Sutphin Boulevard station (IND Queens Boulevard Line)

Coordinates: 40°42′21″N 73°48′35″W / 40.705726°N 73.809714°W / 40.705726; -73.809714
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 Sutphin Blvd
 
Q40
StructureUnderground
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks4
Other information
OpenedApril 24, 1937 (87 years ago) (1937-04-24)[2]
Opposite-
direction
transfer		Yes
Traffic
20235,941,974[3] Increase 24.6%
Rank35 out of 423[3]
Services
Preceding station New York City Subway New York City Subway Following station
<F> two rush hour trains, peak direction
toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue
Local
<F> two rush hour trains, peak direction
toward Jamaica–179th Street
Location
Sutphin Boulevard station (IND Queens Boulevard Line) is located in New York City Subway
Sutphin Boulevard station (IND Queens Boulevard Line)
Sutphin Boulevard station (IND Queens Boulevard Line) is located in New York City
Sutphin Boulevard station (IND Queens Boulevard Line)
Sutphin Boulevard station (IND Queens Boulevard Line) is located in New York
Sutphin Boulevard station (IND Queens Boulevard Line)
Track layout

Legend
to Parsons Boulevard
to Briarwood
Street map

Map

Station service legend
Symbol Description
Stops all times Stops all times
Stops rush hours in the peak direction only (limited service) Stops rush hours in the peak direction only (limited service)

The Sutphin Boulevard station is a local

Jamaica–179th Street during p.m. rush hours.[5]

A red-painted arrow at the station directing riders to the Long Island Rail Road

This station opened on April 24, 1937 as part of an extension of the Independent Subway System's Queens Boulevard Line. In 1953, the platforms at the station were extended to accommodate 11-car trains. Ridership at this station decreased sharply after the opening of the Archer Avenue lines in 1988. This had been the closest subway station to the Long Island Rail Road's Jamaica station after the removal of a portion of the Jamaica Elevated in 1977.

History

Construction

The

cut-and-cover tunneling method, and to allow pedestrians to cross, temporary bridges were built over the trenches.[13]

The first section of the line opened on August 19, 1933 from the connection to the Eighth Avenue Line at

Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights.[14] Later that year, a $23 million loan was approved to finance the remainder of the line, along with other IND lines.[15] The remainder of the line was built by the Public Works Administration.[16] In summer 1933 work on this station and 169th Street were completed, far ahead of schedule.[12] In 1934 and 1935, construction of the extension to Jamaica was suspended for 15 months and was halted by strikes.[17] Construction was further delayed due to a strike in 1935, instigated by electricians opposing wages paid by the General Railway Signal Company.[18]

In August 1936, tracks were installed all the way to 178th Street, and the stations to Union Turnpike were completed. The stops to the east, including Sutphin Boulevard, still needed to be tiled and did not have stairways, turnstiles and lighting installed.

Kew Gardens opened on December 31, 1936.[21] In March 1937, the extension to 169th Street was expected to be opened on May 1, requiring work to be finished by April 3, and fully approved and tested by April 20. As of this point, minor station work remained, including the installation of light bulbs, with the only major work left to be completed being the final 200 feet (61 m) of track in the 169th Street terminal.[20]

Opening

On April 9, 1937, Mayor

Fiorello La Guardia announced that the operation of the $14.4 million extension to Jamaica and express service would begin on April 24.[22][23] The extension to Hillside Avenue and 178th Street, with a terminal station at 169th Street, opened as planned on April 24, 1937.[24][2][25] Service was initially provided by E trains, which began making express stops from 71st–Continental Avenues to Queens Plaza during rush hours on the same date, and by EE local trains during non-rush hours. The express service operated between approximately 6:30 and 10:30 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.,[16][26] and ran every three to five minutes.[27] This extension was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Parsons Boulevard station and with a parade along Hillside Avenue.[28] On December 15, 1940, F trains began running via the newly opened IND Sixth Avenue Line and along the Queens Boulevard Line's express tracks; they skipped the Sutphin Boulevard station.[29]

