Suburban Rapid Transit Company

IRT Third Avenue Line
Company type	Elevated railway
Industry	Public transportation
Predecessor	New York Elevated Railway
Founded	August 26, 1878; 148 years ago
Fate	Line closure and demolition
Headquarters	New York City, United States
Area served	Manhattan and the Bronx, New York City
Owner	Interborough Rapid Transit Company (later)
Parent	Interborough Rapid Transit Company

The IRT Third Avenue Line, commonly referred to as the Third Avenue Elevated, Third Avenue El, or Bronx El, was an elevated railway operating through Manhattan and the Bronx, New York City. Originally managed by the New York Elevated Railway, it was later acquired by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and incorporated into the New York City Subway system.

The initial portion of the line launched service on August 26, 1878, running from South Ferry up to Grand Central Depot. By December 30 of that year, operations extended northward to Harlem. Around 1881, the line began providing continuous 24-hour service. The elevated route in Manhattan was gradually discontinued during the early 1950s, with complete closure occurring on May 12, 1955. Service within the Bronx persisted as part of the 8 route until it ceased on April 29, 1973.

Aside from elevated segments on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line, the Third Avenue El was the final elevated railway functioning in Manhattan. It was also a frequent backdrop in cinematic productions. Other Manhattan elevated lines—the IRT Second Avenue Line, IRT Sixth Avenue Line, and IRT Ninth Avenue Line—halted operations in 1942, 1938, and 1940 respectively.

Operation

In 1875, the Rapid Transit Commission authorized the New York Elevated Railway Company to construct a rail line stretching from Battery Park to the Harlem River, following the path of the Bowery and Third Avenue. This company had previously taken control of the Ninth Avenue Elevated in 1871 after acquiring it due to bankruptcy of the West Side and Yonkers Patent Railway. The Third Avenue El commenced operations in 1878, initially running between South Ferry and 129th Street. In 1879, control passed to the Manhattan Railway Company, which absorbed the New York Elevated Railroad.

Service over the Harlem River began in 1886 when the Suburban Rapid Transit Company opened a double-deck swing bridge linking Manhattan’s 129th Street terminal with 133rd Street in the Bronx. The Manhattan Railway took over Suburban's operations in 1891, facilitating extensions of the Third Avenue Line. By 1896, through service connecting Manhattan and Bronx stations was established. A pivotal moment came in 1902 when the Interborough Rapid Transit Company secured a 999-year lease on Manhattan Railway assets, enabling integration of Bronx rapid transit with IRT’s expanding subway network. Around this period, electrification of the line was finalized.

As part of the improvements under the Dual Contracts, a third track was added along much of the route to boost capacity and support express trains traveling in peak directions. This expansion represented a significant engineering accomplishment within New York City's transit infrastructure. The additional center track opened first in the Bronx on January 17, 1916, followed by its introduction in Manhattan on July 9, 1917.

By 1934, services included:

Third Avenue Local – operating between South Ferry and 129th Street on weekdays and Saturdays; extending to Bronx Park during Sundays and certain peak times.
Third Avenue Thru-Express – running from City Hall to 241st Street via the White Plains Road Line during rush hours.
Third Avenue Local-Express – covering City Hall to Bronx Park with express trains utilizing the center track during peak travel periods.

In December 1937, many local-express and local routes were lengthened to reach 241st Street, replacing shuttle services except during times of heavy directional traffic.

Throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, various service modifications occurred: Sunday evening local trains were rerouted to City Hall (1943); stops at Freeman Street were eliminated (1946); Saturday and peak period services were reduced (1947); closure of service between Chatham Square and South Ferry took place (1950); and gradual cutbacks south of 149th Street were implemented by 1952. Due to overcrowding issues, limited PM peak service was restored to Fordham Road later that year. On December 31, 1953, operations between Chatham Square and City Hall ended. Following this closure, service predominantly consisted of local trains running between Bronx stations and either Canal Street or Chatham Square during rush hours, with express trains operating only at peak times.

The termination of Manhattan's elevated line in 1955 forced East Side commuters to rely heavily on the congested IRT Lexington Avenue Line, highlighting ongoing challenges related to transit capacity east of Fifth Avenue.

Closures

During the 1930s and 1940s, efforts to unify New York City's subway operators—the IRT, BMT, and Independent Subway System (IND)—led to scrutiny of the Third Avenue elevated line alongside similar structures on Second, Sixth, and Ninth Avenues. These elevated railways were increasingly viewed by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia and his successors as outdated eyesores, especially in light of expanding subway networks.

