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| Re: Question for Joe F. -Woodlawn - PG shuttle 3rd rail shoe (1394227) | |||
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Re: Question for Joe F. -Woodlawn - PG shuttle 3rd rail shoe |
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Posted by JOE @ NYCMTS - NYCTMG on Mon May 2 10:10:07 2016, in response to Re: Question for Joe F. -Woodlawn - PG shuttle 3rd rail shoe, posted by Edwards! on Mon May 2 08:10:39 2016. Hello EdwardsThe Polo Grounds "W. 162nd Street Tunnel" (actually 2 tunnels in parallel) were planned ONLY for use by Manhattan Elevated Lines Trains via the ancient 9th Avenue E mainline feeder -- which had even more stringent structural weight restrictions on some of its lower portions below W. 60th street (the original terminal of the 9th Ave El in 1878) -- than did the 2 east side EL's. Thus, the tunnel clearances were for IRT Elevated cars with their close to trucks drop sled 3rd rail shoes. Costs for a wider set of twin tunnels, excavation for same, and additional materials for wider construction, would add up even in 1917 dollars. For no obvious (in 1917) operational reason. When this El extension line construction was done in 1917-18, there was never a thought of running steel subway car trains thru the tunnel to operate on the 9th Avenue EL -- because of their weight excesses (compared to wood EL Cars) empty and more so loaded. There was never an envision of a "Polo Grounds" shuttle ending at W.155th St Station and using steel cars from there to the Jerome El and back --- back in those construction days of 1917. Thus the "unique" issue of how to run steel subway cars on the Polo Shuttle. Easiest way was to cut back the subway paddle shoes (don't have to remove them from the trucks to do that) - rather than remove them and replace them with surplus (from scrapped El cars) EL Type "drop sled shoes" Note: The W. 155th Street Station Complex El structure was built structurally heavier back when the 9th Ave. EL reached that point in (IIRC 1879) because the NY & Putnam Railroad Steam engine hauled rapid transit commuter trains terminated there with their terminal Station consisting of its own two tracks and single island platform, by sharing the easterly half of very wide entire Elevated structure. The IRT 9th Avenue EL used the western half of the structure, until around 1917, wen the IRT purchased (or I think "leased for 999 years") the Putnam RR Bridge and took over the Putnam Railroad's easterly side of the W. 155th St Station EL Structure. The IRT built a brand new High Level single island platform in place to match its earlier similar island platform the IRT used on the west side of the structure as its original "terminal" . This new platform to become the NORTHBOUND 9th Ave El Express and Local trains station stop. And the earlier identical IRT island platform and its 2 tracks on the west portion of the structure, became the SOUTHBOUND 9th Ave EL Local and Express trains new station stop Most persons used the IND subway along and via other Grand Concourse Bronx IND subway stations and at the last, the E. 161st St. IND subway station before the Harlem River, to get to the area of and around the Manhattan W.155th Street Terminal EL Station and to the Polo Grounds and the later new housing projects built on the by 1949 demolished W. 159th St "semi abandoned" EL yards in 1950-51. After 1950 fewer and fewer people used the Shuttle -- and the Putnam NYCRR trains provided AM and PM rush hour commuter trains terminating at Sedgwick Avenue joint Station, for railroad passengers either going west to Manhattan via the EL shuttle to catch the IND Subway south thru Manhattan from the free Transfer from the EL's W. 155th St Station --- or take the shuttle eastward to catch the IRT Woodlawn EL subway trains at E. 167th Street "transfer" station, for a ride south to Manhattan or north towards Woodlawn Terminal. Other than POLO Grounds events (some being Jehova Witness Mega Meets) and Sports (Ball) games, which generated shuttle ride crowds on those days -- the shuttle just barely earned its keep by 1953 thru 1958 I remember seeing lines of people going from the Bronx side to the Polo Grounds, avoiding the shuttle train fare at Sedgwick Ave Station, and WALKING ACROSS THE FREE PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS on the north side of the Shuttle Line El structure and across its bridge north-side pedestrian walkway from Sedgwick Ave., Bronx, to the Manhattan side !!! And returning the same way after the game ended !! I even have a photo of it ! Regards - Joe F |
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