62nd Street/New Utrecht Avenue station

The 62nd Street/New Utrecht Avenue station is a New York City Subway station complex shared by the open-cut BMT Sea Beach Line and the elevated BMT West End Line. It is located at New Utrecht Avenue and 62nd Street in Borough Park and Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, and is served by the D and N trains at all times. During rush hours, several W trains also serve this station.

62 Street/New Utrecht Avenue  ​
New York City Subway station complex
The station's main headhouse prior to renovation
Station statistics
Address	New Utrecht Avenue & 62nd Street Brooklyn, New York
Borough	Brooklyn
Locale	Bensonhurst, Borough Park
Coordinates	40.626086°N 73.997887°W / 40.626086; -73.997887
Division	B (BMT)[1]
Line	BMT Sea Beach Line BMT West End Line
Services	D  (all times) ​   N  (all times) ​   W  (selected rush-hour trips)
Transit	NYCT Bus: B9[2]
Levels	2
Other information
Accessible	ADA-accessible
Traffic
2023	1,201,167[3]  11.6%
Rank	257 out of 423[3]
Location Show map of New York City Subway Show map of New York City Show map of New York
Street map
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times Stops rush hours only Stops rush hours in the peak direction only

Prior to the rebuilding of the two current subway lines at this location during the 1910s, this location was known as Bath Junction. Until then, there was a track connection between the lines, primarily to enable Sea Beach trains to and from Coney Island to access West End Line trackage to reach the Brooklyn Bridge and the Park Row Terminal in Lower Manhattan. From 2016 to 2019, the complex underwent an extensive renovation.

History

Bath Junction

Bath Junction was located near the present site of the station. It took the name as a railroad junction of the New York & Sea Beach Railway (Sea Beach Line) with the Brooklyn, Bath Coney Island Railroad (West End Line). The NY&SB called the station at the junction Bath Junction, while the BB&CI called it Sea Beach Junction. Soon, however, they settled on the common name. Bath Junction was located at grade near the current intersection of New Utrecht Avenue and 62nd Street.

The junction included a switching track connecting the two lines, so that NY&SB trains might reach the Brooklyn Bridge via the BB&CI tracks. Both lines merged with the BMT Culver Line at Ninth Avenue and later the BMT Fifth Avenue Line and BMT Myrtle Avenue Line.

After both lines were rebuilt as rapid transit lines of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, the name "Bath Junction" was dropped. A connector was no longer necessary, as the West End Line was able to reach Manhattan on its own, and was not even realistic to plan, as one line dropped into a cut and the other became elevated. The multi-level station complex was created to allow passenger transfer between the two lines.

Dual Contracts improvements

The West End Line platforms opened on June 24, 1916 along with the first portion of the BMT West End Line from 36th Street on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line to 18th Avenue station.^[4][5] 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.^[6] Under the Dual Contracts of 1913, an elevated line was built over New Utrecht Avenue, 86th Street and Stillwell Avenue.^[7][8][9]

Later history

As of 2018^[update], the complex had 4,673 paying riders on a typical weekday, equating to 1,503,742 total riders in 2018.^[10]

From October 2010 to May 2012, the West End Line station was renovated with two new fare controls, new canopy and platform edges, and repainted side roof and beams.

As part of a renovation project at nine stations along the Sea Beach Line, the Manhattan-bound platform at this Sea Beach Line station was closed from January 18, 2016 to May 22, 2017.^[11][12][13] The Coney Island-bound platform was closed from July 31, 2017^[14][15] to July 1, 2019.^[16]

This entire station complex, along with eight other stations along the Sea Beach Line, underwent a rehabilitation involving the installation of 4 ADA-accessible elevators from 2015 to July 2019. The transfer between the two stations was closed until July 2019 for installation of the elevators; an out-of-system transfer was provided.^[17][18][19] The project to make the station ADA-accessible was originally proposed to be completed in spring 2019.^[20] At one point, construction was expected to continue until October, but the elevators entered service on July 19, 2019.^[21][22]

