The New York Subway eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 166 pages of information about The New York Subway.

The New York Subway eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 166 pages of information about The New York Subway.

[Illustration:  PROFILE OF RAPID TRANSIT RAILROAD MANHATTAN AND BRONX LINES.]

The stations in the Borough of Brooklyn on the Brooklyn Extension are located as follows: 

Joralemon Street near Court (Brooklyn Borough Hall), intersection of Fulton, Bridge, and Hoyt Streets; Flatbush Avenue near Nevins Street, Atlantic Avenue and Flatbush Avenue (Brooklyn terminal of the Long Island Railroad).

From the Borough Hall, Manhattan, to the 96th Street station, the line is four-track.  On the Fort George branch (including 103d Street station) there are three tracks to 145th Street and then two tracks to Dyckman Street, then three tracks again to the terminus at Bailey Avenue.  On the Bronx Park branch there are two tracks to Brook Avenue and from that point to Bronx Park there are three tracks.  On the Lenox Avenue spur to 148th Street there are two tracks, on the City Hall loop one track, on the Battery Park loop two tracks.  The Brooklyn Extension is a two-track line.

There is a storage yard under Broadway between 137th Street and 145th Street on the Fort George branch, another on the surface at the end of the Lenox Avenue spur, Lenox Avenue and 148th Street, and a third on an elevated structure at the Boston Road and 178th Street.  There is a repair shop and inspection shed on the surface adjoining the Lenox Avenue spur at the Harlem River and 148-150th Streets, and an inspection shed at the storage yard at Boston Road and 178th Street.

[Sidenote:  Length of Line.]

The total length of the line from the City Hall to the Kingsbridge terminal is 13.50 miles, with 47.11 miles of single track and sidings.  The eastern or Bronx Park branch is 6.97 miles long, with 17.50 miles of single track.

[Illustration:  PROFILE OF BROOKLYN EXTENSION.]

[Sidenote:  Grades and Curves.]

The total length of the Brooklyn Extension is 3.1 miles, with about 8 miles of single track.

The grades and curvature along the main line may be summarized as follows: 

The total curvature is equal in length to 23 per cent. of the straight line, and the least radius of curvature is 147 feet.  The greatest grade is 3 per cent., and occurs on either side of the tunnel under the Harlem River.  At each station there is a down grade of 2.1 per cent., to assist in the acceleration of the cars when they start.  In order to make time on roads running trains at frequent intervals, it is necessary to bring the trains to their full speed very soon after starting.  The electrical equipment of the Rapid Transit Railroad will enable this to be done in a better manner than is possible with steam locomotives, while these short acceleration grades at each station, on both up and down tracks, will be of material assistance in making the starts smooth.

Photograph on page 26 shows an interesting feature at a local station, where, in order to obtain the quick acceleration in grade for local trains, and at the same time maintain a level grade for the express service, the tracks are constructed at a different level.  This occurs at many local stations.

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The New York Subway from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.