History
D service began on December 15, 1940 when the IND Sixth Avenue Line opened. It ran from 205th Street, Bronx to World Trade Center on the IND Eighth Avenue Line (at that time was called Hudson Terminal), switching from the IND Sixth Avenue to the Eighth Avenue Lines at West Fourth Street – Washington Square.
On December 29, 1951, peak direction express service in the Bronx was discontinued.
On October 30, 1954, a connection between the IND South Brooklyn Line and BMT Culver Line opened. D service was rerouted via these two lines to Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue with limited rush hour trains to Church Avenue.
Between 1957 to 1959, limited rush hour trains ran express and/or local to IND Fulton Street Line.
From December 4 to December 27, 1962, a special service labeled DD was provided due to a water main break. It ran local from 205th Street, Bronx to 59th Street – Columbus Circle, then continued as a local down the Eighth Avenue Line to West Fourth Street, where it switched to the Sixth Avenue Line and continued on its normal route to Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue via the Culver Line.
On November 26, 1967, the Chrystie Street Connection opened, adding express service on the Sixth Avenue Line and connecting it with the Manhattan Bridge. D service was switched over to BMT Brighton Line via this new connector. It became the express service on weekdays to Brighton Beach and the local to Stillwell Avenue other times. In Manhattan, it ran express from West 4th Street to 34th Street rush hours only (the B used the express tracks to terminate there at other times). It would become the full-time Sixth Avenue Express when non-rush hours B service was extended to 57th Street – Sixth Avenue.
When the north side of the Manhattan Bridge was closed in April 1986, D service ran in two sections, one between the Bronx and 34th Street (the Orange D) while the other ran from 57th Street – Seventh Avenue on the BMT Broadway Line, then express along the Broadway Line to Canal Street, then over the south side of the Manhattan Bridge into Brooklyn, and then along the Brighton Line to Stillwell Avenue (the Yellow D). At this time, D/Q skip-stop service ran in Brooklyn on weekdays.
In 1988, the north side reopened and the two sections joined. The D now ran as the full-time Brighton Local to Stillwell Avenue.
In May 1995, the north side was closed during midday and weekends and D service was cut south of 34th Street-Herald Square. On July 22, 2001, it was closed at all times and D service was cut again. In Brooklyn, it was replaced by Q local service.
After September 11, 2001, C service was suspended. On weekends, the D ran local on the Eighth Avenue Line north of 59th Street to fill in the gap caused by the suspension.
On February 22, 2004, the north side of the Manhattan Bridge was reopened, and D trains were extended via the north side of the bridge to Brooklyn, replacing the W as the Fourth Avenue Express (late nights local) and West End Local to Stillwell Avenue. For Brooklyn service, the D had become the B and vice-versa.
From May 24 to Fall 2004, construction on the IND Concourse Line suspended D express service in the Bronx, but the B still traveled to/from Bedford Park Boulevard during rush hours.
The Eighth Avenue fire in January 2005 caused D trains to run local on the Eighth Avenue Line north of 59th Street on weekday evenings until C service was restored on February 2.
Read more about this topic: D (New York City Subway Service)
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