https://pcullinan.smugmug.com/Brooklyn/The-Myrtle-Avenue-El/Myrtle-Ave-El-Oct-1969/i-z5WGrVN
For the last few weeks, there has been a thread going on in subchat dealing with the Myrtle Avenue El, whose anniversary of it's abandonment was in early October. This line, the last one to end service with wooden cars, ended service in October, 1969. I rode on that line, in the early afternoon of the last day. Growing up, my mother used to take me to downtown Brooklyn for shopping in the big department stores on Fulton Street and as we walked, at each intersection to the north, I saw views of the line about one block away. When I was very small, I remember seeing gate cars on the line (prior to 1958), but no matter how much I begged my mother, should would not take me on the line.
In the picture above, taken off the web at the address indicated, is view of Flatbush Avenue Extension and Myrtle Avenue. You can see part of of green arched structure that I remember as a child. As you look at the left of the picture, you can see black squares. These are the air vents to the BMT Subway at the Myrtle Avenue station which is now abandoned. I believe that on the Myrtle Avenue El, there was no station at Flatbush Avenue because Flatbush Avenue Extension was a street created to reach the Manhattan Bridge and it did not exist when the el was constructed in the 19th Century. Thus this intersection was between the Navy Street and Bridge Street Stations. When elevated service ended on the Brooklyn Bridge in 1944?, the line had to be reconfigured at the western end. I believe the Bridge Street station was extended westward towards Jay Street with a passenger walkway to the IND Jay Street - Borough Hall (Now Metrotech) station. Many people do not know that Myrtle Avenue continued westward towards Court Street or Adams Street with the el passing the Sand Street on it's route over the Brooklyn Bridge to Park Row in Manhattan. The Supreme Court at Adams Street is the approximate location where Myrtle Avenue and its' el continued westward.
I remember that there was some sort of unusual transfer procedures for Myrtle El passengers that were established. It went something like this: Passengers paying fares at some westerly Myrtle Avenue El Stations got a ticket to transfer to the IND Jay Street Subway station at Myrtle and Jay streets. They used the new walkway and gave the paper transfer to the agent. According to the ticket, this transfer was also valid for streetcars on Jay Street (1944-1951) as well. These streetcars were Park Row bound. The ticket was only valid until the Broadway-Nassau stations (Fulton Street today). Theoretically, the passenger who have to exit the subway at Broadway Nassau. Going to Brooklyn, only those paying fares at Broadway Nassau got a ticket to transfer to the Myrtle El at Jay-Bridge Street station on the Myrtle El. At some point, probably at nights, perhaps in the 1950's, the fare agent booths were closed at night and passengers paid there fares to conductors on the el trains. I am sorry that the el is gone even though I have no business in this part of Brooklyn. Els were considered as "old fashioned" and transportation planners considered smelly stinkeroo diesel buses as a solution to all our transit woes. Picture from Brooklyn Public Library. The arch was visible from many blocks away. Myrtle-Gold Street station should be underneath the arch. Thus at Myrtle - Flatbush, you have subway, trolley and elevated service. The area looks very different today.
Tramway Null()
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