IRT Pelham Line

Route map:
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

IRT Pelham Line
600V DC third rail
Route map

Legend
 Pelham Bay Park
Buhre Avenue
Middletown Road
Westchester Yard
 Westchester Square–East Tremont Avenue
Zerega Avenue
Castle Hill Avenue
Parkchester
St. Lawrence Avenue
Morrison Avenue–Soundview
Elder Avenue
Whitlock Avenue
Hunts Point Avenue
Longwood Avenue
East 149th Street
East 143rd Street–St. Mary's Street
Cypress Avenue
Brook Avenue
Third Avenue–138th Street
Jerome Avenue Line
Lexington Avenue Tunnel
Harlem River
The Bronx
Manhattan
Lexington Avenue Line
Legend
 Express station
Local station
This diagram:

The IRT Pelham Line is a

Westchester Square–East Tremont Avenue
.

History

Planning

On March 1, 1905, the Board of Rapid Transit Commissioners laid out its tentative plans for new subway routes to expand the city's first subway, which had opened on October 27, 1904. A preliminary report was released on March 9, and the final report was completed on March 30, before two further amendments were made on April 13 and May 12, 1905. On June 1, 1905, the Board adopted resolutions laying out multiple routes across the city, including Route 19, a line along Southern Boulevard and Westchester Avenue. The route was planned to begin at 138th Street and Third Avenue, with connections either with new subway lines to Manhattan, or to Route 17, a planned subway under Gerard Avenue. The three-track line would have then continued east under 138th Street to Southern Boulevard. It would then emerge as an elevated structure and continue via Southern Boulevard and Westchester Avenue to the "former village of Westchester." It was decided to have a portion of the line be constructed on an elevated structure due to the higher cost of building subways in the Bronx, whose soil was irregular and rocky. On July 14, 1905, the New York City Board of Estimate adopted resolutions approving the routes planned by the Rapid Transit Board, including for this route.[3]

On March 19, 1913, New York City, the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, and the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) reached an agreement, known as the Dual Contracts, to drastically expand subway service across New York City. As part of Contract 3 of the agreement, between New York City and the IRT, the original subway opened by the IRT in 1904 to City Hall, was to be extended north from Grand Central along Lexington Avenue into the Bronx, with a branch running northeast via 138th Street, Southern Boulevard and Westchester Avenue to Pelham Bay Park.[4][5]

Construction and opening

In November 1915, the New York Public Service Commission approved plans for the construction of Section 2 of the line, which would be its elevated section, and opened it up to bids on November 30. The contractor for the section was expected to complete work on it within eighteen months. As part of the construction of this section of the line, a new bridge would be built over the Bronx River, which would be 61 feet (19 m) above high tide. Permission to construct a bridge over the river was obtained from the federal government after marked negotiations. At the time, work on Sections 1 and 1A, between 138th Street and Park Avenue and Southern Boulevard and Whitlock Avenue, was 75 percent complete.[6]

The

Hunts Point Avenue.[9][11] The extension was originally supposed to be finished by the end of 1918, but due to the difficulty in acquiring materials, the opening was delayed. In January 1919, the Public Service Commission was acquiring property for a subway yard at Pelham Bay Park.[12]

On May 30, 1920, the Pelham Line was extended to East 177th Street.

Westchester Square,[15][9][16] and on December 20, it was extended to the western edge of Pelham Bay Park.[17][18] Service to Pelham Bay Park was served by a mix of through and shuttle trains during the 1920s.[19]

A report, "Proposed Subway Plan for Subway Relief and Expansion" by Major Philip Mathews, published on December 24, 1926, proposed a connection from the Pelham Line to a newly proposed four-track Third Avenue subway that would run to City Hall and Downtown Brooklyn.[20]

When the

East 180th Street on the IRT White Plains Road Line.[20]

Improvements

On June 6, 1946, the New York City Board of Transportation announced that a contract for the installation of signal equipment that would allow express service to run on the Pelham Line was jointly awarded to the Emerson–Garden Electric Company and L. K. Comstock & Company Incorporated for $129,516. The signals were to be installed between Third Avenue–138th Street and Parkchester.[21]

Beginning October 14, 1946, weekday rush and Saturday morning rush peak direction express service started, with Pelham Bay trains using the middle track between East 177th Street and Third Avenue–138th Street.

