Route
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History
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J/Z
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- The Jamaica Line – then known as the Broadway Elevated – was one of the original elevated lines in Brooklyn, completed in 1893 from Cypress Hills west to Broadway Ferry in Williamsburg It was then a two-track line, with a single local service between the two ends, and a second east of Gates Avenue, where the Lexington Avenue Elevated merged This second service later became the 12, and was eliminated in 1950 with the abandonment of the Lexington Avenue el.
- The second major service on the Broadway Elevated ran between Canarsie and Williamsburg via the BMT Canarsie Line, started on July 30, 1906, when the Broadway and Canarsie tracks were connected at East New York. As part of the Dual Contracts, an extension from Cypress Hills east to Jamaica was completed on July 3, 1918, a third track was added west of East New York, and express trains began running on it in 1922.
- The Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation numbered its services in 1924, and the Canarsie and Jamaica services became 14 and 15. Both ran express during rush hours in the peak direction west of East New York, and additional 14 trains, between Eastern Parkway or Atlantic Avenue on the Canarsie Line and Manhattan provided rush-hour local service on Broadway.
- When the 14th Street–Eastern Line and Canarsie Line were connected on July 14, 1928, the old Canarsie Line service was renamed the Broadway (Brooklyn) Line, providing only weekday local service over the Broadway Elevated west of Eastern Parkway. The Atlantic Avenue trips remained, and rush-hour trains continued to serve Rockaway Parkway (Canarsie), though they did not use the Broadway express tracks. The 14 was later cut back to only rush-hour service.
- On the Manhattan end, the first extension was made on September 16, 1908, when the Williamsburg Bridge subway tracks opened. Broadway and Canarsie trains were extended to the new Essex Street terminal, and further to Chambers Street when the line was extended on August 4, 1913. When the BMT Nassau Street Line was completed on May 30, 1931, the 15 was extended to Broad Street, and the 14 was truncated to Canal Street. Some 14 trains began terminating at Crescent Street on the Jamaica Line in 1956.
- Rush hour skip-stop service between Jamaica and East New York was implemented on June 18, 1959. Express 15 trains served "A" stations, while the morning 14 became the Jamaica Local, running between Jamaica and Canal Street, and stopped at stations marked "B". These stations were as follows:
All trains: 168th Street • Sutphin Boulevard • Elderts Lane • Eastern Parkway
"A" stations: 168th Street • Sutphin Boulevard • 121st Street • 111th Street • Woodhaven Boulevard • 85th Street – Forest Parkway • Elderts Lane • Crescent Street • Cleveland Street • Eastern Parkway
"B" stations: 168th Street • 160th Street • Sutphin Boulevard • Queens Boulevard • Metropolitan Avenue • 104th Street • Elderts Lane • Cypress Hills • Norwood Avenue • Van Siclen Avenue • Alabama Avenue • Eastern Parkway
- November 1967, the 15 became the J (express), and the 14 became the JJ.
- When the Chrystie Street stub opened on November 26, 1967, many services were changed. Non-rush hour JJ trains ran between Jamaica and Broad Street, while morning rush hour JJ trains ran to Canal Street, and afternoon rush hour JJ trains ran between Canal Street and Atlantic Avenue or Crescent Street. The rush-hour express J was combined with the weekday QT Brighton Local via tunnel to form the weekday QJ, running between Jamaica and Brighton Beach via the Jamaica Line (express during rush hours in the peak direction), BMT Nassau Street Line, Montague Street Tunnel, and BMT Brighton Line (local). Finally, the RJ was a special peak-direction rush-hour service, running fully local on the Jamaica Line, Nassau Street Line, Montague Street Tunnel, and BMT Fourth Avenue Line to 95th Street in Fort Hamilton. This was an extension of a former rush-hour RR service, and hus ran towards Jamaica in the morning and towards Fort Hamilton in the afternoon.
- July 1, 1968, when the Chrystie Street tracks to the Williamsburg Bridge opened, the Jamaica Line portion of the rush-hour JJ was modified to become a new rush-hour KK, running between Jamaica (peak direction) or Canarsie (both directions) and the new 57th Street station on the IND Sixth Avenue Line in Manhattan. The RJ was eliminated, being cut back to an RR variant, and the off-hour JJ was relabeled QJ (but not extended to Brighton Beach). At the same time, the existing skip-stop service was extended to afternoon Jamaica-bound trains, with those QJ trains running express west of Eastern Parkway and service "A" stations east to Jamaica, and those KK trains serving "B" stations. Less than two months later, on August 18, the QJ was extended to Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue.
