What is this vertical line?

  Hi Folks:

 In the past, I presented a lot of maps produced in ARCGIS.  One of the strange observations was  when a map was produced of altitude in Brooklyn, a strange line, 90 degrees to the horizontal appears from around the 62nd Street - New Utrecht Avenue station (D and N Trains) and stretches south to Coney Island.  Since altitude maps or data may be based on aerial observation, perhaps a seam in the photos cause such an image.   My source for altitude in Brooklyn in my previous maps was not ARCGIS.   Nevertheless, today I added an ARCGIS online basemap and behold, the same line appears.  In the past, I used Google Maps to pass over the area and I did not detect any sort of construction or ridge that would generate such an effect from a street level view.  What do you think it is?  See my map above and look for "What is this?"  in red.  You can see the vertical shadow.  Is this a map in code, an error caused by splicing the photos together, or something that exists?  Sorry for spelling errors in the map title.

A Close Up Look at various ramps in the 38 Street Cut

     In some of my prior posts, I focused on the various ramps west of the Ninth Avenue Station on the present day D train in Brooklyn. I posted aerial views, historic views and so on. Now it would be interesting to see at train and track level, what these ramps look like.  In the two attached videos that I got from the web, you will see close up action, however they are not perfect and just as we are about to get to an interesting point, a train running in the opposite direction will block your view!

In the first video, a R-160 "M" train leaves Ninth Avenue Station (upper level) and  will run to 36th Street and 4th Avenue station.  Currently, the "M" train does not serve the Ninth Avenue station but runs by Sixth Avenue to Queens from the Williamsburgh Bridge after Essex Street.  Therefore this video is several years old.  The sequence that you will see as follows:

1. The westbound train goes down a ramp and meets the former trackage to the Culver Line and the 5th Avenue Elevated.
2. After an interchange, two ramps go up to a higher level.  Although these ramps are under construction, they normally carry tracks to the 36th Street yard and this is the trackage that the 5th Avenue-Culver El trains took.
3. The two mystery ramps are seen with grass on one of them them going to the upper level.
4. The train enters what becomes a two track brick lined tunnel which is very historic and may have been the original route of the South Brooklyn Rail Road.
5. The train emerges into the light momentarily where you see a turnout for the SBRR tracks to the waterfront.
6. Just as we are about to see the SBRR yard that stretches from 4th Avenue to 3rd Avenue, your view is blocked by a Coney Island bound train.
7. The train makes a sharp turn and enters the Fourth Avenue Subway where the tracks go lower and meet the tracks of the "N" and "R" trains.
8. The train enters the 36th Street (Fourth Avenue) Station.
9. The view of this video is west.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0TdfHWYRqlQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFqAy38wKW4&feature=player_detailpage

 

In the second video, the "M" train made of R-160 cars is running south from 36 th Street to 62nd Street and New Utrecht Avenue on the West End El.  The view is easterly and you will be able to see the various buildings in the 36-38 Street yard.  At the Ninth Avenue Station, you will see the closed off staircase to the abandoned Culver Line and your will enter the West End El.  The order is reverse of the above where the train leaves 36th Street, leaves the "N" and "R" trackage which goes to a lower level, makes a sharp turn and enters the two track brick tunnel and so on.  I hope you find these videos interesting and a thanks to the person(s) who shot them.

Video of the West End Trolley and Church Avenue Trolley Tunnel

   Since in my last posts the subject was the West End Trolley (1916-1947), I found this video showing the 25th Avenue Loop at Harway Avenue.  In 1946, the West End trolley was cut back to this loop instead of going to Coney Island.  The private right of way is also shown just to the east of New Utrecht Avenue between 81st Streets and 84th Street.  The B.M.T. West End Line is shown in the background.  Today, Sixth Avenue "D" trains run on this elevated\subway route.  Two PCC cars are shown and this must have been a promotion for the New York's World's Fair.  Some other interesting views are shown, including a trolley emerging from the trolley tunnel under Ocean Parkway.

https://www.google.com/url?url=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D1WvRSZSoktA&rct=j&sa=X&ei=En7mT8yZIIrJ0QHTqYHyCQ&ved=0CGMQuAIwAzgU&q=trolley+videos+brooklyn&usg=AFQjCNGJosiCQxkqXPBV2OUaCfNxyzrSjw

West End Line - South Portion Until 1916

Source:  Watson, Edward B. & Linder, B. "New York Division Bulletin", Vol. 22, No. 6, June, 1979, p.7.

This track map shows the layout during the days that 5th Avenue - West End Elevated trains ran on the surface in this part of Brooklyn.  Motive power for this section was overhead trolley.  Not shown on this map, but on the north section map, motive power from around 36th Street and 5th Avenue station and north to the Brooklyn Bridge was third rail power.

West End Line North Section Until 1916

Source:  Watson, Edward B. & Linder, B.  New York Division Bulletin, Vol 22, No. 6, June, 1979, p5.

This track diagram refers to the operation of elevated trains using trolley wire on the surface. Third rail power started, I believe near the 36th Street - Fifth Avenue station and north to the Brooklyn Bridge.
The Bay 19th Street Private Right of Way is featured in one of the videos that I posted about Brooklyn Trolleys.  A more complete narrative may follow in the future.  Southern section to follow in a future post.