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TheNEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - APRIL, 2008 Bulletin New York Division, Electric Railroaders’ Association Vol. 51, No. 4 April, 2008 The Bulletin TWO BROOKLYN ELEVATED LINES OPENED 120 Published by the New YEARS AGO York Division, Electric YEARS AGO Railroaders’ Association, The Myrtle Avenue “L” and the Fulton Street ends of the cars. Motors were originally Incorporated, PO Box 3001, New York, New “L” started running in 1888. At that time, 1200– and 1400-series gate cars and trailers York 10008-3001. Brooklyn’s population was increasing rapidly were rebuilt from 100-series gate cars. and the newly-opened Brooklyn Bridge cable In 1938, three or four 5-car gate trains were railway’s Sands Street station was a busy operated in addition to two-unit (6-car) C- For general inquiries, terminal. To furnish transportation, several Type trains during midday and evening contact us at nydiv@ electricrailroaders.org companies built elevated lines leading to Ful- hours. The C-Types provided less than half or by phone at (212) ton Ferry and Sands Street. of the rush hour service. After service was 986-4482 (voice mail FULTON STREET “L” cut back to Rockaway Avenue on June 1, available). ERA’s Revenue service began April 24, 1888. The 1940, rush hour service was frequent and website is first train departed from Nostrand Avenue at gate trains must have been operated in addi- www.electricrailroaders. org. 5 AM and arrived at Brooklyn Bridge (Kings tion to the C-Types. Fulton Street “L” riding County Terminal) at 5:23. During rush hours, fell off rapidly after 1948 when the IND Sub- Editorial Staff: four-car trains operated on a five-minute way was extended to Euclid Avenue. By June Editor-in-Chief: headway alternating to Brooklyn Bridge and 26, 1952, seven 6-car trains were able to Bernard Linder News Editor: Fulton Ferry. Trains were cut to 3 cars, then handle the rush hour ridership, which Randy Glucksman to 2 cars after the morning rush. They ran on reached a new low. Because there were 12 Contributing Editor: a 10-minute headway in the evening. The spare 3-car units (one unit was scrapped in Jeffrey Erlitz last train left Nostrand Avenue at 12:10 AM 1951), nine 3-car units were transferred to and Fulton Ferry ten minutes later. the Southern Division between July 1, 1952 Production Manager: David Ross The line was extended in stages, reaching and July 1, 1953. These cars provided rush Grant Avenue (City Line) on December 28, hour service on the West End Line between 1893 and Lefferts Avenue on September 25, Bay Parkway and Coney Island until Decem- 1915. ber 10, 1953, after which through subway service was operated to Coney Island at all TYPE C UNITS ©2008 New York During the 1920s, BMT converted its sub- times. On July 1, 1953, additional Type Cs Division, Electric way cars and several elevated cars to multi- were transferred to the Culver Line for rush Railroaders’ ple-unit operation. One Conductor was able hour service between Kings Highway and Association, to open and close all the doors on the train. Coney Island. They continued in service until Incorporated To convert gate trains, it was necessary to October 30, 1954, after which D trains oper- In This Issue: enclose the ends of the car, remove a portion ated via the Culver Line to Coney Island. of the car body, and install doors. With only three spare units available for Ful- Brooklyn The first two Type C units, cars 1500 and ton Street service, there was an occasional Trolley 1501, composed of two motor cars and a car shortage, and gate trains reappeared. Depots trailer, were operated in 1923. Because the Rush hour service was reduced again on ...Page 2 doors were near the center of the car, there December 10, 1953 and only six trains were was slow loading. Two years later, 1502- required. The car shortage was probably 1526 were rebuilt with the doors nearer to the (Continued on page 6) NEXT TRIP — PASCACK1 VALLEY, APRIL 12 NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN OCTOBER, - APRIL, 2008 2000 BROOKLYN TROLLEY DEPOTS (A companion to an article in the January, 2008 Bulletin) Editor’s Note: In the January, 2008 issue, we described the emergence of the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation from the ashes of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company. The article included photographs from several BRT/BMT trolley depots. In this issue, we present additional Brooklyn trolley depot photographs. Flatbush Depot (Utica Avenue and Avenue N) opened on April 27, Flatbush Depot’s yard on December 6, 1915. 