D (New York City Subway service)

Summary

The D Sixth Avenue Express[3] is a rapid transit service in the B Division of the New York City Subway. Its route emblem, or "bullet", is colored orange, since it uses the IND Sixth Avenue Line in Manhattan.[4]

"D" train symbol
Sixth Avenue Express
Coney Island-bound D train of R68s leaves 18th Avenue.
Map of the "D" train
Northern endNorwood–205th Street
Southern endConey Island–Stillwell Avenue
Stations36
30 (rush hour service)
41 (late night service)
Rolling stock232 R68s (29 trains, a.m. rush), 224 R68s (28 trains, p.m. rush)[1][2]
(Rolling stock assignments subject to change)
DepotConcourse Yard
Started serviceDecember 15, 1940; 83 years ago (1940-12-15)
Route map

Legend
Down arrow  D 
Norwood–205th Street
Down arrow  B  (rush hours)
Bedford Park Boulevard
switches to express tracks
during rush peak
Kingsbridge Road
Fordham Road
182nd–183rd Streets
Tremont Avenue
174th–175th Streets
170th Street
167th Street
161st Street–Yankee Stadium
155th Street
Down arrow  B  (weekdays)
145th Street
switches to express tracks
during rush peak
bypassed local section
125th Street
bypassed local section
59th Street–Columbus Circle
Seventh Avenue
47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center
42nd Street–Bryant Park
34th Street–Herald Square Port Authority Trans-Hudson
bypassed local section
West Fourth Street–Washington Square
Broadway–Lafayette Street
Grand Street
switches to local tracks
during late nights
DeKalb Avenue
Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center
Union Street
Ninth Street
Prospect Avenue
25th Street
36th Street
switches to local tracks
during late nights
Ninth Avenue
Fort Hamilton Parkway
50th Street
55th Street
62nd Street
71st Street
79th Street
18th Avenue
20th Avenue
Bay Parkway
25th Avenue
Bay 50th Street
Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue
Up arrow  D 
 F   <F>   N   Q 
Legend

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

Cross-platform interchange

Platforms on different levels

The D operates at all times between 205th Street in Norwood, Bronx, and Stillwell Avenue in Coney Island, Brooklyn via Grand Concourse in the Bronx, Central Park West and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, the north side of the Manhattan Bridge, and Fourth Avenue and West End in Brooklyn.

During daytime hours, the D runs express between 145th Street in Manhattan and 36th Street–Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn and local elsewhere. During rush hours in the peak direction, the D also runs express between Fordham Road in the Bronx and 145th Street in Manhattan. Overnight D service is only express in Manhattan and local elsewhere.

In its early years, the D ran to Chambers Street/Hudson Terminal in Lower Manhattan via the lower IND Eighth Avenue Line south of West 4th Street. From 1954 to 1967, the D ran via the IND Culver Line to Coney Island. With the completion of the Chrystie Street Connection, service was rerouted via the BMT Brighton Line, running there from 1967 to 2001. As part of the multi-year rebuilding of the Manhattan Bridge, a short-lived yellow D service ran via the BMT Broadway Line in Manhattan to the Brighton Line in Brooklyn, while orange D service used the Sixth Avenue, Central Park West, and Concourse Lines in Manhattan and the Bronx.

History edit

 
Sixth Avenue Subway Will Be Opened to the Public at 12:01 A.M. Sunday, Dec 15, 1940

Early history edit

 
A poster showing the temporary DD service that resulted from a water main break

D service began on December 15, 1940, when the IND Sixth Avenue Line opened. It ran from 205th Street, the Bronx to World Trade Center (at that time called Hudson Terminal) on the IND Eighth Avenue Line at all times, switching between the IND Sixth Avenue to the Eighth Avenue Lines just south of West Fourth Street–Washington Square.[5] Service ran express via the Concourse Line during rush hours.[6] Two trains started service at Bedford Park Boulevard in the morning rush hour.[7]

D service was increased on October 24, 1949, in order to offset the discontinuation of C service, which ran express via the Concourse Line and the Eighth Avenue Line.[8] After the morning rush hour on weekdays, several D trains terminated at Bedford Park Boulevard. On December 29, 1951, Saturday peak direction express service in the Bronx was discontinued, along with the discontinuation of Saturday CC local service.[7]

