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Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox NYCS service

The 3 Seventh Avenue Express[1] is a rapid transit service in the A Division of the New York City Subway. Its route emblem, or "bullet", is colored Template:NYCS const since it uses the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line through most of Manhattan.[2]

The 3 operates at all times. Daytime service operates between 148th Street in Harlem, Manhattan and New Lots Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn, making express stops in Manhattan and all stops in Brooklyn. Late night service short turns at Times Square–42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan.

The 3 train formerly ran to City Hall or South Ferry in Manhattan, and was later rerouted to Flatbush Avenue–Brooklyn College in Brooklyn. In 1983, it was rerouted to New Lots Avenue.

Service history[]

Early history[]

File:R12 IRT 3.gif
Rollsign used on the ends of R12 through R36 cars

On November 23, 1904, the IRT Lenox Avenue Line opened between 96th Street and 145th Street. 3 trains ran between 145th Street and City Hall, making all stops.[3]

On July 1, 1918, the entire IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line was completed. 3 trains were rerouted south of 42nd Street from the IRT Lexington Avenue Line to this new line. They now made all stops to South Ferry.[3]

As of 1934, 3 service operated between 145th Street and South Ferry except late nights, when service operated between 145th Street and 96th Street, making local stops.Template:Citation needed

Under the New York City Transit Authority[]

On January 3, 1955, late night two-car shuttle service between 145th Street and 96th Street, between 12:12 and 6:57 a.m. was discontinued due to low ridership. As a result, 145th Street was closed overnight. In addition, some 3 trains started running express in Manhattan during rush hours.[4] These trains were extended to Flatbush Avenue; a few layups and put-ins ran to New Lots Avenue.[3] However, from December 20, 1957, 3 trains were rerouted to New Lots Avenue during rush hours. On February 6, 1959, all trains except late nights made express stops in Manhattan as part of the "West Side Improvement" and ran to Flatbush Avenue.[3]

Starting April 8, 1960, 3 trains were rerouted from Flatbush Avenue to New Lots Avenue, and weekday evening service between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. was cut to a shuttle between 145th Street and 135th Street. Before the change, 3 trains had run between 145th Street and Flatbush Avenue between about 5:30 a.m. and 12:45 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and from about 7:15 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. on Sundays. This service had been supplemented by additional service to and from New Lots Avenue.[5][6]

However, on April 18, 1965, 3 service started to run to Flatbush Avenue again.[3] On October 17, 1965, weekend evening service was also cut to a shuttle between 145th Street and 135th Street.

On May 13, 1968, trains were extended to the newly completed 148th Street–Lenox Terminal.[7] Later that year, on November 12, late night shuttle service was implemented between 148th Street and 135th Street.[8] On May 23, 1976, the current practice of starting Sunday service late (9 or 10 a.m.) began.[3]

On July 10, 1983, the 2 and 3 trains swapped terminal in Brooklyn, with 2 trains terminating at Flatbush Avenue and 3 trains terminating at New Lots Avenue. These changes were made to reduce non-revenue subway car mileage, to provide a dedicated fleet for each service, and to provide an easily accessible inspection yard for each service. The change allowed the 2 to be dedicated to 239th Street Yard and allowed the 3 to be assigned to Livonia Yard. With the rerouting of 3 trains, train lengths along the New Lots Line were reduced from 10 cars to 9 cars, within acceptable crowding levels, and train lengths along the Nostrand Avenue Line were increased from 9 to 10 cars, reducing crowding.[9][10]

Beginning on August 5, 1990, late-night shuttles between 148th Street and 135th Street were discontinued and replaced by shuttle buses. On September 4, 1994, late-night shuttles between 148th Street and 135th Street were resumed, but were discontinued again on September 10, 1995.[11] This was a cost-saving measure due to low ridership.[12]

From March 2[13] to October 12, 1998, the IRT Lenox Avenue Line was rehabilitated. Most 3 service was rerouted to 137th Street–City College.[14]

Recent history[]

After September 11, 2001, the 3 service became a local in Manhattan. After a few switching delays at 96th Street, service was changed on September 19, 2001. It ran in Manhattan as an express between Harlem–148th Street and 14th Street and was replaced by 1 service in Brooklyn. Service returned to New Lots Avenue on September 15, 2002.[3]

