The Myrtle Av El - History & Remnants
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- Опубликовано: 15 июл 2024
- Music credit to FUGUE
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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:35 Original Line
1:03 Expansion
3:08 Decline
3:42 Closure & Replacement
4:06 Recent Rebuilding
4:28 Bridge-Jay Today
5:36 Remnants From A [B54]
6:44 Remnants From Myrtle-Broadway
8:06 Remnants From An (M)
13:32 Outro 
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I've lived near the Myrtle-Broadway station for much of my life, and would ask my retired MTA-maintenance worker Dad about those unused trestles (a word I just learned now!) He'd tell me about a train that would go from that station all the way to downtown. It's a shame the City decided to shut that route down, as it would've been much more useful to me than the local buses as traffic on Myrtle Ave. can be terrible. It's great that I can learn about my old neighborhood's history from a RUclips channel while having breakfast. Thanks!
I’m glad you enjoyed! It certainly was useful. If you want to watch similar videos like this, check out my Mini-Documentaries playlist here; ruclips.net/p/PLfGgE_7qyweqqEFN3f5SFlI8lPMFcSNKE
Shame it was demolished. I still have a brochure from my grandmother announcing the closure of the Myrtle El and its replacement with bus service. The B54 was never a true substitue for the El. Everyone who used it lost a vital rapid transit connection between Downtown Brooklyn & Queens.
Yep. Many lines met the same fate. That’s super cool about the brochure.
Do you have a picture of the brochure?
Many people from Ridgewood would take the MJ to work or school or shopping in "downtown" Brooklyn. It was fast and convenient. Loss of the line in '69 was another blow to that area of Brooklyn. People in Ridgewood subscribed to the Brooklyn Eagle because they felt like part of Brooklyn because of the MJ .
@@TRRailfan I tried posting the imgur link for the brochure but youtube keeps blocking my comment. If you have discord I can send you the photos.
I can accept the comments in a second, also my Discord is tryt#2407
Your explanation about the history of the Myrtle Avenue el was spot-on. I am a railroad buff, too. I remember the Myrtle Avenue line. Now I am 67 years-old.
What about it was the most interesting to you?
@@TRRailfan The most interesting thing is the line from Broadway to Bridge and Jay Streets. I used to collect old subway maps, but replaced them from the closet. I remember the Q-type cars numbered in the 1600 series. The Myrtle Avenue trestle was built lighter than all the other trestles, just to accommodate the wooden rail cars.
No,it wasn't "spot on" in the slightest.
It was layman at best, incorporating way too many inaccurate statements due to lack of information.
I rode the Myrtle Ave line as a young child in the 1960's in the open end Gate cars. My last ride was in 1969. Thank for the good memories and the very informative video.
That’s super cool! I’m so glad you enjoyed the video!
You mean the 1950s when the last open platform trains ran in June 1958, replaced by the Q types which ended in October 1969.
@@TRRailfan are you growed?
The MJ could have definitely helped out the Jamaica line with service into Manhattan today. Ending service over the Brooklyn Bridge was a death sentence.
The service over the Brooklyn Bridge had to end as heavy trains were compromising the structural integrity of the bridge. Even today, trucks are not allowed across the span. However, I do think that the line would've been rebuilt - at least to Myrtle/Jay - if the neighborhood had remained a manufacturing hub through the 1960s. What killed the MJ was the closing of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
@@LadyJay114 that makes a lot of sense!! Thank you!!
The trains were destroying the bridge
And that’s why they cut the MJ back to bridge Jay streets
Yep! Making the line useless!
8:40 The at-grade junction of the J and M routes at Broadway and Myrtle still looks like an obsolete vestige of the 19th century. M trains have to rumble across all the Broadway tracks as they diverge north. This is the kind of track geometry one would expect to have been upgraded with a ramp and grade-separated flyover/under more than half a century ago.
I agree, which is why I think a flyover should be added for Middle Village bound tracks.
Very good and accurate report.
Thanks! Glad you liked it!
