3rd ave el 149th to 174th. pictures

THE PORTION OF THE 3RD AVE. EL SOUTH OF 149TH ST WAS ELIMINATED IN 1955. NORTH OF 149TH ST THE EL CONTINUED TO OPERATE IN PASSENGER SHUTTLE SERVICE UNTIL APRIL 1973. THE PORTION OF THE 3RD AVE. EL FROM 149TH TO 170TH ST OPENED IN THE LATTER 1880'S , AND FROM 170TH ST TO TREMONT AVE. 1891 . ORIGINALLY OPERATING USING STEAM ENGINES THIS LINE WAS ELECTRIFIED BY 1902. WHEN THE TIME CAME TO ADD AN EXPRESS TRACK DURING N.Y.C. 'S GREAT RAPID TRANSIT CONSTRUCTION & IMPROVEMENT ERA OF THE 1910'S .THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE WAS FLAWED & HAD LIMITATIONS. SO THE LINE WAS HEAVILY REBUILT , PLUS A CENTER TRACK WAS ADDED WITH EXPRESS STATIONS . YEARS LATER AFTER THE LINE WAS TORN DOWN NORTH OF 161ST STREET DURING 1974 THE ABANDON SECTION FROM 149TH ST TO 161ST STREET HAD TO BE RETAINED FOR A WHILE , BECAUSE IT CARRIED POWER WIRES FROM A SUB-STATION AT 161ST ST DOWN TO 149TH ST , WHERE IT FED THE CRISSCROSSING SUBWAY. AFTER A NEW POWER SUB-STATION WAS BUILT AT ST. ANN'S & WESTCHESTER AVES. AFTER THIS TIME LONG ABANDON & BADLY DETERIORATED FINAL STRETCH FROM 149TH ST TO 161ST ST. WAS FINALLY TORN DOWN IN THE SPRING OF 1977. THIS WAS PRETTY SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MANHATTAN PORTION OF THE 3RD AVE. EL ,, WHEN THE SECTION FROM 34TH ST TO 42ND ST WAS RETAINED UNTIL 1956 BECAUSE IT CARRIED WIRES TO THE CRISSCROSSING I.R.T. FLUSHING LINE AT 42ND STREET.