Misplaced Pages

Flushing Local Flushing Express
Manhattan-bound 7 local train of R188s leaving 52nd Street
Queens-bound 7 express train of R188s leaving Fifth Avenue
Western end	34th Street–Hudson Yards
Eastern end	Flushing–Main Street
Stations	22 (local service) 18 (express service) 8 (super express service)
Rolling stock	R188 (Rolling stock assignments subject to change)
Depot	Corona Yard
Started service	1915; 109 years ago (1915)
Route map Legend  7   <7>  Flushing–Main Street Mets–Willets Point northbound local; game days only 111th Street 103rd Street–Corona Plaza Junction Boulevard 90th Street–Elmhurst Avenue 82nd Street–Jackson Heights 74th Street–Broadway 69th Street 61st Street–Woodside 52nd Street 46th Street–Bliss Street 40th Street–Lowery Street 33rd Street–Rawson Street express service during weekday peak ​ Ditmars Boulevard via Astoria Queensboro Plaza ​ Downtown & Brooklyn via Broadway Court Square Hunters Point Avenue Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue Queens Manhattan Grand Central Fifth Avenue Times Square–42nd Street 34th Street–Hudson Yards  7   <7>  Legend Lines used by the Other services sharing tracks with the Unused lines, connections, or service patterns  7  Termini of services Cross-platform interchange Platforms on different levels This diagram: view talk edit

The 7 Flushing Local and <7> Flushing Express are two rapid transit services in the A Division of the New York City Subway, providing local and express services along the full length of the IRT Flushing Line. Their route emblems, or "bullets", are colored purple, since they serve the Flushing Line.

7 trains operate at all times between Main Street in Flushing, Queens and 34th Street–Hudson Yards in Chelsea, Manhattan. Local service, denoted by a (7) in a circular bullet, operates at all times, while express service, denoted by a <7> in a diamond-shaped bullet, runs only during rush hours and early evenings in the peak direction and during special events.

The 7 route started running in 1915 when the Flushing Line opened. Since 1927, the 7 has held largely the same route, except for a one-stop western extension from Times Square to Hudson Yards on September 13, 2015.

Service history

Early history

On June 13, 1915, the first test train on the IRT Flushing Line ran between Grand Central and Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue, followed by the start of revenue service on June 22. The Flushing Line was extended one stop from Vernon–Jackson Avenue to Hunters Point Avenue on February 15, 1916. On November 5, 1916, the Flushing Line was extended two more stops east to the Queensboro Plaza station. The line was opened from Queensboro Plaza to Alburtis Avenue (now 103rd Street–Corona Plaza) on April 21, 1917. Service to 111th Street was inaugurated on October 13, 1925, with shuttle service running between 111th Street, and the previous terminal at Alburtis Avenue on the Manhattan-bound track.

On March 22, 1926, Flushing Line service was extended one stop westward from Grand Central to Fifth Avenue, when that portion of the Flushing Line was opened. The line was extended to Times Square almost exactly a year later, on March 14, 1927. Though an eastward extension to Willets Point Boulevard opened on May 7 of the same year, service was provided by shuttle trains for the first week, until through service was inaugurated. The eastern extension to Flushing–Main Street opened on January 21, 1928.

The service on the Flushing Line east of Queensboro Plaza was shared by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and the Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) from 1912 to 1949; BMT trains were designated 9, while IRT services were designated 7 on maps only. The IRT routes were given numbered designations in 1948 with the introduction of "R-type" rolling stock, which contained rollsigns with numbered designations for each service. The Times Square to Flushing route became known as the 7.

Introduction of express service

Express trains began running on April 24, 1939, to serve the 1939 New York World's Fair. The first train left Main Street at 6:30 a.m. local time. IRT expresses ran every nine minutes between Main Street and Times Square, with BMT expresses having a similar frequency, running just between Main Street and Queensboro Plaza. The running time between Main Street and Queensboro Plaza was 15 minutes and the running time between Main Street and Times Square was 27 minutes. Express service to Manhattan operated in the morning rush between 6:30 and 10:43 a.m. Express service to Main Street began from Times Square for the IRT at 10:50 a.m. and the BMT from Queensboro Plaza at 11:09 a.m., continuing until 8 p.m.

On October 17, 1949, the joint BMT/IRT operation of the Flushing Line ended, and the Flushing Line became the responsibility of the IRT. After the end of BMT/IRT dual service, the New York City Board of Transportation announced that the Flushing Line platforms would be lengthened to 11 IRT car lengths, and the BMT Astoria Line platforms extended to 10 BMT car lengths. The project, to start in 1950, would cost US$3,850,000 (equivalent to $48,800,000 in 2023). The platforms were only able to fit nine 51-foot-long IRT cars, or seven 60-foot-long BMT cars beforehand.

