72nd Street station (New York Central Railroad)

Last updated
72nd Street
Staircase leading to the abandoned 72nd Street station in the Park Avenue Tunnel.jpg
This picture was taken from the southwestern corner of Park Avenue and 72nd Street. The emergency exit–the former staircase leading to the southbound platform–is open to allow workers to do lighting work in the tunnel.
General information
Location Park Avenue and 72nd Street
Upper East Side, Manhattan, New York
Coordinates 40°46′16″N73°57′50″W / 40.771125°N 73.963825°W / 40.771125; -73.963825
Line(s) Park Avenue Tunnel (Hudson Line)
Platforms2 side
Tracks4
Former services
Preceding station New York Central & Hudson River Railroad Following station
86th Street
toward Chatham
Harlem Division New York
Terminus

The 72nd Street station is an abandoned station located in the Park Avenue Tunnel used by Metro-North Railroad. The station has two side platforms and is located in between 72nd Street and 73rd Street underneath Park Avenue on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. [1] The station was built by the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad as part of an agreement with New York City.

Contents

History

Construction

The New York State Legislature passed legislation in 1872, requiring that 4+1⁄4 miles (7 km) of New York and Harlem Railroad tracks between Grand Central and the Harlem River be placed underground. The confluence of tracks to the north of Grand Central was considered to be the city's "most fearful death-trap" by The New York Times in 1872, and large meetings were held to protest the deaths caused by collisions between trains and pedestrians. The law set up a Board of Engineers to manage the project, which was known as the Fourth Avenue Improvement. [2] : 6  The law stated that the authorization for two additional tracks was given "for the purpose of facilitating rapid transit and accommodating local traffic": these tracks were built on the same level, and as part of the project, four local stations were built. [3] : 73 

The project's cost was split between the New York Central, run by Commodore Vanderbilt, and New York City, whose payment of $3.2 million was to be made up from increased taxes from future development. [4] [5] [6] The line was sunk into a tunnel between 59th Street and 96th Street through Mount Pleasant, known as the Yorkville Tunnel. [7] The preexisting track level in this section was maintained as the streets crossed over the line via iron bridges. [8] The contract for the section between 79th Street and the Harlem River was awarded to them on November 11. [9] [4] Work on the project began in fall 1872. [4] In December 1872, shafts were sunk at 91st and 93rd Streets and two tunnels were being built alongside the old tunnel. The tunnels were to be completed in September 1873. [8]

On May 3, 1875, the first section of the improvement between 56th Street and 94th Street was placed in full revenue service, running through the cut south of the Yorkville Tunnel. On June 20, the entire improvement opened, and the first trains from Grand Central to the Harlem River were witnessed by large crowds of spectators. [10] [11] That morning, new rails and ties were installed between 96th Street and 33rd Streets, and the old track and trestle were demolished. The first train, the St. Louis Express, due at 12:30 p.m., arrived late at 1:50 p.m. due to the work. Masonry work continued to be done to lengthen the tunnel at Yorkville down to 80th Street, arching over the tracks. The tracks were not yet ballasted, forcing trains to run slowly. [12]

The side tracks to be used for local rapid transit trains were not yet laid, and the passenger stations at 59th Street, 72nd Street, 86th Street, 110th Street and 125th Street were not yet built. [13] At this time, local rapid transit trains were expected to begin operation by September 1875 and were to serve stations yet under construction. [14] The rolling stock for the local trains were to be much lighter than those used on the through trains. [11]

On May 15, 1876, partial rapid transit began on the Harlem Line, with sixteen trains a day running between Grand Central Depot and William's Bridge. These trains made all stops between Grand Central and William's Bridge, with the exception of Jerome Park, which was skipped by half of trains. This was in addition to eight regular trains per day that stopped at William's Bridge. Two new stations were opened at 86th Street and 110th Street, both being exclusively served by the rapid transit service. [15] [16] However, much to the dissatisfaction of local residents, the 59th Street and 72nd Street stations did not open. With horse cars running on Second Avenue, Third Avenue, and Fourth Avenue, local residents around the 72nd Street station were not willing to go all the way to the 86th Street station. [17] Loud daily complaints were made to William Vanderbilt, urging him to equip these two stations on the line, which was paid in half by the city's taxpayers. A newspaper supposed that the station could be fitted for less than $500 (equivalent to $14,000in 2022). [18] These stations were all closed by 1906 by approval of the Railroad Commission. [3] : 73 

