Towers on the IRT No. 7 Line

[ewb2000]

I noticed what appear to be interlocking towers near the 61st Street and 103rd Street stations. Were these actually interlockings at one time? If they were, schematics of their model boards exist somewhere. Any ideas?

[giljanus]

I noticed what appear to be interlocking towers near the 61st Street and 103rd Street stations. Were these actually interlockings at one time? If they were, schematics of their model boards exist somewhere. Any ideas?

Well, the Track Maps @ nycsubway.org show the track arrangements - 61st has a set of crossovers and 111st is of course where the Corona Yard & Willets Point / Shea Stadium complex is located.

http://images.nycsubway.org/trackmap/pm_northeast.png off of http://nycsubway.org/maps/track.html

Gil, known as Bill somedays ...

[Allan]

I noticed what appear to be interlocking towers near the 61st Street and 103rd Street stations. Were these actually interlockings at one time? If they were, schematics of their model boards exist somewhere. Any ideas?

The tower near 61st St was known as the Fisk Tower. It was decommissioned a few years back when the Queesnboro Master Tower was finished (and the switches moved to 74th St). The tower at 103rd has been out of use for much, much longer, In the early days of the Flushing line the first part of the route ended at 104th St/Alburtis Av (now 103rd St/Corona Plaza). As the line got extended towards Main Street there was no longer a need for the tower.

[ewb2000]

Thanks very much for the info. Do any images exist of the interiors of these towers?

[Head-end View]

Allan, are you sure about the Queensboro Master Tower info and the closing of 111th St. Tower? According to the book "Tracks of New York City Subway" edition from 2006, that's not the way it is, or at least it wasn't in 2006. Has all that changed in the last 5 years? The info in the book does not show Queensboro Master Tower controlling any of the #7 line. It says that the 111th St. Tower controls the #7 Line from Main St. to Queensboro Plaza. And Times Sq. Tower controls the rest of the line.

Does anyone have a more recent edition of the book, showing what changes may have been made since 2006?

[Allan]

Allan, are you sure about the Queensboro Master Tower info and the closing of 111th St. Tower? According to the book "Tracks of New York City Subway" edition from 2006, that's not the way it is, or at least it wasn't in 2006. Has all that changed in the last 5 years? The info in the book does not show Queensboro Master Tower controlling any of the #7 line. It says that the 111th St. Tower controls the #7 Line from Main St. to Queensboro Plaza. And Times Sq. Tower controls the rest of the line.

Does anyone have a more recent edition of the book, showing what changes may have been made since 2006?

Given the ever increasing cost of the book (it is $39.95 for the latest edition) I don't think too many people are buying each one as it comes it. Peter would have been better off selling subscriptions online for updates. (the last edition I have was the Centennial one).

The Queensboro Master Tower (if I remember correctly) was under construction in 2005 so it may not have been finished when the 2006 edition came out.

If I am near Posman's books in GCT (one of the few places that sell it - the TM store won't touch it) I will stop in and take a look.

I think the`111th St Tower is used now as a satellite tower. It used to some control yard movements as well but a new tower was built after the new Corona barn was finished.

[Head-end View]

Allan, I should have explained further. The 2006 edition has the Queeensboro Master Tower in-service and controlling parts of the E,V,F and G lines. Also part of the Astoria (now N and Q) line. If in fact, the 111th St. Tower is actually closed, it must have happened after 2005. You made it sound like it was closed a long time ago, but apparently that wasn't the case.

[Allan]

Allan, I should have explained further. The 2006 edition has the Queeensboro Master Tower in-service and controlling parts of the E,V,F and G lines. Also part of the Astoria (now N and Q) line. If in fact, the 111th St. Tower is actually closed, it must have happened after 2005. You made it sound like it was closed a long time ago, but apparently that wasn't the case.

I stopped in Posman's earlier and look at the 2001 edition. It still shows the 111th St Tower controlling from Main to 33rd and the Queensboro Master controlling the E, F, M, and R.

I really don't know if this is correct. I will be checking other sources.

[Allan]

I posted the question on another board (SubChat) and I got a definitive answer from someone who works for NYCT:

111th Street Tower controls:
-The Flushing Line from Flushing - Main Street to south of Queensboro Plaza, including the yard leads beneath Track M at 111 Street and Track G2 of the Broadway Line at Queensboro Plaza.

Times Square Queens Tower controls:
-The Flushing Line from north of Hunters Point Avenue to Times Square - 42 Street.

Any other towers (61st St, 103rd St etc) have been decommissioned.


Queensboro Master Tower controls:
-The Astoria Line from Astoria - Ditmars Boulevard to just north of Queensboro Plaza, and from just south of Queensboro Plaza to south of the 11th Street cut.
-The Queens Boulevard Line from north of 36 Street to south of Queens Plaza, including the northern connection to the 11th Street cut.
-The Crosstown Line from south of Queens Plaza to 21 Street.
-The 53rd Street Tunnel from south of Queens Plaza to south of Court Square - 23 Street.
-The 63rd Street Tunnel from south of 36 Street to south of Lexington Avenue - 63 Street, including the Broadway Line tracks of the tunnel.
-NEXT YEAR: Lexington Avenue interlocking and Fifth Avenue interlocking will be absorbed, extending their reach through the 53rd Street Tunnel from south of Queens Plaza to south of Fifth Avenue - 53 Street, on both the Eighth Avenue Line and Sixth Avenue Line.

[Peter Dougherty]

Hi Alan (and all)
Sorry for coming late to this thread, if you're still receiving notifications. I'm updating my towers section and found this thread on a search.

Basically, my information comes from guys in the field, and in the case of towers, from one person specifically with good knowledge of the situation. I've not heard back from that person in quite a while. What my book presents is only as accurate as the source material and I'm constantly looking for sources with definitive knowledge of a particular topic. Given the ongoing massive signal upgrading work, it's a Herculean task to keep up with all the changes since I don't work for transit myself. I greatly appreciate getting new/revised information, and anything you pass along will go into the next ed. I'm on a yearly cycle now. I realize it's not a cheap book however my costs to produce it on-demand are very high since my volume is quite low. I'm grateful to everyone who's supported it in the past!

Kindest Regards,
Peter Dougherty

[ewb2000]

I guess I'll re-ask the question. Any ideas on how I can get a photo of the interior of either Fisk or Corona towers?

[nyrmetros]

Does anyone have any background on the roosevelt avenue bridge over the creek near Shea? Seems like an interesting structure, and it has what appears to be an abandoned tower.

[R36 Combine Coach]

The Flushing River Bridge opened January 1928 (lower level for pedestrians and vehicles on May 14, 1927). It is a bascule similar to the Lake Street and Wells Street Bridges in Chicago with the elevated line above. In 1961, with the construction of the Van Wyck Expressway above the Flushing River, the bridge was no longer movable and has been fixed since.

[nyrmetros]

The Flushing River Bridge opened January 1928 (lower level for pedestrians and vehicles on May 14, 1927). It is a bascule similar to the Lake Street and Wells Street Bridges in Chicago with the elevated line above. In 1961, with the construction of the Van Wyck Expressway above the Flushing River, the bridge was no longer movable and has been fixed since.

Oh wow I did not know that. Is there a picture of the bridge in an open position ??

[nyrmetros]

Any luck? I always wonder how this bridge just doesn't sink into the swamp there.

http://www.bridgesnyc.com/2010/02/roose ... ue-bridge/