D (New York City Subway service)

Early history

D service began on December 15, 1940, when the IND Sixth Avenue Line opened. It ran from 205th Street, the Bronx to World Trade Center (at that time called Hudson Terminal) on the IND Eighth Avenue Line at all times, switching between the IND Sixth Avenue to the Eighth Avenue Lines just south of West Fourth Street–Washington Square.^[5] Service ran express via the Concourse Line during rush hours.^[6] Two trains started service at Bedford Park Boulevard in the morning rush hour.^[7]

D service was increased on October 24, 1949, in order to offset the discontinuation of C service, which ran express via the Concourse Line and the Eighth Avenue Line.^[8] After the morning rush hour on weekdays, several D trains terminated at Bedford Park Boulevard. On December 29, 1951, Saturday peak direction express service in the Bronx was discontinued, along with the discontinuation of Saturday CC local service.^[7]

On October 30, 1954, the Culver Ramp opened, providing a connection between the IND South Brooklyn Line and BMT Culver Line. D service was rerouted via these two lines to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue with alternate trains running to Church Avenue during rush hours.^[9] On Saturdays, four round trips ran between 205th Street and Kings Highway.^[10][11] D trains replaced F service on the South Brooklyn Line, and were sent over the new connection as the first IND service to reach Coney Island. The service was announced as Concourse–Culver and advertised as direct Bronx–Coney Island service.^[12][13]

On May 13, 1957, alternate D trains were cut back to Church Avenue during weekday middays.^[11] Between October 7, 1957, and 1959, four rush hour trains ran to Euclid Avenue via the IND Fulton Street Line when the D started being inspected at Pitkin Yard.^[7] Four trains left 205th Street between 7:20 and 8:10 a.m., and one left Bedford Park Boulevard at 8:53 a.m. These four trains returned between 3 and 5 p.m. During the morning rush hour, several northbound trains ended at Bedford Park Boulevard.^[10][11] These trains ran express along the Fulton Street Line if they ran during the hour that A trains ran express along the line.^[7]

From December 4 to 27, 1962, a special service labeled DD was provided due to a water main break. It operated during rush hours only between 205th Street and Stilwell Avenue. It made all stops between 205th Street in the Bronx and 59th Street–Columbus Circle in Manhattan, rerouted via the Eighth Avenue Local between 59th and West Fourth Streets, and then made all stops between West Fourth Street in Manhattan and Stillwell Avenue in Brooklyn via the Culver Line.^[14]

Chrystie Street Connection (1960–1981)

On November 26, 1967, the Chrystie Street Connection opened, connecting the Sixth Avenue Line with the north tracks of the Manhattan Bridge and the BMT Southern Division lines in Brooklyn. In conjunction with this project, the new express tracks on the Sixth Avenue Line between West Fourth Street–Washington Square and 34th Street were opened, providing additional capacity for the extra trains on the IND via the connection.^[15] On this date, D service was switched over to BMT Brighton Line via this new connector, running express on weekdays to Brighton Beach and local to Stillwell Avenue at all other times. The D replaced Q service, which had run local in Brooklyn (except during morning rush hours and early evenings) and express on the BMT Broadway Line in Manhattan, terminating at 57th Street. In Manhattan, it ran express from West 4th Street to 34th Street rush hours only, with the B using the express tracks to relay when it terminated at West 4th Street at other times. Service on the Culver Line to Coney Island was replaced by extended F service.^[12][16][17] On July 1, 1968, it would become the full-time Sixth Avenue Express when non-rush hours B service and new KK service was extended to the new 57th Street–Sixth Avenue station.^[18]

On August 19, 1968, to reduce conflicts at the Brighton Beach terminal, D service was truncated to Brighton Beach when it ran express on the BMT Brighton Line (morning rush hours through early evenings, and QB (rush-hour peak direction only) and QJ (morning rush hours through early evenings) were extended from Brighton Beach to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue. In addition, the span of Manhattan-bound D express service was increased by two hours, with the last express leaving Brighton Beach at 7:37 p.m.^[19]

Effective January 2, 1973, the daytime QJ was truncated to Broad Street as the J, and the M was extended beyond Broad Street during the day along the QJ's former route to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue, via the Montague Street Tunnel and Brighton Line local tracks.^[20] Also, changes were made to D and M service on the Brighton Line. Northbound weekday M train service originating at Kings Highway would begin at 5:46 a.m., while northbound service from Coney Island would begin at 6:34 a.m. From 5:40 to 6:34 a.m. northbound D trains would run local from Brighton Beach to Kings Highway, and then run express to Prospect Park. Late morning and early afternoon D trains would from then on run express from Brighton Beach to Kings Highway. The span of D express service to Brighton Beach was extended by 45 minutes to 9:05 p.m. from Prospect Park, and the span of M service from Broad Street to Coney Island was extended by 45 minutes over the span of QJ service to cover local stops.^[21]

