What Is the Chrystie Street Connection?

If you have ever ridden the B or D trains across the Manhattan Bridge, then you've ridden through the Chrystie Street Connection, a vital section of track that allowed so many of our current subway lines to do what they do today. This connection didn't always exist however, and this video will take you through the history of it.
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[@FalconsEye58094]

its also why the middle platform at Chambers street is abandoned

[@DARTHBLUNT713]

Exactly 💯

[@stevenlitvintchouk3131]

The basic question is whether the BMT and IND divisions would ever have merged at all into one division. Without the Chrystie Street connection, the only tracks the BMT and IND would share would be some in Queens and a couple of shuttles elsewhere.

[@MysticTransit]

You make a good point. I think for simplicity reasons, yes, they would’ve merged to create one ‘B’ Division, but the services would be completely different.

[@ianhardy9375]

​@@MysticTransityes in deed but this goes to show that the unified system is not even executed properly

[@JoseNunez-hh1yr]

The Essex st cut opened IND stock to the East BMT(J,M,L). When the Church av - Ditmas av connection was completed, it opened IND access to Coney Island and all its' facilities.

[@DARTHBLUNT713]

Thanks! And you are very informed I truly appreciate it keep up the wonderful work on this

[@MagicMike-rd8mz]

Goodnight sir. Did you know that the MTA had a K Subway route that ran on the J line from Jamaica and 168 street Station to Manhattan and then it used the Chrystie street Connection to merge to the 6 ave Line and the last stop was 57 6 ave . But that Service didn't last too long the MTA had cut the K from going to Queens via the J Subway route. In 1976 or 1967 . And the K was switched over to replace the Double A from the 1980's to about around the late 1980's. But in 2010 when the MTA budget crisis of 2010 had brought the Chrystie Street back from about over 30 year sleep. Once the MTA decided to switch the M train from 4 ave and West End Line and the 9 ave Terminal to Queens Blve local witch cover part of The V Train and G Train lines. Witch alot people uses today . But Construction to 6 ave F and M Subway Routes had forced the MTA to make Changes the M only rans form Metropolitan ave Queens to 57 6 ave via The Williamsburg Bridge and the F gose the old way to Queens via the 53 street tunnel like M Subway Route and the E line to Jamaica 179 street sir.

[@BMTEnjoyer160]

Bruh it was the (KK)

[@ElJibaro718]

There was always train traffic on the Williamsburg Bridge before the Chrystie St CX connection.

[@mmrw]

Yeah, in fact the current Essex street station used to be a trolly terminal so it goes really far back. Weird mistake to make

[@KingofGamingAndTrains456]

If the 1939 IND Second System plans were realized, there's a chance that the Chrystie Street Connection would never have been built and the Nassau Loop would have remained in service. Below is how I think some of the current services (former IND lines) could have looked. (A): 8 Av / Fulton Express. Inwood - 207 St to Far Rockaway - Mott Av, Rockaway Park, or Cambria Heights - Springfield Blvd. (B): Concourse / CPW Local / 6 Av / South 4 St / Utica Av Express. 145 St or Bedford Park Blvd to Floyd Bennett Field. (C): 8 Av / South 4 St / Utica Av Local. 168 St to Kings Hwy. (D): Concourse / CPW / 6 Av / South 4 St / Utica Av Express. Norwood - 205 St to Floyd Bennett Field. (E): Van Wyck Blvd / Queens Blvd Express / 8 Av Local. Rockaway Blvd to World Trade Center. (F): Queens Blvd Express / 6 Av / Ft Hamilton Pkwy Local. Queens Village - Springfield Blvd to Staten Island.

[@MysticTransit]

It’s crazy to think about what could’ve been if the Second System went through as planned.

[@KingofGamingAndTrains456]

@@MysticTransit Are you gonna talk more about the Second System plans in a future video?

