3 (New York City Subway service)

Summary

The 3 Seventh Avenue Express[3] is a rapid transit service in the A Division of the New York City Subway. Its route emblem, or "bullet", is colored red since it uses the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line through most of Manhattan.[4]

"3" train symbol
Seventh Avenue Express
A New Lots Avenue bound 3 train of R62s entering Van Siclen Avenue
Map of the "3" train
Northern endHarlem–148th Street
Southern endNew Lots Avenue (daytime)
Times Square–42nd Street (late nights)
Stations34
9 (late night service)
Rolling stock260 R62s (26 trains)[1][2]
(Rolling stock assignments subject to change)
DepotLivonia Yard
Started serviceNovember 23, 1904; 119 years ago (1904-11-23)
Route map

Legend
Down arrow  3 
Harlem–148th Street
145th Street (first 5 cars only)
135th Street
125th Street
116th Street
Central Park North–110th Street
96th Street
bypassed local section
86th Street
79th Street
72nd Street
bypassed local section
Times Square–42nd Street
Up arrow  3  nights
34th Street–Penn Station NJ Transit Amtrak
bypassed local section
14th Street Port Authority Trans-Hudson
bypassed local section
Chambers Street
Park Place
Fulton Street
Wall Street
Clark Street
Borough Hall
Disabled access
northbound only
for 4 and ​5 trains
Hoyt Street Disabled access Southbound only
Nevins Street
Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center
Bergen Street
Grand Army Plaza
Eastern Parkway–Brooklyn Museum
Franklin Avenue–Medgar Evers College
Nostrand Avenue
Kingston Avenue
Crown Heights–Utica Avenue
Up arrow  4  ( 5  limited)
Sutter Avenue–Rutland Road
Saratoga Avenue
Rockaway Avenue
Junius Street
Pennsylvania Avenue
Van Siclen Avenue
New Lots Avenue
Up arrow  3 
( 2  ​​ 4  5  limited)
Legend

Lines used by the "3" train
Other services sharing tracks with the "3" train
Unused lines, connections, or service patterns
 3 
Termini of services

Cross-platform interchange

Platforms on different levels

The 3 operates at all times. Daytime service operates between 148th Street in Harlem, Manhattan and New Lots Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn, making express stops in Manhattan and all stops in Brooklyn. Late night service short turns at Times Square–42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan.

The 3 train formerly ran to City Hall or South Ferry in Manhattan, and was later rerouted to Flatbush Avenue–Brooklyn College in Brooklyn. In 1983, it was rerouted to New Lots Avenue.

Service history edit

Early history edit

 
Rollsign used on the ends of R12 through R36 cars
 
1967–1979 bullet

On November 23, 1904, the IRT Lenox Avenue Line opened between 96th Street and 145th Street. 3 trains ran between 145th Street and City Hall, making all stops.[5]

On July 1, 1918, the entire IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line was completed. 3 trains were rerouted south of 42nd Street from the IRT Lexington Avenue Line to this new line, making all stops to South Ferry.[5]

As of 1934, 3 service operated between 145th Street and South Ferry except late nights, when service operated between 145th Street and 96th Street, making local stops.[citation needed]

Under the New York City Transit Authority edit

On January 3, 1955, late night two-car shuttle service between 145th Street and 96th Street, between 12:12 and 6:57 a.m. was discontinued due to low ridership. As a result, 145th Street was closed overnight. In addition, some 3 trains started running express in Manhattan during rush hours.[6] These trains were extended to Flatbush Avenue; a few layups and put-ins ran to New Lots Avenue.[5] However, from December 20, 1957, 3 trains were rerouted to New Lots Avenue during rush hours. On February 6, 1959, all trains except late nights made express stops in Manhattan as part of the "West Side Improvement" and ran to Flatbush Avenue.[5]

Starting April 8, 1960, 3 trains were rerouted from Flatbush Avenue to New Lots Avenue, and weekday evening service between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. was cut to a shuttle between 145th Street and 135th Street. Before the change, 3 trains had run between 145th Street and Flatbush Avenue between about 5:30 a.m. and 12:45 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays and from about 7:15 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. on Sundays. This service had been supplemented by additional service to and from New Lots Avenue.[7][8]

However, on April 18, 1965, 3 service started to run to Flatbush Avenue again.[5] On October 17, 1965, weekend evening service was also cut to a shuttle between 145th Street and 135th Street.