Nice video but I got one issue with your narration. At 5:00, you talk about how the former El train "harmed" the Myrtle Avenue area. It did not!! What harmed the area was the closing of the Brooklyn Navy Yard and the flight out of NYC in the 1960s through 1980s. In fact, the El would've been rebuilt if the Navy Yard and the other manufacturing businesses of that area remained.
Ironically the Brooklyn Waterfront is one of the most desirable places to move to these days, and the Myrtle Ave El would almost certainly have generated tons of ridership had it been preserved. Instead of tearing it down, the city could have temporarily closed it and made repairs and upgrades to handle the heavier modern trains once the city began growing again.
What is amazing is that the stain from the center trackway wood ties is still visible so many years after the rails and ties were torn up.
your channel does a good job in explaining the complicated history of the nyc subway with clear and easy to understand diagrams, much better than trying to read through multiple wikipedia pages
I’m so glad you like it!
Ah the Myrtle Avenue El------a fantastic view and shortcut though Brooklyn----it was considered the only reliable transportation from D/T Brooklyn to the borderline of Queens going through Bed stuy connecting to the Broadway east N.Y Station...!
Thanks for this. I rode on the Myrtle Ave El from Jay Street on the last day in 1969, looking out the front window. It was full of other railfans like me. Someone said that he offered the motorman $50 for his uniform, but he said no.
As I sat in my Foundry class in an 8th floor classroom at Brooklyn Tech, my attention wandered outside to see an elevated train. The Myrtle Ave! I arrived via the GG ( or the A ) so I was fascinated by this. I used to think that today I was gonna throw caution to the wind and take it for a ride! But I never did, and it closed a few months after I graduated. 😢
I lived near the Central Ave station during the 1950’s and 1960’s. My dad would take my mother, sister and I on the “EL” to Jay Street to shop in downtown Brooklyn. Thank you for the history down memory lane.
I remember when I was at Fresh Pond Depot, I used to drive the B54 back in 1999. It used to turn onto Jay Street from Myrtle Ave before the plaza was built.
It still does, but it goes through a roadway in Metrotech that's parallel to the plaza.
At least Chicago hasn't replaced their whole elevated lines. CTA was mostly an elevated subway system AKA metro.
We haven't ethier
Only Boston has gone completely el-free, Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia still have theirs
@@bostonrailfan2427 And Philadelphia rebuilt theirs.
Amazing that to this day you and many others remember this as the (MJ) line, even though it was never shown on those trains that ran on the line. That (MJ) designation was only shown on the 1967 TA subway map, never seen again thereafter since the line closed 2 yrs later in '69. There were many other weird and short-lived route designations on the '67 map as well: examples (EE),(JJ),(KK),(NX),(QJ),(RJ) & (TT), each of which got a history of their own. I'd like to see a history video of the ex-BMT Culver shuttle between 9 Ave and Ditmas Ave, too, which closed in 1975. Anyway thanks for taking us down history lane.
Definitely my favorite segment of history of the elevated service...
They should have not abandoned the Myrtle avenue On the upper level and it should have been used for Myrtle avenue shuttle trains
I agree
extremely expensive to upgrade the line to accommodate the heavier steel and aluminum trainsets, and back then the waterfront and downtown Brooklyn weren’t desirable locations
@@bostonrailfan2427 Waterfront at that time, mafia paradise for dumping bodies
It should've connected with the Franklin Av shuttle making the S it's very own line.
Outstanding video ! I've been riding the Jamaica Avenue El since I was in the 4th grade in the mid 60's. I never actually rode the old MJ trains, but I have memories of when it was running. In 1969 the QJ ( now the J ) was serviced by brand new R-42 trains. It was a strange to be on the Myttle and Broadway platform seeing the newest equipment the MTA had running while the most ancient wooden MJ trains rumbled above on the old Broadway platform.
Thanks! That’s super cool!
Shame that the R42s were retired
The former Kmart and the former Toys R Us was right next door at the Middle Village/Metropolitan Ave Terminal
This is a really reliable source for Subway geeks like you and me. Thanks for the info!
No problem! Glad you like it so much!
very thorough job! A real treat. No rushing or confusing info.
I love this video. I was born and raised in Ridgewood.