[@ahzeemevans3648]

I would also like to hear more about the second avenue system South 4th/Utica Ave Line 👍🏾

[@burbank]

The narrator of this video provides an excellent recollection of the history associated with the Christie Street connection. Without this connection there would be really no connections to the 6th Avenue subway line between Manhattan. This allows to B and the D lines to effectively serve the Brighton and West End branch lines in Brooklyn whereas you have great connections between those parts of Brooklyn with other parts of Brooklyn manhattan, upper Manhattan and the Bronx.

[@RebekahCurielAlessi]

Love this stuff!! 🌟

[@MysticTransit]

I’m glad you enjoyed it!

[@anonymous3738]

You forgot to mention that this is why Second Ave station has two unused center tracks which now act as short-turn tracks that were last used by the V which ran until 2010. They were originally a continuation of the 6th Ave Line’s express tracks which were planned to be extended further east but never happened. Also, the Manhattan Bridge’s northern set of tracks originally connected to Canal St’s lower level which has since connected to the BMT Broadway Line’s express tracks and the southern set of tracks originally connected to Chambers St. These connections were within the BMT system. However, the southern set of tracks now connect to Canal St’s lower level and the northern set of tracks connect to the Sixth Ave Line. Remember, the IND and BMT were originally separate companies and the Chrystie St connection connects the IND Sixth Ave Line to the BMT Nassau St Line, the BMT Brighton Line and the BMT Fourth Ave Line.

[@MTATransitFanner324]

After being on the (D) train for many years on the Manhattan Bridge, I’ve never knew about this Chrystie Street connection, thx for making this video

[@MysticTransit]

I’m here to teach everyone about our wonderful system’s history. I’m glad you learned something with this video!

[@JoseNunez-hh1yr]

Been down to the bumper of the relay track at Chambers st. middle. I've walked the tunnel where the old Nassau loop came out onto the Manhattan bridge, now replaced by the Christie cut. The changes made over the years have left what was the Nassau Loop a mess! Topics worth mentioning: Why Fulton and Broad had to wait for the 1930 IND contract to be built(reason they look like they do). the 1924 map shows the connection between Chambers and City Hall. I've walked those tunnels, walked City Hall lower level, spoken to coworkers (even those old codgers with stories up the wazoo, of which I am one now 😮.) Somewhere, someone has the physical plans. Lastly, about IND-BMT connections, the importance of the Essex st. Cut(opened the entire Eastern division BMT to IND rolling stock, quickening the demise of the 'els')

[@nathanieldaiken1064]

So, the Brooklyn Bridge connection was removed only to be replaced by Williamsburg Bridge connection?

[@DARTHBLUNT713]

Trains was literally slowly degrading Brooklyn Bridge and the connection has to be severed

[@ianhardy9375]

You're talking about the Manhattan bridge connection, the tracks from Nassau street line connect to the south side of the bridge and was severed to allow the tracks from the sixth avenue line to connect with the north side while the BMT Broadway line tracks is shifted to the south side leaving the only connection that the two BMT lines share is the montage tunnel

[@PhantomThiefOfSports]

Definitely looking foward to you covering the history of the subway designated letters and numbers and the symbols used for each service.

[@ianhardy9375]

Part of that is due to not having new lines as part of expansion plans as well as providing new connections to make some of the existing lines more useful and reliable but had to change due to events that occur from the late 1920s through 1960s

[@tommynunez1495]

Just saw a video by Welcome to an Experience on the Northbound (D) train heading to the connection. I notice lights going into another tunnel when the (D) goes underground after crossing the Manhattan Bridge. What the purpose of that?

[@DARTHBLUNT713]

That used to be called Nassau Loop services For BMT trains

[@RapidTransit1941]

Are there plans to incorporate the T train into this eventually, I think there are still track beds for the 2nd Av Subway somewhere in this area.

[@MysticTransit]

The (T) won’t run along these tracks, however, TA plans to construct a transfer from the Second Avenue Line -> Grand Street.

[@RapidTransit1941]

Ah thank you!@@MysticTransit

[@DennisLora2001]

I been on an R68 D train and want over the bridge before that was 6 years ago.