East 177 Street to make room for express trains to Pelham Bay Park.[23] Express service did not start until this date because of the increase in ridership from the huge Parkchester housing complex at East 177th Street.[24]

On November 8, 1947, Union Switch and Signal Company was awarded a contract for $819,375 for block signaling on the Pelham Line. This would have allowed an extension of express service from Parkchester to Pelham Bay Park.[25]

The

Westchester Square station. All of these projects would allow for quicker main line service and train movements in and out of the yard. The grade separation allowed trains to enter Westchester Yard without crossing the express track or the downtown local track and it allowed for the possibility of the extension of express service to Pelham Bay Park, which would save four more minutes.[24] The increased capacity of the yard allowed for storage of 358 additional subway cars. With the additional space, it would no longer be required to lay up trains on the middle track of the line between East 177th Street and Pelham Bay Park, and it would allow for full day express service. The construction of substations would improve voltage conditions and allow for longer trains to be operated on the line. The work was projected to cost $6,387,000 and it was projected to be completed in 1950.[23]

On August 27, 1953, the New York City Transit Authority approved a plan to lengthen trains along the Pelham Line from seven cars to eight cars during rush hours. The change took place on September 8, 1953.[26]

The 2015–2019

Westchester Square–East Tremont Avenue. Updates would include cellular service, Wi-Fi, USB charging stations, interactive service advisories and maps, improved signage, and improved station lighting.[27][28] However, in April 2018, it was announced that cost overruns had forced the MTA to reduce the number of subway stations included in the program from 33 stations to 20. The stations to be renovated on the IRT Pelham Line were among the 13 stations without funding, which will be pushed back to the 2020–2024 Capital Program.[29]

Unrealized expansion plans

As part of a 1951 plan by the New York City Board of Transportation, the capacity on the Pelham Line would have been increased.[30]

In March 1954, as part of a proposed $658 million construction program, the entire Pelham Line would have been connected to the Second Avenue Subway, with service being tripled on the Pelham Line.[31]

The IRT Pelham Line would be very easily converted to

Hunts Point Avenue one stop south.[32][33][34] This project would have helped relieve overcrowding on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line, which is the busiest line in the country.[35]

Under Phase 2 of the

1970s fiscal crisis.[38]

Extent and service

The following services use part or all of the IRT Pelham Line:[39]

Service Time period
Rush hours and middays, peak direction Other times
South of
Parkchester
 North of Parkchester
"6" train Local Local No service Local
"6" express train Express Express Local No service

Express service operates between

Parkchester and short turn there. <6> trains make all stops north of Parkchester, then run express using the center track between that station and Third Avenue–138th Street in the peak direction. At all other times, 6 trains run local on the entire line.[2]

Route description

Beginning at a junction with the

Whitlock Avenue Subway station and curves east over Westchester Avenue which runs over Sheridan Boulevard, the Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad line, and the Bronx River. The line remains over Westchester Avenue throughout the rest of its journey.[16]
: 2389 

East of

Middletown Road station. The line finally ends at Pelham Bay Park station, which contains a pedestrian bridge across Bruckner Expressway leading to the eponymous park
.

Depiction in fiction

The train that is hijacked in the novel The Taking of Pelham One Two Three by Morton Freedgood (writing as John Godey) departs from Pelham Bay Park at 1:23 pm, hence the name "Pelham 123". After the release of the 1974 film adaptation, the New York City Transit Authority banned any schedule of a train leaving this station at 1:23 am or 1:23 pm. Eventually this policy was rescinded, but due to the superstitions involved, dispatchers have continued to avoid scheduling a Manhattan-bound train to leave at 1:23.[40]

Station listing

Station service legend
Stops all times Stops all times
Stops all times except rush hours in the peak direction Stops all times except rush hours in the peak direction
Stops rush hours in the peak direction only Stops rush hours in the peak direction only
Time period details
Disabled access Station is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act
Disabled access ↑ Station is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act
in the indicated direction only
Disabled access ↓
Elevator access to mezzanine only
Neighborhood
(approximate) 		Disabled access Station Tracks Services Opened Notes
Pelham Bay Disabled access Pelham Bay Park
<6> weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction
​ 		December 20, 1920[9]
Bx12 Select Bus Service
Center Express track begins (No Regular Service to Parkchester)
Buhre Avenue local
<6> weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction
​ 		December 20, 1920[9]
Middletown Road local
<6> weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction
​ 		December 20, 1920[9]
connecting tracks to
Westchester Yard
Westchester Square Westchester Square–East Tremont Avenue local
<6> weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction
​ 		October 24, 1920[9]
Zerega Avenue local
<6> weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction
​ 		October 24, 1920[9]
Unionport Castle Hill Avenue local
<6> weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction
​ 		October 24, 1920[9]
<6> weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction
 service switches to/from center express track
Parkchester Parkchester all
<6> weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction
​ 		May 30, 1920[9]
Q44 Select Bus Service

originally Parkchester–East 177th Street
Soundview St. Lawrence Avenue local 6 all times May 30, 1920[9]
Morrison Avenue–Soundview local 6 all times May 30, 1920[9] originally Sound View Avenue, Morrison–Sound View Avenues
Elder Avenue local 6 all times May 30, 1920[9]
Longwood Whitlock Avenue local 6 all times May 30, 1920[9]
Disabled access Hunts Point Avenue all
<6> weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction
​ 		January 7, 1919[9]
Bx6 Select Bus Service
Longwood Avenue local 6 all times January 7, 1919[9]
Disabled access East 149th Street local 6 all times January 7, 1919[8]
Mott Haven East 143rd Street–St. Mary's Street local 6 all times January 7, 1919[9]
Cypress Avenue local 6 all times January 7, 1919[9]
Brook Avenue local 6 all times January 7, 1919[9]
Third Avenue–138th Street all
<6> weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction
​ 		August 1, 1918[9]
Center Express track ends
Merges with
<6> weekdays until 8:45 p.m., peak direction
​)

