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Discussion relating to the past and present operations of the NYC Subway, PATH, and Staten Island Railway (SIRT).

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 #1495075  by Paul1705
 
The Polo Grounds / 9th Avenue el stub at 162nd and River Avenue is still there and is right next to the new Yankee Stadium. In fact the stadium covers what used to be the route of the elevated structure.

http://forgotten-ny.com/wp-content/uplo ... /river.jpg

For some reason the trestle from River Avenue to the portal at Jerome Avenue, even though abandoned, survived well into the 1960s.
 #1506557  by Yellowspoon
 
When I look at subway maps from the 1904s, I ask: Why was there a Polo Grounds Shuttle at all?

The IND's 155th street station on the B & D / Grand Concourse line was just as close (if not a tad closer) than the shuttle's stop. Was there a free IND/IRT connection at 161st street at the time? If so, the 155th Street station was only one IND stop away vs. 3 IRT stops.
 #1506672  by Allan
 
The shuttle was a remnant of the 9th Ave El which was extended in 1918 from the 129th St terminal to connect with the new IRT Jerome Av Line. After the 9th Av line in Manhattan closed the shuttle provided extra service to the Polo Grounds especially needed if the Giants and the Yankees both had home games on any day. But also to provide some subway service connection for the NY Central's Putnam Division passengers.
However, it never saw much usage and when the Giants left for the west coast after the 1957 season ended and service on the Putnam Division ended in 1958, there was no further need for the Shuttle which also ended in 1958.

The El shut down right after the unification in 1940. Only then were free transfers provided at 155th (IRT shuttle & IND CC & D trains) and at 161 St (IRT Jerome Av line and IND CC & D trains).
 #1508188  by Allan
 
CORRECTION

In my post above I stated that the 9th Av El was extended in 1918 from the terminal at 129th St. The 9th (& 6th) Av El terminated at 155th St/8th Av (next to the Polo Grounds). In 1918 it was extended from there to Sedgewick Av station, Anderson Av station and then connected to the new IRT Jerome Av line.

The 129th St terminal was for the 2nd Av EL.

I apologize for the error (I got my Els mixed up).
 #1512016  by Jeff Smith
 
You can see two remnants of the extension at Yankee Stadium. Both are on the northern end near 164th. I believe it’s Gate 8 (dead center field) on River Av where the steel work still protrudes from underneath the now “4”. Very similar to the 8/2 at Gun Hill. Google Maps satellite view shows it well (attached). On the other end just below 164 on Jerome around Macombs Dam Bridge Rd at Gate 2 (left field) there’s a sealed up wall I believe behind which is a tunnel which led out to Sedgwick.
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 #1512290  by Allan
 
Jeff Smith wrote: Sun Jun 23, 2019 12:31 pm Also at one point didn’t Put trains utilize the Harlem River Bridge of the 9th Avenue El? Or am I thinking of the NYW&B and the 2nd Avenue Bridge?
The bridge was opened around 1880 when the New York, Westchester & Putnam Railway leased the West Side & Yonkers Railway and extended service to 155th St in Manhattan (there would never be anything further south).

In the 1910's the IRT purchased the bridge with the intention of extending 9th Av El service into the Bronx and service on the Put was cut back to Sedgwick Av. (The Jerome Av line opened in 1918 and shortly thereafter the Sedgwick Av and Anderson Av stations opened and the el connected to the Jerome Av line).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_ ... m_Railroad (look under 'Early years, charter' for New York, Westchester & Putnam Railroad.)
 #1624873  by Allan
 
nyrmetros wrote: Wed Jun 28, 2023 8:57 pm A few remnants of the Polo Grounds shuttle are still around, slowly decaying and disappearing.
In particular the Sedgwick Av and Anderson - Jerome Av stations (which are totally inaccessible) and a short elevated portion at Jerome Av where it joined the Jerome Av line tracks.
 #1624880  by Jeff Smith
 
Allan wrote: Thu Jun 29, 2023 8:19 am ...and a short elevated portion at Jerome Av where it joined the Jerome Av line tracks.
Right by a gate to Yankee Stadium now. I believe it's still River Avenue there. I'll have to look next time I go to a game, but if IIRC, besides the two short steel "stubs" over the sidewalk, the superstructure is still there for the two tracks directly underneath the 4. The extant tracks are superelevated there, similar to the 2/White Plains Road line at Gun Hill.