On May 13, 1968, trains were extended to the newly completed 148th Street–Lenox Terminal.[9] Later that year, on November 12, late night shuttle service was implemented between 148th Street and 135th Street.[10] On May 23, 1976, the current practice of starting Sunday service late (9 or 10 a.m.) began.[5]

On July 10, 1983, the 2 and 3 trains swapped terminals in Brooklyn, with 2 trains terminating at Flatbush Avenue and 3 trains terminating at New Lots Avenue. These changes were made to reduce non-revenue subway car mileage, to provide a dedicated fleet for each service, and to provide an easily accessible inspection yard for each service. The change allowed the 2 to be dedicated to 239th Street Yard and allowed the 3 to be assigned to Livonia Yard. With the rerouting of 3 trains, train lengths along the New Lots Line were reduced from 10 cars to 9 cars, within acceptable crowding levels, and train lengths along the Nostrand Avenue Line were increased from 9 to 10 cars, reducing crowding.[11][12]

Beginning on August 5, 1990, late-night shuttles between 148th Street and 135th Street were discontinued and replaced by shuttle buses. On September 4, 1994, late-night shuttles between 148th Street and 135th Street were resumed, but were discontinued again on September 10, 1995.[13] This was a cost-saving measure due to low ridership.[14]

From March 2[15] to October 12, 1998, the IRT Lenox Avenue Line was rehabilitated. Most 3 service was rerouted to 137th Street–City College.[16]

Recent history edit

After September 11, 2001, the 3 service became a local in Manhattan. After a few switching delays at 96th Street, service was changed on September 19, 2001. All 3 trains began to operate express in Manhattan and terminated at 14th Street instead of New Lots Avenue; daytime 1 trains was extended to Brooklyn to cover 3 service. Also on this date, 3 trains began to permanently use consists of 10-car trains as a result of equipment sharing between Livonia Yard (the maintenance facility in Brooklyn where subway cars assigned to the 3 are based from) and 240th Street Yard (the maintenance facility in the Bronx where subway cars assigned to the 1 are based from). [17] Service returned to New Lots Avenue on September 15, 2002.[5]

On July 27, 2008, late night 3 service was restored, operating express between 148th Street and Times Square–42nd Street. In addition, late morning weekday service was increased from running every 6 to 8 minutes to running every 5 to 7 minutes to reduce crowding on the 2. These increases were made as part of an $8.9 million package of systemwide service enhancements.[18][19]

The Clark Street Tube underwent planned repairs on weekends from June 17, 2017, to June 24, 2018, due to Hurricane Sandy-related damage. The 3 operated only in Manhattan between Harlem-148th Street and 14th Street with 4 trains providing service in Brooklyn.[20][21]

On November 17, 2019, New York City Transit made adjustments to weekday evening 3, 4, and 5 service in order to accommodate planned subway work. Late night 3 service to Times Square started an hour earlier, at 10:30 p.m. instead of 11:30 p.m.; to replace 3 service, 4 service was extended to New Lots Avenue. This change, which was approved by the MTA Board on June 27, 2019, was expected to save the agency $900,000 annually.[22][23]

Route edit

Service pattern edit

The following table shows the lines used by the 3, with shaded boxes indicating the route at the specified times:[24]

