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TheNEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - SEPTEMBER, 2009 Bulletin New York Division, Electric Railroaders’ Association Vol. 52, No. 9 September, 2009 The Bulletin BMT THROUGH SERVICE TO ASTORIA Published by the New BEGAN 60 YEARS AGO York Division, Electric Railroaders’ Association, In 1949, the Board of Transportation de- level track. Both center tracks were out of Incorporated, PO Box cided that it could economize and furnish service. Temporary wooden bridges spanning 3001, New York, New better service by running IRT trains to Flush- these tracks allowed passengers to make York 10008-3001. ing and BMT trains to Astoria. across-the-platform transfers. Since 1923, three services with different Starting Saturday and continuing until Sun- For general inquiries, headways and train lengths were operated day afternoon, a six-car train of Q cars was contact us at nydiv@ from Corona and Astoria. IRT trains operating single-tracked on the southbound track be- electricrailroaders.org or by phone at (212) from Flushing and Astoria to Times Square tween Queensboro Plaza and Astoria while 986-4482 (voice mail provided a one-seat ride to midtown Manhat- workmen sawed off the northbound platforms available). ERA’s tan. BMT trains from Flushing and Astoria to accommodate the wider BMT subway website is terminated at Queensboro Plaza, where pas- cars. At 5:20 PM Sunday, October 16, offi- www.electricrailroaders. sengers could make an across-the-platform cials rode a test train composed of N-2450- org. transfer to BMT subway trains. Until June 13, 4025-2451-2536-2535-2534-S on the Editorial Staff: 1942, weekday and Saturday Second Ave- northbound track to Astoria. The three north Editor-in-Chief: nue trains from Willets Point Boulevard and cars were laid up at Astoria and became the Bernard Linder Astoria operated to South Ferry during rush revenue train when they were coupled to News Editor: th hours, City Hall during midday, and 57 three other cars. The three south cars were Randy Glucksman Contributing Editor: Street-Second Avenue in the evening and all single-tracked on the northbound track be- Jeffrey Erlitz day Sunday. There was no service during the tween Astoria and the former IRT track at midnight hours. The last trains departed from Queensboro Plaza until regular service be- Production Manager: Willets Point at 7:21 PM, Astoria at 8:58 PM, gan before the Monday morning rush hour. David Ross and South Ferry at 9:34 PM June 13, 1942. Meanwhile, workmen sawed off the IRT service between Times Square and southbound platforms and the signal stop Astoria was discontinued permanently on arms were relocated to the opposite side of July 24, 1949, and BMT shuttles were run the track. temporarily from Astoria to Queensboro October 14, 1949 was the last day trains of ©2009 New York Division, Electric Plaza, alternating to the IRT and BMT plat- Q cars operated between Flushing and Railroaders’ forms. Queensboro Plaza. Because they were no Association, Before BMT subway trains could operate to longer needed in Queens, the Q cars were Incorporated Astoria, it was necessary to make extensive taken out of service and laid up on the Culver track changes west of Queensboro Plaza. A middle track. In This Issue: special schedule was in effect while the work The next day, October 15, 1949, all Flush- Brooklyn’s was performed during the October 15-16, ing trains were routed to Times Square. As Convertible 1949 weekend. Brighton Locals terminated at soon as new cars were available, Flushing to th Trolley 57 Street while Fourth Avenue Locals were Times Square service was increased regu- Cars...Page 2 turned on the northernmost lower level track larly. at Queensboro Plaza. Astoria Shuttles con- About 1945, rush hour Times Square locals tinued operating on the northernmost upper (Continued on page 4) NEXT TRIP: NYCT E. 180TH STREET1 SHOP TOUR, SEPTEMBER 12 NEWNEW YORK YORK DIVISION DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN - SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, 2000 2009 BROOKLYN’S CONVERTIBLE TROLLEY CARS by Bernard Linder In the nineteenth century, most street railways oper- In March, 1917, the company started operating a two- ated two sets of cars — open in the summer and closed car train composed of a four-motor 4100-series car and during the rest of the year. Open cars were very popu- a trailer. Cars 4100 and 5050, whose motors were re- lar. On a hot day, passengers took pleasure trips to en- moved, were operated on Flatbush Avenue until 1919. joy the cool breezes. But company officials were not The company must have been pleased with the results. happy that they had to maintain separate fleets. BRT It ordered 100 center-entrance trailers, 6000-99, from economized by swapping trucks each season from Brill in 1919. These trailers were were coupled to 4100- closed to open cars and vice versa. 