F (New York City Subway Service) - History

History

• F service officially began on December 15, 1940 between Parsons Boulevard and Church Avenue via the Queens Boulevard, Sixth Avenue, and IND Culver Lines. It ran express in Queens and local in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
• During World War II, trains were extended to 169th Street during evenings, late nights, and Sunday mornings.
• On December 11, 1950, trains were extended to 179th Street on evenings, nights, and Sunday mornings. Over the next year, service was gradually extended to serve that station at all times.
• On October 30, 1954, the connection between the IND Culver Line and BMT Culver Line was completed, with the IND taking over the elevated section. Rush hour F trains terminated at Broadway – Lafayette Street to allow D trains to enter Brooklyn via the Rutgers Street Tunnel. On June 28, 1956, trains were extended to Second Avenue.
• Beginning October 6, 1957, trains terminated at 34th Street – Herald Square evenings, nights and weekends.
• Beginning November 10, 1958, trains terminated at Broadway – Lafayette Street weekdays.
• Beginning July 9, 1967, trains no longer ran express between Jamaica – 179th Street and 71st – Continental Avenues.
• On November 26, 1967, the Chrystie Street Connection was completed. D trains were rerouted via this connection, over the north side of the Manhattan Bridge, and via the BMT Brighton Line in Brooklyn. F trains replaced them on the IND Culver Line. There was rush hour express service between Jay Street – Borough Hall and Kings Highway. This was discontinued in 1986 due to track work. There has been community support for resuming express service along the Culver Line. The MTA has announced that the elevated Culver Viaduct will undergo extensive renovations from 2009–2012, after which "There will be no impediment to implementing the F express."
• On May 24, 1987, the N and R services switched terminals in Queens. As part of the reroute plan, F trains terminated at 57th Street / Sixth Avenue during late nights.
• On September 30, 1990, the R train was cut back from 179th Street to 71st Avenue, and replaced by the F train.
• Later that year, late-night service was moved to 21st Street – Queensbridge to replace the Q shuttle.
• In May 1997, the F Train was taken off of the IND 63rd Street Line during late nights and was replaced by a shuttle. The F train now ran local to 179th Street.
• On December 16, 2001, the 63rd Street Connector opened, connecting the IND 63rd Street Line with the IND Queens Boulevard Line. In a controversial move, the local V train replaced the express F in the heavily-trafficked 53rd Street Tunnel between Manhattan and Queens, while the F was rerouted to the 63rd Street Tunnel at all times. The F also began making express stops in Queens between 71st Avenue and 21st Street – Queensbridge at all times.
• On September 8, 2002, Stillwell Avenue was closed for reconstruction. F service was cut back to Avenue X, and service to Stillwell Avenue was replaced by a shuttle bus. The F train returned to Stillwell Avenue on May 23, 2004, upon completion of the construction work.