New York’s Shortest Subway Platform*

*currently being served (I think). If not, welp… let me know!
Hello!
In this video I explore Park Place station on the Franklin Avenue Shuttle in New York.
Station records:
- Only bi-directional single-track station
- One of two single-track stations, the other being Aqueduct Racetrack (A)
- Only station to only be served by a shuttle at all times
- The shortest platform*
Historical photographs in order:
Fulton El, Frank Pfuhler (1914): www.nycsubway....
Doug Grotjahn (1975): www.nycsubway....
David Pirmann (1998): www.nycsubway....
David Pirmann (1998): www.nycsubway....
Hagstrom Map 1936: www.nycsubway....
Track Map:
www.vanshnooke...

[@transitmaestro6410]

3:54 absolutely perfect timing

[@SithLordAnakin]

Reason why it clocks as only that many riders.

[@lucasfontainha9053]

I lol'ed

[@Vxllain]

wow u hit up one of my home lines lol. love tha FAS

[@Traveltheme706]

Really cool vid i didnt know this line existed

[@jimparisho7457]

Ain't no two ways about it.

[@ml.vaughn2122]

The shuttle train use to have more cars back then

[@amadeosendiulo2137]

I don't know how they collect the ridership data but if based on how many people cross the gates legally then just after you said the number it proves why you are wrong lol

[@ItzMiKeKirbY]

6:47 Joke sign? How are you from NY and not know what those signs are?

[@luislaplume8261]

It is called motorman, not driver. We are in America not England.

[@pabloe5793]

I’ve never seen anyone speak with their teeth. It is rather interesting!

[@nathantransitj]

I’m pretty sure that if you have no teeth you can’t make the proper sounds…

[@pabloe5793]

@@nathantransitj Yeah but you use your teeth instead of your upper lip to pronounce letter like P, and M

[@nathantransitj]

@@pabloe5793 Huh, never noticed. Interesting.

[@nathantransitj]

@@pabloe5793 My guess is that because I had an overbite for most of my life, that's just how I learned to say it.

[@EndIessProductions]

1:26 get a train to ram it

[@Boybuildsnotfnaf]

👁️👄 👁️

[@teecefamilykent]

Brilliant video, loved the turnstile jumper in the background the first time you where in the station house lol. Will you be doing Dean Street next, the abandoned station on the shuttle?

[@nathantransitj]

Probably not anytime soon, maybe I’ll talk about abandoned stations in the future. I should have probably included at least one sentence mentioning Dean Street in this video but alas…

[@briepri]

3:54 not the dude skipping the gateline💀

[@Elogical9]

Who wouldn't 😲☝️

[@kemoblue4u]

Lol those ridership numbers would probably by double of folks paid.

[@whereisthedollar]

Back in the 60's the cops would bust them. No wonder the city is out of control.

[@iancarisi8342]

I noted the same thing.

[@IND3648]

Who cares

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

The Franklin Ave Shuttle is quite the most fascinating line! Besides Park Place, another station only served by it used to exist called Dean Street but it closed in 1995 due to mostly low ridership (which they stated extensive fare evasion at that station didn't help with as well as close proximity to Franklin Ave). It was the second time Dean Street closed, as it closed the first time in 1899 due to low ridership as well. There's still a remnant of Dean Street where a lamppost has a smaller lamp for the former staircase to the station house. The line in general was very dilapidated in the 1980s and 1990s and the MTA considered abandoning it altogether! Thankfully, community leaders stepped up to oppose it and they got the NY State Assembly to force the MTA to rebuild the line, which is why it was rebuilt in 1999 like you mentioned. Unfortunately, the section of the line between Botanic Garden and Prospect Park was home to the deadliest crash in NYC subway history called the Malbone Street wreck, as over 90 people lost their lives because a speeding train derailed in a sharply curved tunnel. This crash is what led to the BRT to phase out wooden cars. What led to this crash was a labor strike against the BRT and the BRT tried to keep service running with non-striking personnel, and decided to use Antonio Edward Luciano, a crew dispatcher with NO experience operating the line.

