Bronx Inset of 1904 IRT Route map1916 view of the erection of the 3rd Ave El steel arch viaduct on Webster Ave to span Mosholu Pkwy.
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History of the Bronx 3rd Ave El
On May 12, 1955, the 3rd Ave El ended service in Manhattan leaving only the Bronx portion of the El in operation from Gun Hill Road to 149th St. The original section of the Bronx El, The Suburban Railway, built from the Harlem River to 149th St in 1888, remained in non-revenue service until the signaling and x-over at 149th St was installed. The Suburban Railway and the Harlem River Bridge was one of the early attempts to link the New Haven RR at 132nd St in the Bronx with the NYC El system at 129th St in Manhattan. (see construction photo below) Construction of the Bronx El followed 3rd Ave in the Bronx North reaching Tremont Ave in 1899, with a yard built at 179th St. (see above). Third Ave in the Bronx was named for the elevated railway route. Construction continued North to Fordham (Pelham) Road over the former Kingsbridge Road route of The NY and Fordham Rwy. The Botanical Garden Terminal (shown as 200 St on map) was opened in 1902 and was the end of the line until 1920. Service in the Bronx was expanded in 1904 when a connection from the 3rd Ave El at 150th St to the Westchester Ave extension of the IRT Subway was opened (on the Suburban Rwy Franchise Route), which permitted 2nd and 3rd Ave El trains to open the line to the Bronx Zoo at the Boston Post Road 180th St terminal. (see 1904 map at left.) The The Bergen Cutoff at 144th St replaced the junction at 150th St to the Westchester Ave Line in 1916, which the 2nd Ave El trains provided service exclusively. The 3rd Ave El in the Bronx was rebuilt with a center express track from 149th St to Fordham Road in 1916. In 1920, the Webster Ave Extension was opened to the double deck station at Gun Hill Road and 3rd Ave El trains went all the way to 241st St. In 1951, the Botanical Garden Terminal, the 179th St Yard, the 150th St connector and the Bergen Cutoff structure were removed. The center express track to Fordham Road was taken out of service after cessation of service to Manhattan in 1955. In 1956, the wood MUDC El cars and the BMT 1939 World's Fair Q cars were taken out of service and stored on the former express track South of 174th St. The MUDC cars were scrapped and the Q cars found their way back to the BMT to run on the Myrtle Ave El. The 3rd Ave El in the Bronx ended service on April 29, 1973. Most of the structure was removed in 1974 and few segments lasted until 1975.
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