- These new services were slowly eliminated in the 1970s due to financial problems. First, on January 6, 1974, the QJ was cut back full-time to Broad Street and redesignated the J; the M was extended to Coney Island in its place. At the same time, the KK to Jamaica was discontinued and renamed the K; both skip-stop patterns were carried out by alternate J trains. Eventually, the K was discontinued entirely on August 30, 1976, eliminating the J skip-stop and express service east of Myrtle Avenue. (One-way express service remained west of Myrtle Avenue, since the M was switched to the local tracks at that time)
- On September 11, 1977,the J was truncated to Queens Boulevard just after midnight, then to 121st Street on April 15, 1985, concurrent with the cutting-back of the Jamaica Line. The Q49 shuttle bus replaced the train until 1988.
- On December 11, 1988, The BMT Archer Avenue Line opened , extending the line back east from 121st Street. The Z train first ran that day, introducing the present J/Z skip-stop pattern as an attempt to relieve some crowding on the IND Queens Boulevard Line; as the MTA hoped that Queens passengers would transfer to the J/Z from the E, F, and R. The new Z trains would go skip-stop between Jamaica Center and Broadway Junction (later Myrtle Avenue) during rush hours. Bus service on several Queens bus routes was rerouted to go to Jamaica Center – Parsons/Archer instead of to 169th Street.
- September 30th, 1990, weekend J service cut back to Canal Street, but was then extended back to Chambers Street in 1994. Weekend service to Broad Street was returned in June 2015.
- From April 30 to September 1, 1999, the Williamsburg Bridge was closed for reconstruction. J trains ran only between Jamaica Center – Parsons Archer and Myrtle Avenue. J/Z skip-stop service was in both directions between Jamaica Center and Eastern Parkway-Broadway Junction.
- After the 9/11 attacks, R service was suspended. J trains were extended beyond Broad Street via the Montague Street Tunnel to replace the R to Bay Ridge – 95th Street at all times. J/Z skip-stop service was suspended at this time. Normal service on all three trains was restored on October 28.
- Expanded and express only Z service began May 29, 2005 between Broad St and Broadway Junction in peak direction; J made all stops. Originally, Z trains ran one roundtrip originating from Broadway Junction and ending at Broadway Junction. These trips were slightly expanded.
- Most Rush hour J service cut back to Chambers Street November 7th, 2016, made permanent with all J/Z service except late nights on April 30th, 2018.
- On June 26, 2017, J and Z trains started running local between Broadway Junction and Marcy Avenue at all times, supplementing the M, due to the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line connection being closed for reconstruction until April 2018.
- Expanded J express weekdays in peak direction added April 30th, 2018.
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K
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- Originally Myrtle Avenue Shuttle between Myrtle-Wyckoff and Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue September 2nd, 2018.
- South end extended to Broad Street (Myrtle Av-Broadway) and renamed K on April 30th, 2018.
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L
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- Originally the 16 route, then LL until 1985.
- 1924, part of the eventual 14th Street – Canarsie Line opened, called the "14th Street – Eastern District Line" (commonly the "14th Street–Eastern Line").
- 1928 it was joined to the existing BMT Canarsie Line east of Broadway Junction. Since that time, the 14th Street–Canarsie Line service has operated as it is today, except for an extension from Sixth Avenue to Eighth Avenue, which opened on May 30, 1931 to connect to the new Eighth Avenue Subway.
- During rush hours, express service began and ran nonstop between Lorimer Street and Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues. (Locals usually ran from Eighth Avenue to Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues or Atlantic Avenue at these times.)
- Starting on September 23, 1936, express trains ran to Lefferts Boulevard via the connection with the Fulton Street Elevated at Atlantic Avenue. This connection was severed on April 30, 1956; then the service ran to Canarsie – Rockaway Parkway again.
- Express service was discontinued on August 23.
- Skip-stop was proposed in the 1990s as the <L>, but never saw service as it was possible that when implemented, riders would confuse the <L> as an express variant of the (L)
- In 2008, L service was increased and some AM rush hour short turns to Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues were added.
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M
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- Originally named 10.
