Editing IND Culver Line (section)

====BMT Culver Line (1875–1954)====
{{main|Culver Line (surface)}}
{{stack|float=right|
[[File:Culver Shuttle Structure.png|thumb|Culver Line structure being constructed in 1917]] 
[[Image:Culver stub Cortelyou Rd 2008 jeh.jpg|thumb|Stub of elevated line formerly running west from Cortelyou Road along 37th Street]]
[[File:BMT Brighton Line & West 12th Street.webm|thumb|Bilevel structure of elevated, between West 8th Street and Coney Island stations. The upper level is used by the BMT Brighton Line.]]
}}
The original Culver Line was opened by the [[Prospect Park and Coney Island Railroad]] and was named after the railroad's builder, [[Andrew Culver (railroad)|Andrew N. Culver]].<ref>{{cite web | last=Matus | first=Paul | title=Culver's Travels. The demolition of a Brooklyn elevated link | website=Forgotten New York | date=February 13, 2003 | url=http://forgotten-ny.com/2003/02/culvers-travels-the-demolition-of-a-brooklyn-elevated-link/ | access-date=June 27, 2016 | archive-date=August 16, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816174446/http://forgotten-ny.com/2003/02/culvers-travels-the-demolition-of-a-brooklyn-elevated-link/ | url-status=live}}</ref> The line ran along the surface of McDonald Avenue (then Gravesend Avenue) from [[Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn|Greenwood Cemetery]] (where it connected with [[horse car]] lines including the [[Vanderbilt Avenue Line]], operated by the PP&CI until 1886<ref>{{cite news |date=December 21, 1885 |title=A Big Lease |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/brooklyn-eagle/7784842/ |work=[[Brooklyn Daily Eagle]] |location=[[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]] |page=4}}</ref>) to the [[Culver Depot]] in [[Coney Island, Brooklyn|Coney Island]], on June 25, 1875.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 19, 1875 |title=Prospect Park and Coney Island R. R. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/brooklyn-eagle-prospect-park-and-coney-i/160720863/ |work=[[Brooklyn Daily Eagle]] |location=[[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]] |page=3}}</ref><ref name="Cudahy2002">{{cite book|author=Brian J. Cudahy|title=How We Got to Coney Island: The Development of Mass Transportation in Brooklyn and Kings County|url=https://archive.org/details/howwegottoconeyi0000cuda|url-access=registration|date=January 2002|publisher=Fordham University Press|isbn=978-0-8232-2208-7}}</ref> The PP&CI began serving the Union Depot at 36th Street, where transfer could be made to the [[Fifth Avenue Elevated]], on June 7, 1890, by using the Prospect Park and South Brooklyn Railroad from a junction at Parkville.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 15, 1890 |title=The New Union Depot |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/brooklyn-eagle-the-new-union-depot/160720931/ |work=[[Brooklyn Daily Eagle]] |location=[[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]] |page=19}}</ref>

During a period of [[Long Island Rail Road]] control, from 1893<ref>{{cite news |date=January 24, 1893 |title=Corbin Buys the P.P. and C.I.R.R. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/brooklyn-eagle-corbin-buys-the-p-p-and/160721094/ |work=[[Brooklyn Daily Eagle]] |location=[[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]] |page=1}}</ref> to 1899,<ref name="BRT">{{cite news |date=June 17, 1899 |title=Transit Co. Leases P.P. and C.I. Road |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/brooklyn-eagle-transit-co-leases-p-p/160721182/ |work=[[Brooklyn Daily Eagle]] |location=[[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]] |page=1}}</ref> a ramp at 36th Street was opened in 1895, allowing [[Brooklyn Elevated Railroad]] trains to operate over the Culver Line to Coney Island.<ref>{{cite news |date=August 6, 1895 |title=Connecting Two Railroads |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/brooklyn-eagle-the-new-route-to-the-sea/160721263/ |work=[[Brooklyn Daily Eagle]] |location=[[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]] |page=2}}</ref> The [[Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company]] (BRT), by then the owner of the Brooklyn Elevated, leased the Culver Line (to the [[Brooklyn Heights Railroad]]) on June 18, 1899, and began using it to take not only elevated trains but also [[trolley (rail)|trolleys]] to Coney Island.<ref name="BRT" />

