59th Street–Columbus Circle (New York City Subway)

Infobox NYCS
name=59th Street–Columbus Circle
bg_color=black

---

service=Columbus Circle
borough=Manhattan
passengers=19.355 million
pass_percent=4
pass_year=2006

59th Street–Columbus Circle is a New York City Subway station complex shared by the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line and the IND Eighth Avenue Line. It is located at Columbus Circle in Midtown Manhattan where 59th Street, Broadway and Eighth Avenue intersect, and is served by:
*, NYCS|A and NYCS|D trains at all times
* train at all times except late nights
* train weekdays
* train late nights

There are exits and entrances from West 57th Street to West 61st Street, with the exit at West 60th Street leading to the Trump International Hotel and Tower. Another exit in the Circle itself, at West 59th Street, leads to the Time Warner Center.__TOC__

IND Eighth Avenue Line platforms

Infobox NYCS
bg_color = #11117D
bg_color_2 = #FF6E1A


line = IND Eighth Avenue Line
service = Eighth center
platforms = 3 island platforms (2 in revenue service)
tracks = 4
borough = Manhattan
open_date=September 10, 1932New York Times, List of the 28 Stations on the New 8th Av. Line, September 10, 1932, page 6]
north_line = IND Eighth Avenue Line
north_local_station = 72nd Street
north_local_service = Eighth center local
north_express_station = 125th Street
north_express_station_acc = yes
north_express_service = Eighth center express
south_line=IND Eighth Avenue Line
south_local_station=50th Street
south_local_station_acc=southbound
south_local_service=Eighth 50th local
south_express_station=42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal
south_express_station_acc=yes
south_express_service=Eighth 50th express
south_custom_station = NYCS next|type=6th|station=Seventh Avenue|line=IND Sixth Avenue Line|service=Sixth north

59th Street–Columbus Circle on the IND Eighth Avenue Line is a somewhat large express station. There are three island platforms; the outer two are in revenue service. At one time, the inner platform served the purpose of a Spanish solution, allowing passengers to exit both sides of subway cars. Due to the design of newer subway cars, this solution is now impractical, and the inner platform has been largely disused since 1981 except for occasional fan trips. There are also closed stairwells at the extreme south end of the station, recently cordoned off to curb crowding in that area. At the middle of the platform, there are stairs that connect with the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line. Elevators are currently being installed at the station. South of the station, there are switches to allow trains to diverge to the IND Sixth Avenue Line or continue south on Eighth Avenue. There is a newsstand at the center of the southbound platform.

While there "used" to be some "1992 artwork here called "Hello Columbus", made by various New York City artists and public school students" it has recently been torn down.

Currently, the tilework on these platforms is being renovated, and large white "59"s to be placed over the blue stripes - similar to the "42"s at 42nd Street - Port Authority.

IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line platforms

Infobox NYCS

---

bg_color = #E20F00
line = IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line
service = Broadway-Seventh local
platforms = 2 side platforms
tracks = 4
open_date=October 27, 1904New York Times, [http://www.nycsubway.org/articles/nytimes-1904-dayoneopen.html Our Subway Open: 150,000 Try It] , October 28, 1904]
north_station = 66th Street–Lincoln Center
north_station_acc = yes
north_line = IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line
north_service = Broadway-Seventh local
south_station = 50th Street
south_line = IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line
south_service = Broadway-Seventh local

59th Street–Columbus Circle on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line has four tracks and two side platforms. The station is an important transfer point between the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line and the IND Eighth Avenue Line. However, as the Eighth Avenue Line did not exist when the station was built, the station was constructed as a local stop. At one point, the New York City Transit Authority considered converting the station to an express stop by swapping the outer tracks with the outer platforms. This would have coincided with 72nd Street becoming a local stop through a similar construction method.

When the station opened there was an underpass between the downtown and uptown platforms. In the 1970s the underpass was closed and the staircase entrances covered over. Today, passengers must use the IND mezzanine to transfer between directions.

Bus connections

*M5
*M7
*M10
*M20
*M30
*M31
*M57
*M104

References

External links

*NYCS ref|http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/stations?6:3137|IRT West Side Line|59th Street/Columbus Circle
*NYCS ref|http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/stations?7:316|IND 8th Avenue|59th Street/Columbus Circle
*Station Reporter — [http://www.stationreporter.net/columbus.htm Columbus Circle/59th Street Complex]