Editing IND Queens Boulevard Line (section)

==Route==
The IND Queens Boulevard Line begins with a large storage yard consisting of two levels with four tracks each south of 185th Street and Hillside Avenue. Once the tracks from the lower level merge with the tracks on the upper level, there is the first station [[Jamaica–179th Street (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Jamaica–179th Street]] ({{NYCS trains|Queens Hillside}}), and the line continues as a four-track subway under [[Hillside Avenue (Queens)|Hillside Avenue]].<ref name="NYTImes-169Test-19372">* {{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1937/04/09/94351009.pdf|title=Trial Run to Jamaica on Subway Tomorrow: Section From Kew Gardens to 169th Street Will Open to Public in Two Weeks|date=April 9, 1937|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 30, 2015}}
* {{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1946/08/02/93139678.pdf|title=Subway Extension In Queens Is Voted|date=August 2, 1946|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 30, 2015}}
* {{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/21/nyregion/for-shelter-homeless-take-the-e-train.html|title=For Shelter, Homeless Take the E Train|last1=Verhovek|first1=Sam Howe|date=November 21, 1988|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=July 15, 2015|archive-date=October 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013173155/http://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/21/nyregion/for-shelter-homeless-take-the-e-train.html?pagewanted=all|url-status=live}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.vanshnookenraggen.com/_index/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/IND_Hillside-Ext.jpg|title=Hillside Avenue Extension, Route 108-Section 13|last=Erlitz|first=Jeffrey|date=September 12, 1931|access-date=July 10, 2016|archive-date=January 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220105174629/https://www.vanshnookenraggen.com/_index/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/IND_Hillside-Ext.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref> Just after curving north under the [[Interstate 678|Van Wyck Expressway]], a [[flying junction]] joins the two-track [[Archer Avenue Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Archer upper}}) to the local and express tracks. Soon after, the line turns west under [[Queens Boulevard]].<ref name=":23">{{NYCS const|trackref|trackbook}}</ref>

[[File:IND 39th Av Ventilation Complex jeh.jpg|thumb|left|39th Avenue Ventilation Complex on Northern Boulevard]]

East of [[Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike]], another flying junction ties the eastward tracks to [[Jamaica Yard]]. The other side of the wye curves west to become a lower level of the subway just west of Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike. After passing through [[75th Avenue (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|75th Avenue]], those tracks join the local and express tracks at another flying junction.<ref name=":23" />

At [[Forest Hills–71st Avenue (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Forest Hills–71st Avenue]], {{NYCS Queens 71st}} trains begin their westward route. West of here, the line (now carrying the {{NYCS trains|Queens}}) runs under Queens Boulevard until it turns north onto Broadway after [[Grand Avenue–Newtown (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Grand Avenue–Newtown]]. Near [[Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue]], an abandoned trackless tunnel for the [[IND Second System]] branches off into an unused upper part of the station which is used for storage.<ref name=NYTimes-Subway-LoftyAmbitions-1996 /> At the intersection of Broadway and [[New York State Route 25A|Northern Boulevard]], west of the line's [[Northern Boulevard (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Northern Boulevard]] station, the express tracks turn west under Northern Boulevard. The local tracks take a longer route, remaining under Broadway, then turning south onto Steinway Street and west again onto Northern Boulevard, where they rejoin the express tracks.<ref name=":23" /><ref name=":03">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8cDPQAACAAJ|title=Building the Independent Subway|last=Kramer|first=Frederick A.|date=1990|publisher=Quadrant Press|isbn=978-0-915276-50-9|language=en|access-date=July 17, 2016|archive-date=October 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006133150/https://books.google.com/books?id=w8cDPQAACAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> This is only one of two areas in the subway where the express tracks diverge from the local tracks (the other being the [[IND Culver Line]] between [[Seventh Avenue (IND Culver Line)|Seventh Avenue]] and [[Church Avenue (IND Culver Line)|Church Avenue]].)<ref name=MTA-CapitalOversight-July2015 /><ref name=NYTimes-OurGreatSubway-IND2ndSystem-1929 />

As the line leaves [[36th Street (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|36th Street]], the two-track [[IND 63rd Street Line]] ({{NYCS trains|63rd connector}}) splits from both sets of tracks at a flying junction, running to Manhattan under 41st Avenue. The Queens Boulevard Line continues under Northern Boulevard to [[Queens Plaza (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Queens Plaza]] ({{NYCS trains|Queens Plaza}}) before line splitting into three parts at another flying junction. The express tracks ({{NYCS trains|Queens 53rd}}) continue towards Manhattan under 44th Drive, while the local tracks split two ways, with the [[60th Street Tunnel Connection]] ({{NYCS trains|60th Connection}}) turning northwest and the [[IND Crosstown Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Crosstown north}}) remaining under Jackson Avenue (Northern Boulevard south of Queens Plaza). From this point on, the Queens Boulevard Line has only two tracks.<ref name=":23" />

The line continues west through the 53rd Street Tunnel under the [[East River]] into Manhattan. After [[Lexington Avenue–53rd Street (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Lexington Avenue–53rd Street]], the westbound track rises above the eastbound track. A flying junction after [[Fifth Avenue/53rd Street (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Fifth Avenue/53rd Street]], ties the westbound track into the southbound local tracks of the [[IND Sixth Avenue Line]], which begin here as a merge of these connection tracks and the [[IND 63rd Street Line]]. At that junction, the Sixth Avenue express tracks turn west under 53rd Street, just to the south of the Queens Boulevard Line. The two lines share platforms at [[Seventh Avenue (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Seventh Avenue]], but no connecting tracks are present.<ref name=":23" />

The Queens Boulevard Line then turns south below the [[IND Eighth Avenue Line]] with separate lower-level platforms at [[50th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)|50th Street]]. Afterward, the tracks split to join the local and express tracks of the Eighth Avenue Line north of [[42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal]]. At that station, a special lower platform formerly served a single southbound track from the Queens Boulevard Line, merging with both southbound tracks of the Eighth Avenue Line south of the station;<ref name=":23" /><ref name=NYTimes-42PABTLwrLvl-1952>{{cite news|title=New IND Platform Will Open Monday|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1952/08/23/84347733.pdf|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 30, 2015|date=August 23, 1952|archive-date=June 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220619171810/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1952/08/23/84347733.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=NYTimes-42PABTLwr-Expedite-1952>{{cite news|last1=Ingraham|first1=Joseph C.|title=New IND Platform at 8th and 42d To Expedite Service From Queens|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1952/06/20/93496604.pdf|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 30, 2015|date=June 20, 1952|archive-date=June 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220619171817/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1952/06/20/93496604.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|url-status=live}}</ref> the long-disused platform was demolished in June 2013 to make way for the [[7 Subway Extension|extension of the IRT Flushing Line]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Abandoned No More: 2nd Life Drilled into Old 7 Subway Platform |first=Pete |last=Donohue |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/06/20/2009-06-20_abandoned_no_more_2nd_life_drilled_into_old_7_subway_platform.html |newspaper=[[Daily News (New York)|New York Daily News]] |date=June 20, 2009 |access-date=January 30, 2010 |archive-date=June 23, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090623061323/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/06/20/2009-06-20_abandoned_no_more_2nd_life_drilled_into_old_7_subway_platform.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{wide image|Linea IND Queens Boulevard.png|600px|Overview of the IND Queens Boulevard Line}}