The IND Arrives at 145th Street

With its Manhattan routing along 6th and 8th Avenues, the new line was intended to destroy the Els of the West Side. They were preventing the redevelopment of major avenues in Manhattan and their days were numbered. Between 1938 and 1941 the 2nd, 6th and 9th Avenue Els were torn down. The 3rd Avenue El operated until 1955.

Subway track construction.
Working on a single track tunnel.
(City College Archives)

The IND which opened in September 1932 took passengers from Jackson Heights to Manhattan. During the next few years the line was extended into Brooklyn and after World War II it was extended to 205th Street in the Bronx, 179th Street in Queens, and to Coney Island and the Rockaways.

 

Subway map
Hagstrom’s first complete map of the New York Subways.
(City College Archives)

In 1940, New York City acquired the assets of the IRT and the BMT companies and took over their operation.