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.

SSG 17: The Bronx Provision

The Bronx, in terms of rapid transit service, is traditionally seen as IRT territory. The IND only built a single line (with just 3 tracks) in the Bronx, under Grand Concourse—a line which is parallel with the IRT Jerome Av line and is just 2-4 blocks east of it. This line is now serviced by the B and D trains, with D trains running all times to 205th St, and B trains running on peak to Bedford Park Blvd—the second to last stop. Off peak, B trains terminate at 145th St, and the B doesn’t run during late nights or weekends. This makes the Concourse line a rather lonely one. While the IND didn’t have huge plans for the Bronx, the Second System did provide for a significant extension of the Concourse line and construction of a line (with a couple branches) in the eastern Bronx, as the northern segment of the Second Avenue Subway (a lot more on this in the next installment of this series).

Bumper block at the east end of the 205th St tail tracks

There is but one IND Second System provision that was constructed in the Bronx. The northern terminus of the Concourse line, at E 205th St in Norwood, has possibly the strangest track layout of any IND terminal station. It has tail tracks, but these are kept clear to be used as relay tracks (serving to turn trains around). There is no crossover between the northbound and southbound revenue tracks between Bedford Park Blvd and 205th St, so all revenue trains must pull into the station on what would be the northbound track, discharge passengers, move forward into the relay, and then reverse back onto the southbound track (trains may switch tracks when pulling into the relay, or when pulling out after reversing). Trains may also come into 205th St directly from the Concourse Yard on a middle track west of the station (railroad south), going directly into service at 205th St.

Track layout of Bedford Park Blvd, Concourse Yard, and 205th St area

The reason for the odd track layout of this area is simple: 205th St was not intended to be the permanent terminus of the line. The Second System plans called for the line to be extended to Boston Road and Baychester Av, next to the present day site of Co-Op City. This extension would have improved the commute of many Bronx residents, eliminating much reliability on slow bus routes.

SSG 16: Secrets of the G Line

The IND Crosstown line, better known as the G line, is often characterized as a lonely, underutilized line. The reality is that it is a relic of a different New York. It is a line that was supposed to have been interwoven with other lines (planned for the IND Second System) branching through Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, the plans for which never came to fruition.

As with nearly every single subway line built by the IND, the Crosstown line was built with a number of provisions for future expansion, in order to provide for easier connections to the planned lines. These include provisions for a Lafeyette Av line, Myrtle Av line to the Rockaways, and a Stuyvesant Av to Utica Av line. The latter two lines would have run through the S 4th St hub (better known as Underbelly), a station shell provision for which was built above the Broadway station.

Provision past Bedford-Nostrand Avs

The Lafayette Av line would have run from Manhattan (possibly as an extension of the planned 2nd Av line) via new crossriver tunnel, connecting to the G at or about Hoyt/Schermerhorn Sts and running up the Lafayette Av portion of the line. Past Bedford/Nostrand Avs where the current Crosstown line curves North onto Marcy Av, the Lafayette Av line would have continued East. Provisions for this extension were built at Classon Av and Bedford/Nostrand Avs, with a space for a middle track built at Classon Av (intended for layups/storage for short runs), and 2 tail tracks East of Bedford/Nostrand Avs. These tail tracks sink beneath the Crosstown line and head a short distance east before dead ending at bumpers.

Bedford-Nostrand Avs middle track

Classon Av provision

Three of these four provisions can be seen simply by standing on station platforms. The ones at Classon Av and Bedford/Nostrand Avs are pretty straightforward. The tail tracks east of Bedford/Nostrand are dark, damp, and dirty, as is the S 4th St station shell. Today, the middle track and tail tracks at Bedford/Nostrand are occasionally used for short term train storage, especially for garbage collection and other work trains.

SSG 15: Underbelly 2 - Utica Av Upper

S 4th St station shell, AKA “The Underbelly Project”

As we move deeper into the IND Second System plans, it becomes apparent that the IND had big ideas for Brooklyn. One of these plans remains relevant to this day: the Utica Av line. Recently, the MTA began reviewing the feasibility of a Utica Av line as an extension of the IRT Eastern Parkway line (the 3 and 4). A subway going under Utica Av would serve an area which lacks good rapid transit option extremely well. The IND knew this even in the 1929 plan, and they planned accordingly. Several provisions were constructed to allow for other lines to feed into Utica Av, including provisions for the Worth St line, a new crossriver tunnel, and two station shells. The first station shell, built above the Broadway (G) station, was for the S 4th St station, now better known as “Underbelly,” due to the underground art installation titled the Underbelly Project.

The Utica Ave upper level provision

This post is about the second of the two station shells, which was constructed at the Utica Ave station on the Fulton St line (the A and C). The station would have likely been renamed Fulton St—Utica Av upon completion of the Utica Av line, had it ever been built. Furthermore, the Utica Av station contains an enormous full length intermediate level mezzanine, now used as a storage and utility area.

Closed Utica Ave mezzanine

The station shell itself is very dark and extremely hot and humid. There is barely any ventilation within the shell. It is somewhat dusty, though it is not nearly as bad as the “brown snow” in S 4th St. Completely unlike S 4th St, this spot has managed to remain clean for over 80 years, feeling like a sliver of untouched history in a system that has shown rather obvious signs of its age in recent years.

SSG 14: East New York Provision

One of the lesser known IND Second System provisions also happens to be one of the smallest—what a surprise! Today, we are looking at another provision on the IND Fulton St line, now the A and C in Brooklyn. This one was to allow trains to continue to a proposed subway under Jamaica Av. The IND seemingly had the goal of undermining the BMT Jamaica El with this nearly parallel subway line. It’s unclear what the plan was once the Jamaica subway would reach Crescent St/Jamaica Av, where the Cypress Hills station for the BMT Jamaica Elevated stands. The intention of the IND was likely either to recapture the el and send IND trains up ranps onto the elevated line, or to undermine the el with a full length Jamaica Av subway, and tear down the elevated line upon completion. It figures that the plans for this line never really took off, as this route was and is covered by the Jamaica Elevated, now the J and Z lines. When the city was low on funds, these plans would be one of the first to be scrapped.

Provisional space on the left

The tunnel itself, like many tunnels on the Fulton St line has some pretty historical graffiti, with some of the greats near the provision. Besides that, it is a pretty standard late IND-era tunnel, with lots of thick concrete columns and the prolific cut and cover “box tunnel” look.