Manhattan Bridge reconstruction and Brighton Line rehabilitation work (1982–2004)

For brief periods between 1982 and 1985, the Manhattan Bridge north tracks were out of service due to repairs, preventing D trains from operating along its normal route. In some instances, D trains were rerouted between Broadway–Lafayette Street and DeKalb Avenue via the Nassau Street Line and the Montague Street Tunnel. In the northbound direction, D trains would operate via the Fourth Avenue Line from DeKalb Avenue to Court Street, via the Montague Street Tunnel, and then via the Nassau Street Line to Essex Street; at Essex Street, trains would change direction and utilize the Williamsburg Bridge connection of the Chrystie Street Connection and return to its normal route at Broadway–Lafayette Street. In the southbound direction, D trains would utilize the Williamsburg Bridge connection of the Chrystie Street Connection to Essex Street; at Essex Street, trains would change direction and operate via the Nassau Street Line, the Montague Street Tunnel, and the Fourth Avenue Line to DeKalb Avenue and return to its normal route. This reroute proved unsatisfactory because it delayed J and M trains.^[22]

D service was divided and ran in two sections when the north tracks of the Manhattan Bridge closed on April 26, 1986, due to construction, with regular service expected to resume on October 26, 1986. The northern section ran between Norwood–205th Street in the Bronx and 34th Street–Herald Square (the orange D) while the southern section ran express on the BMT Broadway Line from 57th Street–Seventh Avenue to Canal Street, then crossed the south tracks of the Manhattan Bridge into Brooklyn, and operated local along the Brighton Line to Stillwell Avenue (the yellow D). Service to Grand Street was replaced by the S shuttle, which ran via the Sixth Avenue local to 57th Street–Sixth Avenue.^[23]

At this time, the local tracks on the BMT Brighton Line also underwent reconstruction, necessitating the suspension of express service. As a substitute, the D and Q ran skip-stop service between Newkirk Avenue and Sheepshead Bay on weekdays. D trains served Neck Road, Avenue M, and Avenue H; the Q served Avenue U and Avenue J, and both trains served Kings Highway.^[24] The first skip-stop train left Brighton Beach at about 6:30 a.m. while the last one left 57th Street–Seventh Avenue at about 7:30 p.m. On weekday evenings, between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m., D trains made all local stops, except Parkside Avenue and Beverley Road where service was only available in one direction. During late nights and weekends, D trains ran express between Prospect Park and Kings Highway depending on which tracks were being worked on.^[25] By 1987, as reconstruction on the Brighton Line progressed, the weekday skip-stop pattern expanded to Prospect Park, with D trains serving Beverley Road while Q trains served Cortelyou Road and Parkside Avenue, with Church Avenue as a mutual station.^[26] From November 23, 1987 to May 13, 1988, one AM rush hour D train was extended beyond its normal terminal at 57th Street/Seventh Avenue and terminated at Astoria – Ditmars Boulevard.^[27]

On December 11, 1988, the north tracks of the Manhattan Bridge reopened and the two sections of the D joined together running via Sixth Avenue Express. The D now ran as the full-time Brighton Local to Stillwell Avenue.^[28][29]

In January 1991, a reduction of service along the Concourse and Central Park West Corridors was proposed. Peak direction D service between Fordham Road and 145th Street would be discontinued. In addition, the D would be the sole service along the Concourse Line due to the elimination (later changed to a reroute) of C service. This service change would have been implemented in October 1991, pending approval from the MTA board.^[30]

From April 30 to November 12, 1995,^[31] the Bridge's north tracks closed during middays and weekends and during these hours, D service was cut south of 34th Street-Herald Square. In its place, the Q ran local in Brooklyn to Stillwell Avenue.^[32] On July 22, 2001, the north tracks were closed at all times and the southern (Broadway Line) tracks reopened. D service was again cut below 34th Street–Herald Square. In Brooklyn, D service was replaced by Q local service.^[33][34][35]

2004–present

On February 22, 2004, full service on the Manhattan Bridge was restored and D trains were extended via the north tracks of the bridge to Brooklyn, replacing the W as the Fourth Avenue Express (late nights local) and West End Local to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue.^[36][37] The D was moved to the West End Line instead of returning to the Brighton Line, which it had run on since 1967, to provide 24-hour service to both the Concourse Line and West End Line and avoid running two separate (B and D) shortened services outside of weekdays. This eliminated the need to run late-night and weekend shuttles on the West End Line as was done prior to 2002.^[38]

From May 24, 2004, to fall 2004, signal modernization on the IND Concourse Line required the suspension of D express service in the Bronx.^[39]

From September 18, 2021, until January 24, 2022,^[40] southbound D trains terminated at Bay 50th Street so work could be completed to protect Coney Island Yard from flooding.^[41]

