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NYC Subway Historical Maps

The 1964 World's Fair edition of the subway system maps included this illustration on the cover. (Click to enlarge.)

1880-1920 | 1920-1940 | 1940-1960 | 1960-1970 | 1970-1980 | 1980-present
Single Line Diagrams


1880-1920


1920-1940

  • 1924 BMT Subway-Elevated Map (Color) [1.2M]
  • 1924 BMT Subway-Elevated Map (B/W) (PDF) [2.3M]
    Note that the Canarsie line is incomplete from Montrose to East New York, but the extension to Canarsie (past Rockaway Parkway) is in service. The 4th Avenue (Brooklyn) and Nassau St. (Manhattan) subways are not yet complete. BMT sharing Flushing line service to its terminal at Alburtis Avenue.

  • 1931 BMT Subway-Elevated Map (B/W) (PDF) [2.1M]
    Canarsie, Flushing, Nassau, and 4th Avenue lines complete. All of the Els still operating.

  • 1933 BMT Subway-Elevated Map (B/W) (PDF) [2.4M]
    Not too many changes. Map dated by presence of Radio City Music Hall, which opened in December 1932.

  • 1930s B&QT Trolley Map [435K]
    A 1930s-era map showing BMT Brooklyn and Queens Surface trolley lines. Thanks to Joe Korman for the scan.

  • 1937 IND Map (PDF) [1.2M]
    Here's an IND map from 1937 showing the IND World's Fair line, the completion of the "GG" crosstown, and the "HH" Court Street shuttle. The Fulton line was complete to Rockaway Ave.; no sign yet of the 6th Avenue trunk line.

  • 1939 IRT Route Map (Small) [256K]
  • 1939 IRT Route Map (Large) [1.0M]
    This 1939 IRT map shows the extensive network of IRT subway and elevated lines: East Side and West Side subways, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 9th Avenue Elevated lines, and the Flushing Line. Scan thanks to Richard Ondrovic.

  • 1939 IND Route Map (Small) [237K]
  • 1939 IND Route Map (Large) [663K]
    The 1939 IND map shows the 8th Avenue and Houston Street subways (the 6th Avenue yet to be completed), Fulton Street to Rockaway Avenue, the 9th St. subway in Brooklyn to Church Avenue, Queens Blvd. to Roosevelt Avenue, and Crosstown between Queens Plaza and Nassau Ave. Scan thanks to Richard Ondrovic.

  • 1939 BMT Route Map (Small) [230K]
  • 1939 BMT Route Map (Large) [578K]
    The 1939 BMT map shows the joint IRT/BMT Queens service, the Myrtle El, the Lexington El, Fulton El, 3rd and 5th Avenue El (all in Brooklyn), Brooklyn Bridge service to Park Row, and the longer Canarsie line. Scan thanks to Richard Ondrovic.

  • 1939 BMT Route Map (Cover) [129K]
  • 1939 BMT Route Map (Map and Places of Interest) [903K]
  • 1939 BMT Route Map (Service Guide, page 1) [566K]
  • 1939 BMT Route Map (Service Guide, page 2) [912K]
    Here is a 1939 BMT World's Fair special map which has photographs of other points of interest in NYC surrounding a map of the BMT elevated and subway lines. Courtesy Joe Korman.

  • 1939 System Route Map [1.2M] This 1939 system map (George J Nostrand/Seaman's Bank for Savings publisher, in the Hagstrom map style) shows the New York rapid transit system at nearly its most extensive configuration. Only the 6th Avenue el has been removed from service; the Brooklyn els are all still present, the IND lines completed (except for the Fulton past Rockaway Ave), and depicts Brooklyn Bridge train service and the 1939 World's Fair subway line. Note the errors depicting South Ferry and on the northern end of the Myrtle Ave el (it depicts the Myrtle tying into the Canarsie line not the Broadway line). This map also shows the BMT/IND connections at Church-Ditmas, and Queens Plaza, which, although proposed in 1940 didn't open until 1954. Thanks to Henry Kuck for the scan.

  • 1940 BMT Subway-Elevated Map (B/W) (PDF) [2.4M]
    Fulton El closed between Sands St. and Rockaway Avenue, replaced by free transfer to the IND Subway (which is not shown on the map). 3rd and 5th Avenue els also removed.

  • Brooklyn Trackless Trolley Map [260K]
    Undated Brooklyn trackless trolley wire map. Courtesy Sanford Gardner.


1940-1960

  • 1948 System Map (Large) [1.2M]
  • 1948 System Map (Small) [330K]
  • 1948 Route Information [247K]
    A 1948 system map, including route information for the three divisions. Joint IRT/BMT service to Astoria and Flushing is shown; 3rd Avenue El service in Manhattan still extends to South Ferry; the Fulton (showing thru service via Broadway and Lexington), Myrtle and Lexington Ave. Els in Brooklyn; Worth, 18th, 91st St. stations are still open on the Contract I IRT; Canarsie Trolley transfer. Thanks to Joe Korman for the scan.

  • 1949 Staten Island Rapid Transit Track Map [ 12K]
    A 1940s-era track map of the SIRT system, showing the now-abandoned North Shore line. Drawn and contributed by Michael Calcagno.

