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Fulton Street Line (elevated)

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This article is about the former BMT elevated line over Fulton Street's west end. For the former BMT surface line, see Fulton Street Line (Brooklyn surface). For the current BMT elevated line over Fulton Street's east end, see BMT Jamaica Line. For the current IND line, see IND Fulton Street Line.
This article is about a rapid transit line. For the surface (bus, formerly streetcar) lines along Broadway and/or Seventh Avenue, see Broadway Line (lower Manhattan surface) and Broadway Line (Midtown Manhattan surface).
Fulton Street Elevated
Downtown terminals at Sands Street station in 1936, which the Fulton Street Line shared with others.
Overview
OwnerCity of New York
Termini
Service
TypeRapid transit
SystemBrooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation
Operator(s)New York City Transit Authority
History
Opened1888-1925
Closed1940 (West of Rockaway Avenue)
1956 (Rockaway Avenue to Grant Avenue)
Technical
Number of tracks2-3
CharacterElevated
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

Legend
0.0 mi
0 km
[1]
 Park Row
Brooklyn Bridge (East River)
 Fulton Ferry
(Lexington Av El closed 1904[2])
 Sands Street
Myrtle Avenue & Lexington Avenue Elevated
0.52 mi
0.84 km
 Clark Street | Tillary Street
0.74 mi
1.19 km
 Court Street | Myrtle Avenue
0.91 mi
1.46 km
 Boerum Place
1.18 mi
1.9 km
 Elm Place–Duffield Street
1.37 mi
2.2 km
 Flatbush Avenue
(Fourth Avenue Subway)
Brighton Beach Line
Fifth Avenue Elevated
Lexington Avenue Elevated
1.63 mi
2.62 km
 Lafayette Avenue
1.88 mi
3.03 km
 Cumberland Avenue
2.14 mi
3.44 km
 Vanderbilt Avenue
2.48 mi
3.99 km
 Grand Avenue
2.81 mi
4.52 km
 Franklin Avenue
Franklin Avenue Line
3.15 mi
5.07 km
 Nostrand Avenue
3.44 mi
5.54 km
 Brooklyn Avenue | Tompkins Avenue
3.78 mi
6.08 km
 Albany Avenue | Sumner Avenue
Troy Avenue
4.15 mi
6.68 km
 Reid Avenue
4.60 mi
7.4 km
 Ralph Avenue
Saratoga Avenue
5.18 mi
8.34 km
 Rockaway Avenue
Broadway Elevated | 14th Street–Eastern Line
 Manhattan Junction – Broadway Junction
Jamaica Line
 Atlantic Avenue
(LIRR Atlantic Branch)
Canarsie Line
 Eastern Parkway
Hinsdale Street
Pennsylvania Avenue
Van Siclen Avenue
Linwood Street
Montauk Avenue
Chestnut Street
Crescent Street
Grant Avenue
Fulton Street Subway
 Hudson Street–80th Street
Boyd Avenue–88th Street
Rockaway Boulevard–96th Street
Rockaway Line (former LIRR)
 Oxford Avenue–104th Street
Greenwood Avenue–111th Street
Lefferts Avenue–119th Street
This diagram:

The Fulton Street Line, also called the Fulton Street Elevated or Kings County Line, was an elevated rail line mostly in Brooklyn, New York City, United States. It ran above Fulton Street from Fulton Ferry, Brooklyn in Downtown Brooklyn east to East New York, and then south on Van Sinderen Avenue (southbound) and Snediker Avenue (northbound), east on Pitkin Avenue, north on Euclid Avenue, and east on Liberty Avenue to Ozone Park, Queens. The portion in Brooklyn has been torn down, but most of the line in Queens has been connected to the New York City Subway and is now part of the IND Fulton Street Line (a portion of the A and C), an underground line that replaced the elevated line in Brooklyn. The structure was the main line of the Kings County Elevated Railway, first opened in 1888.

