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| Re: Tuscarora Almanac - December 15, 1956 - The Book of First and Last Runs (1264874) | |||
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Re: Tuscarora Almanac - December 15, 1956 - The Book of First and Last Runs |
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Posted by JOE @ NYCMTS - NYCTMG on Wed Dec 18 03:20:48 2013, in response to Re: Tuscarora Almanac - December 15, 1956 - The Book of First and Last Runs, posted by Randyo on Tue Dec 17 16:52:18 2013. Hello again, Randyoand EL KEEPER Randyo, you are correct - and so is EL KEEPER in his commentary reply to you, of course. And remember, there were City GOVERNMENT FUNDS involved that built extensions of both IRT and BMT lines, including elevateds, per DUAL Contracts. So it could be that the DUAL 3rd Rail was a shared expense between IRT and the City, or fully of the public funds solely.. An interesting parallel development in IRT history --- as follows: The LEXINGTON SUBWAY extension of the original IRT northward from E.42md Street north to Harlem River, as you likely know, was built FOR and designed with wider clearances FOR THE BMT SUBWAY SYSTEM. THATS WHY there were for decades seen, steel 6" gap filler plates installed on all the station platforms on that subway line segment of the line for as long as I remember (well, they were still there in the 1980's) - so when the BMT decided at the last minute to NOT take possession of it, nor run BMT Trains to the Bronx, the IRT was given operational possession of the line and connected it to its Park Avenue South (aka Fourth Ave back then) original 1904 subway route. In fact, a couple of blocks of BMT Subway tunnels were started UNDER south Lexington Avenue at some point much further below E.42nd Street to connect to that northern (above E.42St) portion of the new upper Lexington Avenue subway route line. From what I remember, those unfinished very few blocks of tunnels on lower Lex Ave. were later filled in if I recall correctly. So the BMT would have, if things went differently back then, paralleled part of the one block away IRT Original 1904 subway line under Park Ave. South ! Also, the Woodlawn and Pelham Lines were structurally being built under Dual Contracts to BMT Car width standards in original steelwork construction. Had the BMT ran up Lexington Avenue, it would have operated on the Woodlawn and Pelham Elevateds!. Because the BMT rejected the Bronx routings, the IRT was given possession and the wooden platforms on EL stations on those two Elevated lines were built from the start to clear IRT (narrow rolling stock. Had the BMT operated those two lines, one would wonder if the IRT 9th Avenue EL would have been (or able to be) connected to the Woodlawn-Jerome EL - what with 10' wide BMT Standards running up there ! That 5 track wide junction with twin down ramps for the IRT connection, was part of the original River Ave. portion construction of the EL. Possibly to, under Dual Contracxts, let both IRT and BMT trains share the same Woodlawn bound tracks? One wonders ! Like was planned at Queens for the IRT anbd BMT, with "modifications" ! The IRT West Farms original EL from the E.149 St. tunnel portal to Bronx Park EAST terminal - was originally a Charter-Route approved by the City and earmarked solely for the Manhattan Railway's "Surburban Rapid Transit Company" affiliate-divison, which was itself formed to build and operate the original - as originally-built - 2 track only (all with single center island platform stations) structure for what would be the Bronx 3rd Avenue EL extension - and back then which terminated at the Bronx Park WEST Station (one stop above Fordham Road Station). As part of that "Surburban Company" City chartered planned route, a branch N.E. from the Surburban Company Line's E.143rd Street Station was approved for the Suburban Company trains to run up Willis Ave and Bergen Avenue, and swing on to Westchester Avenue up to "West Farms" (well, it WAS farms back in the 1890's !) on a to be later built new Elevated Line. The Suburban Company even made provisions for this West Farms Line branch when building the original Brick support piers much wider on the R-o-W, at the northern end of its then single level E.143rd St Island Platform Station. The piers at north end of the center island station were built much wider towards the east for the planned track connection to later be built heading over towards Willis, Bergen and finally, Westchester Avenues. Brick Piers were used for supporting the trackage steelwork girders, on the E.133rd to E.143rd Street portion of the "Private R-o-W" route (which later was residential-tenements-built-up and became an "alley" canyon for the EL to run within in later years). However, that charter-approved "West Farms EL" line plan lay dormant, until 1902, whereon when the IRT original subway was being built, and the when IRT absorbed control of the Manhattan Railway Company as a division, the IRT "captured" as part of that acquisition, that charter-authorized West Farms Route held by the Manhattan & Surburban Comnpanies. And thus the IRT planned its SUBWAY TRAINS to also connect to and operate the now decided to be built, West Farms Elevated Line route. Of course, the 3rd Ave El line under Manhattan Railway's "Surburban Company held" charter, was intended as allowed, to likewise operate on the new EL route, and an alternate, shorter new 2 track EL connection was built in 1903-4 from E.150th Street & 3rd Avenue, where Westchester Avenue also ended on the east side of 3rd Avenue. That 2 track line went East about 2 or so blocks and connected to as built new in 1903-4, an upper level flyover straight over the simultaneous construction of the subway route to its twin down ramps and curving 2 tracks going to the E.149St Tunnel Portal. That new West Farms EL was installed with EL Style 3rd Rail for initial operation about 1904-5 of 3rd Ave EL connecting EL trains via that original E.150th St-Westchester Ave connection. The later Willis-Avenue-Bergen Avenue JCT connection (which was original connecting route part of the Suburban Company 1890 charter route to West Farms), was finally built in 1916-17 along with the entire 3rd (Express) Tracking of, and double-decking of the 3rd Avenue EL "Alley EL" between Harlem River and E.143rd Street Station, where the new Bergen junction, was made but ONLY FROM THE UPPER EXPRESS LEVEL Tracks. This Bergen Junction replaced the train interlocking congestion and at grade track multiple crossings at the old E.150th Street JCT connector to the West Farms EL. However, both EL Connections remained intact until 1949, When the longer Bergen cut segment was removed, and 1952-3 when the E.150th St 2 blocks connector was, as it was out of service for many years, removed. Just a bit more history for those who would be interested. regards - Joe F |
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