Dilapidated subway stations at 149th and 138th Streets on track for 'major' upgrades

[SubwayGuy]

I did find it odd that they would do through Parkchester, but leave those farther north alone (for now). When they did the line, they basically did them all simultaneously. Same thing with the although some were delayed (remember the partial station collapse at Mosholu Parkway).

 

Yeah...some of the station north of Parkchester need work bad. Pelham is probably the worst of the bunch, but Castle Hill and Zerega come to mind too. Buhre could use some new lighting...those orange lamps are very dim.

 

One of the other elevated stations that especially needs a rebuild is 242nd St.

[MikeGerald]

The walkway over the #2 and #5 tracks at the 149th Street-Grand Concourse led to an old elevator and I believe a creepy stairwell to the street. This elevator or at least its remains can be seen on the upper level #4 entrance.

 

One must understand that the #2 and #5 station and platforms at 149th Street-Grand Concourse was built first, with the #4 station coming in later. Thus the #4 platforms and station provided improved access to the station, compared to the original entrances and elevators.

 

Another thing that has to be mentioned is that the barrel vault ceiling for the #2 and #5 platforms extended the original length of the station. The station platforms were extended (toward Third Avenue) to accommodate 10-car trains. During the 1970's the middle part of the platform area where there was the barrel vault ceiling also - a platform and enclosure over the tracks was built for a master tower room by the Transit Authority. Thus the only subway station with a barrel vault ceiling in the Bronx was erased from existence. While walking along the platforms - one can see the difference in the columns to detect where the over-head platform was built, and the extension of the station. The only remaining section of the barrel vault ceiling is the front section with the no longer functioning elevators and the no longer accessible walkway over the tracks.

 

The station has a great deal of history, as well as concessions to the needs of the present.

 

Mike

[mark1447]

Both Jerome and Pelham.

 

And White Plains Road Level of Mott.

[PATCOman]

The walkway over the #2 and #5 tracks at the 149th Street-Grand Concourse led to an old elevator and I believe a creepy stairwell to the street. This elevator or at least its remains can be seen on the upper level #4 entrance.

 

One must understand that the #2 and #5 station and platforms at 149th Street-Grand Concourse was built first, with the #4 station coming in later. Thus the #4 platforms and station provided improved access to the station, compared to the original entrances and elevators.

 

Another thing that has to be mentioned is that the barrel vault ceiling for the #2 and #5 platforms extended the original length of the station. The station platforms were extended (toward Third Avenue) to accommodate 10-car trains. During the 1970's the middle part of the platform area where there was the barrel vault ceiling also - a platform and enclosure over the tracks was built for a master tower room by the Transit Authority. Thus the only subway station with a barrel vault ceiling in the Bronx was erased from existence. While walking along the platforms - one can see the difference in the columns to detect where the over-head platform was built, and the extension of the station. The only remaining section of the barrel vault ceiling is the front section with the no longer functioning elevators and the no longer accessible walkway over the tracks.

 

The station has a great deal of history, as well as concessions to the needs of the present.

 

Mike

 

I heard somewhere that 149 Street- GC lower level looked like the 168 Street on the

[MikeGerald]

Yes, that IS what I explained in a previous message.

 

Mike

[Trainmaster5]

The walkway over the #2 and #5 tracks at the 149th Street-Grand Concourse led to an old elevator and I believe a creepy stairwell to the street. This elevator or at least its remains can be seen on the upper level #4 entrance.

 

One must understand that the #2 and #5 station and platforms at 149th Street-Grand Concourse was built first, with the #4 station coming in later. Thus the #4 platforms and station provided improved access to the station, compared to the original entrances and elevators.

 

Another thing that has to be mentioned is that the barrel vault ceiling for the #2 and #5 platforms extended the original length of the station. The station platforms were extended (toward Third Avenue) to accommodate 10-car trains. During the 1970's the middle part of the platform area where there was the barrel vault ceiling also - a platform and enclosure over the tracks was built for a master tower room by the Transit Authority. Thus the only subway station with a barrel vault ceiling in the Bronx was erased from existence. While walking along the platforms - one can see the difference in the columns to detect where the over-head platform was built, and the extension of the station. The only remaining section of the barrel vault ceiling is the front section with the no longer functioning elevators and the no longer accessible walkway over the tracks.

