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A (New York City Subway service)

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"A" train symbol
Eighth Avenue Express
File:A downtown bound A train at 14th Street.jpg
A train made of R46 cars on the A at 14th Street, bound for Brooklyn and Queens.
A train made of R32 cars in A service at Hoyt–Schermerhorn Streets, bound for Brooklyn and Queens.
Map of the "A" train
Note: dashed line shows rush hour only service
Northern endInwood–207th Street
Southern endLefferts Boulevard, Far Rockaway, or Rockaway Park (limited rush hour service)
Stations66[1]
Rolling stockR46
R179
R211A[2][3]
(Rolling stock assignments subject to change)
DepotPitkin Yard
Started serviceSeptember 10, 1932; 92 years ago (1932-09-10)

The A Eighth Avenue Express is a rapid transit service in the B Division of the New York City Subway. Its route emblem, or "bullet", is colored blue since it uses the IND Eighth Avenue Line in Manhattan.[4] The A operates between 207th Street in Inwood, Manhattan and Mott Avenue in Far Rockaway, Queens, or Lefferts Boulevard in Richmond Hill, Queens. The A is the Central Park West / Eighth Avenue Express in Manhattan, Fulton Street Express in Brooklyn, and Liberty Avenue / Rockaway Local in Queens during daytime hours. The A provides the longest one-seat ride in the system, at 32 miles (51 km) between Inwood and Far Rockaway and has a weekday ridership of 600,000.[1] Five rush hour trips run to and from Beach 116th Street in Rockaway Park, Queens, in the peak direction. At all times, a shuttle train (SRockaway Park Shuttle) operates between Broad Channel, where it connects with the A, and Rockaway Park.[5] During late nights, the A makes all stops along its entire route and originates/terminates at Far Rockaway only; a shuttle train (Lefferts Boulevard Shuttle) runs between Euclid Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard.[note 1][6]

History

The A and AA were the first services on the IND Eighth Avenue Line when it opened on September 10, 1932. The Independent Subway System (IND) used single letters to refer to express services and double letters for local services. The A ran express between 207th Street and Chambers Street/World Trade Center, and the AA ran local between 168th Street and Chambers St/World Trade Center, known at the time as Hudson Terminal. During late nights and Sundays, the A did not run and the AA made all stops along the line.[7]

The A was extended to Jay Street–Borough Hall on February 1, 1933, when the Cranberry Street Tunnel to Brooklyn opened;[8][9] an extension to Bergen Street opened on March 20,[10] and to Church Avenue on October 7.[11]

On April 9, 1936, the IND Fulton Street Line was opened to Rockaway Avenue. The 1936 completion played an integral part in the establishment of Bedford-Stuyvesant as Brooklyn's central African American community. The A train connected Harlem, Manhattan's central African American community to areas of Bedford-Stuyvesant that provided residential opportunities for African Americans not found throughout the rest of New York City.[12]

On December 30, 1946 and November 28, 1948, the line was extended to Broadway–East New York (now Broadway Junction) and Euclid Avenue, respectively.[13]

On October 24, 1949, express service in Brooklyn to Broadway–East New York began with the A running express during rush hours, with the E extended to provide local service.[11][14]

On April 29, 1956, Grant Avenue was opened, and the line was extended over the BMT Fulton Street Line to Lefferts Boulevard. Weekdays except midnights, alternate trains terminated at Lefferts Boulevard and at Euclid Avenue. During weekends, they terminated at Euclid Avenue with a shuttle to Lefferts Boulevard.[11][15]

Subway Goes To Rockaway

Two months later, on June 28, 1956, the former Long Island Rail Road Rockaway Line was rebuilt to subway specifications,[16] and service began to Rockaway Park[17] and Wavecrest (Beach 25th Street).[18][19] At this time, rush hour express service on the Fulton Street Line with the E train began.