- A two-track ramp connecting the Myrtle Avenue Line with the BMT Broadway Elevated (now the Jamaica) Line at the Myrtle Avenue – Broadway station was opened on July 29, 1914, allowing for a second service, the daytime Myrtle Avenue–Chambers Street Line. These trains ran over the Williamsburg Bridge to Chambers Street station on the BMT Nassau Street Line in Lower Manhattan, and ran over the express tracks on the Broadway and Myrtle Avenue Elevated during weekday and Saturday rush hours.
- Sunday service was removed in June 1933, all Saturday trains began running local on June 28, 1952, and on June 28, 1958, all Saturday and midday service was cut, leaving only weekday rush hour service, express in the peak direction (skipping stops between Marcy Avenue and Myrtle Avenue, as the J/Z does now).
- Beginning on February 23, 1960 all trains stopped at Marcy Avenue, originally a local stop.
- The second half of the Chrystie Street stub opened on July 1, 1968, and the JJ, which had run along Nassau Street to Broad Street, was relocated through the new connection to the IND Sixth Avenue Line (and renamed the KK). To augment QJ service to Broad Street, the M was extended two stations, from Chambers Street to Broad Street.
- Beginning Monday, October 6, 1969, to make up for the discontinuation of the MJ due to the closing of the Myrtle Avenue El south of Myrtle Avenue to Jay Street, the M was expanded to run middays and a new SS shuttle ran between Myrtle Avenue-Broadway and Metropolitan Avenue at other times. Express service on Myrtle Avenue was also discontinued at this time not just because of MJ service discontinued, but also because of low ridership.
- 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. By this time, the off-hour SS shuttle had been renamed as part of the M.
- The local K (renamed from KK in 1973) was eliminated on August 27, 1976, and the M express service between Myrtle Avenue and Marcy Avenue ended in order to provide adequate service in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
- Reconstruction of the Brighton Line began on April 26, 1986, and the daytime M was shifted to the Fourth Avenue Line south of DeKalb Avenue and terminated at Bay Ridge-95th Street.
- In 1987, the route was changed to split from Fourth Avenue at 36th Street, running along the BMT West End Line to Ninth Avenue during middays, with an extension to Bay Parkway during rush hours.
- December 11, 1988, M service rerouted and ran to Bay Ridge at all times; previous service pattern resumed September 30th, 1990.
- May - November 1995, the north side of the Manhattan Bridge was closed during midday and weekends. Midday service to 9 Av was cut to Chambers Street at this time.
- From April 1997 to August 1997, during late nights and weekends, the M terminated at Essex Street due to reconstruction of Myrtle Avenue.
- From April 30, 1999 to September 1, 1999, M service was split in two sections because of the reconstruction of the Williamsburg Bridge subway tracks. One service ran at all times between Middle Village – Metropolitan Avenue and Marcy Avenue. The other ran rush hours only between Bay Parkway and Chambers Street. A shuttle provided service on the BMT Nassau Street Line.
- July 23, 2001, work on the Manhattan Bridge subway tracks resulted in an extension of the M to 9th Avenue from 8 PM to 10 PM.
- The September 11, 2001 attacks caused a temporary reduction of the M to a full-time shuttle until September 17. Then it was rerouted full-time over the BMT Sea Beach Line to Stillwell Avenue, replacing the N, until October 28.
- On June 28, 2010, the M's routing was modified to run on the IND Sixth Avenue Line and IND Queens Boulevard Line to Midtown Manhattan and Forest Hills, Queens.
- Announced in July 2013, and implemented on June 8, 2014, weekend M service was extended to Essex Street as part of an $18 million funding project to improve subway service. Late night service continues to terminate at Myrtle Avenue.
- From July 1, 2017 to April 30, 2018, M service is rerouted via the BMT Jamaica Line between Myrtle Avenue–Broadway and Broadway Junction with no late night and weekend service due to the reconstruction of two sections of the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line: the approaches to the line's junction with the BMT Jamaica Line and Fresh Pond Bridge over the Long Island Rail Road's Montauk Branch in Queens. Limited amount of rush hour trains were added between 71st Avenue in Queens and Second Avenue in Manhattan, replicating the V train's routing prior to its discontinuation in 2010.
- Service moved from Metropolitan Av to Canarsie on April 30, 2018; late night and weekend service discontinued with Metropolitan Avenue service replaced by the new K.
