Franklin Ave. Shuttle Extension?

This is obviously a total pipe dream (or is it?), but we just read that MTA plans to extend the G Train to Church Ave. (not our section of Church Ave., but the part over by Kensington) and so we started thinking... Why not extend the Franklin Ave. Shuttle to connect to the Bedford/Nostrand G (proposed extension highlighted in pink)?

Though you readers will find it hard to believe, we have a bunch of buddies who live in hoods such as Williamsburg, Carroll Gardens and Redhook, and it's quite an ordeal to visit said buddies.  Williamsburg requires a trip into the city and a transfer to the L or J, or a long ride on the B48.  Redhook/CG requires so many transfers that we usually give up and walk from Atlantic Ave - not good when you're in a hurry.

Of course, there are many barriers to our plan.  As the S runs above ground, there are probably a lot of buildings in the way of our proposed extension.  The project would also require a ton of money that we do not have.

Comments

[anon]

You would have to knock down buildings. Also, why the need to connect to the G? It's got to be the most useless train in the city. Less accessibility for hipsters is a bonus to me - they're numbers are growing.

[jim]

I've oftern thought that the shuttle should be extended as you envision. If I recall there is an unused third track at the Bedford Nostrand station where the shuttle could terminate. Also there should be a connection from the G to the elevated trains at Broadway. Then suerivce sould be increased on the G to make it more useful.

[Tg]

The Brighton Line (currently the B/Q) always terminated at Fulton and Franklin. I think there used to be a connection there with the train that went over the Brooklyn Bridge.
Here are some of the older maps

http://www.bmt-lines.com/images/brt1911.JPG

http://www.bmt-lines.com/moodybrtmap.JPG

http://www.bmt-lines.com/images/1924map1.jpg

The Bus still takes you up to Williamsburg from Lincoln Road

[Bob M]

The BRT Brighton Line certainly used what are now the shuttle tracks at the time of the Malbone Street Disaster in Nov. 1918.The infamous "S-curve", where the crash took place, is on the present shuttle track, just north of the Prospect Park station.

[noq]

I've noticed a lot of hipsters getting off the Q at Prospect Park and then going across to the inbound platform (to the shuttle?). Where are they going? Prospect Heights? Is it faster to back-track from here than get off at 7th Ave?

[noq]

Actually the Brighton line didn't always terminate at Fulton. It was originally not a commuter railroad - it ran from Prospect Park to the Brighton Beach Hotel as a pleasure train starting in the 1870's. When they did decide to make it a commuter train, they originally cut a deal with the LIRR to terminate at Atlantic Ave. That deal fell through, so they then made a deal with the Franklin Avenue El, so that passengers could get to downtown Brooklyn. The Brighton line was connected with trains to Manhattan in 1900.

Forgotten-NY has an interesting article on the shuttle:

http://www.forgotten-ny.com/SUBWAYS/Franklin%20Ave%20station/franklin.html

[tg]

Yes I read the Malbone Street disaster book and if you did, you would know the infamous "S-Curve" is not used at all. The shuttle runs on a single track that is the easternmost point on the right of way. The track that entered the tunnel where it crashed is where the Coney Island bound trains run. When they put the new tunnel under Flatbush Avenue to connect the Brighton Line to 7th Ave station, they eliminated the use of that curve. I am pretty sure it has not had a train in it since that accident. And Malbone Street is of course, Empire Blvd now (except a small portion near New York Ave by the Police Station).

[Mike]

I would like a train or bus to go down Parkide to connect the Q to F trains.
If it was a train it could save MTA money in long run by creating a circle loop line that would run on Q and F lines. Thus elimanating the need to send empty trains down to Coney Island in the morning.

[Clarence Eckerson Jr.]

I have been riding the G train on and off for about 16 years. It has many more riders than ever, and little extensions like this make economic sense. If Mayor Bloomberg is serious about NYC2030, things like this need to be done to improve transit options.

[carrie]

The problem with the S is that it's above ground. Subway access usually increases nearby real estate values a great deal, which is partly why building new stations is popular, but above-ground trains are tricky 'cos people don't appreciate the noise and pollution. (Personally, my vote would be for Mike's suggestion of linking the Q and F.)

The hipsters riding the S are probably going to Clinton Hill. Prospect Heights is already well-served by the Q, B, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (keeping in mind that parts of Crown Hills are now called Prospect Heights). Clinton Hill just has the blue line.