On September 16, 1956, the A was extended to the Rockaways replacing the E. At the time, alternate trains continued running to Lefferts Boulevard.[11] On January 27, 1957, non-rush hour through service to the Rockaways was discontinued and was replaced by a shuttle running between Euclid Avenue and Wavecrest (now Beach 25th Street). Non-rush hour A train service is now to Lefferts Boulevard. This may also be the time that the E replaced the A again in the Rockaways.

On January 16, 1958, a new terminal was created at Far Rockaway–Mott Avenue, and the through connection to the Long Island Rail Road's Far Rockaway station was severed. On September 8, 1958, the A train replaced the E train in the Rockaways again. "Round-robin" service from Euclid Avenue to both Rockaway terminals began, non-rush hours, while through A service runs to Lefferts Boulevard. In September 1959, the A begins to run local in Brooklyn at all times, as the E becomes express in Brooklyn.[11]

In 1963, the E train was extended to the Rockaways, and the A train ran local to Euclid Avenue or Lefferts Boulevard at all times. (HH shuttle service from Euclid Avenue provided all service to the Rockaways).

On July 9, 1967, the A train was extended to Far Rockaway middays, evenings, and weekends, replacing the HH shuttle on that branch. Five years later, it would also be extended during rush hours.

On January 2, 1973, the A train became the express service along Fulton Street and the E train became the local.[20][21] Finally, in 1976, the C became the Fulton Street Local during rush hours.[22]

File:New York City Transit Authority Service Adjustment Poster 1977.jpg
New York City Transit Authority Service Adjustment Poster 1977

On August 27, 1977, the A began making local stops in Manhattan during late nights, when the AA was not running.[23]

On December 11, 1988, A trains began running local between 145th Street and 168th Street during weekends to replace the discontinued K service. Also on this date, A trains began to run express via the IND Fulton Street Line in Brooklyn during middays and rush hours. C service began to provide local service during this time.[24]

On September 30, 1990, A trains began operating local between 145th Street and 168th Street during evenings and late nights, and local between 168th Street and Chambers Street during late nights.[25]

Until 1993, the A train ran to Lefferts Boulevard during late nights, while the Far Rockaway service did not run late nights; at this time, a transfer to a shuttle at Euclid Avenue was available. In 1993, this pattern was switched, with late-night A service running to Far Rockaway. Since then an A shuttle started providing service from Euclid Avenue to Lefferts Boulevard during late nights. A few years later, special A service began running from Rockaway Park to Dyckman Street during the morning rush, and from 59th Street–Columbus Circle to Rockaway Park during the evening rush. In 1999, the A became the express on the Fulton Street Line, after C service was moved from World Trade Center to Euclid Avenue during that time. Express service was also expanded to weekday evening, weekend, and late night hours at that time.[1][26]

On January 23, 2005, a fire at the Chambers Street signal room crippled A and C service. Initial assessments suggested that it would take several years to restore normal service, but the damaged equipment was replaced with available spare parts, and normal service resumed on April 21.[27][28]

A service was affected by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 due to extreme damage to the IND Rockaway Line. Trains that normally traveled to Far Rockaway or Rockaway Park terminated at Howard Beach – JFK Airport. Service to the Rockaways resumed on May 30, 2013.[29][30] The Far Rockaway part of the route was served by the temporary free H shuttle that ran between Far Rockaway and Beach 90th Street via the connecting track at Hammels Wye.[31][32][33]

Take the A Train is a jazz standard by Billy Strayhorn, referring to the A train, going at that time from eastern Brooklyn up into Harlem and northern Manhattan, using the express tracks in Manhattan. It became the signature tune of Duke Ellington and often opened the shows of Ella Fitzgerald.[34] Part of the significance of this is sociological; it connected Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant, the two largest black neighborhoods in New York City.

