square, but at the two stations, there's no Track 2.

 

Track 1 was the old southbound local of the original Manhattan Mainline route from 145th St, to Times Square, to Grand Central, to City Hall (loop) and back up. Track 2 was the old southbound express, Track 3 northbound express, Track 4 northbound local.

 

The remnants of that line still exist from north of Times Square (West Side ) and south of Grand Central (East Side ), as well as the Shuttle.

 

But since Shuttle Track 2 has been covered over in the GCT and TSQ stations so that the shuttle is a 3 track operation, you don't see it in the stations anymore.

[R68 Subway Car]

Here is the track detail, courtesy of nycsubway.org:

 

 

As you can see, track 1 and 3 connect to the Lexington Avenue Local track (), south of Grand Central. Track 1 connects to the Seventh Avenue Local Track (), just north of Times Square. Track 2 is covered up and no longer used.

[King Of RedBirds]

Between the 2 Stations You could see a switch indicator and some tracks with no third rail.