[@nathantransitj]

Thanks for all the information! I feel like closing a station due to fare evasion is a bit strange because I doubt that its turnstiles were any different to the ones at Park Place at the time. They’re in the same neighborhood as well. My guess is that they made up that reason and actually closed it because it was so close to Park Place and Franklin Av. It’s still a subway, not a tram after all! I am glad that they didn’t abandon this line and I wish there were still more like it! Hopefully politicians’ mindsets will change in the coming decades and we can rebuild some of these small but useful railways!

[@athenousjohnson2511]

Appreciate the knowledge the information you provided was quite intriguing.

[@kalinystazvoruna8702]

That Fallout Shelter sign is probably leftover from the 1950/60s when the US was convinced Russia would nuke us. As a further edit, I remember seeing them all over the place back then. Former Brooklynite here! Nice video BTW

[@nathantransitj]

Thanks! Good to know!

[@ajs11201]

At 4:54, it would seem that those turnstiles are superfluous given the event at 3:54.

[@tryithere]

Oddly, the place that the video started at on the other side of prospect park station is the very place where the NYC subways worst ever crash occurred where nearly 100 people died. The Malbourne street crash. They even renamed most of the street to empire blvd because of the stigma. Train operators went on strike and managers drove the trains.

[@davidthaler7018]

Malbone

[@TJ_Railfan]

ALMIGHTY FRANKLIN AV SHUTTLE

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

I honestly like the woodsy feel of the line by Park Place! It's part of the line's charm! Staten Island used to have two stations where you could only get off using ONE door on the last car, Nassau and Atlantic! Both were opened to serve factories (a smelting factory at Nassau and a terra cotta factory at Atlantic), and Nassau had a four car-long platform (extended from the original platform by the smelting factory) but the extension was walled-off. Nassau and Atlantic closed in 2017 for Arthur Kill. The two-car length of the train reminds me of the Greenport Branch section of the LIRR's Ronkonkoma Branch. The Ronkonkoma Branch is mostly electrified, however beyond Ronkonkoma, it's diesel territory and there's a small train nicknamed the Greenport Scoot that takes the nearly 50 miles to Greenport from Ronkonkoma. The reason the LIRR goes to Greenport is because this was the Main Line of the LIRR. Originally service to Greenport was envisioned as a vital link in the rail-boat-rail connection between NYC and Boston. They thought the hills of New England were impassible for a rail line, and so Long Island was the solution. For this link, the LIRR briefly had steamboats going to Stonington and Allyn's Point in Ledward. This link to Greenport opened in 1844, but that spirit was short-lived, however, as it was in 1848 that the New York & New Haven Railroad was opened across southern Connecticut! Thus, they turned their attention to serving the people of Long Island and competing with the other railroads on the island, eventually leading to the LIRR network we have today.

[@jonathanpusar5931]

A more interesting note: this subway line is so unimportant that a fire caused it to be shut down for decades because it wasn’t worth the funds to fix 🙃

[@Trainsallday]

While you may call this line unimportant there are many residents that call it essential.

[@jonathanpusar5931]

@@Trainsallday it’s redundant. Theres a subway station within walking distance from every station on this train. I’m not saying they should get rid of it, but to deny this line has limited utility is also denying that it’s rarely crowded given it’s a mostly one track subway line with just 2 cars. Meaning the capacity of an articulated bus. It really sees the most volume only when something bad happens lol. If there’s a breakdown on the 2/3, C, or B/Q to get an alternate into Manhattan.

[@wrestlemanic8008]

As a train operator who works the Franklin shuttle twice every other week it’s pretty crowded throughout the day. Only time it isn’t is between 9am-2pm like most lines. But it connects the Brighton line, Fulton line and eastern parkway line. Basically makes getting from point A to point B in Brooklyn 10 times easier than if it wasn’t available. To your point the b48 bus runs alongside the same route but to get from Franklin to prospect by bus it’s about 30 minutes 6 minutes by shuttle train.

