B.M.T. Culver Line Before its' cutback at Ditmas Avenue

Photo Source: Collection of George Conrad,  http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/

This photo, taken on 9/12/54 which  was several weeks before the line was cutback at Ditmas Avenue, two stations down the line.  The view is from the southbound track facing the 13th Avenue Station to the east.  The train is on the Manhattan bound track and consists of B.M.T. Standard Cars.  These standard cars were made of steel and where quite comfortable.  What is interesting in this photo is that the third rails were at time and never on this portion, ever covered with wooden protection boards.  On the right side of the photo, you can see at least three coal silos.  The large factory that appears above the train
is the Flatbush Terminal Building which occupies most of the block on 14th Avenue between 37th Street and 38th Streets.  This large factory had its' own freight siding equipped with trolley wire and poles.  Underneath the el structure was two South Brooklyn Rail Road tracks in a private right of way.  This trackage was equipped with trolley wire and there were many sidings also equipped with trolley wire under the structure for freight delivery, specially coal. In the later years, only one el track remained in service (the one on the right) and one track shuttle service was provided between Ditmas and the Ninth Avenue stations.

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)