1949 New York City Transit Authority Report Includes Expansion Plan and Other Service Upgrades

[Union Tpke]

The report is titled Report for the three and one-half years ending June 30, 1949. and it discusses many fascinating things.

image by spicker613, on Flickr

image-1 by spicker613, on Flickr

In 1949, the Board of Transportation issued a $504,000,000 plan to increase capacity on several subway lines through the construction of a new trunk line under Second Avenue.

The rebuilding of DeKalb Avenue that would remove the bottleneck and increase capacity by 18 tph.



IND Sixth Avenue Line express tracks between West Fourth Street and 34th Street.



A new subway line under 57th Street connecting the IND Sixth Avenue Line and the proposed Second Avenue trunk line.





A four-track Second Avenue Subway from a connection with the IRT Pelham Line at 138th Street, the Bronx, to Grand Street, Manhattan. The connection to the Pelham Line would allow for eight additional trains per hour operating between Manhattan and the Pelham Line. It would then be possible to operate 10-car trains via the line and it would also be possible to operate full express service via the line's center express track. The trains operating via Nassau Street would go to Brooklyn via the Montague Tunnel. During non-rush hours trains would terminate at Broad Street. There would be a passageway built from Grand Central via 43rd Street to Second Avenue to permit transfers.[41]

The IRT Pelham Line would be rebuilt to accommodate the wider BMT-IND cars to operate via the Second Avenue Line. The station platforms, and third rail would have had to be adjusted as they were put in place for the narrower IRT trains. However, the line was built with this conversion in mind. Westchester Yard would have been expanded to accommodate the additional trains added to the line. Since trains to the Pelham Line would no longer use the Lexington Avenue Line, there would be additional capacity for trains to run via the IRT White Plains Road Line and the IRT Jerome Avenue Line. Improved service on the Pelham Line was project to stimulate growth in the East Bronx areas served by the line. This area of the East Bronx was seen to have great potential for industrial growth and other areas suitable for development as residential and recreational areas.



An improved connection between the IRT Lexington Avenue Line and the IRT White Plains Road Line would be built using the tunnel under the Harlem River used by the IRT Pelham Line, and would allow for the full use of the capacity on the White Plains Road Line and the Jerome Avenue Line. Eight additional trains per hour would be added to the White Plains Road Line and fourteen additional trains per hour would be added to the Jerome Avenue Line. The additional service on the Jerome Avenue Line would make use of the third track for express service.



The Second Avenue Line trunk would be extended to 149th Street to allow for a transfer to the Third Avenue Elevated. This would permit the demolition of the Third Avenue Elevated south of 149th Street, which was seen as uneconomical to operate, ugly and a hinderance of the avenue below it.



Connection of the IRT Dyre Avenue Line to the IRT White Plains Road Line. The direct service was predicted to stimulate growth along its route.



Connections would be made to the BMT Nassau Street Line, the Williamsburg Bridge, and the Manhattan Bridge. The Sixth Avenue Line would also be connected to the Williamsburg and Manhattan Bridges. The connection between the Nassau Street Line and the Manhattan Bridge south tracks would be eliminated. This would allow for thirty additional trains to operate between Midtown Manhattan and Brooklyn.



The lengthening of platforms on the BMT lines in Brooklyn would increase capacity and would allow 10-car trains from Second Avenue to run over any section of the BMT and IND.



Increase in capacity on the BMT Brighton Line, BMT Sea Beach Line, BMT West End Line, and the BMT Fourth Avenue Line by 8 tph in total by adding a connection from the BMT Culver Line to the IND Culver Line at Ditmas Avenue. The additional capacity would result from the fact that trains operating via the former BMT Culver Line would not run through DeKalb Avenue Junction.



A connection between the IND Queens Boulevard Line at Queens Plaza to the BMT 60th Street Tunnel that would increase capacity between Queens and Manhattan by 20 tph. This connection would permit the full use of the capacity of the Queens Boulevard local tracks.



The construction of a ramp connecting the IND Fulton Street Line with the Fulton Street Elevated on Liberty Avenue. Six stations on the elevated would have their platforms extended to accommodate 10-car trains. This would make possible the demolition of the BMT Fulton Street Line between Grant Avenue and Rockaway Avenue and the demolition of the BMT Lexington Avenue Line.