History

The Kings County Elevated Railway opened the line, from dual western terminals at Fulton Ferry and Brooklyn Bridge (Sands Street)[1][3] east to Nostrand Avenue, on April 24, 1888.[4] Construction on this line started in the fall of 1885, when ground was broken at the corner of Fulton Street and Red Hook Lane.[5] It was extended east to Albany Avenue on May 30, 1888; Albany Avenue was an eastbound-only station, and the westbound station just beyond at Sumner Avenue had yet to be completed, so it temporarily served both directions.[6] The line was further extended to Ralph Avenue on September 20, 1888[7] and completed to BMT Fulton Street Line at the west end of East New York in early November.[citation needed]

The Fulton Elevated Railroad was incorporated on July 6, 1888 to build a disconnected line from Greenpoint south through Williamsburg to Kent and Myrtle Avenues, and to extend the Kings County Elevated east beyond Rockaway Avenue to the city line.[8][9] The former was not built, but construction soon began on the latter. The first piece, over Fulton Street and Williams Place, opened on July 4, 1889, connecting with the Long Island Rail Road's Manhattan Crossing station at the new terminal at Template:Nycs.[10] It was extended further, over Snediker Avenue and Pitkin Avenue, to Van Siclen Avenue on November 18, 1889; due to a shortage of wood for a storage yard, a temporary shuttle was operated between Pennsylvania Avenue and Van Siclen Avenue until mid-December.[11][12][13][14] Construction above Pitkin Avenue progressed to Linwood Street on February 22, 1892[15] and Montauk Avenue on March 21, 1892.[16] The line was completed to Grant Avenue at City Line on July 16, 1894, with the opening of a structure above Pitkin Avenue, Euclid Avenue, and Liberty Avenue.[17]

The Kings County Elevated leased the Brooklyn and Brighton Beach Railroad on February 5, 1896.[18] A two-block elevated connection between Template:Nycs station and the Brighton Beach Line's Bedford station, including a new station at Template:Nycs, opened on August 15, 1896, and the Kings County Elevated began operating trains between the Brooklyn Bridge (Sands Street) and Brighton Beach.[19][20]

The final extension, from Grant Avenue east to Lefferts Avenue, was built under the Dual Contracts and opened on September 25, 1915.[21] In 1917 the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce started fighting for the removal of the Fulton Street El.[22] The Dual Contracts also triple-tracked the line as part of the Dual Contracts starting in 1913.[23] This also led to the reconstruction, replacement, and elimination of some stations. The Public Service Commission received a petition on December 9, 1916 from a large number of civic and business organizations to restrict the third tracking to a point in the vicinity of Cumberland Avenue.[24]

In 1929, the Independent Subway System (IND) began planning their own Fulton Street Subway immediately below the Elevated.[25] The underground line was opened between Jay Street to Rockaway Avenue on April 9, 1936, including a stub terminal at Court Street.[26][27] Stations west of Rockaway Avenue were being made obsolete as many were being replaced by the subway stations. Trains last ran on the line west of Rockaway Avenue on May 31, 1940, and these stations were closed the following day.[28] The total cost of demolition of the Fulton Street Elevated was $2,000,000.[29] On June 1, 1940 a free transfer was provided to the Fulton Street Subway at Template:Nycs and a new "Fulton–Lexington Avenue" service via the Lexington Avenue Elevated west of East New York was introduced.[30][31] The remainder of the line west of Template:Nycs (now 80th Street) was closed on April 26, 1956, and Fulton Street subway trains began using the line east of Hudson Street on April 29. The remaining segment of the Fulton Street Elevated east of 80th Street is now used by the A train.[32][33]

Service patterns

Main article: BMT 13

The primary service pattern was a simple one-end-to-the-other operation, until May 31, 1940, when the 13 was cut back to Template:Nycs, and the BMT 12 took over operations from downtown Brooklyn to Lefferts Boulevard.

Station listing

Most Fulton Street trains left the line at Sands Street and ended at Template:Nycs rather than Fulton Ferry.

