YTjnti

	; Sixth Avenue Express;
	; ; Manhattan-bound B train of R68As at Kings Highway.;
	; ; Note: dashed line shows rush hour only service;
Northern end	; Bedford Park Boulevard (rush hours) or 145th Street;
Southern end	; Brighton Beach;
Stations	; 37
Rolling stock	; 32 to 40 R68s (4 to 5 trains); 152 to 160 R68As (19 to 20 trains)
Depot	; Coney Island Yard;
Started service	; December 15, 1940; 77 years ago (1940-12-15);
Route map
	; Legend;
;
;
	; ; ;
	; ; ;
	; ; ;
	The Bronx
	Manhattan
; ; ;
; ; ;
; bypassed local section;	;
; ; 23rd Street (December 2018);	;
;
	; ; ;
	Manhattan
	Brooklyn
; ; ;
;
;
;	; ; ;
; bypassed local section;	;
; Parkside Avenue;	;
;
; bypassed local section;	;
; Beverley Road;	;
;
; bypassed local section;	;
; Avenue H ( southbound only);	;
; bypassed local section;	;
; Avenue U;	;
;
; Legend;
	;

The B Sixth Avenue Express^[2] is a rapid transit service in the B Division of the New York City Subway. Its route emblem, or "bullet", is colored orange since it uses the IND Sixth Avenue Line in Manhattan.^[3]

The B operates weekdays only except late nights, between 145th Street in Harlem, Manhattan and Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, making express stops in Manhattan (between 34th and West Fourth Streets) and in Brooklyn and local stops between 145th and 59th Streets in Manhattan. During rush hours, service is extended beyond 145th Street and originates and terminates at Bedford Park Boulevard in the Bronx, making local stops in the Bronx.

The B used to run almost exclusively in Manhattan, from 168th Street in Washington Heights to 34th Street–Herald Square in Midtown Manhattan. In 1967, with the Chrystie Street Connection, the B started running via the BMT West End Line (local) and BMT Fourth Avenue Line (express) in Brooklyn. A short-lived yellow B service ran via the BMT Broadway Line in Manhattan and the BMT West End Line in Brooklyn from 1986 to 1988 due to Manhattan Bridge renovation, while orange B service traveled the pre-1967 route between 168th and 34th Streets. After 1989, the B north of 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center used the IND Eighth Avenue Line to 168th Street on weekdays, and the IND 63rd Street Line on evenings and weekends. Late night service ran as a shuttle on the West End Line. Weekday service was rerouted to the Concourse Line in 1998, while off-peak service along 63rd Street ceased in 2000. The B started using the Brighton Line in 2004.

History

B

6^TH AVE

BB

6^TH AVE

Original R1 to R38 end rollsigns

A poster notifying the opening of the Sixth Avenue Subway at 12:01 AM, Sunday, Dec. 15, 1940

The designation B was originally intended to designate express trains originating in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan and operating in Midtown Manhattan on the IND Sixth Avenue Line. However, the original B service, beginning with the opening of the Sixth Avenue Line on December 15, 1940, ran as a rush-hour only local service between 168th Street–Washington Heights and 34th Street–Herald Square. This service was designated BB, conforming with the Independent Subway System (IND) convention using double letters to indicate local services.^[4]^[5]

Chrystie Street

1967–1979 bullet

The Chrystie Street Connection and the express tracks of the Sixth Avenue Line opened on November 26, 1967, radically changing service. BB trains were combined with the former T service, which ran on the BMT West End Line in Brooklyn and the BMT Broadway Line in Manhattan. This created a through service from 168th Street to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue via the Sixth Avenue Line express tracks and the Manhattan Bridge.^[6] This service was initially to have been signed BT but was simply signed B instead. During middays, service to and from Brooklyn terminated at West 4th Street, and during late night hours and Sundays B service did not operate, and TT shuttles continued to operate on the West End Line. Starting on July 1, 1968, the B was rerouted to terminate at 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan during middays and evenings, extending to 168th Street only during rush hours. The West End Line shuttles were also now part of the B route.

B service began running between 57th Street and Coney Island during all times on August 30, 1976. Also on this date, during rush hours, alternate B trains began to operate between 168th Street and Coney Island.^[7] Beginning on August 27, 1977, during late nights, B service only ran between 36th Street and Coney Island via the West End Line. A B shuttle also operated during late nights, running between 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center and 57th Street.^[8]

1986–1988 bullets for BMT Broadway Line service; the diamond was for rush-hour service to Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard.