On March 12, 1953, two 9-car super express trains began operating from Flushing–Main Street to Times Square in the morning rush hour. The super expresses stopped at Willets Point before skipping all stops to Queensboro Plaza, bypassing the Woodside and Junction Boulevard express stops. The running time was cut down to 23 minutes from 25 minutes. Beginning August 12, 1955, four super expresses operated during the morning rush hour. On September 10, 1953, two express trains from Times Square were converted to super express trains in the evening rush hour. Super express service was discontinued in the morning rush and evening rush, on January 13, 1956, and December 14, 1956, respectively. Holiday and Saturday express service was discontinued on March 20, 1954.

On November 1, 1962, fifty R17s (numbers 6500–6549) were transferred from the Mainline IRT to the 7, allowing for ten-car operation. This was the first time that the IRT ran ten-car trains without a second conductor. With the 1964–1965 World's Fair in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in April 1964, trains were lengthened to eleven cars. The Flushing Line received 430 new R33 and R36 "World's Fair" cars for this enhanced service.

Rehabilitation service patterns

First renovation

From May 13, 1985, to August 21, 1989, the IRT Flushing Line was overhauled for improvements, including the installation of new track, repair of station structures and to improve line infrastructure. The project cost $70 million. Temporary platforms were built at local stations along the line when track work was being performed on local track in station areas to provide access to trains.

The major element was the replacement of rails on the Queens Boulevard viaduct. This was necessitated because the subway was allowed to deteriorate during the 1970s and 1980s to the point that there were widespread "Code Red" defects on the Flushing Line, and there were some pillars holding elevated structures that were so shaky that trains would not run if the wind exceeded 65 mph (105 km/h). <7> express service was suspended for the duration of the project; however, extra 7 service was provided for Mets games and Flushing Meadows Park events. During the project, delays of up to 10 minutes on weekdays, and 20 minutes on weekends were expected. The New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) had considered running express bus service to replace <7> express service, but decided against it as it would require hundreds of buses, which the NYCTA did not have. During the construction project, the NYCTA operated 25 trains per hour on the local track, three fewer than the 28 trains per hour split between the local and express beforehand. Running times on the 7 were lengthened by ten minutes during the project.

Resumption of express service

The project was completed in June 1989, six months ahead of its scheduled completion of December 1989. The NYCTA held a public hearing on June 29, 1989, concerning its proposed reinstatement of express service. The NYCTA proposed implementing express service in July 1989 to coincide with changes in regular A Division schedules. It began to plan options to reinstate express service in 1988. Options were presented to local community boards, including the service pattern in place before May 1985, the continuation of all-local service, Super Express service running nonstop between Willets Point and Queensboro Plaza and Skip-Stop Express service.

Before May 1985, express service operated to Manhattan from 6:30 to 9:45 a.m. and to Main Street from 3:15 to 7:30 p.m. Expresses ran every three minutes on average and locals ran every six minutes; due to the uneven split in service, in practice one express train would be followed two minutes later by another express train, and then an additional four minutes would elapse until the next express train arrived. This split between expresses and locals was in place due to high demand for express trains. Express trains that arrived four minutes after the previous trip had carried twice as many passengers than the expresses that arrived two minutes afterward. With the elimination of express service and the unreliable merge at 33rd Street, service reliability had increased, with on-time performance often exceeding 95%. Keeping local-only service was dismissed as it would not have saved times for the large number of riders boarding east of Junction Boulevard heading to Manhattan, because it did not provide for the most efficient use of subway cars, and because it did not provide an attractive alternative to the overcrowded Queens Boulevard Line. Super express service was dismissed as the demand for local service would require two or three locals for every express, replicating the problem of the pre-1985 service pattern. Skip-stop service was dismissed for limiting the capacity of the line to 24 trains per hour, from the line's capacity of 30 trains per hour under other service patterns for express service.

The NYCTA created a service plan with the goals of maintaining existing levels of reliability, having local service run at existing levels or higher than the pre-1985 level, and providing faster running times. The NYCTA proposed the reintroduction of express service, running to Manhattan between 6:30 and 10 a.m. (changed to 6:30 to 9:45 a.m. at the time of implementation) and to Flushing between 3:15 and 8:15 p.m.. Express service would bypass 61st Street–Woodside, allowing one express train to run for every local, with expresses and locals both running every four minutes. The operation of expresses and locals at even frequencies was expected to aid in the even spacing of trains arriving at 33rd Street. The fast express service was expected to discourage riders boarding north of Junction Boulevard to transfer to the crowded Queens Boulevard Line. The elimination of Woodside as an express stop was done in part because trains at the station would be held up by passengers transferring between the local and the express, which led to delays at the 33rd Street merge, negating the time savings. On July 28, 1989, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board approved the change by a vote of 5–3. <7> express service was restored on August 21, 1989, pushed back from July. Express service saved six minutes from Main Street to Manhattan and four minutes from Junction Boulevard. In September 1989, 200 riders and Republican Mayoral candidate Rudolph Giuliani rallied at the 61st Street station to protest the elimination of express service. Express service resumed stopping at Woodside on a six-week test basis on February 10, 1992, after pressure from community opposition.