[@anonymous3738]

This is one of only two connections between lines with 8-car long platforms and 10-car long platforms, the other being the (currently unused) connection between Broad St and Court St. The only lines with 8-car long platforms are the Nassau, Jamaica, Myrtle and Canarsie lines. As a result, unlike the C which uses 8-car trains despite all its stations being 10 cars long, the M cannot use 10-car trains as the stations south of the Chrystie St Connection are only 8 cars long. This makes the M the only service to run on both 8-car long and 10-car long platforms.

[@williamerazo3921]

I would love a 8ve local to bayridge by Manhattan bridge 👍

[@josephrosner905]

3:07 Mystic: The exp. tracks used to end at 34 St Me: If they make same stops as local from 34 St to 47-50 Sts, they werent express at the time

[@MysticTransit]

You are correct, at the time, they were not express tracks, but for an easier understanding for those watching the video, I worded it differently.

[@josephrosner905]

6 Av services without Chrystie St Connection: (B) wouldnt exist (D) runs from 205 St to 34 St (F) isnt affected (M) is brown from Chambers to Metropolitan Shuttle from B Laf to Grand St

[@KingofGamingAndTrains456]

Or the (D) and (F) would run Culver Express in Brooklyn with the (G) handling local service.

[@josephrosner905]

That would be neat to see, but it would be better for the (F) to run culver local

[@stevenlitvintchouk3131]

That's not how it used to be before 1967. The D train ran on the Culver tracks. The F line from Queens terminated at 34th Street in non-rush hours. In rush hours, I believe it ran to Broadway-Lafayette. There was a "BB" line (predecessor to the B) that ran in rush hours, from 168th Street to 34th Street.

[@mood4eva98]

Yaasssss here from Discord

[@Thatgamingdiary]

Same here

[@noahnorman6877]

Me too

[@jfchonors8873]

I never understood why the brand new station at Grand St was built with such narrow side platforms when the Christie St connection was constructed Some say it’s because of a false wall behind which there’s a tunnel for the Second Ave subway When there are a lot of passengers waiting at Grand St that platform is dangerous

[@blaksham]

Yes it is narrow and yes the platform was intended to be a two platform four track station. Imagine the B/D platform being the inner portion (express) having an outer portion serve another track (local). Those other tracks would have been local second avenue service continuing straight north and south of Grand St. Since they were never built and the population of the area continued to increase, you now see the crazy amount of passengers waiting at Grand St.

[@anthonygallo3576]

It was actually called as they all are the chrystie St. Cut. If; recall when on a s/ b train at second ave instead of the next stop being Delancy st , the train went through the cut and wound up going over a bridge or to another station . I dont completely recall . .

[@jei1600]

Can you do a video on the DeKalb junction and how it could be improved or replaced?

[@samuelitooooo]

Hold on. I knew about Chrystie Street but didn't know that the 6th Ave express didn't always exist south of Herald Square! I gotta look up how it was all built now (because the proximity of PATH is also interesting) as well as how W 4 St and Bway-Lafayette was like before all of the above. I think southern Brooklyn would be worse off without Chrystie St because, in trying to make more train services go to Midtown, many more lines would merge on 4th Ave and then go up Broadway. Chrystie St and 6th Ave express seems to have increased capacity meaningfully.

[@samuelitooooo]

So the H&M came first in the early 1910s. 🤯 6th Ave was built around it, and H&M stations were relocated. Wowowow.

[@blaksham]

@@samuelitooooo Yep. That's why the MTA sixth avenue local stations south of 34th street are single track/wall. Behind that wall is the PATH train. Sixth avenue local service is built on either side of the PATH train. Sixth avenue express runs UNDER the Path Train then comes up at 34th street since the PATH stops at 32nd street (even though the station is still called 33rd Street)

[@CR1Creative]