On October 30, 1954, the Culver Ramp opened, providing a connection between the IND South Brooklyn Line and BMT Culver Line. D service was rerouted via these two lines to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue with alternate trains running to Church Avenue during rush hours.[9] On Saturdays, four round trips ran between 205th Street and Kings Highway.[10][11] D trains replaced F service on the South Brooklyn Line, and were sent over the new connection as the first IND service to reach Coney Island. The service was announced as Concourse–Culver and advertised as direct Bronx–Coney Island service.[12][13]

On May 13, 1957, alternate D trains were cut back to Church Avenue during weekday middays.[11] Between October 7, 1957, and 1959, four rush hour trains ran to Euclid Avenue via the IND Fulton Street Line when the D started being inspected at Pitkin Yard.[7] Four trains left 205th Street between 7:20 and 8:10 a.m., and one left Bedford Park Boulevard at 8:53 a.m. These four trains returned between 3 and 5 p.m. During the morning rush hour, several northbound trains ended at Bedford Park Boulevard.[10][11] These trains ran express along the Fulton Street Line if they ran during the hour that A trains ran express along the line.[7]

From December 4 to 27, 1962, a special service labeled DD was provided due to a water main break. It ran local from 205th Street, Bronx to 59th Street–Columbus Circle, then continued as a local down the Eighth Avenue Line to West Fourth Street, where it switched to the Sixth Avenue Line and continued on its normal route to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue via the Culver Line.[14]

Chrystie Street edit

 
1967–1979 and 1989–present bullet

On November 26, 1967, the Chrystie Street Connection opened, connecting the Sixth Avenue Line with the north tracks of the Manhattan Bridge and the BMT Southern Division lines in Brooklyn. In conjunction with this project, the new express tracks on the Sixth Avenue Line between West Fourth Street–Washington Square and 34th Street were opened, providing additional capacity for the extra trains on the IND via the connection.[15] On this date, D service was switched over to BMT Brighton Line via this new connector, running express on weekdays to Brighton Beach and local to Stillwell Avenue at all other times. The D replaced Q service, which had run local in Brooklyn (except during morning rush hours and early evenings) and express on the BMT Broadway Line in Manhattan, terminating at 57th Street. In Manhattan, it ran express from West 4th Street to 34th Street rush hours only, with the B using the express tracks to relay when it terminated at West 4th Street at other times. Service on the Culver Line to Coney Island was replaced by extended F service.[12][16][17] On July 1, 1968, it would become the full-time Sixth Avenue Express when non-rush hours B service and new KK service was extended to the new 57th Street–Sixth Avenue station.[18]

On August 19, 1968, to reduce conflicts at the Brighton Beach terminal, D service was truncated to Brighton Beach when it ran express on the BMT Brighton Line (morning rush hours through early evenings, and QB (rush-hour peak direction only) and QJ (morning rush hours through early evenings) were extended from Brighton Beach to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue. In addition, the span of Manhattan-bound D express service was increased by two hours, with the last express leaving Brighton Beach at 7:37 p.m.[19]

Effective January 2, 1973, the daytime QJ was truncated to Broad Street as the J, and the M was extended beyond Broad Street during the day along the QJ's former route to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue, via the Montague Street Tunnel and Brighton Line local tracks.[20] Also, changes were made to D and M service on the Brighton Line. Northbound weekday M train service originating at Kings Highway would begin at 5:46 a.m., while northbound service from Coney Island would begin at 6:34 a.m. From 5:40 to 6:34 a.m. northbound D trains would run local from Brighton Beach to Kings Highway, and then run express to Prospect Park. Late morning and early afternoon D trains would from then on run express from Brighton Beach to Kings Highway. The span of D express service to Brighton Beach was extended by 45 minutes to 9:05 p.m. from Prospect Park, and the span of M service from Broad Street to Coney Island was extended by 45 minutes over the span of QJ service to cover local stops.[21]