Line From To Tracks Times
all ex. nights late nights
IRT Lenox Avenue Line (full line) Harlem–148th Street Central Park North–110th Street all    
IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line 96th Street Times Square–42nd Street express
34th Street–Penn Station Chambers Street  
IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line, Brooklyn Branch Park Place Borough Hall all
IRT Eastern Parkway Line (full line) Hoyt Street Crown Heights–Utica Avenue local
IRT New Lots Line (full line) Sutter Avenue–Rutland Road New Lots Avenue all

Stations edit

For a more detailed station listing, see the articles on the lines listed above.[3]

Station service legend
  Stops all times
  Stops all times except late nights
  Stops weekdays during the day
  Stops rush hours only
  Station closed
  Stops rush hours in the peak direction only (limited service)
  Stops rush hours in the reverse-peak direction only (limited service)
Time period details
  Station is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act
  ↑ Station is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act
in the indicated direction only
  ↓
  Elevator access to mezzanine only
  Stations   Subway transfers Connections/Notes
Manhattan
Lenox Avenue Line
  Harlem–148th Street
  145th Street Access to and from first five cars of southbound trains, and from first five cars of northbound trains only; no northbound entry.
Some southbound a.m. rush hour trips begin at this station
  135th Street   2  
  125th Street 2   M60 Select Bus Service to LaGuardia Airport
  116th Street 2  
  Central Park North–110th Street 2  
Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line
  96th Street   1  2  
  72nd Street   1  2  
  Times Square–42nd Street   1  2  
7   <7>  ​ (IRT Flushing Line)
A  C  E   (IND Eighth Avenue Line at 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal)
N  Q  R  W   (BMT Broadway Line)
S   (42nd Street Shuttle)
B  D  F   <F>  M   (IND Sixth Avenue Line at 42nd Street–Bryant Park, daytime only)
Port Authority Bus Terminal
M34A Select Bus Service
  34th Street–Penn Station   1  2   M34 / M34A Select Bus Service
Amtrak, LIRR and NJ Transit at Pennsylvania Station
  14th Street 1  2  
Out-of-system transfers with MetroCard/OMNY:
F   <F>  M   (IND Sixth Avenue Line at 14th Street)
L   (BMT Canarsie Line at Sixth Avenue)
PATH at 14th Street
M14A/D Select Bus Service
  Chambers Street   1  2  
Brooklyn branch
  Park Place   2  
A  C   (IND Eighth Avenue Line at Chambers Street)
E   (IND Eighth Avenue Line at World Trade Center)
R  W   (BMT Broadway Line at Cortlandt Street)
PATH at World Trade Center
  Fulton Street   2  
4  5   (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)
A  C   (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
J  Z   (BMT Nassau Street Line)
PATH at World Trade Center
  Wall Street 2   M15 Select Bus Service
Staten Island Ferry at Whitehall Terminal
Brooklyn
  Clark Street   2     NYC Ferry: East River and South Brooklyn routes (at Old Fulton Street and Furman Street)
  Borough Hall   2  
4  5   (IRT Eastern Parkway Line)
R  W   (BMT Fourth Avenue Line at Court Street)
Eastern Parkway Line
  Hoyt Street   ↓ 2   Station is ADA-accessible in the southbound direction only.[25]
  Nevins Street 2   ​​4  5  
  Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center   2   ​​4  5  
B  Q   (BMT Brighton Line)
D  N  R  W   (BMT Fourth Avenue Line)
LIRR Atlantic Branch at Atlantic Terminal
  Bergen Street 2   ​​4  
  Grand Army Plaza 2   ​​4  
  Eastern Parkway–Brooklyn Museum   2   ​​4  
  Franklin Avenue–Medgar Evers College 2   ​​4  5  
S   (BMT Franklin Avenue Line at Botanic Garden)
  Nostrand Avenue 2   ​​4  5   B44 Select Bus Service
  Kingston Avenue 2   ​​4  5  
  Crown Heights–Utica Avenue   2   ​​4  5   B46 Select Bus Service
New Lots Line
  Sutter Avenue–Rutland Road 2   ​​4  5   B15 bus to JFK Int'l Airport
  Saratoga Avenue 2   ​​4  5  
  Rockaway Avenue 2   ​​4  5  
  Junius Street 2   ​​4  5  
Out-of-system transfer with MetroCard/OMNY:
L   (BMT Canarsie Line at Livonia Avenue)
  Pennsylvania Avenue 2   ​​4  5  
  Van Siclen Avenue 2   ​​4  5  
  New Lots Avenue 2   ​​4  5   B15 bus to JFK Int'l Airport

