Ranking The NYC Subway Defunct Lines

Today, I am going to be ranking some of the most popular defunct lines in the New York City Subway system.

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[zestcres]

The best Brown M was the line that went to Coney Island...and used the tracks after broad st...very useful service!...

[cliffpadilla]

The Third Avenue L closed in the 50's and replaced with busses. That was a bad idea.

[ronaldharvinjr]

JFK Express was supposed to eliminate bus traffic on the roads (especially at heavy traffic along the Van wyck expressway in Queens) you paid extra fare for the super Express to Howard Beach (it was about the same amount of the express buses minus the subway fare and traffic) and then you took a shuttle bus to the airport terminals. Back then it was a great idea at the time. And yes it ran four car sets but remember they used R46 (75 footers) which equal six cars to the r40s and r32s and r42s. The problem that the JFK Express created was the (A) train wud have to sit and wait for the (✈️) to come through and pass by it because it had right of way and wud delay the schedules for the (A) & <CC> trains in Brooklyn. I remember they later shut it down once the 63rd Street tunnel opened up. I have a couple of pictures of that train taken at the 21st Street-Long Island City terminal. I have to find them

[paullacotta]

The JFK Express was comforting to certain passengers because the doors weren’t opened in Bed Stuy, East New York and Ozone Park. It was very sketchy back then so the extra fare was worth it.

[shamus]

The Brown M had a lot of ridership to and from Brooklyn via the Montague Street tunnel.
There is a "Branch Off" in the Manhattan Section on the Montague Street tunnel, from Brooklyn, that would go to Broad Street where the J train Terminates.
This was an excellent way for people to get from DeKalb Avenue/Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn to stops along Nassau Steet Line. This connection from Broad Street, Manhattan back to Brooklyn to DeKalb for the Brighton Line and Atlantic Ave for the 4th Avenue line was also used.
The only other way to get to the Nassau Street line from DeKalb or Atlantic Avenue is by taking the Q from DeKalb or N from Atlantic Ave to Canal Street...and then changing to the J train heading back to Broad Street.
When passengers took the M train, going through the Montague Street Tunnel, with the branch off to Broad Street, passengers could continue on to stops along Nassau Street... Fulton Steet, Chambers Street, Canal Street, Bowery Street, Essex Street.
After Essex Street, the M would then continue over the Willey B with the J train toward Williamsburg and on to Metropolitan Avenue for the M train.

[chrispontani]

The problem with the JFK Express was that you’d pay a premium for super express service and then get stuck behind regular service to Howard Beach.

[chrisgentile]

As a rider of the 1/9 line back in the mid 90’s, the skip stop service was useful when you rode till the end of the line or close to it. It was very frustrating when you would have to transfer to the next train to get to your destination. It did not really matter to me though since I was getting off at 238 or 242 depending on the train

The 8 train was mentioned and it should be noted that the worst thing the MTA did was kill the “8” in favor of bus service. It caused that whole area of the Bronx to go without reliable train service, causing there to be a dead zone all the way to 149th street. Webster ave has never been the same since.

[bassman]

If I remember correctly, the V was introduced to the system to give passengers at local stations along the Queens Bd Line some direct service to Manhattan via the 6th Ave Line, and to take care of the major overcrowding issues at 23rd St–Ely Ave. I think the plan was for the V to redistribute Queens-bound passengers on the 6th Ave Line by getting them to use the additional local trains for shorter trips, and to make better service and transfer opportunities for people at local stations along Queens Bd. I was sorry to see the V go, as I think it served its purpose well despite the M going along that route now.

[christopherglover]

Once again you are spot on with the defunct lines. Brown M used to run down the Brighton line until 1988, ever since it moved to the West End line, the problems started there. As far as the H goes, I feel like it needs to go back to its original configuration where it started from Euclid Avenue, run to Rockaway Park then to Far Rockaway and back to Euclid Avenue. That would help supplement the A in the Rockaways and allow the C to go to either Lefferts or Rockaway Park

[jameskerner]

David Gunn eliminated the double letter destination signs because of the fact that it was too confusing that single letter trains ran local overnight.