As part of Contract 4 of the [[Dual Contracts]], between the city and the BRT, a three-track [[elevated railway]] was built above the Culver Line. The line, formally known as Route 49, or the Gravesend Avenue Line, was to run from the Fifth Avenue Elevated at Tenth Avenue and 37th Street, above private property south of 37th Street, and then south over Gravesend Avenue to Coney Island. At [[Ninth Avenue (BMT Culver Line)|Ninth Avenue]], the elevated replacements for the Culver Line and [[BMT West End Line|West End Line]] met, with access from both lines to the Fifth Avenue Elevated and [[BMT Fourth Avenue Line|Fourth Avenue Subway]] to the northwest.<ref>[[New York Public Service Commission]], [http://www.nycsubway.org/articles/newsubways3.html New Subways For New York: The Dual System of Rapid Transit] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006132647/https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/Chapter_3:_Brooklyn_Company_Routes_and_Stations |date=October 6, 2022}}, June 1913</ref>

Construction of the route was done in four sections: Section 1, 1-A, 2, and 3. Section 1-A extended from a location on the west building line of Tenth Avenue between 38th Street and 37th Street to a location {{Convert|372|feet|meters|abbr=}} east of the building line on Tenth Avenue, running in an open cut and then a fill over Tenth Avenue. Section 1 extended from a point {{Convert|372|feet|meters|abbr=}} east of the building line on Tenth Avenue to, over private property and 37th Street, and Gravesend Avenue to a location {{Convert|530|feet|meters|abbr=}} south of the intersection of Gravesend Avenue and the southern building line of 22nd Avenue. Section 2 stretched from here along Gravesend Avenue to Avenue X, and Section 3 continued from here south along Shell Road and West 6th Street to a point near the southern line of Sheepshead Bay Road, where it would connect with the Brighton Line for access to Coney Island.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZaAbAQAAIAAJ&q=entrnace|title=Report of the Public Service Commission For The First District of the State of New York For The Year Ending December 31, 1917 Vol. I|date=1918|publisher=New York State Public Service Commission|pages=291–300|language=en|access-date=May 10, 2021|archive-date=October 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006132646/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZaAbAQAAIAAJ&q=entrnace|url-status=live}}</ref>

The contract to construct Section 2 was awarded to Oscar Daniels Company for $863,775 on July 10, 1915. Work was to be completed in eighteen months. On September 8, 1915, the contract to construct Section 1 was awarded to Post & McCord for $877,859. Work on the section was to be completed in fifteen months. On January 23, 1917, a contract to construct Section 1-in four months A of the line was awarded to Thomas Dwyer for $42,268.<ref name=":4" />

[[Image:Bmt triplex no 5.png|thumb|left|150px|Route designation on [[D-type Triplex (New York City Subway car)|BMT D Triplex]] equipment]]

