Lion has just returned from vacation with several hundred new pictures. Here is one along the Sea Beach Line, with the NY&A tracks visible to the left of the transit line.
Continuing south on the Sea Beach Line…
Almost to Coney Island, I snap a picture of some yardbirds from a moving train. LION is not sure what the IRT cars (far left) are doing in a CI yard, maybe they are of the R-188 class (rebuilt R-142s for automated service on the (7) train).
I was looking at the yellow R-36’s (I think). Neat. IIRC a lot of the heavier maintenance for cars on the 7 line is done at Coney Island. So it is not uncommon to see those IRT cars at Coney Island. As usual good pictures. Thx IGN
Yes (7) train cars are serviced at Coney Island, but this is not a (7) train which is still using R-62s. As R-188s come on line they will go to the Flushing Line in anticipation of automation. The R-62s will probably go to the (4) line, maybe also the (6).
Anyway LION went to Coney Island, just once this year, as it turn out. I usually go there with every trip I make into the city, but this is what I did.
You cannot go to Coney Island without visiting Nathans and eating their hot dogs.
The redid the inside of the store, perhaps this will help eliminate some of the long lines at their counters.
The Ridewithmehenry guys were there the week before Memorial Day this year…Nathan’s and many others there were scurrying to finish repairs from Sandy so they could open the following week for the season. But they did direct us to the Nathan’s on the Boardwalk right around the corner. And it was standing room only!
Nathan’s is an interesting place and I enjoyed going there but it would be outstanding if they offered a Chicago hot dog on their menu.
First Welcome Back Lion.
Second Still no trips to Staten Island
Third Nathan looks good the pre sandy stand was kinda run down
That old subway/ elevated station in Coney Island looks fantastic, like it hasn’t changed at all in over 100 years. That’s good, some things shouldn’t change. And if it’s new, well I like the “retro” look anyway.
By the way, did you know the original Nathan of “Nathans” didn’t want his products to be called “hot dogs”? He preferred the word “frankfurters”, reason being 100 years ago there was a wild rumor going around that “hot dogs” had dog meat in them! Or maybe the resemblance to the dachshund had something to do with it. Can you imagine the effort it took to get a wild rumor started in those pre-Internet days?
Anyway, “Nathans” people call them hot dogs now, Nathan went to the big, uh, “frankfurter” stand in the sky a long time ago so he’s not likely to mind what they’re called anymore.
LIONS like hotdogs, but now him get on (Q) train for a ride on the Brighton Line…
So one last look at the Coney Island Station…
Around the corner and down the road, LION makes photographs of the Brighton Line.
The bluring of track and signal is caused by the inner door. I am shooting through two doors and the inner door has special glass to prevent car lights from bothering the motorman, it also prevents passengers from seeing the motorman or his controls.
Moving past Avenue H into the open cut:
Trains and passengers (called geese) crowd onto the Prospect Park platforms.
Same Station as seen from the head house at street level:
or this?
Looking south from the Lincoln Street Bridge…
In the last picture, I wonder if the overgrown track to the right of the train is in service?
Yes, it is in service, but is not used by scheduled trains. In the Prospect Park station, they outside tracks north of the station are part of the Franklin Avenue Shuttle, the original route before the Manhattan Bridge was built. South of the station they are the Brighton Line local tracks.
The center tracks north of the station ride on the Flatbush Avenue Extension to the Manhattan Bridge, but south of the station service from the bridge splits, the (Q) train moving to the local tracks, while the (B) train remains on the express tracks.
The underpass between the Franklyn Shuttle (then connected to the Fulton Street Elevated Line) was the site of the Malbone Street Wreck that eventually forced the BRT into bankruptcy which lead to the establishment of the BMT. Malbone Street has (for the most part) been renamed Empire Blvd.
The track in question was of course part of the older main line, but is still used to day to connect the Shuttle with the rest of the railroad, and for the layup of equipment at night.
Todays Photo, since you asked shows more of that track and of a (Q) train moving from the center track to the wall track in order to make local stops. You can see all of the interlocking plant in this photo.
ROAR
I grew up in suburban NY and am somewhat familiar with the subways under Manhattan radiating from GCT. The only time I remember taking a subway above ground was the Flushing line to the '64 Worlds Fair. I appreciate the outerboro open air photos.
Midlandmike…where are you now? Join one of our ridewithmehenry safaris this fall as we explore a few more of the surface lines in Brooklyn and Queens or the Bronx later on; and, oh, yes, we’ve been asked about a ride on the SIRR, too! All it costs you is your fare and your meals…