The abandoned "el" upper level had tracks(iron and wooden ties) well into the 90's.
But one time an M left Central going towards Myrtle Broadway. It was an R-30 with sash windows. As the train went down the little ramp before the sharp curve, a passenger stuck her hand out of the window and hit the wooden railroad tie from the abandoned track.
Right after that NYCT reacted and removed the iron and wood and permanently locked the windows and all trains with sash windows.
It's a shame they didn't maintain that middle track going to Wyckoff.
Wow, that’s really interesting! Glad you enjoyed the video.
It looks pretty strong. I'm surprised they didn't use it as a layup to park trains or last stop on myrtle with bus connection on the ground
@Robert Nussberger I agree. Would have been useful as a backup terminal too.
@@keithbarbaro7590 I done know if it was strong enough.
The Pullman standards were the heaviest cars ever in nyc
RAILFAN:
I OPERATED ALL CARS IN THE MUSEUM BUT THE GATE CARS.( "Q" CARS MODIFIED GATE CARS) THE ABSOLUTE BEST WERE R32 CARS. FAST WITH ALL MOTORS WORKING & THE SMOOTHEST STOPS. SOMETIMES THE CONDUCTOR WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOORS RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE HE WAS NOT SURE I STOPED THE TRAIN. 2ND BEST, R10 BEAUTIES. THERE WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR ME ABOUT THE R10. I ONLY OPERATED "Q" CARS RARELY ON OVERTIME BECAUSE OF OLD TECH POOR BRAKES. I WAS VERY SAD
TO SEE A PART OF NEW YORK HISTORY BEING TORN DOWN. I DID RIDE THE LAST PASSENGER RUN FROM JAY STREET TO MYRTLE AVE. WHEN WE GOT TO MYRTLE AVE, PASSENGERS RIPPED CANVAS HANDLES AS MOMENTOS. IT WAS VERY SAD, BUT GLAD I MADE THE LAST TRIP.
SIGNED "OLD MAN OF THE SUBWAY", BUT I WAS 24 YEARS OLD AS A MOTORMAN.
I tried to get up to the MJ platform in the summer of 1987, no luck the gate was locked. same for Queens Blvd and Metropolitan ave. on the J line.
They definitely don't want anyone unauthorized up there.
Think how amazing that the part of the line north of Broadway hosted everything from open platform wooden el cars, to today's high tech R160 and R179 equipment.
Yep, several lines were like this. The first elevated line in the city, the Lexington Avenue (Brooklyn) Elevated used gate cars and part of it still operates today with the newest R179 cars. Pretty crazy, it’s about 120 years old I think
Extremely well very educational and enjoyable. Lots of appreciation for all the you put to make must viewing experience 🔥🔥🔥💯👍🏾
Myrtle-Wycoff station always gave me anxiety as a teenager. I always felt someone was going to push me off the platform.
Very Well Done!!! The closing of the Myrtle Ave in 1969 really activated my my 8th grade Subway geekdom! There was an article in the Sunday Daily News Coloroto section (like Parade, but 10,000 times better!!) about "Old Myrt's" upcoming closing.
Your video kind of reminds me of a movie I made way back in July 1971 about the Third Avenue El. It was filmed in Super-8 and "wet" edited." Soundtrack was on a cassette tape. Your production is light years better than mine!! Thank you!!
Thank you!! I would love to see your movie on the 3rd Av El
@@TRRailfan I'd love to show you or post it, but I've never had it digitized and have no idea where it's hiding in my garage. Someday it will surface.
Good luck finding it!
Excellent job here!!! What a structure and trackage
NICE MEMORY. I BROKE IN AS A CONDUCTOR IN 1967 ON THE "Q" CAR MYRTLE LINE TO JAY STREET, BUT I WORKED ON THE "D" TRAIN. I BROKE IN ON THE OLD "Q" CARS ON THE "M" LINE TO JAY STREET AS A MOTORMAN IN 1968. I DID NOT WANT TO WORK THERE ON OVERTIME BECAUSE THE "Q" CAR BRAKES WERE VERY SLOW AND I ALMOST PUT THE THREE CAR TRAIN OUT OF THE FIRST STATION WHEN I WAS BRAKING IN. THE MOTORMAN DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING BUT HE STAYED IN THE CAB WITH ME TO JAY STREET AND BACK TO MYRTLE AVENUE. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE IF I DID SOMETHING WRONG.