 

The station has a great deal of history, as well as concessions to the needs of the present.

 

Mike

 

There's definitely a lot of history within the Mott Ave station limits and it's surroundings. At the S end of the station, where the punch for the Lex-7th Ave split is, supposedly stands the original tower for s/b service. It's built into the wall as the curve begins for Lex service. There's also one ( a cutout built in the wall) where the s/b crosses the n/b tracks at Lenox junction at 142nd St in Harlem. That's best viewed from the first car of n/b and trains where the tracks cross each other. I remember the OOS elevators at 149th St-GC but I also remember a sign(s) in the station saying New York Central somewhere on the upper level or mezzanine although I don't know where the railroad stopped in that area. I do remember a cafeteria near the s/w corner to the station opposite from where Hostos College is now located. Obviously with the Bronx GPO located upstairs that must have been a very busy location aside from the transfer points. Believe it or not I hadn't actually explored the area upstairs from Morris(?) Ave to the 145th St Bridge since BEFORE the hospital was built until about 2005-6. I can only imagine the changes a resident of the area of the area has seen in the station and the surrounding neighborhood.

[MikeGerald]

Yes, you are right the tower that used to control the switches was located at the front of the downtown platform just as the platform curves for a switch for the #5 train. The tower office used to be lit up and manned a very long time ago.

 

When I was a kid living in the South Bronx, I visited those stations, and the Third Avenue El - all before the changes. Sometimes it is hard to remember exactly what happened then all the time. It is interesting to think about some of the facilities that were built for staff (towers, subway token booths) that were kind of crammed into various spaces - due to function, etc. I used to remember seeing a tower room somewhere near the middle of the Rogers Avenue Junction on the #2, #3, #4 and #5 lines in Brooklyn - but that was years ago.

 

Mike

[Trainmaster5]

Yes, you are right the tower that used to control the switches was located at the front of the downtown platform just as the platform curves for a switch for the #5 train. The tower office used to be lit up and manned a very long time ago.

 

When I was a kid living in the South Bronx, I visited those stations, and the Third Avenue El - all before the changes. Sometimes it is hard to remember exactly what happened then all the time. It is interesting to think about some of the facilities that were built for staff (towers, subway token booths) that were kind of crammed into various spaces - due to function, etc. I used to remember seeing a tower room somewhere near the middle of the Rogers Avenue Junction on the #2, #3, #4 and #5 lines in Brooklyn - but that was years ago.

 

Mike

The tower at Nostrand Junction, s/b, was located at the switches on the left hand side of the s/b express track. If your marker lights were unlit or incorrect the tower operator would keep the interlocking signals at danger until you identified who you were and your destination. Back in the day the tower operator worked with the ATD located in the office at the south end of Franklin Ave. That tower's functions were deemed redundant when operation of the junction was transferred to the newer Utica tower located at the entrance to the Utica Ave station. The towers at track level at Utica Ave were also closed at that time and everything transferred to the new tower's control. The newer Utica tower also took over the functions of towers at Brooklyn Museum, President St, Church Ave, and had part-time control of the Flatbush Ave terminal. Today RCC controls all of them in Brooklyn on the IRT and may, since my retirement, control 149th St-GC also. I know they controlled Grand Central , Times Square, and South Ferry when I left. BTW I wonder how they plan to eliminate the rodent population at 149th-GC. If they were included in the last census the Bronx would have at least 1 million more inhabitants, LOL. Just my recollections though. Carry on.

[Princelex]

I did find it odd that they would do through Parkchester, but leave those farther north alone (for now). When they did the line, they basically did them all simultaneously. Same thing with the although some were delayed (remember the partial station collapse at Mosholu Parkway).

Oh yeah I remember hearing about that! You are absolutely right about how odd it is how the is working with the stations on the . They are almost done with the St Lawerence and Elder Ave stations and I sure hope to God that they start working on the stations north of Parkchester very soon cause them stations are in an awfully crappy state, with the exception of Westchester Sq. Time will tell what will happen.