Rehabilitation work edit

 
1986–1988 Yellow D bullet, serving the BMT Broadway Line

D service was divided and ran in two sections when the north tracks of the Manhattan Bridge closed on April 26, 1986, due to construction, with regular service expected to resume on October 26, 1986. The northern section ran between Norwood–205th Street in the Bronx and 34th Street–Herald Square (the orange D) while the southern section ran express on the BMT Broadway Line from 57th Street–Seventh Avenue to Canal Street, then crossed the south tracks of the Manhattan Bridge into Brooklyn, and operated local along the Brighton Line to Stillwell Avenue (the yellow D). Service to Grand Street was replaced by the S shuttle, which ran via the Sixth Avenue local to 57th Street–Sixth Avenue.[22]

At this time, the local tracks on the BMT Brighton Line also underwent reconstruction, necessitating the suspension of express service. As a substitute, the D and Q ran skip-stop service between Newkirk Avenue and Sheepshead Bay on weekdays. D trains served Neck Road, Avenue M, and Avenue H; the Q served Avenue U and Avenue J, and both trains served Kings Highway.[23] The first skip-stop train left Brighton Beach at about 6:30 a.m. while the last one left 57th Street–Seventh Avenue at about 7:30 p.m. On weekday evenings, between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m., D trains made all local stops, except Parkside Avenue and Beverley Road where service was only available in one direction. During late nights and weekends, D trains ran express between Prospect Park and Kings Highway depending on which tracks were being worked on.[24] By 1987, as reconstruction on the Brighton Line progressed, the weekday skip-stop pattern expanded to Prospect Park, with D trains serving Beverley Road while Q trains served Cortelyou Road and Parkside Avenue, with Church Avenue as a mutual station.[25]

On December 11, 1988, the north tracks of the Manhattan Bridge reopened and the two sections of the D joined together running via Sixth Avenue Express. The D now ran as the full-time Brighton Local to Stillwell Avenue.[26][27]

From April 30 to November 12, 1995,[28] the Bridge's north tracks closed during middays and weekends and during these hours, D service was cut south of 34th Street-Herald Square. In its place, the Q ran local in Brooklyn to Stillwell Avenue.[29] On July 22, 2001, the north tracks were closed at all times and the southern (Broadway Line) tracks reopened. D service was again cut below 34th Street–Herald Square. In Brooklyn, D service was replaced by Q local service.[30][31][32]

On February 22, 2004, full service on the Manhattan Bridge was restored and D trains were extended via the north tracks of the bridge to Brooklyn, replacing the W as the Fourth Avenue Express (late nights local) and West End Local to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue.[33][34] The D was moved to the West End Line instead of returning to the Brighton Line, which it had run on since 1967, to provide 24-hour service to both the Concourse Line and West End Line and avoid running two separate (B and D) shortened services outside of weekdays. This eliminated the need to run late-night and weekend shuttles on the West End Line as was done prior to 2002.[35]

From May 24, 2004, to fall 2004, signal modernization on the IND Concourse Line required the suspension of D express service in the Bronx.[36]

From September 18, 2021, until January 24, 2022,[37] southbound D trains terminated at Bay 50th Street so work could be completed to protect Coney Island Yard from flooding.[38]

The IND Concourse Line's express track was closed from July 2, 2022, to January 23, 2023, with D trains using the local tracks at all times.[39][40]

Route edit

Service pattern edit

The following table shows the lines used by the D, with shaded boxes indicating the route at the specified times:[41]

Line From To Tracks Times
non-
rush
rush
peak
late
nights
IND Concourse Line (full line) Norwood–205th Street all      
Bedford Park Boulevard 145th Street express    
local      
IND Eighth Avenue Line 135th Street 59th Street–Columbus Circle express  
IND Sixth Avenue Line Seventh Avenue Broadway–Lafayette Street
Chrystie Street Connection Grand Street all
Manhattan Bridge north
BMT Fourth Avenue Line DeKalb Avenue bypass  
bridge      
Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center 36th Street express      
local      
BMT West End Line (full line) Ninth Avenue Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue    