Second renovation

In the mid-1990s, the MTA discovered that the Queens Boulevard viaduct structure was unstable, as rocks that were used to support the tracks as ballast became loose due to poor drainage, which, in turn, affected the integrity of the concrete structure overall. <7> express service was suspended again between 61st Street–Woodside and Queensboro Plaza; temporary platforms were installed to access the express track in the four intermediate stations. The work began on April 5, 1993. When the viaduct reconstruction finished on March 31, 1997, ahead of schedule, full <7> express service was reinstated. Throughout this entire period, ridership grew steadily.

Extension and CBTC

The 7 Subway Extension, which travels west and south to 34th Street and 11th Avenue, near the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Hudson Yards, was delayed five times. The 34th Street–Hudson Yards station, originally scheduled to open in December 2013, then pushed to May 2014. And then pushed again to September 13, 2015, and has been serving passengers ever since. However, the overall station construction project was not completed until early September 2018.

In 2010, New York City officials announced they were considering a further extension of the service across the Hudson River to the Secaucus Junction train station in New Jersey. Though the project was supported by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and New Jersey governor Chris Christie, MTA chairman Joseph Lhota announced in 2013 that the New Jersey extension would not be pursued, in favor of the Gateway Tunnel project, which entails a new tunnel to Manhattan for Amtrak and NJ Transit trains. As part of a joint effort between the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the MTA, and NJ Transit, this extension was considered again in February 2018.

In 2008, the MTA started converting the 7 service to accommodate communications-based train control (CBTC). Originally expected to cost $585.9 million, the installation of CBTC was intended to allow two additional trains per hour as well as two additional trains for the 7 Subway Extension, providing a 7% increase in capacity. At the former southern terminal, Times Square, service on the 7 was limited to 27 trains per hour as a result of the bumper blocks there. The new southern terminal at 34th Street–Hudson Yards has tail tracks to store rush-hour trains and can increase the service frequency to 29 trains per hour. New CBTC-compatible cars for the A Division (the R188 contract) were delivered from 2013 to 2016. In October 2017, the CBTC system was activated from Main Street to 74th Street. On November 26, 2018, following numerous delays, CBTC was activated on the remainder of the 7 route.

From June 26, 2023, through January 2025, <7> express trains are making all stops between Queensboro Plaza and 74th Street–Broadway due to renovations along the Flushing Line.

Rolling stock

The 7 operates with 11-car sets; the number of cars in a single 7 train set is more than in any other New York City Subway service. These trains, however, are not the longest in the system, since a train of 11 "A" Division cars is only 565 feet (172 m) long, while a standard B Division train, which consists of ten 60 foot (18 m) cars or eight 75 foot (23 m) cars, is 600 feet (180 m) long.

Fleet history

The 7, throughout almost all its history, has maintained a separate fleet from the rest of the IRT, starting with the Steinway Low-Vs. The Steinways were built between 1915 and 1925 specifically for use in the Steinway Tunnel. They had special gear ratios to climb the steep grades (4.5%) in the Steinway Tunnel, something standard Interborough equipment could not do.

In 1938, an order of World's Fair Lo-V cars was placed with the St. Louis Car Company. These cars broke from IRT "tradition" in that they did not have vestibules at each car end. In addition, because the IRT was bankrupt at the time, the cars were built as single ended cars, with train controls for the motorman on one side and door controls for the conductor on the other.

Starting in 1948, R12s, R14s, and R15s were delivered to the 7. On November 1, 1962, fifty R17s (6500–6549) were transferred from the Mainline IRT to the 7, allowing for ten-car operation. This was the first time that the IRT ran ten-car trains without a second conductor.

In 1964, picture window R33S and R36 cars replaced the older R12s, R14s, R15s, and R17s in time for the 1964 New York World's Fair. Early in 1965, the NYCTA placed a strip map indicating all the stations and transfer points for the line in each of the line's 430 cars, helping World's Fair visitors. This innovation was not used for other services and as they shared rolling stock with each other; it was possible for cars to have the wrong strip maps.

The 7 was the last service to run using "Redbird" cars, and the 7's fleet consisted entirely of R33S/R36 Redbird trains until February 2002. In 2001, with the arrival of the R142/R142A cars, the Transit Authority announced the retirement of all Redbird cars. From January 2002 to November 2003, Bombardier-built R62A cars from other routes gradually replaced all of the Redbird cars on the 7. The first R62As entered service on the 7 route on February 19, 2002. On November 3, 2003, the last Redbird train made its final trip on this route, making all stops between Times Square and the then-named Willets Point–Shea Stadium. Several Redbird cars running on this service were decorated with Mets logos and colors during the 2000 World Series against the New York Yankees, as the Flushing Line runs adjacent to Citi Field and the former location of Shea Stadium.

By 2008, all R62As on the 7 were upgraded with LED lighted signs to distinguish between express and local trains. These signs are located on the rollsigns that are found on the side of each car. The local is a green circle around the 7 bullet while the express is a red diamond. Previously, the rollsigns showed either a (7) (within a circle) or a <7> (within a diamond) with the word "Express" underneath it.