References

  1. ^ "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "6 Subway Timetable, Effective August 12, 2023". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  3. ^ Report of the Board of Rapid Transit Railroad Commissioners for the City of New York For The Year Ending December 31, 1905 Accompanied By Reports of the Chief Engineer and of the Auditor. Board of Rapid Transit Railroad Commissioners. 1906. pp. 9–20, 31–34.
  4. ^ "The Dual System of Rapid Transit (1912)". www.nycsubway.org. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  5. ^ "618 Miles of Track In The Dual System; City Will Have Invested $226,000,000 When Rapid Transit Project Is Completed". The New York Times. August 3, 1913. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  6. ^ "Bids Called For Two New Subway Branches". The New York Times. November 14, 1915. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  7. ^ "Opening New Subway H Shortens Distance to A. & S." Brooklyn Daily Eagle. August 1, 1918. p. 8. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d Cunningham, Joseph; DeHart, Leonard O. (1993). A History of the New York City Subway System. J. Schmidt, R. Giglio, and K. Lang. p. 48.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac. Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1922. p. 372.
  10. ^ "Opening New Subway H Shortens Distance to A. & S." Brooklyn Daily Eagle. August 1, 1918. p. 8. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  11. ^ "New Bronx Subway Extension Is Opened: Interborough Now Operating Cars to Hunt's Point Station Above 138th Street". New-York Tribune. January 9, 1919. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  12. ^ a b "New Lines In Bronx Coming This Year: Rays of Rapid Transit to be Let Into Dark Sections in the West and North" (PDF). The New York Times. January 5, 1919. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  13. ^ "Bronx Subway Extension Opened" (PDF). The New York Times. May 28, 1920. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  14. ^ Annual Report for the Year Ending June 30, 1920. Interborough Rapid Transit Company. 1920. pp. 5, 13.
  15. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved December 14, 2016.
  16. ^ a b Moodys Manual of Railroads and Corporation Securities. Moody Manual Company. 1922.
  17. ^ York, Bronx Board of Trade, New (1931). A Comprehensive General and Industrial Survey: The Bronx in the City of New York. Bronx Board of Trade. p. 27.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ "Will Open Subway to Pelham Bay Park: Service Begins To-Morrow on Four Mile Extension". New York Herald. December 19, 1920. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  19. ^ State of New York Transit Commission First Annual Report (April 25, 1921—December 31, 1921). New York State Transit Commission. 1922. pp. 73–74.
  20. ^ a b nycsubway.org—History of the Independent Subway
  21. ^ "Awards Subway Contract" (PDF). New York Times. June 7, 1946. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  22. ^ "Pelham Bay Subway Service Is Increased". The Daily Times. Mamaroneck, New York. October 15, 1946. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  23. ^
    hdl:2027/mdp.39015023094926
    .
  24. ^ a b Null(0), Tramway (October 8, 2014). "Streetcars and Spatial Analysis: Pelham Subway Line: Track Plan as of 1988". Streetcars and Spatial Analysis. Retrieved September 1, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ "Signals to Expedite Subway" (PDF). New York Times. November 9, 1947. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  26. ^ Ingalls, Leonard (August 28, 1953). "2 Subway Lines to Add Cars, Another to Speed Up Service" (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  27. ^ Whitford, Emma (January 8, 2016). "MTA Will Completely Close 30 Subway Stations For Months-Long "Revamp"". Gothamist. Archived from the original on August 1, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  28. ^ "MTAStations" (PDF). governor.ny.gov. Government of the State of New York. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  29. ISSN 0099-9660
    . Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  30. ^ "Board of Transportation - 1951". Thejoekorner.com. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  31. ^ "Improvements That Are Planned for Subways" (PDF). The New York Times. March 24, 1954. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  32. ^ a b c "Highlights of Program For Subway, Rail and Air" (PDF). The New York Times. February 29, 1968. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  33. ^ a b c "Full text of "Metropolitan transportation, a program for action. Report to Nelson A. Rockefeller, Governor of New York."". Internet Archive. November 7, 1967. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  34. ^ a b c Feinman, Mark. "The New York Transit Authority in the 1970s". nycsubway.org. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  35. hdl:2027/ien.35556030208045
    .
  36. ^ "New Line May Get Double Trackage: Transit Unit Shift on Queens Super-Express" (PDF). The New York Times. February 21, 1971. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  37. ^ Burks, Edward C. (October 24, 1973). "Work Begun on Queens Subway Extension" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  38. ISBN 978-0-82325-369-2
    .
  39. ^ "Subway Service Guide" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  40. ISBN 0-517-58445-X
    .

External links

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