On July 27, 2008, late night 3 service was restored, operating express between 148th Street and Times Square–42nd Street. In addition, late morning weekday service was increased from running every 6 to 8 minutes to running every 5 to 7 minutes to reduce crowding on the 2. These increases were made as part of an $8.9 million package of systemwide service enhancements.[15][16]

The Clark Street Tube underwent planned repairs on weekends from June 17, 2017 to June 24, 2018 due to Hurricane Sandy-related damage. The 3 operated only in Manhattan between Harlem-148th Street and 14th Street with 4 trains providing service in Brooklyn.[17][18]

On November 17, 2019, New York City Transit cut weekday evening 3, 4 and 5 service in order to accommodate planned subway work. This change, which was approved by the MTA Board on June 27, 2019, started late night 3 service to Times Square an hour earlier, at 10:30 p.m. instead of 11:30 p.m. To replace 3 service, 4 service was extended to New Lots Avenue. These changes in service were expected to save the agency $900,000 annually.[19][20]

Route[]

Service pattern[]

The following table shows the lines used by the 3, with shaded boxes indicating the route at the specified times:[21]

Line From To Tracks Times
all Template:Abbr nights late nights
IRT Lenox Avenue Line (full line) Harlem–148th Street Central Park North–110th Street all    
IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line 96th Street Times Square–42nd Street express
34th Street–Penn Station Chambers Street  
IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line, Brooklyn Branch Park Place Borough Hall all
IRT Eastern Parkway Line (full line) Hoyt Street Crown Heights–Utica Avenue local
IRT New Lots Line (full line) Sutter Avenue–Rutland Road New Lots Avenue all

Stations[]

For a more detailed station listing, see the articles on the lines listed above.[1]

Station service legend
Black dot Stops all times
Period dot Stops all times except late nights
Circle dot Stops weekdays only
Black diamond Stops rush hours only
Gray dot Station closed
File:Rushpeak Stops rush hours in the peak direction only (limited service)
File:Rushreversepeak Stops rush hours in the reverse-peak direction only (limited service)
3 service Stations Handicapped/disabled access Subway transfers Connections/Notes
Manhattan
Lenox Avenue Line
Stops all times Harlem–148th Street
Stops all times 145th Street Access to and from first five cars of southbound trains, and from first five cars of northbound trains only; no northbound entry.
Some southbound a.m. rush hour trips begin at this station
Stops all times 135th Street Handicapped/disabled access 2 3

 

Stops all times 125th Street 2 3

 

M60 Select Bus Service to LaGuardia Airport
Stops all times 116th Street 2 3

 

Stops all times Central Park North–110th Street 2 3

 

Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line
Stops all times 96th Street Handicapped/disabled access 1 2 3

 

Stops all times 72nd Street Handicapped/disabled access 1 2 3

 

Stops all times Times Square–42nd Street Handicapped/disabled access 1 2 3

 
Template:NYCS Flushing south (IRT Flushing Line)
A C    E (IND Eighth Avenue Line at 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal)
N Q R   W   (BMT Broadway Line)
S   (42nd Street Shuttle)
B   D F ''M   (IND Sixth Avenue Line at 42nd Street–Bryant Park, daytime only)

Port Authority Bus Terminal
M34A Select Bus Service
Stops all times except late nights 34th Street–Penn Station Handicapped/disabled access 1 2 3

 

M34 / M34A Select Bus Service
Amtrak, LIRR and NJ Transit at Pennsylvania Station
Stops all times except late nights 14th Street 1 2 3

 
F M   (IND Sixth Avenue Line at 14th Street)
L (BMT Canarsie Line at Sixth Avenue)

PATH at 14th Street
M14A/D Select Bus Service
Stops all times except late nights Chambers Street Handicapped/disabled access 1 2 3

 

Brooklyn branch
Stops all times except late nights Park Place File:Aiga elevator.svg 2 3 (1234)
A C

  (IND Eighth Avenue Line at Chambers Street)
E (IND Eighth Avenue Line at World Trade Center)
Template:NYCS Broadway south day (BMT Broadway Line at Cortlandt Street)

PATH at World Trade Center
Stops all times except late nights Fulton Street Handicapped/disabled access 2 3 (1234)
4 5