The R62As were displaced by the R188s from January 2014 to March 30, 2018, in preparation for the automation equipment for the Flushing Line. The displaced R62As were returned to the 6 train, from which many R142As were taken and converted to R188s. The first train of R188 cars began operating in passenger service on November 9, 2013. By 2016, most of the CBTC-equipped R188 train sets were on the 7, and by March 30, 2018, the last R62A trains were displaced by the R188 cars.

Nickname

The 7 is unofficially nicknamed the "International Express" and the "Orient Express", in part because it travels through several different ethnic neighborhoods populated by immigrants, especially along Roosevelt Avenue, and also because it was the principal subway route to the 1964–65 New York World's Fair. On June 26, 1999, First Lady Hillary Clinton and U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater designated the 7 route as a National Millennium Trail (under the name "International Express"), along with 15 other routes including the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the Underground Railroad.

Route

Service pattern

The following table shows the line used by the 7 and <7>, with shaded boxes indicating the route at the specified times:

Line	From	To	Tracks	Times
				all times	rush hours, peak direction
IRT Flushing Line (full line)	Flushing–Main Street	74th Street–Broadway	express
			local
	74th Street–Broadway	33rd Street–Rawson Street	local
	Queensboro Plaza	34th Street–Hudson Yards	all

<7> trains typically run express east of Queensboro Plaza. As of June 2023, due to structural renovations on the IRT Flushing Line, <7> trains only run express east of 74th Street–Broadway.

In addition to regular local and rush-hour express services, "Super Express" service to Manhattan is also provided after New York Mets games weeknights and weekends at Citi Field, as well as after US Open tennis matches: starting at Mets–Willets Point and operating express to Manhattan, also bypassing Junction Boulevard, Hunters Point Avenue and Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue. As of 2023, Super Express trains only bypass Hunters Point Avenue and Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue due to work on the IRT Flushing Line.

Stations

The 7 and <7> run on the IRT Flushing Line in their entirety. Stations in blue denote stops served by Super Express game specials.

Station service legend
	Stops all times
	Stops all times except late nights
	Stops weekdays during the day
	Stops rush hours in the peak direction only
	Station closed
Time period details
	Station is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act
↑	Station is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act in the indicated direction only
↓
	Elevator access to mezzanine only

Lcl	Exp	Stations		Subway transfers	Connections/Notes
Queens
Flushing Line
		Flushing–Main Street			LIRR Port Washington Branch at Flushing–Main Street Q44 Select Bus Service Q48 bus to LaGuardia Airport
		Mets–Willets Point	↑		LIRR Port Washington Branch at Mets–Willets Point Q48 bus to LaGuardia Airport Some rush hour trips originate or terminate at this station Super Express trips to 34th Street–Hudson Yards originate at this station
↑	|	111th Street			Q48 bus to LaGuardia Airport Flushing-bound trains will not stop here because of renovations from May 6, 2024, until Winter 2025.
	|	103rd Street–Corona Plaza
		Junction Boulevard			Q72 bus to LaGuardia Airport
	|	90th Street–Elmhurst Avenue
↑	|	82nd Street–Jackson Heights			Flushing-bound trains will not stop here because of renovations from May 6, 2024, until Winter 2025.
		74th Street–Broadway		E  ​F  <F> ​M  ​R  (IND Queens Boulevard Line at Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue)	Q47 bus to LaGuardia Airport (Marine Air Terminal only) Q53 Select Bus Service Q70 Select Bus Service to LaGuardia Airport
		69th Street			Q47 bus to LaGuardia Airport (Marine Air Terminal only).
		61st Street–Woodside			LIRR City Terminal Zone at Woodside Q53 Select Bus Service Q70 Select Bus Service to LaGuardia Airport
		52nd Street
		46th Street–Bliss Street
		40th Street–Lowery Street
		33rd Street–Rawson Street
		Queensboro Plaza		N  ​W  (BMT Astoria Line)
		Court Square		G  (IND Crosstown Line) E  ​M  (IND Queens Boulevard Line at Court Square–23rd Street)
		Hunters Point Avenue			LIRR City Terminal Zone at Hunterspoint Avenue (peak hours only)
		Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue			LIRR City Terminal Zone at Long Island City (peak hours only)
Manhattan
		Grand Central–42nd Street		4  ​5  ​6  <6> (IRT Lexington Avenue Line) S  (42nd Street Shuttle)	Metro-North Railroad at Grand Central Terminal Long Island Rail Road at Grand Central Madison
		Fifth Avenue		B  ​D  ​F  <F> ​M  (IND Sixth Avenue Line at 42nd Street–Bryant Park)
		Times Square–42nd Street		1  ​2  ​3  (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line) A  ​C  ​E  (IND Eighth Avenue Line at 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal) N  ​Q  ​R  ​W  (BMT Broadway Line) S  (42nd Street Shuttle)	Port Authority Bus Terminal M34A Select Bus Service
		34th Street–Hudson Yards			M34 Select Bus Service