Manhattan Bridge reconstruction

The reconstruction of the Manhattan Bridge between 1986 and 2004 affected B service as the Bridge's north side tracks, leading to the Sixth Avenue Line, were closed multiple times. These closures severed the connection between the northern and southern portions of the route. On April 13, 1986, the B was split into two different services. The northern B service ran via Sixth Avenue, using an orange bullet, between 34th Street-Herald Square and 168th Street, rush hours only. The southern B service ran via the Bridge and BMT Broadway Line, using a yellow bullet. It ran from Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue and terminated at Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard rush hours, Queensboro Plaza middays, evenings and weekends and 36th Street late nights as a shuttle. The closure of the Bridge's north side tracks essentially caused the return of pre-1967 service patterns, before the opening of the Chrystie Street Connection: The orange B more-or-less duplicated the former BB service, and the yellow B imitated the old T service.^[9] On May 24, 1987, evening and weekend Broadway Line B service was cut back from Queensboro Plaza to 57th Street–Seventh Avenue.^[10]

Through B service on the Sixth Avenue Line resumed December 11, 1988, when the Manhattan Bridge's north side tracks reopened. Due to increased demand for Sixth Avenue service along Central Park West, B trains were extended to 168th Street on middays and evenings, partially replacing the discontinued K service.^[11]^:17 During late nights, the B continued to operate as the West End Shuttle, running from 36th Street to Coney Island. B service operated to 57th Street during weekends. N service was increased to replace B service to Ditmars Boulevard.^[12]^[13]

Manhattan-bound B train of R68s at Kings Highway.

On October 29, 1989, the IND 63rd Street Line opened; B service was extended along the new line from 57th Street to 21st Street–Queensbridge on weekends. Starting on September 30, 1990, evening service was rerouted from 168th Street to Queensbridge to replace Q service; evening A service started running local between 145th and 168th Streets to replace the B. Also on this date, because of N trains running via the Manhattan Bridge, B trains began skipping DeKalb Avenue.^[14]

On April 30, 1995, the north side of the Manhattan Bridge closed on middays and weekends until the following November. During this time, B trains ran only between Pacific Street and Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue, running local on the BMT West End Line and express on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line.^[4]^[15]

From February 22, 1998 to May 22, 1999, B service was cut to 57th Street on evenings and weekends due to reconstruction of the IND 63rd Street Line. Service on that line was replaced by a shuttle to the BMT Broadway Line.^[16]

1979–2005 rush-hour service bullet

On March 1, 1998, the B and the C switched northern terminals, ending the connection between the B and Washington Heights. The B was now routed onto the IND Concourse Line to Bedford Park Boulevard during rush hours. Midday service terminated at 145th Street.^[4]^[17]

In 2000, B service was taken off of the IND 63rd Street Line for signal and track work. It now ran along Central Park West to 145th Street (Bedford Park Boulevard during rush hours) at all times except late nights.^[18]

On July 22, 2001, the Manhattan Bridge's north side tracks closed and B service over the Manhattan Bridge was split into two services once again, similar to the 1986 changes. However, this time the southern half of the route, running on the Broadway Line, was named the W. B service ran weekdays only, from 34th Street to Bedford Park Boulevard during rush hours and from 34th Street to 145th Street during middays and evenings.^[19]

On February 22, 2004, the Manhattan Bridge was fully reopened to subway service. B trains were once again extended through Grand Street station and over the north tracks of the Manhattan Bridge into Brooklyn. Now service operated weekdays only, between Brighton Beach and Bedford Park Boulevard during rush hours and between Brighton Beach and 145th Street on middays and evenings. The B now served the BMT Brighton Line in Brooklyn as the express (replacing the <Q> there), instead of the West End Line, which it had served in some form since 1967 to combine two weekday-only services.^[20]^[21]^[22]^[23]

From September 14, 2009 to October 3, 2011, B trains ran local in Brooklyn due to station renovations on the Brighton Line.^[4]^[24]

Route

Service pattern

The following table shows the lines used by the B, with shaded boxes indicating the route at the specified times:^[25]

Line	From	To	Tracks	Times
Line	From	To	Tracks	weekdays	rush hours
IND Concourse Line	Bedford Park Boulevard	155th Street	local
IND Concourse Line	145th Street		all
IND Eighth Avenue Line	135th Street	59th Street–Columbus Circle	local
IND Sixth Avenue Line	Seventh Avenue/53rd Street	Broadway–Lafayette Street	express
Chrystie Street Connection	Grand Street		all
Manhattan Bridge			north
BMT Brighton Line	DeKalb Avenue	Brighton Beach	express

Stations

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

Station service legend
	Stops all times
	Stops all times except late nights
	Stops weekdays only
	Stops all times except rush hours in the peak direction
	Stops rush hours only
	Station closed
	Stops weekdays in the peak direction only
Time period details

	Station is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act
↑	Station is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act in the indicated direction only
↓
	Elevator access to mezzanine only

