IRT Intricacies 5: South Ferry

South Ferry outer loop platform

So far, I’ve covered abandoned stations from the original 1904 IRT subway line. Soon after the 1904 opening of the IRT, large expansions were made to the system. The South Ferry loop station opened in 1905, constructed as a part of Contract 2. (Contract 2 extended the IRT south from City Hall, through the new Joralemon St Tunnel under the East River, and to the Atlantic Terminal at Atlantic Ave/Flatbush Ave in Brooklyn. The C2 construction was completed in 1908.) At that time, the loop tracks were connected only to the IRT Lexington Ave line at Bowling Green, and only the outer loop platform had been constructed. Southbound trains not headed to Brooklyn could instead turn back north here. The outer loop platform was built at 5-car length, like most other original IRT local stations. However, like the City Hall loop, it was never extended to full length due to the impracticability of doing so.

South Ferry inner loop platform

Since the opening of the Atlantic Terminal in 1908, many trains were regularly sent to the Bowling Green loop instead of continuing to Brooklyn, despite high demand in Brooklyn. In response, a third track was built at Bowling Green, along with a 2-car-length platform, and the inner loop platform at South Ferry was constructed. When the Dual Contracts expansion of the IRT system was opened in 1918, the new platforms were placed into service for the Bowling Green shuttle.

Additionally, as part of the dual contracts construction, the IRT 7th Ave line—which would extend south to South Ferry—was built starting in 1914 and completed in 1918. This created the connection that the (1) train currently utilizes. Trains from 7th Ave would always utilize the outer loop track and platform, while the Bowling Green shuttle and trains from Lex used the inner loop track.

The Bowling Green station was long plagued by overcrowding, and in 1972, the MTA rehabilitated the station and built a new side platform for the northbound track to address the problem. It was at this time that the ‘70s style orange tiles were installed. All of the MTA stations built and rehabilitated during this time received a “fresh” treatment with these ugly-but-intriguing tiles.

Bowling Green, as seen from abandoned shuttle platform

As the fiscal crisis hit the city during this time, Bowling Green shuttle service was cut to help reduce the MTA’s operating deficit (despite the fact that the platform had just received the same fresh tile treatment), and the Bowling Green shuttle and South Ferry inner loop platforms were abandoned.

After 9/11, the city received recovery funds from the federal government for rebuilding destroyed subway lines, and some of this was dedicated towards a new South Ferry station project. The project ended up costing $530 million, and included building an entirely new South Ferry station complex. The project would increase the hourly train capacity of the (1) line, as well as make the platforms full 10 car length and give the MTA’s 21st century station look to South Ferry.

Newer tracks leading to new South Ferry station

With the completion of construction of the new South Ferry, the South Ferry loop was officially abandoned in 2009. However, a few short years later in 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit the city. Storm surge flooding caused the entire new South Ferry station complex to flood, along with most of the under-river tunnels. South Ferry was damaged so severely that the new station was completely shut down, and (1) service terminated at Rector St for around 8 months. During this time, the old South Ferry loop station was rehabilitated and opened for full time service again, as it was not damaged nearly as badly as the new station.

The old South Ferry loop stayed in service for a few more years while the new station complex was reconstructed and rehabilitated. The loop station was officially abandoned again in 2017, with the second opening of the new South Ferry station.

Today, the old loop station has collected quite a bit of dust, but remains lit and looking very much the same as when it was first closed. I personally love the architecture of this station, and it’s a shame they couldn’t have replicated some of the artwork from the old station in the new station. It’s always nice to visit this place.

IRT Intricacies 4: 91st St

From 18th St, our journey takes a turn northwest up to the Upper West Side. Here, still on the original IRT Subway line, lies the 91st St station. In service from the original opening of the IRT in 1904, the 91st St station was a local station on the IRT Broadway line until it was removed from service in 1959. Like 18th St and Worth St, 91st St was closed after the systemwide platform lengthening project, as it comes within close proximity of the full length 86th St and 96th St platforms (especially 96th, which ends close to 93rd St). Today, the 91st St station sits collecting dust, with most of the original tile work under several coats of spray paint.