Miles from Fulton Ferry Name Location Opened Closed Notes
Brooklyn
0.00 Template:Nycs Fulton Ferry April 24, 1888[1] June 1, 1940[28]
N/A Template:Nycs Fulton Street and Sands Street April 24, 1888[1] June 1, 1940[28]
0.52/0.68[1] Clark Street (eastbound)
Tillary Street (westbound)
Clark–Tillary Streets 		Fulton Street, Clark Street, and Tillary Street April 24, 1888[1]
0.74[1] Court Street (eastbound)
Myrtle Avenue (westbound)
Court Street–Myrtle Avenue 		Fulton Street, Court Street, and Myrtle Avenue April 24, 1888[1] June 1, 1940[28]
0.91[1] Template:Nycs Fulton Street and Boerum Place April 24, 1888[1] June 1, 1940[28]
1.18[1] Elm Place–Duffield Street Fulton Street, Elm Place, and Duffield Street April 24, 1888[1] June 1, 1940[28]
1.37[1] Template:Nycs Fulton Street and Flatbush Avenue April 24, 1888[1] June 1, 1940[28]
1.63[1] Template:Nycs Fulton Street and Lafayette Avenue April 24, 1888[1] June 1, 1940[28]
1.88[1] Template:Nycs Fulton Street and Cumberland Street April 24, 1888[1] June 1, 1940[28] connection to Greene and Gates Avenues Line streetcars
2.14[1] Template:Nycs Fulton Street and Vanderbilt Avenue April 24, 1888[1] June 1, 1940[28] connection to Vanderbilt Avenue Line streetcars
2.48[1] Template:Nycs Fulton Street and Grand Avenue April 24, 1888[1] June 1, 1940[28] connection to Putnam Avenue Line streetcars
2.81[1] Franklin Avenue Fulton Street and Franklin Avenue April 24, 1888[1] June 1, 1940[28] connection to Brighton Beach Line trains and Franklin Avenue Line streetcars
3.15[1] Template:Nycs Fulton Street and Nostrand Avenue April 24, 1888[1] June 1, 1940[28] connection to Nostrand Avenue Line, Lorimer Street Line, Marcy Avenue Line, and Ocean Avenue Line streetcars
3.44/3.47[1] Brooklyn Avenue (eastbound)
Tompkins Avenue (westbound)
Brooklyn–Tompkins Avenues 		Fulton Street, Tompkins Avenue, and Brooklyn Avenue May 30, 1888[6] June 1, 1940[28] connection to Tompkins Avenue Line streetcars
3.78[1] Albany Avenue (eastbound)
Sumner Avenue (westbound)
Albany–Sumner Avenues 		Fulton Street, Albany Avenue, and Sumner Avenue May 30, 1888[6] between 1912 and 1924[citation needed] connection to Sumner Avenue Line streetcars
Template:Nycs Fulton Street and Troy Avenue mid-1888[citation needed] June 1, 1940[28]
4.15[1] Template:Nycs Fulton Street, Reid Avenue (now Malcolm X Blvd), and Utica Avenue mid-1888[citation needed] June 1, 1940[28] Connection to Reid Avenue Line streetcars. Originally named Utica Avenue, but renamed between 1912 and 1924.[34][35]
4.60[1] Template:Nycs Fulton Street and Ralph Avenue September 20, 1888[7] June 1, 1940[28] Connection to Ralph Avenue Line streetcars. Service made redundant to Ralph Ave subway station at the same location.
Template:Nycs Fulton Street and Saratoga Avenue December 3, 1888[36] June 1, 1940[28]
5.18[1] Template:Nycs Fulton Street and Rockaway Avenue early November 1888[citation needed] April 26, 1956[32] Connection to Wilson Avenue Line streetcars. Service made redundant to Rockaway Ave subway station at the same location.
Template:Nycs Fulton Street and Sackman Street July 4, 1889[10] remainder of complex still exists as Template:Nycs serving the A all times ​C all except late nights​ J all times​ L all times​ Z rush hours, peak direction trains
Template:Nycs Williams Place, Snediker Avenue, and Atlantic Avenue July 4, 1889[10] present still serves the L all times train
connection to Long Island Rail Road at East New York station
Template:Nycs Snediker Avenue and Eastern Parkway (old alignment, currently Pitkin Avenue) November 18, 1889[13] between 1912 and 1924[citation needed]
Template:Nycs Pitkin Avenue and Hinsdale Street between 1912 and 1924[citation needed] April 26, 1956[32] connection to Bergen Street Line streetcars
Template:Nycs Pitkin Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue (currently named Granville Payne Avenue) November 18, 1889[13] April 26, 1956[32]
Template:Nycs Pitkin Avenue and Van Siclen Avenue November 18, 1889[13] April 26, 1956[32] Service made redundant to the IND's Template:Nycs and Template:Nycs subway stations.
Template:Nycs Pitkin Avenue and Linwood Street February 22, 1892[15] April 26, 1956[32] Service made redundant to Template:Nycs subway station.
Template:Nycs Pitkin Avenue and Montauk Avenue March 21, 1892[16] April 26, 1956[32]
Template:Nycs Pitkin Avenue and Chestnut Street July 16, 1894[17] April 26, 1956[32] Service made redundant to Template:Nycs subway station.
Template:Nycs Liberty Avenue and Crescent Street July 16, 1894[17] April 26, 1956[32]
Template:Nycs Liberty Avenue and Grant Avenue July 16, 1894[17] April 26, 1956[32] Replaced by the current underground Grant Avenue station, which serves the A all times train.[32] It has an entrance half a block away from the old elevated train entrance.
Queens
Template:Nycs Liberty Avenue and 80th Street September 25, 1915[21] present still serves the A all times train
Template:Nycs Liberty Avenue and 88th Street September 25, 1915[21] present still serves the A all times train
Template:Nycs Liberty Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard September 25, 1915[21] present still serves the A all times train
IND service to the Rockaways splits from here[32]
Template:Nycs Liberty Avenue and 104th Street September 25, 1915[21] present still serves the A all times train
Template:Nycs Liberty Avenue and 111th Street September 25, 1915[21] present still serves the A all times train
Template:Nycs Liberty Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard September 25, 1915[21] present still serves the A all times train

