3rd Ave EL Chatham Sq to 149th st movie footage.

[@daannoordegraaf7386]

Love this oldschool movies of new york. Living in Holland but absolute fan

[@sha1om]

To the young people watching this, who have grown up in the times of cell phones with virtually unlimited recording capability, or even slightly older folks who had access to full-size VHS camcorders, you have no idea how expensive (and complicated) these films were to create. Home movies came in 8mm and 16mm stocks; I'd guess this is 16mm, given that sound 8mm films weren't available until a few years after the 3rd Avenue El came down. 16mm film for home use came in 50 foot cartridges, which would give you a total of a minute and a quarter (36 feet per minute) before you ran out of film and had to change the cart (which is why these scenes are so short). Then you had to send them away and have them developed. (Kodachrome was sold with the cost of developing included; other types and brands you had to pay for the developing.) I dunno the prices then, but it wasn't cheap; still isn't, if you want to shoot film cinematography.

[@LINYTrains]

The sound appears to be dubbed over from a more recent museum trip. When the trains pass each other, it should get louder.

[@PorkChopJones]

Ah yes, those were the good ole days. I still recall taking still pictures with several rolls of film lets say 3 rolls.If you chose to drop them off to be processed, the person behind the counter would then give you a date when you can pick up your photo's. Now the waiting game begins, all the while you keep your fingers crossed that all the photos came out ok. Sometimes waiting a week or more.

[@sha1om]

​@@LINYTrains If that's the case, it might even have been 8mm, which was cheaper and about 30 seconds longer per cartridge...

[@zaco21_]

Aight nobody cares 😂

[@leecornwell5632]

​@@zaco21_I totally disagree with that. You know why I say that because people still remember the time when they had all the extra elevated lines in five broghoros when they were filming all the extra elevated lines and taking pictures of them. Especially the Thrid Avenue Elevated line in the South Bronx Clearmount Boston road Webster Ave Bronx. You know who didn't even care for the extra elevated lines not to tairing down the way it is. We definitely need to blame the old Governor LaGuardia and the old president Robert mosses that could not stand for no extra elevated lines in five broghoros. We cannot blame the TA workers for taking down these extra elevated lines down. Governor LaGuardia and the old president Robert mosses had fusted the TA workers to tair it down. They definitely could not stand for no extra elevated lines running and did not like no extra elevated lines at all. Type up LaGuardia and Robert mosses on you tube or Google.

[@jazzlover7434]

I just missed riding the 3rd Ave. el. (Darn!) I was four that May in 1955, and turned five in June, started kindergarten that September. Have clear memories from mid 1954 forward since that's when my brother was born. My parents, father in particular could have taken me for a ride on the el in April or very early May and I'm quite sure I probably would have remembered it. My Dad had wanted to take me on the Queensboro Bridge trolley, but waited too long and it was abandoned before he could take me for a ride. I did see the Queensboro trolleys on the bridge though; I remember them, as a four year old being big boxy and yellow. We passed them in our car when we drove into Manhattan; mostly around that time to see the obstetrician on the upper east side when my Mom was still pregnant.　 Thanks to the late Vincent Seyfriend for these historic films of the el in color. He truly was an individual who cared about local history a great deal, and wanted to share it with others in the films and books that he published.

[@leecornwell5632]

Every body miss riding the 3rd Avenue Elevated line and seeing the 3rd Avenue Elevated line running back and forth the whole entire community . They are definitely trying to bring the 3rd Avenue Elevated line back in the future. That's the reason why they have the 8 signs on the R62AS and the R142as and the announcements they have on the R142a 4 train all the old 8 3rd Avenue Elevated line stops. Go look up and type in the R142a 4 8 signs announcements 3rd Avenue Elevated line all the 3rd Avenue stops.

[@eobardthawne324]

​@@leecornwell5632 I doubt very much they would go through the effort of rebuilding.

