Flatbush, Brooklyn

As Midwood becomes Flatbush east of the station (literally, on the other side of the tracks), the neighborhood becomes less Jewish and more African-American - and less affluent.

The LIRR Bay Ridge Line continues to the northeast in a trench through Flatbush.

Avenue H Station

Avenue H is cut by the BMT Brighton Line (Q train) between East 15th and East 16th streets. The subway line runs slightly above grade and passes over the freight tracks at the south end of the platform. The subway station house opened in 8/23/1907 and dates to upgrades on the line after the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company had consolidated ownership of most rail, el, and streetcar lines in Brooklyn.

7/10/2008 05:49 PM
East 14th Street bridge over railroad tracks

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Rail tracks running under East 14th Street bridge

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Woodcrest Apartments - Art Deco Splendor on East 14th Street at Avenue H

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Woodcrest Apartments

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Big old houses on East 14th Street north of Avenue H

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East 14th street cut by rail line

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Pedestrian bridge over rail line

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Abandoned building by rail line (future station house?)

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BMT Brighton Line tracks running over the freight line

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Pedestrian underpass under the subway tracks to get to the station

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Pedestrian underpass

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Avenue H station

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Damage to Avenue H station

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Flatbush Malls - East 17th Street

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Old house on Avenue H

Ocean Avenue - Brooklyn College - Manhattan Beach Junction

When these lines were first built in the 1870s, this intersection of with Ocean Avenue just to the southwest of Brooklyn College was Manhattan Beach Junction - where the Manhattan Beach line south to Coney Island separated from the main Bay Ridge Line. Because the Manhattan Beach Line was, effectively, a spur south off the Bay Ridge Line, termination of passenger service on the Bay Ridge Line in 1924 also terminated service on the Manhattan Beach Line. Freight service continued on the Manhattan Beach Line continued until it was taken up in 1937 and the right-of-way was relinquished.

7/10/2008 06:05 PM
Avenue H dead ends into Brooklyn College campus past Ocean Avenue

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Brick street post

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Vacant lot adjacent to tracks off Ocean Avenue

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Strange post near tracks

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Tracks prior to passing under Ocean Avenue

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Ocean Avenue bridge over tracks

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Hot Spot Tot Lot

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Brooklyn College athletic facilities

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Ivy-covered walls at Brooklyn College

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Midwood High School

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North entrance to Brooklyn College

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Brooklyn College bell tower

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Old 50's era playground equipment at Brooklyn College

Flatbush Avenue / Nostrand Avenue Station

The Brooklyn IRT line (2 and 5 trains) terminates at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue and Nostrand Avenue, just north of the freight rail tracks. Triangle Junction, a new retail building housing a Target store was built just to the south of the IRT station betweeen Avenue H, Flatbush and Nostrand. The rear part of the parking garage for the building extends over the freight tracks. Presumably, a new station would be built under the parking garage or (more likely) to the west on the site of a fresh produce market that would be seized with eminent domain. A pedestrian tunnel could then connect the two stations.

During the Manhattan Beach Railroad days the Flatlands station sat somewhere east of Nostrand Avenue - perhaps where Triangle Junction is now. The name was changed to Vanderveer Park in 1899 and it lasted until passenger service terminated in 1924.