Middletown Road (IRT Pelham Line)

The Middletown Road station is a local station of the IRT Pelham Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Middletown Road and Westchester Avenue in the Pelham Bay neighborhood of the Bronx, it is served by the 6 train at all times except weekdays in the peak direction, when the <6> train takes over.

History

Construction and opening

In 1913, New York City, the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, and the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) reached an agreement, known as the Dual Contracts, to dramatically expand subway service across the city. The portion of the agreement between New York City and the IRT was known as Contract 3. As part of this contract, the IRT agreed to construct a branch of the original subway, which opened in 1904, north along Lexington Avenue with branches along Jerome Avenue and a three-track branch running northeast via 138th Street, Southern Boulevard and Westchester Avenue to Pelham Bay Park.

The construction of the Lexington Avenue Line, in conjunction with the construction of the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line would change the operations of the IRT system. Instead of having trains go via Broadway, turning onto 42nd Street, before finally turning onto Park Avenue, there would be two trunk lines connected by the 42nd Street Shuttle. The system would be changed from looking like a "Z" system on a map to an "H" system. One trunk would run via the new Lexington Avenue Line down Park Avenue, and the other trunk would run via the new Seventh Avenue Line up Broadway.

This station opened on December 20, 1920, as part of the final extension of the Pelham Line from Westchester Square to Pelham Bay Park. Service to Pelham Bay Park was originally provided by a mix of through and shuttle trains during the 1920s.

Renovation

From October 5, 2013, to May 4, 2014, the station was closed for rehabilitation work. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) was sued for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by not including elevators in the renovation. The United States Department of Justice joined the lawsuit as a plaintiff in 2018, and a federal judge ruled in 2019 that the MTA had indeed violated the ADA. The MTA announced in December 2024 that elevators at Middletown Road would be installed as part of the agency's 2020–2024 capital plan.

Station layout

This elevated station has two side platforms and three tracks. The center express track is not used in regular service. South of the station are track leads to Westchester Yard, the main yard for all 6 and <6> trains. The center and Manhattan-bound local tracks rise above these leads. The 6 local train serves the station at all times except rush hours in the peak direction, when the <6> express train serves the station instead. The next stop to the south is Westchester Square–East Tremont Avenue, while the next stop to the north is Buhre Avenue.

Both platforms have beige windscreens and red canopies with green frames and support columns in the center. On either ends are white waist-high steel fences with sodium lampposts at regular intervals. The station name signs are in the standard black plates with white Helvetica lettering.

Exits

This station has one wooden elevated mezzanine below the platforms and tracks. Two staircases from the center of each platform go down to the mezzanine, where a turnstile bank provides access to and from the station. Outside fare control, there is a token booth and two street stairs. One goes south down to the triangular corner of Middletown Road and Westchester Avenue and the other to the north side of Westchester Avenue.

References

External links

*
* Station Reporter â€
6 Train
* The Subway Nut â€



Middletown Road entrance from Google Maps Street View

Platforms from Google Maps Street View

{{NYCS stations navbox by line, pelham=yes

IRT Pelham Line stations
New York City Subway stations in the Bronx
Railway stations in the United States opened in 1920
1920 establishments in New York City