Station: Bergen Street (Crosstown Line)
From nycsubway.org
| IND Crosstown Line |
Overview
Opened: 3/20/1933
Two levels, two tracks and two side platforms on each level. The upper, active level was recently renovated. The tile here is unusual - the border has the lighter color. This border is a very light green, and the center is an equally dark shade of green. There is also dark green lower tile and splashes of light-green design interspersed at intervals.
There is no crossover or crossunder, unusual for an IND express station. But the express tracks' situation here is even more "unusual" compared to other IND construction. North of this station the local, upper-level, tracks communicate with the express, lower-level, tracks by a crooked ramp. Since the beginnings of the IND the trains headed for Jay Street crept down this ramp to the express tracks. From Jay Street they crept up the ramp to the local tracks. The short distance between the two stations was slow going and not at all the way the IND should work. This, plus the combined peculiarities of the terminating of the G Crosstown train at Smith/9th, points to a primitive intent to leave the express tracks fallow. All trains were destined to work only the local tracks.
The lower level is abandoned, and the express tracks from here to Church Ave. are unused. The lower platform can be accessed via sets of double stainless steel doors which, when open, reveal the stairs to the lower level. The lower level has no tile on the wall, just unpainted concrete and old lights. A look at the trackways on the upper reveals evidence the ceiling of the lower level platform.
Reader Robert W. comments on the lower level:
Originally, it was a twin of the upper level platforms with identical tile work, much in the style of the Nostrand Ave. station on the Fulton St. line. Iron gates preceded the large stainless steel doors now blocking access. The lower level express station actually did see some regular service for two brief periods. The first time was for eight months after the line opened and GG service terminated at Church Ave. during rush hours. During that time, the "D" train took the express tracks and stopped at the lower level of Bergen St. After that, the only time the lower level platforms were used were either due to service disruptions on the local tracks or fan trips.
In 1968, after the MTA takeover, the F train took over the service from the D (which was re-routed to the Brighton Beach Line) and ran express service to and from Coney Island during rush hours. The iron gates at Bergen St. were opened for access to the F express service. The GG was once again extended to Church Ave. This service lasted for only a year. Modern MTA signage had been added to the stairwells, but the lower level only saw sporadic service due to occasional disruptions on the local track. As there were no further plans for express service, when the upper level was upgraded with its fluorescent lights, the lower level retained its incandescent lighting.
Always subject to excessive water damage, the lower level platforms were permanently removed from revenue service when construction during the refurbishing of the upper level caused several weakened areas of the lower level's tile wall to collapse. NYCTA then removed the walls in their entirety. To at least keep the platforms for passengers in the event of emergency, the bare walls were painted white, signage left intact and the floors cleaned, but they never saw passenger service again. The platforms were occasionally used for storing construction materials, but they have for the most part been laid waste. The stairways behind the upper level access doors have been boarded up and sealed and the access areas themselves used for garbage collection material storage.
Scenes from the 1990 film Jacob's Ladder were filmed in the lower level here at Bergen Street. There is a long scene with Tim Robbins' character riding a train of R10 cars, and then being trapped in the (now-abandoned) lower level of Bergen Street station. The director's notes on the DVD indicates that they used lower Bergen St. for filming and added extensive IND stripe and station name tile and advertising posters at time of filming.
Trains heading north from here can continue on the IND Brooklyn-Queens Crosstown line to Hoyt-Schermerhorn Streets, or onto the IND 6th & 8th Avenue lines at Jay Street-Borough Hall. The "F" line service will stop at Jay Street and then continue via 6th Avenue; no service has been regularly operated from the Crosstown line to the IND 8th Avenue line.
Photo Gallery - Upper Level
 Image 885 (80k, 740x492) Photo by: Wayne Whitehorne Location: Bergen Street |
 Image 886 (76k, 738x485) Photo by: Wayne Whitehorne Location: Bergen Street |
 Image 887 (83k, 743x497) Photo by: Wayne Whitehorne Location: Bergen Street |
 Image 11445 (50k, 750x562) Photo by: Robbie Rosenfeld Location: Bergen Street |
 Image 11449 (59k, 727x529) Photo by: Robbie Rosenfeld Location: Bergen Street |
 Image 41314 (96k, 640x480) Photo by: Daniel Borde Location: Bergen Street |
 Image 95584 (247k, 1044x791) Photo by: Roberto C. Tobar Location: Bergen Street |
 Image 95585 (208k, 1044x791) Photo by: Roberto C. Tobar Location: Bergen Street |
 Image 95586 (181k, 1044x791) Photo by: Roberto C. Tobar Location: Bergen Street |
 Image 95587 (240k, 1044x791) Photo by: Roberto C. Tobar Location: Bergen Street |
 Image 98186 (216k, 1044x700) Photo by: Gin Yee Location: Bergen Street |
 Image 131188 (286k, 1024x687) Photo by: Wilfredo Castillo Location: Bergen Street |
Photo Gallery - Lower Level
 Image 2608 (170k, 1024x700) Photo by: Doug Grotjahn Collection of: Joe Testagrose Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
 Image 23210 (183k, 1024x688) Photo by: Steve Zabel Collection of: Joe Testagrose Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
 Image 24619 (45k, 820x534) Photo by: Shadow/Devo/Track 7 Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
 Image 94562 (210k, 1044x788) Photo by: Robert Mencher Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
 Image 94567 (186k, 1044x788) Photo by: Robert Mencher Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
 Image 94616 (197k, 1044x788) Photo by: Robert Mencher Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
 Image 94621 (198k, 1044x788) Photo by: Robert Mencher Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
 Image 94784 (202k, 1044x788) Photo by: Robert Mencher Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
 Image 94785 (195k, 1044x788) Photo by: Robert Mencher Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
 Image 98989 (186k, 1044x788) Photo by: Robert Mencher Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
 Image 98990 (193k, 1044x788) Photo by: Robert Mencher Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
 Image 98996 (200k, 1044x788) Photo by: Robert Mencher Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
 Image 99003 (226k, 1044x788) Photo by: Robert Mencher Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
 Image 99004 (224k, 1044x788) Photo by: Robert Mencher Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
 Image 99006 (212k, 1044x788) Photo by: Robert Mencher Location: Bergen Street-Lower Level |
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