IRT Third Avenue Line

IRT Third Avenue Elevated
Third Avenue elevated trains at 59th Street
Overview
Owner	City of New York
Termini	Gun Hill Road Bronx Park Terminal City Hall South Ferry
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	Interborough Rapid Transit Company
Operator(s)	New York City Transit Authority
History
Opened	1878–1891 1901–1920 (North of 177th Street)
Closed	1950–1955 (South of 149th street) 1973 (North of 149th Street)
Technical
Number of tracks	2-3
Character	Elevated
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Route map Legend White Plains Road Line Gun Hill Road 210th Street–Williamsbridge 204th Street 200th Street Bronx Park Terminal Fordham Road–190th Street 183rd Street 180th Street 179th Street Yard Tremont Avenue–177th Street 174th Street Claremont Parkway 169th Street 166th Street 161st Street 156th Street 149th Street Third Avenue–149th Street White Plains Road Line 143rd Street 138th Street (Pelham Line) 133rd Street Willis Avenue Harlem River 129th Street Second Avenue Line 125th Street 116th Street 106th Street 99th Street 98th Street Yard 89th Street 84th Street 76th Street 67th Street 59th Street 53rd Street 47th Street Grand Central (Flushing Line) 42nd Street 34th Street Ferry Second Avenue 34th Street 28th Street 23rd Street 18th Street 14th Street Ninth Street Houston Street Grand Street Canal Street Second Avenue Line Chatham Square City Hall Franklin Square Fulton Street Hanover Square Brooklyn Branch Sixth & Ninth Avenue Lines South Ferry This diagram: view talk edit

The IRT Third Avenue Line, commonly known as the Third Avenue Elevated, Third Avenue El, or Bronx El, was an elevated railway in Manhattan and the Bronx, New York City. Originally operated by the New York Elevated Railway, an independent railway company, it was acquired by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and eventually became part of the New York City Subway system.

The first segment of the line, with service at most stations, opened from South Ferry to Grand Central Depot on August 26, 1878.^[1] Service was extended to Harlem in Manhattan on December 30.^[2][3] In 1881 this line already began the 24/7 service.^[4][5] Service in Manhattan was phased out in the early 1950s and closed completely on May 12, 1955. The remaining service in the Bronx was designated as part of the 8 route until it was discontinued on April 29, 1973.

The Third Avenue El was the last elevated line to operate in Manhattan, other than the 1 train on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line (which has elevated sections between 122nd and 135th Streets and north of Dyckman Street), and was a frequent backdrop for movies. Service on the Second, Sixth, and Ninth Avenue elevated lines were terminated in 1942, 1938, and 1940, respectively.