[@leecornwell5632]

This time. When they do rebuild the 8 Thrid Ave Elevated line back up it would definitely be half heavy metal steel structures and half concrete metal steel structures Elevated line in the south Bronx Clearmount Webster Boston road Bronx. In Manhattan it will be all the way concrete structures Elevated line just like the metro North railroad park Ave Elevated line that they have up right now. As you go to Thrid Avenue 99 street you will definitely see Thrid Avenue Elevated line building 🏫 that's still standing for old office information signal 🚦 towers and including under ground. Millions and millions of people miss the 8 Thrid Ave Elevated line really really badly. What they should of did. They should of shut down the Thrid Avenue Elevated line until they do a complete inspections over haul track frames trestles and beams instead of closing down Thrid Avenue Elevated line for good. That was a big crime tairing down the 8 Thrid Ave Elevated line down. Governor LaGuardia and Robert mosses was stupid and dum enough to tair down the extra elevated lines down including Brooklyn and Queens and sixth and ninth eighth Avenue Elevated lines down

[@leecornwell5632]

If you ever drive your car on Thrid Avenue Clearmount Webster Boston road Bronx it's definitely not beat down anymore. Including Thrid Avenue in Manhattan. If they tair something down put it back. I'm not saying it's no bodys fault. We definitely need to blame those two selfish people dowers bastards could not stand for no extra elevated lines to be up running. I totally disagree with the lower riderships and the trains making noises. The only thing they did was building the cross Bronx express highways and Brooklyn and Queens and the Bridges . Not even mentioning about keeping the extra elevated lines running. Thats the reasons why they have the 8 signs on the R62 R62AS and the R142/As 8 Thrid Ave Elevated lines announcements reprogram. God does not like pride. Those two made it inconvenient for millions and millions of people in New York city . What they also should of did is to check the elevated lines to see if it any cracks or holes instead of letting it get it to rusted without painting the elevated trestles frames like they are doing all the elevated lines that's up running right now.

[@leecornwell5632]

I tell you one thing. Chances are rebuilding the Brand New Thrid Avenue Elevated line in the south Bronx. Never elevated in Manhattan again I tell you that right now.

[@Larry-qz3es]

This film was most likely shot in late April or Early May 1955. The discontinuation of service notices placed on the window of each car. The demise was the real estate boom on 3rd Avenue and EL had to go.

[@packr72]

No it didn’t. Rich real estate developers wanted it gone but that’s no reason to remove rapid transit especially when there is nothing available to replace it. If the second ave Subway had begun construction you’d have an argument in the time.

[@PorkChopJones]

3rd avenue for me was a place to go to back in the 1970's and 80's and had excellent restaurants/ Pubs. A nice getaway from the hustle and bustle of 42nd street!

[@dangelo1369]

At 98th street, you could already see the results of the demolition of the train yard on the left side and the empty lot on the right. Both sides are now part of NYCHA housing built following the discontinuation of the line in Manhattan.

[@blyn3698]

damn the parts where the middle track rises and stops at an upper level platform is just amazing

[@1575murray]

Those upper level platforms were built due to space constraints. They also provided some gravitational help to the starting and stopping of the express trains.

[@explosives101]

Thanks a lot for more uploads of transportation history.

[@cynthiacullin3867]

What a lovely view of New York City it must have been from the El trains.

[@cjrddic3548]

Riding and going to Alexanders dept store also stopping at. Herns dept store walking to the 5 & 10 cent store aka Woolworths. with my mom missed those days 💘

[@culturehorse]

Thanks so much these are extraordinary for we urban historiorios. All the best.

[@robertwesex2533]

Amen!

[@leecornwell1062]

God will bring it to pass. When they do people wrong God will hunt that person down the that had foust the TA to take down these extra elevated lines down. And the Lord knows who had foust these people to tair down these beautiful elevated line s down like the 8 3rd Avenue elevated line down and the second Avenue elevated line down and the 9 th Avenue elevated line down to. What goes around comes around I tell you that now.

[@leecornwell1062]

They should left all the extra elevated lines alone and this wouldn't have this biggest problem and issues.

[@glenn3914]

i wish i could have ridden on the 3rd av el, i rode the market frankford el when i was younger and always loved it, , to ride this would have been great

[@raanangeberer1903]

There was an old 1960s song called "You Can't Get to Heaven on the Frankford El."

[@robertwesex2533]

I hate to see lovely & useful antique monuments & vehicles of elegant traditional design being destroyed & replaced by the UGLY-MODERN design & gas-powered garbage. Modern design is an ugly, cheap, short-cut excuse of a replacement! God bless you, New York!

