IND Sixth Avenue Line facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids IND Sixth Avenue Line
The B, D, F, <F>, and M trains, which use the Sixth Avenue Line through Midtown Manhattan, are colored orange.
Overview
Owner	City of New York
Termini	South of 59th Street–Columbus Circle; 57th Street North of Jay Street–MetroTech; south of Grand Street
Stations	14
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	New York City Subway
Operator(s)	New York City Transit Authority
Daily ridership	669,852
History
Opened	1936–1968
Technical
Number of tracks	2–4
Character	Underground
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm)
Electrification	600V DC using a third rail

The IND Sixth Avenue Line is a subway line in New York City. It runs mostly under Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, and then goes south into Brooklyn. This line is used by the B, D, F, and M trains. These trains are all colored orange on subway maps. The B and D trains use the faster "express" tracks, while the F, <F>, and M trains use the "local" tracks.

The Sixth Avenue Line was built in different parts during the 1930s. It was one of the last major subway lines built by the Independent Subway System (IND). Building this line was very difficult. Workers had to build around, over, and under other existing tunnels and elevated train lines. The Sixth Avenue Line replaced an older elevated train line, the IRT Sixth Avenue Line, which closed in 1939.

The first part of the line opened in 1936. It ran from West Fourth Street to East Broadway. Trains from the IND Eighth Avenue Line used this new section. The full Sixth Avenue subway was finished in 1940. It then connected to the IND Queens Boulevard Line and the Eighth Avenue Line.

At first, the Sixth Avenue Line only had local tracks. This meant trains stopped at every station. In 1967 and 1968, the Chrystie Street Connection was built. This new connection linked the Sixth Avenue Line to other subway lines in Brooklyn. It used the Manhattan Bridge and the Williamsburg Bridge. To handle more trains, two new stations were built at 57th Street and Grand Street. Also, new express tracks were added between 34th Street and West 4th Street.

The Sixth Avenue Line has different branches at both ends. In the south, express tracks go to Grand Street and the Manhattan Bridge. Local tracks continue through the Rutgers Street Tunnel to York Street in Brooklyn. Another local branch connects to the BMT Jamaica Line over the Williamsburg Bridge. In the north, express tracks go to Seventh Avenue–53rd Street and the IND Eighth Avenue Line. A special track continues under Sixth Avenue to 57th Street and the 63rd Street Lines. The local tracks connect with the IND Queens Boulevard Line and go to Queens.

Trains and Where They Go
Building the Subway Line
Images for kids
See also

Trains and Where They Go

The trains that use the Sixth Avenue Line are colored orange. Here's how they run:

Time of Day				Part of the Line
Rush hours	Middays and evenings	Weekends	Late nights	Part of the Line
express		no service		full line from Seventh Avenue to Grand Street
express				full line from Seventh Avenue to Grand Street
local				full line from 57th Street to York Street
local	no service			full line from 57th Street to York Street
local		no service		between 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center and Broadway–Lafayette Street

Most of the Sixth Avenue Line has four tracks: two for local trains and two for express trains. At each end, these tracks split into different directions. One northern end is at 57th Street, where two tracks come from the IND 63rd Street Line (used by the F train). The other northern end is near 59th Street–Columbus Circle. Here, a two-track line splits from the IND Eighth Avenue Line and goes east under 53rd Street. These tracks are used by the B and D express trains.

The express tracks from Columbus Circle then turn south under Sixth Avenue. They join with the tracks from 57th Street and the local tracks from the IND Queens Boulevard Line (used by the M train). South of this point, the Sixth Avenue Line has four tracks side-by-side.

South of 42nd Street–Bryant Park, there's a large area where tracks can switch. The original express tracks used to end near 34th Street–Herald Square. Some trains would switch to the local tracks there. This was because the PATH train tunnels were already under Sixth Avenue south of 33rd Street. So, the Sixth Avenue Line's local tracks were built on each side of the PATH tunnels.

The section between West Fourth Street–Washington Square and 34th Street–Herald Square was first built with only two tracks. It was later expanded to four tracks in the 1960s as part of the Chrystie Street Connection project. These new express tracks were built deeper underground, below the local tracks and the PATH tunnels. At West Fourth Street, the express tracks return to the same level as the local tracks.

East of Broadway–Lafayette Street, the express tracks turn south. They use the Chrystie Street Connection to Grand Street and then cross the north side of the Manhattan Bridge into Brooklyn. The local tracks split here. One pair continues east to Second Avenue (used by the F train). The other pair joins the BMT Nassau Street Line at Essex Street (used by the M train).

Just before Second Avenue, the local tracks split into four tracks again. The two middle tracks are not used for regular service. They end just east of the Second Avenue station. These tracks were built for a subway expansion planned in the 1930s that was never finished.

The local tracks in Manhattan turn south under Essex Street and Rutgers Street. They then cross under the East River through the Rutgers Street Tunnel. In Brooklyn, these tracks become part of the IND Culver Line.

Building the Subway Line

Early Plans

In 1922, New York City Mayor John Francis Hylan had big plans for the Independent Subway System (IND). He wanted to build many new subway lines. The IND Sixth Avenue Line was planned to replace the old elevated train line that ran above Sixth Avenue. This elevated line stayed open while the new subway was being built because Sixth Avenue was such an important route.

