Worth Street (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)

Worth Street
Former New York City Subway rapid transit station
Platform of the Worth Street station
Station statistics
Address	Lafayette Street & Worth Street New York, NY
Borough	Manhattan
Locale	Civic Center
Coordinates	40°42′56″N 74°00′11″W / 40.7155°N 74.003°WCoordinates: 40°42′56″N 74°00′11″W / 40.7155°N 74.003°W
Line	IRT Lexington Avenue Line
Services	None (abandoned)
Structure	Underground
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	4
Other information
Opened	October 27, 1904[1]
Closed	September 1, 1962[2]
Station succession
Next north	Canal Street
Next south	Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall

Worth Street was a local station on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. It is located at Lafayette Street and Worth Street, and has four tracks and two side platforms.

History

Worth Street was one of the 28 original stations of the first subway line in Manhattan, opening on October 27, 1904.^[3] At this time, Worth Street served local trains from the now-abandoned City Hall station to 145th Street at Broadway.

The station was lengthened twice. Like all the local stops, it was originally about 200 feet long to accommodate five-car trains. The first door of the first car and last door of the last car were left past the platform ends and were not opened. Because of overcrowding, the Public Service Commission ordered the local platforms extended a few yards into the "manholes" at the ends, that is, the space left for access to equipment closets. Completed in 1910, this gave just enough room for six-car local trains with only a door of the first and last cars at the platform. The second platform lengthening was done in 1948 by the Board of Transportation on the downtown side only that provided for the full length of a ten-car train (510 feet). The work was done on the downtown side to save costs. This side was chosen as it was the main unloading side in the business district.

The station was closed on September 1, 1962 due to the platform lengthening at Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall.^[2] After the Worth Street station's closure, Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall was named Brooklyn Bridge – Worth Street on platform signs until 1995.

Station layout

G	-	Street level
P Platform level	Side platform, not in service
	Northbound local	← ( late nights) do not stop here (Canal Street)
	Northbound express	← do not stop here
	Southbound express	→ do not stop here →
	Southbound local	→ ( late nights) do not stop here (Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall) →
	Side platform, not in service

This station lies beneath the sidewalk on the west side of Foley Square. When the Federal Plaza Building was in the planning stages, it was found that, because of the existence of the station, the building could not extend out to Foley Square. As a result, the structure is set far back from the street, well beyond the station. The building's plaza and fountain lie directly above the station. The station's platforms are visible from the side windows of trains between Canal Street and Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall.

See also

• 18th Street (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)
• 91st Street (IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line)

References

1. "Our Subway Open, 150,000 Try It". The New York Times. October 28, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
2. Grutzner, Charles (September 1, 1962). "New Platform for IRT Locals At Brooklyn Bridge to End Jams". The New York Times. p. 42. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
3. Subway opening to-day with simple ceremony New York Times Retrieved August 30, 2008

External links

• nycsubway.org—IRT East Side Line: Worth Street
• Abandoned Stations — Worth Street
• Forgotten NY — Original 28 - NYC's First 28 Subway Stations