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 late nights only
  Stops weekdays during the day
  Stops all times except rush hours in the peak direction
  Stops rush hours only
  Station closed
  Stops weekdays in the peak direction only
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
The Bronx
Concourse Line
  Norwood–205th Street
  Bedford Park Boulevard   B   Some a.m. rush hour trips to and from Brooklyn begin or end their runs at this station[a]
  Kingsbridge Road   B  
  Fordham Road B   Bx12 Select Bus Service
  182nd–183rd Streets B  
  Tremont Avenue   B  
  174th–175th Streets B  
  170th Street B  
  167th Street B  
  161st Street–Yankee Stadium   B  
4   (IRT Jerome Avenue Line)
Bx6 Select Bus Service
Express trains that normally bypass this station will stop when an event is being held at Yankee Stadium
Manhattan
  155th Street B  
  145th Street B  
A  C   (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
Eighth Avenue Line
  125th Street   A  B  C   M60 Select Bus Service to LaGuardia Airport
  59th Street–Columbus Circle   A  B  C  
1  2   (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)
Sixth Avenue Line
  Seventh Avenue B  
E   (IND Queens Boulevard Line)
  47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center   B   ​​F   <F>  M  
  42nd Street–Bryant Park   B   ​​F   <F>  M  
7   <7>  ​ (IRT Flushing Line at Fifth Avenue)
1  2  3   (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line at Times Square–42nd Street, daytime only)
N  Q  R  W   (BMT Broadway Line at Times Square–42nd Street, daytime only)
S   (42nd Street Shuttle at Times Square, daytime only)
A  C  E   (IND Eighth Avenue Line at 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal, daytime only)
  34th Street–Herald Square   B   ​​F   <F>  M  
N  Q  R  W   (BMT Broadway Line)
M34 / M34A Select Bus Service
PATH at 33rd Street
Amtrak, LIRR, NJ Transit at Pennsylvania Station
  West Fourth Street–Washington Square   B   ​​F   <F>  M  
A  C  E   (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
PATH at Ninth Street
  Broadway–Lafayette Street   B   ​​F   <F>  M  
4  6   <6>   (IRT Lexington Avenue Line at Bleecker Street)
Chrystie Street Branch
  Grand Street B  
Brooklyn
Fourth Avenue Line
  DeKalb Avenue   N  Q  R  
  Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center   N  R   W  
B  Q   (BMT Brighton Line)
2  3  4  5   (IRT Eastern Parkway Line)
LIRR Atlantic Branch at Atlantic Terminal
  Union Street N  R  
  Ninth Street N  R  
F  G   (IND Culver Line at Fourth Avenue)
  Prospect Avenue N  R  
  25th Street N  R  
  36th Street N  R   W  
West End Line
  Ninth Avenue
  Fort Hamilton Parkway
  50th Street
  55th Street
  62nd Street   N  W   (BMT Sea Beach Line at New Utrecht Avenue)
  71st Street
  79th Street
  18th Avenue
  20th Avenue
  Bay Parkway   B82 Select Bus Service
  25th Avenue
  Bay 50th Street
  Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue   F   <F>  ​ (IND Culver Line)
N   (BMT Sea Beach Line)
Q   (BMT Brighton Line)

Notes edit

  1. ^ Some northbound trains terminate at this station during a.m. rush hours; some southbound trains originate at this station during a.m. rush hours.