Station layout

2F Platform level	Northbound local	← toward Norwood–205th Street (55th Street)
	Island platform
	Peak-direction express	→ No regular service (Ninth Avenue or Bay Parkway)
	Island platform
	Southbound local	→ toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue via West End (71st Street) →
1F	Mezzanine	Station agent, MetroCard machines Elevator on southeast corner of New Utrecht Avenue and 62nd Street
G	Street level	Entrances/exits
B1 Platform level	Side platform
	Northbound local	← toward Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard (Fort Hamilton Parkway) ← toward 96th Street (select weekday trips) (Fort Hamilton Parkway) ← toward Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard (select weekday trips) (Fort Hamilton Parkway)
	Reversible express	← No regular service
	Center track	→ Trackbed
	Southbound local	→ toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue via Sea Beach (18th Avenue) → → toward 86th Street (select weekday trips) (18th Avenue) →
	Side platform

BMT West End Line platforms

62 Street
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
Elevator from the northbound West End Line platform, with an R68 D train arriving
Station statistics
Division	B (BMT)[1]
Line	BMT West End Line
Services	D  (all times)
Structure	Elevated
Platforms	2 island platforms cross-platform interchange
Tracks	3 (2 in regular service)
Other information
Opened	June 24, 1916; 108 years ago (1916-06-24)
Accessible	ADA-accessible
Opposite- direction transfer	Yes
Services Preceding station New York City Subway Following station 55th Street toward Norwood–205th Street Local 71st Street toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue
Non-revenue services and lines Preceding station New York City Subway Following station Ninth Avenue express no service Bay Parkway express
Track layout Legend to Ninth Avenue to 55th Street to 71st Street to Bay Parkway
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times

The 62nd Street station is an express station on the BMT West End Line that has three tracks and two island platforms. The middle express track is only used for re-routings and non-revenue movements.

Exits

There are two fare control areas. The full-time side is at 62nd Street (south end of station) and has the transfer to the BMT Sea Beach Line. The part-time side is at 60th Street (north end).^[23] The 60th Street exit is where the famous chase scene in the 1971 film The French Connection ends. This side was renovated and is HEET access for most of the day. A booth formerly existed here, but is now mostly empty space in the station house. New windows and lighting restored this mezzanine to good condition. However, the staircases from the street still have wooden boards. The station-house for the BMT Sea Beach Line used to have a newsstand and two additional doors on the left side.

On the street, the southern station entrance is set back from New Utrecht Avenue. It is to the left when facing the Tomche Shabbos food pantry warehouse; there is a small, fenced-in overgrown area separating them, with a small MTA informational sign on the chain link. The station house is also visible from 62nd Street, but there is a small MTA lot for separating street from station, designated for bus turnarounds, MTA maintenance, and MTA employee parking only. A staircase leads to the second floor of the station house, where a covered, open-air passageway provides access the south ends of the elevated platforms.^[23]

BMT Sea Beach Line platforms

New Utrecht Avenue
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
R46 N train arriving on the southbound platform
Station statistics
Division	B (BMT)[1]
Line	BMT Sea Beach Line
Services	N  (all times) ​   W  (selected rush-hour trips)
Structure	Open-cut
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	4 (2 in regular service)
Other information
Opened	June 22, 1915; 109 years ago (1915-06-22)[24]
Accessible	ADA-accessible
Opposite- direction transfer	Yes
Services Preceding station New York City Subway Following station Fort Hamilton Parkway N  ​W  toward Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard Local 18th Avenue N  ​W  toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue
Track layout Legend to Fort Hamilton Parkway to 18th Avenue
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times Stops rush hours only Stops rush hours in the peak direction only
New Utrecht Avenue Station (Dual System BRT)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
MPS	New York City Subway System MPS
NRHP reference No.	05000678[25]
Added to NRHP	July 6, 2005

Northbound platform prior to renovation

Looking west from the same platform, after renovation

The New Utrecht Avenue station on the BMT Sea Beach Line has four tracks and two side platforms. Platform extensions are to the north end of the station and beyond the main staircase. Although most of the station is in an open cut, both ends of both platforms are underneath tunnels. This segment of the station has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2005.^[26]

Geographically east of the station, a track connection to a siding that served the Rubel Ice Company once existed; this connection was removed in the 1930s. The siding was connected to the Manhattan-bound track.^[27]

Exits

The north end has two staircases to the full-time booth, where the transfer to the elevated BMT West End Line is available. The south end at 15th Avenue and 63rd Street is HEET access and formerly had a booth.^[23] The north end has unusual bricks on the staircase walls, suggesting the staircases were redone when the platform was extended. The original entrance had only one staircase to platform level. After the platform extension, the staircase was redone in a T formation along with the installation of brick walls.

