So let’s visit the BMT’s Broadway Elevated in Brooklyn on the west end of the line. The former junction at the Marcy Ave station once served the Brooklyn Broadway El Grand Street Ferry Spur. The Ferry spur junction, the switch tower and the stub remain to this day.
The history of this ferry spur is different in that the El was built west to the ferry. In 1888, the "Old Main Line", or Broadway El was extended west to the Broadway Ferry Terminal at Kent Avenue with a stop at Driggs Ave.
In 1885 the first Brooklyn El went out of Park St near Sands Street to Grand St and across Grand to Lexington Ave and on to Gates Ave on Broadway. With initial success of the first Brooklyn El, the El was extended further East on Broadway to Alabama Ave and the Broadway El was built west to the Broadway Grand Street Ferry. In October 1899, LIRR trains started through service from Broadway Ferry to Jamaica and the Rockaways using the Chestnut Junction.
The Broadway Ferry El terminal was built with two levels, but only the upper deck had tracks, which was at the same elevation as the El structure When El trains began using the Williamsburg Bridge to reach Manhattan, the Broadway El Ferry line became a shuttle but it was still a very busy service. It served the neighborhood from Bedford Ave with the Driggs Avenue station to the Ferry terminal at the docks at Kent Avenue The single BRT car 998 ran in non-rush hour shuttle service to Marcy Ave and was supplemented by two three car trains through during the rush hours. LIRR - Broadway Ferry El service ended in in May 1909, when that service was switched over to the Williamsburgh Bridge to Manhattan.
With the opening of the Williamsburg Bridge connection, the Broadway Ferry El became a spur and service was reduced to a shuttle service to Marcy Ave using BRT Car 998. July 1916 saw the last day of service for the BRT Broadway El Ferry Shuttle because the Broadway El was being third tracked from Marcy Ave to Broadway junction at East New York.
Trolley service replaced the El shuttle and subsequently buses replaced the trolley cars. A paper transfer was in place at Marcy Avenue to access this service.
The Broadway El structure was gradually reduced to a single track-way and was completely removed in May of 1941.
So some photos. Here we have the junction at Bridge Plaza about when it was completed in 1909. The El was not electrified here until near this time.
The Ferry Terminal had a two level structure for El Trains. Only the upper level had tracks. Steam power handled the trains in the beginnining. One of the shots has a Forney in it which was the common locomotive used back then.
Here is what Broadway looked like in 1890. The Driggs ave station is within view on the EL. On the left are the Williamsburg and Kings County Banks. Peter Lugers was on the right side. At the turn of the century, Williamsburg Brooklyn was an important Commercial industrial area. It is said that about 10% of the nations GDP was associated with this area.
When the connection to the Bridge was opened , it was an on grade junction so the tower played an important role in the operations here, handling Ferry Trains Bridge Trains and LIRR operations.
After 1916, the line was used as a lay up area for Broadway El service. trains. A couple of photos showing this at this time.
This is a view of the El Spur looking West. The Bridge on the right completes the panorama.
In 1940-41, the long service unused structure was removed . The last shot shows a train of BMT standards on the connection to the Bridge. Its a short Train so maybe a Broadway Local to Atlantic Avenue. The El Spur is almost gone and we reach the end of the story
