79th Street station (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)

79th Street is a local station on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 79th Street and Broadway on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, it is served by the 1 train at all times and the 2 train during late nights.

79 Street
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
Downtown platform
Station statistics
Address	West 79th Street & Broadway New York, NY 10024
Borough	Manhattan
Locale	Upper West Side
Coordinates	40.784°N 73.98°W / 40.784; -73.98
Division	A (IRT)
Line	IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line
Services	1  (all times) ​      2  (late nights)
Transit connections	NYCT Bus: M79 SBS, M104
Structure	Underground
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	4
Other information
Opened	October 27, 1904 (1904-10-27)[1]
Station code	312[2]
Wireless service	[3]
Opposite-direction transfer available	No
Traffic
Passengers (2019)	4,745,863[4]  4.9%
Rank	96 out of 424[4]
Station succession
Next north	86th Street: 1  ​2
Next south	72nd Street: 1  ​2
Location Show map of New York City Subway Show map of New York City Show map of New York
Street map
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times Stops late nights only
79th Street Subway Station (IRT)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
New York City Landmark No. 1096
MPS	New York City Subway System MPS
NRHP reference No.	04001018[5]
NYCL No.	1096
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	September 17, 2004
Designated NYCL	November 24, 1981[6]

History

Track layout
to 86 St to 72 St

Operation of the first subway began on October 27, 1904, with the opening of the original 28 stations of the New York City Subway from City Hall to 145th Street on the West Side Branch including the 79th Street station.[7]^:162–191[8]

Station layout

G	Street level	Exit/entrance
P Platform level	Side platform
	Northbound local	← toward 242nd Street (86th Street) ← toward 241st Street late nights (86th Street)
	Northbound express	← do not stop here
	Southbound express	→ do not stop here →
	Southbound local	→ toward South Ferry (72nd Street) → → toward Flatbush Avenue late nights (72nd Street) →
	Side platform

Like other local stations, 79th Street has four tracks and two side platforms. The two express tracks are used by the 2 train during daytime hours and the 3 train at all times.[9] At this point on the line, the center express tracks are slightly lower than the local tracks, particularly at the north end.

Exits

All fare control areas are on platform level and there are no crossovers or crossunders. The southbound platform is fully staffed, containing a turnstile bank, token booth, staircase going up to the northwest corner of West 79th Street and Broadway, and passageway separated from the platform by a steel fence leading to a staircase that goes up to the southwest corner of the aforementioned intersection. This passageway has a High Entry-Exit Turnstile to the platform and was added after the station's opening as proven by its cinder block tiles.[10]

The northbound platform's fare control is unstaffed, containing a turnstile bank, now-closed customer assistance booth, staircase going up to the southeast corner of West 79th Street and Broadway, and passageway separated from the platform by a steel fence leading to a staircase that goes up to the northeast corner of the aforementioned intersection. This passageway has a High Exit-Only Turnstile to the platform and was also added after the station's opening.[10]

Design and artwork

Both platforms have cream-colored tiles and a pink trim line with "79TH ST" written on it in black sans serif font at regular intervals. These tilings were installed during a 1970s renovation that covered most of the original mosaics and cartouches. Some of these as well as the decorated ceiling beams can still be seen by the fare control areas.

Gallery

• 
  SE corner stairs
• 
  Name in mosaics
• 
  Original wall decorations and mosaics
• 
  The uptown platform and control area in 1978

References

1. "Our Subway Open: 150,000 Try It; Mayor McClellan Runs the First Official Train". The New York Times. October 28, 1904. p. 1. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
2. "Station Developers' Information". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
3. "NYC Subway Wireless – Active Stations". Transit Wireless Wifi. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
4. "Facts and Figures: Annual Subway Ridership 2014–2019". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
5. "NPS Focus". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
6. "Interborough Rapid Transit System, Underground Interior" (PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. November 24, 1981. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
7. Walker, James Blaine (1918). Fifty Years of Rapid Transit — 1864 to 1917. New York, N.Y.: Law Printing. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
8. "Subway Opening To-day With Simple Ceremony – Exercises at One O'Clock – Public to be Admitted at Seven – John Hay May Be Present – Expected to Represent the Federal Government – President Roosevelt Sends Letter of Regret" (PDF). The New York Times. October 27, 1904. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
9. Dougherty, Peter (2006) [2002]. Tracks of the New York City Subway 2006 (3rd ed.). Dougherty. OCLC 49777633 – via Google Books.
10. "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Upper West Side" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2015. Retrieved December 30, 2016.

External links

• nycsubway.org – IRT West Side Line: 79th Street
• Station Reporter – 1 Train
• Forgotten NY – Original 28 - NYC's First 28 Subway Stations (Part 2)
• 79th Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Platforms from Google Maps Street View