Spring Street (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)

Infobox NYCS
name = Spring Street


accessible =
bg_color = #007527
line = IRT Lexington Avenue Line
service = Lexington local
platforms = 2 side platforms
tracks = 4
passengers = 3.439 million
pass_year=2006
pass_percent=3
borough = Manhattan
open_date=October 27, 1904 [http://www.nycsubway.org/articles/nytimes-1904-dayoneopen.html Our Subway Open: 150,000 Try It] "New York Times" Retrieved 2008-08-30]
north_station = Bleecker Street
north_line = IRT Lexington Avenue Line
north_service = Lexington local
south_station = Canal Street
south_station_acc = yes
south_line = IRT Lexington Avenue Line
south_service = Lexington local

Spring Street is a local station on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Lafayette and Spring Streets in Manhattan, it is served by the NYCS service|6 train (all times) and the NYCS service|4 train (late nights).

History

Spring Street was one of the original stations of the first subway in Manhattan, opening on 27 October 1904. [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9503E1DF163DE733A25754C2A9669D946597D6CF Subway opening to-day with simple ceremony] "New York Times" Retrieved 2008-08-30] At this time, Spring Street served local trains from the now abandoned City Hall station to 145th Street at Broadway (now served by the 1).The only major service pattern change occurred on 17 July 1918 when the "H-system" began. This system started when the Lexington Avenue Line, upon which Spring Street station lies, was extended to 125th Street creating what is now referred to as the East Side Line, parallel but not connected by track to the IRT Broadway-Seventh Avenue Line, whose name was changed to the West Side Line. The 42nd Street Shuttle connects the two lines at Grand Central-42nd Street and Times Square-42nd Street. [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9507EEDE1739E13ABC4A53DFBE668383609EDE Open new subway lines to traffic; called a triumph] "New York Times" Retrieved 2008-08-27] This pattern is still in use today.

In 1948, Spring Street began servicing the newly coined 6 service to Pelham Bay Park. Rollsigns were labelled as "6 Lex-Pelham" until 1964 when it was replaced with the NYCS-bull-small|6 which is still in use today. The NYCS-bull-small|6d stops at Spring Street but has no meaning in Manhattan and only operates as an express in the Bronx.

tation layout

Spring Street is laid out in a typical local stop setup. [http://nycsubway.org/perl/stations?5:3097 Spring Street (IRT East Side Line)] "NYCSubway" Retrieved 2008-08-30] There are two side platforms and four tracks, the centre two of which are express tracks. The southbound local track is technically known as MM1 whilst the northbound one is MM4; the MM designation is used for chaining purposes along the Lexington Avenue Line from Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall to Times Square-42nd Street via Grand Central and the 42nd Street Shuttle. Although they cannot be accessed at Spring Street, the southbound and northbound express tracks are known as MM2 and MM3, respectively. It is important to note that these designations are rarely, if ever, used in colloquial discourse. Both platforms have a slight curve which creates a now-unwanted gap between the train and the platform. Fortunately, because this gap is not considered significant, expensive gap fillers are not necessary.

Spring Street had a unique fifth centre track which has now been removed. This track did not last long; it was reportedly disconnected and removed in 1906, only two years after the subway opened. Although its function has never been determined, it is now used as the location of a mechanical room.

The station retains the typical large and small IRT mosaics in the old (prior to platform lengthening) portion.The station has small "S" cartouches from 1904, made by Atlantic Terra Cotta, and large mosaic tablets by Heins & LaFarge, also from 1904. Other small "S" and "Spring St" mosaics are newer.

References

External links

*NYCS ref|http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/stations?5:3097|IRT East Side Line|Spring Street
*Station Reporter — [http://www.stationreporter.net/6train.htm 6 Train]