Editing IRT Flushing Line (section)

===Decline and rehabilitation<span class="anchor" id="Decline and rehabilitation, 1970s–80s"></span>===
[[File:7Train-33Rawson.png|thumb|A [[7 (New York City Subway service)|7]] train of [[R36 (New York City Subway car)|R36]] cars at 33rd Street–Rawson Street, in the [[Redbird trains|Redbird]] paint scheme|alt=]]
As with much of the rest of the subway system, the IRT Flushing Line was allowed to deteriorate throughout the 1970s to the late 1980s. Structural defects that required immediate attention at the time were labeled as "Code Red" defects or "Red Tag" areas, and were numerous on the Flushing Line. Some columns that supported elevated structures on the Flushing Line were so shaky that trains did not run when the wind speed exceeded {{convert|65|mph|km/h}}. This was particularly widespread on the Flushing and the [[BMT Jamaica Line]]s.
[[File:On May 13, Residents of Queens Are Going To Be Mad As Hell.jpg|thumb|Poster announcing the Flushing Line rehabilitation project in 1985.]]
On May 13, 1985, a 4{{1/2}}-year-long, $70 million project to overhaul the IRT Flushing Line commenced.<ref name=":8">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24553366/more_delays_ahead_for_no_7_line/|title=More delays ahead for No. 7 line|last=Slagle|first=Alton|date=December 2, 1990|work=New York Daily News|access-date=November 5, 2018}}</ref> It forced single-tracking on much of the line during weekends, and the elimination of express service for the duration of the project. The MTA advertised this change by putting leaflets in the ''New York Times'', the ''[[Staten Island Advance]]'', the ''[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]'', and ''[[Newsday]]''. The project laid new track, replaced or repaired concrete and steel structures, replaced wooden station canopies with aluminum, improved lighting, improved signage, and installed new ventilation and pumping equipment. Expanded service was provided when the Mets played home games or when there were sporting events in [[Flushing Meadows–Corona Park]]. Paradoxically, Flushing local trains had better on-time performance during the construction than before it started.

The $70 million rehabilitation project on the Queens Boulevard concrete viaduct was completed six months early, and <7> express service was restored on August 21, 1989, without stopping at [[61st Street–Woodside (IRT Flushing Line)|61st Street–Woodside]].<ref name=":32">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_5hq0ippLSwC&q=Manhattan+Bridge|title=Annual Report on ... Rapid Routes Schedules and Service Planning|date=1989|publisher=New York City Transit Authority|language=en}}</ref>{{Rp|17}} This led to protests by community members to get express service back at 61st Street station. The reason for the discontinuance on the Flushing express was because the MTA felt it took too long to transfer between locals and expresses. The service was also due to fears of delays on the line when locals and expresses merged after 33rd Street–Rawson Street. The change was supposed to enable local trains to stop at 61st Street every four minutes (15 trains per hour) during rush hours, but according to riders, the trains arrived every 8–10 minutes. The community opposition led to service changes, and expresses began stopping at Woodside again a few months later.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Feinman|first1=Mark S.|title=The New York Transit Authority in the 1980s|url=https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/The_New_York_Transit_Authority_in_the_1980s|work=www.nycsubway.org|access-date=November 8, 2016}}</ref>

On weekends between January 19 and March 11, 7 service was partially shutdown so that switches at the Fisk Interlocking could be replaced. The $5 million project was not done in conjunction with the work between 1985 and 1989 because the 23-year old switches were not due for replacement.<ref name=":8" />

In the mid-1990s, the MTA discovered that the Queens Boulevard viaduct structure was unstable, as rocks that were used to support the tracks as [[Track ballast|ballast]] became loose due to poor drainage, which, in turn, affected the integrity of the concrete structure overall. <7> express service was suspended again between 61st Street–Woodside and [[Queensboro Plaza (IRT Flushing Line)|Queensboro Plaza]]; temporary platforms were installed to access the express track in the four intermediate stations.<ref name="NYT 1995 r939">{{cite web |last=Pérez-Peńa |first=Richard | title=Along the Subway, a Feat in Concrete | website=The New York Times | date=October 9, 1995 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/09/nyregion/along-the-subway-a-feat-in-concrete.html | access-date=October 8, 2024}}</ref> The work began on April 5, 1993.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/127872292@N06/35119874302/in/album-72157652636594213/|title=April 1993 Map Information|date=April 1993|website=Flickr|publisher=New York City Transit Authority|language=en-us|access-date=October 7, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24541574/daily_news/|title=The repairs we're making on the 7 line will take some time. Like 3–4 minutes per trip if you ride the express.|date=April 2, 1993|work=New York Daily News|access-date=November 5, 2018}}</ref> When the viaduct reconstruction finished on March 31, 1997, full <7> express service was reinstated.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22799873/restoration_of_7_express_between/|title=7 Express service is being restored between 61 Street/Woodside and Queensboro Plaza|date=March 28, 1997|work=New York Daily News|access-date=November 5, 2018}}</ref> Throughout this entire period, ridership grew steadily.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/16/nyregion/on-the-no-7-subway-line-in-queens-it-s-an-underground-united-nations.html?pagewanted=all|title=On the No. 7 Subway Line in Queens, It's an Underground United Nations|last=Onishi|first=Norimitsu|date=February 16, 1997|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=May 15, 2009}}</ref>

In spring 2018, express service west of 74th Street was suspended temporarily so the MTA could fix the supports under the center track at 61st Street.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/no-7-line-losing-express-service-weeks-queens-article-1.3754184|title=No. 7 line losing express service for weeks in Queens|last=Rivoli|first=Dan|date=January 12, 2018|work=NY Daily News|access-date=January 17, 2018|language=en}}</ref>