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The Independent Subway

The Independent, or IND, was the last of the three former competing subway systems. Built by the city to be "independent" of the interests of the IRT and BMT, it contributed six major lines to what is now the unified New York Subway. This view, at West 4th Street, is representative of the way the IND stations appeared for many years after their opening. Photo by Doug Grotjahn.

History Of The Independent Subway
www.nycsubway.org is proud to have a full history of the Independent Subway and today's IND Division. It covers the development of the Independent system from early planning and construction, its ambitious expansion plans, its role in the unification of the three competing systems, and recent developments in planning future subway lines.

New Subways: Proposed Additions to Rapid Transit System...
A 1922 proposal by the Transit Commission proposed some extensions to the Dual Contracts system, including some lines that were eventually built as part of the Independent Subway.

Subway Consolidation Necessary for Adequate Service and Economy
This report published in 1927 spoke out against the IND's plans and suggested alternatives.

The IND Second System: 1929 Plan
The IND Second System plan included the Second Avenue subway and other new lines in Manhattan, and extensive new construction in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn.

Gay Midnight Crowd Rides First Trains in the New Subway
The New York Times coverage of September 10, 1932, the morning after the opening of the IND Eighth Avenue subway.

The Jay-Smith Street Subway and Part of the Fulton Street Subway in the Borough of Brooklyn
A 1934 paper presented to the Municipal Engineers Society of the City of New York describes construction techniques of the IND in Brooklyn.

The 1939 World's Fair Railroad
This overview of the 1939 World's Fair subway extension includes a discussion of single-line diagrams and a visit to Jamaica Yard.

IND Opening Dates Timeline.

IND Station Tile Colors.