I AM RETIRED C/R, M/M AND TRAIN SERVICE SUPERVISOR
What car types did you operate later? Which was your favorite? How did you feel about the closure of the Myrtle line?
Hey, I really appreciate the detail in explaining the history of these elevated lines. I've been a subway fan since the 70's , Keep up the good work!
Thanks!
Great work! Keep it up. You captured an important piece of elevated history.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I’ll make similar videos soon once I get the COVID vaccine and I can go out and document things like this.
You my friend are a legend
Thank you!!
I enjoyed your video and learn from it - I did not know I could still see so much evidence of it today. My dad and uncle were going to take me for a ride on it in the mid-1960s, but sadly, that never happened. I guess we went to the worlds fair instead and then I rode the Flushing Line many times.
This is pretty excellent! Love the right-of-way photography. I rode the Myrtle El south of B'Way in the last days in '69, watching the ancient Q-cars couple with their link-and-pin act (actually, by BMT Standard, "North" is toward Manhattan and "South" away, which for the Myrtle line is a problem). It was the most ancient surviving relic in the system, as just about all the Lo-V's had retired from IRT. Subscribed!
Also in 1969 the last of the AB Standard cars were retired from the BMT and replaced by R1-9 cars which had been displaced from the IND by new R40 and R42 car deliveries. But the best thing that happened in 1969 was that the Mets won the World Series! The announcement of the Myrtle Avenue line's abandonment came on the same weekend the USA landed men on the moon.
@@1575murray And Woodstock, according to the excellent (drama) film, _A Walk On the Moon_ (with Diane Lane, Viggo Mortenson, and Liev Schreiber).
@Bread And Circuses Guilty as charged!
The Lo-V cars were considerably newer than the ancient Q cars. The Lo-V's which ran until late 1969 were a mix of standard bodied Steinway Lo-V cars built around 1920 and Worlds Fair Steinway Lo-V cars which were built in 1938 and served on the Flushing line during the fair and for several years afterwards. One standard Lo-V trailer was placed in the center of each five car train although the Flushing line never operated with them due to the steep grades of the Steinway tunnels. In any case by the end of 1969 all those old cars plus the AB Standards were retired, the Jets won the Super Bowl, the Mets won the World Series, and the USA put a man on the moon.
This is amazingly well done!
It was so stupid for it to be removed
Ridership was really low. What other option did they have?
Also it could only run El cars, all of which were ancient. They would’ve had to refurbish the line or buy new light old fashioned El cars.
@@TRRailfan that is true my dad told me the same thing
The problem was the Myrtle line was so rickety.
low ridership, in desperate need of an expensive overhaul, needed strengthening to accommodate heavier trains as the wooden trains were banned after the infamous 1918 crash, the final destination was not a destination like nowadays…the list goes on and on
I wish they add the MJ back
This is fantastic! I never knew about that "phantom" third track on the Myrtle Avenue Line!! Thanks for your excellent video!
I love this video because in a few days will be the first time I saw your videos with this being the first
I remember riding the Myrtle Avenue El, but never rode the “open end gate” trains. When I rode those trains, the “open end gate” cars were long gone. What a “shame-and-a-half “!
Apparently MTA was actually going to order an entire fleet of cars specifcally to operate what was left of the Myrtle El, the R39. They would've been similar to the R38 cars, but Budd-built like the R32's. I think either before they placed the order, or before any construction started post-bid, MTA cancelled the order because they were ditching the rest of the line south of Broadway. Had they kept it open, I'm sure the R39's would've been direct replacements for the remaining Q-types, which themselves were just the BU's, or "Gate" cars with the ends closed in
Great video! I can hear the M train going by as I watch :)
Simply amazing!👌🏼🤩
I love all ur videos!
Glad you liked it so much!
Great vid 👍🏼
Thank you THAAAANKY YOU! This was a great view of teh Myrtle Avenue ride and history.