At 3:00&nbsp;a.m. on March 16, 1919, the first portion of the new elevated structure opened from Ninth Avenue southeast and south to [[Kings Highway (IND Culver Line)|Kings Highway]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AINOAQAAMAAJ&q=18th+avenue+culver+line&pg=PA130|title=Legislative Documents|date=January 1, 1920|publisher=J.B. Lyon Company|language=en|access-date=October 26, 2020|archive-date=October 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006132645/https://books.google.com/books?id=AINOAQAAMAAJ&q=18th+avenue+culver+line&pg=PA130|url-status=live}}</ref> Except for the omission of a station at 15th Avenue, all of the station locations from the surface line were preserved as elevated stations. The Culver Line was operated as a branch of the Fifth Avenue Elevated, with a free transfer at Ninth Avenue to the West End Line into the Fourth Avenue Subway.<ref name="Kings">{{Cite news|date=March 9, 1919|title=B.R.T. Will Open Culver Line Elevated Road as Far as Kings Highway on Sunday Next|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1919/03/09/archives/brt-will-open-culver-line-elevated-road-as-far-as-kings-highway-on.html|access-date=July 12, 2021|issn=0362-4331|page=23|archive-date=July 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712154949/https://www.nytimes.com/1919/03/09/archives/brt-will-open-culver-line-elevated-road-as-far-as-kings-highway-on.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=March 16, 1919|title=Culver Line Open Today; Time of First Train on Elevated Set for 3 A. M.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1919/03/16/archives/culver-line-open-today-time-of-first-train-on-elevated-set-for-3-a.html|access-date=July 12, 2021|issn=0362-4331|page=8|archive-date=March 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313204743/https://www.nytimes.com/1919/03/16/archives/culver-line-open-today-time-of-first-train-on-elevated-set-for-3-a.html|url-status=live|postscript=none}}; {{Cite news|last=Kracke|first=Frederick J. H.|author-link=Frederick J. H. Kracke|date=March 16, 1919|title=New Rapid Transit Link in Operation|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1919/03/16/archives/new-rapid-transit-link-in-operation.html|access-date=July 12, 2021|issn=0362-4331|page=106|archive-date=August 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829110357/https://www.nytimes.com/1919/03/16/archives/new-rapid-transit-link-in-operation.html|url-status=live|postscript=none}}; {{Cite news|date=March 17, 1919|title=Culver Elevated Opens; Service Between Park Row and Kings Highway Cut Nine Minutes.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1919/03/17/archives/culver-elevated-opens-service-between-park-row-and-kings-highway.html|access-date=July 12, 2021|issn=0362-4331|page=21|archive-date=August 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829084059/https://www.nytimes.com/1919/03/17/archives/culver-elevated-opens-service-between-park-row-and-kings-highway.html|url-status=live}}</ref> An extension to [[Avenue X (IND Culver Line)|Avenue X]] was opened at noon on May 10, 1919.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="X">{{Cite news|page=25|date=May 11, 1919|title=New Transit Line Opened; Culver Elevated Service Extended from Kings Highway to Avenue X.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1919/05/11/archives/new-transit-line-opened-culver-elevated-service-extended-from-kings.html|access-date=July 12, 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=May 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513063251/https://www.nytimes.com/1919/05/11/archives/new-transit-line-opened-culver-elevated-service-extended-from-kings.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="X2">{{Cite news|date=May 18, 1919|title=New Culver Extension; Runs Now as Fay as Avenue X-- Soon Will Reach Coney Island.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1919/05/18/archives/new-culver-extension-runs-now-as-fay-as-avenue-x-soon-will-reach.html|access-date=July 12, 2021|issn=0362-4331|page=116|archive-date=May 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513063254/https://www.nytimes.com/1919/05/18/archives/new-culver-extension-runs-now-as-fay-as-avenue-x-soon-will-reach.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The line, the last of the four to Coney Island, was completed on May 1, 1920, at which time the [[Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company]] (BRT) was forced to cut the fare from ten to five cents.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pXcBAAAAYAAJ&q=18th+avenue+culver+line&pg=PA387|title=Annual Report for the Year Ended&nbsp;...|last=District|first=New York (State) Public Service Commission First|date=January 1, 1921|publisher=The Commission|language=en|access-date=October 26, 2020|archive-date=October 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006132645/https://books.google.com/books?id=pXcBAAAAYAAJ&q=18th+avenue+culver+line&pg=PA387|url-status=live}}</ref>

