Times Square/42nd Street
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Times Square/42nd Street (IRT West Side Line)

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Transfer here to: BMT Broadway Subway, IRT Flushing Line, IND 8th Avenue, IRT Times Square-Grand Central Shuttle

Times Square/42nd Street Station · Opened 7/1/1918

42nd Street-Times Square is part of a massive station complex, five stations joined together by a vast mezzanine and underground warren of connecting passageways. This station has been undergoing total reconstruction in stages starting in the mid 1990s. The reconstruction included a new entryway on the south side of 42nd Street between 7th Avenue and Broadway, featuring a bright neon and colored glass flashing sign with the train route symbols and the word "Subway". The street level fare control at this site features restored original "Times Square" mosaics from the Contract One (now Shuttle) station walls.

The 7th Avenue line platforms are arranged in a two island configuration, with many exit stairways leading both up to various mezzanines, and down, to connecting passageways to the Flushing and 8th Avenue subway lines. Evidence of former stairways leading down exist at various spots along the platform. The main exit is at the north end, leading to the Shuttle and BMT stations. The 7th Avenue line station at Times Square was the site of a 1928 wreck which killed 16 people, the second worst in NYC Transit history.

Just north of the station you can see the curved shuttle tracks and the track connection from Shuttle track 4 to the uptown local track. Trackways remain where shuttle tracks 1, 2, and 3 connected to the uptown express and both downtown tracks.

Some relative depths of stations in the Times Square complex are as follows, +/- 10 feet.

  • 7th Ave./West Side IRT, 40 feet below street
  • Flushing/#7 IRT, 60 feet below street
  • Broadway BMT, 50 feet below street
  • Shuttle, 20 feet below street
  • 8th Ave. IND, 30 feet below street

In 1999, a $244 million dollar renovation of the Times Square complex began. The goal is to reduce congestion and improve rider access, comfort and safety by improving visual lines and increasing pedestrian capacity. The main corridor is being widened 15 feet and the number of sharp corners reduced; ADA compliance is being introduced with elevators and escalators. The mezzanine above the BMT Broadway Line will feature a large oval balcony looking over the trackway and reducing the sense of claustrophobia described by many riders. This important project is at least a year away from completion.

Artwork: New York in Transit, Jacob Lawrence (2001)

Artwork: Times Square Mural, Roy Lichtenstein (1994)

Artwork: The Return of Spring/The Onset of Winter, Jack Beal (1999)

Artwork: Times Square Times: 35 Times, Toby Buonagurio (2005)

Artwork: The Revelers, Jane Dickson (2007)


(image 107012) (177k, 930x578)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Car: R62 (Kawasaki, 1983-1985) 1438/1434
Photo by: Peter Ehrlich
Date: 10/30/2009
Notes: Southbound. These two cars are survivors of the horrific Union Square wreck of 1991.
Viewed (this week/total): 21 / 140


(image 105992) (188k, 930x618)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: 2
Car: R142 6941
Photo by: Peter Ehrlich
Date: 10/9/2009
Viewed (this week/total): 10 / 91


(image 71035) (152k, 930x615)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: 1
Car: R62A (Bombardier, 1984-1987)
Photo by: Peter Ehrlich
Date: 7/22/2009
Notes: Times Square Junction (with Grand Central Shuttle Track 4) outbound.
Viewed (this week/total): 9 / 282


(image 71072) (197k, 930x618)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: 1
Car: R62A (Bombardier, 1984-1987) 2222
Photo by: Peter Ehrlich
Date: 7/22/2009
Notes: Southbound.
Viewed (this week/total): 16 / 170


(image 100837) (119k, 620x820)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: Work Service
Car: Locomotive R41 56
Photo by: Bill E.
Date: 5/9/2009
Viewed (this week/total): 2 / 259


(image 100836) (147k, 620x820)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: Work Service
Car: Locomotive R52 77
Photo by: Bill E.
Date: 5/9/2009
Viewed (this week/total): 2 / 223


(image 98609) (226k, 1044x788)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: 1
Car: R62A (Bombardier, 1984-1987) 1841
Photo by: John Barnes
Date: 3/26/2009
Viewed (this week/total): 8 / 389


(image 98256) (231k, 1044x788)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: 3
Car: R62 (Kawasaki, 1983-1985) 1406
Photo by: John Barnes
Date: 3/15/2009
Viewed (this week/total): 5 / 535


(image 103144) (195k, 1044x703)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Photo by: Lee Winson
Date: 5/5/2008
Viewed (this week/total): 8 / 397


(image 82499) (100k, 820x620)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: 2
Car: R142 6491
Photo by: Gary Chatterton
Date: 3/20/2008
Viewed (this week/total): 11 / 2007


(image 82500) (117k, 820x620)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: 3
Car: R62 (Kawasaki, 1983-1985) 1511
Photo by: Gary Chatterton
Date: 3/20/2008
Viewed (this week/total): 9 / 1607


(image 80544) (206k, 1044x728)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: 1
Car: R62A (Bombardier, 1984-1987) 2395
Photo by: Brian Weinberg
Date: 2/22/2008
Notes: Note that the (1) on the express track is making express stops to 14 St.
Viewed (this week/total): 10 / 2042


(image 79214) (162k, 819x619)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: 2
Car: R142 6484
Photo by: Bill E.
Date: 1/13/2008
Viewed (this week/total): 12 / 1807


(image 77406) (214k, 1044x788)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: 2
Car: R142 6898
Photo by: Bill E.
Date: 11/17/2007
Viewed (this week/total): 8 / 2000


(image 76925) (259k, 1044x788)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: 3
Car: R62 (Kawasaki, 1983-1985) 1582
Photo by: Bill E.
Date: 10/27/2007
Viewed (this week/total): 4 / 1656


(image 74956) (204k, 1044x788)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: 2
Car: R62 (Kawasaki, 1983-1985)
Photo by: Bill E.
Date: 9/30/2007
Viewed (this week/total): 5 / 1768


(image 70570) (68k, 820x620)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: 3
Car: R62A (Bombardier, 1984-1987) 1937
Photo by: Gary Chatterton
Date: 7/31/2007
Viewed (this week/total): 2 / 1786


(image 67380) (242k, 1044x788)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Photo by: Roberto C. Tobar
Date: 6/15/2007
Viewed (this week/total): 3 / 1923


(image 79568) (242k, 1044x788)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: Work Service
Car: Locomotive R52 71
Photo by: John Barnes
Date: 4/21/2007
Viewed (this week/total): 4 / 1443


(image 57479) (101k, 820x619)
Country: United States
City: New York
System: New York City Transit
Line: IRT West Side Line
Location: Times Square/42nd Street
Route: 1
Car: R62A (Bombardier, 1984-1987)
Photo by: John Czarnecky
Date: 12/18/2006
Viewed (this week/total): 5 / 3082


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