[pelhamlocal]

NNNOOOO!!! NOT E.149-GRAND CONCOURSE, THAT'S THE SUBWAY'S GRAFFITI HALL OF FAME INCLUDING THE IMFAMOUS WRITERS BENCH!!! THE MTA EVEN MADE A SPECIAL PLACK DEDICATED TO THE GRAFF WRITERS!!!!:cry::cry::cry::cry::cry: Here's proof

[R68 Subway Car]

...and while they are at it, they can repair the Sea Beach Line, which is a bigger dump.

[overclocked]

...and while they are at it, they can repair the Sea Beach Line, which is a bigger dump.

 

They will

 

Ten rehabilitations: nine stations on the Sea Beach line and the Smith-9th St station on the Culver line, all in Brooklyn

 

29 renewals: Four stations on the Pelham line in the Bronx along with 25 other stations to be identified based on a high concentration of major components in need of repair as indicated by the station condition data

 

Component projects: $496 million to focus on repair or replacement of individual components rated 4.0 or worse at approximately 130 stations systemwide

[TwoTimer]

The tower at Nostrand Junction, s/b, was located at the switches on the left hand side of the s/b express track. If your marker lights were unlit or incorrect the tower operator would keep the interlocking signals at danger until you identified who you were and your destination. Back in the day the tower operator worked with the ATD located in the office at the south end of Franklin Ave. That tower's functions were deemed redundant when operation of the junction was transferred to the newer Utica tower located at the entrance to the Utica Ave station. The towers at track level at Utica Ave were also closed at that time and everything transferred to the new tower's control. The newer Utica tower also took over the functions of towers at Brooklyn Museum, President St, Church Ave, and had part-time control of the Flatbush Ave terminal. Today RCC controls all of them in Brooklyn on the IRT and may, since my retirement, control 149th St-GC also. I know they controlled Grand Central , Times Square, and South Ferry when I left. BTW I wonder how they plan to eliminate the rodent population at 149th-GC. If they were included in the last census the Bronx would have at least 1 million more inhabitants, LOL. Just my recollections though. Carry on.

 

RCC controls all points south of 3Av-149th. ATS is functional all the way into E180th station now (2/3 tracks, M track no), although Jackson Av interlocking (and the ones south of E180) is still locally controlled for the express service. The T/D at 149-GC can still do moves through ATS when things get hairy, and often does.

 

Those four stations on the Pelham Line are probably Buhre, Middletown, Zerega and Castle Hill. Westchester Sq as mentioned earlier is in decent shape, and Pelham has its issues too, but is in better shape than its counterparts further south. I expect to see annoying GO's in the area soon, as those stations north of Parkchester do have decent ridership and unlike the groups farther south, have rather fragmented underlying bus service and not as frequent train service.

[cotb16]

RCC controls all points south of 3Av-149th. ATS is functional all the way into E180th station now (2/3 tracks, M track no), although Jackson Av interlocking (and the ones south of E180) is still locally controlled for the express service. The T/D at 149-GC can still do moves through ATS when things get hairy, and often does.

 

Those four stations on the Pelham Line are probably Buhre, Middletown, Zerega and Castle Hill. Westchester Sq as mentioned earlier is in decent shape, and Pelham has its issues too, but is in better shape than its counterparts further south. I expect to see annoying GO's in the area soon, as those stations north of Parkchester do have decent ridership and unlike the groups farther south, have rather fragmented underlying bus service and not as frequent train service.

 

Westchester Square was already renovated in the late 1990s.

[mark1447]

Chambers Street on the BMT Nassau needs some redo. That place looks like its about to collapse.......

 

And maybe the 42nd Street platform at TSQ. While it may not need it, it would help complete the darn renovation project at TSQ, which is about 90% complete.

[TwoTimer]

Westchester Square was already renovated in the late 1990s.

 

I remember that, things on the Pelham line will look how the southern end of the WP line, with intervale the one left over (west sq in this case)