79th Street station (BMT West End Line)

Summary

The 79th Street station is a local station on the BMT West End Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of 79th Street and New Utrecht Avenue in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. It is served by the D train at all times. The station opened in 1916 as part of the BMT West End Line, which was upgraded into an elevated line as part of the Dual Contracts. Its platforms were extended to accommodate ten-car trains in the 1960s, and the station was renovated in 2012.

 79 Street
 "D" train
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
View of the Manhattan-bound platform
Station statistics
Address79th Street & New Utrecht Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11214
BoroughBrooklyn
LocaleBensonhurst
Coordinates40°36′48″N 74°00′05″W / 40.61339°N 74.001514°W / 40.61339; -74.001514
DivisionB (BMT)[1]
LineBMT West End Line
Services   D all times (all times)
StructureElevated
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks3 (2 in regular service)
Other information
OpenedJune 24, 1916 (107 years ago) (1916-06-24)
Opposite-
direction
transfer
Yes
Traffic
20231,311,172[2]Increase 4.5%
Rank235 out of 423[2]
Services
Preceding station New York City Subway New York City Subway Following station
71st Street
Local
18th Avenue
Location
79th Street station (BMT West End Line) is located in New York City Subway
79th Street station (BMT West End Line)
79th Street station (BMT West End Line) is located in New York City
79th Street station (BMT West End Line)
79th Street station (BMT West End Line) is located in New York
79th Street station (BMT West End Line)
Track layout

Legend
Street map

Map

Station service legend
Symbol Description
Stops all times Stops all times

History edit

Construction and opening edit

 
Eastern street stair

79th Street station opened on June 24, 1916 along with the first portion of the BMT West End Line from 36th Street on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line to 18th Avenue station.[3][4] The line was originally a surface excursion railway to Coney Island, called the Brooklyn, Bath and Coney Island Railroad, which was established in 1862, but did not reach Coney Island until 1864.[5] Under the Dual Contracts of 1913, an elevated line was built over New Utrecht Avenue, 86th Street and Stillwell Avenue. The section of the West End Line between 62nd Street and 18th Avenue originally opened with only one track in service. The second track between 62nd Street and 18th Avenue opened on July 8, 1916.[6]

Renovations edit

The platforms were extended in the 1960s to accommodate the current standard B Division train length of 615 feet (187 m).

In 2012, the station was rehabilitated with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.[7]

Station layout edit

Platform level Side platform
Northbound local   toward Norwood–205th Street (71st Street}})
Peak-direction express No regular service
Southbound local   toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue (18th Avenue}})
Side platform
Mezzanine Fare control, station agent, MetroCard machines
Ground Street level Entrance/exit

This elevated station has three tracks and two side platforms. The center express track is not normally used.[8] The Manhattan-bound platform has a full beige windscreen and brown canopies with green frames and support columns in the center. The Coney Island-bound platform has a beige windscreen and brown canopies with green frames and support columns in the center and high mesh fences at either ends. The station signs are in the standard black plates with white lettering.

Exits edit

 
Former exit-only turnstile

The station has two fare control areas, both of which are elevated station houses beneath the platforms and tracks. The full-time one is at the south end. A single staircase from each platform go down to a waiting area/crossunder, where a turnstile bank provides access to/from the system. Outside fare control, there is a token booth and two staircases going down to either northern corners of New Utrecht Avenue and 79th Street.[9]

The station's other fare control area toward the north end is un-staffed. A single staircase from each platform goes down to a landing around a now-closed station house. A single full height turnstile provides access to/from the station before another staircase goes down to either southern corners of New Utrecht Avenue and 77th Street.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ "Glossary". Second Avenue Subway Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) (PDF). Vol. 1. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 4, 2003. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  3. ^ "Parade, Pageant Mark Celebration". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. June 24, 1916. p. 8. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  4. ^ "Realty Boom Is Predicted for Borough Park Section". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. June 24, 1916. p. 8. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  5. ^ "Opening of the Brooklyn, Bath and Coney Island Railroad". The New York Times. June 9, 1864. p. 2. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  6. ^ Report of the Public Service Commission For The First District of the State of New York For The Year Ending December 31, 1916 Vol. 1. New York State Public Service Commission. 1917. p. 48.
  7. ^ Nunez, Jenifer (August 3, 2012). "MTA completes seven station rehabilitation projects along D Line". Railway Track & Structures. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
  8. ^ Dougherty, Peter (2006) [2002]. Tracks of the New York City Subway 2006 (3rd ed.). Dougherty. OCLC 49777633 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ a b "79th Street Neighborhood Map". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2020.

External links edit

  • nycsubway.org – BMT West End Line: 79th Street
  • Station Reporter — D Train
  • 79th Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
  • 77th Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
  • Platforms from Google Maps Street View