There's a sign at Navy Street (CVS on Myrtle)
When you walk uphill on left side, you notice the sidewalk is unusually wide, and, actually, it used to be MJ Navy Street station
Wow that's really cool! I couldn't find anything on evidence of that part of the line, do you live nearby?
@@TRRailfan I work nearby
They shouldn’t have retired the MJ line and shouldn’t have made the MJ cut back to bridge-jay streets and they should have extend the MJ to west street so people from the 7th avenue can go to Myrtle avenue Broadway or metropolitan avenue and the the middle track should have not been retired it should have been used for Express trains during rush hours they shouldn’t have retired the MJ people wanted to go on the Brooklyn bridge by train and I also wanted to see R42 R32 R160 R143 R179 on the MJ if they add the MJ back and make the MJ go from metropolitan avenue to west street so it doesn’t just stay in Brooklyn and queens That will be my opinion
If that would happen, it would take a very long time and result of temporarily closure of the metropolitan branch, as well as myrtle av station. Plus, they wont be able to use the old trusses because they can only support light cars like the Lo-v that the mj used.
Bro replied a year later
Great job kid. Very well done.
Very interesting to know about Myrtle Av line. By the way. I subscribed your channel. Thank you for info about Myrtle Av line
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for subscribing.
They should rebuild that line
Thank you so much forthis. I never rode this line as a kid....as i rode so many others...glad to do it in old age. Again, Thanks. Make more vids pleas.
Congratulations you have 200 subscribers oh I subscribed nice Silver Star video I never seen nothing like that that's what I was looking for oh yeah congrats
fireibnshark9000 kills thanks you get a reward for being the 200th sub
Join my Discord to be further notified
discord.gg/GSmDnKK
I think i just broke a world record for the fastest ever subscription to a youtube channel
I only have a few videos like this but I try my best
Thanks for showing that history of that forgotten subway line. I lived in the area for over a decade and knew a little about the MJ line but this video filled in the gaps of knowledge I had about it. I’m curious why they kept the trestle near the Myrtle-Broadway stop instead of tearing it down. I always thought maybe it added some extra support to the station in some way. Just a thought. Anyway, keep up the good work!! ☺️
I believe they kept the trestle because removing it would make the rest of the stations structure to become unstable.
Awesome Video, just subscribed!
You liked it that much? I mean, thanks, but most of my videos aren’t like this.
5:03 my school and my dad's old job are right there lmaooo
This is cool over all. I always wondered what train ran on that line and how it blended in to the neighborhood itself. The MTA could have used some of the lines to still keep trains going or to display some part of history part of itself
Very nice
The old platform at Broadway Myrtle is now a crew room.
at least it gets some use, plus the view probably calms the anger and frustration of crews 😉
Soo cool
Thanks! This line is cool.
What myrtle avenue needs is a subway just like the new line that recently opened on second avenue over in Manhattan.
They should of never eliminated that line It would of been heavily used today
wow they were a long way up!!
You should do the Former Jamaica EL.
This is one route that needs to be brought back, with additional feeders.
The narrator sounds like one of cast of the “Peanuts” animated cartoons of the ‘60s.
I FORGOT THE LAST STOP. METROPOLITAN AVE MAYBE?
Yes
Love the music very beautiful
So in 12:50 the MJ went full speed to derail on the M tracks
Jk i know i Wont Do it, Just a Joke
Very well presented, thank you, you're filling a gap - did you ever find out the business reasoning that gave us express service to Wyckoff and no further? Thanks again \m/
It needs to return and be connected to the 8th ave local via Brooklyn bridge
Why can't the MTA connect the BMT Franklin Ave Shuttle to the BMT Myrtle Ave line?
Because it costs money and that is something they don’t have. Also political reasons.
Someone proposed that and it was immediately shot down, since it wouldn’t serve a good purpose. If anything, I would just have the Franklin Avenue shuttle continue up the Crosstown Line to Long Island City.
It makes sense, but unfortunately that would cost a TON of money that the agency just doesn't have. Also, the estimated ridership may not be worth the cost of construction.