This construction tied into the existing lower level of the [[BMT Brighton Line]] east of [[West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium (IND Culver Line)|West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=New Culver Structure in Service 90 Years Ago|journal=New York Division Bulletin|date=May 2010|volume=53|issue=5|pages=1, 4|url=https://issuu.com/erausa/docs/the_era_bulletin_2010-05|publisher=Electric Railroaders' Association|access-date=September 4, 2016|archive-date=September 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920185931/https://issuu.com/erausa/docs/the_era_bulletin_2010-05|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Coney Fare Cut Saturday">{{Cite news|date=April 28, 1920|title=Coney Fare Cut Saturday; One Nickel to Take Passenger Over Lines of the B.R.T.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1920/04/28/archives/coney-fare-cut-saturday-one-nickel-to-take-passenger-over-lines-of.html|access-date=July 12, 2021|issn=0362-4331|page=6|archive-date=July 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712154947/https://www.nytimes.com/1920/04/28/archives/coney-fare-cut-saturday-one-nickel-to-take-passenger-over-lines-of.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=May 1, 1920|title=5-Cent Fare to Coney; Change Is Effective Today on B.R. T. Elevated and Subway Lines.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1920/05/01/archives/5cent-fare-to-coney-change-is-effective-today-on-br-t-elevated-and.html|access-date=July 12, 2021|issn=0362-4331|page=18|archive-date=October 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006133146/https://www.nytimes.com/1920/05/01/archives/5cent-fare-to-coney-change-is-effective-today-on-br-t-elevated-and.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Some Culver Line ([[5 (BMT)|5]]) trains began using the Fourth Avenue Subway to the [[Nassau Street Loop]] in [[Lower Manhattan]] when that line opened on May 30, 1931;<ref>{{Cite news|date=May 21, 1931|title=Nassau St. Service Outlined B.M.T.; Loop to Be Used for Direct Connection From Brooklyn and Jamaica to Manhattan|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1931/05/21/archives/nassau-st-service-outlined-by-bmt-loop-to-be-used-for-direct.html|access-date=July 12, 2021|issn=0362-4331|page=29|archive-date=June 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614021439/https://www.nytimes.com/1931/05/21/archives/nassau-st-service-outlined-by-bmt-loop-to-be-used-for-direct.html|url-status=live}}</ref> the Fifth Avenue Elevated was closed on May 31, 1940, in conjunction with the [[History of the New York City Subway#Unification|unification of the transit system]] under city operations.<ref name="Coney Fare Cut Saturday" /><ref name="NYERA-Culver2-May2010">{{cite journal|title=A History of the F (and V) Train Service|last=Chiasson|first=George|journal=New York Division Bulletin|date=May 2010|volume=53|issue=5|pages=1, 4|url=https://issuu.com/erausa/docs/the_era_bulletin_2010-05/3|publisher=Electric Railroaders' Association|access-date=September 4, 2016|archive-date=September 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920190018/https://issuu.com/erausa/docs/the_era_bulletin_2010-05/3|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=June 1, 1940|title=Last Train is Run on Fulton St. 'El'; Mayor, Cashmore, Officials and Civic Leaders Make Trip to Brooklyn Terminus|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1940/06/01/archives/last-train-is-run-on-fulton-stel-mayor-cashmore-officials-and-civic.html|access-date=July 12, 2021|issn=0362-4331|page=11|archive-date=April 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430210249/https://www.nytimes.com/1940/06/01/archives/last-train-is-run-on-fulton-stel-mayor-cashmore-officials-and-civic.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Trolleys continued to use the surface tracks on McDonald Avenue until October 30, 1956.<ref name="Cudahy2002" /><ref>{{cite news|last1=Casey|first1=Leo|title=NYCTA 1956 Press Release|url=http://www.brooklynrail.net/pdf/PCC_demise_NYCTA_1956_Press_Release-1.pdf|access-date=September 1, 2016|work=[[New York City Transit Authority]]|date=October 30, 1956|archive-date=June 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170627232135/http://www.brooklynrail.net/pdf/PCC_demise_NYCTA_1956_Press_Release-1.pdf|url-status=live|postscript=none}}; {{cite news|title=City Trolley Cars Near End of Line: Transit Agency to Switch to Buses on Last 2 Runs in Brooklyn in Fall|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1956/04/20/121637908.pdf|access-date=September 5, 2016|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 20, 1956|archive-date=October 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006133148/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1956/04/20/121637908.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|url-status=live}}</ref>