The simplification of the IRT-BMT Queensboro Plaza Station in 1948

[daveklepper]

Queensboro Plaza Station Conversion

Original Design, full operation, April. 1923¹

Lower Level, tracks south-to-north

IRT from Flushing and Astoria to Times Square

2^nd  Avenue Elevated  from Corona and Astoria to City Hall and South Ferry

BMT steel trains from the pocket track to 95^th & Ft. Hamilton and Coney Island

BMT elevated trains to Astoria from Flushing (reversing-in-the station)

 

Upper Level, tracks south-to-north

IRT from Times Square to Flushing and Astoria

2^nd  Avenue Elevated  from City Hall and South Ferry to Corona and Astoria

BMT steel trains from 95^th & Ft. Hamilton and Coney Island to the pocket track

BMT elevated trains to Flushing from Astoria (reversing in the station)

 

Changed in time for 1939-1940 World’s Fair, 28 June 1938²

Lower Level, tracks south-to-north

IRT from Flushing and Astoria to Times Square

2^nd  Avenue Elevated  from Corona and Astoria to City Hall and South Ferry

BMT steel trains from the pocket track to 95^th & Ft. Hamilton and Coney Island

BMT Q-Type trains to and from Astoria (reversing-in-the station)

 

Upper Level, tracks south-to-north

IRT from Times Square to Flushing and Astoria

2^nd  Avenue Elevated  from City Hall and South Ferry to Corona and Astoria

BMT steel trains from 95^th & Ft. Hamilton and Coney Island to the pocket track

BMT Q-Type trains to and from Flushing (reversing in the station)

2^nd  Avenue Elevated service over the Queensboro Bridge  ceased in 1942, and  the station tracks it used were out of regular service.

When the decision was made to operate exclusively BMT steel subway trains to Astoria and  exclusively IRT subway trains to Flushing, only four tracks, two on each level, would be necessary,   The change had to be done in phases.  Throughout, no changes were made in IRT Flushing subway service were needed, except for increased service to compensate for the loss of BMT service. The Astoria line lost IRT Subway service first, and was serviced only by BMT Q-Types, running express east and north, while platform on the northbound local track had wood nosings removed to accommodate the wider BMT steel cars.  The south ends of alternating trains carried signs, “BMT Connection” and “IRT Connection.”  The BMT-connection Q-Types moved from the lower-level to the upper-level north track, reversing there.  The IRT-connection Q-Types used the former 2^nd-Avenue tracks to facilitate across-the-platform transfer to-and-from the IRT subways trains, reversing on a pocket track on the Queensboro Bridge approach, coming from Astoria on the lower level and leaving on the upper level.  After BMT Q-Types ceased running to Flushing, the north lower-level track was out of regular service.  BMT steel trains continued to reverse in the pocket track east of the station, coming from Manhattan and Brooklyn on the upper level and leaving on the lower level.  This was the condition at the time of these photographs.

The next phase had the BMT steel trains finally running to Astoria, but running express southbound, until nosings on the southbound local platforms were removed.  Use of Q-Types ceased, and they transferred  to the IRT Third Avenue Elevated, after exchanging their trucks with IRT Composite-car trucks to reduce weight.  Then, the BMT steel trains moved to the former 2^nd-Avenue tracks, with across-the-platform transfer to-and-from the IRT subway trains. The two northern tracks on each level were no longer needed and they and their considerable steel structure were removed.

 

Notes:

1.  Eric R. Oszustuwicz, The Elevated Railways of Brooklyn and the BMT Subway, Electric Railroaders Association, New York City, p. 277 (Flushing Linr trains ran only to Corona until 21 January 1928, p. 324.  2^nd Avenue Elevated trains never did not run past Willets Point Blvd.)

2.  Ibid p. 396

Q-type “IRT Connection” Astoria-bound train, upper level, former 2^nd Ave. Queens-bound track

East from upper-level north platform, BMT steels headed to pocket and IRT Steinways to Flushing

Q-Type BMT-connection arriving from Astoria.

Q-Type “IRT Connection” Astoria train from reversing pocket- track on Queensbioro Bridge approach

 

 

Q-type “IRT Connection” Astoria-bound train, upper level, former 2^nd Ave. Queens-bound track

Loss of the 2^nd  Avenue Elevated connection between the IRT Queens lines and the rest of the  IRT system, 1942, meant that these IRT cars required maintenance at the BMT Coney Island Shop. Previous page at Brooklyn’s 9^th Avenue Station, a Q-type and an IRT “Steinway” subway car (needs door repair!) are in the same shop-move train from Queensboro Plaza  to Coney Island Shop

Two IRT “Stenways” at Coney Island Sp.

[timz]

Good job. I doubt that a better explanation of QB Plaza exists anywhere. (And the place is a puzzle -- I never knew BMT trains ran Flushing to Astoria.)

[daveklepper]

Upper level, northenmost track looking west, BMT Q-type about to head east and then north to Flushihng, before the simplification changes:

, 

[daveklepper]

A month before the conversion began, Q-Types, leaving Willets Point Blvd. on the Flushing line, headed for Queensboro Plaza:

[daveklepper]

Q-types, on the north lower-level track,  before the big change, heading to Astoria.

[daveklepper]

Another during the simplification process:  BMT Q-types with white "IRT Connection" sign leaving for Astoria, IRT Steinways leaving for Flushing, and BMT steels, either 4th Avenue or Brighton Local, entering or leaving the pocket track:

  

[timz]

Another look at the east end of the complex, toward the bottom of this aerial

https://digitalcollections.archives.nysed.gov/index.php/Detail/objects/27455

Says 1928, so no catenary over PRR/LIRR.

[daveklepper]

Thanks!