55th Street station

History

55th Street station opened on June 24, 1916 along with the first portion of the BMT West End Line from 36th Street on the BMT Fourth Avenue Line to 18th Avenue station. The line was originally a surface excursion railway to Coney Island, called the Brooklyn, Bath and Coney Island Railroad, which was established in 1862, but did not reach Coney Island until 1864. Under the Dual Contracts of 1913, an elevated line was built over New Utrecht Avenue, 86th Street and Stillwell Avenue.

The platforms at the station were extended in the 1960s to 615 feet to accommodate ten-car trains.

The station house was renovated as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's 2005-2009 Capital Program. Square windows were installed in the mezzanine and chain link fences separate the street stairs from the platform ones.

Station layout

This elevated station has three tracks and two side platforms. The D train stops here at all times, and the center express track is not normally used in service. Both platforms have beige windscreens and brown canopies with green frames and support columns along their entire lengths except for the sections at either ends. Here, they have waist-high black steel fences with lampposts at regular intervals.  The station signs are in the standard black plates in white lettering.

Exits

The station's only entrance/exit is an elevated station house beneath the tracks. It has three staircases from the streets, one on the northeast corner of 55th Street and New Utrecht Avenue and two to either southern corners. Inside the station house, there is a token booth, turnstiles and two staircases to each platform at the center. The waiting area inside fare control allows free transfer between directions.

References

References

1. (June 24, 1916). "Parade, Pageant Mark Celebration". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
2. (June 24, 1916). "Realty Boom Is Predicted for Borough Park Section". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
3. (June 9, 1864). "Opening of the Brooklyn, Bath and Coney Island Railroad". [[The New York Times]].
4. (September 1912). "The Dual System of Rapid Transit". New York State Public Service Commission.
5. (August 3, 1913). "618 Miles of Track In The Dual System; City Will Have Invested $226,000,000 When Rapid Transit Project Is Completed.". The New York Times.
6. (January 10, 1917). "Report of the Public Service Commission For The First District Of The State of New York For The Year Ending December 31, 1916 Vol. 1". New York State Public Service Commission.
7. (July 12, 1964). "For Release Sunday, July 12, 1964". New York City Office of the Mayor.
8. {{NYCS const. trackref. trackbook
9. {{NYCS const. timetable. d
10. (2018). "55th Street Neighborhood Maps". Metropolitan Transportation Authority.