59th Street–Columbus Circle (New York City Subway)

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59th Street–Columbus Circle
New York City Subway station

Station information
Services	1 (all times) 2 (late nights) A (all times) B (weekdays until 9:30 p.m.) C (all except late nights) D (all times)
Passengers (2006)	19.355 million ▲ 4%
Other
Borough	Manhattan

59th Street–Columbus Circle is a New York City Subway station complex shared by the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line and the IND Eighth Avenue Line. It is located at Columbus Circle in Midtown Manhattan where 59th Street, Broadway and Eighth Avenue intersect, and is served by:

1, A and D trains at all times
C train at all times except late nights
B train weekdays
2 train late nights

There are exits and entrances from West 57th Street to West 61st Street, with the exit at West 60th Street leading to the Trump International Hotel and Tower. Another exit in the Circle itself, at West 59th Street, leads to the Time Warner Center.

1 IND Eighth Avenue Line platforms
2 IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line platforms
3 Bus connections
4 References
5 External links

[edit] IND Eighth Avenue Line platforms


Station information
Line	IND Eighth Avenue Line
Services	A (all times) B (weekdays until 9:30 p.m.) C (all except late nights) D (all times)
Platforms	3 island platforms (2 in revenue service)
Tracks	4
Other
Borough	Manhattan
Opened	September 10, 1932^[1]
Next north	72nd Street (local): A B C 125th Street (express): A D
Next south	50th Street (local): A C 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal (express): A
	Seventh Avenue (6th): B D

The unused center platform, currently undergoing renovation

59th Street–Columbus Circle on the IND Eighth Avenue Line is a somewhat large express station. There are three island platforms; the outer two are in revenue service. At one time, the inner platform served the purpose of a Spanish solution, allowing passengers to exit both sides of subway cars. Due to the design of newer subway cars, this solution is now impractical, and the inner platform has been largely disused since 1981 except for occasional fan trips. There are also closed stairwells at the extreme south end of the station, recently cordoned off to curb crowding in that area. At the middle of the platform, there are stairs that connect with the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line. Elevators are currently being installed at the station. South of the station, there are switches to allow trains to diverge to the IND Sixth Avenue Line or continue south on Eighth Avenue. There is a newsstand at the center of the southbound platform.

While there used to be some "1992 artwork here called Hello Columbus, made by various New York City artists and public school students" it has recently been torn down.

Currently, the tilework on these platforms is being renovated, and large white "59"s to be placed over the blue stripes - similar to the "42"s at 42nd Street - Port Authority.

[edit] IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line platforms


Station information
Line	IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line
Services	1 (all times) 2 (late nights)
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	4
Other
Opened	October 27, 1904^[2]
Next north	66th Street–Lincoln Center: 1 2
Next south	50th Street: 1 2

59th Street–Columbus Circle on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line has four tracks and two side platforms. The station is an important transfer point between the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line and the IND Eighth Avenue Line. However, as the Eighth Avenue Line did not exist when the station was built, the station was constructed as a local stop. At one point, the New York City Transit Authority considered converting the station to an express stop by swapping the outer tracks with the outer platforms. This would have coincided with 72nd Street becoming a local stop through a similar construction method.

When the station opened there was an underpass between the downtown and uptown platforms. In the 1970s the underpass was closed and the staircase entrances covered over. Today, passengers must use the IND mezzanine to transfer between directions.