Editing Dual Contracts (section)

===Queensboro Plaza===
[[File:Queensboro Plaza.png|thumb|right|250px|[[Queensboro Plaza (New York City Subway)|Queensboro Plaza]] track plan]]
The contract negotiations were long and sometimes acrimonious. For instance, when the IRT was reluctant to cede the BRT's proposed access to [[Midtown Manhattan]] via the [[BMT Broadway Line|Broadway Line]], the city and state negotiators immediately offered the BRT ''all'' of the lines under proposal. This included lines that would have only been operable using IRT rolling stock dimensions, such as the upper [[IRT Lexington Avenue Line|Lexington Avenue Line]] and both lines in Queens. The IRT quickly gave in to the "invasion" of Midtown Manhattan by the BRT.{{sfn|Public Service Commission|1913|loc=chapter 1}}{{sfn|Rogoff|1960}}

The assignment of the proposed lines in [[Queens]] proved to be an imposition on both companies. Instead of one company enjoying a monopoly in that borough, both proposed lines—a [[BMT Astoria Line|short line]] to [[Astoria, Queens|Astoria]], and a [[IRT Flushing Line|longer line]] reaching initially to [[Corona, Queens|Corona]], and eventually to [[Flushing, Queens|Flushing]]—were assigned to ''both'' companies, to be operated in what was called "joint service". The lines would start from a large interchange station, [[Queensboro Plaza (New York City Subway)|Queensboro Plaza]]. The IRT would access the station from both the 1907 [[Steinway Tunnel]] and an extension of the [[IRT Second Avenue Line|Second Avenue Elevated]] from Manhattan over the [[Queensboro Bridge]]. The BRT would feed the Queens lines from the [[60th Street Tunnel]] in Manhattan. Technically the line was under IRT "ownership", but the BRT/BMT was granted [[trackage rights]] in perpetuity, essentially making it theirs also.{{sfn|Public Service Commission|1913|loc=chapter 1}}{{sfn|Rogoff|1960}}

The BRT had a big disadvantage, as both Queens lines were built to IRT specifications. This meant that IRT passengers had a one-seat ride to Manhattan destinations, whereas BRT passengers had to make a change at Queensboro Plaza. This came to be important when service was extended for the [[1939 World's Fair]], as the IRT was able to offer direct express trains from Manhattan, and the BRT was not. This practice lasted well into the municipal ownership of the lines, and was not ended until 1949. Both companies shared in the revenues from this service. To facilitate this arrangement originally, extra long platforms were constructed along both Queens routes, so separate fare controls/boarding areas could be established. This quickly turned out to be operationally unworkable, so eventually a proportionate formula was worked out. The bonus legacy of this construction was that the IRT was able to operate 11-car trains on this line, and when the BMT took over the [[BMT Astoria Line|Astoria Line]], minimal work had to be done to accommodate 10-car BMT units.{{sfn|Rogoff|1960}}