Notes

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. "Brooklyn Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. October 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
3. "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
4. "Parade, Pageant Mark Celebration". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. June 24, 1916. p. 8. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
5. "Realty Boom Is Predicted for Borough Park Section". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. June 24, 1916. p. 8. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
6. "Opening of the Brooklyn, Bath and Coney Island Railroad" (PDF). The New York Times. June 9, 1864. p. 2. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
7. "The Dual System of Rapid Transit". New York State Public Service Commission. September 1912. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
8. "618 Miles of Track In The Dual System; City Will Have Invested $226,000,000 When Rapid Transit Project Is Completed". The New York Times. August 3, 1913. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
9. Report of the Public Service Commission For The First District Of The State of New York For The Year Ending December 31, 1916 Vol. 1. New York State Public Service Commission. January 10, 1917. pp. 47–49.
10. "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
11. Romano, Denise (October 4, 2013). "Two elevators coming to the N line during massive rehabilitation". The Brooklyn Reporter. Archived from the original on January 10, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
12. • Harshbarger, Rebecca (January 14, 2016). "9 Brooklyn N train stations to shut down for 14 months". am New York. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
    • "N Line Sea Beach - 2016". web.mta.info. Archived from the original on January 18, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
    • Katinas, Paula (December 18, 2014). "Commuter headache: MTA to renovate N train stations". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
13. "New York City Subway Map" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 1, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
14. DeJesus, Jaime (May 17, 2017). "Manhattan-bound service to return to N stations on Sea Beach Line". The Brooklyn Reporter. Archived from the original on October 27, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
15. "Manhattan-Bound Service Returns to N Stations on Sea Beach Line". mta.info (Press release). New York City, NY: Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 17, 2017. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
16. "Planned Service Changes for: Monday, July 1, 2019". travel.mtanyct.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. July 1, 2019. Archived from the original on July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
17. "Two elevators coming to the N line during massive rehabilitation". October 4, 2013. Archived from the original on March 13, 2014. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
18. "Transfer passageway will be closed for elevator installation". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. November 23, 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2017.^{[dead link‍]}
19. "Planned Service Changes for: Monday, November 27, 2017". travel.mtanyct.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved November 23, 2017.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
20. "T6041317 ADA Accessibility at New Utrecht Avenue Station on the Sea Beach Line and 62 St Station on the West End Line". web.mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on September 3, 2017. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
21. "Capital Program Oversight Committee Meeting November 2018" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. November 13, 2018. p. 92. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
22. "MTA Installs Four Elevators, Other ADA Features at New Utrecht Av/62 St Station Complex". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. July 19, 2019. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
23. "62nd Street Neighborhood Map". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
24. "Through Tube to Coney, 48 Minutes: First Train on Fourth Avenue Route Beats West End Line Eleven Minutes". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. June 22, 1915. Retrieved June 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
25. "NPS Focus". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
26. Kings County Listing at the National Register of Historic Places (Structure #05000678)
27. "Sea Beach Line Track Plans" (PDF). The Bulletin. 44 (6). Electric Railroaders' Association, Incorporated: 3. June 2001. Retrieved October 2, 2024.

External links

• nycsubway.org – BMT Sea Beach Line: New Utrecht Avenue
• nycsubway.org – BMT West End Line: 62nd Street
• Station Reporter — 62nd Street/New Utrecht Avenue Complex
• The Subway Nut — New Utrecht Avenue Pictures Archived June 14, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
• 62nd Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
• 60th Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
• 15th Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Sea Beach Line platforms from Google Maps Street View
• West End Line platforms from Google Maps Street View