The IND Concourse Line's express track was closed from July 2, 2022, to January 23, 2023, with D trains using the local tracks at all times.^[42][43] Effective December 15, 2024, four a.m. rush hour trains began entering service at 25th Avenue and four evening trains began terminating at Bay Parkway, instead of starting or ending at Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue.^[44][45]

Signage history

• 
  Pre-1967 bullet used on the R1s to R38s
• 
  1962 DD bullet
• 
  1967–1979 bullet
• 
  1986-1988 bullet for the BMT Broadway Line
• 
  Unused diamond bullet for peak direction Concourse express service, last seen in use on old maps
• 
  The current bullet used since 1979

Service pattern

The following table shows the lines used by the D, with shaded boxes indicating the route at the specified times:^[46]

Stations

For a more detailed station listing, see the articles on the lines listed above.^[3]

More information Station service legend ...

Station service legend
	Stops 24 hours a day
	Stops every day during daytime hours only
	Stops every day during overnight hours only
	Stops during weekday daytime hours only
	Stops 24 hours a day, except during weekday rush hours in the peak direction
	Stops during weekday rush hours only
	Station closed
	Stops weekdays in the peak direction only
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

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More information Stations, Subway transfers ...

	Stations		Subway transfers	Connections and notes
The Bronx
Concourse Line
	Norwood–205th Street
	Bedford Park Boulevard		B	Some a.m. rush hour trips to and from Brooklyn begin or end their runs at this station[a]
	Kingsbridge Road		B
	Fordham Road		B	Bx12 Select Bus Service
	182nd–183rd Streets		B
	Tremont Avenue		B
	174th–175th Streets		B
	170th Street		B
	167th Street		B
	161st Street–Yankee Stadium		B  4  (IRT Jerome Avenue Line)	Bx6 Select Bus Service Metro-North Hudson Line at Yankees–East 153rd Street Express trains that normally bypass this station will stop when an event is being held at Yankee Stadium
Manhattan
	155th Street		B
	145th Street		B  A  ​C  (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
Eighth Avenue Line
	125th Street		A  ​B  ​C  ​	M60 Select Bus Service to LaGuardia Airport
	59th Street–Columbus Circle		A  ​B  ​C  ​ 1  ​2  (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)
Sixth Avenue Line
	Seventh Avenue/53rd Street		B  E  (IND Queens Boulevard Line)
	47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center		B  ​​F  <F> ​M
	42nd Street–Bryant Park		B  ​​F  <F> ​M  7  <7> ​ (IRT Flushing Line at Fifth Avenue) 1  ​2  ​3  (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line at Times Square–42nd Street, daytime only) N  ​Q  ​R  ​W  (BMT Broadway Line at Times Square–42nd Street, daytime only) S  (42nd Street Shuttle at Times Square, daytime only) A  ​C  ​E  (IND Eighth Avenue Line at 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal, daytime only)
	34th Street–Herald Square		B  ​​F  <F> ​M  N  ​Q  ​R  ​W  (BMT Broadway Line)	M34 / M34A Select Bus Service PATH at 33rd Street Amtrak, LIRR, NJ Transit at Pennsylvania Station
	West Fourth Street–Washington Square		B  ​​F  <F> ​M  A  ​C  ​E  (IND Eighth Avenue Line)	PATH at Ninth Street
	Broadway–Lafayette Street		B  ​​F  <F> ​M  4  ​6  <6> (IRT Lexington Avenue Line at Bleecker Street)	Southern terminal for severe weather trips.[47]
Chrystie Street Branch
	Grand Street		B
Brooklyn
Fourth Avenue Line
	DeKalb Avenue		​N  ​Q  ​R
	Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center		N  ​R  W  B  ​Q  (BMT Brighton Line) 2  ​3  ​4  ​5  (IRT Eastern Parkway Line)	LIRR Atlantic Branch at Atlantic Terminal
	Union Street		​N  ​R
	Ninth Street		​N  ​R  F  ​G  (IND Culver Line at Fourth Avenue)
	Prospect Avenue		​N  ​R
	25th Street		​N  ​R
	36th Street		N  ​R  W
West End Line
	Ninth Avenue		​R  ​W
	Fort Hamilton Parkway
	50th Street
	55th Street
	62nd Street		​R  ​W  N  ​W  (BMT Sea Beach Line at New Utrecht Avenue)
	71st Street
	79th Street
	18th Avenue
	20th Avenue
	Bay Parkway		​R  ​W	B82 Select Bus Service Southern terminal for some southbound evening trains[b]
	25th Avenue			Southern terminal for some northbound a.m. rush hour trains[c]
	Bay 50th Street
	Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue		F  <F> ​ (IND Culver Line) N  (BMT Sea Beach Line) Q  (BMT Brighton Line)

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