The construction of the IND Sixth Avenue Line and IND Eighth Avenue Line rendered the Sixth and Ninth Avenue elevated lines unnecessary; consequently, these lines were closed by 1940 and dismantled by 1941. The Second Avenue elevated line was systematically taken down between 1940 and 1942. Following its shutdown on June 13, 1942, weekday and Saturday services were redirected to the Third Avenue Line, which stayed active while awaiting the proposed Second Avenue Subway replacement. Property owners opposed the elevated structure, leading to the formation of the Third Avenue Elevated Noise Abatement Committee in 1941 aimed at mitigating noise pollution impacting real estate values.

The phased closure of the system extended from 1950 through 1973. The South Ferry branch ceased operations on December 22, 1950, terminating service to its station; however, free transfers to the M13 bus route helped alleviate service disruptions. On November 14, 1951, the Bronx Park terminal shut down with local trains rerouted to Gun Hill Road or Fordham Road stations. Service south of 149th Street during evenings and weekends ended on March 14, 1952.

The City Hall spur was discontinued in 1953. On May 12, 1955, the main segment running from Chatham Square to East 149th Street was closed, marking the end of Manhattan's elevated train service. This closure prompted new developments that enhanced property values on the East Side but accelerated decline in certain Bronx neighborhoods. Reflecting this shift, the Real Estate Board of New York suggested renaming Third Avenue as "the Bouwerie."

In 1967, the remaining Bronx portion was redesignated as the 8 route, although trains continued to display SHUTTLE signs with their terminal destinations indicated.

According to the MTA’s 1968 Program for Action, plans were made to dismantle all remaining elevated lines considered obsolete infrastructure, replacing them with a parallel line following Metro-North's Harlem Line as part of the Second Avenue Subway project. Local communities anticipated a resurgence similar to Manhattan's post-closure revival. However, these plans were abandoned after voters rejected a $2.5 billion transportation bond in November 1971.

The Bronx section between East 149th Street and Gun Hill Road closed on April 29, 1973; demolition commenced on March 9, 1977 and was completed by year-end alongside sections of the Jamaica Line.

Financial difficulties during New York’s fiscal crisis in the 1970s halted further progress on the Second Avenue Subway. The Third Avenue elevated line was replaced by the Bx55 bus service, which duplicated train stops and offered free transfers at major subway hubs—one of the earliest examples of such integration citywide. When systemwide free transfers between buses and subways were introduced in the 1990s, these special arrangements became obsolete. The Bx55 route was discontinued in 2013 with the launch of Bx41 Select Bus Service (SBS), partially supplanted by Bx41 SBS and Bx15 Limited routes serving West Harlem via 125th Street but not extending beyond Fordham Plaza to Gun Hill Road.

Station list

Station	Number of Tracks	Inauguration Date	Closure Date	Connections and Remarks
Gun Hill Road	Express	October 4, 1920	April 29, 1973	White Plains Road Line
Williamsbridge–210th Street	Local	October 4, 1920	April 29, 1973
204th Street	Local	October 4, 1920	April 29, 1973
200th Street	Local	October 4, 1920	April 29, 1973
Bronx Park Terminal	Spur	May 21, 1902	November 14, 1951	Terminus until October 4, 1920
Fordham Road–190th Street	Express	July 1, 1901	April 29, 1973	NYC Harlem Line; initially named Pelham Avenue
183rd Street	Local	July 1, 1901	April 29, 1973
180th Street	Local	July 1, 1901	April 29, 1973
Tremont Avenue–177th Street	Express	July 20, 1891	April 29, 1973	Originally called 177th Street; provided access to Bronx Borough Hall
174th Street	Local	July 20, 1891	April 29, 1973
Claremont Parkway	Local	September 19, 1888	April 29, 1973	Formerly Wendover Avenue
169th Street	Local	September 2, 1888	April 29, 1973
166th Street	Local	December 25, 1887	April 29, 1973
161st Street	Local	August 7, 1887	April 29, 1973
156th Street	Local	July 1, 1887	April 29, 1973
149th Street	Express	June 16, 1887	April 29, 1973	IRT White Plains Road Line

References

"Crossings on Elevated Roads," The New York Times, March 14, 1879, page eight.
3rd AVE. EL - An ARDEE FILMS Release circa the early-1950s Public Domain; Associate Producer Helena Sand; Produced and Directed by Carson Davidson - filmed prior to South Ferry spur closure on December 22,1950.

External links

Operation

Closures

Station list

References

Further reading

External links