  • 1951 Route Map (Top Half - Bronx, Queens, upper Manhattan) [256K]
  • 1951 Route Map (Bottom Half - Brooklyn, lower Manhattan) [270K]
  • 1951 Route Map (Back Side - New York Telephone) [151K]
    This 1951 map printed by New York Telephone shows the three competing systems (IND, IRT, BMT) in different colors, plus the unimproved elevated lines. Depicted are the 3rd Avenue El as far south as City Hall in Manhattan and the Bronx; Myrtle El and Fulton Avenue El (from Rockaway Ave. to Lefferts via Atlantic Ave.) (Lexington Ave. El is gone) in Brooklyn, Culver Shuttle line, Nassau loop service, and the Polo Grounds shuttle in the Bronx. Worth and 18th Sts. have closed. Thanks to Richard Ondrovic for the scan.

  • 1955 Third Avenue Elevated, Manhattan [9.7K]
    A track map of the Manhattan Third Avenue Elevated just prior to its demolition in 1955. Drawn and contributed by Michael Calcagno.

  • 1959 System Map (Large) [2.0M]
  • 1959 System Map (Small) [559K]
  • 1959 System Map (Route Information) [539K] A 1959 system map, including route information for the three divisions. One of the first in the "new" schematic style. This map shows the 3rd Ave. El cut back to Bronx service only; the abandonment of the Bronx Park spurs of the 3rd Ave. and White Plains Road lines; the abandonment of the Polo Grounds shuttle; Culver Shuttle service is shown has having thru service from the 4th Ave. Subway to Ditmas; and service to the Rockaways (which started in 1956) is present with a "15c extra fare" notation. Thanks to Joe Korman for the scan.


1960-1970

  • 1964 System Map (Large) [1.5M]
  • 1964 System Map (Small) [140K]
  • 1964 System Map (Front Cover) [137K]
  • 1964 System Map (Back Cover) [ 89K]
    The 1964 World's Fair map, with the "Blue Arrow" motif, shows the Third Avenue elevated in the Bronx, the Myrtle Avenue elevated to Jay Street, Brooklyn, the Culver Shuttle, and Nassau Street loop service. This is a scan of the actual map, very high resolution 24-bit color.

  • 1966 System Map (Large) [1.8M]
  • 1966 System Map (Small) [498K]
  • 1966 System Map (Route Information) [180K]
    A 1966 system map, including route information for the three divisions. Similar to the schematic style of the 1959 map but with a lot more color. Very similar routes to the 1964 map. The Rockaway fare has gone up to 20 cents. Thanks to Joe Korman for the scan.

  • 1967 System Map [164K]
    The first in a new style, the 1967 map shows each line in its own color, and the Third Avenue (8), Myrtle Avenue (MJ), and Culver Shuttle (SS) lines are still running. The Chrystie Street Connection has just opened changing Manhattan Bridge service patterns, notably disconnection of the old Nassau Loop service. This map image is hand-redrawn by Michael Calcagno, patterned after the original map.

  • 1967 Chrystie Street "New Subway Routes" [492K]
  • 1967 Chrystie Street Strip Maps [794K]
    A scan of the November, 1967 "New Subway Routes" map showing the combined IND and BMT Chrystie Street services.

  • 1968 System Map [3.6M]
    This "pop up"-style foldout map was produced for the Irving Trust Bank (Nestor's Map and guide Corp) and dated July 1968, showing: Double letter locals (RR, RJ, JJ, QJ, TT, QB, MJ, etc.), Chrystie Street service; express "F" service in Brooklyn, etc. The Bronx was depicted in three sections: north of Tremont Avenue was on the back side of the map in two halves, the three sections were pieced back together for this scan.

  • 1968 System Map [154K]
  • 1968 Map - Photo (Top) [164K]
  • 1968 Map - Photo (Bottom) [134K]
    The 1968 map shows shows the new KK service from 57th/6th to Broadway-East New York via the Chrystie Street Connection. Hand-redrawn by Michael Calcagno, patterned after the original map. Compare to the photo of the real map contributed by Chris Slaight.

  • 1969 System Map [153K]
    The 1969 map shows the discontinuance of the Myrtle Avenue (MJ) service between Jay and Broadway. Hand-redrawn by Michael Calcagno, patterned after the original map.

  • 1969 Myrtle Avenue El Track Map [7.3K]
    This 1969 map of the Myrtle Avenue (MJ) depicts the line just prior to its abandonment and demolition between Jay Street and Broadway. Hand-redrawn by Michael Calcagno, patterned after the original map.


1970-1980

  • 1972 System Map [913K]
    Scan of a map from 1972, courtesy Henry Szablicki and Brian Hilley.

  • 1973 Third Avenue El - Bronx [5.6K]
    This map from 1973 depicts the track work of the IRT #8 line - the Third Avenue Elevated in the Bronx - just before its abandonment and demolition. Hand drawn by Michael Calcagno.

  • 1974 System Map [ 77K]
    This map from 1974 shows each line in its own color. The Third Avenue, Myrtle Avenue, and Culver Shuttle lines are no longer in service. Hand drawn by Michael Calcagno.

  • 1974 NYC Commuter Rail Overview [ 61K]
    Hand-drawn map depicting MTA commuter rail service in 1974.

  • 1975 Culver Shuttle [4.4K]
    The Culver Shuttle tracks prior to its abandonment in 1975. Map by Michael Calcagno.

  • 1978 System Map [ 76K]
    The 1978 map also shows each line in its own color. Major changes: elimination of the K train and the elimination of the 5, 6 and SS service from South Ferry; C and E terminal switch. Hand drawn by Michael Calcagno.


1980-present


Single Line Diagrams

Various "single line diagrams". How to read a single line diagram. These are in JPG format typically scanned from photocopied reductions of the large diagrams and are thus, not the best quality. Dates vary.

http://www.nycsubway.org/maps/historical.html
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