Queensboro Plaza (New York City Subway station)

Template:NYCS station header
Queens Template:NYCS station rowIRT Flushing Line and BMT Astoria Line Template:NYCS station rowTemplate:NYCS Flushing Template:NYCS Astoria Template:NYCS station rowTemplate:NYCS cross yes Template:NYCS station rowFlushing Line local: Template:NYCS next
Flushing Line express: Template:NYCS next
Astoria Line local: Template:NYCS next
Astoria Line express: Template:NYCS next Template:NYCS station rowFlushing Line: Template:NYCS next
Broadway Line: Template:NYCS next Template:NYCS station rowNovember 6, 1916 (current station - Flushing Line)
February 1, 1917 (current station - Astoria Line)
August 1, 1920 (old BMT station - Broadway Line)
April 8, 1923 (old BMT station - Astoria and Flushing Lines) Template:NYCS station rowOctober 17, 1949 (old BMT station - both sides) Template:NYCS station footer

Queensboro Plaza is an elevated station over Queensboro Plaza, at the east (Queens) end of the Queensboro Bridge, with Queens Boulevard running east from the plaza. It is currently over only the south (railroad east) side of the roadway, but used to span the whole plaza. The current configuration is a double-decked station, with northbound trains on the upper level and southbound trains below. The BMT Astoria Line (which to the south joins with the 60th Street Tunnel Connection and heads through the 60th Street Tunnel to the BMT Broadway Line) uses the two tracks west (compass north) of the platforms and the IRT Flushing Line uses the east two tracks. There is a double crossover north of the platform on the upper level; this is one of a few track connections between the Template:IRT and Template:IND (NYCS)/Template:BMT, and is the only connection between the IRT Flushing Line and the rest of the Subway system.

The mezzanine, located below the lower level (and formerly connecting to the torn-down BMT platforms to the west), there is a concrete ramp across Queens Plaza North to the second floor of a building. The station is currently being renovated by NYCTA employees (as opposed to an outside contractor). A computer assisted tower is being installed on the south end. (A traditional tower is already present, but will be renovated with new machinery.)

The station is wheelchair accessible for cross-platform (same direction) transfers only.

Bus connections: Q19A, Q32, Q39, Q60, Q67, Q101, Q101R, Q102, B61

History

In the original configuration, the Template:IRT used both sides of the current platforms, and the Template:BMT used now-demolished platforms west (compass north) of the current platforms, also double-decked. The east side of the IRT platforms were used by the Flushing Line, as today; the west side was used by Astoria trains, but instead of going through the 60th Street Tunnel, they went over the Queensboro Bridge to the elevated IRT Second Avenue Line. Double crossovers south (lower tracks) and north (upper tracks) of the platform allowed trains from either side to switch to the other line after leaving the station.

At the BMT half, the south track served subway trains to Manhattan and the BMT Broadway Line. Trains came from Manhattan on the upper level, continued north to a merge with the lower level, and then returned via the lower level. This configuration was in place by 1924; before that trains reversed direction using a double crossover south of the platforms. Until 1949, the Astoria and Flushing Lines hosted both IRT and BMT service. Since the platforms were IRT-size, the BMT used its own elevated cars to provide service on the lines, with a required transfer at Queensboro Plaza. Shuttles from Astoria came in on the west side lower track and then reversed direction to head to Flushing; Flushing trains came in on the upper track and reversed direction towards Astoria.

During the early period of dual service on the Astoria and Flushing portions, IRT and BMT trains had their own stopping marks on the platforms and the sections of the platforms were separated. Passengers had separate entrances at the platform depending on which service they wanted. This set-up prevented free transfers between the lines of the 2 companies. This arrangement had to end when the IRT increased the number of cars for the subway line stopping there. The two companies worked out an agreement in which the revenues collected on those stations were shared.

In 1949, the IRT started using the Flushing Line only, and the Astoria Line platforms were shaved back for through BMT service. New connections were built between the 60th Street Tunnel approach and the west tracks at the east (former IRT) platforms (the Second Avenue Line had closed in 1942), and the west (former BMT) platforms were closed.

External links

• nycsubway.org - IRT Flushing Line: Queensborough Plaza (http://nycsubway.org/irt/flushing/irt-flushing-qbp.html) (text used with permission)
• nycsubway.org - BMT Astoria Line - Queensborough Plaza (http://nycsubway.org/bmt/astoria/#notes)
• BMT-Lines.com - Astoria and Flushing Lines (http://www.bmt-lines.com/astoria.html)