[@Doug47]

It is a shame that they did not save any of the old El cars. I remember taking the El from lower Manhattan to 143rd St in the Bronx after visiting my grandmother who lived on 36th street.

[@litlgrey]

Actually, three and only three subway cars built between 1903 and 1907, converted from BU Gate cars to Q cars and then BACK to Gate cars for fan viewing purposes, are in the possession of the NYC Transit Museum, and are commonly taken out for a spin at least on portions of the J and M lines every year or so. You will see them in many fan videos either operating independently or connected to R 1/9 cars if they're being taken into the tunnels.

[@harrynicholes3166]

@@litlgrey They're still around but only used seasonally.

[@litlgrey]

@@harrynicholes3166 Exactly! And they can't be used as part of the Christmas Season rollout along with the R1-R9 cars because they can't run under their own power underground.

[@1575murray]

@@litlgrey Actually they can run anywhere on the system but can't carry passengers underground.

[@litlgrey]

@@1575murray Oh yes, you're right. That's a good clarification - thank you.

[@arielsea9087]

I remember the old trains as a kid. I was born in the mid 50s. We lived in Brooklyn but traveled to see the sights in Manhattan. The seats were woven and looked like straw but it was some type of plastic weave. They also had fans on the ceiling. As you can see there was no graffiti. It looked much better.

[@pbsoal03]

Yea, your right! they were split into a "T" allowing 2 riders to get a window view. The seats were stuffed and somewhat comfortable. Some of them finished their service life on the "J" line to 168th Street to Broad St.

[@slipperydoorknob2173]

I wonder how a monorail system in Manhattan would look like if it replicated the exact routes of the els, with switches, junctions, double decked tracks and all that.

[@whereisthedollar]

Notice, how in those days and I recall front ends where open sometimes in summer prior to no a/c. Nobody jumped out either LOL.

[@LINYTrains]

It looks like those stations still had the original 1878 paint on the outside facades.

[@Zoomer3989]

at 37:44, the camera is at the 34th st station (on the overhead footbridge) looking south to 33rd st

[@zestcres]

Bring them back!!!

[@leecornwell1062]

Yes please bring this line back. This is definitely needed now. The BX 15 and BX 41 buses cannot get to the 2/5 trains any faster then the 8 3rd Avenue elevated line and it's crazy over there. You still gonna hear noises if the 8 train 3rd Avenue elevated line is tairing it down or not we gonna hear the plans and the trucks and people working every where. The old president that they had is no longer on this earth anymore. We still have to go fourth and the city is coming back stronger and people are going to work and going and coming from their homes. I'm 100% sure that the bus operators missing the old 3rd Avenue elevated line passing by.

[@leecornwell5632]

Yes bring back the 8 Thrid Ave Elevated line back.

[@sammyaugusto1742]

thank you.

[@leecornwell5632]

what goes around comes around. God 🙏 sits high and look low. when they do dirty business God will bring it to pass. God 🙏 know that people in the south Bronx is definitely suffering without the Third Ave Elevated line. They definitely need to stop 🛑 thinking about what the world 🌍 needs Think about what God needs and the the whole entire community needs in south Bronx.

[@gotmilk91]

Wow I've never knew all that 'El' cut right thru Chinatown NYC; never seen any evidence of it ever being there, although the Chatham Square, East Broadway and Division Streets intersection is very spacious and I can imagine it had accommodated a turn-around terminus to the Els... nowadays one has to 'turn left' at that Canal St. El Station (where it used to be, at mouth of Manhattan Bridge), and walk westward down Canal St. to reach the J, M, Z(?), F... Subways... did these 'El' trains get transferred to Subway service after the elimination of the El tracks? The people's attire and autos on streets below would indicate 1950s.... that upscale apartment complex B4 67th St. makes this footage look like it was shot in the 1970s!