Changes

In 1953, the platforms at six Queens Boulevard Line stations, including Sutphin Boulevard, were lengthened to allow eleven-car trains. Originally, service was provided with ten-car trains.[a][31] The New York City Board of Transportation had announced plans in November 1949 to spend $325,000 extending platforms at several IND stations, including 75th Avenue, to accommodate 11-car trains;[32][33] the bid for the project went out in 1951.[34] The project was estimated to be completed in 18 months.[35] The lengthened trains began running during rush hour on September 8, 1953. Eleven-car trains would only operate on weekdays.[36]: 37–38  The extra car increased the total carrying capacity by 4,000 passengers. The lengthening project cost $400,000.[31] The operation of eleven-car trains ended in 1958 because of operational difficulties. The signal blocks, especially in Manhattan, were too short to accommodate the longer trains, and the motormen had a very small margin of error to properly platform the train. It was found that operating ten-car trains allowed for two additional trains per hour to be scheduled.[37]

Until the opening of the Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue station on the Archer Avenue lines on December 11, 1988,[38] this was the closest subway station to the Long Island Rail Road's Jamaica station.[39] The opening of the Archer Avenue lines was expected to severely lessen congestion at the Sutphin Boulevard, Parsons Boulevard, and 169th Street stations. Ridership checks conducted before and after the opening of the new line showed that ridership at this station, between 5 and 10 a.m. on weekdays, decreased from 7,282 riders to 2,610 riders, a 64% decrease.[40]

In conjunction with the opening of the Archer Avenue lines, service patterns were changed. E trains were rerouted via the new line, running to

Jamaica Center, via the Queens Boulevard Line's express tracks, and began running express east of 71st Avenue.[41][42] Some E trains continued to run from 179th Street as expresses during the morning rush hour.[43]: 9–10  Service at local stations, such as Sutphin Boulevard, was replaced by the R, which was extended to 179th Street from Continental Avenue. The R extension allowed F trains to continue running express to 179th Street.[44][45] The changes in subway service angered riders at local stations east of 71st Avenue because they lost direct Queens Boulevard Express service. Local elected officials pressured the MTA to eliminate all-local service at these stations.[46] On September 30, 1990, the R was cut back to 71st Avenue outside of rush hours. Local service to 179th Street was replaced by F trains, which provided Queens Boulevard Express service, during middays, evenings, and weekends, and local G service during late nights.[47] In 1992, the MTA decided to have F trains run local east of 71st Avenue on a six-month trial basis to replace R service, which would be cut back to 71st Avenue at all times.[48] The test started on October 26, 1992 and was implemented on a permanent basis six months later, eliminating express service along Hillside Avenue.[49][46]

In 2003,

High-Entry/Exit Turnstiles to help cut the MTA's $1 billion deficit. The closure of booths began in August 2003.[51] The station's part-time token booth at 144th Street was closed on August 17, 2003,[52] and automatic entrance to the 144th Street exits was provided at all times.[53]

Station layout

Ground Street level Exit/entrance
Mezzanine Fare control, station agent, MetroCard machines
Platform level Side platform
Southbound local ← "F" train"F" express train toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue (Briarwood)
Southbound express ← "E" train does not stop here (select rush hour trips)
Northbound express → "E" train does not stop here (select rush hour trips) →
Northbound local → "E" train toward Jamaica–179th Street (two p.m. rush hour trips) (Parsons Boulevard) →
→ "F" train "F" express train toward Jamaica–179th Street (Parsons Boulevard) →
Side platform

This underground station has four tracks and two

Jamaica–179th Street.[55] Some of the black columns separating the local and express tracks have white signs reading "Sutphin" in black lettering.[58]

Both platforms have a yellow trim line with a black border and mosaic name tablets reading "SUTPHIN BLVD." in white

Briarwood, the only other local station between Union Turnpike and Parsons Boulevard.[61][62] Small "SUTPHIN" and directional tile captions run below the trim line and name tablets.[63]

Blue I-beam columns run along both platforms at regular intervals with alternating ones having the standard black station name plate in white lettering.

mezzanine above the platforms and tracks supported by blue I-beam columns, and allows for free crossovers between directions.[66]

The tunnel is covered by a U-shaped trough that contains utility pipes and wires. The outer walls of this trough are composed of columns, spaced approximately every 5 feet (1.5 m) with concrete infill between them. There is a 1-inch (25 mm) gap between the tunnel wall and the platform wall, which is made of 4-inch (100 mm)-thick brick covered over by a tiled finish. The columns between the tracks are also spaced every 5 feet (1.5 m), with no infill.[65]: 3 

