Another Possible Trolley Overhead Reminder in Brooklyn

  In other posts regarding the South Brooklyn Railroad, I posted a track map showing that for a long time, the only crossing from west to east across Third Avenue in Brooklyn was a one track surface track parallel to 39th Street.  This crossing under the overhead Gowanas Expressway was at grade level and connected with the yards at the waterfront.  Most of the track of the South Brooklyn RR had trolley style overhead mounted either from the familiar trolley poles painted black or wooden troughs mounted under structures.  I remember in the late 1970's at this location, over the track there was a inverted wooden trough with trolley wire in it.  It extended only under the highway structure and did not protrude over the sides. Of course, at the ends of the trough there was no further trolley wire like in the entire New York State except for Buffalo.  I believe this was the only location in New York City were trolley wire then existed over a track; except perhaps the Essex Delancey Street trolley terminal on the Lower East Side where the overhead may still exist over trolley tracks covered over with six decades of dust.  At any rate, the track path crossing Third Avenue may have changed in the past few years as a result of closing of the Davidson's Pipe Yard and the building of Cosco at the former yard site west of that location near 39th Street.  Take a look at the picture attached from Google Maps.  Do you see the support brackets to the former wooden trough that contained the trolley wire?  Notice that the track curves slightly.  I remember that is crossed Third Avenue at right angles.  Or are they just pipe supports?

What do you think?  You are facing east towards the South Brooklyn freight yard between 3rd and 4th Avenues.  This area is so rich in rapid transit history.

Please look at the roof of the highway.  Notice the curved track.  This is the only track connecting east and west sections of the railroad, even in the good days.

Gravesend(McDonald) Avenue Line Bklyn 1926-1940

Source:  B. Linder & Edward B. Watson, New York Division Bulletin, Vol. 20, Number 5, October 1977, Pages 2-9.

The above map covers the period between 1926 and 1940 when the steel elevated structure above Gravesend Avenue (McDonald Avenue) was already in operation.  Notice the red circled sidings at Kings Highway which was at a coal silo and the sidings north of Avenue U.  This later siding may be connected with the Gravesend Race Track.  However, from an earlier drawing, the Brooklyn Jockey Club siding was at Avenue T.  There is much to discuss here including the fact that this trackage was also served by the South Brooklyn Railway, which used electric trolley steeple locomotive to haul box cars for freight delivery to commercial customers along 37 Street and McDonald Avenue such as the coal company south of Kings Highway.  See earlier posting regarding Kensington Junction which is at Ditmas Avenue and McDonald Avenue.

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)