Station: 137th Street-City College (IRT West Side Line)
From nycsubway.org
| IRT West Side Line |
Overview
Opened: 10/27/1904
Local station with three tracks and two side platforms. This station underwent 'modernization' in the 1970s into the present "restroom" style tilework and there are few mosaics left from the original installation. To make the walls smooth for the new tiles the old moldings and reliefs were ripped out. One relic, a ceramic cartouche of a three-faced figure, has been preserved at the New York Transit Museum. The three faces represent "Respice", "Adspice", and "Prospice", and is an emblem of nearby City College. There is a persistent local interest in restoring the station to a motif sympathetic to the original design.
Some of the schist excavated from the subway in this section of the IRT was used for facing on the buildings of City College.
Up to at least the late 1970s some weekday mid-day trains terminated at this station. There is a tower on the north end of the northbound platform, which is occasionally used to give some relief to the mainline tower at 240th St Yard, during general orders when this station is used as a terminal. Just north of this station is an underground lay up yard of five tracks in addition to the three tracks of the mainline. Looking south from the platforms one can see daylight from the portal at 135th Street leading to the Manhattan Valley Viaduct.
Artwork
Fossils, Steve Wood
Photo Gallery
 Image 113 (94k, 742x500) Photo by: Wayne Whitehorne Location: 137th Street/City College |
 Image 115 (133k, 640x480) Photo by: Richard Brome Location: 137th Street/City College |
 Image 116 (167k, 1044x788) Photo by: David Pirmann Location: 137th Street/City College |
 Image 11383 (46k, 705x474) Photo by: Robbie Rosenfeld Location: 137th Street/City College |
 Image 11384 (37k, 737x543) Photo by: Robbie Rosenfeld Location: 137th Street/City College |
 Image 32466 (170k, 818x507) Collection of: Ed Levine Location: 137th Street/City College |
 Image 34171 (142k, 720x503) Photo by: Peter Ehrlich Location: 137th Street/City College |
 Image 34174 (136k, 720x478) Photo by: Peter Ehrlich Location: 137th Street/City College |
 Image 64406 (155k, 1044x788) Photo by: Aliandro Brathwaite Location: 137th Street/City College |
 Image 86137 (196k, 1044x791) Photo by: Roberto C. Tobar Location: 137th Street/City College |
 Image 104095 (119k, 771x1024) Photo by: Robbie Rosenfeld Location: 137th Street/City College |
 Image 107647 (92k, 1024x683) Photo by: Robbie Rosenfeld Location: 137th Street/City College |
 Image 135923 (235k, 1044x788) Photo by: Christopher Henderson Location: 137th Street/City College |
 Image 135924 (246k, 1044x788) Photo by: Christopher Henderson Location: 137th Street/City College |
 Image 137298 (310k, 1024x687) Photo by: Wilfredo Castillo Location: 137th Street/City College |
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