99 and 4300-4, and were operated on the following The car builders found the solution, a convertible car lines: Bergen Street, DeKalb Avenue, Flatbush Avenue, whose windows were removed and replaced by iron Flatbush-Seventh Avenues, Flushing Avenue, Fulton bars in the summer. As soon as they were available, Street, Green and Gates Avenues, and Williamsburg BRT ordered 450 convertibles from four car builders Bridge Local. Trailers continued operating until 1925, listed in the following roster. when Mayor Hylan banned their operation in New York CAR BUILDER DATE City. BMT complied and motorized 6000-53 at the NUMBERS Coney Island Terminal shop in 1924-5. They were re- numbered 5100-53. The remaining trailers were not 3555 Stephenson Car Company 1904-5 (prototype) motorized and were taken out of service. They were 3700-99 Brill Car Company 1905 renumbered to 5154-99 on October 31, 1929 and were 3900-24 Brill Car Company 1905 scrapped in 1932. 3925-74 Stephenson Car Company 1905 ONE-MAN OPERATION In 1932, cars 4100-99 and 4300-4 were rebuilt for 3975-99 Jewett Car Company 1905 one-man operation at the Brill plant in Philadelphia. On 4100-99 Stephenson Car Company 1906 the left side, the doors were sealed and the steps were 4300-49 Laconia Car Company 1906 removed. The front platform was enlarged and the nar- row door was replaced by a four-part folding door. A 4500-4549 Jewett Car Company 1906 destination roll sign was installed above the front center 4550-99 Laconia Car Company 1906 window. LAST TWO-MAN CARS ALTERATIONS TO CARS Unrebuilt convertibles were still operated with two Because the original design was apparently unsatis- men in the 1930s. Until October 15, 1934, 4500s were factory, most cars were altered. 3700s and 3900s were in regular service on DeKalb Avenue, the last two-man built with open platforms. In 1907-8, vestibule fronts line. Until July, 1937, two-man cars 4573, 4575, 4577, partially enclosing the platforms were added. 4100s, and 4578 provided rush hour service on Flatbush Ave- 4300s, and 4500s were built with vestibule fronts par- nue short-turns south of Nostrand Avenue. Two-man car tially enclosing the platforms. All cars were equipped 3970 and probably other two-man Canarsie Shuttle cars with gates instead of doors. carried passengers to the amusement park in the sum- 4500s were built with rattan cross seats that were not mer of 1938. replaced. In 1907-8, rattan cross seats on the other cars CONVERTIBLES REBUILT TO CLOSED CARS were replaced with wooden longitudinal seats at each In 1923, cars 4528 and 4529 were rebuilt to a duplex end and wooden cross seats in the center of the car. safety car at the Fresh Pond Shop, and renumbered to Flatbush Avenue cars were the first convertibles 4600. Seating capacity was 71 and standing capacity crossing the Brooklyn Bridge on February 13, 1906. was 86. The cars was placed in service on DeKalb Ave- CONVERTIBLES COUPLED TO TRAILERS nue on February 6, 1924 and never operated on any Several cars were rebuilt to PAYE (Pay As You Enter) other line. It was retired on December 21, 1933. with completely enclosed platforms and doors replacing In 1927 and 1928, eight convertibles were rebuilt to gates. closed single-end cars at DeKalb Shop for Canarsie CAR NUMBERS DATE Shuttle service. The front platform was enlarged and the gates were replaced by wide four-part folding doors in 4100 1910 (couplers added 1917) the front and a narrow exit door in the rear. The left side 3953, 3954 1916 (Continued on page 3) 4101-99, 4300-4 1919 (couplers added 1919) 2 NEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - SEPTEMBER, 2009 Brooklyn’s Convertible Trolley Cars leased to the New York Rapid Transit Corporation, BMT’s rapid transit subsidiary. They were placed in ser- (Continued from page 2) vice on the Canarsie Shuttle the same day the 14th of the platforms was enclosed completely and double- Street Line was extended to Rockaway Parkway, July hung windows were installed on both sides. Cross seats 14, 1928. were retained in the rear half, but were replaced by lon- The cars were transferred to the Rockaway Parkway gitudinal seats in the front half. In 1928, the cars were Line on November 21, 1942 and were taken out of ser- All photographs below are from Bernard Linder’s collection. Interior of a convertible. Car 3967 at Crosstown Depot in 1905. Car 3719, with open platforms and windows removed. Car 4175, seen in April, 1933 on Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint, was converted to one-man operation in 1932. Car 4336 was photographed on the Canarsie Shuttle in 1939 with The platforms of car 4100 were enclosed completely in 1919, and the windows removed for summer service. the gates were replaced by doors.