IRT Pelham Line

IRT Pelham Line

The 6 and <6> trains serve the entire IRT Pelham Line.
Overview
Type Rapid transit
System New York City Subway
Termini Pelham Bay Park
Third Avenue – 138th Street
Stations 18
Daily ridership 205,590[1]
Operation
Opening 1919–1920
Owner City of New York
Operator(s) New York City Transit Authority
Character Underground (Hunts Point & South)
Elevated (North of Hunts Point)
Technical
No. of tracks 2–3
Track gauge 4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm)
Electrification 600V DC third rail

IRT Pelham Line

Legend
Pelham Bay Park
Buhre Avenue
Middletown Road

Westchester Yard
Westchester Square – East Tremont Avenue
Zerega Avenue
Castle Hill Avenue
Parkchester
St. Lawrence Avenue
Morrison Avenue – Soundview
Elder Avenue
Whitlock Avenue
Hunts Point Avenue
Longwood Avenue
East 149th Street
East 143rd Street – St. Mary's Street
Cypress Avenue
Brook Avenue
Third Avenue – 138th Street
IRT Jerome Avenue Line
Lexington Avenue Tunnel under Harlem River
IRT Lexington Avenue Line

The IRT Pelham Line is a rapid transit line on the New York City Subway, served by the 6 and <6> trains. It was built as part of the Dual Contracts expansion and opened in 1919. It is both elevated and underground with Whitlock Avenue being the southernmost elevated station. It has three tracks from the beginning to just south of the Pelham Bay Park terminal. The Pelham Line also has a connection to Westchester Yard, where 6 trains are stored, just north of Westchester Square – East Tremont Avenue. As of 2013, it has a daily ridership of 205,590.

Extent and service

Service Time period Between
Third Ave – 138 St
Parkchester
Parkchester
Pelham Bay Pk
NYCS 6 Local Rush hours
and middays
local no service
Other times local
NYCS 6d Express Rush hours
and middays
express local
Other times no service

Express service operates between Parkchester and Third Avenue – 138th Street during weekdays from approximately 6:30 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. At those times, Pelham Bay Park cannot handle the large number of 6 and <6> trains in service. As a result, 6 trains run local on the Pelham Line south of Parkchester and short turn there. <6> trains make all stops north of Parkchester, then run express using the center track between that station and Third Avenue – 138th Street in the peak direction. At all other times, 6 trains run local on the entire line.

Depiction in fiction

The train that is hijacked in the book The Taking of Pelham One Two Three by Morton Freedgood (writing as John Godey) and the three films based on the novel originated on this line from Pelham Bay Park at 1:23 (hence the name "Pelham 123"). It was subsequently hijacked on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line.

Station listing

Station service legend
Stops all times
Stops all times except rush hours in the peak direction
Stops rush hours in the peak direction only
Time period details
Neighborhood
(approximate)
Station Tracks Services Opened Notes
Pelham Bay Pelham Bay Park 6  <6> December 20, 1920 Bx12 Select Bus Service
Center Express track begins (No Regular Service to Parkchester)
Buhre Avenue local 6  <6> December 20, 1920
Middletown Road local 6  <6> December 20, 1920
connecting tracks to Westchester Yard
Westchester Square Westchester Square – East Tremont Avenue local 6  <6> October 24, 1920
Castle Hill Zerega Avenue local 6  <6> October 24, 1920
Castle Hill Avenue local 6  <6> October 24, 1920
<6> service switches to/from center express track
Parkchester Parkchester all 6  <6> May 30, 1920 originally Parkchester – East 177th Street
Soundview St. Lawrence Avenue local 6  May 30, 1920
Morrison Avenue – Soundview local 6  May 30, 1920 originally Sound View Avenue, Morrison – Sound View Avenues
Elder Avenue local 6  May 30, 1920
Longwood Whitlock Avenue local 6  May 30, 1920
Hunts Point Avenue all 6  <6> January 7, 1919
Longwood Avenue local 6  January 7, 1919
East 149th Street local 6  January 7, 1919
Mott Haven East 143rd Street – St. Mary's Street local 6  January 7, 1919
Cypress Avenue local 6  January 7, 1919
Brook Avenue local 6  January 7, 1919
Third Avenue – 138th Street all 6  <6> January 7, 1919
Center Express track ends
Merges with IRT Lexington Avenue Line (6  <6>)

References

  1. MTA. "Average weekday subway ridership". Retrieved 2 April 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to IRT Pelham Line.