@@samuelitooooo I am hoping that a new line takes over the Fulton Street Local [I have the (J/Z) take this with a completely revamped Jamaica Avenue Line with a new subway west of Cypress Hills serving Highland Boulevard and Arlington Avenue at Jamaica Avenue, having (J) trains go to 168th Street Merrick via Broadway Junction and (Z) trains going straight to Euclid Ave [discontinuing (E) service], both starting at Essex Street, with another service taking over the Broadway Junction and Myrtle Avenue lines] What I would do is to reconfigure the local tracks of the Chrystie Street Cut to connect to separate tracks of the SAS. This would be combined with the (K). The (M) and (K) would start at Roosevelt Island, then heads to the SAS via sperate tracks at 55th Street, then separates from the main branch at 14th Street to head to Broadway-Lafayette to sperate the load between (MTV), then they head to Essex Street [eastbound (K) and (M) will have a new track and side platform], then they head to Myrtle Ave, where the (K) is at the lower level, while the (M) has a new upper level with an island platform. The (K) continues to Crescent Street via Broadway Junction, while the (M) heads to Middle Village. this means that the Crescent Street S-curve would be demolished as a result for a new ramp at Jamaica Avenue, similar to the Culver Line. As for the (J) it would need a new yard. to which I suggest extending the line one more station to 168th Merrick before building an underground yard at 93rd Ave. I had the (G) go via Queenslink as the (M) is locked at 12tph with the Willamsbridge Bridge [for that, I have a pink (H) train that goes to Rockaway Park, Rego Park, LaGuardia Airport, Flushing, Whitestone and Throgs Neck].

[@Thatgamingdiary]

Yay new vid time

[@Thedancingroach777]

chrystie is the reason nassau doesn't run on the manhattan bridge anymore, Without that, I think the J/Z would still run on the bridge in a loop like 1963 in a big loop in brooklyn and back into manhattan

[@456newportlines]

Well, as you know what would you change in the past?

[@goatiebaaproductions]

Ha, interesting. Didn't know that

[@MysticTransit]

Glad to know you learned something from this video!

[@BigBlueMan118]

This looks like reverse branching though, which is a big problem right?

[@carlbro1]

Which reverse branch you talking about

[@levybob1]

You said that before the Christie St. Connections there were No trains crossing the Williamsburgh Br. into Manhattan. I don't think that's true. Didn't the 'BMT' Jamaica Line always cross that Bridge and terminate at Broad Street? What's true is that before the Christie St. Connection there were no 6th Ave Line trains crossing the bridge; originally the 'K' train which the current 'M' train has superceded.

[@MysticTransit]

I’m not sure if I exactly said that in the video, but to clarify, there were no 6th Avenue Trains that crossed the Williamsburg Bridge.

[@TomGioia]

Yes, the J and M have crossed the Williamsburg bridge to Broad St. since the early 1900s . The M was rerouted in 2010

[@_selvarajg_]

Interesting

[@declanftbl]

Hi

[@MysticTransit]

Hi.

[@Scorpionovemeber]

They should extend the (Q) on the entire second avenue, Make the train Fully express on broadway, and have the (Q) go to Brooklyn, and crosstown 125th street, Then have it Run crosstown in the Bronx from west to east

[@levybob1]

?????? The Q already goes to Brooklyn. The Q does not CURRENTLY go to either 125 St. or The Bronx.

[@Scorpionovemeber]

⁠​⁠@@levybob1ik, what I’m saying is take off the (Q) off broadway completely, make the train fully express on broadway replacing the (Q) on broadway, make the (Q) run fully on 2ave coming from Brooklyn in it’s original route, after stopping at 125th street 2ave, make it a crosstown 125th train from 2ave to 12ave, then extend it to the bronx and make it a crosstown Bronx train, from the west to the east from the 4, B and D to as east as it goes to coop city, or throgg neck

[@levybob1]

That's 1000 years from now. Also there's no 12th Ave on 125 St.

[@pineyforkpress]

@@Scorpionovemeber you pay for it.

[@carlbro1]

​@@Scorpionovemeberone word, bad Why? You don't need to do all of that

[@pineyforkpress]

Williams-Burg, DeKalb, not DeKolb, pronounce it right!

[@carlbro1]

We got different ways of pronouncing the funny station name

[@EndIessProductions]

@@carlbro1yes I call it as DeezAlb