In popular culture

• The 2000 documentary film The #7 Train: An Immigrant Journey is based on the ethnic diversity of the people that ride the 7 train every day.
• The 7 Line Army is a group of New York Mets fans whose name is derived from the 7 route.
• In a 1999 Sports Illustrated interview, then-Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker controversially stated that riding the 7 train is "like you're Beirut next to some kid with purple hair next to some queer with AIDS right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's depressing. The biggest thing I don't like about New York are the foreigners. You can walk an entire block in Times Square and not hear anybody speaking English. Asians and Koreans and Vietnamese and Indians and Russians and Spanish people and everything up there. How the hell did they get in this country?"
• The PC simulator game "World of Subways 4" released in March 2015 by Aerosoft is a recreation of the 7 during the time the redbirds operated the line. It features a driving simulation in different conditions, as well as missions with storylines loosely related to the 7's operation.
• In January 2020, as part of an agreement between the MTA and Comedy Central to promote actor Awkwafina's TV show Nora From Queens, the default pre-recorded announcements for the 7 train on the R188s were replaced with those from Awkwafina for one week. The announcements from Awkwafina featured jokes in addition to the standard station announcements. The agreement was the first time that the MTA has replaced train announcements as a form of advertising.
• In September 2022, New York Mets television broadcast announcers Ron Darling, Keith Hernandez, and Gary Cohen pre-recorded announcements along the 7 line.
• In April 2024, the Mets unveiled their City Connect uniforms, which allude to the 7-line through their use of the color purple.
• On October 8, 2024, the McDonald's mascot Grimace rode a 7 train branded with imagery featuring the character before Game 3 of the 2024 National League Division Series between the Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Notes

1. Only the Flushing-bound local side platform is wheelchair-accessible. Trains open on this platform only during New York Mets games, the US Open and other special events.
2. During the morning, trips may both begin and end at Mets–Willets Point, but during the evening, trips may only end at this station.