References edit

  1. ^ 'Subdivision 'A' Car Assignment Effective December 19, 2021'. New York City Transit, Operations Planning. December 17, 2021.
  2. ^ "Subdivision 'A' Car Assignments: Cars Required June 27, 2021" (PDF). The Bulletin. Electric Railroaders' Association. 64 (7): 2. July 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "3 Subway Timetable, Effective June 26, 2022". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  4. ^ "Mta.info | Line Colors". Archived from the original on October 16, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "NYCT Line by Line History". erictb.info. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  6. ^ "Subway Cut Is Explained By Official". New York Amsterdam News. December 18, 1954 – via Proquest.
  7. ^ Friedlander, Alex; Lonto, Arthur; Raudenbush, Henry (April 1960). "A Summary of Services on the IRT Division, NYCTA" (PDF). New York Division Bulletin. Electric Railroaders' Association. 3 (1): 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 14, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  8. ^ "IRT Changes in Service – April 8, 1960" (PDF). New York Division Bulletin. Electric Railroaders' Association. 3 (1): 3. April 1960. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 14, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  9. ^ "IRT Passengers Get New 148th St. Station". The New York Times. May 14, 1968. p. 95. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  10. ^ Another Transit Improvement... Line 3 (7 Ave. Lenox Shuttle) All Night Service, New York City Transit Authority, 1968, archived from the original on July 4, 2021, retrieved June 30, 2021
  11. ^ "New IRT Schedules – Increased Service to Flatbush Avenue". New York Division Bulletin. July 1983.
  12. ^ "Notice of Public Hearing". New York Amsterdam News. February 26, 1983. Archived from the original on January 25, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  13. ^ "Coming Transit Reductions: What They Mean for You Archived May 18, 2020, at the Wayback Machine," The New York Times, August 20, 1995, p. CY10
  14. ^ Bleyer, Jennifer (July 17, 2005). "In a City That Never Sleeps, Two Stations That Doze". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  15. ^ Christian, Nichole M. (March 3, 1998). "Subway Line Repairs Start With Confusion". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  16. ^ "About NYC Transit – History". October 19, 2002. Archived from the original on October 19, 2002. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  17. ^ Chiasson, George (November 2001), "Redbird Update" (PDF), The Bulletin, New York Division, Electric Railroaders’ Association, p. 16, archived (PDF) from the original on April 7, 2023, retrieved April 7, 2023
  18. ^ "Service Enhancements on 3 Line" (Press release). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. July 24, 2008. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2008.
  19. ^ Neuman, William (June 19, 2008). "Subway Service Increase to Be Less Than Hoped". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 15, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  20. ^ "Transit & Bus Committee Meeting December 2016" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. December 12, 2016. pp. PDF-169 to PDF-175. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 10, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  21. ^ "Clark St Tunnel Reconstruction Weekend Service Changes". web.mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 13, 2018. Archived from the original on March 13, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  22. ^ "Transit and Bus Committee Meeting June 2019" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. June 24, 2019. pp. 94–97. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  23. ^ "5 Subway Timetable Effective November 17, 2019". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. November 17, 2019. Archived from the original on November 23, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  24. ^ "Subway Service Guide" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  25. ^ "MTA announces new station elevator paid in full by Macy's". News 12 - The Bronx. September 21, 2023. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.

External links edit