IRT Flushing Line

IRT Flushing Line
Name	IRT Flushing Line
Caption	A R62A train at Times Square–42nd Street.
Type	Rapid transit
System	New York City Subway
Status	Operational
Locale	Manhattan, Queens, New York City
Start	Flushing–Main Street
End	34th Street–Hudson Yards
Stations	22
Daily ridership	600,000 (2019)
Open	1915–1928; 2015 (Hudson Yards extension)
Owner	City of New York
Operator	New York City Transit Authority
Character	Elevated, underground
Stock	R62A
Linelength	8.4 mi (13.5 km)
Tracks	2–4

IRT Flushing Line is a rapid transit line of the New York City Subway, operated as part of the A Division and designated as the 7 route. It runs from Flushing–Main Street in Queens to 34th Street–Hudson Yards in Manhattan, primarily serving the neighborhoods of Flushing, Corona, Jackson Heights, Long Island City, and Midtown Manhattan. The line is notable for its high ridership, diverse service patterns, and its role as a critical artery connecting Queens to the core of Manhattan.

History

The line's origins trace back to the Dual Contracts era, with the first section from Queensboro Plaza to Albany Avenue opening in 1915 under the Interborough Rapid Transit Company. Extensions westward through the new Steinway Tunnel to Times Square and eastward to Main Street were completed by 1928, establishing its core route. Major infrastructure projects included the 1949 connection to the BMT Astoria Line at Queensboro Plaza and the significant 2015 opening of the Hudson Yards extension, funded in part by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's 2015–2019 MTA Capital Plan. The line has been a focal point for development, particularly around the Hudson Yards redevelopment and the Queens West project.

Route description

The route begins at the elevated Flushing–Main Street terminal adjacent to the Long Island Rail Road station. It runs elevated on a steel structure above Roosevelt Avenue through densely populated Queens neighborhoods, passing landmarks like Citi Field and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The line descends into a tunnel west of Mets–Willets Point, traveling under the East River via the Steinway Tunnel to emerge in Manhattan. In Midtown Manhattan, it runs underground beneath 42nd Street, serving the Times Square and Grand Central hubs before curving south to its terminus at Hudson Yards near the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Service patterns

The line operates two primary services: the <7> express and the 7 local. The express service runs during weekdays, skipping nine stations between Mets–Willets Point and Queensboro Plaza, utilizing the center express tracks. The local 7 train runs at all times, making all stops. Special event service is common for games at Citi Field and the U.S. Open, and the line has historically operated NTT trains during pilot programs for the Communications-Based Train Control signaling system.

Station listing

From east to west, key stations include the terminal at Flushing–Main Street, the major transfer point at 74th Street–Broadway for the IND Queens Boulevard Line, and the junction at Queensboro Plaza for the BMT Astoria Line. In Manhattan, it serves the major interchanges at Grand Central for the IRT Lexington Avenue Line and Times Square for the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line, IND Eighth Avenue Line, and BMT Broadway Line, before terminating at 34th Street–Hudson Yards.

Rolling stock

The line is exclusively served by a fleet of R62A cars, which were originally built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in the 1980s. These cars operate in 11-car trains, a unique configuration in the A Division, to meet the line's high passenger demand. The New York City Transit Authority has maintained this fleet specifically for this route, though future upgrades are tied to the implementation of the new Communications-Based Train Control system.

Future plans

The primary future initiative is the full implementation of Communications-Based Train Control, which is expected to increase capacity and reliability. There have been longstanding proposals, such as the Triboro RX plan, to connect the line to other boroughs, though these remain unfunded. Other considerations include potential station renovations and capacity improvements to alleviate crowding, particularly at the busy 74th Street–Broadway and Times Square stations, as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's long-term capital strategy.

Category:New York City Subway lines Category:Railway lines opened in 1915 Category:Transportation in Queens, New York City