References

1. 'Subdivision 'A' Car Assignment Effective December 23, 2023'. New York City Transit, Operations Planning. December 23, 2023.
2. "Subdivision 'A' Car Assignments: Cars Required December 23, 2023" (PDF). The Bulletin. 67 (2). Electric Railroaders' Association. February 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
3. ^ "7 Subway Timetable, Effective December 17, 2023". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
4. "Mta.info – Line Colors". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on October 16, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
5. "Queensboro Tunnel Officially Opened — Subway, Started Twenty-Three Years Ago, Links Grand Central and Long Island City — Speeches Made in Station — Belmont, Shonts, And Connolly Among Those Making Addresses — $10,000,000 Outlay" (PDF). The New York Times. June 23, 1915. p. 22. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
6. "Subway Extension Open – Many Use New Hunters Point Avenue Station" (PDF). The New York Times. February 16, 1916. p. 22. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
7. ^ Report of the Public Service Commission For The First District Of The State of New York For The Year Ending December 31, 1916 Vol. 1. January 10, 1917.
8. ^ Annual Report — 1916-1917 (Report). Interborough Rapid Transit Company. December 12, 2013. hdl:2027/mdp.39015016416920.
9. "New Subway Link" (PDF). The New York Times. November 5, 1916. p. XX4. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 18, 2020. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
10. Cunningham, Joseph; DeHart, Leonard O. (1993). A History of the New York City Subway System. J. Schmidt, R. Giglio, and K. Lang. p. 48. Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
11. "Transit Service on Corona Extension of Dual Subway System Opened to the Public" (PDF). The New York Times. April 22, 1917. p. RE1. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
12. "To Celebrate Corona Line Opening" (PDF). The New York Times. April 20, 1917. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
13. "First Trains to Be Run on Flushing Tube Line Oct. 13: Shuttle Operation Ordered to 111th Street Station on New Extension". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. October 5, 1925. p. 8. Archived from the original on October 26, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
14. Poor's Public Utility Section 1925. 1925. p. 523. Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
15. "Fifth Av. Station of Subway Opened" (PDF). The New York Times. March 23, 1926. p. 29. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
16. Annual Report of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company For The Year Ended June 30, 1925. Interborough Rapid Transit Company. 1925. Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
17. ^ State of New York Department of Public Service Metropolitan Division Transit Commission Seventh Annual Report For The Calendar Year 1927. New York State Transit Commission. 1928.
18. "New Queens Subway Opened to Times Sq" (PDF). The New York Times. March 15, 1927. p. 1. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
19. "Corona Subway Extended" (PDF). The New York Times. May 8, 1927. p. 26. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
20. "Flushing to Celebrate" (PDF). The New York Times. May 13, 1927. p. 8. Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
21. "Dual Queens Celebration" (PDF). The New York Times. May 15, 1927. p. 3. Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
22. "Flushing Rejoices as Subway Opens – Service by B.M.T. And I.R.T. Begins as Soon as Official Train Makes First Run – Hope of 25 Years Realized – Pageant of Transportation Led by Indian and His Pony Marks the Celebration – Hedley Talks of Fare Rise – Transit Modes Depicted" (PDF). The New York Times. January 22, 1928. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
23. Korman, Joseph (December 29, 2016). "Line Names". thejoekorner.com. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
24. Brown, Nicole (May 17, 2019). "How Did the MTA Subway Lines Get Their Letter or Number? NYCurious". amNewYork. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
25. Friedlander, Alex; Lonto, Arthur; Raudenbush, Henry (April 1960). "A Summary of Services on the IRT Division, NYCTA" (PDF). New York Division Bulletin. 3 (1). Electric Railroaders' Association: 2–3. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
26. "Fast Subway Service to Fair Is Opened" (PDF). The New York Times. April 25, 1939. p. 1. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
27. "First Flushing Express Train Runs Monday". New York Daily News. April 20, 1939. Archived from the original on March 24, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
28. "Direct Subway Runs To Flushing, Astoria" (PDF). The New York Times. October 15, 1949. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
29. Bennett, Charles G. (November 20, 1949). "Transit Platforms On Lines In Queens To Be Lengthened; $3,850,000 Program Outlined for Next Year to Care for Borough's Rapid Growth New Links Are To Be Built 400 More Buses to Roll Also — Bulk of Work to Be on Corona-Flushing Route Transit Program In Queens Outlined". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 29, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
30. "37 Platforms On Subways To Be Lengthened: All Stations of B. M. T. And I.R.T.in Queens Included in $5,000,000 Program". New York Herald Tribune. November 20, 1949. p. 32. ISSN 1941-0646. ProQuest 1325174459.
31. "2 I.R.T. Expresses to Cut Flushing-Times Sq. Run". The New York Times. March 10, 1953. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
32. "Super Express In Its First Run From Flushing: Journey to Times Square Is So Swift That It Even Leaves Bingham Behind". New York Herald Tribune. March 13, 1953. p. 19. ISSN 1941-0646. ProQuest 1322299710.
33. ^ Ingalls, Leonard (August 28, 1953). "2 Subway Lines to Add Cars, Another to Speed Up Service; 3 Subways To Get Improved Service". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 12, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
34. "IRT-Flushing Will Add Fourth Super-Express". Long Island Star-Journal. Fultonhistory.com. August 6, 1955. p. 13. Archived from the original on March 24, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
35. ^ Linder, Bernard (December 1964). "Service Change". New York Division Bulletin. Electric Railroaders' Association.
36. "Queens I.R.T. Trains Cut; Evening Super Expresses Will Be Dropped on Monday". The New York Times. January 10, 1956. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
37. "I.R.T. Service Reduced; Week-End Changes Made on West Side Local, Flushing Lines" (PDF). The New York Times. April 3, 1954. Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
38. ^ "R17s to the Flushing Line". New York Division Bulletin. Vol. 5, no. 6. Electric Railroaders' Association. December 1962. pp. M-8. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2018 – via Issuu.
39. Annual Report — 1962–1963. New York City Transit Authority. 1963.
40. "TA to Show Fair Train". Long Island Star – Journal. August 31, 1963. Retrieved August 30, 2016 – via Fulton History.
41. Sparberg, Andrew J. (2014). From a Nickel to a Token: The Journey from Board of Transportation to MTA. Empire State Editions. ISBN 9780823261932. Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
42. Slagle, Alton (December 2, 1990). "More Delays Ahead for No. 7 Line". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on June 10, 2019. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
43. On May 13, Residents of Queens Are Going To Be Mad As Hell., New York City Transit Authority, May 1985
44. "Memorandum: Flushing Line Project" (PDF). laguardiawagnerarchive.lagcc.cuny.edu. New York City Office of the Mayor. May 28, 1985. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
45. ^ Announcing <7> Flushing Line Express Service Starting Monday, August 21, 1989, New York City Transit Authority, 1989
46. ^ "#7 Flushing Line Express Service" (PDF). laguardiawagnerarchive.lagcc.cuny.edu. New York City Transit Authority. May 4, 1989. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
47. ^ Chittum, Samme (September 25, 1989). "Riders Are Expressive About No. 7: Elimination of 61st St. Stop Blasted for Creating Havoc". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on June 10, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
48. Lubrano, Alfred (August 23, 1989). "Take No. 7 Train, If You Can". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on June 15, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
49. Siegel, Joel (July 29, 1989). "2 Train Changes Get OK". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
50. "Announcing #7 Express Service. Starting Monday, August 21". New York Daily News. August 20, 1989. Archived from the original on June 11, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
51. Annual Report on 1989 Rapid Routes Schedules and Service Planning. New York City Transit Authority. June 1, 1990. Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
52. "Attention 7 Customers". New York Daily News. February 7, 1992. Archived from the original on June 11, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
53. Pérez-Peña, Richard (October 9, 1995). "Along the Subway, A Feat in Concrete". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2009.
