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For photos please see
www nycsubway.org.
This Line has earned the nickname,
International Express for the diverse ridership and ethnic
neighborhoods.
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TIMES SQUARE
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q |
Times Square on the 7 opened
on 04/212/1917 and is discussed on the
Complexes page.
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FIFTH AVENUE/
BRYANT PARK
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Fifth Avenue Bryant Park on
the 7 opened on 04/212/1917 and is discussed on the
Complexes page
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GRAND CENTRAL
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Grand Central on the 7 opened
on 04/212/1917 and is discussed on the
Complexes page

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VERNON BOULEVARD
JACKSON AVENUE
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Vernon
Boulevard Jackson Avenue (on 50th Avenue
between Vernon Boulevard and Jackson Avenue) opened on
06/22/1915 and has two tracks and two wall platform. A curtain
wall separates the tracks. There is no crossover or crossunder.
This station was the site where a Station Agent was killed for a
pail of tokens. The policy was changed after this incident. The
night Station Agent no longer has to pull the wheels after the
PM leaves unless police or supervisor or another employee is
present. There is no crossover or crossunder. The North exit
leads to Jackson Avenue, up three steps from platform level and
the South exit leads to Vernon Boulevard. Original IRT
directional signs on both platforms read "To Vernon Avenue".
Most likely the street was renamed to Vernon Boulevard sometime
after the station was built.
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HUNTER'S POINT
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Hunter’s
Point (on Hunter’s Point Avenue and 100 feet East of
21st Street next to LIRR Station with the same name)
opened on 02/15/1916 and has two tracks, two wall platforms and
has a closed exit at the North end. There is a crossover. Most
of the customers who use this station are for the LIRR trains at
Hunters Point Avenue during peak periods. Leaving here we
have a view of the Hunter’s Point LIRR
Station. Leaving here we have a nice S Curve and enter our
next station
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COURT HOUSE SQUARE
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Court House Square (on 23rd
Street at Jackson Avenue and 45th Road) on the 7
opened on 11/05/1916 and is discussed on the
Complexes page.
Leaving here we have the second S curve and enter the next
station.
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QUEENSBORO PLAZA
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Queensboro Plaza
(Bridge Plaza North and South between Crescent
and 27th Streets, near Queensboro Bridge entrance to
lower level) IRT section opened 11/5/1916, BMT section
opened 1917, north Platforms demolished in late 1949, Last
renovated in 2003.
This station has a lot of history in it; it
is a 100% pure dual contracts station as the only station in the
entire NYC subway system to have both IRT #7 Flushing Line and
BMT N and W trains operating on the same platforms.
Because of the width of IRT cars being smaller than BMT/IND
cars, the N and W trains are prohibited from switching over to
the Flushing Line from Manhattan, even in emergency situations.
The current layout is 2 tracks on each island platform, with 2
levels. The #7 line always uses the south tracks, while
the N/W trains use the north tracks on both levels. The
lower level is for Manhattan-bound trains, while the Upper level
is for Flushing/Astoria (outbound) trains. Recently, the
station was renovated by NYCT’s in-house Maintenance of Way
forces, as opposed of having an outside contractor perform the
job. This site endorses in-house jobs as a means of saving
money, using skilled workers already employed by NYCT, and in
most cases, the stations are completed on or ahead of the
targeted completion date. When the station was fully
completed in 1917, there were actually 8 tracks, and 4 island
platforms. Standing on the upper level, closest to the
Queensboro Bridge side, you can see the skeletal remains of the
2 north platforms that were side-by-side in the same layout as
the current and surviving south platforms, it was abandoned in
1949 and all the BMT operations were shifted to the current
south platform. The original layout was to use the south
platform and 4 tracks for IRT and connections to the 2nd
Avenue el.. IRT trains ran via. either the Steinway Tube
(today’s #7 line), or over the Queensboro Bridge, turn at 2nd
Ave/59th St, where it connected with the southbound 2nd
Ave el. . Either track had double X crossovers so there
was plenty of operational flexibility. At the far west end
of the Upper Level, where the #7 curves into the station, you
can see the skeletal girders sticking out and pointing to the
Upper Level roadway of the bridge. The abandoned north
platform was used for primarily BMT Broadway trains and 8 track
configurations looked like this (upper level/lower level as it
ran):
From north to south: BMT North
Platform, Track #1: Astoria/60th St tube BMT
North Platform Track #2 Corona/60th St tube.
IRT south platform: Track #1 2nd Ave el
/Corona, Track #2 Steinway/Corona.
There were double crossovers to the east
that allowed trains to use either Astoria or Corona line (the
Main St extension was built later on.) Looking also to the
east of the station, more skeletal remains of tracks than ran
from Astoria to Corona directly, from Astoria, the tracks ran on
the outer ends of the current Astoria line, depress
significantly, and curve over to the Corona/Flushing line where
it would elevate and join the current IRT line. You can
see more of these abandoned tracks if you stand on street.
