E (New York City Subway Service) - History

History

• On August 19, 1933, E service officially began, running between Roosevelt Avenue – Jackson Heights and the Hudson Terminal (current World Trade Center station).
• During 1936, the IND Sixth Avenue Line was built to Second Avenue and Jay Street – Borough Hall. E trains ran on that line, replacing the A to Church Avenue.
• On December 31, 1936, and April 24, 1937, the Queens Boulevard Line was extended to Kew Gardens – Union Turnpike and 169th Street, respectively.
• On December 15, 1940, service on the entire Sixth Avenue Line began. The E terminated at Broadway – Lafayette Street. South of that station, it was replaced by the F train.
• On December 10, 1950, 179th Street opened. E service terminated here, running express between Queens Plaza and 71st Avenue.
• During 1954, E trains ran express in Manhattan during rush hours.
• In 1956, service was extended to Euclid Avenue during rush hours as a local.
• In 1963, the E train became an express in Brooklyn and was extended to the Rockaways, with some put-ins beginning at Euclid Avenue and later Lefferts Boulevard during rush hours.
• On January 2, 1973, the E train became local in Brooklyn again, running to Rockaway Park – Beach 116th Street only.
• On August 27, 1976, E service was eliminated from Brooklyn and terminated at World Trade Center.
• On December 11, 1988, the IND Archer Avenue Line opened. E trains were rerouted via this branch, stopping at the upper level of Sutphin Boulevard and Jamaica Center stations. The E train now skipped 75th Avenue and Van Wyck Boulevard on weekdays. R service was extended to 179th Street, because the E used to provide Hillside Avenue Local service but this was later discontinued when the F became the local.
• In 1997, E service began running local in Queens during late nights.
• Service on the E was affected by the September 11, 2001 attacks as its terminal station is located at the northeastern corner of the World Trade Center site. It went to Euclid Avenue in Brooklyn as the local on the IND Fulton Street Line at all times except late nights, replacing the temporarily suspended C service—the third time it had served the borough. This had happened in 1976, and again in early 2000 during the replacement of track switches at the World Trade Center station. On September 24, 2001, C service was restored, and E service was cut to Canal Street (since World Trade Center would be closed until January).
• On December 16, 2001, the connection from the 63rd Street Tunnel to the Queens Boulevard Line opened, and F trains were rerouted via this connector to travel between Manhattan and Queens. Some rush hours E trains now run to 179th Street, allowing passengers from east of Union Turnpike to have an express service to 53rd Street.
• The EE originally ran as an 8th Avenue local from 71st–Continental Avenues and Chambers Street during off peak hours when the GG didn't run. This service was discontinued when the IND Sixth Avenue Line was completed in 1940. However, the EE reappeared in 1967 when it ran between 71st–Continental Avenues and Whitehall Street via the local tracks of the BMT Broadway Line, replacing the QT and RR. This service was discontinued in 1976 and replaced by the N. The route of the EE is currently duplicated by the R service.