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| Re: [PHOTOS] ''A'' Division Oldies (1549542) | |||
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Re: [PHOTOS] ''A'' Division Oldies |
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Posted by JOE @ NYCMTS - NYCTMG on Mon Jun 1 14:41:42 2020, in response to Re: [PHOTOS] ''A'' Division Oldies, posted by IRTRedbirdR33 on Mon Jun 1 12:27:07 2020. Hello IRT RedbirdRe: Westchester Ave -- I figured a slight brain slip was the real reason -- I have been there - done that (red faced)- heh ! In 1958 a few blocks long portion of center track from E. 151st Street north to the center of the E. 156th Street local station was used for layups and had a south-facing cheap simple pipe bumper installed at the center of that E. 156th St Station. The center track was fitted with subway style covered 3rd rail and was used possibly for layup trains south to 149th St terminal for PM rush hour quick relay pickups. And possibly for occasional work trains. By 1963 the south facing pipe bumper on the E.156th St center track was removed and re-located (** see further down below) At the E. 152nd St area, the original mid 1954 installed switches were kept intact from both Local tracks to and from the express track. Those were previously needed and used by 3rd Ave EL expresses to get to and from the Local Tracks at E. 149th Street Station since Nov. 1954. That was when the express track THRU that station was boarded over to make a very wide single island platform for the impending 5-12-1955 late PM permanent terminal station. The south portion of the center track just below that simple E. 152nd Street interlocking ended at a MASSIVE Wooden Beams bumper, and the center trackway was fully removed southward in 1958 from below that bumper to the interlocking " X " crossovers at the north end of the 149th St Terminal Station. The removed center track now openly exposed twin track girders were walled off by pipe catwalk railings on those facing-sides of both local tracks. That short center-track removal was to provide more daylight onto the Avenue below the EL in the then very busy Bronx HUB Shopping area along the EL between E. 149th to E.152nd Street. But, by 1963 the covered subway type 3rd rails on that short center track along with the 4 switches, were removed from 152nd St north to center of the E. 156th Street Station, to finally abandon that track. I have my photos of that (those) bumpers. The center track actually was, after 1958, also layup-train-used between E. 174th street Station north to 210th Street Station using interlocking north of E. 177th Street Station to get 2 and from both local tracks. It was fitted with covered subway style 3rd rail. By that time the much truncated minor interlocking just north of Fordham Rd Station was also removed as then being totally un-necessary. (**) A cheap simple pipe iron type Bumper was placed on the center track facing north around 1963 at the somewhat middle point of the E. 174th street station to discontinue any more layups on the by then totally abandoned center track below (south of) that point down to E. 152nd Street Bumper. By 1958 the center track 3rd rail south of 174th Street was still the old EL style uncovered contact rail, to just behind the south-facing bumper at E. 156th Street station was fully removed, deactivating that section of center track fully. The Center track had subway style covered 3rd rail installed around 1959 from 174th Street north to Gun Hill Road trackage after the 1958 installed subway type covered 3rd rail was installed entirely along both local tracks which still had ALL the old EL style 3rd rail -- ( but WITHOUT its wooden safety back-boards which were removed by end of 1956, so subway car "paddle contact shoes" could ride upon it ) -- removed and replaced with covered subway style 3rd rail. That E. 174th St. Station bumper was then removed around 1963-64 and moved north and installed at a point on the center track on the high ornamental concrete deck ballasted EL over Webster Avenue 2 blocks south of 200th Street local station. The covered 3rd rail and hardware between those center track locations was then removed and salvaged elsewhere. Around that time, work crews removed ALL interlocking outside the north end of Tremont Avenue Station as no longer needed. Sometime in 1968 that center track bumper was AGAIN then pulled from below E. 200th St Station and relocated just below the 204th Street local station. The Covered 3rd rail on that track,south of that new bumper, then un-needed, was also removed, salvaged for other uses. These continued changes outlined were likely because of much diminished 24 hour ridership on the EL thru the 1960's (excepting the very short AM & PM rush hour peak periods) and the pending removal of 5 car locals to become 4 car R-12 SMEE class locals after November 1969. Only a few (likely 4 or 5 consists) off-peak layups of 4-car trains, were needed by 1970 and they could be easily stored between 204th & 210th Street Stations. And as such, the reason the center track bumper was relocated just south of the 204th st. station, where it remained until 4-29-1973 end of all service on the EL. A lot of collective history tidbits -- can't be told very simply to be historically effective. But is all old dinosaur food now, heh PS: Check my Facebook Page for photos... regards - Joe F |
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