54. "April 1993 Map Information". Flickr. New York City Transit Authority. April 1993. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
55. "The Repairs We're Making on the 7 Line Will Take Some Time. Like 3–4 Minutes per Trip If You Ride the Express". New York Daily News. April 2, 1993. Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
56. "7 Express Service Is Being Restored Between 61 Street/Woodside And Queensboro Plaza". New York Daily News. March 28, 1997. Archived from the original on June 12, 2019. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
57. Onishi, Norimitsu (February 16, 1997). "On the No. 7 Subway Line in Queens, It's an Underground United Nations". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 11, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2009.
58. Fitzsimmons, Emma G. (March 24, 2015). "More Delays for No. 7 Subway Line Extension". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 28, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
59. "New 34 St-Hudson Yards 7 Station Opens". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
60. "MTA's 7 Line Extension Project Pushed Back Six Months". NY1. June 5, 2012. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
61. "MTA Opens Second Entrance at 34 St-Hudson Yards 7 Station". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 1, 2018. Archived from the original on September 2, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
62. "NYC Subway Line May Continue Into N.J." CBS 2 New York. November 17, 2010. Archived from the original on April 7, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
63. Lipof, Phil (October 26, 2011). "Mayor Bloomberg Wants to Extend 7 Line to New Jersey". ABC7 New York. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
64. Donohue, Pete (April 3, 2012). "MTA Chief: No. 7 Line Won't Be Extended to NJ". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on April 29, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
65. Barone, Vincent (February 27, 2018). "Cross-Hudson Study Options Include 7 Line Extension into NJ". am New York. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
66. Baldwin, Carly (March 1, 2018). "7 Train To Secaucus Idea Resurrected". Secaucus, NJ Patch. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
67. Martinez, Jose (February 28, 2018). "Proposal to Extend 7 Train into New Jersey Revived". NY1. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
68. ^ MTA's Q&A on Capital Program 2010–2014 Archived March 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
69. Capital Program Oversight Committee Meeting April 2018 (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 23, 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 21, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
70. Nessen, S. (November 27, 2018). "New Signals Fully Installed on 7 Line, But When Will Riders See Improvements?". Gothamist. Archived from the original on April 11, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
71. "MTA Announces Service Changes on 7 Line to Accommodate Station Enhancements at 61 St-Woodside And 74 St-Broadway". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 25, 2023. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
72. Dougherty, Peter (2006) . Tracks of the New York City Subway 2006 (3rd ed.). Dougherty. OCLC 49777633 – via Google Books.
73. Sansone, Gene (2004). New York Subways. JHU Press. p. 84. ISBN 0-8018-7922-1.
74. Cudahy, B.J. (1995). Under the Sidewalks of New York: The Story of the Greatest Subway System in the World. Fordham University Press. p. 173. ISBN 978-0-8232-1618-5. Archived from the original on May 18, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
75. "The Interborough Fleet, 1900–1939 (Composites, Hi-V, Low-V)". www.nycsubway.org. January 17, 1916. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
76. Annual Report 1964–1965. New York City Transit Authority. 1965.
77. "New York City Subway Car Update" (PDF). The Bulletin. Vol. 61, no. 8. Electric Railroaders' Association. August 2018. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 27, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
78. Luo, Michael (November 4, 2003). "Let Go, Straphangers. The Ride Is Over". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 1, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
79. The Subway Series: The Yankees, The Mets and a Season to Remember. St. Louis, Mo.: The Sporting News. 2000. ISBN 0-89204-659-7.
80. Donohue, Pete (April 1, 2008). "On No. 7 trains, red diamond means express, a green circle for local". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on March 22, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
81. Rubinstein, Dana (September 5, 2012). "M.T.A. To Upgrade 7 Line by Trading Old Cars to Lexington Avenue". Capital New York. Archived from the original on May 13, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
82. "Moving Forward Accelerating the Transition to Communications-Based Train Control for New York City's Subways" (PDF). Regional Plan Association. May 2014. p. 47. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
83. Mann, Ted (November 18, 2013). "MTA Tests New Subway Trains on Flushing Line". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
84. "New Subway Cars Being Put to the Test". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. November 18, 2013. Archived from the original on May 15, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
85. International Express. Columbia University Press. February 22, 2017. ISBN 978-0-231-54361-3. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
86. Lewin, Tamar (November 20, 1988). "Long Island City, Woodside, Flushing: Stops Along the Way; No. 7 Line – The Orient Express". The New York Times Magazine. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
87. "The International Express: Around the World on the 7 Train". Queens Tribune. Archived from the original on January 22, 2003. Retrieved May 15, 2009.
88. Cohen, Billie (January 14, 2008). "No. 7 Train From Flushing-Main Street to Times Square". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 9, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2009.
89. "First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Transportation Secretary Slater Announce 16 National Millennium Trails". White House Millennium Council. June 26, 1999. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
90. "The No. 7 'International Express' Rolls Into History". Queens Courier. July 8, 1999. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
91. "Subway Service Guide" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
92. "MTA Announces Service Changes on 7 Line to Accommodate Station Enhancements at 61 St-Woodside and 74 St-Broadway". MTA. May 25, 2023. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
93. "The MTA Is Your Ride to All Yankees and Mets Home Games". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on April 2, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
94. "Mets-Willets Point Station: Accessibility on Game Days and Special Events Only". New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on April 22, 2009. Retrieved May 15, 2009.
95. ^ "Improving the 7 Line". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. November 22, 2023. Archived from the original on March 25, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
96. The Newsletter of the International Documentary Association. International Documentary Association. 2001. Archived from the original on November 23, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
97. Colton, Chris (March 26, 2013). "860 Mets Fans Strong, Opening Day Just The Start For 'The 7 Line Army'". WCBS-TV. Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
98. Pearlman, Jeff (December 27, 1999). "At Full Blast Shooting outrageously from the lip, Braves closer John Rocker bangs away at his favorite targets: the Mets, their fans, their city and just about everyone in it". Sports Illustrated Vault | Si.com. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
99. Goldbaum, Christina (January 16, 2020). "Awkwafina's Latest Role: Subway Announcer. New Yorkers Have Thoughts". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 17, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
100. "'Stop Manspreading!': Queens Native Awkwafina Takes Over 7 Train Subway Announcement". NBC New York. January 16, 2020. Archived from the original on January 17, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
101. Davenport, Emily (January 16, 2020). "Queens-Born Actress Awkwafina Will Voice 7 Train Announcements for a Week Before Her New Show Premieres". amNewYork. Archived from the original on May 18, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
102. Carlson, Jen (January 16, 2020). "The MTA Is Now Turning Subway Announcements Into Ads, Starting With Awkwafina". Gothamist. Archived from the original on January 17, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
103. Martino, Andy (April 19, 2024). "Exclusive: Unveiling the Mets' Full City Connect Uniforms, And Telling the Story Behind the Designs". sny.tv. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
104. Gharib, Anthony (April 19, 2024). "'A City like No Other': New York Mets Unveil City Connect Uniforms". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
105. Rahmanan, Anna (October 8, 2024). "See Grimace ride the 7 train to the Mets game in Citi Field". Time Out. Retrieved October 9, 2024.