- New service patterns during the rush hour period added in late April 2018. In the AM, two trips to/from Metropolitan Av operate downtown to/from Canarsie and one loop trip runs between Queens Blvd and Forest Hills via Brooklyn. In the PM, one trip from Canarsie to Metropolitan Av, one trip from Fresh Pond Rd to Forest Hills, and one loop trip, but the loop trip now runs from Metropolitan Av to Fresh Pond Rd via Manhattan.
- Weekend service between Queens Plaza and Canarsie added February 2, 2019. No service on the M between 1:30AM and 5AM (weekdays) or 6AM (weekends).
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N
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- Originally named 4.
- June 22, 1915, the current BMT Sea Beach Line opened, replacing a street level "el" that branched off of the Fifth Avenue El with the former BMT West End Line. Originally, it used the south tracks of the Manhattan Bridge, which at that time connected to the BMT Nassau Street Line.
- September 14, 1917, trains ran from 14th Street – Union Square to Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue, using the BMT Broadway Line and newly opened northern tracks of the Manhattan Bridge to enter Brooklyn.
- January 15, 1918, service was extended to Times Square – 42nd Street.
- May 2, 1957, service was extended north via the express tracks to 57th Street – Seventh Avenue.
- 1959, trains began stopping at DeKalb Avenue during midday hours. Previously, they bypassed DeKalb Avenue at all times except late nights.
- Beginning on January 1, 1961, trains bypassed DeKalb Avenue during rush hours only. In addition, on weekday evenings, late nights, and all day Sundays, they ran local on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line.
- August 28, 1976, N service was extended north over the BMT 60th Street Tunnel Connection to Forest Hills – 71st Avenue to replace the discontinued EE. Some N trains went from Whitehall Street – South Ferry in Lower Manhattan to Forest Hills – 71st Avenue via local, which had been the EE route; others stayed with the Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn route and were simply extended to Forest Hills – 71st Avenue via Broadway local.
- On April 26, 1986, the north side tracks on the Manhattan Bridge (leading to the IND Sixth Avenue Line) were closed for rehabilitation, and services that had used the north side were moved to the south side, running via the BMT Broadway Line. Because of the large amount of train traffic now running on the bridge's south side tracks, All N service was rerouted via the Montague Street Tunnel and Lower Manhattan, making local stops north of Atlantic Avenue.
- May 24, 1987, the N swapped northern terminals with the R. The N was switched to Astoria – Ditmars Boulevard, while the R went to Forest Hills – 71st Avenue, as the busier N was switched to go to the busier Astoria line. Originally, the R was maintained in Coney Island while the N was maintained in Jamaica. When the R was given it's own yard to be maintained in, the N was able to be switched to Coney Island and relieve overcrowding in Astoria. N ran to Astoria at all times.
- September 30th, 1990, the Transit Authority and politicians pressured the New York State Department of Transportation to resume N train service on the bridge's south side, despite warnings from engineers that the structure was unsafe and major repairs still had to be made. Trains ran express on Broadway in Manhattan and Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn at all times except late nights. On December 27, state inspectors forced N service to be rerouted via the Montague Street Tunnel again after discovery of corroded support beams and missing steel plates.
- From 1994 to 1996 and 2002-2005, the southern terminal of the N was 86th Street due to rehabilitation work at Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue.
- April to November 1995, the north side of the Manhattan Bridge was closed during midday and weekends. To allow B trains to lay up on the express tracks at Pacific Street, midday N express service in Brooklyn was discontinued for the duration of the closure.
- After the September 11, 2001 After the September 11, 2001 attacks, N service was suspended and replaced by the W in Manhattan and Queens and the M in Brooklyn. On October 28, service was restored, but Cortlandt Street remained closed until September 15, 2002.
- On September 8, 2002, the N service became a shuttle to Pacific Street on nights and weekends, running express on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line, as the W was extended since it was the only train serving Stillwell Avenue.
- February 22, 2004, the Manhattan Bridge work was finally completed. Since then, the N has been restored to the bridge (via Fourth Avenue express and DeKalb Avenue bypass). N trains now ran express between 57th Street in Manhattan and 59th Street in Brooklyn. During late nights, it runs local along its entire route via the Montague Street Tunnel, replacing the R train. Select rush hour N trains began being sent to 72nd St - 2nd Avenue.