SSG 20: The Conclusion

To start off, I really enjoy doing these longer “series” posts, and will continue this style of posting. I didn’t really know where I was going with this when I posted the first Second System Gem (S 4th St aka Underbelly), but I like how it turned out. Below, I am showing photos of some honorable mentions and my favorites from the series.

This series covered every provision that I know of in the existing system that was included in the IND Second System plans of the late 1920s and the 1930s. The Second System would have doubled the size of the NYC Subway, serving transit-desert neighborhoods and feeding the capacity of the First System.

The major lines of the Second System plans that I covered were the 2nd Ave line, 63rd St line and Boston Road line; the Lafayette Ave line; Worth St, S 4th St, Utica Ave, and Myrtle Ave lines; the Pitkin Ave line; the World’s Fair line, Queens Blvd super-express and Rockaway lines, Archer Ave/Rockaway line, and Hillside Ave line.

1939 IND Second System plan (including existing track)

One such provision in the 63rd St tunnel, sometimes called a “bellmouth”

Almost the entire Second System plan was abandoned, so “provisions” (for easy extensions of lines) that were built in anticipation of the Second System construction sit throughout the IND system collecting dust. Most of the plans of the Second System were dropped during the Great Depression, and they never regained momentum due to World War II (shortage of labor and funds), the Robert Moses era (focus shifted from trains to cars), and the White Flight of the 50s and 60s (people left the city and took their money with them). However, some plans were preserved and constructed, or are in progress.

In the 60s, the Chrystie St connection was constructed, which expanded the capacity of the 6th Ave line, and connected it to the BMT in Brooklyn. It opened in 1967, and in 1968, the Program for Action was proposed, which set in motion the construction of the 63rd St tunnel, 2nd Avenue Subway (SAS), and Archer Ave extension, with the 63rd St tunnel/Chrystie St connection utilizing the additional capacity to feed the QBL (Queens Blvd Line).

As the ‘70s rolled around, the Transit Authority (TA) was ready to finally begin construction on the 63rd St tunnel, Second Avenue Subway, and Archer Ave extension. Ground was broken for the 63rd St tunnel in late 1969, in Queensbridge Park. In 1972, ground was broken for SAS, and soon thereafter in 1973, ground was broken for the Archer Ave extension.

Completed SAS segment from the ‘70s

Unfortunately, things soon took a turn for the worse. When the fiscal crisis hit the city in early 1975, the timeline for every line was pushed back. A stop work order was issued for one section of SAS being constructed (from 2nd St-9th St), and the other three portions that had been completed were sealed (Chatham Sq-Canal St, 99th-105th St, and 110th-120th St). Construction on the 63rd St tunnel and the Archer Ave extension continued, but the projects were delayed significantly due to the city’s financial constraints.

Finally, in 1988, the Archer Ave extension opened after being plagued with problems and delays for years. The 63rd St tunnel opened soon after, in 1989. However, more than half of the 63rd St tunnel would go unused for decades, and the capacity of the F line T1/2 tunnel was not fully utilized until the connection between 21st St—Queensbridge and the Queens Blvd Line at Northern Blvd was completed in 2001. (The capacity of the G3/4 tunnel was not utilized until SAS Phase I was completed in 2016.)

7 extension south of 34th St

In 2002, plans were submitted by the MTA for an LIRR connection to Grand Central—East Side Access—utilizing the lower level of the 63rd St tunnel as originally planned. In 2004, the MTA submitted a large proposal for a full length SAS completed in four phases. Then, in 2005, a proposal was submitted for an extension of the 7 line to 34th St—Hudson Yards as a part of the proposal for the development of Hell’s Kitchen in the area around the LIRR West Side Yard. These projects are the only significant expansion projects that have been proposed and gained traction in the past 30 years—and they probably will continue to be the only ones. Expansion projects in the 21st century follow the money. The 7 extension was only built because NYC wanted to host the 2012 Summer Olympics, and because billionaire developers wanted to build a massive project in the area. The Second System plans other than SAS all serve neighborhoods with no major redevelopment plans, so they will probably not be revived anytime soon.

