Editing Independent Subway System (section)

===Second Manhattan trunk line, 1936–1940===
The first part of the [[IND Sixth Avenue Line]], or what was then known as the '''Houston–Essex Street Line''', began operations at noon on January 1, 1936 with two local tracks from a junction with the [[Washington Heights, Eighth Avenue and Church Street Line]] (Eighth Avenue Line) south of [[West Fourth Street–Washington Square (New York City Subway)|West Fourth Street–Washington Square]] east under [[Houston Street (Manhattan)|Houston Street]] and south under [[Essex Street (Manhattan)|Essex Street]] to a temporary terminal at [[East Broadway (IND Sixth Avenue Line)|East Broadway]]. [[E (New York City Subway service)|E]] trains, which ran from [[Jackson Heights, Queens]] to [[Hudson Terminal (IND Eighth Avenue Line)|Hudson Terminal]], were shifted to the new line to East Broadway.<ref name="East Broadway">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1936/01/02/archives/la-guardia-opens-new-subway-link-warmly-praises-delaney-as-he-puts.html|title=LaGuardia Opens New Subway Link|date=January 2, 1936|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|page=1|access-date=October 7, 2011}}</ref> Two express tracks were built on the portion under Houston Street until Essex Street-Avenue A; the tracks were intended to travel under the East River and connect with the never-built [[IND Worth Street Line]] in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nycsubway.org/articles/indsecond.html|title=IND Second System – 1929 Plan|last=Pirmann|first=David|date=November 1997|access-date=August 30, 2016|work=www.nycsubway.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/11/02/the-history-of-a-subway-shell-at-south-4th-street/|title=The history of a subway shell at South 4th Street|last=Kabak|first=Benjamin|date=November 2, 2010|access-date=August 30, 2016|work=Second Ave. Sagas}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/indsecsys.html|title=Abandoned Stations : IND Second System unfinished stations|last=Brennan|first=Joseph|date=2002|access-date=August 30, 2016|work=columbia.edu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/Station:_2nd_Avenue_(6th_Avenue_Line)|title=Second Avenue station IND 6th Avenue Line|last1=Pirmann|first1=David|last2=Darlington|first2=Peggy|access-date=August 30, 2016|last3=Aryel|first3=Ron|work=www.nycsubway.org}}</ref>

Just after midnight on April 9, 1936, trains began running under the [[East River]] via the Rutgers Street Tunnel, which connected the Houston-Essex Street Line with the north end of the [[IND Culver Line|Jay–Smith–Ninth Street Line]] at a junction with the Eighth Avenue Line north of [[Jay Street–Borough Hall (IND Culver Line)|Jay Street–Borough Hall]]. '''E''' trains were sent through the connection to [[Church Avenue (IND Culver Line)|Church Avenue]]. Simultaneously, the [[IND Fulton Street Line|Fulton Street Line]] was opened to [[Rockaway Avenue (IND Fulton Street Line)|Rockaway Avenue]] and the [[A (New York City Subway service)|A]] and [[C (New York City Subway service)|C]] trains, which had used Smith Street, were rerouted to Fulton Street.<ref name="Rutgers2">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1936/04/06/archives/two-subway-links-start-wednesday-city-will-begin-operating-fulton.html|title=Two Subway Links Start Wednesday|date=April 6, 1936|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|page=23|access-date=October 7, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0D13FF385B1B7B93CBA9178FD85F428385F9|title=New Subway Link Opened by Mayor|date=April 9, 1936|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|page=23|access-date=October 7, 2011}}</ref>

During construction, streetcar service along Sixth Avenue was terminated. The city had the choice of either restoring it upon the completion of construction or abandoning it immediately. As the city wanted to tear down the [[IRT Sixth Avenue Line]] right away and save on the costs of shoring it up while construction proceeded underneath it, the IRT Sixth Avenue Line was purchased for [[US dollar|$]]12.5 million and terminated by the city on December 5, 1938.

On December 15, 1940, local subway service began on Sixth Avenue from the West Fourth Street subway station to the 47-50th Street subway station with track connections to the IND 53rd Street Line.<ref name=":02">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1940/12/15/archives/new-subway-line-on-6th-ave-opens-at-midnight-fete-mayor-and-2000.html|title=New Subway Line on 6th Ave. Opens at Midnight Fete|date=December 15, 1940|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|page=1|access-date=October 7, 2011}}</ref> The Sixth Avenue Line's construction cost $59,500,000. The following routes were added with the opening of service:
* The [[AA (New York City Subway service)|AA]] Washington Heights Local was brought back for non-rush-hour service between [[168th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)|168th Street]] and [[Hudson Terminal (IND Eighth Avenue Line)|Hudson Terminal]] via the [[IND Eighth Avenue Line|Eighth Avenue Line]].
* The {{NYCS service|BB}} Washington Heights Local was added for rush-hour only service between [[168th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)|168th Street]] and [[Hudson Terminal (IND Eighth Avenue Line)|Hudson Terminal]] via the Sixth Avenue Line.
* The {{NYCS service|D}} Bronx Concourse Express was added for service between [[Norwood–205th Street (IND Concourse Line)|Norwood–205th Street]] and [[Hudson Terminal (IND Eighth Avenue Line)|Hudson Terminal]] via the Sixth Avenue Line.
* {{NYCS service|E}} (Queens–Manhattan Express) service was cut back from [[Church Avenue (IND Culver Line)|Church Avenue]] to [[Broadway–Lafayette Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line)|Broadway–Lafayette Street]].
* {{NYCS service|F}} (Queens–Manhattan Express) was added for service between [[Parsons Boulevard (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Parsons Boulevard]] and [[Church Avenue (IND Culver Line)|Church Avenue]] via the Sixth Avenue Line.

Sixth Avenue express service would not begin until 1967, after the [[Chrystie Street Connection]] opened.<ref name="nycsubway.org" />