Route

Service pattern

The following table shows the lines used by the A, with shaded boxes indicating the route at the specified times:

Line From To Tracks Times
Lefferts
Service
Rockaway
Services
all ex.
nights
late
nights
all ex.
nights
late
nights
rush
peak
IND Eighth Avenue Line (full line) Inwood–207th Street 168th Street all          
163rd Street–Amsterdam Avenue Canal Street express  
local        
Chambers Street High Street all      
IND Fulton Street Line (full line) Jay Street–MetroTech Shepherd Avenue express  
local        
Euclid Avenue all        
Grant Avenue Rockaway Boulevard local
104th Street Ozone Park–Lefferts Boulevard    
IND Rockaway Line (full line) Aqueduct Racetrack Howard Beach–JFK Airport          
Broad Channel all
Beach 67th Street Far Rockaway–Mott Avenue  
Beach 90th Street Rockaway Park–Beach 116th Street      

Stations

For a more detailed station listing, see the articles on the lines listed above.

Station service legend
Stops all times Stops all times
Stops late nights only Stops late nights only
Stops weekdays during the day Stops weekdays during the day
Station closed Station closed
Stops rush hours in the peak direction only Stops rush hours/weekdays in the peak direction only
Time period details
Disabled access Station is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act
Disabled access ↑ Station is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act
in the indicated direction only
Disabled access ↓
Elevator access to mezzanine only
A service Stations Disabled access Subway transfers Connections/Other Notes
Manhattan
Eighth Avenue Line
Stops all times Inwood–207th Street Disabled access Bx12 Select Bus Service
Stops all times Dyckman Street Northern terminal for some weekday rush hour trains
Stops all times 190th Street
Stops all times 181st Street
Stops all times 175th Street Disabled access George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal
Stops all times 168th Street Disabled access C all except late nights
1 all times (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)
Northern terminal for some weekday rush hour trains
Stops late nights only 163rd Street–Amsterdam Avenue
Stops late nights only 155th Street
Stops all times 145th Street C all except late nights
B weekdays during the dayD all times (IND Concourse Line)
Stops late nights only 135th Street
Stops all times 125th Street Disabled access B weekdays during the dayC all except late nightsD all times M60 Select Bus Service to LaGuardia Airport
Stops late nights only 116th Street
Stops late nights only Cathedral Parkway–110th Street
Stops late nights only 103rd Street
Stops late nights only 96th Street
Stops late nights only 86th Street M86 Select Bus Service
Stops late nights only 81st Street–Museum of Natural History
Stops late nights only 72nd Street
Stops all times 59th Street–Columbus Circle Disabled access B weekdays during the dayC all except late nightsD all times
1 all times2 late nights (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)
Stops late nights only 50th Street Disabled access E all times (IND Queens Boulevard Line) Station is ADA-accessible in the southbound direction only.
Stops all times 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal Disabled access C all except late nightsE all times
1 all times2 all times3 all times (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)
7 all times <7> rush hours until 9:30 p.m., peak direction​ (IRT Flushing Line)
N all timesQ all timesR all except late nightsW weekdays only (BMT Broadway Line)
S all except late nights (42nd Street Shuttle)
at Times Square–42nd Street
Port Authority Bus Terminal
M34A Select Bus Service
Stops all times 34th Street–Penn Station Disabled access C all except late nightsE all times M34 / M34A Select Bus Service
Amtrak, LIRR, NJ Transit at Pennsylvania Station
Stops late nights only 23rd Street E all times M23 Select Bus Service