[@1575murray]

The line originally had two tracks until just north of the now demolished Dean Street station. When the line was rebuilt in the 1990s it was single tracked from just south of the Park Place station to the end of the line. In effect the tracks through Botanic Garden station are a passing loop so the two trains which operate on weekdays can pass each other.

[@nathantransitj]

This is precisely what I explain in the video :)

[@JohnnyT002]

Nice Video 👍👍👍👍. The way how the Franklin Avenue shuttle is set up at Prospect Park Station when you have to walk and go up stairs then back down reminds me of when I was a messenger back in the late 70's and down at the Bowling Green Station and I would look over to see the shuttle train to the south ferry . By the way, you had a turnstile jumper at the 3:53 mark.

[@joestrike8537]

that little platform for the shuttle train at Bowling Green was visible for years until it was walled up with bricks matching the rest of the station; if you hadn't seen it before, you'd have no clue now it ever existed

[@Dragblacker]

Park Place used to be an island platform with two tracks. It was redesigned to its current form around two decades ago.

[@detroitpeoplemover]

Yeah, he literally mentioned that in the video, smart aleck....

[@FjdnfjcjdDndnnd]

It looks like the Moscow Metro station called "Vyhino - The platform is on the right".

[@FjdnfjcjdDndnnd]

It comes after the Ryazan Avenue Subway station.

[@MottyGlix]

Couldn't you have left the camera on the train long enough for me to SEE (prior to 7:39) how it's only two cars long? You kept talking about that, after all.

[@streamlinedtransit]

When a tiny subway station has a better station building than the New Brunswick station

[@cfbastian]

The stations were never more than 5 cars long, which was the configurations for Brooklyn El lines.

[@marcusrosa3931]

I really enjoy your videos, please keep them coming 😃

[@nathantransitj]

Thanks!

[@anemoneii]

Watching the person jump the turnstile right behind you shows what a real joke NYC has become.

[@G_v._Losinj2_ImportantPlaylist]

Lol, I know. Extremely common at quiet stations or when the box is empty (or not paying attention). Occasionally, you’ll see people do it in front of police. But that’s rare & when the person exudes an aura of “not worth it”.

[@matthewwhitted9179]

I saw a lady in the video almost fall beating the fair 😂

[@dhealy3154]

Loved operating the Franklin Shuttle

[@ch1pk]

3:54 she skipped that fare

[@RoadTripTelevisionNJ]

Nice video. Ironically, I live in Prospect Park, but not in New York. Prospect Park, New Jersey. 😀😃😄

[@fanikoiffman1026]

Nathan, sempre nos transmitindo informações preciosas! Belo vídeo!

[@jimmymakmta]

As a transit buff, I must say I truly enjoyed your videos thanks for the excellent work

[@tDASH97]

love your energy

[@michaelquinones-lx6ks]

Before that line was torn down and rebuilt, It was a surviving remnant of the Fulton street EL before it was torn down in 1941.

[@tonynelson2443]

It’s a real fallout shelter in the basement, many buildings and schools have it in NYC because of the Cold War era days

[@michaelmcenery7515]

cortelyu rd & beverly rd shortest distance between stations

[@beaviskornholio2754]

Why is it that when the train either pulls in or out of the station you keep cutting the video out. I really want to see if it's only 2 cars.

[@nathantransitj]

In future videos, I’ll try not to cut the train shots so early! Thanks for the feedback!

[@FlexFilm2010]

3:54 FARE BEATER!!!!

[@RXSVN_2]

Wow. I was wondering why they almost fell trying to go to the turnstile.

[@lilianacastillo4736]

Actually park place isnt the obly station that only operates 1 track. The other station is roosevelt island station due to contructuon on the other track and also the f shuttle train only operates there

[@Shinycelebi]

That's all temporary though...

[@dlpjosh]

Been here once or twice. I didn't realize the station house was a total rebuild in the late 1990s.