Opening

The station was built during the late 19th century, and it is unclear if any regular trains actually stopped here. Currently, the station is used as an emergency exit for Metro-North Railroad in the Park Avenue Tunnel. The staircases are intact and can be accessed from Park Avenue. [19] : 10, 72 

According to an 1895 timetable, two trains stopped at 72nd Street daily to serve students attending what is now Hunter College. [20] [21] [22] On April 29, 1901, the New York Central was granted permission to abandon the station and the 86th Street station by the New York State Railroad Commissioners due to its low ridership. [23] The Central had applied for permission to discontinue the two stations as they were operated at a loss, and as it was purported that having trains stop in the tunnel was a threat to public safety. [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Central Terminal</span> Railway terminal in Manhattan, New York

Grand Central Terminal, is a commuter rail terminal located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Grand Central is the southern terminus of the Metro-North Railroad's Harlem, Hudson and New Haven Lines, serving the northern parts of the New York metropolitan area. It also contains a connection to the Long Island Rail Road through the Grand Central Madison station, a 16-acre (65,000 m2) rail terminal underneath the Metro-North station, built from 2007 to 2023. The terminal also connects to the New York City Subway at Grand Central–42nd Street station. The terminal is the third-busiest train station in North America, after New York Penn Station and Toronto Union Station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Central–42nd Street station</span> New York City Subway station complex in Manhattan

The Grand Central–42nd Street station is a major station complex of the New York City Subway. Located in Midtown Manhattan at 42nd Street between Madison and Lexington Avenues, it serves trains on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line, the IRT Flushing Line and the 42nd Street Shuttle. The complex is served by the 4, 6, and 7 trains at all times; the 5 and 42nd Street Shuttle (S) trains at all times except late nights; the <6> train during weekdays in the peak direction; and the <7> train during rush hours and early evenings in the peak direction.

The IRT Lexington Avenue Line is one of the lines of the A Division of the New York City Subway, stretching from Lower Manhattan north to 125th Street in East Harlem. The line is served by the 4, ​5, ​6, and <6> trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">149th Street–Grand Concourse station</span> New York City Subway station in the Bronx

The 149th Street–Grand Concourse station is a New York City Subway station complex shared by the IRT Jerome Avenue Line and the IRT White Plains Road Line. It is located at East 149th Street and Grand Concourse in Mott Haven, Melrose and Concourse in the Bronx. The complex is served by the 2 and 4 trains at all times, and by the 5 train at all times except late nights.

The Lenox Avenue Line is a line of the New York City Subway, part of the A Division, mostly built as part of the first subway line. Located in Manhattan, New York City, it consists of six stations between Central Park North–110th Street and Harlem–148th Street, all of which are situated within the neighborhood of Harlem in Upper Manhattan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Park Avenue Tunnel (roadway)</span> Tunnel in Manhattan, New York

The Park Avenue Tunnel, also called the Murray Hill Tunnel, is a 1,600-foot-long (488 m) tunnel that passes under seven blocks of Park Avenue in Murray Hill, in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Traffic used to travel northbound from 33rd Street toward the Park Avenue Viaduct. The tunnel is under the jurisdiction of the New York City Department of Transportation. It is designed to carry one lane of northbound car traffic from East 33rd Street to East 40th Street. From 40th Street north, traffic must follow the Park Avenue Viaduct around Grand Central Terminal to 46th Street. The vertical clearance is 8 ft 11 in (2.72 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harlem Line</span> Metro-North Railroad line in New York

The Harlem Line is an 82-mile (132 km) commuter rail line owned and operated by the Metro-North Railroad in the U.S. state of New York. It runs north from New York City to Wassaic, in eastern Dutchess County. The lower 53 miles (85 km) from Grand Central Terminal to Southeast, in Putnam County, is electrified with a third rail and has at least two tracks. The section north of Southeast is a non-electrified single-track line served by diesel locomotives. Before the renaming of the line in 1983, it eventually became the Harlem Division of the New York Central Railroad. The diesel trains usually run as a shuttle on the northern end of the line, except for rush-hour express trains in the peak direction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">72nd Street station (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)</span> New York City Subway station in Manhattan

