IND World's Fair Line

The World's Fair Railroad was a branch of Independent Subway System of New York City, now the IND division of the New York City Subway, serving the 1939 New York World's Fair. It split from the IND Queens Boulevard Line at an existing flying junction east of Forest Hills – 71st Avenue station, ran through Jamaica Yard and then ran northeast and north through Flushing Meadows–Corona Park (roughly where the Van Wyck Expressway (I-678) is now) on a wooden trestle to the World's Fair Railroad station, a bit south of Horace Harding Boulevard (now the Long Island Expressway (I-495)). The World's Fair Railroad and station are the only IND line and station to have been closed and demolished.^{[citation needed]}

IRT Flushing Line

The Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) also served the World's Fair, but did so directly with World's Fair (now Mets – Willets Point) station on the dual-operated Flushing Line (which was rebuilt into an express station for the Fair). A Long Island Rail Road station (now Mets – Willets Point) was built next to the Flushing Line station.

Special features of the line

Public use of the line coincided with the operation of the Fair — April 30, 1939 to October 27, 1940. The World's Fair Railroad was not used between seasons. An additional 5-cent fare was charged on top of the standard nickel fare. Special turnstiles were used at the World's Fair station that permitted traffic flow in both directions and accepted two different fares depending on the direction of travel. Fairgoers disembarking from trains paid a nickel as they exited through the turnstiles while passengers leaving the fairgrounds paid a ten-cent fare upon passing through the turnstiles. Dismantling of the line commenced in February 1941.

Seven grade time signals still exist today, albeit being used to control yard traffic. Grade Time signals enforce an unconditional speed limit for trains on grades. They currently are not obeyed in yard service, but previously were used to regulate train speeds.

External links

• NYCSubway.org
  • IND World's Fair Railroad
  • 1939 Rapid Transit Map of Greater New York
• O Gauge Railroading Forum - Vestiges of World's Fair spur