[@WengfongMak]

Nah☠️ there's a chance has SHORTEST TRAIN ONLY 1 space

[@ejm1225]

You know, I kind of wonder if service between the Franklin Avenue Railway and Brighton Railway would be reinstated once more. If that were to happen, then the Franklin Avenue Railway would have to be heavily rehabilitated (i.e. platform extensions, second-track installation), and a new layup yard would have to be built south of Ocean Parkway for Brighton-Franklin Local trains, while the Q would continue express to Coney Island. Although, I feel like a northern extension to Bedford-Nostrand Avenues to transfer with the G is more high-priority than a reinstatement of the Brighton-Franklin Local. Just throwing my two cents here.

[@DanLikesCountryballs]

In berlin, our shortest line has 5 stations and it has 2 tracks on every station except the first/last stations. (Just 1 track for the line) And the stations are built longer than they should be because the trains use two cars for the line, and trains arrive every 10 minutes, due to just 2 trains driving😅. The trains mostly stop on the front or back, so i recommend waiting in the middle. If you are interested, the line is U4 Anyways, great video!!

[@nathantransitj]

Cool! If I ever visit, I’ll be sure to check it out :)

[@danielrodding8522]

​@nathantransitj If you ever come to Berlin, the S-Bahn station Lankwitz may be of interest for you, too. It's the only station in Germany where S-Bahn service is operated with trains every 10 minutes in each direction, like in Park Ave. just on a single track. But the trains are longer, however.

[@danielrodding8522]

Berlin's U4 has two tracks at Innsbrucker Platz, and in Nollendorfplatz the trains may arrive on different tracks. There are switches between Viktoria-Luise-Platz and Wittenbergplatz, allowing trains to change to the tracks usually used for U1/U3.

[@DanLikesCountryballs]

@@danielrodding8522 at Innsbrucker Platz the line doesn't use the other track and at Nollendorfplatz there are other lines U1 and U3 driving at the other track

[@mikefagan6840]

That's ONLY because they demolished the Atlantic Station on Staten Island. Only one car there.

[@nathantransitj]

I need to research that station!

[@SlavaArduino123]

0:22 Props to him giving away full track map for us 💀

[@jimparisho7457]

I think it's only been one track since the deadly Malbone Street wreck in 1918. I know Malbone St. became Empire Blvd.

[@railfannerjs6308]

2:46 call me goofy but why it look like half New Haven and half Grand Central

[@NewYorkDashCam]

lol @ 3:54 I wonder how many jumpers they had back then compared to now.

[@MikeRadioNY]

This video is incomplete. Please do an edit and include “Dean Street and what happened to it. As well as the Malbone street wreck which is a big deal. And happened there. Thank you.

[@jhardman4534]

Thanks much. Very interesting. Jim Hatboro, PA

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

Another interesting short line in the US with a similarly short train is SEPTA's Cynwyd Line. The line has just three stations, Wynnefield Ave, Bala, and Cynwyd. The Cynwyd Line is a fully grade-separated truncated remnant of the Pennsylvania Railroad's Schuylkill Branch, which ran from Philadelphia to Pottsville. Passenger service ended between Manayunk and Norristown in 1960. In 1980, SEPTA extended service from Manayunk to Ivy Ridge. However, service to Ivy Ridge was suspended in 1986 because of poor track conditions and concerns about the Manayunk Bridge. Thus, service was truncated to Cynwyd. The track between Cynwyd and Ivy Ridge was dismantled between 2008 and 2010 for conversion as an interim rail trail. But a favorite short branch line of mine is the MTR's Disneyland Resort Line in Hong Kong which is 3.8 km. Not only because it has special cute rolling stock with Mickey windows and Mickey handholds, but also the designs of the two stations are meant to be like a time machine, as in you're going from the futuristic city of Hong Kong at Sunny Bay, to the fantasy world of the Disneyland Resort (with Victorian-themed Disneyland Resort station). Because taking a trip to a theme park is like going back to your childhood. And not to mention, the line had the first automated MTR trains before the South Island Line

[@thejokab]

On the "fallout shelter" sign. Those signs are from the 50's, and they usually do indicate a fallout shelter. Unfortunately, science has grown since then and we now know that those fallout shelters would've been ineffective against 1950's weaponry, much less modern day stuff

[@CaptainsChannel58]

Amazing how filthy everything is. Nobody cares anymore 😢

[@TheConcieted]