References edit

  1. ^ 'Subdivision 'B' Car Assignment Effective December 19, 2021'. New York City Transit, Operations Planning. December 17, 2021.
  2. ^ "Subdivision 'B' Car Assignments: Cars Required November 1, 2021" (PDF). The Bulletin. Electric Railroaders' Association. 64 (12): 3. December 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "D Subway Timetable, Effective January 23, 2023". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  4. ^ "mta.info – Line Colors". mta.info.
  5. ^ "The New Subway Routes". The New York Times. December 15, 1940. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  6. ^ "City's Subways Are Complete. 6th Ave. Line Set to Open On Sunday". New York Daily News. December 13, 1940. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d Linder, Bernard (October 1968). "Independent Subway Service History" (PDF). New York Division Bulletin. Electric Railroaders' Association.
  8. ^ "IND Faster Service Will Start Sunday" (PDF). The New York Times. October 20, 1949. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  9. ^ "Bronx to Coney Ride In New Subway Link" (PDF). The New York Times. October 18, 1954. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  10. ^ a b Friendlander, Alex; Lonto, Arthur; Raudenbush, Henry (July–August 1959). "D Train Routes". New York Division Bulletin. Electric Railroaders' Association.
  11. ^ a b c Linder, Bernard (December 1968). "Independent Subway Service History" (PDF). New York Division Bulletin. Electric Railroaders' Association.
  12. ^ a b Sparberg, Andrew J. (October 1, 2014). From a Nickel to a Token: The Journey from Board of Transportation to MTA. Fordham University Press. ISBN 978-0-8232-6190-1.
  13. ^ "Adequate Transit Promised For City; Authority Head Writes Mayor and Sharkey Denying Cuts Will Be 'Indiscriminate'". The New York Times. October 29, 1954. p. 25. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  14. ^ "Emergency IND Service Water Main Break Halts Service At IND 6th Avenue 14th St. and 23rd St. Stations". New York City Transit Authority. December 7, 1962. Retrieved April 5, 2019 – via thejoekorner.com.
  15. ^ "Subway Route Changes Put in Effect; Capacity Increased". The New York Times. November 26, 1967. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  16. ^ Perlmutter, Emanuel (November 16, 1967). "Subway Changes to Speed Service: Major Alterations in Maps, Routes and Signs Will Take Effect Nov. 26" (PDF). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  17. ^ "New Subway Routes Brochure". New York City Transit Authority. November 1967. Retrieved January 24, 2016 – via thejoekorner.com.
  18. ^ Hofmann, Paul (July 1, 1968). "Skip-Stop Subway Begins Run Today; KK Line Links 3 Boroughs --Other Routes Changed". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  19. ^ "5 Fast Lines To Coney". New York Daily News. August 18, 1968. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  20. ^ "To serve you better..." Flickr. New York City Transit Authority. 1972. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  21. ^ "To serve you better... On The Brighton Line in Brooklyn". Flickr. New York City Transit Authority. 1972. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  22. ^ Washington Heights, Central Park West And Grand Concourse Riders Your Guide To Service Changes On The B D During Rehabilitation Work April 26 Through October 26, 1986. New York City Transit Authority. April 1986.
  23. ^ "The JoeKorNer Brochures". Retrieved February 8, 2018.
  24. ^ Brighton Line Riders Your Guide To Service Changes On The B Q M During Rehabilitation Work April 26 Through October 26, 1986. New York City Transit Authority. April 1986.
  25. ^ Mader, Stewart. "NYC Subway Maps Have a Long History of Including PATH, NJ Waterfront". stewartmader.com. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  26. ^ "System-Wide Changes In Subway Service Effective Sunday, December 11, 1988". New York City Transit Authority. December 1988. Retrieved June 17, 2016 – via Flickr.
  27. ^ Johnson, Kirk (December 9, 1988). "Big Changes For Subways Are to Begin". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  28. ^ Belluck, Pam (November 13, 1995). "For Riders, A Bright Spot Amid Tumult". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  29. ^ Ronald Sullivan (March 26, 1995). "Bridge Repairs to Disrupt Off-Peak Subway Service". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  30. ^ "B D S Manhattan Bridge Service Change Timetable" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 2003. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 29, 2003. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  31. ^ "Manhattan Bridge Service Changes". The New York Times. July 21, 2001. Archived from the original on July 3, 2018. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  32. ^ "Manhattan Bridge Service Changed B D Q <Q> W". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. July 2001. Retrieved March 29, 2019 – via The JoeKorner.
  33. ^ "B D M N Q R W Weekday Service Manhattan Bridge Map" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. February 2004. Archived from the original on February 5, 2004. Retrieved September 18, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  34. ^ "MTA NYC Transit Manhattan Bridge Information". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. February 5, 2004. Archived from the original on February 5, 2004. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  35. ^ "A Subway Map Remade, in Hopes of Matching Routes and Riders". The New York Times. February 20, 2004. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  36. ^ "Subway Service Information". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. October 12, 2004. Archived from the original on October 12, 2004. Retrieved June 17, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  37. ^ "MTA Announces D Train Service Resumes After Fortification and Enhancement of Coney Island Yard Complex". MTA. January 20, 2022. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
  38. ^ Duggan, Kevin (August 17, 2021). "D train service cuts coming to southern Brooklyn for three months". amNewYork. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  39. ^ "MTA to begin next phase of concourse line reconstruction on B and D Lines in the Bronx". Mass Transit Magazine. June 13, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  40. ^ Rivoli, Dan (June 28, 2022). "MTA to 'refresh' Grand Concourse stations during rehab work". Spectrum News NY1 New York City. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  41. ^ "Subway Service Guide" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.

External links edit