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae "Trains to Run On The Kings County Elevated Next Tuesday". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 21, 1888. p. 6. Retrieved March 12, 2019. Cite error: The named reference "Nostrand" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ Park Ave El (1885-1891), including Hudson Avenue Extension (The JoeKorner.com)
  3. ^ "Clipping from The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on Newspapers.com". Brooklyn Public Library.
  4. ^ "Heavy Travel". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. April 24, 1888. p. 6.
  5. ^ "Clipping from The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on Newspapers.com". Brooklyn Public Library.
  6. ^ a b c "For Decoration Day Travel". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. May 29, 1888. p. 6.
  7. ^ a b Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. September 9, 1888. p. 8. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ^ "Fulton Elevated Incorporated". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. July 7, 1888. p. 2.
  9. ^ "Fulton Elevated Railroad". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. July 9, 1888. p. 2.
  10. ^ a b c "The Fulton Street Elevated". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. June 28, 1889. p. 6.
  11. ^ "Will Be Opened Monday: The Kings County Elevated Road's Extension". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. November 12, 1889. p. 6. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  12. ^ "Adding a Mile". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. November 16, 1889. p. 3.
  13. ^ a b c d "Hats Tossed Up". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. November 18, 1889. p. 6.
  14. ^ "Kings County Road's Shuttle Train". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. December 10, 1889. p. 6.
  15. ^ a b "Another L Station Opened". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. February 22, 1892. p. 4.
  16. ^ a b "Another L Station Opened". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. March 21, 1892. p. 6.
  17. ^ a b c d "Extending the Fulton Street Elevated". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. July 13, 1894. p. 10.
  18. ^ "Brighton Beach Road Leased". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. February 5, 1896. p. 14.
  19. ^ "New Route to Coney Island". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. August 14, 1896. p. 12.
  20. ^ "First Trains to Brighton". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. August 14, 1896. p. 7.
  21. ^ a b c d e f g New York Times, New Elevated Line Opened for Queens, September 26, 1915, page 7
  22. ^ "Clipping from The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on Newspapers.com". Brooklyn Public Library.
  23. ^ "Fulton Street Consents to Go to P.S. Board". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. October 29, 1913. p. 20. Retrieved October 2, 2018 – via newspapers.org; Brooklyn Public Library.
  24. ^ "Clipping from The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on Newspapers.com". Brooklyn Public Library.
  25. ^ Duffus, R.L. (September 22, 1929). "OUR GREAT SUBWAY NETWORK SPREADS WIDER; New Plans of Board of Transportation Involve the Building of More Than One Hundred Miles of Additional Rapid Transit Routes for New York" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  26. ^ "Two Subway Links Start Wednesday". The New York Times. April 6, 1936. p. 23. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  27. ^ "NEW SUBWAY LINK OPENED BY MAYOR; He Tells 15,000 in Brooklyn It Will Be Extended to Queens When Red Tape Is Cut". The New York Times. April 9, 1936. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r New York Times, Last Train is Run on Fulton St. 'El'
  29. ^ "Clipping from The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on Newspapers.com". Brooklyn Public Library.
  30. ^ B.M.T. 'El' Lines to Shift Service; City to Close 2 Sections This Week, New York Times May 27, 1940 page 19
  31. ^ Broadway Junction Transportation Study (Part 1) (NYC.gov) Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  32. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "First Leg of Rockaways Transit Opened at Cost of $10,154,702" (PDF). nytimes.com. The New York Times. April 30, 1956. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  33. ^ Raskin, Joseph B. (2013). The Routes Not Taken: A Trip Through New York City's Unbuilt Subway System. New York, New York: Fordham University Press. doi:10.5422/fordham/9780823253692.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-82325-369-2.
  34. ^ "www.nycsubway.org". nycsubway.org.
  35. ^ "www.nycsubway.org". nycsubway.org.
  36. ^ Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. November 27, 1888. p. 6. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
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