1903. This photograph was taken circa 1910. Bernard Linder collection Bernard Linder collection Bergen Street Depot circa 1916. This depot, on Bergen Street Bergen Street Depot looking northeast, September 26, 1916. between Troy and Albany Avenues, closed on September 1, 1934 Bernard Linder collection and the building was razed. A new building on the site housed a trolley coach depot from September 15, 1948 to July 27, 1960. Bernard Linder collection Bergen Street Depot looking southwest, October 26, 1916. Bergen Street’s east yard looking northeast, October 26, 1916. Bernard Linder collection Bernard Linder collection 2 NEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - APRIL, 2008 Two Brooklyn Elevated Lines Opened 120 Years Mayor and officials rode a special train and attended a Ago banquet afterwards. At first, trains ran only as far as Grand Avenue. Service was extended in stages, reach- (Continued from page 1) ing Metropolitan Avenue on October 1, 1906. solved. Gate trains operated continuously until the Q-Cars The Fulton Street “L” ceased operating on April 27, replaced them on April 10, 1958. At that time, the 53- 1956 and the remaining Type Cs were scrapped. The year-old 1300-series cars were the last gate cars on the tracks on Liberty Avenue were disconnected from the transit system. When the “L” ceased operating on Octo- Fulton Street “L” and connected to the ramp leading to ber 4, 1969, the 62– and 66-year-old Q-Car bodies the IND Subway. At the present time, A trains furnish were the last wooden passenger cars on the transit sys- through service to Lefferts Boulevard and Far Rock- tem. Their motors and trucks, salvaged from IRT com- away. posite cars, were 54 years old. Although the cars were MYRTLE AVENUE LINE the oldest on the transit system, they still gave comfort- On April 10, 1888, the Union Elevated Railroad Com- able and reliable service. pany started operating the Myrtle Avenue “L.” The Kings County station, otherwise known as Brooklyn Bridge station, Fulton Ferry station looking west on the last day of service, May 31, looking north on June 9, 1941. The interlocking was removed from 1940. This station was only open in rush hours. service on January 22, 1934. The curved tracks led to Fulton Ferry. Bernard Linder collection Bernard Linder collection C-Type 1501 on September 13, 1955. Note that the doors are near C-Type 1515 at Avenue P on the Culver Line, October 14, 1954. the center of the car. This was changed on later units. Bernard Linder photograph Bernard Linder photograph (Continued on page 4) 3 NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN OCTOBER, - APRIL, 2008 2000 Two Brooklyn Elevated Lines Opened 120 Years Ago (Continued from page 3) Interior of C-Type 1500 or 1501, with the doors near the center of Interior of a later C-Type, with the doors near the ends of the car. the car. Bernard Linder collection Bernard Linder collection SUMMARY OF B AND C TRAIN SCHEDULES Between 1988 and 1999, Concourse and 168th Street many readers complained that they had difficulty follow- local routes and schedules were changed frequently. ing these changes. To present a clear explanation, we Because these service changes were published in two decided to print the following table combining both ser- different issues, November, 2006 and March, 2008, vices. DATE ROUTE NORTH TERMINAL SOUTH TERMINAL December 12, 1988 B 168th Street—rush hours, middays, evenings Coney Island December 12, 1988 C Bedford Park Boulevard— rush hours Euclid Avenue, Rockaway Park December 12, 1988 C 145th Street—middays, early evenings Euclid Avenue, Rockaway Park December 11, 1988 C 145th Street—late evenings, weekends (all Chambers Street day) October 25, 1992 BC Same as December 11, 1988 schedule Same as December 11, 1988 schedule except to Euclid Avenue rush hours, middays, early evenings May 1, 1995 B 168th Street—rush hours Coney Island May 1, 1995 (1) 168th Street—middays Euclid Avenue May 1, 1995 C Bedford Park Boulevard—rush hours Euclid Avenue May 1, 1995 B 145th Street—one hour after AM rush Coney Island northbound and one hour before PM rush southbound April 30, 1995 C 145th Street—weekday evenings, weekends Chambers Street (all day) November 13, 1995 Same as October 25, 1992 schedule (1) This schedule was in effect during Manhattan Bridge reconstruction. AM rush hour trains from Bedford Park Boulevard returned to 168th Street, operated there during midday, and returned to Bedford Park Boulevard for the evening rush. We do not know if the route signs were changed during midday. (Continued on page 20) 4 NEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - APRIL, 2008 NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY CAR UPDATE by George Chiasson Well, it had to happen and here we go!...The massive lows by early October, 2007: Subdivision “B” equipment changeover that has been Corona: 9307, 9308, 9309, 9310 years in the making is underway, and it looks like we will 239th Street: 9311, 9316, 9322, 9323, 9324, 9325, 9326, again be on hand to try and make sense of it all.