Construction on SAS Phase I and East Side Access started soon after the approval, and SAS Phase I was completed at the end of 2016. East Side Access is near complete as of the time I’m writing this, and is projected to open in 2022. SAS Phase II is but a possibility at this point (until the money comes in) and I can’t imagine Phases III-IV happening anytime in the next 50 years. I dare the NY government to prove me wrong :)

SSG 19: SAS--To Phase II, and Beyond

My previous Second System Gems post gave some history on the Second Avenue Subway (SAS)—one of the most notable IND Second System plans—focusing on the plans and construction progress of the twentieth century. This post will focus on the more recent progress on the line (Phase I, completed in 2016, and the subsequent planned phases).

Proposed SAS route after all phases are complete

Proposed SAS route after all phases are complete

At the turn of the millennium, it had been over 70 years since SAS had first been planned. The plans had been set aside for decades due to a lack of funds for capital projects, but pressure from the public finally started to have an effect. By 2001, preliminary plans were drawn for a full length SAS, to be built in four phases. Phase I, to be completed in 2012, would begin at Lexington Av-63rd St, utilizing the unused half of that station and the 63rd St tunnel (which was built with SAS in mind) to feed SAS. It would then turn north up 2nd Ave, with new stations at 72nd, 86th, and 96th St. The tracks would continue north of 96th St to around 104th St, connecting to one of the ‘70s era tunnels, which had been constructed between 99th and 105th St. These tail tracks allow for a greater line capacity and will allow for a more fluid service transition when Phase II is completed.

Construction on Phase I began in 2007, with a new estimated completion date of 2013. The subway was constructed as a deep bore tunnel with a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), and mining techniques to minimize surface disruption (except at the 96th St station, where cut-and-cover was used). Various contractors were hired to construct the line (notably Schiavone Construction, Skanska USA Civil, and J.F. Shea Construction) many of whom ran into trouble at points during the construction. Progress ran far behind schedule, with the completion date pushed back to 2016. The line finally opened on January 1st, 2017 in a grand New Years celebration with Gov. Cuomo in attendance.

The connection point on S2 track between the 2000s era SAS tunnel and ‘70s 99th-105th St segment (notice the change in construction style), looking south towards 96th St

Bumper block at the north end of the layup on S1 track

North of 96th St, the Phase I tunnel connects to the segment of tunnel between 99th and 105th St in the early ‘70s. Tail tracks extend north of the station, currently used to store trains at night and on the weekend. When Phase II eventually opens, these tracks will continue up to 125th St. In the meantime, bumper blocks were installed on the tail tracks at approximately 104th St, and a cinderblock wall was constructed just north of the bumpers. Behind the wall, the tunnel continues for another block or so, looking largely the same as the layup tunnel, but without tracks on the roadbed. There is a pump room/electrical facility in a hallway off to the side at 105th St.

Provisional cavern for Phase III extension on G4 track south of 72nd St

Construction on Phase II was originally scheduled to start in 2020, with preliminary studies already nearly complete. The line will be extended north, with stations at 106th/2nd Ave, 116th/2nd Ave, and 125th St between Lexington and Park Ave. In the more distant future, Phase III is supposed to extend the line south, from 63rd St to Houston St, and Phase IV is supposed to complete the line south of Houston, with a terminus at Hanover Sq. South of 72nd St, caverns were constructed containing provisions to allow for a relatively easy connection to Phase III, whenever it may be constructed. Provisions were also built in the 63rd St tunnel, to allow for northbound SAS trains to turn east at 63rd St and head to Queens, and to allow southbound QBL trains to turn south down 2nd Ave (as opposed to continuing across 63rd St to 6th Ave).