144th Street stair

Exits

The main

High Entry-Exit Turnstile, and a high exit-only turnstile.[54] Two stairs ascend to either southern corner of the T-intersection of Sutphin Boulevard and Hillside Avenue, and the other to the northwest corner of 148th Street and Hillside Avenue.[54][68] On the opposite side of the full-time turnstile bank, there was an unstaffed fare control area that has a single staircase going down to each platform and is now gated off. The staircase to the Manhattan-bound platform is closed (directional mosaic signs still exist),[69] but the one to the 179th Street-bound platform remains open and has an exit-only turnstile.[70]

The other fare control area at the station's west end is unstaffed, containing just full-height turnstiles;[71] in 2007, this fare control area contained two High Entry-Exit Turnstiles and two high exit-only turnstiles.[54] There are two street stairs going up to the southwest and northeast corners of 144th Street and Hillside Avenue.[54][68] Its part-time token booth was removed in 2003.[52]

In popular culture

In the movie Coming to America, Eddie Murphy's character, Akeem, tries to persuade his love interest to marry him and go to Zamunda, a fictional kingdom in Africa. He follows her onto a New York City Subway train. When the train stops, she tells him "no" and gets off. Akeem stays on, dejected, and as the train leaves the station, "Sutphin" can be seen on the wall tiles.[72]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The subway cars on the IND were built to be 60 feet (18.3 m) long. These cars typically operated in 10-car trains, with an entire train length being 600 feet (182.9 m). When platforms at stations such as Sutphin Boulevard were lengthened to accommodate 11-car trains, the platforms had to be extended an additional car length, or 60 feet (18.3 m), making the platform at least 660 feet (201.2 m) long.[30]: 185 