- In 2008, the N began stopping at 49th Street at all times. There was also a plan at the same time for all night N service via the bridge when R service would be extended to Queens. However, the later plan was shelved when the financial crisis hit.
- August 2, 2013, the Montague Street Tunnel was closed for Hurricane Sandy-related repairs and overnight N service was rerouted via the Manhattan Bridge. On September 14, 2014, the Montague Street Tunnel reopened with overnight N service resuming through the tubes.
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Q
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- Originally the 1 line, later QB
- July 2, 1878, steam railroad trains of the Brooklyn, Flatbush and Coney Island Railway began operations from Prospect Park to the Brighton Beach Hotel, which opened at the same time, located on Coney Island at the Atlantic Ocean at the foot of modern-day Coney Island Avenue at The Boardwalk. Passengers could make connections with the horsecars of the Brooklyn City Railroad at the Prospect Park terminal.
- August 18, 1878, service was extended north from Prospect Park to Atlantic Avenue west of Franklin Avenue, a location known as Bedford Terminal of the BB&CI and Bedford Station of the Long Island Rail Road.
- 1896, a short northerly elevated extension of the Brighton Line (since reorganized as the Brooklyn & Brighton Beach Railroad) to the corner of Franklin Avenue and Fulton Street allowed rapid transit trains of the Fulton Street Line of the Kings County Elevated Railroad to operate from the Brooklyn side of the Brooklyn Bridge to Brighton Beach, where a walking or cable car service connection over the bridge allowed access to New York City Hall at Park Row.
- 1908, a massive grade crossing elimination project was completed with a 4-track line from south of Church Avenue station to Neptune Avenue near the Coney Island Creek, permitting true local- and express service, as pioneered on the New York City Subway that opened in 1904. Brighton Beach local and express service was extended to a new West End terminal at Stillwell and Surf Avenues, the location of the terminal for the BMT Southern Division, in 1919.
- August 1, 1920, subway service on the Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation's BMT Brighton Line officially began upon opening of Montague Street Tunnel and a two track line connecting Prospect Park and DeKalb Avenue. Brighton Express service was operated during the daytime every day except Sunday between Brighton Beach and Times Square via the Montague Street Tunnel while local service operated between Coney Island and 57th Street – Seventh Avenue via the north side of the Manhattan Bridge. During late nights, all trains used the tunnel.
- Three years later, the Brighton Locals and Expresses switched Manhattan access methods with the express using the bridge when it ran and the Locals using the tunnel except in the evenings and on Sunday, when it too used the bridge.
- During the 1930s, limited morning rush hour service ran via the south side of the Manhattan Bridge to Chambers Street. On June 29, 1950, trains began running there during the evening rush as well.
- October 17, 1949, the IRT Astoria Line was converted to BMT operation. Local trains were extended via this line to Astoria – Ditmars Boulevard. Number 2 Fourth Avenue Locals ran here at all times, and Brighton Locals during rush hours.
- April 27, 1950, Brighton Locals operated through to Ditmars Boulevard, Astoria all day on weekdays and Saturdays.
- June 26, 1952, Brighton Express trains were extended to 57th Street – Seventh Avenue on weekdays after the morning rush hour and all day on Saturdays.
- The 60th Street Tunnel Connection opened on December 1, 1955. Brighton Local trains were rerouted to this new connector to serve the IND Queens Boulevard Line to Forest Hills – 71st Avenue. They were replaced on the BMT Astoria Line by Brighton Express trains on weekdays.
- May 4, 1957, Brighton Express trains ran to Astoria on Saturdays as well, but made local stops in Manhattan as the Brighton Local trains now ran to Chambers Street via the BMT Montague Street Line.
- October 24, 1957, Brighton Local trains ran via bridge and local in Manhattan, all day on Sundays as well as evenings and midnight hours. Brighton Expresses on weekdays began using the express tracks between Times Square – 42nd Street and 57th Street – Seventh Avenue.
- A December 1957 strike shut down much of the BMT Division. Brighton Local trains ran in two sections, from Coney Island via tunnel to 57th Street and from Whitehall Street to Jamaica – 179th Street on the IND Queens Boulevard Line. Due to the differing unions predominating on the various divisions, the IND was completely knocked out of service, while the IRT ran virtually normal service. The BMT was about half affected, with makeshift service patterns being set up for the duration of the strike.
- May 28, 1959, Brighton Express trains midday on weekdays were cut back to 57th Street – Seventh Avenue and made local stops in Brooklyn midday.