	Stations	Subway transfers	Connections/Other Notes
The Bronx
Concourse Line
	Bedford Park Boulevard	D
	Kingsbridge Road	D	Some northbound a.m. rush hour trips terminate at this station
	Fordham Road	D	Bx12 Select Bus Service
	182nd–183rd Streets	D	Skipped by trains terminating at Kingsbridge Road
	Tremont Avenue	D
	174th–175th Streets	D
	170th Street	D
	167th Street	D
	161st Street–Yankee Stadium	D 4 (IRT Jerome Avenue Line)	Bx6 Select Bus Service
Manhattan
	155th Street	D
	145th Street	D A C (IND Eighth Avenue Line)	Northern terminal for all midday and evening trains
Eighth Avenue Line
	135th Street	C
	125th Street	A C D	M60 Select Bus Service to LaGuardia Airport
	116th Street	C
	Cathedral Parkway–110th Street	C	Station is closed for renovations as part of the Enhanced Station Initiative until September 2018.
	103rd Street	C
	96th Street	C
	86th Street	C	M86 Select Bus Service Station is closed for renovations as part of the Enhanced Station Initiative until October 2018.
	81st Street–Museum of Natural History	C	M79 Select Bus Service
	72nd Street	C	Station is closed for renovations as part of the Enhanced Station Initiative until October 2018.
	59th Street–Columbus Circle	A C D 1 (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)
Sixth Avenue Line
	Seventh Avenue/53rd Street	D E (IND Queens Boulevard Line)
	47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center	D F M
	42nd Street–Bryant Park	D F M 7 <7> (IRT Flushing Line at Fifth Avenue)
	34th Street–Herald Square	D F M N Q R W (BMT Broadway Line)	M34 / M34A Select Bus Service PATH at 33rd Street
	West Fourth Street–Washington Square	D F M A C E (IND Eighth Avenue Line)	PATH at 9th Street
	Broadway–Lafayette Street	D F M 6 <6> (IRT Lexington Avenue Line at Bleecker Street)
Chrystie Street Branch
	Grand Street	D
Brooklyn
Brighton Line
	DeKalb Avenue	Q R W
	Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center	Q D N R W (BMT Fourth Avenue Line) 2 3 4 5 (IRT Eastern Parkway Line)	LIRR Atlantic Branch at Atlantic Terminal
	Seventh Avenue/Flatbush Avenue	Q
	Prospect Park	Q S (BMT Franklin Avenue Line)
	Church Avenue	Q
	Newkirk Plaza	Q
	Kings Highway	Q
	Sheepshead Bay	Q
	Brighton Beach	Q

References

^ Korman, Joe (January 12, 2018). "BMT-IND Car Assignments". JoeKorNer.

^ "B Subway Timetable, Effective June 24, 2018" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 24, 2018.

^ "mta.info – Line Colors". mta.info. Archived from the original on October 16, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.

^ ^a^b^c^d "NYCT Line by Line History". erictb.info. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2016.

^ "The New Subway Routes". The New York Times. December 15, 1940. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 16, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2016.

^ "New Subway Routes Brochure". www.thejoekorner.com. New York City Transit Authority. November 26, 1967. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved January 24, 2016.

^ "Service Adjustment on BMT and IND Lines Effective 1 A.M. Monday, Aug. 30". Flickr. Archived from the original on January 5, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2016.

^ "Service Adjustments on the BMT and IND Lines Effective Midnight, Saturday, August 27 New York City Transit Authority (1977)". Flickr – Photo Sharing!. Archived from the original on September 15, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2016.

^ "If You Ride These Subway Lines, You Know Something Drastic Has To Be Done". TheJoeKorNer.com. New York City Transit Authority. 1986. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved October 30, 2016.

^ "Announcing Service Changes On The N and R Routes Beginning May 24, 1987 New Routes Mean Better Service". subwaynut.com. New York City Transit Authority. May 1987. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2018.

^ Annual Report on ... Rapid Routes Schedules and Service Planning. New York City Transit Authority. 1989. Archived from the original on July 31, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2018.

^ "System-Wide Changes In Subway Service Effective Sunday, December 11, 1988". Flickr – Photo Sharing!. Archived from the original on September 15, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2016.

^ Johnson, Kirk (December 9, 1988). "Big Changes For Subways Are to Begin". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 30, 2016.

^ "Service Changes September 30, 1990" (PDF). subwaynut.com. New York City Transit Authority. September 30, 1990. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 26, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2016.

^ Ronald Sullivan (March 26, 1995). "Bridge Repairs to Disrupt Off-Peak Subway Service". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2016.

^ "The JoeKorNer Brochures". www.thejoekorner.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2018.

^ "March 1, 1998 B C Routes are switching places above 145 St". Flickr. New York City Transit. March 1998. Archived from the original on January 5, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2016.