References

  1. ^ "Glossary". Second Avenue Subway Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) (PDF). Vol. 1. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 4, 2003. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "New Subway Link to Jamaica Opened; La Guardia, City Officials and Civic Groups Make Trial Run on 10-Car Train". The New York Times. April 25, 1937. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  4. ^ "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  5. ^ "6:40 PM - 7:28 PM Jamaica-179 St – OpenMobilityData". transitfeeds.com. August 10, 2021. Archived from the original on August 10, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  6. ^ See:
  7. ^ "Queens Lauded as Best Boro By Chamber Chief". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. September 23, 1929. p. 40. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  8. ISSN 0362-4331
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  9. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  10. ^ "178th Street Subway Stop Now Assured. Place Is Designated for Station by Transportation Board" (PDF). Long Island Daily Press. December 1, 1930. p. 1. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  11. ProQuest 1114650593
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  12. ^ a b "New Subway to Jamaica Ahead of Schedule Time". New York Daily News. September 17, 1933. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  13. ISBN 978-0-7385-9785-0
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  14. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  15. The New York Sun
    . December 13, 1933. p. 47. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  16. ^ a b "Trains Testing Jamaica Link Of City Subway". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 10, 1937. p. 3. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  17. ^ a b Neufeld, Ernest (August 23, 1936). "Men Toil Under Earth to Build Subway" (PDF). Long Island Daily Press. p. 2 (Section 2). Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  18. ^ See:
  19. ^ Neufeld, Ernest (August 23, 1936). "Men Toil Under Earth to Build Subway" (PDF). Long Island Daily Press. p. 2 (Section 2). Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  20. ^ a b "Two Crews Rush to Finish Last 200 Feet of Subwav: Work Must End April 3 to Allow Time for Tests" (PDF). Long Island Daily Press. March 19, 1937. p. 1. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  21. ISSN 0362-4331
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  22. ISSN 0362-4331
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  23. ProQuest 1267763254
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  24. ISBN 978-0-915276-50-9
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  26. ^ "Jamaica Will Greet Subway" (PDF). The New York Sun. April 23, 1937. p. 8. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  27. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  28. ^ "LaGuardia Heads Speakers Marking Subway Opening Ceremonies Planned Saturday Celebrating Hillside Avenue Extension" (PDF). North Shore Daily Journal. April 23, 2017. p. 3. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  29. ^ See:
  30. ISBN 9780801879227
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  31. ^
    ISSN 0362-4331
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  32. ISSN 0362-4331
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  33. ProQuest 1325174459
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  34. ^ Proceedings of the New York City Board of Transportation. New York City Board of Transportation. 1951. pp. 53, 145, 255.
  35. ^ Noonan, Dan (March 6, 1951). "Transit Board To Add 1 Car to Fulton St. IND Trains. 11-Car Units Will Ease Rush Hour Jam In Boro". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  36. ^ Report. New York City Transit Authority. 1953.
  37. ^ "16-Point Plan Can Give Boro Relief Now". Long Island Star–Journal. August 10, 1962. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  38. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved July 5, 2009.
  39. ^ Cox, Jeremiah (January 3, 2012). "Painted text still says To L.I.R.R. this was the closest IND station to it until the Archer Avenue extension in 1988". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  40. ^ * "New York City Transit Authority Committee Agenda February 1989". Flickr. New York City Transit Authority. February 17, 1989. p. K-1. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  41. ISSN 0362-4331
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  42. Urban Mass Transit Administration
    . May 1990. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
  43. ^ Archer Avenue Corridor Transit Service Proposal. New York City Transit Authority, Operations Planning Department. August 1988.
  44. ^ Polsky, Carol (December 11, 1988). "New Subway Line Finally Rolling Through Queens". Newsday.
  45. ^ "Archer Avenue Extension Opens December 11". Welcome Aboard: Newsletter of the New York City Transit Authority. 1 (4). New York City Transit Authority: 1. 1988.
  46. ^ a b "Service Change Monitoring Report Six Month Evaluation of F/R Queens Boulevard Line Route Restructure" (PDF). www.laguardiawagnerarchive.lagcc.cuny.edu. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 1993. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  47. ^ "Service Changes September 30, 1990" (PDF). subwaynut.com. New York City Transit Authority. September 30, 1990. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  48. ^ "Van Wyck Blvd Station" (PDF). www.laguardiawagnerarchive.lagcc.cuny.edu. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 1992. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  49. ^ "October 1992 New York City Subway Map". Flickr. New York City Transit Authority. October 1992. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  50. ^ "An Examination of the Finances of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority April 2003" (PDF). Office of the State Deputy Comptroller for the City of New York. April 2003. p. 35. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  51. ^ Newman, Philip (August 6, 2003). "Closing of token booths draws near for borough". Queens Courier. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  52. ^ a b Newman, Philip (August 13, 2003). "MTA to close token booths at 9 boro sites". Queens Courier. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  53. ^ Markowitz, Michael (February 24, 2003). "Token Booth Closings". Gotham Gazette. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  54. ^ a b c d e "Chapter 17: Transit and Pedestrians". Jamaica Rezoning Final Environmental Impact Statement (PDF). New York City Department of City Planning. 2007. p. 17.4. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  55. ^
    OCLC 49777633 – via Google Books
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  58. ^ Cox, Jeremiah (June 2, 2008). "A small, original 'Sutphin' sign along the pillars between the express and local tracks at Sutphin Blvd". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  59. ^ Cox, Jeremiah (June 2, 2008). "A name tablet at Sutphin Blvd with the arrowed tiling for 144th St underneath it". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  60. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived
    from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  61. ^ Carlson, Jen (February 18, 2016). "Map: These Color Tiles In The Subway System Used To Mean Something". Gothamist. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  62. ^ Gleason, Will (February 18, 2016). "The hidden meaning behind the New York subway's colored tiles". Time Out New York. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  63. ^ a b Cox, Jeremiah (June 2, 2008). "A view down the Manhattan bound platform at Sutphin Blvd". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  64. ^ Cox, Jeremiah (June 2, 2008). "The very western end of the platform at Sutphin Blvd, there are couple of columns that have tiling around them". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  65. ^ a b "New York MPS Elmhurst Avenue Subway Station (IND)". Records of the National Park Service, 1785 - 2006, Series: National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records, 2013 - 2017, Box: National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records: New York, ID: 05000672. National Archives.
  66. ^ Cox, Jeremiah (January 3, 2012). "The turnstiles at the opposite end of the overpass are barely visible". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  67. ^ Cox, Jeremiah (February 9, 2004). "Looking out the doors of a train stopped at Sutphin Blvd with name tablet visible as well as a staircase up to the mezzanine toward the exit at Sutphin Blvd". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  68. ^ a b "Sutphin Boulevard Neighborhood Map" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  69. ^ Cox, Jeremiah (January 3, 2012). "The former secondary staircase to the end of the Brooklyn & Manhattan platform". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  70. ^ Cox, Jeremiah (January 3, 2012). "The high exit turnstile with a single staircase to the front of the 179 Street-bound platform". Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  71. ^ Cox, Jeremiah (January 3, 2012). "The high turnstiles at the 144 Street end of the station". subwaynut.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  72. ^ Schreil, Cristina (June 24, 2015). "Coming To America". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved April 28, 2016.

External links

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