Do you know why they never demolished the trestle and other tracks??
It was just inconvenient. It was built connected with the Broadway El and would disrupt service and might cause structural problems if it was torn down. I believe there were still tracks up there for a while after the level closed.
If l am not mistaken, the BMT routes were numbered. For example, the 'J' used to be designated as the '15'.
Yes, I am making a video about that right now.
Yes this is why he mentioned a shuttle BMT 11 and the normal BMT 10
That’s right. And I remember that too. The #15 Jamaica local made the local stops from 168th Street Jamaica to Broad Street and the #15 Jamaica express skipped all the stops from Eastern Parkway to Myrtle Avenue, and again from Myrtle Avenue to Broad Street including skipping Marcy Avenue.
Then there was the #14 Broadway Brooklyn local that ran from Crescent Street to Canal Street.
What's stopping them from rebuilding it? The track bays are still there at least to the Broadway Station.
These seem like school projects
They're not I just like learning about these things so why not share it with y'all?
Wasn't there an express train that ran on the middle track from Wycoff to wall st originally stopping at Bwy, then Marcy
Yes, I believe at one point it was Myrtle trains that ran Broadway Brooklyn express rather then Jamaica trains today.
Good job young man. Do you want to work for the MTA?
The MJ actually wasn't to Bridge Street. The MJ was from Metropolitan Avenue using BMT Steel cars on to the Broadway So over the Willy B through the Nassau cut to Chambers Street. The Designation MJ meant Myrtle Jamaica. Same as QJ meant Brighton Jamaica.
I see where you're coming from, but I've seen old maps, MJ meant Myrtle-Jay, since the M to Manhattan was express, it used the single letter M.
The (M) should skip Hewes St, Lorimer St, and Flushing Av instead of the (J)
The current track configuration prevents that from happening without having to cross in front of trains or reducing service on both lines
Ultimately, medium term plans for a Nassau-8th Avenue connection should allow for Midtown Manhattan service to run express (as E and K trains going to Midtown would replace J and M train service respectively). Another project for a Jamaica Avenue subway connection with the Fulton Street subway would replace J train service with another route.
Longer term would see a new South 4th Street Subway that would allow both local and express service coming form both Myrtle Avenue and Broadway Junction all day without any interference.
At least the M going express could resemble the Blue M line that ran From Metropolitan Av to broad Street or Brighton Beach
*Wyckoff
I wish the MJ platform wasn't demolished but what if the trestle wasn't demolished what would the new tech train's announcements sound like?
Why didn't they tear down more of the old trestle? It's an eyesore that no longer serves any purpose.
In order to run the old wooden car under myrtle Ave station they had to take 6 inches off the top of the gate cars. If you look at the gate cars used on fan trips you could see 6 inches taken off the vents
Make one for the r42
b r u h
@@TRRailfan ?
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/R42_(New_York_City_Subway_car)
Just read this for now. History videos are hard to make, I might make one on that eventually
@@TRRailfan k thx for link
Felix
ok
Myrtle Avenue EL is always compared to the 3rd Avenue EL. They were vital links for their respected municipalities.
However, while the Myrtle Avenue EL received a replacement in the form of a subway served by the "G". The 3rd Avenue received nothing.
PRONOUNCE: AVENUE NOT AVE
He can do whatever his will wants him to.
If the MTA that cooks use this abandoned of railroad line make a transform into a beautiful of a Divine and most of our bicycles that we're going to enjoy that going up and take the train that well to put the bicycle inside the train and then to get there to point A to point B especially that the abandoned they could use something about it it could see this before and after it much easier that I made many bicycles that were Joy the love there by the bicycles there will be enjoy it and a little bit of exercise. To go up and down you know it's like a the Highline in Manhattan but over there in Brooklyn it could be something like usable and especially that the most very important put some security camera that's where they're not at this we're not going to happen like fighting or stealing or any other stuff but if there was some person got some ideas you can see something. What a wasted of the steer right there in a bandit if then I go to use it like it anyway Chiswell music that again at 10 or 2 to a high bicycle line in this abandoned line will be usable again but not the trains but also for bicycles Walker's relaxation and even that well some fun
Unfortunately, nearly all of the line was demolished so something like this wouldn’t be possible.