- Beginning June 6, 1959, Brighton Local trains ran to Franklin Avenue on Saturdays. This was not seasonal and ran the entire day, being quite distinct from the Sunday service which still operated.
- January 1, 1961, weekday Brighton Express service terminated at 57th Street – Seventh Avenue all day. On Saturdays, these trains provided local service between Franklin Avenue and Brighton Beach. This service was merged into the Franklin Avenue Shuttle service on October 14, 1961, and was discontinued altogether in February 1963. (The Sunday service to Brighton Beach had been discontinued on January 1, 1961.) Brighton Local service ran to Astoria – Ditmars Boulevard at all times. On Saturdays, they provided express service on the Brighton Line, and ran local all other times. This service change was essentially a swap between the north terminals of the Brighton Local and Fourth Avenue Local, and between the Brighton Express and West End Express.
- From February 10 to November 2, 1964, the Brighton Express tracks were closed for platform extensions. Skip-stop service was instituted along the Brighton Line.
- On November 26, 1967, the Chrystie Street stub line opened. Originally, the D and QJ were to replace all three Q services. However, due to riders' opposition to the expected loss of all Broadway service, the QB was created and ran rush hours only in the Q's current service pattern between 57th Street and Coney Island, local in Brooklyn and express in Manhattan.
- Starting on April 26, 1986, during reconstruction on the Brighton express tracks and the north side of the Manhattan Bridge, the Q ran at all times with it's service pattern unchanged.
- December 11, 1988, the north side of the Manhattan Bridge reopened and the south side was closed. The Q became the weekday only Brighton Express and was rerouted via the north side of the bridge and the IND Sixth Avenue Line to 57th Street, Midtown Manhattan.
- October 29, 1989, the Second Avenue and 63rd Street lines open. The Q was extended to Lexington Avenue and 125th Street on these two new lines.
- April 1995, the Q extended to Broadway and 125th street. Late night and weekend service was added between 72nd Street and Broadway.
- May - November 1995, the north side of the Manhattan Bridge was closed during midday and weekends. During this time, the Q extended to Coney Island and ran local in Brooklyn and then via Montague Street to Canal Street on the Broadway Line. From there, it ran express to 57th Street - 7th Avenue and used the 63rd Street line back to it's original route.
- February 22, 1998, construction on the IND 63rd Street Line cut V service to 57th Street – Sixth Avenue. As a result, the Q used the 2nd Avenue line from Grand Street to 72nd Street. Normal service resumed on May 22, 1999.
- July 22, 2001, the north side of the Manhattan Bridge was closed and the south side had reopened. There were two Q services. In Brooklyn, the circle Q replaced the D as the Brighton Local to Stillwell Avenue while the
replaced the Sixth Avenue Q as the Brighton Express to Brighton Beach. Both Qs used the south side of the Manhattan Bridge to travel into Manhattan and then ran to Broadway- 125th Street via Broadway Express.
- After September 11, 2001, R service was suspended. The Q local replaced it between Canal Street and Forest Hills – 71st Avenue at all times except late nights, when it returned to it's original route. The
continued it's normal route to Harlem and had special service between Harlem and 34th Street - Herald Square to replace the (Q) nights and weekends. The R service was restored on October 28, and Q service then went back to normal.
- September 8, 2002, Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue (the Q's southern terminal) was closed for reconstruction and the Q local terminated at Brighton Beach. It returned to Stillwell Avenue on May 23, 2004.
- From April 27 to November 2, 2003, the south side of the Manhattan Bridge was closed on weekends and Q service was rerouted via the Montague Street Tunnel.
- February 22, 2004, full service on the Manhattan Bridge was restored. The
was discontinued and replaced with the B in Brooklyn and the N in Manhattan.
- December 7, 2014, the Q began operating local in Manhattan between 57th Street – Seventh Avenue and Canal Street during late nights, in order to decrease waiting time at the local stations.
- On November 7th, 2016, late night service was cut between Broadway-125 Street and 72 St, being replaced by the T. By January 2, 2017, all service west of Lexington Avenue was discontinued. Some rush hour trips continue to serve Broadway-125 Street.
- Full rush hour service to Broadway resumed a year later on November 6, 2017.
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R
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- Originally 2, later RR until 1985.