Stops all times 14th Street Disabled access C all except late nightsE all times
L all times (BMT Canarsie Line)
Stops all times West Fourth Street–Washington Square Disabled access C all except late nightsE all times
B weekdays during the dayD all timesF all times <F> two rush hour trains, peak directionM weekdays during the day (IND Sixth Avenue Line)
PATH at Ninth Street
Stops late nights only Spring Street E all times
Stops all times Canal Street C all except late nightsE all times
Stops all times Chambers Street C all except late nightsE all times
2 all times3 all except late nights (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line at Park Place)
PATH at World Trade Center
Stops all times Fulton Street Disabled access C all except late nights
2 all times3 all except late nights (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)
4 all times5 all except late nights (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)
J all timesZ rush hours, peak direction (BMT Nassau Street Line)
Connection to N late nightsR all except late nightsW weekdays only (BMT Broadway Line) at Cortlandt Street via Dey Street Passageway
Brooklyn
Stops all times High Street C all except late nights
Fulton Street Line
Stops all times Jay Street–MetroTech Disabled access C all except late nights F all times <F> two rush hour trains, peak direction
N late nights R all timesW limited rush hour service only (BMT Fourth Avenue Line)
Stops all times Hoyt–Schermerhorn Streets C all except late nights
G all times (IND Crosstown Line)
Stops late nights only Lafayette Avenue
Stops late nights only Clinton–Washington Avenues
Stops late nights only Franklin Avenue Disabled access S all times (BMT Franklin Avenue Line)
Stops all times Nostrand Avenue C all except late nights B44 Select Bus Service, LIRR Atlantic Branch at Nostrand Avenue
Stops late nights only Kingston–Throop Avenues B15 bus to JFK Airport
Stops all times Utica Avenue Disabled access C all except late nights B46 Select Bus Service
Stops late nights only Ralph Avenue
Stops late nights only Rockaway Avenue
Stops all times Broadway Junction C all except late nights
J all timesZ rush hours, peak direction (BMT Jamaica Line)
L all times (BMT Canarsie Line)
Stops late nights only Liberty Avenue
Stops late nights only Van Siclen Avenue
Stops late nights only Shepherd Avenue
Stops all times Euclid Avenue Disabled access C all except late nights Northern terminal for late night shuttles to Lefferts Boulevard
Stops all times Grant Avenue
Queens
Stops all times 80th Street
Stops all times 88th Street
Stops all times Rockaway Boulevard
Services to Lefferts Boulevard and The Rockaways split
Stops all times 104th Street
Stops all times 111th Street
Stops all times Ozone Park–Lefferts Boulevard Q10 bus to JFK Airport
Rockaway Line
Stops all times Aqueduct Racetrack Disabled access Station serves northbound trains only
Stops all times Aqueduct–North Conduit Avenue
Stops all times Howard Beach–JFK Airport Disabled access AirTrain JFK
Stops all times Broad Channel S all times (Rockaway Park Shuttle)
Services to Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park split
Far Rockaway Branch
Stops all times Beach 67th Street
Stops all times Beach 60th Street
Stops all times Beach 44th Street
Stops all times Beach 36th Street
Stops all times Beach 25th Street
Stops all times Far Rockaway–Mott Avenue Disabled access LIRR Far Rockaway Branch at Far Rockaway
Rockaway Park Branch (rush hour service only)
Stops rush hours in the peak direction only Beach 90th Street S all times (Rockaway Park Shuttle)
Stops rush hours in the peak direction only Beach 98th Street S all times (Rockaway Park Shuttle)
Stops rush hours in the peak direction only Beach 105th Street S all times (Rockaway Park Shuttle)
Stops rush hours in the peak direction only Rockaway Park–Beach 116th Street Disabled access S all times (Rockaway Park Shuttle)