^ "Manhattan Bridge Service Changes". The New York Times. July 21, 2001. Archived from the original on July 3, 2018. Retrieved July 31, 2018.

^ "B D S Manhattan Bridge Service Change Train Timetable" (PDF). mta.info. New York City Transit. April 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2003-06-29. Retrieved October 30, 2016.

^ "A Subway Map Remade, in Hopes of Matching Routes and Riders". The New York Times. February 20, 2004. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2014.

^ "B D M N Q R W Weekday Service Manhattan Bridge Map" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. February 2004. Archived from the original on February 5, 2004. Retrieved September 18, 2016. CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)

^ "MTA NYC Transit Manhattan Bridge Information". February 5, 2004. Archived from the original on February 5, 2004. Retrieved September 18, 2016. CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)

^ "More Service on the Manhattan Bridge B D M N Q R W New Subway Service! February 22, 2004". The JoeKorNer. New York City Transit. 2003. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved August 5, 2010.

^ "B Train Timetable" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. January 18, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 31, 2010. Retrieved October 30, 2016.

^ "Subway Service Guide" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. June 25, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.

External links

MTA NYC Transit – B Sixth Avenue Express

MTA Subway Time – B Train

"B Subway Timetable, Effective June 24, 2018" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 24, 2018.

[1] Korman, Joe (January 12, 2018). "BMT-IND Car Assignments". JoeKorNer.

[2] "B Subway Timetable, Effective June 24, 2018" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 24, 2018.

[3] "mta.info – Line Colors". mta.info. Archived from the original on October 16, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.

[erictb.info-4] "NYCT Line by Line History". erictb.info. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2016.

[5] "The New Subway Routes". The New York Times. December 15, 1940. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 16, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2016.

[6] "New Subway Routes Brochure". www.thejoekorner.com. New York City Transit Authority. November 26, 1967. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved January 24, 2016.

[7] "Service Adjustment on BMT and IND Lines Effective 1 A.M. Monday, Aug. 30". Flickr. Archived from the original on January 5, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2016.

[8] "Service Adjustments on the BMT and IND Lines Effective Midnight, Saturday, August 27 New York City Transit Authority (1977)". Flickr – Photo Sharing!. Archived from the original on September 15, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2016.

[9] "If You Ride These Subway Lines, You Know Something Drastic Has To Be Done". TheJoeKorNer.com. New York City Transit Authority. 1986. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved October 30, 2016.

[10] "Announcing Service Changes On The N and R Routes Beginning May 24, 1987 New Routes Mean Better Service". subwaynut.com. New York City Transit Authority. May 1987. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2018.

[11] Annual Report on ... Rapid Routes Schedules and Service Planning. New York City Transit Authority. 1989. Archived from the original on July 31, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2018.

[12] "System-Wide Changes In Subway Service Effective Sunday, December 11, 1988". Flickr – Photo Sharing!. Archived from the original on September 15, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2016.

[13] Johnson, Kirk (December 9, 1988). "Big Changes For Subways Are to Begin". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 30, 2016.

[14] "Service Changes September 30, 1990" (PDF). subwaynut.com. New York City Transit Authority. September 30, 1990. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 26, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2016.

[15] Ronald Sullivan (March 26, 1995). "Bridge Repairs to Disrupt Off-Peak Subway Service". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2016.

[16] "The JoeKorNer Brochures". www.thejoekorner.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2018.

[17] "March 1, 1998 B C Routes are switching places above 145 St". Flickr. New York City Transit. March 1998. Archived from the original on January 5, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2016.

[18] "Manhattan Bridge Service Changes". The New York Times. July 21, 2001. Archived from the original on July 3, 2018. Retrieved July 31, 2018.

[19] "B D S Manhattan Bridge Service Change Train Timetable" (PDF). mta.info. New York City Transit. April 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2003-06-29. Retrieved October 30, 2016.

[20] "A Subway Map Remade, in Hopes of Matching Routes and Riders". The New York Times. February 20, 2004. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2014.

[21] "B D M N Q R W Weekday Service Manhattan Bridge Map" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. February 2004. Archived from the original on February 5, 2004. Retrieved September 18, 2016. CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)

[22] "MTA NYC Transit Manhattan Bridge Information". February 5, 2004. Archived from the original on February 5, 2004. Retrieved September 18, 2016. CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)

[23] "More Service on the Manhattan Bridge B D M N Q R W New Subway Service! February 22, 2004". The JoeKorNer. New York City Transit. 2003. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved August 5, 2010.

[24] "B Train Timetable" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. January 18, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 31, 2010. Retrieved October 30, 2016.

[25] "Subway Service Guide" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. June 25, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.

Search This Blog

YTjnti

B (New York City Subway service)

Contents