Because of the platform layouts, there was most likely a
mezzanine, twice the size as the current mezzanine. The 2nd
Ave el. was abandoned in 1942 and presented a problem at
Queensboro Plaza, where can trains go now, since at least 2
tracks are no longer in use? It was later determined to
combine the BMT and IRT tracks in one set of platforms. In
1949, the north platforms were abandoned and the mezzanine was
cut in half and renovated.
Before I saw the current renovation taking
place, the tiles show evidence of a 1950’s or early 60’s
retouch, along with 1950’s exit slam gates. Over the years
since the 1949 downsizing, the station fell into disrepair,
broken glass on the lower level platform, and leaking platform
canopy on the upper level were prime examples. After the
2002 in house renovation, the glass was replaced, the mezzanine
was redone, and even new canopies on both overpass exits (one on
the north side, leading to couple of stores on the 2nd
floor of a private building, the south side was only stairs to
street.) were finally installed to protect customers from the
rain and other elements. There are 4 stairs from lower to
upper level and 4 stairs from lower level to mezzanine.
Access from mezzanine to either platform is only available from
the 2 western stairs in front of the S/A booth. The 2
eastern stairs from lower level to mezzanine are exit only and
are closest to the north bridge and arcade stores. The
platforms are not aligned together; the Upper level is about 150
feet west of the lower level. Artwork: “Columns” by Sydney
Cash (2000), uses silk-screened glass panels, instead of
ordinary glass, installed on both sides of the lower level.
Most people who look at the glass design may not really notice
that it is artwork. Just inside fare control, are the
newest next train indicators, one for the #7 and the other for
the N/W lines. During rush hours when all 3 lines have
frequent service, the buzzers are constantly going off without
any chance of letting up.
The next three stations feature a series or
art glass mosaics entitled “Q is for Queens” By Yumi Heo,
installed in 1999.. It took some doing, but all 28
were found! (All of the letters plus two more pieces were
found!) These three were all renovated by NYCT in house
contract. These stations are on a concrete viaduct. In
the case with the stations having dual names, the name
that appears after the numbered street represents the original
street name before a massive conversion from named streets to
numbered streets took place. The exceptions are 74th
Street -Broadway, where Broadway runs differently than 74th
Street and 82nd Street-Jackson Heights where the name
represents the neighborhood instead of the original street name
of 82nd Street.
The next three stations feature an artwork
entitled Q is for Queens. For more information on the art click
this link.
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33rd
street
RAWSON STREET
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33rd Street Rawson Street
(On Queens Boulevard at 33rd Street) on the 7 opened
on 04/212/1917 and Has three tracks and two wall platforms with
a crossunder at the North(34th street) end only .It
also has 24/7 HEET access and a ghost booth which was
removed in 2003. In addition, two staircases to the street at 34th
Street end are sealed. Letters A to J were found here along with
a redbird 7 train art glass mosaic. The station has a full
canopy with concrete sidewalls which also have glass block.
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40th
street
LOWERY STREET
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40th Street Lowery Street
(On Queens Boulevard at 40th Street) on the 7 opened
on 04/212/1917 and has three tracks and two wall platforms with
no crossunder. Letters K to P were found here. Exit is at the
center. Construction detail is like 33rd Street.
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46th
street
BLISS STREET
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46th Street Bliss Street
(on Queens Boulevard at 46th Street) on the 7 opened
on 04/212/1917 and has three tracks and two wall platforms with
a crossunder. Letters Q to Z were found here. Construction
details are like 33rd Street. North exit leads to 47th
Street and HAS 24/7 HEET access and a ghost booth removed
in 2003. The South exit leads to 46th Street. Letters
Q to Z are found here. An Extra art glass mosaic features the 7
train, Queensboro Bridge and Kids at play. This is the last stop
on Queens Boulevard We now curve onto Roosevelt Avenue for the
remainder of our ride.
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52nd
street
LINCOLN AVENUE
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52nd Street Lincoln Avenue
(On Roosevelt Avenue at 52nd Street) on the 7 opened
on 04/212/1917 and has three tracks and two wall platforms with
a crossunder at the South (52nd Street end) and no
crossunder at the North (53rd Street) end as
configured due to HEETs. This station has wood canopies and
mezzanines and needs TLC.
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61st
street
WOODSIDE
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61st Street Woodside
(on Roosevelt Avenue at 61st Street) on the 7
opened on 04/212/1917 and has three tracks and two island
platforms with a crossunder. This station has been renovated and
has full ADA. The mezzanine also serves as an entrance e to the
LIRR station’s waiting area. Art is by Dimitri Gerakakis and is
entitled “Woodside Continuum“ and was installed in 1998.Art is
stainless steel and is found in the AFC railings dividing the
NYCT paid area from the LIRR area There is a newsstand and a
closed tower North of the station.. Another artwork is entitled
Commuting/ Community by John Cavanaugh installed in 1985 and
features photos of trains in the area. For details of the LIRR
station see the Port Washington Branch
Page.
