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| Re: 76 TH STATION BROOKLYN/QUEENS. (1169491) | |||
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Re: 76 TH STATION BROOKLYN/QUEENS. |
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Posted by Handbrake on Sun Jul 29 21:49:24 2012, in response to Re: 76 TH STATION BROOKLYN/QUEENS., posted by Handbrake on Sun Jul 29 21:22:51 2012. Follow up past post.This and an old topic like; "Did FDR had prior knowledge of a "Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor", continues to fascinate transit historians. One can write a PhD thesis on the subject of 76th Street. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Redbird to J-Train Tony. Some thoughts on the 76 Street Station Posted by Larry,RedbirdR33 on Fri Jan 10 22:14:10 2003, in response to Re: "Tunnel Rat" Responds to SubTalk Discussion on 76th Street Station (Queens IND), posted by J-TrainTony on Fri Jan 10 20:19:14 2003. Tony: I happen to know both Doug BMT Man and Steve K. Doug is a decent and honest man and would not fabricate such a story. I have met Steve several times and spoken to him at length about this tunnel and I daresay that I am fairly knowledgeable on subway matters myself. I do not doubt Steve's veracity especially when his knowledge about other tunnels which I know to exist is so complete. What is lacking as we have said here before is hard evidence. My own opinion is that the tunnels do extend beyond the bulkheads for some distance. How far? I don't know. As far as 76 Street? I don't know that either. I say that the tunnel may extend beyond the bulkhead because the yard leads from Pitkin to 76 Street extend only a few hundred feet from the junction with K5 and K6. Switches were installed and the track was usable for those few hundred feet. Why install switches into a length of track so short as to be virtually unusable? The swictches and tracks A7 and A8 have since been removed. What exactly was constructed and when? In his history of the subway system Joe Cunningham states that the IND was extended to Broadway-East New York Avenue on December 30,1946 with plans for an extension on Pitkin Avenue and stubs for a future Jamaica Avenue Subway. Work on the Pitkin Avenue Route WAS ALREADY UNDERWAY. The line was completed to a full terminal at Euclid Avenue with a 40 track 585 car yard and an inspection shed. Provisions for extensions toward the Fulton Street El and along Pitkin Avenue were made. The line opened on November 29,1948. Bulkeads were installed in four locations. On the aforementioned tracks A7 and A8. On tracks K5 and K6 (since removed) which connect Pitkin Yard to the Fulton Street El. On tracks K1 and K2 (since removed) which connect Euclid Avenue and Grant Avenue and on tracks A1,A2,A3 and A4 at about Elderts Lane. The Board of Transportation in 1951 amended their 1949 Report of Subway Extensions to include a takeover of the Rockaway Line. Note that this was two years after the IND had reached Euclid Avenue. What promted this amendment was the May 8, 1950 trestle fire on the LIRR Rockaway Line which resulted in a permanent suspension of LIRR service to the Rockaways via Jamaica Bay. Extension of subway service to the Rockaways had been talked about for many years and indeed there was rapid transit service to the Rockaways by the BRT from 1898 to 1918 via the Chestnut Street Incline. Provision was made during construction of the IND Queens Line at 63 Drive to connect to the LIRR. The loss of direct Rockaway service neccsitated a cheaper and faster solution to provide transit service to the Rockaways. A BOT approved $10,154,000 to build a connection from the Euclid Avenue Terminal to the BMT Fulton Street El. This involved removing the existing bulkhead on tracks K 1 and K2 and building a new station at Grant Avenue. Note that Grant Avenue Station had not been built when the line was extended to Euclid Avenue. The bulkheads on Pitkin Yard leads; K5 and K6 were probably removed at this time. If the Pitkin Line had been constructed to 76 Street why was it not used as a terminal? The answer is in the track plan for 76 Street. It was to be a four track local station with two side platforms. There were to be two sets of double crossover east of the station but only between the express and local tracks. It would not have been possible to build a temporary terminal here as was done at Rockaway Avenue for several years. I have a track plan of the entire area drawn by Mr David Rogoff who was probably the most knowledgeable subway construction historian of his day. Mr Rogoff states that the tunnels east of the bulheads and the entire 76 Street Station were never built. He was alive and active in railfanning at the time of the original construction and would certainly followed it very closely. While I cannot prove or disprove the existence of the 76 Street Station I hope that this post will clarify the situation somewhat. I would not however doubt Steve's honest beliefs or Doug's intentions. Best Wishes, Larry, RedbirdR33 |
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