The 72nd Street station is an express station on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Broadway, 72nd Street, and Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It is served by the 1, 2, and 3 trains at all times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">135th Street station (IRT Lenox Avenue Line)</span> New York City Subway station in Manhattan

The 135th Street station is a station on the IRT Lenox Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 135th Street and Lenox Avenue in Harlem, it is served by the 2 and 3 trains at all times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">125th Street station (IRT Lenox Avenue Line)</span> New York City Subway station in Manhattan

The 125th Street station is a station on the IRT Lenox Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 125th Street and Lenox Avenue in Harlem, it is served by the 2 and 3 trains at all times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">96th Street station (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)</span> New York City Subway station in Manhattan

The 96th Street station is an express station on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 96th Street and Broadway on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, it is served by the 1, 2, and 3 trains at all times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">116th Street station (IRT Lenox Avenue Line)</span> New York City Subway station in Manhattan

The 116th Street station is a station on the IRT Lenox Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 116th Street and Lenox Avenue in Harlem, it is served by the 2 and 3 trains at all times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Park North–110th Street station</span> New York City Subway station in Manhattan

The Central Park North–110th Street station is a station on the IRT Lenox Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of 110th Street and Lenox Avenue at the southern edge of Harlem, Manhattan. It is served by the 2 and 3 trains at all times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harlem River Lift Bridge</span> Bridge between Manhattan and the Bronx, New York

The Harlem River Lift Bridge is a vertical lift bridge carrying the Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line, Harlem Line, and New Haven Line across the Harlem River between the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx in New York City. The average weekday ridership on the lines is 265,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Early history of the IRT subway</span> First New York City Subway line

The first regularly operated line of the New York City Subway was opened on October 27, 1904, and was operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT). The early IRT system consisted of a single trunk line running south from 96th Street in Manhattan, with a southern branch to Brooklyn. North of 96th Street, the line had three northern branches in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. The system had four tracks between Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall and 96th Street, allowing for local and express service. The original line and early extensions consisted of:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Park Avenue main line</span> Railroad line in New York City

The Park Avenue main line, which consists of the Park Avenue Tunnel and the Park Avenue Viaduct, is a railroad line in the New York City borough of Manhattan, running entirely along Park Avenue. The line carries four tracks of the Metro-North Railroad as a tunnel from Grand Central Terminal at 42nd Street to a portal at 97th Street, where it rises to a viaduct north of 99th Street and continues over the Harlem River into the Bronx over the Park Avenue Bridge. During rush hours, Metro-North uses three of the four tracks in the peak direction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">59th Street station (New York Central Railroad)</span> Never-opened train station in Manhattan, New York

The 59th Street station is a never-opened station in the Park Avenue Tunnel used by the Metro-North Railroad. The station was built by the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad as part of an agreement with the government of New York City during the late 1870s, although trains never stopped here. The station is used as an emergency exit for the Metro-North Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">110th Street station (New York Central Railroad)</span> Closed train station in Manhattan, New York

The 110th Street station was a station located on the Metro-North Railroad's Park Avenue Viaduct in East Harlem, Manhattan, New York City. The station was built by the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad as part of an agreement with the New York City government. It was located at Park Avenue and 110th Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">86th Street station (New York Central Railroad)</span> Closed train station in Manhattan, New York

The 86th Street station is an abandoned station located in the Park Avenue Tunnel used by Metro-North Railroad. The station was built by the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad as part of an agreement with New York City. The station was built during the late 19th century. It was located at Park Avenue and 86th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Grand Central Terminal</span> History of a New York City commuter rail station

Grand Central Terminal is a major commuter rail terminal in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, serving the Metro-North Railroad's Harlem, Hudson and New Haven Lines. It is the most recent of three functionally similar buildings on the same site. The current structure was built by and named for the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad, though it also served the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. Passenger service has continued under the successors of the New York Central and New Haven railroads.