In 1924, the IND shared its proposed subway routes. The plan included two sections under Sixth Avenue. One section was in Lower Manhattan, and the other was a longer section that would become much of the current Sixth Avenue Line. South of Carmine Street, the line would turn east under Houston Street, then south under Essex Street and Rutgers Street, and continue into Brooklyn.

Building the main part of the Sixth Avenue Line between Fourth and 53rd Streets was delayed for several years. This was because the Hudson & Manhattan Railroad (H&M) already had tunnels under Sixth Avenue. The city first wanted to take over the H&M tunnels for the IND line. But the H&M company didn't agree.

Finally, in 1930, the IND and H&M reached an agreement. The city decided to build the IND Sixth Avenue Line's local tracks around the existing H&M tunnels. They planned to add express tracks for the IND later, underneath the H&M tunnels.

Opening the Southern Part

The first part of the line to be built was called the Houston–Essex Street Line. It ran under Houston, Essex, and Rutgers Streets. Construction officially began in May 1929. The tunnel under the East River, called the Rutgers Street Tunnel, was started in May 1930.

The Houston and Essex Street Line opened on January 1, 1936. It had two local tracks. Trains from the Eighth Avenue Line used this new section to a temporary end station at East Broadway.

On April 9, 1936, trains started running under the East River through the Rutgers Street Tunnel. This tunnel connected the Houston-Essex Street Line to the Culver Line in Brooklyn.

Building the Midtown Section

In April 1935, engineers started serious planning for the Midtown part of the Sixth Avenue Line. Construction began on March 23, 1936. Building this section was very hard because of all the pipes, wires, and other tunnels already in the ground. It was considered the most expensive subway line in the city at the time.

The line was built with four tracks north of 33rd Street, but only two tracks south of it. Workers mostly used a method called "cut-and-cover," where they dug a trench, built the subway, and then covered it up. In some places, they had to tunnel through solid rock. They had to be very careful with dynamite so they wouldn't damage the H&M tunnels, the street above, or the city's water pipes deep below. The old Sixth Avenue Elevated train line also had to be supported during construction.

The H&M's 33rd Street station closed in December 1937 to allow for subway construction. It reopened in September 1939 in a new location. The old Sixth Avenue elevated train line closed in December 1938, just before the new subway was finished.

The new subway line had to go over or under many other train lines. For example, it went over the BMT Canarsie Line and under the BMT Broadway Line. Even with all these challenges, the subway line was built with smooth grades. It included four-track stations at West Fourth, 34th, 42nd, and 47th–50th Streets.

On December 15, 1940, local subway service began on Sixth Avenue. It ran from West Fourth Street to 47th–50th Streets. The construction of the Sixth Avenue Line cost $59.5 million. The new line helped reduce crowding on the Eighth Avenue Line. It also allowed for new train services like the D and F trains.

Adding Express Tracks and New Connections

On April 19, 1961, work began on a $22 million project to build two express tracks. These tracks were built between the West Fourth Street and 34th Street–Herald Square stations. The express tracks were built about 80 feet (24 meters) underground. This project was part of a larger plan to improve the subway system.

The second part of this improvement was the Chrystie Street Connection. This connection linked the BMT lines from the Manhattan Bridge and the Williamsburg Bridge to the IND Houston Street Line. There was also a new two-track line built to 57th Street. These projects were expected to allow many more trains to enter Manhattan during busy times.

On November 26, 1967, the first part of the Chrystie Street Connection opened. The Sixth Avenue Line express tracks also opened from 34th Street–Herald Square to West Fourth Street–Washington Square. With this, the B train was extended to Brooklyn, and the D train changed its route. The F train was also extended.

On July 1, 1968, the 57th Street station opened. The part of the Chrystie Street Connection linking to the Williamsburg Bridge also opened. This allowed the KK train (now the M train) to run from 57th Street to the BMT Jamaica Line.

Recent Improvements

The tracks at 57th Street were originally built for a planned extension under Central Park. These tracks were later connected to the IND 63rd Street Line when it opened in October 1989. This connection allowed the F train to use the 63rd Street line.

In 2001, the 63rd Street Line was connected to the IND Queens Boulevard Line in Queens. A new Sixth Avenue local service, the V train (now replaced by the M train), was introduced. The F train's route also changed to use the 63rd Street line.

In 2004, full service was restored on the Manhattan Bridge. This meant the B and D express trains could run fully from 34th Street–Herald Square to the Manhattan Bridge and into Brooklyn.

As part of a plan from 2015 to 2019, the 23rd Street and 57th Street stations were completely updated. These updates included cell service, Wi-Fi, USB charging stations, and better signs and lighting. Both stations reopened in late 2018.

Also, the train switching areas at 34th Street and West Fourth Street were upgraded. These upgrades help prepare the line for newer, more advanced train control systems.

Images for kids

York Street ventilation tower for Rutgers Street tunnel
53rd Street powerhouse
Sixth Avenue Subway Will Be Opened to the Public at 12–01 A.M. Sunday, Dec 15, 1940
IND services immediately after the main part of the line opened