The Covid-19 Pandemic has delayed Phase II “indefinitely,” pending the acquisition of capital funds to finance construction. Should the money come in (from the Feds) construction likely would commence.

SSG 18: 2nd Ave Subway Relics of the '70s

The Second Avenue Subway (SAS) is one of the most prolific plans of the IND Second System, and one of the most notorious proposed subway lines in New York City. For nearly a century, before the 2nd Ave Elevated was even demolished, New Yorkers have been promised a full length SAS. The history of SAS serves as a great summary of the IND Second System plans overall: big plans, small budget. This post will focus on the initial attempt at construction of SAS, and the next will focus on the recent construction.

In the 1929 Second System plan, the city proposed an enormous full length 2nd Ave line, starting in lower Manhattan (connected to a new line in Brooklyn via a new under-river tunnel), and running up north to the Bronx (through another new under-river tunnel). This line would have a greater capacity than any other line ever built before it, with 4 tracks for most of the line, and 6 tracks on the portion from 61st St to 125th St. SAS was put on hold when the Great Depression hit, and the plans didn’t gain enough momentum for revival until after the predecessor to the MTA—the Board of Transit, and later the Transit Authority (TA)—was formed.

The 99th-105th St segment originally constructed in the ‘70s and later connected to Phase I; looking south towards 96th St

The 60s marked a new era for the TA with the construction of the Chrystie St Connection, and in 1968 came the Program for Action. This provided for the construction of SAS and the 63rd St tunnel, which was interwoven with the SAS plans. Finally, in the early ’70s, SAS construction commenced. Ground was broken for the first segment in October 1972, and a few other segments soon followed. Three of these segments were completed: 99th-105th St, 110th-120th St, and Canal St-Chatham Sq, and they lie dormant to this day. These tunnels are lit 24/7 and actively maintained by MTA NYCT. They serve as a somewhat spooky reminder of the ambitious NYC infrastructure plans from long ago. When the fiscal crisis of 1975 hit, construction on SAS was halted indefinitely. The other projects of the time, the 63rd St tunnel and the Jamaica Extension, were completed, though not in a timely manner.

The former 2 of the completed segments will play key roles in the current Phase II construction of SAS, which is slated to start as soon as the money comes in. It might take a while.

42nd St Lower Level

Walking down the dark and dirty roadbed, the sound of boots squelching through mud echoed through the tunnel. Despite the trash and dirt strewn everywhere, I was comfortable. We were walking up the IND 8th Ave line, AKA the (A) (C) (E), and I was in my element.

If you’ve read a good portion of the posts on my page, you may have noticed that I love the IND. Beyond my appreciation for their ambitious plans and (often) good engineering, there is something special about walking through an IND tunnel. They tend to be more spacious than the IRT and BMT, and overall just have a different vibe. The usually-longer length between stations gives IND tunnels a unique kind of solitude. Late at night, it makes for a nice break from the usual hustle and bustle of the Big Apple.

Back under Midtown Manhattan, we neared the end of the tunnel, a dull fluorescent light illuminating the edge. The sludge deepened, though not as much as we expected, and we climbed up onto the platform without too much mud on our boots. The number “42” could be seen on the wall. The 42nd St lower level station on the 8th Ave line was officially abandoned in 1981, after being used for 23 years as a station for special trains (such as the JFK Express, “Train to the Plane”). Oddly enough, the lower level began construction in in the late 1920s along with the rest of the station, but it wasn’t completed until 1958. The reasoning for even building this isolated platform is unclear. In 2010, the MTA cut right through the middle of the 42nd Lower platform in the construction of the 7 line extension to 34th St—Hudson Yards. The platform was divided into thirds, with the north and south segments remaining pretty much intact, and the middle segment containing electrical equipment for the 7 line. Though it isn’t my favorite part of the 8th Ave line, it’s always nice to pass through this piece of history.