Ditmars Boulevard Astoria (on 31^st Street between Ditmars Boulevard and 23^rd Avenue) opened 7/19/1917 and has two tracks and an island platform. Patriotic art is found outside the system under the Hellgate Viaduct which passes over the station perpendicularly. Canopy covers much of the station, even under the Hellgate Viaduct. The canopy is wood with transite and has a wood mezzanine. The benches are enclosed on three sides with windscreen Light fixtures still have their diffuser covers. At first appearance it seems to be in great condition but closer observation revealed areas needing TLC. The unusual Mezzanine has twin fare controls with separate North and South sets of turnstiles .The line curves and is over 31s street.

Astoria Boulevard/ Hoyt Avenue (on 31^st Street with exits to Hoyt Avenue North and South and Astoria Boulevard North and South. Hoyt Avenue is the side by the RFK Triborough Bridge) opened 7/19/1917 and has three tracks and two island platforms with wooden canopies with Transite and wood mezzanines. The southbound platform bears the tertiary name of Columbus Square. The Northbound platform’s benches are surrounded by low windscreen on three sides. The southbound platform has an enclosed waiting area. This station affords a view of the Hellgate Bridge and viaduct to the north and the RFK Triborough Bridge to the west and Grand Central Parkway underneath. The bridge and Grand Central Parkway forced a change in the station. The overpass to the far north exit was an addition because of the bridge’s construction in 1936. The parkway forced relocation of the Hoyt Avenue/ Astoria Boulevard North exit stairways since the parkway was too wide for the original stairways. The southern stairways are original. The west exit to the Mezzanine and crossunder needs maintenance- metal patches were observed In the canopy over the stairs. The Mezzanine has an unusual configuration with separate entries with crossunders from both North and South stairs from the platforms.

30^th Avenue / Grand Avenue (on 31^st Street at 30^th Avenue) opened 7/19/1917 and has three tracks and two wall platforms with wooden canopies with Transite and wood mezzanines. The south end of both platforms are narrowed due to windscreens being added. The exit is near the north end. There are dual fare control areas and at first appearance give the impression of no crossunder, but there is a crossunder behind the booth.

Broadway (on 31^st Street at Broadway) opened 7/19/1917 and has three tracks and two wall platforms with wooden canopies with transite and wood mezzanines. There is no windscreen on the north bound platform however southbound does have windscreen. The Mezzanine is configured like 30^th avenue .Exit is north of center.

36^th Avenue Washington Avenue (on 31^st Street at 36^th Avenue) opened 7/19/1917 and has three tracks and two wall platforms with wooden canopies with Transite and wood mezzanines. the south end has no windscreen on the northbound platform but the north end has windscreen as does the southbound platform Exit is near the south end and there is a crossunder..

39^th Avenue Beebe Avenue (on 31^st Street at 39^th Avenue) opened 7/19/1917 and has three tracks and two wall platforms with wooden canopies with Transite and wood mezzanines. Windscreen is at both ends replacing the earlier low railings. The south end has a nice view of the Citigroup complex. There is a crossunder.

Queensboro Plaza (Bridge Plaza North and South between Crescent and 27^th Streets, near Queensboro Bridge entrance to lower level) IRT section opened 11/5/1916, BMT section opened 7/19/1917, north Platforms demolished in late 1949, Last renovated in 2003.

This station has a lot of history .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 Q trains operating on the same platforms. Because of the width of IRT cars being smaller than BMT/IND cars, the N and Q 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/Q 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 2^nd Avenue el. IRT trains ran via. either the Steinway Tube (today’s #7 line), or over the Queensboro Bridge, turn at 2^nd Ave/59^th St, where it connected with the southbound 2^nd 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/60^th St tube BMT North Platform Track #2 Corona/60^th St tube. IRT south platform: Track #1 2^nd 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 2^nd 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 2^nd floor of a private building, the south side was only stairs to street.) were finally installed to protect customers from the rain and other arcade stores. The platforms are not aligned together; the Upper level is about 150 feet west of the lower level. Artwork: "Columns" by Sydney Caments. 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  booth. The 2 eastern stairs from lower level to mezzanine are exit and are only closest to the north  (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.

Ft. Hamilton Parkway (on Ft. Hamilton Parkway between 61^st and 62^nd Streets) opened 8/23/1915 and has four tracks and two wall platforms. While four tracks are present, the Coney Island bound express track is officially abandoned in place and is no longer maintained at this station. The northbound platform resembles 8^th avenue with metal canopies while the southbound platform has concrete walls and roof. Each end has a crossover. The north exit leads to Ft. Hamilton Parkway and 62^nd street and the south to 11^th avenue and 62^nd-63^rd streets. Station house construction is stucco with tile interior. From here south, conditions generally show increasing passage of time and presence of higher priorities with many stations having spalling concrete, temporary exits, temporary mezzanines and even exposed rebar. There is hope with new bridges being built and they have no columns in the subway right of way and possible subway repairs.

New Utrecht Avenue/ 62^nd Street on the N opened 8/23/1915 and is discussed on the complexes page

18^th Avenue (on 18^th Avenues between 63^rd and 64^th Streets) opened 8/23/1915 and has four tracks and two wall platforms. While four tracks are present, the Coney Island bound express track is officially abandoned in place and is no longer maintained at this station. Station walls and canopies are concrete with exits to 17^th Avenue and 18^th avenue, both with a crossover to stucco and tile station house. Oddly enough, the mezzanine at the part time 17^th Avenue entrance was renovated with new walls and tile. However, in a patch job, the south exit is via switchback stairs to an intermediate level to a metal Mezzanine before entering the permanent Mezzanine with a crossover .The sides of the windscreen reveals lines where the stairs used to be located and a view of the reduced in size station house This feature is also found in the subsequent stations with the exception of 20^th avenue, Kings Highway, 86th street and Stillwell. From here south except 86^th Street, and Stillwell, all have concrete walls and canopies

20^th Avenue (on 20^th Avenue between 63^rd and 64^th Streets) opened 8/23/1915 and has four tracks and two wall platforms. While four tracks are present, the Coney Island bound express track is officially abandoned in place and is no longer maintained at this station. The exit is at the south end. The station house is stucco and tile with a crossover. Platforms have some non working old lights and 1960s time warp benches. The areas along the mezzanines are in need of TLC and once had windows inside the fare control facing the tracks such as is found at Parkside on the Q Train.

Bay Parkway (22^nd Avenue) (on Bay Parkway between West 7^th and West 8^th Streets) opened 8/23/1915 and has four tracks and two wall platforms. While four tracks are present, the Coney Island bound express track is officially abandoned in place and is no longer maintained at this station. There is a crossover at both ends. The north station house is at Bay Parkway and 66^th street and is tile and stucco. The south station house at Avenue O is a patchwork station house like found at 18^th avenue’s south exit. Again there is evidence of covered windows and a need for TLC.

Kings Highway (on Kings Highway between West 7^th and West 8^th Streets) opened 8/23/1915 and has four tracks and two wall platforms. While four tracks are present, the Coney Island bound express track is officially abandoned in place and is no longer maintained at this station. The north exit leads to Kings Highway and a stucco and tile station house and the south leads to temporary crew quarters and Highlawn Avenue via a patchwork station house like 28^th Avenue’s south exit.

Avenue U (on Avenue U between West 7^th and West 8^th Streets) opened 8/23/1915 and has four tracks and two wall platforms. The Coney Island bound express track is used for storage and yard moves at this station. The north exit leads to Avenue T and the south to Avenue U. Both ends have the temporary exits like 28^th Avenue’s south end.