Gravesend (McDonald) Avenue Line: 1912-1920 Layout

Source:  B. Linder, New York Division Bulletin, Electric Railroaders' Association, Vol. 20, No.5, October 1977, pages 2-9.  This map shows the period when 5th Avenue Elevated trains ran on the surface using trolley poles for power on Gravesend Avenue..  After the elevated structure opened over Gravesend Avenue during the period of 1919-20, another layout was established in which the low level platforms shown above were gradually removed.   Culver-5th Avenue Elevated trains used the new structure since 1919. The trackage shown on Gravesend Avenue ( which became McDonald Avenue in 1935) was also used by trolley freight locomotives run by the South Brooklyn Railway.  There is much to discuss here; trolley freight operations, sidings, summer only trolley specials on Gravesend Avenue and if you look closely, there is race track siding at Avenue T for the Brooklyn Jockey Club.  Hope to discuss this in the future.  Tramway Null(0)

Brooklyn Bridge as seen from Manhattan Bridge 3-29-12

This picture taken last night from the Manhattan Bridge faces south towards the Brooklyn Bridge.  Like the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge is rich in transit history.  The Manhattan Bridge today carries four rapid transit subway tracks for 6th Avenue and Broadway subway services.  Many years ago, the Manhattan Bridge had a shuttle trolley that used regular overhead and at one time, I believe a set of tracks existed on the upper roadways that had a conduit that allowed some Manhattan streetcar lines that used conduits to travel as far east as downtown Brooklyn near the Manhattan Bridge extrance.  Note:  All photos shot so far for this blog is from the photography of docjayva.

4th and Madison Avenue Streetcar Line (Manhattan) 1919 - 1933 Track Map

Source: B. Linder, New York Division Bulletin, ERA, Vol. 30, No. 7, July, 1987, pages 4-5.

The 4th & Madison Avenue Streetcar Line started its' life early as a very early horsecar line in 1832 and was electrified in 1898.  This line like most Manhattan streetcar lines used an underground conduit for its' power source.  The line was long and ran  from 135th Street and Madison to the old post office at Park Row.  The line ran under the 3rd Avenue El on the Bowery and had a short lived branch to Brooklyn via the Williamsburg Bridge at Delancy Street.  Some Manhattan streetcars crossed the Williamsburg Bridge to Bridge Plaza in Brooklyn using conduit track directly to the plaza.  Brooklyn streetcars at that plaza used trolley wire.  The Williamsburg Bridge branch service lasted from 1907 to 1920 only.  The entire line was replaced by buses according to the material supplied by B. Linder in 1935.  Notice the tunnel at 34th Street and Park Avenue South, which is in use today by automobiles.

When is an "EL" not an "EL"?

These two photographs taken this morning from a Manhattan bound F train on the "Culver Viaduct".  The top photo shows lower Manhattan as the train is about to enter the Smith-9th Street station which is the highest in the NYC subway system.  The second photo, take a few moments later as the train is going down the incline to the Carroll Street station which is underground.  The "Culver Viaduct" is a concrete covered steel structure which is going under rehabilitation.  The foreground of the second photograph, where you can see green grass, was the former site of large natural gas gas tanks.  Beyond the grass is the Gowanus Canal and the high Smith-9th Street station that goes over the canal.  I believe the former gas tank site is a very toxic site and nothing can be built over it.  The viaduct was constructed in the late 1920's and opened in the early 1930's for the new Independent Subway Prospect Park Line.  The traditional BMT Culver Line, that reached Manhattan by way of the 5th Avenue El and the Brooklyn Bridge or the BMT subway on 4th Avenue and through the Montague Street tunnel, never used this trackage.  When the IND Prospect Park Line was extended to Coney Island via the BMT Culver Line south of Church Avenue in 1954, the line became know as "Concourse - Culver ", but on the old R1-9 equipment, this name was never applied and the train was simply known as the "D" train,  or "Houston Street - 6th Avenue Express" . Only many years later, after 1967, did the rerouted "F" train became know as the "Culver Line".

Your Track Guide to the "3rd Avenue El" Movie

Many years ago, when I vistited the New York City Transit Museum, in the film area they were playing the attached short movie.  This short movie has great nostalgic value and has great classical music that is coordinated with the film.  Using my previously posted maps of the "3rd Avenue El" before abandonment, you can get a better picture of what area that the train covers.  This short film starts in the downtown financial district but does not end uptown at Gun Hill Road in the Bronx.  Instead it covers mainly Manhattan.  My best parts are the serpentine "S" curve at Coenties Slip and the drawbridge scene at the Harlem River.  This film also shows what I call another Icon of New York City, the BISHOP CROOK Street Lamps that frame the Coenties Slip scene.  Thousands of these lamps were all around the city. The film seems to have been shot before the section from Chatham Square to South Ferry was abandoned around 1950.

• The starting scenes that show a two track elevated structure and station between high buildings is probably at the Hanover Square Station, or Fulton Street or Franklin Square stations.
• The El going around an "S" curve at both day and night scenes are at Coenties Slip.
• Notice the El going under the Brooklyn Bridge.
• Views of the El showing long stretches of staight track are on 3rd Avenue.
• "Drunk" scenes are along the Bowery and the brewery is probably in Yorkville near East 86 Street..
• Although two level express stations at 9th Street, 23rd Street, 42nd Street, 106 Street and 125th Street are not shown, you can see the raising of the middle express track in some places.
• Views of two layer elevated track a few inches away from the back of apartment and tenement houses is probably in the Bronx just north of the Harlem River but south of 149th Street where the track was built over a private right of way.  (This may be in another video.)
• Notice the great drawbridge scene that is coordinated with the great Haydn music.
• You may get to view for a few seconds the area where the 133 Street yard is when you see the El crossing the Harlem River.
• Notice the stations and the lattice type of iron work and the great stained glass windows.

I hope you enjoy the film:  Tramway Null(0)

Fifth Avenue El in Brooklyn - South Section - 1937

Source:  B. Linder, New York Division Bulletin, Vol. 42, No. 12, December, 1999, Page 3.

In the track plan of the southern section, notice the trackage on 3rd Avenue and an interesting stub terminal at 65 Street and Third Avenue ( Brooklyn )  that had trolley service run up a ramp and ended on the elevated structure at the southern end.  This service seems to have ended in 1919.  It seems that the Fifth Avenue El was not upgraded because it was only one block away from the BMT 4th Avenue Subway.

Tramway Null(0)

Fifth Avenue El in Brooklyn - North Section - 1932-1940

Source:  B. Linder, New York Division Bulletin, Vol. 42, No. 12, December, 1999, Page 2.

In my last several posts, I wrote about the Third Avenue El in Manhattan.  The Third Avenue El on its' route to South Ferry passed underneath the Brooklyn Bridge.  The Brooklyn Bridge carried many Brooklyn Elevated lines, of which the Fifth Avenue Line is one of them.  The elevateds that ran over the Brooklyn Bridge ran to Park Row where passengers transferred to the City Hall Station of the Third Avenue El. In the map section shown, you can see the track layout at the Park Row Station.  The Fifth Avenue El was a two track el that never got upgraded somewhat.  It is interesting to note that that a branch of the Fifth Avenue El ran on Third Avenue in Brooklyn.  You can say that in New York City, there were two 3rd Avenue Els, in Brooklyn and Manhattan.  More to follow when I post the south section of the FIFTH AVENUE EL..