Pages 4 – 5, 9 – 10 – new features of the R10s, R11s, R12s, and R14s are listed.

Pages 6, 11 – Platform Extensions

Page 12 – New Entrances

Pages 12 – 13 – Fulton Street Extension

Pages 7, 14 – 15 – Hillside Avenue Extension with image

Pages 7, 15 – Culver Line Connection

Pages 6, 15 – Queensborough Plaza

Page 16 – Transfer Connections

Pages 6, 17 – Westchester Yard Expansion

Pages 7, 17 – Dyre Avenue Line Flyover

Page 32 – 38 – Service improvements are listed, including the Queensboro Plaza changes, escalator additions, additional entrances like at Main Street, platform extensions, and service changes

Page 39 – There is the picture of the Euclid Avenue Interlocking Board that has 76th Street on it.

[B46 via Utica]

I'm gonna be honest I'm to lazy to read this whole thing but I kind of think that whole subway line under 57 st line isin't really going to be in any good use. That Dekalb Ave plan sounds pretty good. The more connections we have between subway lines and appropriate capacity the better.

[2Line1291]

I always felt like Lexington Ave trains should stay off White Plains Rd so the can better serve the Bronx with local and AM/PM rush hour service and Dyre Ave needs be connected to the Pelham Line or Second Ave as a or train

[MassTransitHonchkrow]

I always felt like Lexington Ave trains should stay off White Plains Rd so the can better serve the Bronx with local and AM/PM rush hour service and Dyre Ave needs be connected to the Pelham Line or Second Ave as a or train

Why not have the serve the express route during weekdays at all times?

 

Honestly, service changes are better at depicting better service than service itself.

 

If the arrives at East 180th Street, it's next stop should be 3 Av - 149 St. Instead of beginning its part time service at Nereid Avenue, start it at Wakefield - 241st St.

 

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[2Line1291]

Why not have the serve the express route during weekdays at all times?

Honestly, service changes are better at depicting better service than service itself.

If the arrives at East 180th Street, it's next stop should be 3 Av - 149 St. Instead of beginning its part time service at Nereid Avenue, start it at Wakefield - 241st St.

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you have a point although a Bronx Local starting at Gun Hill Rd and a <2> Express starting at 241st St would be ideal since demand for Manhattan West Side service along White Plains Rd is greater. Although I will say demographics along with service needs do change over so yeah.

[Trainmaster5]

You actually don't have to read the whole report to see that much of what was proposed has been done through the years. Some proposals have been modified somewhat but even the proposed 57th St connection between 6th Avenue and 2nd Avenue is there on 63rd St instead. Thanks Union Tpke for the post.

[MassTransitHonchkrow]

you have a point although a Bronx Local starting at Gun Hill Rd and a <2> Express starting at 241st St would be ideal since demand for Manhattan West Side service along White Plains Rd is greater. Although I will say demographics along with service needs do change over so yeah.

I'm concerned especially about Kings County. Allowing transit to deteriorate like this is like refusing a growing boy a proper meal.

 

The cost will amount to more than money. This is how fifty years of neglect can backfire like the ultimate karma.

 

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[Union Tpke]

You actually don't have to read the whole report to see that much of what was proposed has been done through the years. Some proposals have been modified somewhat but even the proposed 57th St connection between 6th Avenue and 2nd Avenue is there on 63rd St instead. Thanks Union Tpke for the post.

 

Your welcome.

[LTA1992]

I'm gonna be honest I'm to lazy to read this whole thing but I kind of think that whole subway line under 57 st line isin't really going to be in any good use. That Dekalb Ave plan sounds pretty good. The more connections we have between subway lines and appropriate capacity the better.

Some of this was implemented. You see the second iteration of the Christie Street connection here. What was built was the third iteration. DeKalb Avenue was also rebuilt for services that never came.

 

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[Union Tpke]

You actually don't have to read the whole report to see that much of what was proposed has been done through the years. Some proposals have been modified somewhat but even the proposed 57th St connection between 6th Avenue and 2nd Avenue is there on 63rd St instead. Thanks Union Tpke for the post.

You're welcome.

[GojiMet86]

All because of Terrapin?

[Union Tpke]

All because of Terrapin?

 

The thing is that he made a valid point. I feel really embarrassed. I am usually the one to correct other people. I had a 99.13 average in 10th Grade, and I of all people make the dumb mistake. I feel really stupid.