Brooklyn Bridge platforms

Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall once had two side platforms and a south end.

Construction and operation
The first subway in New York had five express stations on its four track main line: Brooklyn Bridge, 14 St, Grand Central, 72 St, and 96 St. Three of the stations had both island platforms between the express and local tracks and side platforms on the local tracks.

The four track main line was an innovation in rapid transit. Experience on the elevated lines, all built as two main tracks, had shown that train service to relatively distant points like upper Manhattan and the Bronx was too slow. The Manhattan Railway had a few sections of third track, notably on much of the Third Ave El and part of the joint Sixth Ave and Ninth Ave Els uptown, which was used to run some peak hour trains around trains making all stops. For the subway, the idea was taken to its logical conclusion of all-day express service in both directions.

The modern expectation of island platforms that allow riders to cross between trains cannot be taken for granted. The management was taken by surprise, it was reported, that the public took to it immediately, and began using the express trains to gain time even when origin and destination were both local stops. There is still no other subway system where this kind of riding is routine.

The Board of Rapid Transit Railroad Commissioners commented on the side platforms in their Report. . . for the year ending December 31, 1903:

At the Brooklyn Bridge, Fourteenth street and Ninety-sixth street stations, side platforms have been constructed in addition to the island platforms, so that at these stations passengers going to or coming from the express stations will not be obliged to go to the island platforms and come in contact with the passengers using the express trains. At the other two express stations the width of the street would not permit the construction of these additional platforms.

It's not known how long the side platforms and Brooklyn Bridge were actually used. They may have closed as early as 1910, since they were not lengthened to accommodate longer local trains, like the platforms at local stations.

Also at Brooklyn Bridge are extensions of the island platforms to the south, opened in 1910 to allow for longer express trains, and closed in 1962 when the platforms were extended to the north instead. The closed extensions go around a curve, and there are remains of gap fillers on the platform edge. The reason such poorly sited extensions were built was to make use of available space in the tunnel. When the north end extension was built, it was a major construction project with new side walls and roof, and track relocations.