[@1575murray]

Chatham Square was only a terminal station from 1950 to 1955 after the rest of the line to South Ferry was abandoned and torn down. Bumpers were installed at the south end of the upper level and a crossover installed at the north end to allow trains to turn around and head back uptown. The City Hall branch was abandoned at the end of 1953. After the line was abandoned the Q cars were eventually sent back to the BMT and served out their days on the Myrtle Avenue line where they replaced the last open gate cars on the system. The MUDC cars which were converted from open gate cars were scrapped since they could not be used for subway service due to their wooden construction. The TA was already buying brand new cars for subway service in large numbers because the older cars were worn out due to heavy usage and lack of maintenance during the World War II years when gas was rationed.

[@RRaquello]

A lot of times you can tell where the El ran just by looking at the layout of the street. Most streets, especially in lower Manhattan are narrow, but others are unexpectedly wide, like Trinity Place, Church St., the Bowery or West Broadway between Canal St. and W. 4th. It sometimes looks like something's missing there and what's missing are buildings that were demolished when the El was originally put up. All of the streets in the same area are these tight, narrow alleys, then suddenly you get this one street that is twice as wide and that's where the El ran. This doesn't go for everywhere the Els ran, but sometimes you can tell just by the way the street is now, with the El long gone.

[@harveywachtel1091]

J, Z, N, Q and a little further on to the R. The F Is in the opposite direction [east] along East Broadway. The M has migrated elsewhere.

[@charleswarren524]

At the 29 min mark, see the N/B express train descend the ramp from the 138th St station to the lower level of the 143rd ST station.

[@Zoomer3989]

At 33:45, the camera is at the 23rd st station, looking north

[@romeojames89]

Can you post a map of the myrtle ave EL from end to end above the J and M line

[@thesamson1091]

The Bronx still looks the same

[@leecornwell1062]

The old 8 train Elevated 3rd avenue line is not the same anymore even though they have other elevated lines now the old 3 Elevated 8 line looks like crap every senice they took it down for no reason that was a waste of money

[@leecornwell1062]

It is not the same with out the old 8 3rd Avenue elevated line I'm keeping it 100% real and a trillion s of people in the whole entire world in the Bronx new York city. That really helped out the 2/5/4 trains and the BX 55 buses. It is now worser.

[@Interscope100]

Wow, why did they get rid of these trains? In today's world, it would have made commuting so much better 😕

[@kentchin2249]

5 car stations

[@abdulinniss3287]

They should've waited until the 2nd ave subway was completed, then take this down.

[@Tflexxx02]

Idon't understand what the purpose was of the "hump" on one center track at some of the stations. Was this somehow a local station? And why only one center track, for a total of 3 tracks?

[@rgalesnyc]

This was originally a two-track line the 3rd track was add for more peak capacity so in essence they were all local stations. Being they were using and widing existing infrastructure may have been easier to create a hump for the extra two platforms. Im also sure the Humps help trains to use less power by helping to slow and speed trains with the dips and inclines.

[@1575murray]

The reason for a single center track was simple. As on the existing three track elevated extensions of subway lines which still operate today the street below was not wide enough to support a four track line.

[@arielsea9087]

Express line would skip certain stops. It alternates direction for rush hour. Morning and evening.

[@billvila152]

QUESTION: Did the “El”’s run 24/7?

[@leecornwell5632]

Yes they did ran 24 7 subways when they had all the elevated lines.

[@1575murray]

@@leecornwell5632 In the last years of service the Third Avenue line only ran south of 149th St. on weekdays from about 6 AM to 7 PM. At all other times it ran from 149th St. to Gun Hill Road as it did from 1955 to its final abandonment in April 1973.

[@hardyhector8308]

like old train

[@Sakura_mochi714]

Q type…

[@SubwayFan83]

Those are MUDC (Multiple Unit Door Control) Cars, The Q types ran mostly on 2nd Av El, Astoria and Flushing Lines (when they dual contracted) and later the Myrtle Av El.

[@PR0BL3M0NE]

People have to understand that times are different. Putting a minute long introduction on your video will make a large percentage of the people who originally wanted to see this, abandon this video even before it begins. Never do that! Even most pop songs today have shortened intros or no intro at all. Attention spans are shrinking. You have to grab people’s attention immediately!

[@LUIS-ox1bv]

Nonsense. Patience will always be a virture that will never go extinct. If one does not have patience, one has nothing. People committed to viewing this because the content appeals to them,will endeavour to watch it.