[VonnieT]

I swear, besides the 9 and the JFK Express, these trains feel like fever dreams. Like, I have vague memories of these trains existing but I remember they used to be part of the subway system.

[qolspony]

I personally rank the brown "M" train very high, because it offer an alternative for local service passengers. Now all people have is the Redundant "R". All I thought it should have extended to 95th Street instead of the Bay Parkway.

The V would have been better if it was extended to at least Church Avenue. This would have double with the "G" as a local. So I kind of rate it high with the M.

The current service completely makes Nassau into a one route line.

The AA was a relabeled "K" line. It was a cost efficient way of making the B and C as rush hour only trains.

The JFK was useful outside Rush Hours with Airport and local riders who lived in the Rockaways. What killed the JFK is that the "A" was extended outside Rush hours as a Brooklyn Express.

[jeremiahtaylor]

Thank you for your contributions to the MTA fan base. Could you cover the Second System track map and give your thoughts on how that system is to you?

[nycourtclerk]

It was probably mentioned already, but the light blue Jamaica K ran from Broadway Junction (Eastern Parkway back then) to 57th and 6th. It ran local while the J ran express from Eastern Parkway to Marcy Ave

[BlimpCityFeeder]

Nassau St 'M' AM/PM Rush Hrs Only...allowed Wall Streeters a 1 stop ride from from Broad Street (NYSE) to Brooklyn Heights Court St, along with relief for 4th Ave Riders to get to Pacific St and 36 St Sunset Park without waiting for the R from Forest Hills/Bay Ridge. With 20th Ave, 18th Ave, 55th St and 79th St (New Utrecht High School) being popular West End local stops, didn't make sense for 'D' to run Exp with 'M' local. Mid-Day & Evenings were shuttles Metropolitan Ave<>Chambers St (while waiting for J train to Broad St). Late Night Metropolitan<>Myrtle Ave-Broadway. When Stockbrokers opted for Battery Park City or elsewhere, it didn't make fiscal sense to bring it back. Though with Boerum Hill, Sunset Park, Greenwood Heights & Park Slope (South) boosting in popularity, it would make sense to have the line at least extend to 9th Ave to increase transfers and cut waiting times for those waiting on the 'R' 4th Ave Local. Using the (Z) doesn't work as the extended run time to 9th Ave kills the benefit of skip-stops along the Jamaica Line, (plus the low frequency of EXP to Broadway Junction and longer waits at Kozciuszko, Gates, Halsey & Chauncey).

[jamesorlando]

Thanks for doing this, Ive never found a clear overview like this

[kaisworld]

If the V were to ever resurrect, I would say run it along with the F (express in Queens and Local on 6 Av) from 179 to 2 Av, The M could run with the E to W 4 St then go along to its regular route along Chrystie St and leave the E alone to Jamaica Center! I’ve noticed more E’s to 179 St and that’s annoying, especially if your in a rush to catch a timed LIRR!

Edit: Technically, the H is supposed to have been the original Rockaway Shuttle, but the symbol was never “really used” so they maintained the “S” symbol. Also NTTs do not have the “H” or any announcements under that symbol

[jameskerner]

Back in the 80's I was a conductor on the H train Formally known as the HH train overnight when it was known as the Round Robin. We went from Euclid Avenue to Rockaway Park. From Rockaway Park to Far Rockaway. Then Back to Euclid Ave. I liked it because I lived in Far Rockaway at this time.However this winter and most of the trains were the R-40's and they were cold! Once in a while we had the R-44's which had heat.

[jasonortiz]

The brown M in the late 70’s, early 80’s used to go to go to Coney Island via the Brighton Line

[ajawalker]

Oh wow I didn't even know the 9 train's skip-stop service was horrible! I guess maybe that was one of the reasons it got discontinued in 2005.