The Franklin Av Shuttle used to have 5 stops. Dean Street Station. It was abandoned in the 19s

[@Pxrdunk]

WHAT A GREAT VIDEO!!! I LOVE THIS TYPE OF CURIOSITIES I REALLY DO ❤❤❤ SUSCRIBED ! 🎉

[@rikkichunn8856]

It was great to see Park Place. But shouldn't Boardwalk be the next station on the line? After all, the New York subway system is a Monopoly! 😉

[@feedmewifi_477]

I live near here. if I’m above the train underpass while one is going by I usually wave, and they often blow the horn

[@Bubbiemelonplay19]

Dude, you really need to talk about more about the Franklin Avenue shuttle and 1994 that was a station called Dean Street

[@MillerMeteor74]

1:14 - FYI that's algae. But no big deal. I enjoyed the video. The last video of yours I watched was the Elusive Z Train video, which I also enjoyed.

[@nathantransitj]

Oh interesting.

[@SA-op4xu]

This was my commute to college. Back in my youth

[@Bubbiemelonplay19]

But I’m a kid you know I’m eight years old you know that right

[@Andrewjg_89]

I wonder if Geoff Marshall would like to ride on that shuttle train and to visit the station. He's been to New York City before and has done lots of videos on New York's metro system.

[@Josebats89]

ASSS SOMEONE IS Hoping the turnstile. 😂😂

[@deaventuraconkikomas4281]

Very interesting, thank you for sharing!

[@torikettunen8706]

Why metro of CDMX looks 100 times nicer?

[@FirstBitewithDan]

Hi Nathan! I came across your channel by accident and this is the first video that I've watched. As someone who is not a resident of NYC but who has always enjoyed traveling to the city, these videos are fascinating! Thanks for all you do; perhaps we can ride the rails together next time I visit the city!

[@mynorthshore]

A passing siding is not necessarily a loop unless it leads to a loop.

[@NasGod48]

Real Life “Erm Actually” Guy

[@thereal1loudmerc335]

Good video. I remember when both sides of that station was in use, and when they used 4 car R-27s on the line. And when the Dean Street station was still in operation. And late night, it was one of the scariest places you ever wanted to be. Which was one of the reasons why they decommissioned that station years ago. But in the area where you were at, Park Place. That neighborhood has changed a lot.

[@johnspence2630]

Been riding the subway system since 1992 and I never knew about this station until watching your video. Thanks, I'll be subscribing for more content, great job.

[@tvbox6955]

Good videos, but they would be better without the extreme face close-ups. ...very uncomfortable to watch. 😮

[@nathantransitj]

Yeah. I need to practice holding my phone further away from me!

[@deshawndavid]

Actually I think the Brooklyn bridge station is still shorter even though it's only used for turning trains around and the initial station of the rapid transit line

[@jean-simonemontoya9678]

Same direction same like 42nd shuttle

[@CubeAtlantic]

i took that Franklin Ave Shuttle only once yrs as a kid it's kind of interesting & relaxin'.

[@trainboy2000]

if abandoned stations count as stations, then wouldn’t the abandoned lower 42nd St. station be the shortest

[@shadow_ruisu]

Not quite, it was built to fit 10 car trains

[@wrpnewman]

3:54 my bro just hopped over them gates

[@MusicLoverPearson]

I'm sure that the motormen who drive the shuttle trains must be bored going back and fourth

[@nathantransitj]

I think this is probably the bottom of the barrel in terms of fun services to drive. I hope that for their sake, they can also drive the A or C or some other line to break up their weeks.

[@beaviskornholio2754]

I finally saw it at the end of the video. I guess you saved the best part for last 😊

[@pizzajona]

If they’re still running two trains, why are they running it with longer headways on Sunday?

[@nathantransitj]

I assume the trains wait longer at each end to be able to pick up more passengers.

[@justhearmeout]

Trivia... the stop you got off is the same block (Park) is the same block that was a filming location for "ghost." Fyi, the fallout shelter sign is real. I grew up and still live in the area. Good job exploring and reporting.

