IND Concourse Line - History

History

The Concourse Line opened on July 1, 1933, less than ten months after the IND's first line, the Eighth Avenue Line, opened for service. Initial service was provided by the C train, at that time an express train, between 205th Street, then via the IND Eighth Avenue Line, Cranberry Street Tunnel and the IND South Brooklyn Line (now Culver Line) to Bergen Street. The CC provided local service between Bedford Park Boulevard and Hudson Terminal (now World Trade Center).

On December 15, 1940, with the opening of the IND Sixth Avenue Line, the D train began serving the IND Concourse Line with the C and CC. It made express stops in peak during rush hours and Saturdays and local stops at all other times. C service was discontinued in 1949-51, but reinstated in 1985 when double letters used to indicate local service was discontinued. The D made local stops along the Concourse Line at all times except rush hours, when the C ran local to Bedford Park Boulevard. On March 1, 1998, the B train replaced the C as the rush-hour local on the Concourse Line.

Except for minor maintenance work and a station rehabilitation at 161st Street – Yankee Stadium, the Concourse Line is largely untouched since its opening in 1933, except for entrance closings and other reductions in service areas. The MTA claims to be renovating each station on the line after its 75th anniversary.