Sorry, But there is "NO EL" for 58 Years

We are past the anniversary of the end of service on the 3rd Avenue El from Chatham Square to 149th Street on May 12?, 1955 and here is a cute clip that I found on subchat posted by Monorail last Sunday.   It will show you how 3rd Avenue looks today and there is a interesting King Kong cameo which is shown  destroying the Sixth Avenue El?*.  At least it is in the same family.  Rapid T. Rabbit is shown in his "The Third No el".

*  According to one expert, the 3rd Avenue El did not have the equipment shown destroyed in the King Kong movie in the 1930's. (ie. Lo-V Trailers) and the Third Avenue El did not have any 90 degree turns in midtown Manhattan according to one source at subchat.


 I hope you enjoy it.

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Comparison Map: 2nd and 3rd Avenue Els, Upper Section, 1893-1903

Source:  Horn, George E, Editor, New York Division ERA Bulletin, Vol. 31, No. 11,  November, 1988, P.9,  Order Item M-108

In this interesting comparison map, the spatial relationship between the 2nd and 3rd Avenue Els in Manhattan is shown from 18th Street to the Harlem River for the years 1893-1903.  Notice the 34th Street Spur and the 129th Street Yard and station.  Notice that the third or middle track is not continous.  This map shows the layout before the lines was "modernized" with express tracks and stations around 1914.  Notiace the coal bridges that provided coal to the locomotives.  Notice that the station pattern was different during those years.

3rd Avenue El Video by Roger Arcara: Chatham Sq to Gun Hill Road Bronx

Roger Arcara film of the 3rd Avenue El (L-5) : Chatham Square to Gun Hill Road (1953-1955)  Film includes last day filmage on May 12, 1955.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=video&cd=3&ved=0CD0QtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7UW3ZjYVskk&ei=mRkhUPTbL8GJ6gGl8oCwCw&usg=AFQjCNF2bE_zhDIU5O71vJiwY_usq37r_w&sig2=IB8B4TALgxpeby5Pj_DdVQ

    This great video, close to an hour in length, is narrated by the late transportation historian, Roger Arcara, and shows the last days of the 3rd Avenue El from 1953 to 1955.  The film covers the section of the el from Chatham Square to Gun Hill Road in the Bronx only because the South Ferry and City Hall branches ceased service in 1950.
   This video covers the 3rd Avenue El differently than the other video posted or newsreel type of films of the era because the subject matter is covered from a railfan point of view.  You will get to see:

1. Express station layouts, such as 42nd Street and types of signals.
2. 125 th Street station and northern trackage.
3. 129 th Street station and complex and trackage to the 2nd Avenue Bridge.
4. You will get to see the two layer bridge over the Harlem River from all angles.
5. You will see the New York and New Haven and Hartford yard with freight cars and you will see the still existing track to the yard with a coal car on it.  According to Mr. Arcara, delivery of coal to the 3rd Avenue El for the stations' pot belly stoves was made by way of the NYNHandH RR connection right to the end. You will see this about 36 minutes into the film.
6. You will see trackage that is not shown that much on such films, such as the two layer private right of way trackage north of 133 Street and south of the 149th Street station.
7. You will see the old configuration of the 149 Street - 3 rd Avenue station.
8. You will get to see lesser shown trackage in the Bronx north of the 149th Street station and abandoned cut off stubs south of the station.

Bronx historians, both transit and and other will get much information from this film. Multi shots from northbound and southbound trains will be shown from the same location.  Service patterns in terms of which local and express services used a particular track is explained in detail.  There is so much here that it has to be shared paticularly about the section around and north of the Harlem River.

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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)

Example of a "Modern" (1919) Local Elevated Station

This photo, taken this morning at 7:10 am is at the Avenue "P"  "subway" station at Avenue P and McDonald Avenue on the IND Culver Line (F-Train).  The shot is from the Manhattan bound platform looking south towards the Kings Highway express station.   The Avenue "P" station is a three track station with two local tracks and one express track.  The reconstruction of the 3rd Avenue El around this time (1914-16) added a third track.  Many of the local stations on the 3rd Avenue El had a similar configeration, but the express stops in many of the Manhattan stations were built above the local tracks.  19th Century elevated construction used a lighter, lattice type of steel construction compared to the  1919 elevated station shown here in the picture.  On three track elevated structures, the express track may have express service in the direction of heavy traffic.  For the 3rd Avenue Line, there was express service southbound in the morning and northbound in the evening.  On the IND Culver Line, when express service existed around 1968 to 1974, express service was available using the middle track northbound in the morning and southbound in the evening.  At this location on McDonald Avenue and Avenue "P", some form of rapid transit existed since 1875 and continues to today.  The former railroad tracks that became trolley tracks under the structure are long gone.

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Any Steam Engines Stored in the East 133 Street Yard?

No

Notice covered walkway from 133 Street Station to NYNYH RR area.  In the far north of the picture, the 133 Street station is located.  Picture is an 1924 aerial view.  See prior track map stating that some of the old steam engines that drove the 3rd Avenue El in steam days are located just right of the covered walkway headed south from the 133 Street Station and were stored for resale.  The NYNH&H track area is to the right and off the picture.

Third Avenue El Track Diagram - Lower Section - 1934-1955

Source: B.Linder, NY Division Bulletin, Vol. 36, No. 3., March 1993, Page 5.  Narrative to follow shortly.

Area Around 3rd Avenue Elevated Harlem River Branch or Another Racetrack Spur?