Bay 50th Street station

For the subway station at 50th Street in central Brooklyn, see 50th Street (BMT West End Line). For other uses, see 50th Street (disambiguation).

Bay 50 Street
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
Northbound platform
Station statistics
Address	Bay 50th Street & Stillwell Avenue Brooklyn, NY
Borough	Brooklyn
Locale	Gravesend
Coordinates	40°35′20″N73°59′02″W / 40.58890°N 73.98377°W / 40.58890; -73.98377
Division	B (BMT) [1]
Line	BMT West End Line
Services	D   (all times)
Transit	NYCT Bus: B64
Structure	Elevated
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	3 (2 in regular service)
Other information
Opened	July 21, 1917(106 years ago) (1917-07-21)
Opposite- direction transfer	Yes
Traffic
2023	575,901 [2]   2.2%
Rank	368 out of 423 [2]
Services Preceding station New York City Subway Following station 25th Avenue toward Norwood–205th Street Local Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue Terminus
Location Show map of New York City Subway Show map of New York City Show map of New York
Track layout Legend to Bay Parkway to 25th Avenue to Coney Island Complex to Coney Island Complex to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue
Street map
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times

The Bay 50th Street station is a local station on the BMT West End Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Bay 50th Street and Stillwell Avenue in the Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn. It is served by the D train at all times. It is in front of the campus of John Dewey High School and has been adopted by its students as part of the New York City Transit Authority's Adopt-a-Station Program.

History

Early history

View of track connecting to Coney Island Yard

Powerhouse, track to Coney Island Yard, and street stair

Bay 50th Street opened on July 21, 1917 as part of the final extension of the BMT West End Line from 25th Avenue to Coney Island. ^[3]

The line was originally a surface excursion railway to Coney Island, called the Brooklyn, Bath and Coney Island Railroad, which was established in 1862, but did not reach Coney Island until 1864. ^[4] Under the Dual Contracts of 1913, an elevated line was built over New Utrecht Avenue, 86th Street and Stillwell Avenue, replacing the surface railway. ^[5]

Later years

The platforms were extended in the 1960s to accommodate the current standard B Division train length of 615 feet (187 m).

As part of an 18-month capital budget that took effect on January 1, 1963, the wooden platforms at the stations on the West End Line were replaced with concrete platforms. ^[6]

In the 1980s, this station was adopted by students of Lafayette High School as part of New York City Transit's "Adopt a Station" program.

In 2012, the station was rehabilitated with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. ^[7] Four laminated glass windscreens by artist Amy Cheng, commissioned by the MTA Arts for Transit Program, were installed in July 2012 as part of the renovation.

Station layout

Platform level	Side platform
	Northbound local	← toward Norwood–205th Street (25th Avenue}})
	Peak-direction express	→ No regular service
	Southbound local	→ toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue (Terminus}}) →
	Side platform
Mezzanine		Fare control, station agent, MetroCard machines
Ground	Street level	Entrance/exit

This station has three tracks and two side platforms. The center express track is not normally used. Platform extensions are visible to the north on the northbound platform and to the south on the southbound platform, providing views of the Coney Island Complex.

The station is situated in the middle of a wye, with track leads from the West End Line to the Coney Island Complex merging with the northbound track immediately north and south of the platforms. An abandoned railroad tower is located above the center of the northbound platform; it has been replaced by a modern tower, about 20 feet (6.1 m) to the south. South of this station, the center track merges with the other two tracks. The line also lowers to run at-grade adjacent to the Coney Island Yard.

Exits

There are two exit points, each with one stairway to each side of Stillwell Avenue: one at both northern corners of Harway Avenue at the station's extreme south end, and the other at both southern corners of Bay 50th Street in the middle. ^[8]

In popular culture

Bay 50th Street was the starting point of the classic chase sequence in the 1971 movie The French Connection .

References

1. "Glossary". Second Avenue Subway Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) (PDF). Vol. 1. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 4, 2003. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
2. "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
3. Assembly, New York (State) Legislature (1918). Documents of the Assembly of the State of New York. p. 140.
4. Opening of the Brooklyn, Bath and Coney Island Railroad, The New York Times June 9, 1864 page 2
5. Senate, New York (State) Legislature (January 1, 1917). Documents of the Senate of the State of New York.
6. "For Release Sunday, July 12, 1964" (PDF). New York City Office of the Mayor. July 12, 1964. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
7. "MTA completes seven station rehabilitation projects along D Line". Railway Track & Structures. August 3, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
8. "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Coney Island" (PDF). mta.info . Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2016.

External links

• nycsubway.org – BMT West End Line: Bay 50th Street
• Station Reporter — D Train
• Bay 50th Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Platforms from Google Maps Street View