External links

External videos
A Weekend at Work: Flushing Line May 2011, Metropolitan Transportation Authority; July 21, 2011; 3:42 YouTube video clip

• MTA New York City Transit – 7 Flushing Local
• MTA New York City Transit – 7 Flushing Express
• MTA Subway Time—7 Train
• "7 Subway Timetable, Effective December 17, 2023". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
• "Fiscal Brief September 2002" (PDF). (144 KB)

v t e New York City Subway
Current services	Shuttles 42nd Street Franklin Avenue Rockaway Park Planned
Defunct services	1985–present Pre-1985 8 9 (Dyre Avenue) AA BB CC EE (Eighth Avenue) EE (Broadway) GG HH (Court Street) JJ K (Jamaica) KK LL MJ NX QB QJ QT RJ RR T TT Shuttles Bowling Green Broadway/63rd Street Culver Grand Street Nassau Street Polo Grounds Sixth Avenue/63rd Street BMT numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Brooklyn Loops East New York Loop Unused labels Unused New York City Subway service labels
Stations (List)	By borough The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens By type Closed Terminals Transfer Accessible
Divisions	A Division IRT B Division BMT IND
Other lists	Lines Yards Rolling stock R-type contracts
History	Early history IRT BMT BRT Dual Contracts Expansions MTA Capital Construction and Development Company Chrystie Street Connection Interborough Express Program for Action 7 Subway Extension Second Avenue Subway Historic proposals Construction Other proposals LaGuardia Airport extension Notable crashes Ninth Avenue, 1905 Malbone Street, 1918 Times Square, 1928 Union Square, 1991 Williamsburg Bridge, 1995 96th Street, 2024 Strikes 1966 1980 2005 Service disruptions 2017–2021 New York City transit crisis 2019–2020 L train shutdown Other major incidents 1984 shooting 2000 lawsuit 2017 bombing 2020 fire 2022 attack 2023 killing 2024 immolation
Infrastructure	Accessibility 58 Joralemon Street Fulton Center Corbin Building Dey Street Passageway Substations 7 18 219 401 IRT Dyckman-Hillside
Arts and culture	In popular culture Mass Transit Super Bowl Miss Subways MTA Arts & Design Music Under New York "Showtime" Subway Challenge Subway Series Tiles
Miscellaneous	Automation and signals Chaining Fares MetroCard OMNY Pizza Principle Map Nomenclature Technology
Other rapid transit in NYC	AirTrain JFK PATH Staten Island Railway Stations Historical Beach Pneumatic Transit Manhattan Railway Company

• Interborough Rapid Transit Company
• New York City Subway services
• Railway services introduced in 1915
• 1915 establishments in New York City