The elevated rail line didn't "harm" the neighborhood.
Looks like you bought "the real estate developers plot" hook,line and sinker.
I don't know where you got some of your information from,young man,but I recommend that you research the subject matter, before making claims contrary to facts.
Let me help you out.
The Myrtle Ave Elevated Southwest of Broadway didn't suffer from structural defects or weakness.
In fact, the reason why the line didn't use modern railcars was the fact MTA refused to rebuild a portion of the stations that would enable 10ft wide cars to to operate along the road.
The Dual Contract rebuilt the line Above Broadway, and connected to the Broadway Brooklyn elevated line.
The line was strong and well built to "Dual Standards", strong steel bents, trusses and stringers, with heavy duty support collums.
The downfall of the Myrtle Ave Elevated began with Robert Moses, and the City of New York.
Robert Moses planned to build brand new roadways around the city and counties.
In Manhattan, Moses wanted to build a new parkway up Second Avenue within a covered structure, along with a new subway line.
The city and developers had a problem with the construction time line, and opposed the project...but not before he demolished large swaths of land along side Chrystie St and at Park Row.
Because of this, Moses turned his sights to the East River waterfront.
He then cleared out what he considered slums, filled in some coastal lines, and built the East River Drive.
In Brooklyn,the political structure decided to create a 'Civic Center" in Downtown Brooklyn, build housing and businesses along Myrtle Ave,Park Ave and surrounding neighborhoods.
The Elevated lines were deemed undesirable, not fitting in with the neighborhood redesigns.
The city decided to remove the elevated trains from downtown Brooklyn, downtown Manhattan in the areas of reconstruction and recovery.
The Myrtle Ave Elevated was removed from Park Row, Sands At as far as Jay st.
The Fulton st El was removed completely from this avenue as far as Rockaway Ave.. the 5th Ave Elevated removed totally.
The Lexington Ave El removed in 1950.
The Myrtle Ave Elevated remained until the threat was realized by the very MTA itself.
They wanted to reduce the size of "their responsibility" by removing as much trackage as possible, before someone stopped them.
It always came down to money.
The city wanted it's urban renewal program, the MTA didn't want to invest several million dollars for rebuilding purposes, Pratt Institute was crying and whining about the "bad element" the El was bringing into the neighborhood..
The decision was made to remove the El, and replace it was a bus that already operated under the structure.
The Condos were built, along with public housing, even while everywhere else was decaying.
In October of 1969, the Myrtle Ave Elevated below Broadway was deactivated.
The line was destroyed by the following year, creating the TRANSIT DESERT in North Brooklyn we see today.
If properly maintained, the line would still be carrying passengers to and fro...like it was supposed to.
The MTA did enormous damage to various neighborhoods over the years, especially to "people of color"..
Brooklyn wasn't the only borough hit by the lies told by "government officials".
The Bronx lost the 3rd Avenue Elevated, without replacement.
It also lost several rail lines to bad decisions.
Queens didn't lose much, because they didn't have many rail lines to begin with, and every line proposed was crushed by NIMBY OPPOSITION. AND ROBERT MOSES.
Again, the City of New York decided to remove transit structures to please Real estate developers and political hacks who only wanted to line their pockets.
The Queens connection to the Second Avenue El was removed, leaving the 60th st,53rd st and 42nd St tunnels to share the burdens.
Middle Village kept it's connection to the rest of the city via the Myrtle Ave Elevated and the Broadway El.
Jamaica retained it's connection via the Jamaica Line, the Queens Blvd subway and the Long Island Railroad.
For all it's worth, the line was removed for all the wrong reasons without apology
Seek the truth, behind the untruths.
Find the silver lining, and it will make you a much better rail fan,and historian.
Just make the into shorter, this will be better
In my newer videos the intro is shorter.
I understand your primary focus is on public transit trains, but I hope you can ride the westbound California Zephyr. The scenery is nearly Biblical.
So far away though I am on the east coast
Shorten your intro it is 25 seconds
no
Its such a cool intro tho.