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West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium station

Coordinates: 40°34′34.24″N 73°58′32.88″W / 40.5761778°N 73.9758000°W / 40.5761778; -73.9758000
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 West 8 Street–New York Aquarium
 "F" train"F" express train​​"Q" train
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
Station statistics
AddressWest 8th Street near Surf Avenue
Brooklyn, New York
BoroughBrooklyn
LocaleConey Island
Coordinates40°34′34.24″N 73°58′32.88″W / 40.5761778°N 73.9758000°W / 40.5761778; -73.9758000
DivisionB (BMT/IND)[1]
LineBMT Brighton Line
IND Culver Line
BMT Culver Line (formerly)
Services   F all times (all times) <F> two rush hour trains, peak direction (two rush hour trains, peak direction)​​
   Q all times (all times)
TransitBus transport NYCT Bus: B36, B68
StructureElevated
Levels2
Platforms4 side platforms (2 on each level)
Tracks4 (2 on each level)
Other information
OpenedMay 19, 1919; 105 years ago (1919-05-19)
Opposite-
direction
transfer
Yes
Former/other namesConey Island–West Eighth Street
Traffic
2023640,138[2]Increase 9.7%
Rank355 out of 423[2]
Services
Preceding station New York City Subway New York City Subway Following station
Ocean Parkway
Q all times

Local
Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue
F all times <F> two rush hour trains, peak direction​​ Q all times
Terminus
Neptune Avenue
F all times <F> two rush hour trains, peak direction

Local
Location
West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium station is located in New York City Subway
West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium station
West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium station is located in New York City
West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium station
West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium station is located in New York
West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium station
Track layout

Upper level
Lower level
Former tracks
to Ocean Parkway
"F" train"F" express train​ to Coney Isl–Stillwell Ave
Revenue tracks
Trackways
Street map

Map

Station service legend
Symbol Description
Stops all times Stops all times
Stops rush hours in the peak direction only (limited service) Stops rush hours in the peak direction only (limited service)
Stops weekdays and weekday late nights Stops weekdays and weekday late nights

The West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium station is a New York City Subway station, located on the BMT Brighton Line and IND Culver Line in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn. The station is located over the private right-of-way of the defunct New York and Coney Island Railroad north of Surf Avenue, running easterly from West 8th Street. It is served by the F and Q trains at all times, and by the <F> train during rush hours in the peak direction. This station is geographically the southernmost station in the entire New York City Subway system.

History

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An R46 Q train on the upper level

The station, originally identified as Coney Island–West Eighth Street, replaced the Culver Depot, the surface terminus of the Brighton Beach and Culver Lines. The new station consisted of a two-level elevated line, with two tracks and two side platforms on each level. Brighton service began serving the station on June 13, 1919,[3] with Brighton Local trains using the lower level and Brighton Express trains (when operated) using the upper level. On May 1, 1920, Culver trains began sharing the lower level with the Brighton Line.

The usage of both levels varied over the years, with different Brighton services using the lower level at different times. Brighton Locals used the lower level of West 8th Street until 1954,[3] when the track connection between the Brighton Line at Ocean Parkway and the lower level of West 8th Street station was severed. Brighton and Culver trains have had exclusive use of their respective levels ever since. The structure for the connector tracks still exists.

In September 1954, the NYCTA announced that it would build a 700 feet (210 m)-long overpass connecting the station with the then proposed New York Aquarium. The estimated cost for the project was $500,000, and it was expected to be completed by November 1955.[4]

In 2002, it was announced that West Eighth Street would be one of ten subway stations citywide to receive renovations.[5] The station was closed in August 2002 in conjunction with the reconstruction of the Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue terminal,[6] and service was restored on May 23, 2004.[7] The renovation took place during the temporary closure.

The pedestrian bridge was torn down on August 8, 2013, due to safety issues. A crosswalk and widened sidewalks replaced the bridge, which was built when the New York Aquarium was first opened at that location.[8] In 2024, the MTA announced that it would install low platform fences at the West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium station and at the Clark Street station to reduce the likelihood of passengers falling onto the tracks.[9][10] The barriers would consist of low yellow fences, spaced along the length of the platform; there would not be sliding platform screen doors between the barriers.[9]

Station layout

[edit]
3F
Brighton platforms
Side platform
Southbound "Q" train toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue (Terminus)
Northbound "Q" train toward 96th Street (Ocean Parkway)
Side platform
2F
Culver platforms
Side platform
Southbound "F" train "F" express train toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue (Terminus)
Northbound "F" train "F" express train toward Jamaica–179th Street (Neptune Avenue)
Side platform
G Street level Exit/entrance, fare control

The current station continues to have two tracks and two side platforms on each level; the BMT Brighton Line currently uses the upper level and the IND Culver Line uses the lower level.

The 2005 artwork here is called Wavewall by Vito Acconci.[11]

Exits

[edit]

This station contains two entrances. The first one is located on West Eighth Street, on the west end of the station. It has a full-time station agent booth and a ramp to the mezzanine, where there are turnstiles and stairs to the platforms. There are also two stairs that lead from the mezzanine down to the west side of West Eighth Street.[12]

The second one leads to the intersection of West Fifth Street and Brighton Avenue, past the east end of the station. It contains three High Entry-Exit turnstiles and leads directly to the Manhattan-bound platform of the lower level, as well as an escalator that leads directly to the Manhattan-bound platform of the upper level. The eastern entrance also connects to a path running northward to West Sixth Street, which at this point is a dirt road only for pedestrians that runs directly underneath the Culver Line.[12]

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References

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  1. ^ "Glossary". Second Avenue Subway Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) (PDF). Vol. 1. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 4, 2003. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "www.nycsubway.org: BMT Brighton Line". Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  4. ^ "Proposed B. M. T. Overpass to Coney Island Aquarium" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  5. ^ "RENOVATION IS SET FOR 10 SUBWAY STATIONS". NY Daily News. June 11, 2002. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  6. ^ Bahrampour, Tara (August 25, 2002). "NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: CONEY ISLAND; Trek to Beach Will Get Harder as Station Gets a Face-Lift". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  7. ^ Chan, Sewell (May 28, 2005). "And Now for the Good News From the Subway System". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  8. ^ "Bridge abridged! Aquarium span scrapped". August 9, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  9. ^ a b Roberts-Grmela, Julian; Seiwell, Emma (January 21, 2024). "MTA testing subway platform barriers in Manhattan, Brooklyn aimed at preventing track falls". New York Daily News. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  10. ^ Heyward, Giulia (January 21, 2024). "MTA installs new platform barriers at 191st Street station". Gothamist. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
    "New yellow safety barriers appear at subway station in Washington Heights". NBC New York. January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  11. ^ "MTA - Arts & Design | NYCT Permanent Art". web.mta.info. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  12. ^ a b "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Coney Island" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
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