[@nathantransitj]

Thanks!

[@phantastik3389]

20 years ago, I took to the shuttle every single day!

[@johnli25]

2 cars? Feels like the subway in gta 3 lol

[@fw3nyc]

Prior to 1998, the line had full length platforms with 2 sets of tracks. I fell thru the dean street station because it was wood at the time lol

[@AirbusA350Aussie]

They shoudl get r211T

[@nONSTOPtRAINS]

Great video!

[@OneOneTwo112]

Somehow I was at Park Place on that exact day (December 28, 2023), what are the odds! December 28 was also my birthday, go figure lol.

[@jeremyjackson7355]

I used to take the S train all the time 🤣

[@CharlesReiche]

When they hopped the gate at @3:55 you should have subtracted one off the ridership level as a goof.

[@nathantransitj]

That would have been good.

[@MTAFan585]

I rode the Franklin Avenue shuttle about 3 times and this is like the creepiest station I’ve ever passed. If you walked by Atlantic Ave, you would see the existing Dean Street station

[@electrictractiontrainsandt3063]

Interesting video!👍

[@ingor.522]

Moin (Hi) Nathan, In the North East of Hamburg, Germany of its Elevated Subway Company are some Stations between Volksdorf and Großhansdorf (Grosshansdorf) which had been built as double line Stations before but still used als single track stations, too. The cause of the before existed second track and why it had been removed was nearly not knowm of the most people. In the past during worldwar 1 the Elevated Subway Company decided to electrificate that Subway line but used the Railway second track as replacement for their 3rd electric siderail. That had the result that a few kilometers of before built doubletrack lines needed to abdoned into a singleline with some passing stations with single line only and and other stations on single line as passing station with double line inside the station. All the stations are long enough to work up to 9 cars. At the Ahrensburg East station you can see their abdoned second line inside the station. Come and visit northern Germany to see it with your own eyes.

[@nathantransitj]

The Hamberg U-Bahn looks like such an interesting system! If I have the chance I would love to explore the extremities of line 1. Thank you so much for the suggestion and information!

[@ingor.522]

@@nathantransitj In the End of Hamburg Elevated Subway Company Line U1 at Grosshansdorf there is another but closed station behind the end of line station. It had been built in the early 1930's but never opened it. Later than they abdoned the station but the overgrown station can be seen there. It was planned to re-open it by later higher traffic. Nowadays there are plans to re-open it in modern times, but nobody knows when. Within only 4 Subway lines the Hamburg Elevated Subway Company does transporting more than 2.1 Million people daily... The from the state RR owned S-Bahn (Rapid Suburban Transports) getting some expansions and renaming of their S-Train Lines, they do modernizising the trainlines step by step and want build a new inner city tunnel or inner city connection between Union Station and New Altona Station west of Hamburg. Well I need to learn the S-Train Lines from new again after re-numbering them last year. What a mess. If I will have the chance in the future to visit New York or Chicago I like to ride the Subway lines, too, because I am a RR enthusiast, too...I like tramways, too.

[@JoseNunez-hh1yr]

Was a NYCTA conductor, 1983-2013. In the beginning, the shuttle was 20 round trips. The equipment was 4 R-27 cars. Overnight, only the middle cars were used, motormen had specially marked(by them) stop markers to have the passenger car next to the stiarcase. Have no idea how many times we just blew the whistle and skipped Dean st. Botanical Gardens looked like something from a horror movie. Had a DJ crew hand trucking two huge speakers and turntable onto my train late one night. (Don't get me started on those kids that brought a 4ft. shark onto my R-10 'C' train at Broad Channel one evening, kicked them out at Howard Beach. Too bad cell phones didn't exist)

[@erush2012.]

Fair avader at 3:54

[@brushfuse]

The train honked at you. 😄

[@guyfaux3978]

The video started just south of where an infamous 1918 crash killed about 100 people. Anyhow, operating midblock as it does is reminiscent of the Chicago "L".

[@OKAYIMTURNT]

My goat

[@downhillking2]

Disgusting

[@jasminehyman2671]

Park place ♿️