National Register of Historic Places

Times Square-42nd Street Subway Station

New York, New York County, New York
Listed
September 16, 2004
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
04001016

About this property

The Times Square–42nd Street station is a major New York City Subway station complex located under Times Square, at the intersection of 42nd Street, Seventh Avenue, and Broadway, in Midtown Manhattan. The complex allows free transfers between the IRT 42nd Street Shuttle, the BMT Broadway Line, the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line and the IRT Flushing Line, as well as to the IND Eighth Avenue Line a block west at 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal. The complex is served by the 1, 2, 3, 7, N and Q trains at all times, the W train during weekdays; the R and 42nd Street Shuttle (S) trains at all times except late nights; and <7> trains during rush hours in the peak direction. A free passageway from the shuttle platform to the 42nd Street–Bryant Park/Fifth Avenue station, served by the 7, <7>​​, B, ​D, ​F, <F>, and ​M trains, is open during the day from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m. The present shuttle platforms were built for the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) as a local station on the city's first subway line, which was approved in 1900. The station opened on October 27, 1904, as one of the original 28 stations of the New York City Subway. As part of the Dual Contracts between the IRT and the Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT), the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line platforms opened in 1917, followed by the Broadway Line platforms in 1918 and the Flushing Line platforms in 1928. The original platforms were also reconfigured to serve the shuttle. The complex has been reconstructed numerous times over the years. The free transfer between the IRT and BMT opened in 1948, while the transfer to the IND station was placed within fare control in 1988. The complex was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. In the early 21st century, the shuttle station was reconfigured. Excluding closed platforms, the Flushing Line and shuttle stations have one island platform and two tracks, while the Broadway Line and Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line have two island platforms and four tracks. All platforms and most of the station complex is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, except for the IND passageway, which has steep ramps at both ends. The Times Square–42nd Street complex, including the Eighth Avenue Line, is the busiest station complex in the system, serving 65,020,294 passengers in 2019.

Location

New York, New York County, New York
40.75544, -73.98696

Categories

TRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTUREARTENGINEERINGCOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTSOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Knickerbocker Hotel
Industrial
0 mi
New Amsterdam Theater
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0.1 mi
Candler Building
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0.1 mi
Garment Center Historic District
Industrial
0.1 mi
Lamb's Club
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Kip's Bay
1776Revolutionary War
1.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Times Square-42nd Street Subway Station listed on the National Register?

Times Square-42nd Street Subway Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 16, 2004.

What type of historic resource is Times Square-42nd Street Subway Station?

Times Square-42nd Street Subway Station is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Times Square-42nd Street Subway Station?

The period of significance for Times Square-42nd Street Subway Station is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Times Square-42nd Street Subway Station?

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