Notes

  1. ^ The separate shuttle service is identified on the late night map as , in the schedule as , and on trains as .

References

  1. ^ a b c "Review of the A and C Lines" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. December 11, 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  2. ^ 'Subdivision 'B' Car Assignment Effective December 23, 2023'. New York City Transit, Operations Planning. December 23, 2023.
  3. ^ "Subdivision 'B' Car Assignments: Cars Required December 23, 2023" (PDF). The Bulletin. 67 (2). Electric Railroaders' Association. December 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  4. ^ "mta.info - Line Colors". mta.info.
  5. ^ "S Subway Timetable, Rockaway Park Shuttle, Effective December 17, 2023". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  6. ^ "Late Night Subway Service" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 23, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  7. ^ "Gay Midnight Crowd Rides First Trains in New Subway". New York Times. September 10, 1932. p. 1.
  8. ^ "CITY OPENS SUBWAY TO BROOKLYN TODAY; Regular Express Service on the Extension of Independent Line Starts at 6:05 A.M. 3 LARGE STATIONS ADDED Fast Trains to Make Run From 207th St. to Borough Hall in 37 Minutes. 43 MORE MEN ON JOBS Officials Look for Rise in income as Financial District Is Brought Into New Route". The New York Times. 1933-02-01. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  9. ^ "NEW SUBWAY LINK OPENS WEDNESDAY; Independent Line Will Offer Express Service to Borough Hall in Brooklyn. KEY STATION TO BE ADDED Broadway-Nassau St. Platform to Connect With B.M.T. and East and West Side I.R.T. ADDED REVENUE EXPECTED 2-Way Rush-Hour Traffic Hoped For by Officials -- Local Trains to Be Speeded Slightly". The New York Times. 1933-01-29. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  10. ^ "CITY SUBWAY OPENS NEW LINK MARCH 20; Brooklyn Extension to Bergen and Smith Streets to Add One More Station. RISE IN REVENUE CERTAIN Further Cut Into Traffic of Rival Systems at Terminal Point Is Predicted. GROWTH WILL CONTINUE Station-by-Siation Completion to Church Avenue Before September Is Planned". The New York Times. 1933-03-12. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  11. ^ a b c d e "NYCT Line by Line History". erictb.info.
  12. ^ Echanove, Matias. "Bed-Stuy on the Move". Master thesis. Urban Planning Program. Columbia University. Urbanology.org. 2003.
  13. ^ Williams, Keith. "Weaving the Broadway Junction tapestry". The Weekly Nabe. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  14. ^ "IND Faster Service Will Start Sunday". New York Times. October 20, 1949. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  15. ^ "First Leg of Rockaways Transit Opened at Cost of $10,154,702; Station and Subway Section Put Into Use--Service Is Expected on June 28". The New York Times. 1956-04-30. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  16. ^ "PRR Chronology, 1956" (PDF). (45.9 KiB), December 2004 Edition
  17. ^ "ROCKAWAY PARK". arrts-arrchives.com.
  18. ^ "LONG ISLAND STATION HISTORY". trainsarefun.com.
  19. ^ Sisto), Ira Henry Freemanthe New York Times (by Ernest (1956-06-29). "FREE RIDE OPENS ROCKAWAYS LINE; Fete Marks Longest Single Extension of Rapid Transit in History of the City Commissioner's Children Help Mayor Arrives Late". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  20. ^ "Subway Schedules In Queens Changing Amid Some Protest". The New York Times. January 2, 1973. p. 46. Retrieved 2010-03-20.
  21. ^ "Changes Set for Jan. 2 Praised". New York Times. November 25, 1972. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  22. ^ "www.nycsubway.org". nycsubway.org.
  23. ^ "Service Adjustments on the BMT and IND Lines Effective Midnight, Saturday, August 27 New York City Transit Authority (1977)". Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  24. ^ "System-Wide Changes In Subway Service Effective Sunday, December 11, 1988". Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  25. ^ "Service Changes September 30, 1990" (PDF). subwaynut.com. New York City Transit Authority. September 30, 1990. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  26. ^ "H Train". stationreporter.net. Archived from the original on November 23, 2015. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; January 3, 2005 suggested (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ Chan, Sewell (2005-01-25). "2 Subway Lines Crippled by Fire; Long Repair Seen". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
  28. ^ "Remembering a fire at Chambers St". Second Ave. Sagas.
  29. ^ "Rebuilding the Rockaways After Hurricane Sandy". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on 29 November 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ Cuomo: MTA To Restore A Train Subway Service To The Rockaways May 30
  31. ^ "MTA on Twitter". Twitter.
  32. ^ Hurricane Sandy Recovery Service As of November 20
  33. ^ "MTA News". mta.info.
  34. ^ Cohen, Billie (January 2, 2008). "The A Train". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 October 2015.