  (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)
A C   (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
J     Z   (BMT Nassau Street Line)

PATH at World Trade Center
Stops all times except late nights Wall Street 2 3 (1234) M15 Select Bus Service
Staten Island Ferry at Whitehall Terminal
Brooklyn
Station closed Clark Street File:Aiga elevator.svg 2 3 (1234) Template:Ferry icon NYC Ferry: East River and South Brooklyn routes (at Old Fulton Street and Furman Street)
Station is closed in both directions for elevator replacement until April 2022.
Stops all times except late nights Borough Hall Handicapped/disabled access 2 3 (1234)
4 5

  (IRT Eastern Parkway Line)
Template:NYCS Fourth Montague day (BMT Fourth Avenue Line at Court Street)

Eastern Parkway Line
Stops all times except late nights Hoyt Street Template:NYCS Eastern far west local
Stops all times except late nights Nevins Street 2 3

  4 5  

Stops all times except late nights Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center Handicapped/disabled access 2 3

  4 5  
B   Q (BMT Brighton Line)
Template:NYCS Fourth center (BMT Fourth Avenue Line)

LIRR Atlantic Branch at Atlantic Terminal
Stops all times except late nights Bergen Street Template:NYCS Eastern west local day
Stops all times except late nights Grand Army Plaza Template:NYCS Eastern west local day
Stops all times except late nights Eastern Parkway–Brooklyn Museum Handicapped/disabled access Template:NYCS Eastern west local day
Stops all times except late nights Franklin Avenue–Medgar Evers College 2 3

  4 5  
S (BMT Franklin Avenue Line at Botanic Garden)

Stops all times except late nights Nostrand Avenue Template:NYCS Eastern center local day B44 Select Bus Service
Stops all times except late nights Kingston Avenue Template:NYCS Eastern center local day
Stops all times except late nights Crown Heights–Utica Avenue Handicapped/disabled access Template:NYCS Eastern center B46 Select Bus Service
New Lots Line
Stops all times except late nights Sutter Avenue–Rutland Road Template:NYCS New Lots day B15 bus to JFK Int'l Airport
Stops all times except late nights Saratoga Avenue Template:NYCS New Lots day
Stops all times except late nights Rockaway Avenue Template:NYCS New Lots day
Stops all times except late nights Junius Street Template:NYCS New Lots day
Out-of-system transfer with MetroCard/OMNY:
L (BMT Canarsie Line at Livonia Avenue)
Stops all times except late nights Pennsylvania Avenue Template:NYCS New Lots day
Stops all times except late nights Van Siclen Avenue Template:NYCS New Lots day
Stops all times except late nights New Lots Avenue Template:NYCS New Lots day B15 bus to JFK Int'l Airport

Template:Notelist

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Template:NYCS const
  2. Mta.info | Line Colors.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 NYCT Line by Line History.
  4. "Subway Cut Is Explained By Official", New York Amsterdam News, December 18, 1954.
  5. Template:Cite journal
  6. Template:Cite journal
  7. "IRT Passengers Get New 148th St. Station", The New York Times, May 14, 1968, p. 95.
  8. Template:Citation
  9. Template:Cite journal
  10. "Notice of Public Hearing", New York Amsterdam News, February 26, 1983.
  11. "Coming Transit Reductions: What They Mean for You," The New York Times, August 20, 1995, p. CY10
  12. Bleyer, Jennifer. "In a City That Never Sleeps, Two Stations That Doze", The New York Times, July 17, 2005. (in en-US)
  13. Christian, Nichole M.. "Subway Line Repairs Start With Confusion", March 3, 1998.
  14. About NYC Transit - History (October 19, 2002).
  15. Template:Cite press release
  16. Neuman, William. "Subway Service Increase to Be Less Than Hoped", The New York Times, 2008-06-19. (in en-US)
  17. Transit & Bus Committee Meeting December 2016 PDF-169 to PDF-175. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (December 12, 2016).
  18. Clark St Tunnel Reconstruction Weekend Service Changes. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (June 8, 2017).
  19. Transit and Bus Committee Meeting June 2019 94–97. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (June 24, 2019).
  20. 5 Subway Timetable Effective November 17, 2019. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (November 17, 2019).
  21. Template:NYCS const

External links[]

Template:Commons category

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