Here’s a uniquely designed stanchion marking the entrance to the various IND and BMT trains available at this location, in front of 111 8th Avenue between West 15th and 16th Streets. 111 8th was constructed in 1932 as the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey headquarters, and when completed, it boasted NYC’s largest concentration of office space. It has since been surpassed numerous times. Today it serves as the NYC headquarters of multimedia company Google.
The IND 8th Avenue line also opened in September 1932. I don’t know what form the signage on this stanchion, which has probably been there since the 1930s, originally took, but I do have a view that I shot in 1999:
Although the L train running below 14th Street was accessible from here, in 1999 the K train was available from this stop. Before 1988 or so, the K was the renamed AA train, which stopped at local stations, with the A running express. Today, the A is express while the C and E are local. In 1988, the C was an occasional express while the K was always local.
Check out the ForgottenBook, take a look at the gift shop, and as always, “comment…as you see fit.”
4/24/20
7 comments
The BMT (Canarsie Line) portion of this station has a somewhat unique history. It opened June 1931, extending the line one more stop west from 6th Ave., which had opened in 1924. It was one of last pieces of the Dual Contracts routes put into service. The wall signage was originally identical to the IND style on the 8th Ave. subway, which did not open until September 1932. When the station was renovated in 1999 the wall signage was re-done in classic BMT style to match the other stations on the Canarsie Line.
There was no free transfer between the Canarsie and 8th Ave. lines until July 1948, when the nickel fare went to a dime. Fourteen interchange stations where IND, BMT, and IRT routes intersected became free transfers then; this station was one of those.
I believe it was in the early ’90’s that they finally opened up a free transfer between 42nd St. on the 8th Ave. IND and Times Square IRT and BMT. I do not know when the free transfer between IRT and BMT at Times Square was allowed
Free transfer between IND 8th Ave. Lines and Times Square IRT and BMT started August 1, 1988. Free transfer between IRT and BMT at Times Square began July 1, 1948, the day the nickel fare was raised to a dime.
The diamond bullet both then and now indicates rush hour service, which might be either express or local. But the hours might extend somewhat or a lot before and after rush hours. Now the diamond is only needed for the 6 and 7 express services. The Z could rightly have been named J diamond, but that would leave too small a distinction between the two skip stop services. The Z probably could have been a diamond, but being a different letter than J was enough. The CC never operated in scheduled service as an express at any point in its route.
That signage is from the 90s, they were doing construction on the building a lot.
Some people did not know there was an entrance to the subway there.
Too bad they closed the 17th street entrances. The mezzanine was long and dark .
They had a flower shop, cleaners and regular store.
It was similar to Jay st Borough Hall with a passage way on both side to walk .
The signal school you can see the cool set up before the major change to the station. They had stairs from the L to where the Elevator is at now also turnstiles.
Too bad also they don’t reopen the old passage way to 7th Ave.
Hi. Does someone else remember the turnstiles between the IRT and IND at 42nd St. Were they taken down in 1988 when the free transfer began. I remember having to use another token in yhe late 1970s but peers don’t believe me. Am I correct? The turnstiles were in the tunnel where now it looks like an entrance was walled up. Or is my mind playing tricks? Thanks
Jaybob,
The turnstiles were at the 8th Avenue end of the passageway. They were removed when the entire 8th Avenue station mezzanine was reconfigured. This allowed the free transfer between the 8th Avenue lines and the various lines under Times Square using the same tunnel.
There was some walling up to allow for turnstiles to be installed at new entrances from the street but the passageway remains.