Does anyone recall what the Melrose station looked like in the period from 1975-1980? This is the period between the construction of high level platforms in the Bronx (late 1974/early1975) and the construction of the housing project above the station. I've seen old photos that show it in the low level platform days, and it looked just like the other stations in the cut in the Bronx, but the building appears to have heavily altered the station (ie the removal of the original stone wall of the cut on the track 4 side). Up until recently the track 3 platform was only 1 or 2 car-lengths, while the track 4 platform was 4 car-lengths, with no lights on the platforms. I'd have to guess that without the buildings above, the station would have been identical to Tremont (two 4 car-length platforms in a cut with standard 1970s Harlem/Hudson Line lights). Were the platforms built 1974-75 as 4 car-lengths on each side with the typical platform lights, and later modified/truncated when the building was constructed above, or were they built in preparation for the building above?
As the image below shows, there was a station building at Melrose until it was demolished in the mid 70s when the high rise building was constructed over the tracks. Trains that made stops at Melrose used ACMU equipment and the conductors opened the traps. Until the 1980s, we didn't use bridge plates when the outside tracks were out of service in the Bronx. Instead, there were walkways and we opened a single trap door on the ACMUs. That ended when New Haven trains started stopping at Fordham. The 4400s had all been retired by 1976, so they needed bridge plates.
There were lights installed at Melrose with the high level platforms, but they were frequently vandalized and not working.