- January 15, 1916, ran between Chambers Street on the BMT Nassau Street Line and 86th Street, using the Manhattan Bridge to cross the East River. Service on the BMT Broadway Line (which at the time was only between Whitehall Street and Times Square) began exactly two years later on January 15, 1918.
- On July 10, 1919 service extended to 57th Street.
- October 1, 1920, The Montague Street Tunnel opened and at that time it took its current shape, running local from Queensboro Plaza to 86th Street.
- Bay Ridge – 95th Street station opened on October 31, 1925. During this time, rush-hour specials to Chambers Street were added and later removed, only to be added again. At one time, including 1931, additional midday service operated local between 57th Street and Whitehall Street – South Ferry. The 2 also used the Nassau Street Loop during rush hours, entering Manhattan via the Manhattan Bridge or Montague Street Tunnel and leaving via the other.
- October 17, 1949, the platform edges on the BMT Astoria Line had been shaved back, and the IRT's Astoria Line was replaced with through service from the 2 Line operating from Astoria – Ditmars Boulevard in Astoria, Queens to Bay Ridge – 95th Street in Brooklyn at all times.
- June 29, 1950, special rush hour trains began running between Bay Ridge – 95th Street and Chambers Street via the south side of the Manhattan Bridge and/or the Montague Street Tunnel. This was discontinued two years later.
- January 1, 1961, the northern terminal was relocated to its current location at Forest Hills – 71st Avenue, via the BMT 60th Street Tunnel Connection, which is also known as the "11th Street Cut". Night and weekend RR train still terminated at 57th Street in Manhattan.
- On November 27, 1967, the day after the IND Chrystie Street stub line opened, the RR was moved back to Astoria – Ditmars Boulevard on the BMT Astoria Line. (EE service began at Whitehall Street (with additional trains starting at Canal Street) and used the former route to 71st Avenue). The Nassau Street specials were through-routed from Bay Ridge – 95th Street to 168th Street in Jamaica as RJ. The RJ service only lasted from November 1967 to June 1968 before it was cut back to Chambers Street and renamed as additional RR rush-hour peak-direction service.
- In May 1985, the full time R service was assigned the color yellow (because it used the BMT Broadway Line), and the special Chambers Street-Bay Ridge rush-hour service was assigned a brown diamond rollsign with a white R inside because its route ran along the BMT Nassau Street Line.
- Proposed on October 15, 1986 but put in effect on May 24, 1987, the north terminals of the N and R were swapped, taking the R along the IND Queens Boulevard Line to Forest Hills – 71st Avenue. The change was made to give the Astoria line the busier N; the R was not frequent enough to relieve overcrowding on that line. Also, the R was given direct access to the new and closer Bay Ridge Yard (where the train is now assigned to this day). Previously, R trains had to run light to/from the Coney Island Yard.
- Starting on April 28, 1986, the Chambers Street R service was extended to Metropolitan Avenue for layups and put-ins from Fresh Pond Yard and started express service on the Broadway and Myrtle Avenue Els; After the extension the Nassau R used East New York Yard equipment. Service on the BMT Nassau Street Line-based rush hour Chambers Street-Bay Ridge service was discontinued and eliminated completely on November 22, 1987 due to duplication of the M and Broadway R.
- When the IND Archer Avenue Line opened on December 11, 1988, E service was rerouted along to Jamaica Center – Parsons/Archer, and the R was extended to replace the E to Jamaica – 179th Street. The extension to Jamaica was short-lived, and the R was cut back on September 30, 1990 outside of rush hours, and then during rush hours in October 25, 1992 to 71st–Continental Avenue in favor of making the F local between 71 Avenue and 179 Street at all times, eliminating express service along Hillside Avenue.
- December 11, 1988, the north side of the Manhattan Bridge reopened and the south side was closed. As part of the changes, all service south of Whitehall Street was discontinued, replaced by the M and W.
- September 30, 1990, service to Bay Ridge resumed, and late-night R service became a shuttle between 36th Street and Bay Ridge – 95th Street in Brooklyn. Starting in October 2000, service was extended to Atlantic Avenue via express north of 36th Street.
- On September 11, 2001, after the attack on the World Trade Center, the BMT Broadway Line was damaged, and the R service was cut back to run only south of Court Street. On September 17, R service was completely suspended, replaced with J service in Brooklyn and Q service in Manhattan and Queens All three trains returned to normal service by October 28.