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69th
street
FISKE STREET
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69th Street Fiske Street
(on Roosevelt Avenue at 69th Street) on the 7 opened
on 04/212/1917 and has three tracks and two wall platforms with
a crossunder. Mezzanine is wood. Northbound has a work stairway
at the north end and could be a removed exit. We cross over the
Brooklyn Queens Expressway and enter our next station.
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74th
street
BROADWAY
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74th Street Broadway
(on Roosevelt Avenue at Broadway and 74th Street)
on the 7 opened on 04/212/1917 and is discussed on the
Complexes page.
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82th
street
JACKSON HEIGHTS
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82nd Street Jackson
Heights (On Roosevelt Avenue at 82nd Street)
on the 7 opened on 04/212/1917 and has three tracks and two wall
platforms with a crossunder. Except for a slight re do of the
mezzanine area, this station is unrenovated and has a wood
mezzanine and the original wood canopies. Exit is via two
stairways in the center with a unique feature—only the southern
stair has a crossunder! The northern stairway has exits only.
Artwork is a large “82” on the windscreen near the exit stairs
to the Mezzanine.
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90th
street
ELMHURST AVENUE
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90th Street Elmhurst
Avenue (On Roosevelt Avenue at 90th Street)
on the 7 opened on 04/212/1917 and has three tracks and two wall
platforms with a crossunder. Similar to 82nd Street,
the mezzanine is renovated bu the rest of this station is
unrenovated with wood mezzanine and metal canopies. Exit layout
is the same as found at 82nd street. Art work is
translucent panels near the exit stairs to the Mezzanine
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JUNCTION BOULEVARD
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Junction Boulevard (On
Roosevelt Avenue at Junction Boulevard on the 7) opened on
04/212/1917 and has three tracks and two island platforms with a
crossunder. ADA is planned, This Station in unrenovated
with wood Mezzanine with brick floors and original canopies.
Only the fare control and mezzanine area had a light
re do in the early 1990s. An unusual feature is the layout of
the Mezzanine – think of it as three squares:-- the outer
squares have crossunders and the center has the booth .
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103rd
street
CORONA PLAZA
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103rd Street Corona Plaza
(On Roosevelt Avenue at 103rd Street) on the
7 opened on 04/212/1917 and has three tracks and two wall
platforms with a crossunder. Originally opened as Alburtis
Avenue (Later renamed to 104th Street with a possible
sealed exit at the north end. From 1917 to 1925,this
station was a terminal for the Astoria and Corona Lines. This
station has metal canopy and wood Mezzanine. In a surprising
twist, it has escaped the dark green and beige uniformity that
hit the remainder of the elevated stations system wide—this
station has bluish gray. Exit is the same as found at Junction
Blvd. This station was the first end of the line in Queens and
gave the line its official name as the “Corona Line” (SOURCE:
Joe Cunningham).
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111th
street
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111th Street (On
Roosevelt Avenue at 11th Street) opened on 10/13/1925
and has four tracks and two wall platforms with a crossunder
plus a flyover track used by the express service. The 1930s
pre-unification maps show Alburtis Avenue next to 111th
Street for unknown reasons. The center pair on the main level
leads to the yard, the Mezzanine is wood and canopies are metal.
This station connects to the New York Hall of Science. There is
a closed north exit which probably had a crossunder. A
dispatcher booth is at the north end of the northbound platform.
This station gives a postcard view of the fairgrounds, Casey
Stengle Bus Depot, Corona Yard and Shop, and Shea Stadium, Soon
to be replaced by Citi Field
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METS
WILLETS POINT
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Mets Willets Point (on
Roosevelt Avenue at Willets Point Boulevard) opened on
05/07/1927 and has three tracks. From geographic North to South
layout is as follows: Wall platform for Times Square bound
locals, track 1, track 2, island platform served by Express and
all Queens bound trains. track 3, wall platform (used for tennis
tournament only). This wall platform has a gate that can be
opened leading directly to the overpass boardwalk to the
Flushing Meadows Corona Park The Mezzanine is wood and also has
a ramp to the Stadium opened only during ball games since it is
inside the paid area. This station was heavily rebuilt for the
1939-1940 World’s Fair. For more information see
www.nycsubway.org.
Leaving here, we cross over water on the Roosevelt Avenue Bridge
via a separate bridge. Both bridges are over a perpendicular
highway bridge which is over Flushing Bay After we cross the bay
we descend into the subway. The official name of the station is
Mets-Willets Point per official bulletin. This site will
follow the Bulletin and we will not respond to station name
complaints.
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MAIN
street
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Main Street (on Roosevelt
Avenue at Main Street) opened on 01/02/1928 and has three tracks
and two island platforms This station has been renovated and
features artwork by Ik Jeong Kang and is entitled Happy World.
It was installed in 1998. The south exit is fragmented by the
booth and leads to Main Street with a crossover. The North exit
is at platform level with access to all tracks and escalators
outside the paid area to union Street/ Lippmann Plaza. The
artwork is over the escalators
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