References

  1. ↑ "Track Map for the New York & Harlem Railroad Operated by the New York Central Railroad Company" (PDF). archives.gov. Interstate Commerce Commission. Bureau of Valuation, Engineering Section. June 30, 1917. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Park Avenue Historic District Designation Report" (PDF). nyc.gov. New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. April 29, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Reports of Decisions of the Public Service Commission, First District, of the State of New York Volume VIII January 1, 1917 to December 31, 1917. New York State Public Service Commission. 1918.
  4. 1 2 3 "The Fourth-Ave. Improvement. Vigorous Prosecution of the Work". New-York Tribune. May 24, 1873. Retrieved December 31, 2018– via newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  5. ↑ "Railroad Engineering In Harlem.; Progress of the Work of Elevating the Central's Tracks in Park Avenue" (PDF). The New York Times. August 23, 1894. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  6. ↑ Roberts, Sam (January 22, 2013). Grand Central: How a Train Station Transformed America. Grand Central Publishing. ISBN   9781455525959.
  7. ↑ Eldredge, Niles and Horenstein, Sidney (2014). Concrete Jungle: New York City and Our Last Best Hope for a Sustainable Future. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. p. 121. ISBN   978-0-520-27015-2.
  8. 1 2 "Fourth Avenue Improvements. The Work and When it Will Be Finished–Two New Tunnels Through the Rock in Yorkville". New York Daily Herald. January 5, 1873. Retrieved December 31, 2018– via newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  9. ↑ "Rapid Transit and Fourth-avenue Improvement". The New York Times. October 30, 1872. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 31, 2018– via newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  10. ↑ Baer, Christopher T. (February 2006). "PRR Chronology: A General Chronology of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company Predecessors and Successors And Its HistoricalContext 1875 February 2006 Edition" (PDF). prrths.com. The Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  11. 1 2 "Local Rapid Transit in the Metropolis–Opening of Through Travel on New York's New Underground Railway–Local Travel to Begin in September–Cost of the Work–Description of the Road from Official Sources–Grade–Bridges–Tunnels–The Viaduct". The Pittsburgh Daily Commercial. July 17, 1875. Retrieved December 31, 2018– via newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  12. ↑ "The Sunken Tracks to Harlem. Trains Running Over The Entire Fourth Avenue Improvement–Increased Facilities of Travel To Be Provided". New-York Tribune. June 22, 1875. Retrieved December 31, 2018– via newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  13. ↑ "The Fourth Avenue Improvement". The New York Times. June 21, 1875. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 31, 2018– via newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  14. ↑ "The Vanderbilt Tunnel: Starting the Trains for the First Trip". The Buffalo Commercial. June 22, 1875. Retrieved December 31, 2018– via newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  15. ↑ "Partial Rapid Transit,: From The Grand Central Depot. Arrangements For Quick Trains On The Harlem Road Trains To Run Next Monday Fares, Time, Rates of Commutation" (PDF). The New York Times. May 12, 1876. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Rapid Transit To And From Harlem" (PDF). The New York Times. April 13, 1876. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  17. ↑ "The Underground Vanderbilt Road". The New York Sun. May 14, 1876. Retrieved December 31, 2018– via newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  18. ↑ "Mr. Campbell's Rapid Transit Plan". The New York Times. April 29, 1877. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 31, 2018– via newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  19. ↑ "Electric Division New York Terminal District Time-Table No. 54A For Employees Only" (PDF). canadasouthern.com. New York Central Railroad. December 14, 1941.
  20. ↑ Brennan, Joseph (2002). "86 St (Park Ave)". Columbia University.
  21. ↑ Brennan, Joseph. ""THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY, NEW YORK CITY" 1875". Columbia University. Archived from the original on May 4, 2009. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  22. ↑ Gray, Christopher (September 10, 2009). "When Vanderbilt Did Not Get His Way". The New York Times.
  23. ↑ "Railroad Projects Heard: Harlem Road to Abandon Seventy-second and Eighty-sixth Street Stations". The New York Sun. April 30, 1901. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Opposition to New Railroad to Rockaway". The Brooklyn Standard Union. April 29, 1901. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.