- After Hurricane Sandy flooded the system, the Montague Street Tunnel was completely flooded. When service was restored, the R train ran between Jay Street Metrotech and Bay Ridge. Manhattan and Queens service was replaced by the N, W, and M. On December 21, full service was restored between Manhattan and Brooklyn after the Montague Street Tubes were drained. However, on August 2, 2013, the Montague Street Tunnel was closed again until fall 2014 due to extra repairs needed, which brought back changes to the R train. At this time, the R train ran its full route via the Manhattan Bridge, skipping all stations between Canal Street and DeKalb Avenue, with select rush hour trips to Whitehall Street. Expanded W service replaced the R between Canal Street and Whitehall Street, with no service between Court Street and Dekalb Avenue. Originally slated to restore all service by October 2014, service on the R and W were brought back to normal a few weeks early, on September 15, 2014, and $58 million under budget.
- One trip via 2 Av in reverse peak direction added in November 2017 as part of a pilot program.
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W
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- Began in 1976, ran Rush Hours only between 57th Street and Bay Parkway to replace the N express.
- April 28th, 1986, because of reconstruction on the Manhattan Bridge, the W extended both terminals to run between Ditmars Boulevard (rush hours), Queensboro Plaza (middays), 57th Street (evenings and weekends), or 36th Street (late nights) to Coney Island
- December 11th 1988, W service was reduced to a weekday only route between Astoria - Ditmars Blvd and Bay Parkway.
- September 30th, 1990, the Transit Authority and politicians pressured the New York State Department of Transportation to resume N train service on the bridge's south side and on Broadway, despite warnings from engineers that the structure on the bridge was unsafe and major repairs still had to be made. As a result, W service was cut back to Whitehall Street making all local stops. On December 27, state inspectors forced N service to be rerouted via the Montague Street Tunnel again after discovery of corroded support beams and missing steel plates, and the W was rerouted to 72 St -2 Av via express in Manhattan.
- Starting February 1998, W service was rerouted from 72 St and extended to 21 St - Queensbridge to replace service on the IND 63rd Street Line. Night and Weekend service was added between 21st St and 34th Street. Normal service resumed by May 22nd, 1999.
- July 2001, the north side of the Manhattan Bridge closed and the south side reopened. The W was brought back to it's 1986 pattern, except midday service went to Astoria and express peak service was added in Queens. Select rush hour and all evening W trips still ended at 72nd Street.
- After September 11, 2001, N service was suspended and W trains ran at all times between Ditmars Boulevard and Coney Island. It made all stops except in Brooklyn north of 36th Street. Normal service on both trains resumed on October 28, 2001.
- The Astoria express service, being unpopular with residents, was discontinued on January 15, 2002. Around that time, evening service was rerouted and extended from 72nd Street to Astoria.
- When Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue was closed for reconstruction, the W became a full-time Coney Island–Astoria service. Late night and weekend service was sent via the Montague Street Tunnel and the local tracks of the Fourth Avenue and Broadway Lines; the N ran only in Brooklyn at those times.
- When all four tracks on the Manhattan Bridge were restored to service on February 22, 2004, the W was cut to running weekdays only from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (7:00 to 21:30) as an entirely local service between Ditmars Boulevard and Whitehall Street – South Ferry, Lower Manhattan. The Brooklyn portion was replaced by the D, which was extended over the north side of the bridge and down the West End Line. Also beginning at this time, the first 3 W trips began service at 86 St in Brooklyn, and the final trips terminated at Kings Hwy in Brooklyn.
- On July 27, 2008, the W was extended to run until 11:00 p.m.
- After Hurricane Sandy flooded the system, the Montague Street Tunnel was completely flooded. On August 2, 2013, the Montague Street Tunnel was closed until fall 2014 due to extra repairs needed. At this time, the W train had added late night and weekend service between Whitehall Street and Astoria, as well as Brooklyn service being suspended. Originally slated to restore all normal service by October 2014, service on the R and W was brought back to normal a few weeks early, on September 15, 2014, and $58 million under budget.
- September 15, 2014, additional trains from 86 St operated in the early PM rush and late AM trips were added to 86 St. The last trips to Kings Hwy were also extended to 86 St.
- In June 2018, the MTA added service between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., and between 11:00 p.m. and midnight in response to overcrowded N trains during those hours. 86 St trips also modified again; most notable change is most morning and some evening trips eliminated.
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