PRESENT ARRANGEMENT OF TRACKS AT 96TH STREET.

Plan A.

Figure 1.

At the present time, the 96th Street station is served by two express tracks and two local tracks, the general arrangement being as shown by Plan A, Figure 1.

Just north of the station platform, cross-overs are provided, one cross-over connecting the north bound tracks and the other cross-over connecting the south bound tracks.

Of the four tracks north of these cross-overs, the two center tracks are used for the Lenox trains and the two outer tracks for the Broadway trains.

The two center or Lenox tracks drop down on a grade of about 0.5% until they pass directly under the Broadway tracks and branch off at 103rd Street.

At 100th Street on the Broadway line, a third track is introduced upon the upper level connected by means of a cross-over to the outside Broadway tracks and this third track is used for express trains to and from 137th Street.

The disadvantages of the present arrangement are the two track crossings or cross-overs at grade, and the operation of both the Broadway local and express trains over the same track from 97th to 100th Street. Both of these defects cause considerable delay in the operation of the trains particularly during rush hour periods.

REARRANGEMENT OF TRACK AT 96TH STREET APPROVED BY PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.

Plan B.

Figure 1.

The change proposed and approved is intended to do away with the two grade crossings and at the same time furnish two additional local tracks, both North bound and South bound. This arrangement is shown by Plan B, Figure 1. The tracks for the Broadway local trains will connect with the Broadway local tracks at points north of the cross-over which serves the center express track, in such a way that the Broadway local trains can enter and leave the 96th Street station without interfering with or being hindered by the express trains using the center tracks.

The arrangement allows for the introduction of these local tracks outside of the present Subway walls and the two tracks on each side are connected at the station end so as to use one opening in the wall.

As soon as the local tracks pass through the walls at 96th Street, each track is divided into two separate tracks, one for the Lenox local trains and one for the Broadway local trains. These two tracks run side by side at the same grade, which is that of the present Broadway line, until near 98th Street where the Lenox Avenue tracks drop down on a 2.1% grade which continues until the difference in elevation is sufficient

to allow the Lenox tracks to pass beneath those of the Broadway line. In this position with one set vertically above the other, they connect with their respective tracks. The express tracks under the new arrangement remain as at present.

This arrangement, by eliminating the grade crossings, will add to the promptness with which trains can at present be passed through 96th Street sufficiently to justify the investment of $850,000 which will be required to make the changes. Incidentally the four additional tracks will provide an additional advantage of a storage space for trains, both North bound and South bound which will add materially to the flexibility of train movements between the two branch lines and the four tracks of the main stem.

REARRANGEMENT OF TRACKS AT 96TH STREET WITH DOUBLE DECK STATION.

Plan C.
Figure 1.

The only difference between Plan B and Plan C is the addition of two extra tracks in the 96th Street station itself. It is proposed to locate these tracks on a lower level than the present tracks and next to the building lines as shown by the cross section drawing in Plate II. The use of these additional tracks for the local trains would allow the four present tracks in the station to be utilized exclusively for express service. It is proposed, under this arrangement, to connect the present outer tracks to the central express tracks directly south of the station and to separate the Lenox express trains from the Broadway express trains at this point instead of as at present at a point directly north of the station.

The local tracks would start on a down grade south of the station so as to reach the lower level by means of a grade not exceeding 2%. The two sets of local tracks directly north of the station would be connected as in Plan B but instead of breaking through the wall of the Subway, would be connected directly to the new local tracks in the station on the lower level. After the local tracks divide, one would rise on an easy grade to connect with the Broadway local tracks and the other would remain at the lower level and connect with the Lenox Avenue tracks directly under the Broadway connection.

The advantage of the arrangement shown in Plan C over the arrangement shown in Plan B is that additional storage space would be provided for the express trains at the station platforms so that the express trains running in either direction would have ample time to load and unload passengers while waiting for the signal to proceed, whereas with the former plan if an express train were at the platform the following express train would have to wait until the first train had entirely left the platform. Thus the improved arrangement would greatly increase the capacity

of the 96th Street station so far as express trains are concerned and leave the local track capacity the same as it is at present.

The fact that the platform for local trains would be at a different level from the express platform would serve to discourage the large amount of unnecessary transferring which now occurs at 96th Street. At the same time, the transfer privilege would not be removed.

Note:

By installing an additional cross-over at 102nd Street between the center track on the Broadway division and the two outside tracks, it would be possible to run the trains, which have used this third track, upon the local tracks south of 96th Street. This connection can be used in case it is found advisable eventually to start 10-car express trains at 137th Street on the Broadway line stopping at Manhattan Street, 116th Street, 110th Street, 103rd Street and 96th Street and then operating these trains as express trains south of 96th Street.